#indigenous politics

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Twenty-two Indigenous governments in the Northwest Territories have signed on to a funding agreement worth $375 million over the next 10 years meant to be used for conservation, stewardship and more.

A ceremony took place in Behchokǫ̀ Thursday morning to mark the signing, with over 200 people attending. 

The agreement, also signed by the federal and N.W.T. governments, is called N.W.T.: Our Land for the Future.

Gary Anandasangaree, federal minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, and leaders from Indigenous governments across the Northwest Territories were in attendance. 

The federal government contributed $300 million to the initiative, while private donors contributed $75 million. [...]

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Tagging: @newsfromstolenland, @palipunk, @vague-humanoid

[allthegeopolitics]

A fight for Maori rights drew 42,000 protesters to the New Zealand Parliament in the capital Wellington on Tuesday. A nine-day-long hikoi, or peaceful march – a tradition of the Maori – was undertaken in protest against a bill that seeks to reinterpret the country’s 184-year-old founding Treaty of Waitangi, which was signed between British colonisers and the Indigenous Maori people. Some had also been peacefully demonstrating outside the Parliament building for nine days before the protest concluded on Tuesday. On November 14, the controversial Treaty Principles Bill was introduced in Parliament for a preliminary vote. Maori parliamentarians staged a haka (a Maori ceremonial dance) to disrupt the vote, temporarily halting parliamentary proceedings. [...]

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[chaithetics]

Aotearoa made history with Hīkoi mō te Tiriti reaching Paremata (Parliament grounds). This hīkoi was against the racist, anti- Māori Treaty Principles Bill that passed its first reading last week.

50-100,000 Māori, Pākehā, and tauiwi showed up! The lowest estimation is more than the turnouts for both the Māori Land March (1975) and the Foreshore Seabed March (2004). People came from all over the country and there was no room on Parliament grounds for most of us! The last photo is a drone shot to show how packed it was!

Thank you to everyone who showed up but I just want to say that this isn't over! Submissions for Select Committee opened today and close Tuesday Jan 7th 2025! Please make a submission in support of Māori and AGAINST this Bill! You're submission can be five words long or five pages and ANYONE can make a submission! (Even if you're not on this whenua technically you can) It's the most important thing you can do right now! If you are a Pākehā or tauiwi- you HAVE TO!

I'll post more about submissions but if you have any questions I'm happy to answer or them or help write submissions!

Drone pic below!

[dougielombax]

Posting another article to further raise awareness.

Feel free to reblog this.

Please

[indio-politics]

If your response to a Native begging you not to vote and further harm our people is “well then who do I vote for” “xyz is dangerous” *defends Biden, a notorious white supremacist* *defends any non Trump candidate that is notoriously racist* *weaponizes our own oppression to gaslight us* you are not an ally, you never were. You are as anti-indigenous as everyone else.

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Each of the more than 630 First Nations represented by the AFN is entitled to send its chief, or an approved proxy, to the Special Chiefs Meeting to vote on resolutions on their nation’s behalf.

An emergency resolution advocating for a permanent ceasefire in Israel and Palestine, which recognizes the Palestinians as an Indigenous People under international law, passed unanimously. [...]

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[dogfishmonger]

do not forget about reservations.

do not forget about the people on reservations.

when you are making and reading posts about dire predictions for quality of life, do not forget about reservations.

we already have issues accessing clean water. we already experience devastation from climate change. we are already going missing for our race. we are already being murdered for our culture.

it will only get worse.

it’s possible to live through. every single person indigenous to north america has a chance to live through this. i’m not trying to fear monger; i’m trying to remind you.

please do not forget about us when you assure people that “everything will be okay; people are living under far worse circumstances in other countries”.

people are living under far worse circumstances here. and it can get worse. and it will get worse. and we need you to remember that we’re here when it happens.

[reasonsforhope]

"In a historic “first-of-its-kind” agreement the government of British Colombia has acknowledged the aboriginal ownership of 200 islands off the west coast of Canada.

The owners are the Haida nation, and rather than the Canadian government giving something to a First Nation, the agreement admits that the “Xhaaidlagha Gwaayaai” or the “islands at the end of world,” always belonged to them, a subtle yet powerful difference in the wording of First Nations negotiating.

BC Premier David Eby called the treaty “long overdue” and once signed, will clear the way for half a million hectares (1.3 million acres) of land to be managed by the Haida.

Postal service, shipping lanes, school and community services, private property rights, and local government jurisdiction, will all be unaffected by the agreement, which will essentially outline that the Haida decide what to do with the 200 or so islands and islets.

“We could be facing each other in a courtroom, we could have been fighting each other for years and years, but we chose a different path,” said Minister of Indigenous Relations of BC, Murray Rankin at the signing ceremony, who added that it took creativity and courage to “create a better world for our children.”

Indeed, making the agreement outside the courts of the formal treaty process reflects a vastly different way of negotiating than has been the norm for Canada.

“This agreement won’t only raise all boats here on Haida Gwaii – increase opportunity and prosperity for the Haida people and for the whole community and for the whole province – but it will also be an example and another way for nations – not just in British Columbia, but right across Canada – to have their title recognized,” said Eby.

