Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - Transcriptions of Public Hearings and Round Table Discussions
Documents & Presentations
Author/Creator
Elsie Bear
Description
File contains opening remarks by Senator Elsie Bear of Selkirk, Manitoba. Bear discusses her happiness with the creation of the Commission, and her Metis roots.
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - Transcriptions of Public Hearings and Round Table Discussions
Documents & Presentations
Author/Creator
Walter Clarke
Description
File contains comments by Walter Clarke regarding a future visit by the Commission to Gander, Newfoundland. Clarke will give his presentation at that time.
File contains a conversation between Commissioners Erasmus, Robinson, unidentified members of the staff and students of the Northern Lights School and Christina Delaney. The conversation involves the retention and restoration of Aboriginal culture in Canada, and the education system particularly with regards to the merits of cross cultural learning techniques and concerns with post secondary funding.
File contains a conversation between Commissioners Erasmus, Robinson, Terry Legge, Wilbert Wesley, Christina Delaney, Elie Chilton, and Phoebe Sutherland at the Northern Lights School in Moosonee, Ontario. The wide ranging conversation addresses a variety of topics including educational policy, cultural retention and rejuvenation, and social problems.
File contains a Raporteur's report on the preceding three volumes of the Royal Commission. Dean James MacPherson summarizes the themes and offers analysis on RCAP77, RCAP78, and RCAP79, all of which deal with Aboriginal Justice issues in Canada. Following his report are closing comments and a closing prayer which ends the Commission's sitting.
This file contains the remainder (see RCAP-7 through RCAP10 for presentations) of a discussion with the four previous presenters from the Dakota Ojibway Tribal Council and the Commissioners. The discussion continues on issues such as child welfare, health care and the criminal justice system.
The Journal of Aboriginal Economic Development, vol. 2, no. 1, Winter, 2001, pp. 91-92
Description
Briefly introduces an article written by Tony Reynolds, the Executive Director of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP) from 1993-1996, when the final report was released.
File contains a presentation by Ms Evelyn Ballantyne from the Opasquiak Women's Centre. Ballantyne discusses three topics: Indian Act, Aboriginal self-government, Women's resources. Following the presentation is a discussion between Ms Ballentyne and Commissioners Blakeney and Chartrand regarding these topics.
File contains a general discussion on youth education issues between Della McKay, Commissioner Wilson, Matthew Quequish, Karyn Cromarty, and John Dudley.
This file contains a discussion of various issues by the attendees and Commissioners at this session of the Commission. Attendees contributing include Louis McCallum, Gerald Regan, Marie Symes Grehan, Vye Bouvier, Brian MacDonald, Pierre Chartier and Gloria Desjarlais. Issues discussed include health care, land claims and self-government, wild rice production, the RCMP, trapping regulations, lack of housing and education. A question-and-answer session with the Commissioners follows the presentation.
File contains an individual presentation by Alain Vachon relating to Aboriginal people in the construction industry and the problems they encounter. He states that in his experience, Aboriginals may be passed over for a project in their own community and non-Aboriginal workers may only be hired. He also expresses frustration with earning a lower wage than a non-Aboriginal worker may earn, and says that female construction workers also face discrimination. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains a presentation by Alex Skead that describes his personal experiences with learning from daily life: "So much things to learn in life." He recounts several legends relating to educating Aboriginal youth on his First Nations about living with nature, utilizing sweat lodges for healing and preserving Aboriginal languages.
File contains an individual presentation by Alice Frost relating to the necessity of elders teaching the Vuntut Gwitch'in language to youth and to social problems in Old Crow. Frost states that her community's social problems must be solved before "land claims is settled because we need educated people to run our self-government." A question-and-answer session with the Commissioners follows the presentation.
File contains an individual presentation by Alice Sabourin who is completing her Master's degree in social work. She relates problems she has experienced with discrimination within the educational community, both as an Aboriginal person and as a woman. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains an individual presentation by Andrew Rickard that covers a number of topics, including extinction of Aboriginal languages, self-government, natural resources rights and the lack of Aboriginals in mainstream jobs. A lengthy question-and-answer session with the Commissioners follows the presentation.
