Amnesty International calls for halt to Site C, dam threatens indigenous rights

The report also recommends the federal government “carry out a comprehensive reform” of how environmental assessments are carried out to incorporate the “free, prior and informed consent” of Indigenous peoples.

The Amnesty International report stated archeological evidence shows indigenous peoples have lived in the Peace River area for more than 10,000 years and many rely on the valley to hunt, fish, trap, conduct ceremonies and harvest plant medicines.

The accusation of treaty violations has been brought to court through a lawsuit filed by the Blueberry River First Nations.

The education sector not only mirrors the historical abuses, discrimination and marginalization suffered by indigenous peoples, but also reflects their continued struggle for equality and respect for their rights as peoples and as individuals. On July 28, the Trudeau government approved fisheries and water permits allowing construction on the dam to continue.

Benjamin said the approvals contradict the loud talk from the governing Liberal party about making reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous people a priority.

Benjamin said the government’s actions on Site C have proven to be the opposite of what they promised in May, and he worries that is a sign of things to come in how Trudeau’s Liberals will work with Indigenous peoples. Article 14 of the Declaration states that “Indigenous peoples have the right to establish and control their educational systems and institutions providing education in their own languages, in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and learning”. Construction has gone ahead despite the fact that the West Moberly and Prophet River First Nations are now challenging the Site C dam in court. The researchers noted that major projects do not fully consider the “cumulative impacts” of resource projects on cost of living and social services, which puts women and girls at risk.

“This omission is particularly concerning given national and global attention to the disproportionately high rates of violence faced by Indigenous women and girls in British Columbia and across Canada”, it reads.

But critics, including Benjamin, argue the business case for the project is flawed and that the dam has no objective.

The UN Declaration sets out minimum standards for ensuring Indigenous peoples enjoy fundamental human rights, including the collective right to self-determination and rights in their traditional territories.

The First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) welcomes the attention on Indigenous education issues on the August 9 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, with this year’s theme of “Indigenous Peoples’ Right to Education”.