Make Poverty History for First Nations
Kelowna Accord Provides Hope for Aboriginal People
Delegates attending the April 2007 CAW Council meeting adopted a recommendation that CAW Council delegates write Prime Minister Harper demanding the government live up to the commitment made to the First Nations people under the Kelowna Accord.
Delegates heard a powerful speech from National Chief Phil Fontaine as he spoke of a call to action to make poverty history for First Nations people in Canada. He spoke of the $5 billion promised in the Kelowna Accord and how it would have ensured that the needs are being met in the areas of health services, housing and infrastructure, education and clean water.
The Kelowna Accord was an initiative of the former Liberal government and was axed by the Harper Conservatives. The Accord provides hope that Canada's Aboriginal peoples can someday have a future that is free from poverty. The Federal government must play a key role to ensure that happens. "Over the many years, governments failed to keep their word to the Native Peoples and I believe this is unacceptable to Canadians as a whole," said CAW president Buzz Hargrove.
The federal government needs to remedy the chronic under-funding and appalling socio-economic conditions of First Nations communities. The Kelowna Accord is critical to raising the standard of living for all Aboriginal people across Canada.
There must be a sustained investment for the revival of the economic, social, cultural and health status of Aboriginal peoples in Canada. It's time to break the cycle of poverty. All local unions are urged to write to the Prime Minister, based on the recommendation adopted by CAW Council.
Click the link below for more information about the CAW's support for making First Nations poverty history and a sample letter to send to the Prime Minister.
Free trade with the European Union is a bad idea for Canada
The Harper government's relentless push to sign a new Canada-EU free trade deal would undermine the rights of federal, provincial and municipal governments to manage public spending over goods and services; it would privatize public services like drinking water, prevent us from adopting strong measures to combat climate change and wipe out up to 150,000 Canadian jobs, among a long list of additional concerns. CAW President Ken Lewenza says:
So far, all signs point to a free trade deal that is lopsided, unfair and would do more harm than good to Canadians. 
