Aboriginal rights: a new relationship
Access to land and resources lie at the root of all Aboriginal issues. Yet the federal government has yet to make any significant effort to implement land and treaty rights. As governments continue to disregard, limit, and terminate Aboriginal rights, an active and vibrant ecumenical voice on Aboriginal justice issues is needed more than ever.
The churches are committed to just and respectful relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples. Such relationships recognize Aboriginal peoples as distinct peoples and nations, with rights to land and self-determination.
The Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP) concluded that public education is key to realizing a renewed relationship between Aboriginal and non-aboriginal peoples. It identified religious institutions as having great potential to foster awareness and understanding.
Through public education and action campaigns, KAIROS aims to:
- Change federal Aboriginal policy by calling for recognition of Aboriginal title and nationhood, and the implementation of Aboriginal land, treaty and inherent rights.
- Promote awareness of important and positive recommendations such as the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, and critique legislation such as the First Nations Governance Act.
- Empower local KAIROS groups to challenge racism and stand in solidarity with Aboriginal peoples. We encourage you to join or form a local KAIROS group focused on Aboriginal rights.
- Educate through resources which challenge our society’s relationship with Aboriginal peoples, and help us to envision a new relationship. KAIROS and many other groups produce resources for classroom, faith community, and small group use. These explain Aboriginal rights, explore the past 300 years of Canadian history, and invite Canadians to confront the racism and injustice faced by Aboriginal peoples.
Commentary and reflections on Indigenous rights
- Human Rights Tribunal on discrimination against First Nations children delayed (Jan 27, 2010)
- United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Jan 26, 2010)
- United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Jan 26, 2010)
- Indigenous Peoples and Oil and Gas Development (Nov 20, 2009)
- Lagging on indigenous rights (Sep 13, 2009)
- KAIROS Policy Briefing Paper #15: KAIROS Analysis of Budget 2009 (Feb 12, 2009)
- Canada's rights record blasted during UN review (Jan 14, 2009)
- Submission to the Universal Periodic Review Concerning Canada in February 2009 (Nov 4, 2008)
- Indigenous People’s Rights: KAIROS’ summary submission to the UN’s Universal Periodic Review Concerning Canada (Oct 27, 2008)
- Presentation by Janet Sigurdson to the ONIC's Tribunal on Indigenous Rights (Oct 13, 2008)
- An invitation to reflection: A Christian response to the tar sands (Oct 3, 2008)
- Report and reflections on the Forum and International Tribunal on Indigenous Rights in Colombia: July 17-21 2008 (Sep 13, 2008)
- Cree leaders to UN: fossil fuel pollution is a human rights issue (May 17, 2008)
- Worship service: Aboriginal rights (Jul 12, 2007)
- The 1987 "New Covenant" on Aboriginal rights revisited (May 1, 2007)
- A reflection on the Tu Cho Indigenous water conference (Oct 30, 2006)
- The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: Righting Historic Wrongs, Embracing a Future of Justice and Hope (Sep 1, 2006)
- A New Course on Indigenous Rights Is Urgently Needed (Feb 2, 2004)
Statements and media releases on Indigenous rights
- KAIROS and Amnesty International urge the governments of Canada and Alberta to recognize the Lubicon Cree First Nation’s land and resource rights (Feb 23, 2010)
- Sisters In Spirit Vigils : October 4 (Oct 1, 2009)
- No logging at Grassy Narrows without community consent (Sep 1, 2009)
- 300 years without resolution (Aug 7, 2009)
- Concern about armed border guards at Akwesasne (Jun 12, 2009)
- Tar Sands Delegation Statement: A call for responsibility and sustainability (Jun 11, 2009)
- KAIROS Tar Sands Delegation Releases Public Statement and Commits to High Level Advocacy in Support of Canadian Energy Policy (Jun 10, 2009)
- KAIROS Tar Sands Delegation Heads to Northern Alberta: Church Leaders, Indigenous Peoples and Southern Partners Seek Climate Change Solutions (May 13, 2009)
- Canada’s Record on Indigenous Rights Questioned at UN Human Rights Council (Feb 12, 2009)
- Human rights and church organizations send message to Alberta government: suspend pipeline until Lubicon rights are respected (Oct 16, 2008)
- Government of Canada’s Formal Apology for Indian Residential Schools (PDF Format) (Jun 2, 2008)
- North Central Corridor Pipeline and the Lubicon Lake (PDF Format) (Mar 27, 2008)
- KAIROS analysis of the 2008 federal budget (Feb 10, 2008)
- Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples adopted by United Nations – despite Canadian government opposition (Sep 13, 2007)
- Support for the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Jun 27, 2007)
- Canada’s Aboriginal Policy: Discriminatory and Disingenuous - A Brief to the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (PDF Format) (Feb 1, 2007)
- Human rights organizations condemn efforts to block vital human rights instrument (Nov 30, 2006)
- Joint Press Conference on Indigenous rights (Nov 9, 2006)
- House of Commons Aboriginal Affairs Committee expresses support for the United Nations Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Jun 8, 2006)
- The Need to Protect Indigenous Peoples from Large-scale Mining in the Philippines (PDF Format) (Feb 2, 2005)
- Concerns regarding the impact of mining on Guatelmalan communities (Nov 9, 2004)
- A New Course on Indigenous Rights Is Urgently Needed (Feb 2, 2004)
