Truly the Indian Wars in the Americas did not end, the eyes of the sovereign began to open wide and the strength of the Indigenous people persevered genocide through direct action and ancestral traditional culture and knowledge. There have been many speakers, educators, and activists. There have been powerful people, in the sense that they empower those around them. The truth is, in the decolonised concept of Indigenous people worldwide is that those people are still with us through their words and the stories they told. This includes people from all indigenous races as soon as people realise truths about colonialism and the laws it has done to oppress all who disagree with a state sanctioned genocidal sense of progress.
"We are sovereign nations. We have the inherent right to self-determination. We will determine our own destinies in accordance with our own customs, laws, and traditions – not in a way dictated to us by Canadian and provincial governments, and without interference by these governments."
Respect for the self expression of others and to the inherent rights that our ancestors have been taking care of for time immemorial, for all people around the wold peace has been our message, since the time of the Peacemaker it has been stronger. Remember the words and teachings of the elders, or old world, how ever you would like to phrase it. At the end of the day " we are all one people, not black or white or red or yellow, we have blood - that is life" Chief Oren Lyons Wolf Clan Onondaga.
In accordance with these rights and principles, and in defense of our Mother Earth, we demand that:
1. Canada fully implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
2. Canada comply with its international treaty obligations on the rights of Indigenous Peoples under the International Labor Organization’s Convention 169, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and the Convention on Biological Diversity, among others.
3. Canada honour all its commitments and obligations under historic treaties with Indigenous Peoples.
4. Canada, with Indigenous communities, jointly change the federal policies on self-government, land claims, and historic treaties to recognize Indigenous rights and Aboriginal title, including the right to self-determination and the right to exercise free, prior, and informed consent.
5. Canada everywhere end its policy of assimilation of Indigenous Peoples within its borders and its policy of extinguishment of Aboriginal title.
6. Canada acknowledge and fully support our right as peoples to maintain and practice our cultures and languages, and give full redress and justice for its attempts to obliterate these.
7. Canada immediately cease the criminalization of Indigenous Peoples when they are exercising their rights to lands, resources, and self-determination, and direct the provinces to do the same.
8. Canada, through an independent body, provide financial support for Indigenous Peoples who are struggling to exercise or defend their rights.
9. Canada hold a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and involve Indigenous women in the design, decision-making, process and implementation of this inquiry, as a step toward initiating a comprehensive and coordinated national action plan.
10. Canada repudiate the concepts of Terra Nullius and the Doctrine of Discovery, which have been used to unjustifiably claim Indigenous Peoples lands, as factually, legally and morally wrong; and declare that such concepts must no longer form part of law-making or policy development by Canada nor be the basis of arguments presented to the court.
11. Canada restore all funding that was cut to Indigenous Peoples’ advocacy organizations and communities.
12. Canada repeal the provisions of Bill C-45, which include unilateral amendments to the Indian Act and the Navigable Waters Protection Act, withdraw the existing suite of bills that would further amend the Indian Act and withhold any future bills until there is an agreed upon process between Indigenous Peoples and Canada.
~Defenders of the Land: Indigenous Peoples have clear demands for real change, January 5, 2013.