Indigenous Rights
A Deadly Typhoon Strikes the Philippines- and it’s not Typhoon Pablo
December 10, 2012
A reflection from the Philippines by Norma P. Dollaga, a deaconess serving The United Methodist Church in the Philippines. Her organization KASIMBAYAN is a member of EcuVoice, the Ecumenical Voice for Peace and Human Rights in the Philippines, a KAIROS partner…
Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Indigenous Rights, Spirited Reflections
Commissioner Marie Wilson on Lessons Learned from Canada’s Residential School Experience
December 10, 2012
The three TRC Commissioners are busy people. Justice Murray Sinclair, Chief Wilton Littlechild and Marie Wilson are present at all national events, and share the responsibility for local hearings between themselves. They’re also in dialogue with the Parties to the…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Canadians Resisting Climate Change Despite Inaction at UN Talks
December 3, 2012
After the failure of UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen, Cancún and Durban over the last three years, it is difficult to be optimistic about the current round of talks in Doha, Qatar. The negotiations remain stalemated as parties reiterate their…
Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Indigenous Rights
KAIROS partners in the Philippines seek a meeting with Prime Minister Harper
November 9, 2012
KAIROS civil society partners in the Philippines are seeking a meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to discuss allegations of irresponsible activities of certain Canadian mining companies. The Ecumenical Voice for Peace and Human Rights in the Philippines (EcuVoice), Kalikasan…
Post filed in: Asia-Pacific, Ecological Justice, Indigenous Rights
Truth, reconciliation, and equity work continues: here’s how
November 9, 2012
KAIROS’ focus on Indigenous rights continues through 2013 and we invite you to journey with us. If you’re just starting out, please take a look at our Truth, Reconciliation and Equity photo action. These pictures are an important public witness…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Message to the ONIC
October 12, 2012
From October 8-12, 4,000 Indigenous leaders and elders met in Bogota, Colombia for the VIII National Congress of the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia (ONIC), under the banner “For the Consolidation of our Territories, the strengthening of autonomy and the…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Latin America
Rev. David Kim-Cragg’s Journal from the Pelican Narrows TRC hearings
August 14, 2012
Rev. David Kim-Cragg is a United Church minister in a congregation in Saskatoon, SK and is involved in Saskatchewan Conference’s Justice and Right Relations network. He and his eight year old son Noah went to the Pelican Narrows Truth and…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Truth, Reconciliation, Forgiveness and Moving Beyond Event, by Hazel Jardine
August 14, 2012
Hazel is a founding member of the Fort Qu’Appelle, SK KAIROS group, which has been going strong for over 25 years. She is an author, mother and activist and is now an elder in the KAIROS community. Fort Qu’Appelle has…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
The United Church: Apologies offered in Fort Qu’Appelle SK
August 14, 2012
John Bird, Program Coordinator for Aboriginal Justice and Right Relations at the national United Church of Canada writes, “Sue Bland is Saskatchewan Conference’s “part-time” staff person supporting the Conference’s Justice and Right Relations group, a wonderful gathering of Indigenous and…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
The United Church Moderator reflects on reconciliation from local to national
August 14, 2012
Mardi Tindal was the Moderator, or elected leader, of the United Church of Canada from August 2009 through August 2012. Her term coincided with the opening of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and since the United Church and its predecessor…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Rev John Whyte’s reflections on Saskatoon
August 14, 2012
Rev. John Whyte is a United Church minister in Regina, SK and was present at the historic Truth and Reconciliation Commission national event in Saskatoon June 21-24 2012. Here are his personal reflections, shared with his congregation and shared here…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Spirited Reflections
Report on Living Courage Eastern Tour and TRC, June 5-25, 2012
August 13, 2012
KAIROS partners, Claudia Castellanos, from the Popular Feminist Organization (OFP) in Colombia, and Lucy Talgieh from Wi’am: Palestinian Conflict Resolution Center in Bethlehem, Occupied Palestinian Territories visited communities in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Ontario and Saskatchewan during the Living Courage tour,…
Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Indigenous Rights, Latin America, Middle East
Solidarity and Support for the Indigenous communities in Northern Cauca, Colombia
July 30, 2012
KAIROS is concerned with the situation facing Indigenous communities in Northern Cauca, Colombia and in particular with the escalation of violence in recent weeks.
