On Nov. 7, Senators voted against an amendment on legislation meant to create a National Council for Reconciliation (Bill C-29), by leaving out Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, one of five National Indigenous Organizations. “I’m not sure how Senators expect to achieve reconciliation when they start the process with exclusion,” said CAP National Chief Elmer St. Pierre. “Senators … Read more
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples is disappointed with a lack of progress to address the over-representation of Indigenous Peoples in the justice system. According to the 50th Annual Report of the Office of the Correctional Investigator released today, the proportion of over-representation of Indigenous people has increased from 23 per cent of the overall incarcerated population to 32 per … Read more
Oct. 4 is the National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. “Sadly, since the Calls for Justice release in 2019 and the National Action Plan in 2021, the federal government has failed to meet its own Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls goals,” said CAP National Chief Elmer St. Pierre. CAP calls on Crown-Indigenous Relations … Read more
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples is insisting the Government of Canada and Justice Minister and Attorney General of Canada Arif Virani (Parkdale–High Park, Ont.) immediately take concrete actions to address the striking number of Indigenous Peoples wrongfully convicted of offenses – far too often driven by a justice system plagued by prejudice, racism, and intolerance. “It’s … Read more
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples is urging all Canadians to take a moment and reflect on the truths of the past and make concrete efforts to ensure Canada becomes a more inclusive place to live. “It took hundreds of years to expose the atrocities committed by the Canadian government and churches,” says CAP National Chief … Read more
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, alongside wrongfully convicted Nerissa Quewezance, are calling on provincial and federal governments to immediately address the over-representation of Indigenous Peoples caught up in the justice system. Quewezance thinks Canada’s correctional system is attempting to quash any recognition of Prisoners’ Justice Day: “Thirty years ago there was more solidarity between the inmates, but … Read more
Fifty years after being wrongfully convicted of murder, Brian Anderson and Allan Woodhouse will return to the Court of King’s Bench in Winnipeg, Man., after having their convictions quashed late last month. In 1974, the two men from the Pinaymootang First Nation, were convicted for the murder of 40-year-old Ting Fong Chan who was found badly beaten … Read more
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples was happy to share the pressing needs of hundreds of thousands of Indigenous Peoples from across the country with Provincial and Territorial Premiers in Winnipeg. Man. “It’s profoundly important that Premiers, along with all other leaders in this country, hear from urban and rural Indigenous voices who face countless, unique … Read more
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples filed a landmark federal lawsuit against Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu (Thunder Bay-Superior North, Ont.) and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti (LaSalle-Émard-Verdun, Que.) to stop the discriminatory exclusion of non-status Indians from post-secondary education benefits. “This groundbreaking federal lawsuit highlights that the federal government has discriminated against our Indigenous people and … Read more
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples has lost faith in Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller (Ville-Marie-Le Sud-Ouest-Île-des-Sœurs, Que.) after years of ignoring and excluding hundreds of thousands of off-Reserve, non-status, Metis and Southern Labrador Inuit. The Congress believes these acts and policies can only be remedied with the removal of Miller, with hopes of a replacement … Read more
