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National Indigenous News August 27 · National Indigenous Newscasts

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  SPEAKER_00: This is a look at your National Indigenous News.
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  SPEAKER_00: I'm Daryl Stranger.
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  SPEAKER_00: First Nations need to be full partners in planning and coordinating emergency responses as Canada's systems keep them in a spiraling cycle that severely compromises their ability to protect themselves.
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  SPEAKER_00: That from a new report from the Federal Housing Advocate, the report by Advocate Mary Jose Hool, in partnership with the Assembly of First Nations, was released Monday.
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  SPEAKER_00: It examines the significant impact last year's wildfires had on First Nations people and their communities.
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  SPEAKER_00: Current systems fall short as indigenous communities experience unacceptably high fire mortality rates, inadequate and unsafe housing conditions, fragmented emergency management structures, and unfair insurance practices, the report said.
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  SPEAKER_00: Cool says last year's wildfire season, Canada's second worst on record, further exposed long-term gaps in First Nations housing and infrastructure.
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  SPEAKER_00: Many evacuees were placed in unsafe living conditions, separated from their families and cultures, while restoration timelines left the safe return home unclear.
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  SPEAKER_00: The report, which makes 10 recommendations, was prompted by last year's wildfire season, which caused 40,000 First Nations citizens to be evacuated from 134 communities.
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  SPEAKER_00: Recommendations include the establishment of an integrated national tripartite emergency management governance authority that would set out clear roles and responsibilities for federal, provincial, and First Nations governments.
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  SPEAKER_00: The jurisdiction of First Nations governments must be respected, as Hul said provincial governments have delayed triggering federal support by not recognizing local states of emergency.
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  SPEAKER_00: The report was handed to eight federal ministers with the hope of influencing Canada's next budget.
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  SPEAKER_00: The Native Women's Association of Canada, or NWAC, wants to eliminate the use of non-disclosure agreements to conceal cases of misconduct.
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  SPEAKER_00: A resolution to end the practice was proposed by the Amoutit Nunavut Inuit Women's Association at NWAC's annual general assembly last week.
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  SPEAKER_00: Amauteet's president said the resolution came about after several women approached the organization with past experiences dealing with NDAs.
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  SPEAKER_00: Not all of the women who approached Amauteeth live in Nunavut and that the organizations they were employed by include those in various industries and at least one Inuit organization.
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  SPEAKER_00: In a release, NWAC said the resolution shines a light on significant power imbalances faced by individuals negotiating with employers, institutions, or other parties with greater legal resources.
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  SPEAKER_00: NWAC added that for indigenous women in particular, the issues are further compounded by misogyny, anti-Indigenous racism, and colonial systems.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: NWAC says it will now develop an internal policy to prohibit its members from using NDAs or confidentiality clauses to hide allegations or findings of misconduct, which will be adopted over the next year.
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  SPEAKER_00: NWAC's presidents admitted that in the past NDAs have been used to conceal misconduct within NWAC itself.
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  SPEAKER_00: Despite calls for the restriction of confidentiality agreements for the purpose of covering up misconduct, both NWAC and Amaltit say the resolution does not aim to end the use of NDAs for legitimate reasons, like protecting personal privacy and cultural knowledge.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_00: The organization will report its progress on the implementation of this policy at next year's General Assembly.
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  SPEAKER_00: It was almost a month ago that forest fires swept through northern Ontario.
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  SPEAKER_00: Twenty-five First Nations communities across Canada were actively impacted by wildland fires, with around 13 to 15 communities under evacuation orders forcing thousands of individuals from their homes.
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  SPEAKER_00: This weekend, a group of 25 musicians from across Turtle Island have joined forces to raise funds for First Nations youth who have been devastated by the fires to carry the burden of peace and take direct action against climate change.
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  SPEAKER_00: Ace Abbey, Sebastian Gaskin, and Natasha Fisher are just a few of the artists performing at the McNakoose Forest Fire Relief Show, taking place at the concert hall in Toronto, Ontario this Saturday.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: For tickets, you can look up McNakus on Eventbrite.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's a look at your national indigenous news.