Kudos to the United Nations General Assembly for passing a Declaration on Rights of Indigeneous Peoples, despite Canada's opposition, as explained in this BBC Article.
As for Canada - excuse me, who are you representing?
According to this article in the Toronto Star, Canada Ripped for Opposing UN Declation: In fact, documents released to Amnesty International under the Access to Information Act show that the government fought the declaration despite advice from its own officials in Foreign Affairs, Indian Affairs and National Defence, all of them urging its support.
The Union of BC Indian Chiefs on August 30 published an Open Letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper: Support UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigeneous Peoples.
As a Canadian and professional librarian with significant involvement in information policy at a national level, I am not aware of any public consultation.
This statement by Canadian Ambassador McNee to the UN General Assembly is posted on the Government of Canada website. McNee says: Canada has been very clear in proposing that further negotiations take place in an open and transparent process with the effective involvement of indigenous peoples.
Ambassador McNee, if you believe in an open and transparent process with the effective involvement of indigenous peoples - why is there no link to the Union of BC Indian Chiefs Open Letter on this issue?
If our government is not listening to its own staff, Canada's indigeneous peoples, or consulting with Canadians on this issue, who are they representing, exactly? Perhaps it is time we started asking these questions. Here is a link to how to Contact your Government.
