Editor:
The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), Nanaimo Branch, recently voted to endorse the Amnesty International Statement on Idle No More.
Full honour and implementation of indigenous peoples’ treaties are crucial to the evolution of Canada and to the principle of federalism. There is an urgent need for Canada to demonstrate genuine respect and long-term commitment by initiating a meeting with First Nations leaders, the governor general and the prime minister.
Idle No More, the grassroots movement, has put the spotlight on federal policy which threatens our democracy. We urge the Harper government to repeal the bills that it recently passed, which undermine the rights of the Sovereign First Nations of Canada. Indigenous peoples’ rights and related government duties are an integral part of Canada’s Constitution. They are affirmed in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Our government must address this grievous situation in good faith.
Dyane Brown
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Nanaimo Branch