The KAIROS community is deeply saddened by the recent passing of Art Manuel
The KAIROS community is deeply saddened by the recent passing of Art Manuel. Art’s relationship with KAIROS stretches back almost two decades to the pre-KAIROS days of the Aboriginal Rights Coalition (ARC). Art informed many of our education and action initiatives around federal programs and policies that impact negatively on Indigenous peoples. He advised us on the wording of the Jubilee Land Rights / Right Relations petition, and contributed a chapter on the Secwepemc land rights struggle in “Blind Spots”, the ARC publication that examined Canada’s response to the Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. And, in 2001, he rode the KAIROS “Blanket Train” and helped collect blankets while championing Indigenous rights at whistle stops from B.C. to Ottawa, where he joined over 400 others in laying down more than 1000 blankets on the lawn of the Supreme Court of Canada on National Aboriginal Day. Art’s steadfast commitment to Indigenous rights and title motivated us. His willingness to travel to all corners of the globe to advocate for Indigenous rights energized us. His persistent and principled work on land rights emboldened us. His legacy will provide us with the inspiration we need to carry on the struggle.
