Found at: http://www.peoplesvoice.ca/articleprint04/08__A_slap_at_Indigenous_rights_-_Editorial.html

A slap at Indigenous rights - Editorial

People's Voice Editorial, Sept. 16-30, 2007

Stephen Harper has indicated that his government will not sign the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People when it comes up for a vote at the United Nations. Interestingly, he broke the news, not in Canada, but in Australia during the recent APEC conference. The PM's main concern, he claims, is "whether or not the government of Canada can implement the content" of the Declaration.

     Yes, Mr. Harper, we all understand that after centuries of stealing Aboriginal lands and breaking nation-to-nation treaties, it can be a little strange to contemplate signing a declaration to implement indigenous rights. It's a bit like passing laws against wife-beating, when the guy committing the abuse begs for sympathy as he struggles to read the fine print, searching for loopholes.

     Maybe it's no coincidence that Harper spoke about the topic in Australia. After all, both countries were founded on the colonial theft of indigenous territories and the destruction of their inhabitants. Perhaps more to the point, both countries are currently led by far-right parties which favour extending the rights of corporations and limiting the rights and powers of citizens. In fact, Canada was officially in support of the Declaration until Australian PM John Howard visited here to explain his "strong reservations" to Mr. Harper.

     The Conservative government's position has nothing to do with fine-tuning or improving the Declaration, and everything to do with restricting the ability of Aboriginal peoples to resist the corporate plundering of their traditional territories. This shameful episode is just one more reason to drive the Harper Tories out of office, as soon as possible.