Latest / National Indigenous Newscasts / National Indigenous News October 6

Transcript

National Indigenous News October 6 · National Indigenous Newscasts

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: This is a look at your national indigenous news.
• 0:02
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Daryl Stranger.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: A federal judge recently said the way Canada has continued to shirk its responsibilities to a group of Manitoba First Nations since signing a landmark agreement meant to resolve historic treaty land shortages is simply not acceptable.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_00: The province, the federal government, and the Treaty Land Entitlement Committee of Manitoba signed the Manitoba Framework Agreement in 1997 to give land to First Nations that were given insufficient land under Treaties 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: The total land owed to the 21 First Nations eligible under the agreement is about 445,000 hectares.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: Just over half of that has been converted to reserve land as of last March, the committee's annual report said.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: In an August 21st decision, Federal Court of Canada Justice Julie Blackhawk expressed frustration with Ottawa's ongoing delays in fulfilling its commitments under the deal.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: Ottawa has delayed implementation of the 1997 agreement with vague references about its duty to consult other indigenous communities, but Blackhawk said that duty does not detract from Canada's obligation to fulfill its obligations under the deal.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: Although Blackhawk handed down criticism of Canada's conduct, her ruling came with mixed results for both sides.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: She dismissed the federal government's argument that the Treaty Land Entitlement Committee must first exhaust the agreement's dispute resolution process to pursue relief for its breaches of the deal.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: But Blackhawk sided with Ottawa's argument that the 1997 agreement and the treaty land entitlements operate prospectively, rejecting the committee's claim that the amount of land owed under the deal was retroactive to the initial signing of the treaties.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: She also ruled in favor of Canada's argument that the total amount of land owed to each First Nation in the 1997 agreement and individual treaty land entitlements were negotiated amounts based on mutual compromises and did not reflect actual reserve land entitlements under the treaties.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: Health Canada has announced the Northwest Territories is set to benefit from over$144 million in government funding to improve health care in the territory.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: According to Health Minister Marjorie Michel, this announcement officially makes the Northwest Territories the very first jurisdiction in Canada to renew its bilateral agreement under the federal government's 10-year national health accord.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: The funding comes from two different streams.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: The first labeled Working Together aims to make it easier for people to access healthcare.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: The federal government has earmarked$51 million over the next seven years to fund the training and recruitment of physicians, as well as integrating primary healthcare teams so the system is easier to navigate.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: Some of this money will also go toward mental health and substance use services, including culturally appropriate mental wellness and suicide prevention programs.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: The second pot of money, the Build Communities Strong Fund, is for infrastructure.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: The federal government plans to invest$70 million for 16 health infrastructure projects in 12 communities, while the territory kicks in$23 million.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: Key projects highlighted include space for a new MRI machine at Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife, a new CT scanner in Inuvik, six new health cabins in remote communities with populations under 100 residents, a community wellness center in Delanay, and specialized spaces for an Indigenous clinic.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_00: A dedicated funding stream for mental health and addictions is set to expire with funding for those programs absorbed into the territory's main bilateral health agreement moving forward.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: The territory states it will continue to report publicly each year on its progress toward agreed-upon health targets as construction and program planning moves forward.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: In Alberta, indigenous students at Wolf Creek Public Schools are engaging in new cultural programs that provide immersive hands-on experiences at school.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: Taught alongside elders and knowledge keepers, the culture camps aim to bridge youth to traditional teachings and empower cultural identity.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: Schools across the division were invited to bring their students together for culture camps hosted in Pinoca, Lacombe, and Black Falls.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: The camps immerse students in topics such as Metis history, traditional crafts and games, traditional dance, TP teachings, and medicine wheel teachings.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: The Wolf Creek Public Schools Indigenous Education and Reconciliation Team organized the transportation so the schools could participate.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: Students are taken through circles focusing on cultural topics taught by elders, knowledge keepers, and indigenous teachers.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: This is the first year the Indigenous Education and Reconciliation Team implemented this type of opportunity for students.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: The team will continue to implement culture camps as well as another version of cultural teachings called minicamps throughout the school division.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: Alongside the elders and knowledge keepers, they will also continue to engage students, staff, and school administration throughout the school year.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: That's a look at your national Indigenous news.