July Update

July 26, 2013

On Behalf of the Aboriginal Peoples Commission:

July has been a busy month for the Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission (APC) participation in and hosting events across the land. Between July 12-14, APC’s Youth Representative, James Harper, participated in Camp ‘Wanna Be Free,’ held at Camp Hurlburt on British Columbia’s Okanagan Lake, where a presentation on current APC projects was done and connections made for future outreach with the Young Liberals in the west.

Between July 14-18, the Onion Lake Treaty Gathering was held and APC(Saskatchewan)’s Saskatoon Regional Representative, Joyce Knight, was in attendance in order to allow for an open line of communication and discussion with the Indigenous communities that partook in the treaty gathering. The Treaty Gathering was not the only event that took place in Saskatchewan, with the ‘Back to Batoche’ Festival held between July 18-21. APC (Saskatchewan) President, Reina Sinclair, was there to represent the APC at a major Metis celebration that this year welcomed back the stolen church bell of Batoche. The bell is of important significance to the Metis peoples and had been removed as a trophy by federal troops during the ‘Northwest Rebellion of 1885.’

The events in British Columbia and Saskatchewan were important for the APC as examples of outreach and learning from others who were speaking and attending, but were not the only ones that the APC participated in. Between July 16-18, the APC’s Co-Chairs (Cherish Clarke and Chad Cowie), Vice President of Communications (Kevin Seesequasis), and APC (Alberta)’s President (Daniol Coles) attending the Assembly of First Nations Annual General Assembly in Whitehorse, Yukon. Not only did members of the APC attend, but so did LPC (BC) President Brian Rice, LPC National Policy Director Maryanne Kampouris, as well as the Honourable Dr. Carolyn Bennett.

In attending the AFN AGA, the APC sought to show unity with the First Nations communities as well as to host an event in order to have an opportunity to meet with First Nations delegates from coast to coast to coast. The APC event featured the Honourable Dr. Carolyn Bennett, the Honourable Bob Rae, and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau who discussed missing and murdered Aboriginal women, the need for a new economic partnership, as well as the importance of re-establishing the Canadian/Indigenous relationship. The APC is proud to say that the event was a success, with over 200 guests in attendance and media coverage from both CBC and APTN.

The APC thanks everyone who participated in and volunteered for our event at the McBride Museum in Whitehorse, as well as the Museum staff themselves for their assistance. The APC will continue to show its commitment to bridging the gaps between Indigenous peoples and Canadians as we assist in helping to re-establish the Canadian/Indigenous relationship through respect and understanding.

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