2. Women's Perspectives - Christian Aboriginal Infrastructure ...

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We have to be on guard against the danger of reproducing the same paternalistic system that has been so often criticized. Moreover, if we create agencies or councils without really developing them and defining their powers, we will make the mistake of delegating responsibilities without conferring on these bodies the authority required to fulfil their mandate. What seems of utmost importance, however, is to establish an appeal system for cases where individuals feel that their rights have been infringed. [translation] Jeannette Boivin Director, General Council of Atikamekw Women Manouane, Quebec, 3 December 1992 Many Aboriginal women spoke critically about the development of self-government. Although they support self-government, Aboriginal women emphasized the need for healing in their communities: Most women supported fully the move toward self-government and yet had many concerns and fears about the fulfilment of that right for Aboriginal peoples. Why Why do women feel such ambivalence towards the idea of self-government The answer is clear to women….We have to change our priorities. We must have personal and community healing. Lynn Brooks Executive Director, Status of Women Council of the N.w.T. Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, 7 December 1992 Some Aboriginal women felt they were full and equal partners in self-government discussions, but many women expressed fears that new regimes or systems could develop that would perpetuate patterns of exclusion. Aboriginal women and others spoke about situations in which they have been ignored, intimidated, mistreated and excluded: If the question of Aboriginal self-government was raised at this assembly today, the results would be the majority lacking enough topical information to render an informed opinion on the subject. We view this communication gap between the Aboriginal elites and the grassroots people as a major flaw in the whole negotiating process on Aboriginal self-government. Carol Gauthier Shingwauk Anishnabek Student Society Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, 11 June 1992 The response of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs to some of the issues that we have raised has also raised a number of serious considerations to us. It has brought to the foreground the potential for the abuse of human rights in the existing political and service delivery structures of Aboriginal government. It highlighted the lack of democratic mechanisms that would allow for the full and equal participation of women and offreserve people in decisions that concern and affect them. It has also served to demonstrate that a dangerous capacity for the abuse of power and the exercise of undue influence is greatly enhanced and facilitated within a political structure that has no 70
mechanism for the democratic process of appeal and no meaningful facility for accountability to its constituents. Marilyn Fontaine Aboriginal Women's Unity Coalition Winnipeg, Manitoba, 23 April 1992 I would say that there is a real need for the entrenchment of women's rights within selfgovernment. The one thing I hear from women in the communities as well is that there is a real lack of enough advocates. There are advocates, but a lack of enough advocates for their concerns. Often times, things are brought forward to band councils at the community band or regional level and their concerns don't go any farther than that. Sarah Kelleher N.w.T. Family Services Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, 7 December 1992 In some cases, projects initiated by Aboriginal women faced opposition in their communities: We ran across many barriers to healing. We found we had to overcome mistrust by families, by friends, community members and service providers. We were perceived as a threat to existing relationships, friendships, jobs and authority….In the circle, we began to learn how to communicate with each other. Trust was built, and we started to support one another….We have many strengths as Aboriginal people, especially the women who have helped us to survive as Anishnabek….Our solutions are: Remove the barriers that prevent personal, collective or community healing. The healing has to be put into the hands of the women first. Deborah Herrmann Co-ordinator, Kettle Point Caregivers London, Ontario, 12 May 1993 Some Aboriginal women pointed to barriers raised by community leadership, which is often male-dominated. Other Aboriginal women see themselves as being excluded from decision-making processes: These initiatives, for whatever reasons, are found to be intimidating and threatening to the male-dominated organizations that claim to represent us. In many situations, these organizations have come to oppose the initiatives of the community-based Métis women. They are in the process of negotiating self-governance while they actively try to exclude their female counterparts. Melanie Omeniho Women of the Metis Nation Edmonton, Alberta, 15 June 1993 During our hearings, the Aboriginal Women's Council of Saskatchewan spoke about the results of their research project, which involved interviews with 74 Métis and First Nations women ranging in age from 17 to 58. 98 They found that many women know little 71
Page 1 and 2:
VOLUME 4 Perspectives and Realities
Page 3 and 4:
Total Canadian Total Aboriginal 1 R
Page 5 and 6:
very different from the proportion
Page 7 and 8:
percentage of women 15 years and ol
Page 9 and 10:
Forestry and logging 4.2 0.3 0.9 0.
Page 11 and 12:
We have stated our belief that the
Page 13 and 14: people. Right now it is very diffic
Page 15 and 16: Aboriginal communities. Many feel t
Page 17 and 18: identity and everything to do with
Page 19 and 20: property, his chattels. Unlike her
Page 21 and 22: highlights the irony of the officia
Page 23 and 24: The marrying out provisions that ha
Page 25 and 26: the property and later obtained an
Page 27 and 28: The impact of Bill C-31 was enormou
Page 29 and 30: 3.3 The Indian Act and Bill C-31: A
Page 31 and 32: • section 6(1)(a): this is a gran
Page 33 and 34: The establishment of categories for
Page 35 and 36: ands (those that were not were on a
Page 37 and 38: In addition, because the number of
Page 39 and 40: Another problem is that the appeal
Page 41 and 42: husbands. In this regard, Indian af
Page 43 and 44: put forth, such as introducing new
Page 45 and 46: which is dealt with through alcohol
Page 47 and 48: The inequalities in health and well
Page 49 and 50: In Volume 3, Chapter 3, we proposed
Page 51 and 52: ignored, or inadequately dealt with
Page 53 and 54: Some Aboriginal women spoke to us d
Page 55 and 56: Lillian Sanderson La Ronge Native W
Page 57 and 58: In that chapter, we recommended tha
Page 59 and 60: Discussions on the patriation of th
Page 61 and 62: Throughout our hearings, when Abori
Page 63: The incorporation of the whole circ
Page 67 and 68: Testimony has revealed the strong d
Page 69 and 70: their own political institutions, t
Page 71 and 72: The living conditions of many Abori
Page 73 and 74: Martha Greig Vice-President, Pauktu
Page 75 and 76: on our own….We started one and th
Page 77 and 78: Aboriginal women reminded us that t
Page 79 and 80: Many Aboriginal women see their eco
Page 81 and 82: Our analysis of employment developm
Page 83 and 84: solving and decision making are hol
Page 85 and 86: Secondly — All persons intermarri
Page 87 and 88: 29 Letter from Deputy Superintenden
Page 89 and 90: 48 Bill C-31 Summary Report, p. 5.
Page 91 and 92: 76 Subsection 10(2) of Bill C-31 st
Page 93 and 94: 96 NwAC v. Canada (1992) 3 F.C. 192
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