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The Indigenous Peoples
Summit of the Americas
Opening Remarks
Matthew Coon Come,
National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations (Canada)
Willie Littlechild, QC: ... (inaudible)... for this tremendous, tremendous
success. Remember that of the 350 million people, indigenous peoples
around the world, 45 million of those are from the Americas, 45 million of
those that you represent. As trade agreements are made, as Chief Moses
described earlier, we have to be there. And this is one way we can be
there.
While I said we could not be into the buildings of the UN some twenty
years ago, today you, through this technology, are there, and the UN is
there in Ottawa. It was only a matter of time, wasn't it? Recall that
there was some concern at the World Conference Against Racism about the
use of technology for the promotion of hatred. And yet you,
congratulations on using technology for a very positive use.
So, in concluding, I can in no way other than congratulating you express
our thoughts and excitement here in Geneva as you launch your Indigenous
Peoples Summit. So with that, it's a tremendous honour to introduce to you
a man who has been instrumental for the many years that indigenous peoples
have been involved, because of his genuine concern of international
issues. Our National Chief, Matthew Coon Come: [Applause]
 MATTHEW COON COME (National Chief, Assembly of First Nations): That's
pretty wild, isn't it? We've come a long way from smoke signals and
snowshoes; skidoos now and airplanes, now Internet. [Comments in Cree
language]
I just want to welcome everyone. It is my honour as national chief to
welcome all indigenous brothers who have come here from a long distance.
We are gathered here together in the traditional territory of the
Algonquin people, and I wish to express my thanks to the Algonquin leaders
and people.
Many of you have travelled a long distance to come to this summit. Those
of us who came from nearby are very grateful that you have made that
effort. It's interesting, I would not dare to list or I would probably
forget, the indigenous peoples that are represented here, but I think it
is safe to say that no matter what we call ourselves, whether it be Cree,
Mohawk, or Machupess(?) or Kiapoh(?), but the names of our nations and of
our tribes mean that we are a people. It literally means humans, it means
people.
We always knew we were not inferior societies, that we are a nation, that
we are a people, that we have the right to self determination. I am well
aware of the raw life and death nature of the indigenous struggle for
rights and basic survival for many of the countries in the Americas. Our
struggle for survival in Canada, in comparison, are relatively safe. With
only a handful of exceptions, state violence against our people is hardly
used. Our people are not being killed or assassinated by agents of the
state. We are still sometimes able to access institutions, even though we
may not prevail.
And yet I have travelled to meet with indigenous peoples and leaders in
North, Central and South America, and in all of these places we understand
each other. That our peoples are oppressed. That there are no degrees of
acceptability or unacceptable oppression. All dispossession, all
marginalization, all discrimination, and all extinguishments are
violations of basic fundamental human rights. Our indigenous experience in
the Americas, from the Arctic to the southernmost tip of this continent,
stands right alongside the other colonial and genocidal crimes against
humanity throughout history. And we indigenous peoples recognize this
easily.
And yet there are wonderful stories, success stories and important
achievements among all of our indigenous peoples and nations. And we need
to celebrate our survival. Let us wonder at the continuing and rich
diversity of our cultures and at the infinite value of our philosophies,
of our languages, of our music, our tradition knowledge, and our beliefs.
Let us showcase our triumphs in business, the arts, technology and other
fields.
But here in Canada, I know this may seem to be an unthinkable assertion
here in Canada, but yet in the 1990s a federal Royal Commission on
Aboriginal Peoples spent five years investigating the situation facing our
peoples in Canada. Its conclusions are applicable to indigenous people
throughout the Americas, particularly with respect to land and resources
and their link to our cultural survival.
The Commission stated that indigenous people, and I quote, "need much more
territory to become economically, culturally and politically
self-sufficient. If they cannot obtain a greater share of lands and
resources in this country, their institutions of self government will
fail. Without adequate lands and resources, aboriginal nations will be
unable to build new communities and structures, the employment
opportunities necessary to achieve self-sufficiency. Currently on the
margins of society, they would be pushed to the edge of economic, cultural
and political extinction. The government must act forcefully, generously
and swiftly to ensure their economic, cultural and political survival."
End of quote.
There is only one solution for the situation facing indigenous peoples in
the north, south, west and east in the Americas. It is not more exclusion
or denial or oppression or extinguishment. The only solution is a full
recognition and full respect of our peoples' status and rights as peoples
and, most important of all, our fundamental human right to self
determination.
It is currently being said that governments and their officials do not
have any taste for a rights agenda at this time. Leave your quest for
rights aside, we are being told. I reject this discriminatory thinking.
Our rights are fundamental. We have the right to self determination. We
have the right never to be deprived of our own means of subsistence. We
have the right to retain and freely dispose of our own natural wealth and
resources. These rights are essential to our survival as a people and as a
nation.
