Indigenous Rights
MEDIA RELEASE: Indigenous Elders lead online interactive sessions to foster Reconciliation
January 12, 2021
KAIROS launches winter series of KBE Teaching & Sharing Circles, January 19 (Ottawa, Ontario) – Fostering positive relationships between Indigenous & non-Indigenous peoples through truth, sharing and open dialogue is the aim of a KAIROS online series called KBE Teaching & Sharing Circles, which begins its winter sessions on Tuesday, January 19 at…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Media Releases
Federal bill to implement UN Declaration a welcome step in the right direction
December 3, 2020
The Coalition for the Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a coalition of Indigenous peoples’ Nations and organizations and other human rights advocates, welcomes the tabling of Bill C-15, a federal government bill to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Bill C-15 would provide…
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KAIROS Blanket Exercise: The untold history of colonization in Canada that most people never learn
November 10, 2020
Since its creation in 1997, the KAIROS Blanket Exercise (KBE) has been delivered thousands of times to tens of thousands of people of all ages and from all backgrounds by a wide variety of Indigenous and non-Indigenous facilitators. It is a unique…
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New Factsheet! Implementing UNDRIP: Myths and Misrepresentations
November 9, 2020
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
How the Indigenous Blanket Exercise destroyed my ego
November 4, 2020
Last January, the charity I worked for held its quadrennial staff gathering in Ottawa, where my department participated in an Indigenous Blanket Exercise. And boy did that not go as I expected. Note: this post is not sponsored or affiliated…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
5 Years of Truth and Reconciliation
November 3, 2020
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) released its Final Report in December 2015. Since then, KAIROS has worked hard to keep the TRC Report and 94 Calls to Action at the forefront of our social justice and education work in…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Coalition for the Human Rights of Indigenous peoples calls on federal and provincial governments to honour and uphold Mi’kmaw fishing rights
November 2, 2020
The members of our coalition are appalled by acts of violence and intimidation against Mi’kmaw fishers exercising their Constitutionally protected, legally affirmed, inherent and Treaty rights. The federal and provincial governments bear responsibility for their long-standing failure to ensure that rights affirmed…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS: Raise up the Year of Prayer Bundle, from coast to coast
November 2, 2020
Beginning on March 11, 2020, the KAIROS Steering Committee began a Year of Prayer for the persons, families and communities connected to The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and the National…
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Rights for People, Rules for Business!
October 5, 2020
A Virtual Rally for Real Canadian Corporate Accountability Join the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability (CNCA), of which KAIROS is a member, on Sunday, October 18th at 4:00PM EDT for a virtual rally in support of corporate accountability. Surpassing the initial goal of…
Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Indigenous Rights
KAIROS Blanket Exercise Teaching & Sharing Circles: November 24
October 5, 2020
‘Building Positive Relationships between Indigenous & non-Indigenous Peoples’ Led by Indigenous Knowledge Keepers with extensive experience facilitating the KAIROS Blanket Exercise (KBE), these interactive Zoom-based sessions aim to build positive relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people through truth, sharing, and open dialogue. Based in an Indigenous-world view and using Indigenous teachings and protocols,…
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Just transformation needed now: KAIROS responds to the 2020 Speech from the Throne
September 30, 2020
The Government of Canada addressed the pandemic – “our generation’s crossroad” – and how it plans to “build back better” in the much-anticipated Speech from the Throne on September 23. The speech touched on racism, gender and income inequality, the environmental crisis, dislocation, and the struggles facing Indigenous and global communities. While the government addressed each issue separately, they intersect and are amplified by a pandemic that exacerbates human…
Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Indigenous Rights, Migrant Justice
Spirited Reflection: Poem by Albert Dumont on Orange Shirt Day
September 30, 2020
Sir John A. Macdonald by Albert Dumont © We, the Anishinabe, search the lifeless eyes Of the many portraits proudly painted for Canada To honour a man Canadians believe Was an emblem for ‘decency, righteousness and vision’ “A hero” they say, “a…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Spirit Bear and Children Make History Sept. 27 at 3 PM PDT
September 24, 2020
Suitable for all ages and important viewing for everyone, this event starts with a screening of the stop motion short that sees Michif animator Amanda Strong and Gitxsan child rights activist Cindy Blackstock adapt Spirit Bear’s books for the screen….
