Friends of the Lubicon
PO Box 444 Stn D,
Etobicoke ON M9A 4X4
Tel: (416) 763-7500
Email: fol (at) tao (dot) ca
www.lubicon.ca
October 16, 2005
Below, for your information, are three media reports on Lubicon Nation's upcoming presentation to a United Nations Human Rights Committee in Geneva and on action in support of the Lubicon people on Parliament Hill, Ottawa scheduled to coincide with the Lubicon address to the UN this Monday October 17.
Edmonton Journal
Sunday October 16, 2005
Don Retson
Journal Staff Writer
Edmonton
A delegation representing the Lubicon Lake band travels to Geneva, Switzerland this week to ask a United Nations panel to condemn Canada for failing to resolve its longstanding land rights dispute.
"Canada should already be embarrassed that 15 years after the UN ruled against them they still haven't fixed the problem," said Kevin Thomas, an advisor to the Lubicon Cree band.
He was referring to criticism made in 1990 by a UN human rights panel over its handling of the dispute. "I think it's shameful, really, that they haven't gone forward with it. If they're not willing to do it on their own, we've got to bring pressure like the UN to bear on them."
The Lubicon, who number about 500, were missed when a federal commission negotiated Treaty 8 in Alberta in 1899. They were largely ignored until the land they inhabit - and never surrendered via treaty - became valuable for its oil and gas and forest resources.
Lubicon Lake is about 100 kilometres east of Peace River.
The band has been fighting for a reserve first promised by Ottawa in 1939.
In earlier talks, the band has demanded $50 million to establish the reserve on 10,000 square kilometres of land it claims around Little Buffalo. (FOL editorial note: 10,000 square kilometres refers to Lubicon traditional territory while the reserve size would be in the neighbourhood of 246 square kilometres.) It also wants $120 million in compensation for energy and forestry developments that have already taken place on the land.
In a telephone interview from Little Buffalo, Chief Bernard Ominayak said his hope in bringing Canada before the UN human rights committee for a second time is that the Liberal government "wakes up and starts dealing with all people within Canada equally."
He said that prime Minister Paul Martin likes to lecture other countries about living up to their UN obligations, and takes great pride in Canada sending emergency help to Third World countries. "The Canadian government needs to look at their own backyard," he said.
Presenting the case for the Lubicon in Geneva will be Alphonse Ominayak, a younger brother of Chief Ominayak and a council member with Lubicon Lake Nation and Fred Lennarson, an advisor to the Lubicon.
Also speaking in support of the Lubicon is Alex Neve, general secretary of Amnesty International in Canada. Amnesty, which monitors human rights violations, has been critical of Canada in its last two annual reports for failing to settle a land claim that dates back more than six decades.
Ominayak and Thomas couldn't say who will be representing the Canadian government in Geneva. Neither expects an immediate decision from the panel hearing the case.
Three MPs from the New Democratic Party and the Bloc Quebecois and an elder from Lubicon Lake will address a rally on Parliament Hill Monday in support.
The event is timed to coincide with the hearing in Geneva by the United Nations Human Rights Committee, which will consider Canada's human rights performance with respect to the longstanding Lubicon land rights dispute.
Thomas conceded that the UN can't force Canada to do anything. " All they have is the power to condemn the country for its failure to act," he said.
He wouldn't speculate on what the representative for Ottawa might argue at Monday's hearing. "I'm hoping, at this point, Canada doesn't play games with us and they just take their obligations seriously."
1) Saturday Oct 15 AM on 630-CHED Edmonton
The Government of Canada has some explaining to do before the U-N on how it's treating the Lubicon Cree of Northern Alberta. 630-CHED?s Byron Christopher has more
[CLIP]
In 1990, the U-N Committee on Human Rights ruled that Canada was in violation of the Lubicon Cree's human rights for how it had treated the small band from northwestern Alberta.
For decades, the Lubicon have fought oil and gas development on land it says it never gave up title to. The Lubicon have yet to sign a treaty with Canada. However, the U-N tempered its criticism of Canada because it said Ottawa was negotiating with the band.
Fast-forward to 2005. There have no talks for about 2-years. And the U-N wants to know what's going on. The U-N Human Rights Committee has summoned both parties to Geneva. On Monday, they'll make their cases.
Byron Christopher 630-CHED News
2) Saturday Oct 15 AM on 630-CHED Edmonton
On Monday, the Canadian Government and the Lubicon Cree of Northern Alberta will square off in Geneva before the U-N Committee on Human Rights. 630-CHED's Byron Christopher has more.
[CLIP]
Ottawa has some explaining to do.
In 1990, the Government had its knuckles wrapped by the UN for its treatment of the Lubicon Cree. At the time, the Lubicon had been without a treaty for more than 50-years. That was one issue. Another issue was that oil and gas companies were taking a million dollars a day in resources from traditional Lubicon territory, without 10-cents being held in trust. That was from land the Lubicon hadn't given up title to. In 1990 the U-N did acknowledge that Canada was at least negotiating with the Lubicon.
15-years later, the Lubicon are still without a treaty. And, there have been no talks for about 2 years. Two delegations - one from the Lubicon, the other from the Government of Canada - are travelling to Geneva. They're set to make presentations on Monday to the U-N Committee on Human Rights.
Byron Christopher 630-CHED News
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