tansi ninôtemik,
On October 2nd, four Ecuadorian-Indigenous women leaders visited Ottawa to express concerns about a proposed free trade agreement, stating that it could result inhuman rights abuses on their sacred lands.[1] While the federal government has defined the potential deal as a progressive project to increase bilateral trade ties, the Indigenous leaders disagree.[2]
Vice President of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador, Zenaida Yasacama, argues that increased Canadian mining activity has resulted in grave deforestation and destruction of Indigenous lands.[3] Not only are the human rights of Ecuadorian-Indigenous people being violated, but so are the rights of the nature, and the peoples’ right to self-govern.[4] On behalf of the Kichwa Ancestral People of Pakayaku, Yasacama claims the increased mining activity has contaminated lands, polluted bodies of water, and threatens Ecuadorian women as they are judicialized and subjected to violence.[5]
Unfortunately, the concerns expressed by the Ecuadorian-Indigenous leaders are not unlike concerns from Indigenous communities in Canada, specifically those brought by Grand Chief Stewart Phillip from the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC). Grand Chief Phillip has expressed issues regarding mining, and oil and gas production on Indigenous lands.[6] Specifically, he has taken issue with John Rustad, BC Conservative Leader, who hopes to repeal BC legislation adopting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).[7]
As we discussed in an earlier blog post, UNDRIP is a collection of 46 articles regarding the treatment of Indigenous peoples, laying out rights to constitute minimum standards for survival, dignity, and well-being.[8] In November 2019, BC became the first jurisdiction in Canada to enact UNDRIP as legislation.[9] If elected, Rustad pledges to repeal the legislation, arguing it has created ‘friction’ in economic reconciliation.[10] But Grand Chief Philip states that increased industrialization has caused destruction of Indigenous lands and territories.[11] He argues that it is not economic reconciliation, rather it is economic exploitation.[12]
The concerns vocalized by Grand Chief Phillip and the Ecuadorian-Indigenous leaders echo the same issue: Canada’s connection to Indigenous lands has become too transactional. The gross exploitation of Earth’s natural resources and the devastating impact it carries on Indigenous communities must be addressed. As expressed by BC Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau, it is high time to leave behind transactional interactions “used to dispossess Indigenous peoples of land, culture and language, and move to relationships that are rooted in recognition of Aboriginal rights and title.”[13]
ekosi and until next time,
The ReconciliACTION Team
Citations
[1] Brett Forester, “Indigenous women from Ecuador bring concerns on mining abuses, free trade to Parliament Hill” (2 October 2024) online: <https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/ecuador-indigenous-free-trade-canada-1.7340755>.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Darryl Greer, “Grand chief slams Rustad’s stance on Indigenous rights and title” (1 October 2024) online: <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-conservative-party-indigenous-prosperity-1.7338712>.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Ibid; Reconcili-ACTION YEG, “What Has Canada Done to Meet the International Human Rights Standards for Indigenous Peoples in 17 Years of UNDRIP?” (22 September 2024) online: <https://www.reconciliactionyeg.ca/post/what-has-canada-done-to-meet-the-international-human-rights-standards-for-indigenous-peoples-in-17-y>.
[9] Greer, supra note 6.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Ibid.
[13] Ibid.
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