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Orange Shirt Day is about changing the legacy
September 23, 2020
September 30 is Orange Shirt Day – a day to remember students who attended Indian Residential Schools in Canada. The day is inspired by Phyllis Webstad’s experience. On her first day at residential school in 1973, Phyllis was stripped of her new orange shirt, a shirt that…
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#ICantBreathe and Environmental Racism in Ecuador
September 23, 2020
The death of George Floyd in the US has once again demonstrated that racism plays a prominent role in the dominant system and that its violence and cruelty can reach unimaginable limits. The incident quickly led to a wave of…
Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Indigenous Rights
KAIROS condemns surge in violence and massacres in Colombia
September 16, 2020
KAIROS joins several civil society organizations in Canada including human rights, labour, and church groups in supporting the Committee for Human Rights in Latin America’s (CDHAL) solidarity statement published earlier this week condemning the surge in violence and the massacres that have swept both urban and rural regions of Colombia in recent weeks. The intensification of violence in…
Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Indigenous Rights
National implementation of UNDRIP is more urgent than ever
September 13, 2020
Anniversary of the Global Adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the UN General Assembly 13 years ago, on September 13th 2007, as a global minimum standard to address widespread, severe, and systemic violations of the…
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Indigenous curriculum key to Reconciliation in Canada
September 11, 2020
In 2018, KAIROS was encouraged by progress made by provincial and territorial governments in implementing the Truth and Reconciliation of Canada’s Call to Action 62.i (Education for Reconciliation). That year, Alberta received a grade of Excellent in “Public Commitment” and Good for “Implementation” from KAIROS’ Education for Reconciliation (E4R) Report Card. However, like others in…
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Table UN Declaration legislation this fall urges Indigenous rights coalition
August 17, 2020
The Coalition for the Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which is made up of Indigenous Nations and representative organizations, human rights groups and faith communities, including KAIROS, is urging the federal Minister of Justice to table legislation to implement the…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, UNDRIP Blog Updates
KAIROS solidarity and support for the 1492 Land Back Lane Defenders
August 14, 2020
KAIROS joins others in expressing grave concern about the recent attacks against Haudenosaunee land defenders by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) on August 5, 2020. Whether in the Philippines or here on Turtle Island, we denounce violence against land defenders who are asserting inherent rights to self-determination and to free, prior and informed consent. We call on the…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Cahier d’activités Les corbeaux: messagers du changement est maintenant disponible!
August 14, 2020
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
#Ravensmessengersofchange FREE activity e-Book
June 29, 2020
If you’re looking to further your understanding on Indigenous rights, history and issues, consider downloading this FREE resource: Ravens: Messengers of Change e-bookDownload KAIROS and Legacy of Hope Foundation encourage schools, families, organizations, government officials and companies to participate in the resource’s…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
One year later, the wait continues
June 15, 2020
It comes as little surprise to Chrystal that one year later, the federal government has no action plan in place in response to the inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women. Little was done in the lead up to the…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Prayer of a white settler on National Indigenous Peoples Day 2020
June 15, 2020
by Shannon Neufeldt Photo by KS KYUNG on Unsplash Creator God, I come to you with a humble heart, So grateful for Your creation, this place I am in. The land is full of Your glory this solstice day. Sunlight sparkles on fresh…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Spirited Reflections
KAIROS honours Women Land Defenders for Indigenous Women’s Month
June 14, 2020
June is Indigenous Women’s Month at KAIROS. As part of the month’s activities, KAIROS will launch on June 21st the Canadian phase of Mother Earth and Resource Extraction: Women Defending Land and Water (MERE Hub, for short). MERE is a living digital hub developed for and…
Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Indigenous Rights
Centering Black, Indigenous, women of colour in a post-pandemic recovery
June 12, 2020
It was a year ago, on June 3, when Canada received the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, which delivered 231 individual calls for justice to governments, institutions and Canadians, based on…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Op Eds & Rabble
June 16: virtual book launch for “Who Killed Berta Cáceres? Dams, Death Squads, and an Indigenous Defender’s Battle for the Planet”
June 10, 2020
[español sigue] Join KAIROS’ MERE Hub on June 16th at 6:00pm EDT for Who Killed Berta Cáceres? Dams, Death Squads, and an Indigenous Defender’s Battle for the Planet—book launch. This virtual book launch will feature author and journalist Nina Lakhani as well as members of the Latin American Network of Women…
Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Indigenous Rights, Latin America
KAIROS Year of Prayer: Holding Close to our Hearts
June 10, 2020
Beginning on March 11, 2020, the KAIROS Steering Committee began a Year of Prayer for the persons, families and communities connected to The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and the National…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights