Onion Lake Cree Nation Welcomes Chiefs and Delegates to the National First Nations Treaty Gathering

Thursday, October 11, 2012, Traditional Territory of Treaty No.6…Implement Treaty Right to Education, this is the message that will be echoed during a national Treaty gathering that the Onion Lake Cree Nation will be hosting.

The Cree Nation were asked and accepted to host the emergency Treaty meeting during last week’s Special Chiefs Assembly on Education in Ottawa. Chiefs emerged from the national meeting with a unified approach in rejecting federal government’s plan to overhaul First Nations education. Education is part of Treaty and cannot be domesticated under Canadian legislation. Treaties were entered into by two Sovereigns, the Crown and the Nations on “Turtle Island” not Canada.

“We want Treaty Implementation on our Rights to education. We will not work with this government of the day whose laws and legislation will not recognize or implement rights that are defined by the Treaties. Onion Lake Cree Nation looks forward to discussing a Treaty approach to education during our National First Nations Treaty Gathering at the end of this month. Our actions will be sharp and swift, we will not allow other governments to define where are Rights begin and end,” stated Chief Fox.

The Canadian government has persistently marginalized First Nations education. This is a result of structural discrimination which is still present within their laws and policies. It is also of great concern that Indigenous Peoples are not always consulted on proposed legislation which affects their Inherent and Treaty Rights. 

The National First Nations Treaty Gathering will take place on October 29-30, 2012 at Lloydminster Agriculture Pavilion. Over 500 people are expected to attend the gathering which will see First Nations from across Treaties 1-11 territories.

Onion Lake Cree Nation is an Indigenous Nation which believes in Sovereignty and the Protection of Inherent & Treaty Rights. The Cree Nation has over 5000 members and is governed by their own Cree Governance Structure. Onion Lake Cree Nation is located 30 minutes north of Lloydminster on highway 17 and is in Treaty No.6 territory.

 

www.onionlake.ca

 

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