By Michelle Mark
Canada will be forced to answer to the UN this spring for its decision not to recognize the self-government rights of Alberta's Lubicon First Nation.
Lubicon adviser Fred Lennarson said yesterday the federal government has been ordered to appear before the United Nations committee on Economic, Social and Cultural rights on May 5 and 8 in Geneva, Switzerland.
In preparation for the hearing, Amnesty International made a submission to the UN on March 27, pleading the case of the Lubicon people.
"Obviously, I think this is a good thing," Lennarson said, adding he expects the submission will lead to many others, including one from the Lubicon band itself.
The federal government has refused to recognize the Lubicon's right to self-government and says the northern Alberta band has to negotiate the matter.
Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Jim Prentice was unavailable for comment yesterday.
"We haven't seen any reaction from the government of Canada, which is going to have to happen in order for this to be fixed," Lennarson said. He added Amnesty International's report to the UN sends a very strong message that human rights violations won't be tolerated.
"Canadians should be concerned with international opinion if they're not concerned with human rights in Canada."
In its report, Amnesty International said the Lubicon Cree have never entered into a treaty relationship with the state which now asserts control over their traditional lands and territories.
In 1990, the Human Rights Committee said logging and oil and gas development taking place in the hunting and trapping territory of the Lubicon Cree without the community's consent constituted a violation of the Lubicon's right to maintain and practise their culture.
At the time, the Canadian government assured the committee that it was seeking a settlement that would protect the rights of the Lubicon people.
To date, no such settlement has been reached.