February 2014 Education Report
This term of council I have again volunteered to focus on Education. I do have my work cut out for me because there are so many issues with Education right now. This report is to highlight many of those issues.
News
Crowd of over 600 gathers to Honor Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
TORONTO – “The strawberry represents love, courage, and women”, explained Wanda Whitebird at the 9th Annual Strawberry Ceremony Honoring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and those who have died violent deaths by colonialism.
Popular Fish and Chip store reopens
Proprietors, “Woody” Kocsis (left), and Art Bazoian have opened Phase #1 of their three phase plan to bring to quality fast food back to Eagle Place. Eagle Place Fish, Sub and Chips shop located at the former Big Top Sub Shop at the corner of Erie Ave and Walter Street, is now open, but in the spring, Big Top will reopen as Boz’s Ice Cream and Hotdogs. Later in the fall, “Woody’s Comfort Food Take Out” will open just around the corner. All three locations will be will be interconnected. (Photo by Jim Windle)
Mohawk Workers take their plans to Band Council
Representatives of the Mohawk Workers sat down with Six Nations Elected Council last week to clear the air about who they are and what they are about. Claudine VanEvery-Albert and Bill Squire met with Council to discuss the plans and ideas of the Mohawk Workers.
Brant gives Harper until the end of Feb for an inquiry
TYENDINAGA – Tyendinaga Mohawk activist Shawn Brant has given Prime Minister Steven Harper until the end of February to call a national inquiry into missing Indigenous women.
Outrage builds in Akwesasne over PCB contamination reality
AKWESASNE – The recent reporting of documented higher levels of cancer-causing pollution at the nearby former General Motors plant has some Akwesasne residents shaking their heads.
Grassroots Initiatives Honor Missing and Murdered Women
“We will come together again in Toronto this February 14th for the 9th year in a row. We stand together on this day to show our solidarity with the community of the downtown eastside in Vancouver where the Memorial March has been taking place for 23 years and because the violence is here too and inherent to settler colonialism,” Audrey Huntley of No More Silence shared with the Two Row Times.
Indigenous Rights Defenders from Colombia Visit Canada
TORONTO – Amnesty International Canada concluded a successful visit of two indigenous rights defenders from Colombia, María Patricia Tobón Yagarí and Federico Guzmán Duque, with a standing-room-only event held this past Friday February 7th, in Toronto.
Six Nations “Ohsweken” firehall demolition
The Six Nations Fire Hall is now a thing of the past. This week wrecking crews tore down the old Fire Hall after it was discovered to be overrun by mold to the point where it was deemed unsafe and unredeemable. The building was condemned in June. Thanks to a generous $2 million gift to the community from local businessmen Jerry Montour and Ken Hill of Grand River Enterprises Six Nations Fire Fighters will not be homeless for long. The new building is to be built on the same site to begin once the rubble from the old building is cleared. (Photo by Jim Windle)
Family of Cheyenne Fox seek justice
In 2013, three young First Nations women met sudden and tragic deaths in Toronto within a three-month period. Even more startling is the fact that the police quickly dismissed all deaths as either suicides or ruled out foul play without doing a thorough investigation.
Two Row Understanding through Education
BRANTFORD – Two Row Times’ publisher Jonathan Garlow has been moon-lighting as a teacher of Haundenosaunee history to a group of Brantford young people over the past few weeks.
Chevron’s Dirty hand in Ecuador
This past Saturday February 1st, the Two Row Society hosted a meeting to learn about the pollution that Chevron has left in Ecuador and the serious impact this has had on the health of indigenous peoples and peasants living in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
Former First Nation chief warned not to visit Iran
A Canadian aboriginal leader says Western media’s undeserved “dehumanization and demonization” of Iranians has such affected people’s attitude towards Iran that we were cautioned against entering the country.
Friel set to force Brant to comply with land transfer
BRANTFORD – Brantford Mayor Chris Friel is taking the gloves of in his drive to force the County to accept a land transfer deal they don’t seem to be willing to make, at least without a full consultation process with the Six Nations who have definite interest in he land in question.
BREAKING NEWS: Iroquois Caucus rejects First Nations Education Act
The Iroquois Caucus announced today that they have signed a Declaration unanimously rejecting the Harper government’s proposed First Nations Education Act.