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| Welcome
to the AIM Multimedia Archive - 'Not So Gentle Neighbor' |
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Okiijida Society, an AIM affiliate, has produced a 31 minute video entitled
'Not So Gentle Neighbor' containing visual evidence
of racism in Canada. To view this movie you will need to have
Quicktime
or Real Player
installed on your computer. Select the format of the video you
wish to watch and click on the image to launch the movie in the media player.
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| QuickTime Format |
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| RealVideo Format |
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56k
Viewing
160 x 120 pixels
7.5 fps
31 minutes
File size 20 mb |
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DSL/Cable
viewing
240 x 180 pixels
15 fps
31 minutes
File size 50 mb |
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To order copies of this video,
or for more information contact: |
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Okiijida Society Spokesman and Representative Terrance Nelson
Box 75, Ginew, Manitoba, Canada ROA 2RO
204-427-2961
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Okiijida Society has created PanamGames.net to provide information
on Justice and Human Rights. Okiijida and AIM thanks American
Indians who help distribute the video and those people and organizations
who support the airing of this information on cable networks
in the US. Your letters to Congressional Representatives, Senators
and US organizations is welcome support for our people here
in Canada.
October 2001, Minister of Indian Affairs Robert Nault cut 10
million dollars from the Assembly of First Nations, punishment
for National Chief Matthew Coon Comes' participation at a United
Nations anti-racism conference. As a result, AFN lost 64% of
its staff. The Canadian government was angered that 12,000 copies
of a 24-page brief were available in Durban South Africa. For
hard copies of this brief phone Bill Namagoose at (613) 761-1765
or Bob Epstein at (613) 291-3225.
In Durban, Coon Come sat on a panel with famed U.S. black activist
Angela Davis and South Africa's Winnie Madikizela-Mandela as
he told a crowd of 1000 activists and world leaders, "When
our people tried to obtain moderate livelihood from the sea,
white mobs burned our boats and beat our people." The National
post wrote, "Coon Come was applauded repeatedly during his
20 minute speech and Ms. Madikizela-Mandela nodded while he
compared the plight of his Cree people to that of black South
Africans under apartheid." MinisterNault immediately threatened,
"With this kind of language and talk, I believe Matthew Coon
Come is going to set the agenda back for many years...people
like myself...are not just annoyed, we're just beside ourselves...Coon
Come owes us an apology." Coon Come responded, "Over
the years, indigenous people in Canada have been told many times
by Canadian governments that if we persist in telling our story
internationally or in court, we may suffer consequences...we
have been assigned to tiny, marginal areas of land...the Canadian
state has retained for itself the resource rights, even under
our feet...if we could revenue-share from the natural resources
attached to our lands, we wouldn't have to rely on government
handouts"...(Nault) uses "the vulnerability and dependence
of our peoples on his government to try to silence me."
Canada is making fundamental legislative changes affecting First
Nations. Native organizations are threatening political action
including economic blockades. Minister Nault considers Coon
Come irrelevant and is bypassing First Nation organizations
that refuse to participate in Canada's imposed changes. In 2000,
the Liberal government was re-elected with strong voter support
in Atlantic Canada for taking a hard line against First Nation
rights, rights recognized by Supreme Court decision in the Marshall
case.
Twenty-five percent of all United States imports come from Canada.
In 1990 if Mohawks had been killed by Canadian soldiers, Canada
would have become a war zone. The Mayan uprising in Chiapas
1994 impacted Americans by 38 billion dollars. Americans need
to know more about Canada and potential problems. First Nations
represents 2% of the population but over 50% of people killed
by Canadian police are indigenous people. Nault will have even
more powers as a result of September 11th events, a huge 170
page Bill C-36, the so called anti-terrorist bill allows for
unparalleled police and court powers.
Under "preventative measures", police can indefinitely
arrest people deemed to be a threat to Canada. Foreign aid is
needed to get international attention to the plight of First
Nations in Canada. Any sovereign nation interested in funding
human rights in Canada is welcome to contact the Okiijida Society.
American Indians and Councils are requested to contact Okiijida
Society or AIM for further information.
For information on National Chief Matthew Coon Come' trip to
South Africa, go to Assembly of First Nations website www.afn.ca.
Okiijida Society is not affiliated nor do we in any way represent
the Assembly of First Nations or National Chief Matthew Coon
Come. Okiijida Society is not affiliated with James Bay Cree
and has not participated in their 24-page brief but we strongly
support the distribution of the information and we commend the
James Bay Cree for their efforts.
Copies of the video are available, contact StrongFront.tv
or Terrance Nelson.
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