OTTAWA – Elected Chief Ava Hill along with a sizeable delegation of Six Nations Council and staff as well as other stake holders were at Parliament Hill in Ottawa recently on a mission to educate the new Liberal government and MP’s about the funding shortfalls, land rights, and the uniqueness of the Six Nations of the Grand River.
The March 7 and 8 delegation consisted of representatives from the Elected Council, Lands and Resources, Health Services, Social Services, Lands and Membership, Public Works, Fire and Emergency Services, Finance, Polytechnic, Grand River Employment and Training, Police, Grand River Enterprises, Ganohkwasra and the Woodland Cultural Centre.
During the two-day advocacy trip delegates met with close to 30 elected officials, including the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, Carolyn Bennett. In attendance at the evening reception was Jody Wilson-Raybould, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.
According to Chief Hill, the delegation was well received and the trip was well worth the effort.
“It went really well,” she told the TRT upon her return. “We met with about 30 MP’s and most of them knew nothing at all about Six Nations.”
According to an Elected Council media release: Last week the Elected Council had an invaluable opportunity to meet with newly elected Members of Parliament and senior government officials to raise awareness and discuss how Canada can begin fulfilling its commitments to Six Nations.
“There is an urgent need for a new process in this promised era of nation-to-nation building and reconciliation,” said Six Nations Chief Ava Hill.
More than 232 years ago, after fighting as allies during the American Revolution, Six Nations of the Grand River was promised nearly one million acres of lands. Today more than 12,000 of Six Nations residents live on less than 5 per cent of their land.
“Through A Global Solution we can move forward with addressing our land right issues, and serious funding gaps in many other areas,” Hill added.
Together, the Elected Council and Six Nations community support services are hopeful for a new process with Canada based on true justice, through land and revenue sharing, as intended in the treaties between the Nations.
“We met with about 30 MP’s and most of them knew nothing at all about Six Nations.” I guess Caledonia was that big of a issue after all. SMH