Until April 20, Amnesty International is conducting a research mission at Grassy Narrows, to investigate the consequences of Ontario’s failure to respect the Rights of the The People at Grassy Narrows.

From the AI Online Diary:
Today, April 16, has been a full, eye-opening day out at Grassy Narrows. We have heard and seen a great deal that brings into sharp focus the devastating range of human rights concerns that the people here have endured, for many long decades. Traditional lands, including burial grounds, were flooded during hydro developments 50 years …

At the end of March, a report coming out of a ten month Canadian government-led roundtable was completed, which “lays out recommendations for a CSR [Corporate Social Responsibility] framework of good conduct for Canadian mining, oil and gas companies operating abroad… If implemented, the CSR framework would establish standards and reporting obligations for Canadian companies. It would also create an ombudsman office to investigate and assess complaints, and to evaluate compliance with the standards. The report lays out procedures for withholding government services to companies in cases of serious non-compliance, while also supporting the development of tools to promote good …

Illegal Dumping Uncovered at Quarry Situated On Mohawk Land
from www.ocap.org
April 5th, 2007

Evidence of extensive illegal dumping -including large amounts of asphalt – has been found by the Mohawks of
Tyendinaga. This discovery was made at the Thurlow Aggregates quarry site, occupied by the Mohawks for the past two weeks. The quarry is situated within the Culbertson Tract, land that is currently under Claim and that the Government has acknowledged rightfully belongs to the Mohawk community of Tyendinaga.

Three days ago, Band Council environment officials were alerted to the situation, documented the disturbing findings, and advised the Province of Ontario’s …

I don’t know if you got the bit of hype over the last couple days, but the globe and mail published an article on Saturday saying the Canadian army’s new ‘counterinsurgency’ manual lumped aboriginals in with the Tamil Tigers, Hezbollah, and other Terrorist groups.

Not being suprised, I decided to write something about it - but as I was putting on the finishing touches, I caught wind of another globe and mail article, yesterday, saying now natives will not be listed as terrorists… So I won’t post the article I wrote, but I would like to say a few …

Minister trying to silence aboriginal critics, MP says
Winnipeg Free Press
March 30, 2007

WINNIPEG — The federal Liberal critic in charge of First Nations issues is calling on Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice to apologize for letters he wrote to two newspapers.

Winnipeg MP Anita Neville said in a release that some of Prentice’s comments in the letters are “shocking and appalling”.

Prentice wrote to the Winnipeg Free Press on Thursday, saying he was “surprised” by threats made by Grand Chief Ron Evans of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs to block development projects.

Chiefs from across Canada have warned native blockades may rise because young …

Taking it as one grain of sand (time will tell whether this has an impact on anything) it seems the government is actually taking some action to address how Canadian business are conducting themselves internationally…

Canadian accord sets ethical mining norms
Kelly Patterson, http://www.montrealgazette.com/
March 29, 2007

In a move that could revolutionize global mining, Canadian mining representatives have struck an unprecedented accord with environmentalists and human-rights advocates on ways to ensure mining and oil companies act ethically in their overseas operations.

The pact would create the world’s first independent mining ombudsman and sketches out environmental and social standards for projects in the …

A Very Canadian Coup d’état in Haiti
Press for Conversion! Magazine, March 2007
Published by COAT

Here is the most recent edition of Press for Conversion!, a Magazine by the Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade. This is the most comprehensive resource I’ve been able to find that focuses on Canada’s role in Haiti, so I’ve posted it (with permission) in it’s entirety. Each Section that begins with a link is a pdf file - Ahni.

Haiti’s 2004 Coup and its Aftermath
In early 2004, a U.S.-funded, trained and armed paramilitary force of former CIA-backed death squads and soldiers from the …

Development Aid as Counterinsurgency Tool
by Jon Elmer and Anthony Fenton*, ipsnews.net
March 23, 2007

A soon to be completed Canadian Forces counter-insurgency field manual foreshadows the type of interventions that the military in this country is preparing for the coming decades, according to a draft edition obtained by IPS.

Gone is the era of major military powers fighting tank battles or the aerial dogfights that defined warfare during the 20th century.

The new military environment is often urban-based warfare against fighters operating amid, and often with significant support from, local populations.

This type of insurgent warfare has marked the period since the end of …

Counterinsurgency Manual Shows Military’s New Face
By Jon Elmer* www.ipsnews.net
March 22, 2007

Following closely behind their counterparts in the United States and Britain, Canada’s Department of National Defence is preparing a comprehensive counter-insurgency field manual for its soldiers and officers.

The manual will guide Canadian Forces doctrine and training well into the future, according to a draft edition obtained by IPS.

A 250-page publication, the field manual outlines the principles and practices of fighting the kind of insurgencies that have come to define warfare for the Western powers in the 21st century, in places like Chechnya, Afghanistan and Iraq.

The manual has been …

Appeal to Exonerate Betty Krawczyk: Who Are the Real Criminals? By Joan Russow, http://PEJ.org
March 20, 2007

One of the reasons given by Madam Justice Brown, for convicting Betty Krawczyk,was that she had failed to follow appropriate channels within the legal system. Perhaps the judge is unaware of the conundrum that opponents of key natural areas of contention face in going through the so-called “appropriate” channels.

INJUNCTIONS AS EQUITABLE REMEDIES
In 1991, A specialist in injunctive law once said that injunctions are equitable remedies not constrained by the strait jacket of the law. And that injunctions move with time and circumstances (a …