Tag Archives: premières nations

CIU members meet with Grand Chief for the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne

Photo of CIU flag

On February 21, 2023, Customs and Immigration Union members had the opportunity to meet with Abram Benedict, Grand Chief for the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne as part of an ongoing conversation between Akwesasne community leaders and our union to better understand and address long-standing concerns between Akwesasne residents and Cornwall port of entry border officers.

Amongst other union members, present at the meeting were CIU National Human Rights Representative Murray Star, CIU Eastern Ontario Branch President Todd Matejka, as well as CIU Eastern Ontario Chief Steward John Bay. This is the second meeting between CIU representatives and Mohawk leaders in the past few months, following a visit to Akwesasne by CIU National President Mark Weber in late December 2022, during which CIU representatives met with both the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and the hereditary Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs.

The CIU leadership is hopeful that this recent open forum meeting between union members and Grand Chief Benedict will pave the way for a continuing collaboration to resolve entrenched tensions and make transiting through the Cornwall POE less cumbersome for residents of Kawehno:ke (Cornwall Island), and safer for all.

Transiting from the island to the mainland should be a non-event for residents of Kawehno:ke. Sadly, that is currently not the case, due in large part to poor design in and around the Cornwall POE, chronic understaffing at the port, and CBSA’s general inaction regarding both residents’ and CIU members’ concerns.

Beyond the broader systemic context, CBSA needs to put in the work to address these specific issues, mend the relationship with the Akwesasne community, and ensure a safe and healthy workplace for their employees. This means proper training for management and officers alike, thoughtful consultation with Akwesasne and CIU leaders, and careful consideration of equity needs. While CIU cannot do the employer’s job for them, we can begin building bridges where they won’t and demonstrate to them how this complex situation can be addressed.

CIU is thankful to Grand Chief Benedict and the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, as well as the hereditary Chiefs, for their openness in establishing an ongoing dialogue with the union, so that we may better appreciate the issues at hand. We would also like to recognize the work of John Bay who, as Chief Steward for his port and only Border Officer working at the Cornwall POE who is also a member of the Mohawk Nation of Akwesasne, was instrumental in laying the foundation for this important initiative.

Show your support on Bear Witness Day

Bear witness day banner

Bear Witness Day is a day both to show support for First Nations youth and to call on the federal government to address the longstanding discrimination faced by First Nations children.

While PSAC welcomes the commitments made in the 2021 budget, more federal funding is needed to close the socio-economic gap faced by Indigenous Peoples in Canada. First Nations children are frequently left waiting for services or worse yet, denied services that are available to other children. This includes adequate education, healthcare, childcare, recreation, culture and language services.

PSAC has been working to protect and defend the rights of all Indigenous Peoples in Canada for decades. They deserve full human rights, fundamental freedoms, and social infrastructure in their communities. The union represents many Indigenous members, including workers on First Nations reserves. At our last Triennial convention, delegates unanimously passed a resolution urging the union to support Bear Witness Day.

Bear Witness Day Background

On May 10, 2016, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal directed the federal government to fully implement Jordan’s Principle, marking it as Bear Witness Day.

Jordan River Anderson was born in Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba with complex medical needs. He was placed in hospital in Winnipeg where he needlessly spent years waiting for the federal and provincial governments to decide who would pay for his home care. He died in hospital when he was five years old, having never spent a day in his family’s home. Cindy Blackstock and the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society have worked tirelessly to ensure that this would never happen to another Indigenous child.

The pandemic has further exposed the many systemic inequalities experienced by First Nations people. The situation for First Nations children is now even more dire. In January 2021, data showed that the rate of reported cases of COVID-19 in First Nations living on reserve was 40 per cent higher than the rate in the general population. The virus has also worsened the mental health crisis among First Nations youth.

This year, it is even more important to support First Nations communities as many struggle to recover from the pandemic and continue to face inadequate levels of funding for social services.

Show your support for First Nations children on May 10th – Bear Witness Day:

  • Take part in the  online screening  of Spirit Bear and Children Make History.
  • Hang out with your bears or favorite stuffed animal at home. Ask loved ones in your home to participate too. You can let your neighbors know that you are participating in Bear Witness Day by placing your teddy bear or a drawing of a bear in your window.
  • Host an online  teddy bear tea party  or bear birthday party to honor Jordan River Anderson and to learn about  Jordan’s Principle .
  • Spread the word and post photos on social media using the hashtags #JordansPrinciple and #BearWitnessDay
  • Learn about the importance of Jordan’s Principle by reading  Spirit Bear’s Guide to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action .
  • Learn more about Spirit Bear and Jordan’s Principle by downloading and reading  Spirit Bear and Children Make History .
  • Watch the documentary Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger  to learn more about Jordan’s Principle. This documentary is available to watch for free through the National Film Board.

This article has also been posted on the PSAC website.