In other words, by deciding this outside court, Eby and the province of BC hope to set a new standard for how such land title agreements are struck."

-via Good News Network, April 18, 2024

[allthecanadianpolitics]

More than 80 Cree youth from Quebec took part in a treaty simulation in early November to learn about leadership, government, and politics.

The Cree Nation Youth Council and the Gordon Foundation planned the gathering, which took place on Nov. 8-10 in Ottawa. 

"There were youth from every community in our nation learning about treaties…building those friendships now is going to lead to us being more together as we build our futures," said Charly Gilpin, who sits on the youth council in Wemindji, a small Cree community on the east coast of James Bay.

The treaty simulation commemorated the 49th anniversary of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (JBNQA), signed in 1975. It ensures that the Cree people are self-governed and have authority over land use, education, health, economic growth, and traditional practices, among other areas. [...]

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Tagging: @newsfromstolenland

[batboyblog]

Things the Biden-Harris Administration Did This Week #39

October 18-25 2024.

President Biden issued the first presidential apology on behalf of the federal government to America's Native American population for the Indian boarding school policy. For 150 years the federal government operated a system of schools which aimed to destroy Native culture through the forced assimilation of native children. At these schools students faced physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, and close to 1,000 died. The Biden-Harris Administration has been historic for Native and Tribal rights. From the appointment of the first ever Native American cabinet member, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, to the investment of $46 billion dollars on tribal land, to 200 new co-stewardship agreements. The last 4 years have seen a historic investment in and expansion of tribal rights.

The Biden-Harris Administration proposed a new rule which would make contraceptive medication (the pill) free over the counter with most Insurance. The new rule would ban cost sharing for contraception products, including the pill, condoms, and emergency contraception. On top of over the counter medications, the new rule will also strength protections for prescribed contraception without cost sharing as well.

The EPA announced its finalized rule strengthening standards for lead paint dust in pre-1978 housing and child care facilities. There is no safe level of exposure to lead particularly for children who can suffer long term developmental consequences from lead exposure. The new standards set the lowest level of lead particle that can be identified by a lab as the standard for lead abatement. It's estimated 31 million homes built before the ban on lead paint in 1978 have lead paint and 3.8 million of those have one or more children under the age of 6. The new rule will mean 1.2 million fewer people, including over 300,000 children will not be exposed to lead particles every year. This comes after the Biden-Harris Administration announced its goal to remove and replace all lead pipes in America by the end of the decade.

The Department of Transportation announced a $50 million dollar fine against American Airlines for its treatment of disabled passengers and their wheelchairs. The fine stems from a number of incidences of humiliating and unfair treatment of passages between 2019 and 2023, as well as video documented evidence of mishandling wheelchairs and damaging them. Half the fine will go to replacing such damaged wheelchairs. The Biden administration has leveled a historic number of fines against the airlines ($225 million) for their failures. It also published a Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights, passed a new rule accessible lavatories on aircraft, and is working on a rule to require airlines to replace lost or damaged wheelchairs with equal equipment at once.

The Department of Energy announced $430 million dollars to help boost domestic clean energy manufacturing in former coal communities. This invests in projects in 15 different communities, in places like Texas, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Michigan. The plan will bring about 1,900 new jobs in communities struggling with the loss of coal. Projects include making insulation out of recycled cardboard, low carbon cement production, and industrial fiber hemp processing.

The Department of Transportation announced $4.2 billion in new infrastructure investment. The money will go to 44 projects across the country. For example the MBTA will get $400 million to replace the 92 year old Draw 1 bridge and renovate North Station.

The Department of Transportation announced nearly $200 million to replace aging natural gas pipes. Leaking gas lines represent a serious public health risk and also cost costumers. Planned replacements in Georgia and North Carolina for example will save the average costumer there over $900 on their gas bill a year. Replacing leaking lines will also remove 1,000 metric tons of methane pollution, annually.

The Department of the Interior announced $244 million to address legacy pollution in Pennsylvania coal country. This comes on top of $400 million invested earlier this year. This investment will help close dangerous mine shafts, reclaim unstable slopes, improve water quality by treating acid mine drainage, and restore water supplies damaged by mining.

Data shows that President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act (passed with Vice-President Harris' tie breaking vote) has saved seniors $1 billion dollars on out-of-pocket drug costs. Seniors with certain high priced drugs saw their yearly out of pocket costs capped at $3,500 for 2024. In 2024 all seniors using Medicare Part D will see their out of pocket costs capped at $2,000 for the year. It's estimated if the $2,000 cap had been in effect this year 4.6 million seniors would have hit it by June and not have had to pay any more for medication for the rest of the year.

The Department of Education announced a new proposed rule to bring student debt relief for 8 million struggling borrowers. The Biden-Harris Administration has managed despite road blocks from Republicans in Congress, the courts and law suits from Republican states to bring student loan forgiveness to 5 million Americans so far through different programs. This latest rule would take into account many financial hardships faced by people to determine if they qualify to have their student loans forgiven. The final rule cannot be finalized before 2025 meaning its fate will be decided at the election.

