Attawapiskat School
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We, the undersigned, believe that the Government of Canada has been unfair to those whom it serves, namely the First Nations peoples and specifically those of Attawapiskat in the James Bay Coastal Region.
The Government of Canada, through its functional branch Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, has left the J. R. Nakogee school contaminated by a diesel fuel spill since 1979 and unusable since the year 2000. The Nishnawbi Aske people of Attawapiskat were promised by three separate Ministers responsible for INAC that a new school would be built for the children. The latest Minister for INAC, the Hon. Chuck Strahl, was in Attawapiskat were he met with the Nishnawbi Aske Band Council, Chiefs, and elders and announced funding for a new facility to be built in the spring of 2008.
The rejoicing of the community was short-lived as the very same Minister turned around and without warning cancelled the funding and halted the plans for the construction of the new school. The spokesperson for INAC, when interviewed on CBC North Radio, reiterated that the primary concerns of INAC was to address the Health and Safety concerns of the community. We feel that this is a bald-faced lie, as the children are now in crowded classrooms, where the doors and windows do not close properly; where the bathrooms do not always work; where the bathroom doors cannot be closed; where the children are exposed to mold levels that would not be tolerated in any public school in Canada; where young students have to walk in the cold with wind chills reaching -50 to reach the gymnasium or the library; where the meals and snacks are prepared in areas still contaminated by diesel fumes and by mold growth and rodent infestations.
We believe that the Government of Canada is obligated to honour the rights of First Nations peoples to education in acceptable facilities as promised and outlined in Treaty 9. We the undersigned decry the deplorable way that the Government has continued to treat First Nations people as second-class citizens by denying them facilities considered a right by any other group of students within Canada. We the undersigned protest to the utmost the cancellation of the school in Attawapiskat, among others, and challenge the Government to do the right and legally required thing by providing the funding for the new school facility and by cleaning up the fuel contamination in the community of Attawapiskat.
The Government of Canada, through its functional branch Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, has left the J. R. Nakogee school contaminated by a diesel fuel spill since 1979 and unusable since the year 2000. The Nishnawbi Aske people of Attawapiskat were promised by three separate Ministers responsible for INAC that a new school would be built for the children. The latest Minister for INAC, the Hon. Chuck Strahl, was in Attawapiskat were he met with the Nishnawbi Aske Band Council, Chiefs, and elders and announced funding for a new facility to be built in the spring of 2008.
The rejoicing of the community was short-lived as the very same Minister turned around and without warning cancelled the funding and halted the plans for the construction of the new school. The spokesperson for INAC, when interviewed on CBC North Radio, reiterated that the primary concerns of INAC was to address the Health and Safety concerns of the community. We feel that this is a bald-faced lie, as the children are now in crowded classrooms, where the doors and windows do not close properly; where the bathrooms do not always work; where the bathroom doors cannot be closed; where the children are exposed to mold levels that would not be tolerated in any public school in Canada; where young students have to walk in the cold with wind chills reaching -50 to reach the gymnasium or the library; where the meals and snacks are prepared in areas still contaminated by diesel fumes and by mold growth and rodent infestations.
We believe that the Government of Canada is obligated to honour the rights of First Nations peoples to education in acceptable facilities as promised and outlined in Treaty 9. We the undersigned decry the deplorable way that the Government has continued to treat First Nations people as second-class citizens by denying them facilities considered a right by any other group of students within Canada. We the undersigned protest to the utmost the cancellation of the school in Attawapiskat, among others, and challenge the Government to do the right and legally required thing by providing the funding for the new school facility and by cleaning up the fuel contamination in the community of Attawapiskat.
115 Signatures
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Penny Dobson
- Comments
- These are basic human rights not being met for children in our country. Education is a right, not a privilege, so please rebuild this school!!!
- Address, Postal Code
- Hamilton, ON
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jenn haskins
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aleks schьrmer
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Ashley Costa
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brent palmer
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Kathy Whittam
- Address, Postal Code
- vancouver
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Christopher Laursen
- Comments
- It is the Government of Canada's responsibility to ensure an excellent quality of life for our First Nations, sending qualified and emphathetic people to work with the members of our First Nations' communities to help them realize their aspirations. Anything less is unacceptable.
- Address, Postal Code
- Toronto, Ontario
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Bonnie Dingwall
- Comments
- How much longer is Canada going to deny Aboriginal peoples existance? Unacceptable.
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Darlene Fleming
- Address, Postal Code
- M3N2G9
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Dee Freedman
- Comments
- absolutely shameful
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Gary Freedman
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Kandy
- Comments
- Please reconsider. It is unfair that these children have to be educated in such an unsafe environment.
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Tracey Gambin
- Address, Postal Code
- 4581 Georgia Street Burnaby BC
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Angelica Corrirossi
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olga vigil
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Scott Bloxom
- Comments
- They NEED a real school!
- Address, Postal Code
- L7R 3K4
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Sue Darroch
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Matthew Didier
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Susan Watson
- Comments
- Everyone deserves a safe place to learn!
- Address, Postal Code
- Barrie Ontario
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Stu Finlay
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Vicky Stevens
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Karen Lipinski
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Adam Higeli
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Mark Greeno
- Address, Postal Code
- M5V 3W4
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Sanda Ferrari
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Heather Anderson
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nancy solman
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Paul Fitzgerald
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Amanda
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Silvana Sellick
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anthony templer
- Comments
- let us move forward and help where it is needed
- Address, Postal Code
- caledon, ontario
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Dorota Lukomska
- Comments
- Please look into this matter at your earliest convenience. Children deserve the best, especially when they are learning.
- Address, Postal Code
- L6Y 1H7
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Karen
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larena schiavone
- Comments
- do the right thing! and not the right thing for just you, but for everyone present and future!
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Sarah Due
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Sarah Darroch
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Teresa Brown
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Nadine Moffatt
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Matt Cahill
- Address, Postal Code
- 53 Ossington Ave., Toronto ON
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David Tremblay
- Address, Postal Code
- J8X 2R6
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Jillian Scott
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Vicky Gough
- Comments
- our government should be ashamed.
- Address, Postal Code
- 122 Queenston St., St. Catharines, ON L2S 1L3
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Terri Skinner
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Lisa Dinel
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kathy Bovair
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Abi Salole
- Comments
- В
- Address, Postal Code
- В
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Christina
- Address, Postal Code
- Brampton, ON
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Cecilia Everett
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Camilla Copeland
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Danny Metatawabin
- Comments
- How long will the Canadian Government continue to deprive Aboriginal People of their basic Human Rights!!!
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115
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