File contains an individual presentation by Angela Andrew, teacher at the local community college, discussing Innu culture and education. She states that elders should be utilized more in teaching traditional skills to Innu youth, but because they do not have the proper teaching certification, they are not allowed to teach. She calls on the Commission to ease teacher education restrictions with elders to ensure traditional Innu skills and traditions are passed on. Following the presentation are brief remarks by Rene Dussault, Co-Chair.
File contains an individual presentation by Ann Bayne that first provides a history of the Kaska First Nations and the Liard Indian Band. Bayne describes her Band's struggle with a referendum addressing a hereditary system or elected system in determining the position of Chief. She believes that residents should have a choice in determining their leadership. Bayne also discusses abolishing the Indian Act, the need for personal development programs and calls for more treatment centres for substance abuse. Following the presentation is a discussion with Commissioner Allan Blakeney.
File contains an individual presentation by Ann Cox, an Objibwe woman who believes the Canadian government is unable to help Aboriginal peoples solve all issues, and that "all of the answers are in our past." Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains an individual presentation by Arthur Williams focusing on education and the individual freedom to choose a career. He speaks of his choice to attend aviation school and the lack of funding for flying as a career. He calls on the Commission to help to secure funding to attend aviation school in British Columbia. Following the discussion is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains an individual presentation by Barbara Wood addressing the lack of educational opportunities for Metis people in Labrador. She is a single mother putting two sons through University and describes the financial hardship involved. She calls on the Commission to assist Labradorian youth who seek education and "a future free of debt." Following the discussion is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains an individual presentation by Beatrice Watts focusing primarily on education. She provides a brief history of the Inuit in Labrador and relocation efforts in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1977 the first Inuit education conference was held, which laid the groundwork for the teaching of Inuktitut and cultural programs in schools. Watts also briefly discusses the Inuit radio station at Main, Labrador and a 1978 conference sponsored by Inuit women held in Labrador. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains an individual presentation by Ben Andrew focusing on Innu land claims and self-government. Andrew states the Canadian government has "deprogrammed Innu people so they deny their own people, their own nationhood, and their own uniqueness." Andrew is skeptical of the Commission's purpose and goals but hopes the Commission can influence the federal government in future negotiations relating to Innu land claims and self-government. Following the presentation are brief remarks by Rene Dussault, Co-Chair.
File contains an individual presentation by Ben Michel detailing the negative effects of government assimilation on the people of Sheshatshiu, Davis Inlet and other Innu communities. He states that "Canada once again is masking itself in the form of a Royal Commission to legitimize its denial of a people's right of self-determination and arightful place in the global human community." Michel calls on the Commission to take his complaints to the Canadian Human Rights Commission and to the United Nations Human Rights Commission. A question-and-answer session follows the presentation.
File contains an individual presentation by Betty Hardisty, teacher, via translator. She discusses her experiences with teaching Slave children about treaties and displays her students' wall murals that portray their understanding of treaties. Her students are fifth-generation relatives of the treaty signatories.
File contains an individual presentation by Bob Major that focuses on education. Major wants to see a curriculum geared towards Aboriginal and Metis children regarding the history of northern Alberta and languages. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains an individual presentation by Brenda Jonah, graduate of the Native Community Worker Program of Sault College, Sault Ste. Marie. She describes her experiences working in a high school with a high number of Aboriginal students. Through workshops, displays and social events, the students learned about their culture, many for the first time. Jonah proposes establishing Aboriginal liaison programs in high schools with large Aboriginal student populations. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains an individual presentation by Burt Sellick, a retired school director with Hillcrest High school in Thunder Bay, which has a large percentage of Aboriginal students. He discusses a wide range of subjects including youth self-esteem, more Aboriginals in the education system and eliminating cultural bias and omissions in textbooks. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains an individual presentation by Carl Charlie focusing on education and the high dropout rate of Aboriginal students in the Yukon. He also discusses hunting and trapping and the urgent need for housing in Old Crow. A question-and-answer session with the Commissioners follows the presentation.
