COVID-19 Daily News Digest – July 2, 2020
Northern clothing line seeks to empower Indigenous people
Carefully crafted, the design has a bigger message behind it. Each word and symbol were selected by Snowshoe to represent a different part of Indigenous identity.
He uses the word “everyday” to symbolize the struggle Indigenous people face in daily life, and the journey to find positivity and better oneself.
Cancel Canada Day: Marches protesting Indigenous injustice held in multiple cities
Canada Day comes this year amid inflamed conversations surrounding police brutality against Indigenous communities, recent protests by the Wet’suwet’en Nation against pipelines, and accusations of systemic racism in health-care system in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many say celebrations including Canada Day, Victoria Day and St-Jean-Baptiste Day are symbols of colonialism.
Matawa First Nations requesting additional funds to support students return to school in September
Time is running out. September is going to come fast, and we don’t have the resources in place in order to have functional and safe classrooms for teachers and the students.”
Chief Yesno added that many of the educational needs of the Matawa First Nations have been longstanding, and the pandemic has exacerbated issues like small classrooms, lack of consistent internet connectivity and high turnover of teachers.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/matawa-emergency-education-funding-1.5634388
How to build a better Canada after COVID-19: The power of everyday actions can bring about change
Canada could be better in a post-COVID-19 world if all of us recognize and make use of the power of our everyday actions toward social justice. We cannot be comfortable in a world where some of us are afforded kindness and respect, taught to expect it, and others are not.During the pandemic, we have seen our ability to act in alignment with public health measures. As a result, we have all contributed to the success of reducing the spread and severity of this virus. But unlike COVID-19, injustice does not spread by accident. Injustice is about power: who has access to it and who does not.
Two Native Orgs doing their part by providing Covid-19 tests to Tribal Nations
Now, two national Indigenous organizations, Tribal Diagnostics and Indigenous PACT are doing their part by providing more Covid-19 tests to Tribal Nations. Together they create a complete testing system.
Tribal Diagnostics provides full-service tests, the swab test and antibody tests. Indigenous PACT offers community deployment strategy, including contact tracing and monitoring, billing guidance and processing.
Five days of death as Covid-19 strikes an indigenous community in Brazil
Last week, Xavante leader Crisanto Rudzo Tseremeywá released a video of himself in a hospital bed on social media. He and his parents had been infected in June. In the video, he warned Xavante people about the severity of the disease and pleaded with them to seek treatment immediately if they started to experience symptoms.
At first, the community did not believe that the virus was going to enter Xavante territory, Lucio Lucio Terowa’a, secretary of the Federation of Indigenous Peoples and Organizations of Mato Grosso, told CNN. Local authorities did not draw up an emergency plan to fight the virus or raise awareness about protective measures, he added. “That’s why we are having this rapid contamination,” said Terowa’a.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/01/americas/brazil-covid-19-xavante-intl/index.html
Funds announced for B.C. Indigenous entrepreneurs pursuing food, agriculture
Chief of the Williams Lake First Nation Willie Sellars said in a news release they fully support the province’s agricultural sector, food security and First Nations’ entrepreneurial spirit, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“By providing tools and knowledge needed to succeed in the sector, we are investing in a more-resilient food system that will keep high-quality, local food on tables in communities throughout B.C.”
Tofino and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation release joint statement welcoming ‘respectful’ tourists
“This has been a difficult time for our tourism-oriented businesses, and we would like to thank the thousands of Tofino fans who have expressed their heartwarming support for our community.” said Tourism Tofino Chair Shane Richards through the June 24 joint-statement. “We have adapted to the new landscape and are very eager to welcome you back.”
Indigenous Youth in STEM program adapts to coronavirus pandemic
Every year, over 35,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis youth get immersed in science, technology, engineering and math in an outdoor summer camp. Audra Brown with how the experience will look this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sentencing delayed for Alberta Mountie convicted of assault on First Nations man
Soares was scheduled to be sentenced on June 29. But that was delayed because Laboucan could not attend the court date as he has COVID-19 symptoms and is in quarantine.
Laboucan is currently in custody in Peace River Correctional Centre for assault and second-degree murder charges of another individual.
Enduring Indigenous Values and Finding New Ways to Tell Our Stories During This Time of Pandemic
What has this meant for us at Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Program? Sundance, like all other arts and cultural organizations around the U.S., has had to adapt to another way of working in the midst of a “new normal” that has emerged. For the foreseeable future, we are unable to travel and present at film festivals, host community screenings and public programs in Native communities across the U.S., and organize workshops and labs that have always been held face-to-face with our program fellows, creative advisors and alumni.
Canada Day party goes virtual amid COVID-19 restrictions
“Canada Day won’t look like previous Canada Days, but there are fun ways to get out and celebrate,” said Jantine Van Kregten, director of communications for Tourism Ottawa.
Bike paths and beaches have opened in many regions, and Canadians are encouraged to have barbecues within their social bubbles and even a drink on a restaurant patio, while respecting social distancing guidelines, Van Kregten said.
Canada’s history with Indigenous people is cruel and unfair, but we need to own up to it
The fact is that I, as an Indigenous person in Canada, have more in common with Black people from the U.S. than I do with non-Indigenous Canadians, born in this land. We have paid a heavy price due to colonization.
We have been damaged by generations of oppression, but we also have not been broken.
It was something I wanted my children to know.
Supreme Court dismisses First Nations’ challenge against Trans Mountain pipeline
The country’s top court dismissed an application from the Squamish Nation, Tsleil-Waututh Nation, Ts’elxweyeqw Tribes and Coldwater Indian Band on Thursday.
As there is no higher court in Canada, the decision brings an end to the groups’ years-long legal challenge.
The First Nations were seeking leave to appeal a February decision by the Federal Court of Appeal that found cabinet’s approval of the pipeline project in June 2019 was reasonable under the law.
George-Wilson said the Appeal Court’s decision earlier this year represented a setback for reconciliation.
“If unchallenged, it could change the way consultation and consultation cases happen in Canada, making it less meaningful for protecting our inherent constitutionally protected Aboriginal rights,” George-Wilson said.