Leaders of the governments of the dominant societies of the Americas will
meet soon in Quebec City regarding a new Trade Agreement in the Americas.
Indigenous peoples are not being involved or even consulted in this
exercise. If the trade agreements of the last few centuries are anything
to go by, there will be little in these arrangements that will benefit us,
and there may be much in these agreements that will harm us.
Indigenous peoples have always been traders, among ourselves and with
others. Trade itself does not frighten us. However, we cannot accept trade
that is inequitable, unsustainable and which excludes us or is imposed
upon us. Such trade will not improve our condition.
The theme of this OAS summit is called Connecting to the New Economy. We
just witnessed it. I believe that our children could be the agents of
change. We can use technology. With access to new Internet infrastructure
that can be a applied with the best networking capacities that are there,
we can connect our communities, our hospitals, our schools. While as the
leader, I do not want to miss the new information technology. We missed
the Industrial Revolution; we will not miss the information technology.
However, let us not forget that, in the end, all economies, whether new or
old, are built on foundations of access to land, natural wealth and
resources. All peoples need food, clothing, housing, transportation,
community infrastructure, clean water and sanitation, health and social
services, education, roads, communications, and a physical place to play
and work. Even in the most highly developed countries in the world, such
as Canada, there are gross disparities between the amenities and services
provided to indigenous peoples and those that non-indigenous peoples can
sometimes take for granted.
On its own, bringing high-speed digital hook-ups into indigenous
communities where there's inadequate sanitation infrastructure, 90 percent
unemployment, gross overcrowding in housing, ill health, gas sniffing,
epidemic suicide, can make little or no difference, whether they are in
North America, Central America or South America. These indigenous
communities need their lands, resources, jurisdiction, ownership, status,
recognition, human rights and dignity restored to them, whether they be
here in Canada, or the States, or in Brazil, or in Guatemala, or in Peru
or Mexico.
This indigenous summit is historic. Because we are still here. Because we
are no longer willing to move aside in the name of development that
excludes us without our fair share of the natural resources. And we will
not accept being dispossessed, we will not accept being marginalized, we
will not accept being told to move aside. Because our human rights are
peoples' birthrights. Because we have come together to discuss and assert
our human rights and to insist that our fundamental human rights remain
paramount when government and corporate trade agendas are being explored.
I'd like to do something different. I cut down my speech, believe it or
not. I'd like to read something that I think... a leader wrote, which is
the Prime Minister of this country. I thought it was unique. He could not
make it, and it reads, "As Prime Minister of Canada" -- that's me, no,
just kidding -- "As Prime Minister of Canada, I am pleased to welcome
representatives of indigenous peoples from throughout the hemisphere to
Ottawa for the first Indigenous Peoples Summit of the Americas.
Shared prosperity and inclusion are pillars of the hemispheric agenda that
the democratically elected leaders of the Americas will be advancing at
the third Summit of the Americas in Quebec City. Indeed, the respect for
the rights, needs, and any challenges of indigenous peoples is essential
if we are to succeed in fully implementing our agenda.
Far too long", the Prime Minister writes, "the voices of aboriginal
peoples have not been heard in the councils of government or in the
management of their own economic, social and cultural affairs. Too many
still live in grinding poverty and lack the tools necessary to improve
their quality of life.
To overcome these challenges, we must enter into a true dialogue and a
true partnership with the goal of building a better future." He continues
writing, "We are all responsible for finding ways of working together. We
must broaden partnerships with indigenous peoples, empowering them to set
their own priorities in cooperation with governments."
And he writes, "I am convinced that this summit will be a catalyst for
establishing a (inaudible) network to promote constructive dialogue
through the Americas. Beginning with the first Summit of the Americas in
Miami in 1994, Canada has made a special effort to promote the interests
of indigenous peoples throughout the Americas."
And I like this part. We all wonder what's going to happen after we meet
here. He writes, "And I intend to bring the views articulated at this
unprecedented gathering to the attention of the heads of state when we
meet in Quebec City. The government of Canada will work to ensure that
your input influences the implementation of the hemispheric summit
declaration and plan of action. And again, welcome to Ottawa and I wish
you every success in your discussions."
That's a great letter, Minister John Manley. I would hope that every
leader in this hemisphere could write such a letter to the indigenous
peoples in their respective countries.
And with that, we have a lot of work to do. I look forward to discussing
these important issues and working for the next few days here in the
Algonquin traditional territory.
We must strive to be heard and to be heeded. This is not an Assembly of
First Nations meeting, it is not a Métis meeting, it is not an Inuit
meeting, it is not a women's conference, it is not a youth conference.
This is about our people, of their right to be heard. And we are here to
work together, and as one of the leading co-hosts, I welcome all of you
and wish you a very successful three days' working session. And I thank
you very much.
Assembly of Frist Nations
Press Release
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