I resisted the temptation to contribute further to the previous debate with Bhoddi, Louise and Jim and have no intention to reignite it, but I thought all might be interested in this announcement released today by the Canadian Labour Congress. "Labour and Aboriginal groups enter into ground-breaking partnership" Two national organizations, one representing 2.3 million unionized workers, the other more than 800,000 Aboriginal people, signed a historic partnership agreement today pledging to work in solidarity on social justice issues. Bob White, Pres. of the CLC, and Harry Daniels, Pres. of the Congress of Aboriginal peoples (CAP) signed a Partnership Agreement committing their organizations to respect and work in concert on Aboriginal and workers' rights. .... 'Given the systemic barriers and the racism faced by Aboriginal people, it's important that we form alliances to support Aboriginal peoples' access to social and economic rights -- and that means encouraging Aboriginal voices within the Labour moement,' noted White. 'The signing ... is of vital importance to the more than 800,000 off-reserve Aboriginal peoples,' said ... Daniels. 'It marks a new beginning in the relationship between Aboriginal peoples and organized labour in Canada, one that bodes well for the future....' The partnership agreement includes a commitment to develop and strengthen the Aboriginal presence within the structure of the labour movement by working to address the high rate of unemployment within the Aboriginal community, workplace racism, the under-representation of Aboriginal peoples in the collective bargaining process, and other inequities in labour force participation. A key aspect of the agreement is the establishment of a joint committee mandated to work toward the elimination of systemic barriers to Aboriginal employment and economic, political, social and cultural rights. The Congress of Aboriginal peoples is the national, advocacy organization that serves and protects the interests of its constituents -- Metis, Indians, registered, unregistered, treaty and non-treaty persons of Aboriginal ancestry living off- reserve...." Paul Phillips, Economics, University of Manitoba
