Live Coverage of The Apology for Residential Schools

Today we recognize this policy of assimilation was wrong, has caused great harm and has no place in this country.
- Stephen Harper

"Fallen Feathers" (image from Turtle Island Native Network - a site with extensive background links and information)

You can watch coverage online at CPAC which began at 1 pm ET.

Before Harper spoke, a motion was presented by the government to allow several first nations leaders, beginning with AFN leader Phil Fontaine, to give responses in the house - a move the Conservatives had resisted until the very last minute. Approval of the motion was unanimous.

I will post links to Harper's statement and the responses when they're available.

CBC reporters have noted in their live coverage that there is a festival-like atmosphere on the hill, where hundreds of first nations people have gathered inside and out, as many reunite with family and friends they have not seen for years. But the solemnity of the occasion hangs heavy in the air, just as it does in many of our hearts.

Related:

CBC has extensive text, audio & video coverage of Canada's Stolen Children.

The department of Indian and Northern Affairs also has live online coverage.

Globe and Mail coverage includes snippets of the statements by Harper and Dion.

The Toronto Star's coverage.

Update:

Leaders from the following first nations organizations responded in the house:

Assembly of First Nations (Phil Fontaine)

Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (Patrick Brazeau)

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) (Mary Simon)

Metis National Council (Clement Chartier)

Native Women's Association of Canada (Beverly Jacobs)

more to come...

Update:

Video of Harper's statement:

Part 1


Part 2


Phil Fontaine's response:

Friday: Canada's National Aboriginal Day of Action

And the protests have already begun:

Armed Mohawk protesters barricaded a highway in eastern Ontario Thursday night, vowing to set up even more blockades as a national aboriginal day of action begins at midnight.

About 40 protesters parked a schoolbus on Highway 2, near Deseronto, just before 9 p.m. ET, forcing traffic to stop and turn around at the location, which is about 50 kilometres west of Kingston.

Protest leader Shawn Brant said the blockade is just a "soft target," done in anticipation of major blockades that will be set up somewhere along the high-traffic Highway 401, between Montreal and Toronto.

Protesters also intend to hit the CN Rail line between the two cities, Brant said, not giving exact locations for the blockades, but saying protesters are armed and ready to keep their blockades up until midnight Friday.

"We've made no secret that we have guns within this camp," he told the Canadian Press.
[...]
In anticipation of blockades, Via Rail cancelled all Friday train services between Toronto and Montreal and between Toronto and Ottawa.

One day of inconvenienced rail travelers is nothing compared to what our first nations people have suffered for far too long now.

And if all levels of government have any sense at all, they'll let the protesters make their voices heard peacefully while doing everything they can to avoid another Ipperwash style tragedy.

The Assembly of First Nations chief, Phil Fontaine, has also issued a statement on "potential illegal protests" on Friday.

We respectfully urge Canadians not to criminalize First Nations people with respect to the actions they plan to take on June 29th and beyond. Our people do have a right to protest, as do all Canadians. The Assembly of First Nations has never resorted to illegal activities, or anything beyond the rule of law, to advance the causes of FN people.

We understand the frustration that exists among too many of our people. Our objective in organizing the National Day of Action is to provide a positive channel for that energy. We invite all Canadians to stand with us in support of a better life for First Nations and a stronger country for all Canadians.

In recent weeks, the AFN has met with various police forces, as well as CN and CP Rail, because of our mutual interest in ensuring public safety and security during the various events that will make up the National Day of Action.

Visit this AFN page for more information about the protests and the national events schedule.

The treatment of aboriginal people in Canada is our nation's shame. It's a humanitarian disaster. And when the current conservative minority government decided to scrap the Kelowna Accord, it derailed years of work meant to finally begin to address those issues in a substantial way. Piecemeal policies have never been enough and they certainly are not enough now. Our aboriginal people deserve justice and their third-world living conditions must be dealt with immediately. Please support their day of action in any way you can.
 

Friday Nite Video: Beds are Burning

This song came to mind when I read about Phil Fontaine's speech that issued warnings via the Canadian Club this past week:

National native leader Phil Fontaine warned a blue-chip audience on Tuesday that the anger felt in many First Nations communities has reached a breaking point.

"Frankly, we are fearful of the effect this is having on the well-being and public safety in our communities," said the chief of the Assembly of First Nations in an eloquent speech to the Canadian Club of Ottawa.

"So here I am again today, hammering away at another group. Many of our communities have reached the breaking point. The anger and frustration are palpable."

A report in Tuesday's Globe and Mail quoted a First Nation leader in Manitoba threatening widespread economic disruption and a potential blockade of CN rail lines connecting Eastern and Western Canada.

Fontaine did not dismiss worries about possible confrontations this summer.

While he has a track record of favouring quiet diplomacy over barricades, he suggested to his audience that this tactic has yielded few results.
[...]
Fontaine also urged governments to work harder to settle more than 1,100 outstanding land claims, noting that at the current pace of negotiations, it would take 130 years to resolve them.

We have an obligation to do better for our First Nations people, but that certainly won't be happening under Conservative party rule.