File contains an individual presentation by Charles Wagamese stating that the federal government has not fulfilled their treaty obligations and must fulfil them as representatives of the Queen. He calls for an end to patriarchy and for more input from elders relating to political leadership. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains an individual presentation by Charlie Andrew relating to his frustrating personal experience with attempting to complete the Adult Basic Education program at Labrador Community College.
File contains an individual presentation by Chief Francis Penashue describing the culture and values of the Innu people pre-European contact, and now Innu communities are dealing with substance abuse, family dysfunction and high unemployment and welfare rates. Following the presentation are brief remarks by Rene Dussault, Co-Chair.
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - Transcriptions of Public Hearings and Round Table Discussions
Documents & Presentations
Author/Creator
Norm Wesley
Description
File contains a presentation by Chief Norm Wesley stating that Aboriginal peoples are bound together by a sense of togetherness, family, equality and sharing, which was given to Aboriginals by the Creator. Elders must work with youth to give them a sense of the past and parents must instill in their children respect for others and themselves.
File contains an individual presentation by Cindy Gilday of Fort Franklin, NWT. She tells the Commission about the 398 unmarked graves in the Deh Cho (formerly a residential school) Hall yard and says that unmarked graves are "a very significant symbol of opporession, the ultimate symbol as far as the Dene are concerned." She states that her father was present at the Treaty signings in 1911 and 1921 and feels the Canadian government has not fulfilled any of the treaties' terms.
File contains an individual presentation by Claris Rudkowski, businesswoman from North West River, Labrador. She questions the lack of Aboriginal women in business and attributes that to a lack of education opportunities, a lack of daycare facilities, and a lack of support from family and friends. Rudkowski asks the Commission not to forget about women's issues, lost among the larger issues of land claims and self-government.
File contains an individual presentation by Claudette Chevrier-McLeod relating to the Goods and Services Tax (GST). She states that exemptions should be the same for Aboriginals who live both on and off reserves. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains a presentation by Cliff Calliou. Calliou, a Cree man from Kelly Lake, British Columbia, outlines a detailed programme for Aboriginal self-governance which pertains to a wide variety of areas. Amongst the areas Caillou addresses are governance structures (including a council of Elders), government funding issues, the need for a land and resource base, education, history, culture, health care, ethics, social services, and justice concerns. Following the presentation the assembled Commissioners discuss some of the issues raised with Calliou.
File contains an individual presentation by Cliff Gladue, who, despite involvement in a number of federal and provincial Metis organizations, is representing himself. Gladue's presentation discusses the principles and parameters of Aboriginal self-government. He sees three self-government agreements being negotiated with the federal and provincial governments: the treaty self-government agreeement, the Inuit self-government agreement and the Metis self-government agreement. Following the presentation are remarks by the Commissioners.
File contains a presentation by Clive Linkletter, a treaty status Aboriginal, focusing on Aboriginal self-government, treaty rights and on Section 35. Following the presentation is a brief question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains an individual presentation by Colin Bairsto addressing the land claims issue and the voluminous and complex documents that accompany the land claims process. The presenter feels that because the Vuntut Gwitch'in people have an oral tradition rather than a written tradition, "they want to be out on the land without having to worry about what the rules and the regulations and interpretations of the agreement are." A question-and-answer session with the Commissioners follows the presentation.
File contains an individual presentation by Danny Kasi focusing on self-government and and the ways that First Nations may achieve it - through First Ministers conferences, the Supreme Court of Canada and "the world court." Kasi also briefly discusses education and the lack of housing in his community. A question-and-answer session with the Commissioners follows the presentation.
File contains an individual presentation by Danny Montour that focuses on the treaty Indian, the Indian Act and Bill C-31. He hopes that "the Government of Canada and the Indian people come to a reasonable level of mutual understanding as to the present-day meaning of the treaties." Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains an individual presentation by David Akpalialuk, resident of Pangnirtung, who expresses frustration with the application of Unemployment Insurance and the Canada Pension Plan and would like documents in both Inuktitut and English. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.