CLC resolutions on Barriere Lake

Justice for First Nations 6.Resolutions GR-62, GR-109, GR-162 and ESP-82: The Committee recommends concurrence in the following composite resolution: The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) will

• continue to demonstrate its support for justice for First Nations through the following activities: lobbying the federal government to enact June 21, National Aboriginal Day, as a `statutory holiday; 
• calling on the federal government to establish a public enquiry into the cases of missing First Nations women across Canada, and the widespread violence perpetrated against First Nations women; 
• continuing to work to build relationships with aboriginal and other women’s groups and lobby the federal, provincial and territorial governments and ensure that proper support and long term funding is applied to address Canada’s murdered and missing women; demanding the federal government declare that all First Nations children have an equal right to high-quality and culturally-relevant education. This requires more federal funding to ensure equitable class sizes, educational resources, staff salaries, special education services and indigenous language instruction;
• supporting the inherent right of customary self-government for First Nations, and opposing efforts by the federal government to impose an
• Indian Act election system on a First Nations community; and renewing our commitment to lobby governments to ensure First Nation treaty rights are respected;

Because First Nations in almost every measure are the most marginalized group in Canadian society; Because the voice of First Nations is among the least heard when governments discuss social policy; Because the CLC supports the self-determination of First Nations, and measures to acknowledge the historic and ongoing discrimination they have faced. Because this resolution is priority 6 of the General resolutions Commitee it should be passed

Barrière Lake 14.Resolutions ESP-14 and ESP-148: The Committee recommends concurrence in the following composite resolution:
The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) will work with affiliates and Federations of Labour to recognize and support the Algonquins of Barrière Lake's inherent right to customary self-government and call upon the Government of Canada to immediately reverse its imposition of an Indian Act election system, and take action to honour the 1991 Trilateral Agreement with the Algonquins of Barrière Lake; The CLC will also continue to support to the Lubicon Cree in their efforts to achieve a just land rights agreement and demand the federal government take meaningful steps to resolve all outstanding land rights claims; Because the Algonquins of Barrière Lake have been living sustainably on their land for thousands of years; Because they have operated for countless generations under a traditional governance system connected to their use of the land; Because the Government of Canada is using section 74 of the Indian Act to abolish Barrière Lake's traditional governance system and impose a colonial electoral system; Because the Government of Canada has not honoured the signed 1991 Trilateral Agreement for environmental management/protection; Because the acclaimed Chief in the imposed section 74 election refused the position; Because Canada has a dismal record in resolving First Nations' land claim disputes; Because in 1990, the United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled that Canada had violated the human rights of the Lubicon Cree and yet a just settlement with the Lubicon remains outstanding; Because these are but a few examples of the need for federal action to resolve First Nations' land rights disputes.
Since this resolution in #14 in the economic and social policy report it may not be passed on the floor but will be supsequently passed at a CLC Executive COuncil meeting