Anglican Church Body Urges Mediator for Lubicon Dispute; Supports Japanese Canadians Seeking Compensation
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/official6882
- Date
- 1988 February 14
- Source
- Anglican News Service
- Type
- Press Release
- Text of motion
- Toronto - Warning of the potential for serious conflict, a Canadian church group has called for the government of Canada to enter into negotiations with the Lubicon Indian Band, using the services of Davie Fulton, the former Minister of Justice, as Mediator. The Lubicon Band has been involved in a dispute about land claims for most of this century, with no resolution.
- The Program Committee of the Anglican Church of Canada, meeting here today, has endorsed a resolution of the House of Commons standing committee on aboriginal affairs and northern development, which proposed the mediation. The Reverend Peter Hamel, the Anglican Church's staff person related to national affairs, participated in the Standing Committee's meeting.
- "Unless there is a dramatic intervention by the Canadian government to reach a just and equitable settlement within the next three to four weeks, there is a real danger that a serious confrontation will take place at Little Buffalo Lake," Hamel warns. "The frustration is so high now because of the stonewalling that has gone on for so long."
- In a letter to the Prime Minister, the church says it has "consistently supported the struggle of the Lubicon people to achieve a just settlement of their aboriginal claim. In March of 1984, for example, the former Primate, Archbishop Ted Scott, participated with the Right Reverend Gary Woolsey, Bishop of Athabasca, in an ecumenical fact-finding mission to the Lubicon community."
- "On February 9, the Hon. E. Davie Fulton, testifying before the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, stated that the conflicts between the Band and the Federal Government could be resolved within six months. We believe that the appointment of Mr. Fulton could be a key factor in resolving this longstanding human rights issue."
- In other actions, the group moved to support the efforts of the National Association of Japanese Canadians in their efforts to seek compensation for the seizure of their property during the Second World War.
- The NAJC has launched a national coalition redress campaign to focus renewed public attention on its demands, after talks with the government broke down in July.
- In considering the request for support, the church's program committee reviewed its history of concern. A resolution adopted in 1947 urged the government to restore all rights to (Japanese) Canadian citizens or legal residents, "and in particular urges the government to take all steps possible to see that full compensation be made to those who, by reason of earlier governmental action, had their properties appropriated and sold, or who have otherwise suffered crippling financial loss by their removal and resettlement."
- Earlier resolutions, during and immediately after the War, consistently supported the Japanese Canadians and deplored the removal of their civil rights. Today, 40 years later, the church reaffirms its stand.
- The three-day meeting concluded Sunday.
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- For further information, contact:
- Doug Tindal, Director of Communications
- Anglican Church of Canada
- 600 Jarvis Street
- Toronto M4Y 2J6
- (416) 924-9192 (bus)
- (416) 335-8348 (res)
- Subjects
- Lubicon Lake First Nation - Alberta
- Indigenous peoples - Alberta
- Indigenous peoples - Canada - Anglican Church of Canada
- Indigenous peoples - Canada - Claims
- Indigenous peoples - Canada - Government relations - 1951-
- Indigenous peoples - Canada
- Hamel, Peter J. (Peter John)
- Japanese Canadians - Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945
- Japanese Canadians - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Anglican Church of Canada. Program Committee