Opposition MPs see ‘immense opportunity’: MPs eager to get back, promise to drive agenda
As Parliament’s tunnel-vision focus on anti-terrorism issues begins to broaden in this winter session, the possibility of raising new issues has opposition MPs chomping at the bit and the government dusting off its Speech From the Throne. For most of last fall, the media focused primarily on Bill C-36, the Anti-terror Bill, allowing former government […]
Historic lack of trust keeps wheels of aboriginal policy spinning: even now, the AFN has objected to Minister Nault’s movement toward a new governance and accountability
In recent months, Indian Affairs Minister Robert Nault has increased the level of debate about our current aboriginal affairs system through his pledge to reform the outdated Indian Act. Nault’s governance initiative has rankled many throughout the aboriginal community, most notably (and publicly) Matthew Coon Come and the Chiefs of the Assembly of First Nations. […]
‘Enough debate, now we have to make some decisions’: Nault. Indian Affairs Minister Bob Nault is poised for one of the biggest challenges of his federal political career and he says he needs AFN Chief Matthew Coon Come just as much as Coon Come needs him
Indian Affairs Minister Robert Nault, who plans to revamp the archaic Indian Act and introduce a wide range of new laws this Parliamentary session covering native governance, elections, bylaws, improved fiscal administration and independent claims resolutions, has a serious challenge ahead of him. Previous federal Indian Affairs ministers have failed to succeed on this file, […]
No such thing as Palestine [Letter: response to Diplomatic World column]
In his “Diplomatic World” column in The Hill Times, Jan. 21, 2002 edition, Bhupinder Liddar includes “Palestine” in a list of Middle Eastern recipients of Canadian foreign assistance. Canada, through CIDA, does provide aid to the Palestinian Authority but there is no internationally-recognized geographical entity known as “Palestine.” The Hill Times should refrain from using […]
Upper Chamber ‘full of talent,’ says new Liberal Sen. Duhamel: Ron Duhamel cites Senators Carstairs, Kroft, Losier-Cool, De Bane and Fraser as some of top Senate performers
Author Margaret Atwood once called the Senate “a feather bed for fallen Liberals,” which is not a picture most Senators, including Tories, would obviously eagerly confirm. Former veterans affairs minister Ron Duhamel, 63, who was dumped from cabinet and summoned to the Upper Chamber on Jan. 15, told The Hill Times last week that if […]
Canada’s system must change [Letter]
When I came to Canada as an immigrant in 1953, the entire process of background checks lasted over three months. Then I had to have sufficient funds to support myself until I found employment, had a chest x-ray proving I did not have TB, and produced a document stating I did not have a criminal […]
Star attraction [High tech sign hanging outside Dennis Mills’s riding office] [Editorial]
How about that Dennis Mills, eh? The colourful four-termer Liberal MP was in the major dailies recently, this time for hanging up a high-tech sign outside his Toronto-Danforth riding office. The sign, which he rents for $700 a month, tells the estimated 100,000 daily passers-by on the trendy Danforth strip the temperature, the time, date […]
Parliament must reconnect [Winter session 2002] [Editorial]
MPs return this week after a six-week break — welcome back — and we’re hoping it will be a renewed winter session 2002 in Parliament. Prime Minister Jean Chretien, who hasn’t moved on many major issues in government in a long while, finally did a spring cleaning on his stale federal cabinet on Jan. 15. […]
Indian Act resulted in lost generations of Canada’s aboriginals: under this paternalistic act, we’ve been witness to the Indian agent, residential school system, questionable policy decisions, funding arrangements with little public accountability and the highest rates of suicide
Perhaps one of the most flawed pieces of legislation in Canada’s history is the Indian Act. Originating in 1876 and undergoing only a few minor changes in the last 126 years, the Indian Act has resulted in nothing less than lost generations of aboriginal people. Under this paternalistic act, we have been witness to the […]
Our own voice: Canada’s Inuit say it’s time Liberals listen up: It seems the hardest thing for many people to understand is that Inuit are not Indians: Inuit leader Kusugak
Now that there are two ministers around the cabinet table with responsibility for Indian and Northern Affairs, perhaps Inuit will stand twice the chance of having their concerns listened to. On Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2002 the Prime Minister named Stephen Owen as Secretary of State Responsible for Indian and Northern Affairs as well as Western […]
