Sharon McIvor to MPs: Kill Bill C-3, It Won’t End Sex Discrimination of Indian Act
The Native Women’s Association of Canada has released an open letter to MPs from Sharon McIvor opposing Bill C-3 (aka, the “Gender Equity in Indian Registration Act”):
According to the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Bill C-3 will make about 45,000 people newly eligible for registration as Indians. But Bill C-3 will not end the sex discrimination in the status registration provisions of the Indian Act.
And given that McIvor is that McIvor — as in McIvor v. Canada, the BC Court of Appeal decision Bill C-3 is ostensibly a response to — we might want to pay attention to what she has to say on the subject.
When the federal government takes Sharon McIVor seriously and does the proper and respected duty on the matter of Bill C-3, which is an offensive and discriminating Bill. The federal government does need to publicly acknowledge Ms.McIvor and her twenty years of court battles, to sit down with her and to actually listen to her suggestions.
To acknowledge the fact, the federal government made a huge mistake in that they preferred native male descendants of two generations down , over native women to receive Indian Status for the children, grand-children and great -grandchildren. Yes, it would be embarrassing for the federal government to say, yes, we made mistakes. It was their forefathers of generations of federal governments who made Indian Status a horrible means of discrimination to native women. Most First nations have always recognized a woman as Matriarch, which simply means the woman is the head of a tribe or family. Why, then , does the federal government deny this? I am sure, because they are afraid, and so compromise and give the Non-native woman who marries a native man full Indian status, with full benefits. Her native husband can give their children status , down to two generations.
I say, shame on Canada,
I am also very upset with the Native women of Canada, the National Friendship Centers of Canada, the A.F.N. These native organizations are supposed to help the Aboriginal people of Canada, to advocate in the behalf of all Native people. To stand up to the federal government .
But, very sadly they have not done their judicial duty to defend the Status rights of the people.
Again, I say, shame on these native organizations, none of them offered their judiciary assistance, or offered financial aid to Ms. Sharon McIvor. Now, of course, I understand, these native organizations have jumped on the wagon so to speak, and now are asking the federal government for funds to do their exploratory work on behalf of all Native women with Bill C-31 and their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. To identify which of the grandchildren and great-grand-children are qualified for band membership, as Ms.McIvor said, it is not about band membership , it is about Status.
Status is what she has fought for for over twenty years. She did all of the ground work, which was difficult to say the least.
I say to the federal government and to Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs, please do not give one single dime to any of the Native organizations of Canada, rather , give funds to reserves to take on the load of new Status members of Indian bands, for education, health care, dental and eye care. As well as their human inherent right to tax exemption.