The Department of Agriculture announced $1.5 billion in 92 partner-driven conservation projects. These projects aim at making farming more susceptible and environmental friendly, 16 projects are about water conservation in the West, 6 support use of innovative technologies to reduce enteric methane emissions in livestock. $100 million has been earmarked for Tribal-led projects.

[dougielombax]

Also leaving this here too:

Fuck anyone who tells you that the Sayfo (or ANY other genocide didn’t happen!

Those beliefs are LESS than wrong!

Feel free to reblog this.

[indio-politics]

If you participate in electoral politics, if you campaign or vote for colonizers, if you support the illegitimate colonial entity that is the United States, if you support the illegitimate colonial power that controls the lives, lands, and resources of Indigenous peoples (US territories and others) you are an enemy of Indigenous people, directly undermining our sovereignty, and participating in our genocide. “Vote blue no matter who” is anti-indigenous violence. Shaming, harassing, dehumanizing, and daring to BLAME indigenous people for our oppression if we exercise our right to not vote is anti-indigenous violence. You have no right to control Indigenous lands and peoples. If you vote or support voting, ESPECIALY if you dare to weaponize Black and Brown oppression and lives to justify harming us by voting, you are anti-indigenous and signing off on our genocide, so DO NOT INTERACT WITH ME. You are NOT WELCOME on my page.

[hope-for-the-planet]

Under what legal experts called a “historic” settlement, announced on Thursday, Hawaii officials will release a roadmap “to fully decarbonize the state’s transportation systems, taking all actions necessary to achieve zero emissions no later than 2045 for ground transportation, sea and inter-island air transportation”, Andrea Rodgers, one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs in the case, said at a press conference with the governor.

[chaithetics]

THE TREATY PRINCIPLES BILL IS BEING PRESENTED TO THE HOUSE TOMORROW!!!!!!!

EDIT: SIGN THIS PETITION THAT CLOSES AT MIDNIGHT AOTEAROA TIME 18TH NOV

EDIT: Here's a link with more info on the Bill and it's contents and breaches!

This matters to EVERYONE in our country! If you're Māori this is about our LITERAL existence, if you're Pākehā, tauiwi, tangata Tiriti this concerns you because Tiriti is what gives you the privilege of existing on this whenua! The Waitangi Tribunal has already said this Bill will be the biggest Waitangi breach ever. YOU have a responsibility to do something.

ACT, our coalition government, and the Ministry of Justice have been intentionally keeping this bill under the wraps. Mad mihi to the MoJ analyst who leaked that draft though (I'm sure they got sacked if not massive repercussions).

What we know so far is that Te Pāti Māori, Green Party, and Labour WILL NOT be voting for this and that ACT, NZ First, and National WILL be voting for this tomorrow. NZ First and National have said that they WILL NOT support this Bill after its first reading so it will go to Select Committee and then die at first reading.

National and NZ First have said they'll only support this Bill to first reading (thankfully) but there is always the chance of closed door promises & favours and we still need to advocate for this disgusting bill to die.

I'll post more about submissions when they open for Select Committee but I'm happy to help answer questions or help with that and the process.

But the racist idiots to email and drill in that you DO NOT want this Bill are...

ACT MPs

1. David Seymour (Email: David.Seymour@parliament.govt.nz ) (the one bigoted brain cell behind this bill)

2. Brooke Van Velden (Brooke.Vanvelden@parliament.govt.nz)

3. Nicole McKee (Nicole.McKee@parliament.govt.z)

4. Todd Stephenson (Todd.Stephenson@parliament.govt.nz)

5. Andrew Hoggard (Andrew.Hoggard@parliament.govt.nz)

6. Karen Chhour (Karen.Chhour@parliament.govt.nz)

7. Mark Cameron (Mark.Cameron@parliament.govt.nz)

8. Simon Court (Simon.Court@parliament.govt.nz)

9. Parmjeet Parmat (Parmjeet.Parmat@parliament.govt.nz)

10. Laura Trask (Laura.Trask@parliament.govt.nz)

11. Cameron Luxton (Cameron.Luxton@parliament.govt.nz)

AND

- Prime Minister Christopher Luxon (Christopher.Luxon@parliament.govt.nz)

- Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters (Winston.Peters@parliament.govt.nz)

If you're able to participate with any part of the hīkoi please do and please be safe!!!!

Toitū te Tiriti! Ake ake ake!

[roboticutie]

I don't even know how to explain how horrific this news is to anyone who may not understand the history between Indigenous peoples and the US American government. This is devastating.

Yeah, it’s time for them to go

[dduane]

Going forward, the new Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary will be managed in partnership with tribes and Indigenous groups in the area, who will advise the federal government. It marks a growing movement under the Biden administration to give tribes a say over the lands and waters that were taken from them. “We’re still here, and so are the Indigenous people wherever you live,” says Violet Sage Walker, chairwoman of the Northern Chumash Tribal Council, who led the campaign for the sanctuary. “Being able to address climate change, use traditional ecological knowledge, and participate in co-management is Indigenous peoples’ contribution to saving the planet.”