Chatter

B'NAI BRITH CANADA IS CALLING INTO
question the value of the country's hate legislation after the acquittal Feb. 23 of Aboriginal leader David Ahenakew, charged with willfully promoting hatred. "No one disputes that Ahenakew has repeatedly engaged in hate-filled, anti-semitic messaging, including a statement on how 'Hitler got it right' when he planned to annihilate the Jewish people," a press release from the B'nai Brith stated. This case, however, it said, failed to meet the legal standard for a conviction and therefore "throws into doubt the viability of Canada's hate crimes legislation." B'nai Brith wants the government to review the hate legislation "in light of ongoing manifestations of hate in this country." Ahenakew may have been acquitted, but the leader wasn't completely let off of the hook for the hate-filled interview he gave to a reporter in Saskatchewan in December 2002. The former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations was stripped of his Order of Canada, and the judge in the case gave him a very public tongue lashing calling his remarks "revolting, disgusting and untrue." On the blog shmohawk.wordpress.com, the writer says he couldn't agree more with the assessment of the judge, but of the people who want to see this decision overturned, he couldn't agree less. "There's a difference between spouting disgusting ideas and inciting violence against an identifiable group in society," the writer states. "Ahenakew is guilty of the first, not the second. He said disgusting things about Jews... In doing so, he let the world see him in a new light, an ugly light, in that interview six years ago. But Ahenakew wasn't inciting violence. And that should be the line when it comes to criminal charges. Inciting violence is where the loud-mouthed idiot becomes a danger to others in society, and where the criminal code should become a factor."

THE SAFE DRINKING WATER FOUNDATION (SDWF)
is coming out swinging after what they say was a threatening call from the Indian and Northern Affairs Senior Policy Manager of Legislation and Regulation. In a media advisory titled "What INAC probably didn't tell First Nations Leaders!" the foundation claims that its executive director, Hans Peterson, had been given authorization by the chief of George Gordon First Nation to represent the community at an engagement session in Saskatoon with INAC regarding a proposed framework for safe drinking water in First Nations communities. They say the Senior Policy Manager "explicitly stated that the SDWF is not allowed or invited to attend the session." The foundation accused INAC of plans to download water quality responsibility, and liability, to the provinces. They also say that INAC is playing fast and loose with the invitations to these engagement sessions, inviting some nations and not others, despite a promise that each nation and tribal council was to receive invitations for two representatives, either chiefs or council members or technical persons, to attend. The foundation contends that in the spring of 2007, INAC passed responsibility and liability for drinking water quality to chiefs and councils of each community. "This was done with very subtle notes on their contributions agreements-few First Nations leaders were, or are, still aware of this policy change." SDWF says the communities that did become aware rejected the position and issued Band Council Resolutions to reject that responsibility/liability and lay it back at INAC's door. Downloading the responsibility to the provinces, as SDWF insists is INAC's newest plan, would mean that each jurisdiction would have different water quality guidelines, with some less stringent than others. SDWF is advocating for national guidelines. Information can be found at www.safewater.org.

THE OTTAWA-BASED MOUNTAIN
Road Productions is on the search for a Native Canadian carpenter who will host a new adventure series called Sheltered. "Every culture has its own ways of designing home. Methods and materials are as diverse as the people who build them," a release states. "Sheltered will travel to the far reaches of the globe to explore the amazing variety of homes and the unique methods of construction." Qualifications: Must be charismatic, with a sense of humor "at the ready," and willing to step outside "his" comfort zone. Willing to mix mud and straw by hand, cut bamboo, hoist stones with ropes and pulleys, or build floating houses out of reeds. "Moments of hilarity and chaos will be combined with a fascinating exploration of culture." Send headshot and resume of skills with photos of your work to casting@mountainroad.ca using Sheltered as the subject line. For questions contact sonja@montainroad.ca or call 613-237-4447.

Métis fishermen staged a protest to state that their constitutionally protected right to fish shouldn't be restricted, reports Fort McMurray Today. The group cast its net on Gregoire Lake in northern Alberta and placed a call to report the action to Alberta Sustainable Resources (SRD. Officers arrived about three-and-a-half hours later, after the net had been pulled, said Bill Loutit, president of the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 1, who was disappointed the SRD didn't react sooner. No charges were laid, and the two sides agreed to meet to discuss "illegal fishing." Loutit said the issue is about how the province treats Métis, who have constitutionally protected hunting and fishing rights, provided they can prove a genealogical connection to the area they wish to fish. Métis who want to fish a site apply to SRD, which examines the genealogy of the fisherman to see if there is a connection to the area. Protesters contend the approach is unfair to the nomadic people who traditionally moved to wherever they could find food and work.