Last Updated: Tuesday - 01/04/2011

UN declaration defends aboriginal peoples

OTTAWA — Representatives of Canadian Church and human rights groups are demanding that Canada recognize the rights of indigenous peoples at the World Conference Against Racism, to be held in Durban, South Africa, in September.

Among those signing an open letter to the federal government were Archbishop James Weisgerber, chair of the Canadian bishops' social affairs commission, and the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace.

The letter, initiated by Rights and Democracy, a human rights organization headed by Warren Allmand, a former federal Indian Affairs Minister, calls on Canada to support the UN Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

"Indigenous peoples have been, and continue to be, subjected to systemic and institutionalized racism, and we believe that this declaration will be an important tool in combating these attitudes and policies," said Allmand.

Debate on the draft declaration has dragged on for six years at the United Nations but only two of its 45 articles have been adopted to date.

The Church and human rights groups say Canada's position is ambiguous, with the government declaring support for most of the concepts contained in the draft, while seeking to modify the current text.

It also called on the federal government to do everything in its power to convince the United States, which is still undecided, to support the declaration.

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