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A compensation package for the survivors of residential schools announced in Ottawa Nov. 23 is receiving mixed early reviews in the Native community, with many former students, upon hearing details of the agreement, expressing a wide range of emotions, including fear, frustration, anger and sadness.

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The shield in the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA) that prevents those living under the Indian Act from filing human rights complaints is under attack from several directions.

Section 67 of the CHRA is one sentence long.

"Nothing in this act affects any provision of the Indian Act or any provision made under or pursuant to that act," it states.

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The shield in the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA) that prevents those living under the Indian Act from filing human rights complaints is under attack from several directions.

Section 67 of the CHRA is one sentence long.

"Nothing in this act affects any provision of the Indian Act or any provision made under or pursuant to that act," it states.

Page 10

If you want to get to the heart of the matter, you'll have to look carefully at the diplomatic language used by the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) in its latest "concluding observations" on issues that the committee has been monitoring in Canada.

The UNHRC heard from Canada and from the Lubicon Lake Cree Nation on Oct. 17 in Geneva.

Page 10

If you want to get to the heart of the matter, you'll have to look carefully at the diplomatic language used by the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) in its latest "concluding observations" on issues that the committee has been monitoring in Canada.

The UNHRC heard from Canada and from the Lubicon Lake Cree Nation on Oct. 17 in Geneva.

Page 9

When the story of Alex Decoteau was told during a service at the Passchendaele Memorial in Belgium on Nov. 1, one Belgian citizen in the audience already knew it well. Erwin Ureel-Vanhaverbeke, a soldier in the Belgian army who has an interest in the military history of his country, plans to organize an event in 2007 to honor Decoteau.

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When the story of Alex Decoteau was told during a service at the Passchendaele Memorial in Belgium on Nov. 1, one Belgian citizen in the audience already knew it well. Erwin Ureel-Vanhaverbeke, a soldier in the Belgian army who has an interest in the military history of his country, plans to organize an event in 2007 to honor Decoteau.

Page 8

As one of the last events scheduled by Veterans Affairs Canada in the Year of the Veteran, the Aboriginal Spiritual Journey looked to some like a bit of an afterthought.

Twenty Aboriginal veterans, each accompanied by at least one care-provider, and 14 youth delegates-as well as a number of cultural performers-were escorted around Normandy and Flanders by a small army of government bureaucrats from Oct. 26 to Nov. 4. About a dozen media representatives were also in tow.

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As one of the last events scheduled by Veterans Affairs Canada in the Year of the Veteran, the Aboriginal Spiritual Journey looked to some like a bit of an afterthought.

Twenty Aboriginal veterans, each accompanied by at least one care-provider, and 14 youth delegates-as well as a number of cultural performers-were escorted around Normandy and Flanders by a small army of government bureaucrats from Oct. 26 to Nov. 4. About a dozen media representatives were also in tow.

Page 5

Dear Editor:

First Nations, the early French and English settlers are what John Ralston Saul calls in his book Reflections of a Siamese Twin the three pillars on which Canada was founded. Should any of these three pillars fall, Canada is history. These pillars-to use a bad metaphorical mix-must stand alone to remain strong; each must be able to carry its share of the weight for Canada to survive.