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Latin America
Truth and Reconciliation Commission: Every story needs a listener
July 25, 2012
This blog is an invitation to you. Canada is in the midst of a national Truth and Reconciliation Commission on the Indian Residential Schools system, but many Canadians don’t know this, or may not feel this journey belongs to them….
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Ethical Reflections on the Northern Gateway Pipeline
July 13, 2012
In its Fall 2011 meeting, the KAIROS Ecumenical Circle of Collaboration on Sustainability identified the Northern Gateway pipeline as a topic of concern for the work on tar sands, energy, and climate change. Given its proposed route, the pipeline is…
Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Indigenous Rights, Spirited Reflections
Spirited Reflection: Back to the Circle
June 22, 2012
Time and again it comes back to the circle. The first day of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Saskatchewan National Event begins with the lighting of the sacred fire and ends with a round dance. In her poem, “Reconciliation”, Rebeka…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Spirited Reflections
Education and action campaign to raise awareness of Inuit food security issues
June 14, 2012
KAIROS Indigenous Rights Circle member-at-large, Deborah Tagornak, and four other Inuit women met in KAIROS’ Ottawa office today to launch an education and action campaign to raise awareness of the impact on the Inuit of the extremely high cost of…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, UNDRIP Blog Updates
Our Dreams Matter Too
June 11, 2012
On the fourth anniversary of the federal governments’ official apology to the former students of Indian residential schools, KAIROS joined over 500 elementary school students who walked from Victoria Island to Parliament Hill today to call for culturally based equity…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, UNDRIP Blog Updates
It’s time for justice: Civil society groups urge Ontario to respect and uphold the rights of Asubpeeschoseewagong Anishnabek Grassy Narrows
June 5, 2012
Representatives of the Grassy Narrows First Nation are in Toronto this week for River Run 2012, a community-led initiative that continues a tradition of “action for justice – for our people, and for the protection of the water, air and…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, UNDRIP Blog Updates
Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) report documents the links between residential schools and Indigenous women in custody
May 31, 2012
NWAC Report Gender Matters: Building Strength in Reconciliation KAIROS Board Member Rev. Andrew Johnston joined Native Women’s Association of Canada President President Jeannette Corbiere Lavell at a press conference in Ottawa yesterday to launch Gender Matters: Building Strength in Reconciliation,…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Justice Thomas Berger Speaks Out on Northern Gateway Review Process
May 23, 2012
In an interview with the CBC on May 15, 2012, Justice Thomas Berger said the federal government is undermining the Northern Gateway review process and taking “an irrational approach” by calling environmental groups that are opposed to it “money launderers…
Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Indigenous Rights
Ongoing Call for Justice from Yinka Dene Freedom Train
May 17, 2012
Forty members of the Yinka Dene Alliance travelled thousands of kilometres from their territories in British Columbia to Toronto to address the May 9, 2012 annual meeting of Enbridge Inc., sponsor of the Northern Gateway tar sands pipeline. The Yinka…
Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Indigenous Rights
Our Dreams Matter Too: An Evening with Cindy Blackstock
May 16, 2012
KAIROS and Centretown United Church invites you to an evening with Cindy Blackstock, Executive Director of First Nations Child & Family Caring Society. Join us to learn more about “Our Dreams Matter Too” – a series of walks for culturally…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Civil Society Organization Statement Regarding Talisman Operations in Achuar Ancestral Territory
May 1, 2012
1 May 2012 We, the undersigned, are writing to express our concern about the social and environmental impacts of Canadian multi-national oil company Talisman Energy in the remote Peruvian Amazon Rainforest.
Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Indigenous Rights
Our Dreams Matter Too
April 25, 2012
On June 11th, come out and walk for culturally based equity for First Nations children! The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada is recruiting walkers and letter-writers for its June 11th event. Check out their youtube video!…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Anglican Bishops of BC and Yukon Release Statement on Gateway Hearings
April 12, 2012
A group of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada in British Columbia and Yukon have released a statement on the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline and the accompanying public hearings. They write to express their hope that the hearings will…
Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Indigenous Rights
KAIROS Analysis of the 2012 Federal Budget
April 3, 2012
Provisions of the 2012 federal budget have important implications for several KAIROS priorities, including justice for Indigenous peoples, and ecological sustainability as well as the quality of Official Development Assistance. Equity for Indigenous Peoples in Canada The budget announces…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights