Aboriginal Circle

About Us

We self identify as Aboriginal OPSEU members. We assist in creating networks within the Regions. We develop and promote programs to encourage First Nation status and non-status, Métis and Inuit members to participate in union activities. We assist and support the grievance process, advocate, educate and lobby for Aboriginal issues in the workplace, among the membership and in the community. We concentrate our efforts in the region of Ontario or wherever the journey takes us!

Aboriginal Circle Members

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Vision

Aboriginal Circle vision is the Sacred Seven Grandfathers Teaching: Wisdom, Love, Respect, Bravery, Honesty, Humility and Truth. These gifts of the Seven Grandfathers govern their way of being, knowing and making decisions within the Circle. The gifts are about harmony and respect and are used together, not in isolation from each other. To leave out any one of them is to embrace the opposite of what that teaching is about.

• Wisdom: To demonstrate good judgment, to be understanding, to be perceptive, to have insight, to know when to listen and to know when to speak.
• Love: To give freely of yourself without conditions.
• Respect: To have regard for yourself, others and your surroundings, to be kind and understanding, and to celebrate our differences.
• Bravery: The courage to stand for what is right even in the most difficult of times.
• Honesty: To be open and to be sincere with yourself and others in mind and spirit.
• Humility: To be humble, to know when to listen and when to share.
• Truth: To learn to walk, speak and live in life by being true to one’s self and to all other beings.

News

Aboriginal Circle supports October 4th Sisters-in-Spirit Vigils

September 30, 2014

Each year, family members, Aboriginal community members, and concerned citizens gather for a vigil on October 4th on Parliament Hill to honour the growing number of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls. Vigils take place in many communities across Canada as well as internationally. These gatherings serve to raise awareness and provide support to families who have lost a loved one.

Click here for a listing of scheduled vigils.

Aboriginal Circle supports Public Inquiry call

February 14, 2014

The Aboriginal Circle encourages OPSEU members and the public to sign the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) petition calling for a national inquiry into missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls.

More than 582 Aboriginal women and girls have gone missing or been murdered, and the violence continues to harm more women and claim more lives. For more information on why we should support a national public inquiry, click here.

How you can take action:

1. Print a copy of the petition form from the NWAC website.
2. Sign the petition, and ask fellow union members and other friends and family to sign. Some great places to get signatures could be union meetings, community events, and other gatherings.
3. Send the signed petition to NWAC at the address on the petition form.
4. Print and share NWAC’s information document, Share this link to NWAC’s online call for a national inquiry with your social media contacts.
5. Attend one of the February 14th Annual Women’s Memorial Marches taking place in cities across Canada. In Ontario, there are marches planned for Thunder Bay, Ottawa, and Toronto. Click here for more information. (Keep checking the link leading up to February 14th in case marches in other communities are added.)

Harper’s hidden omnibus bills and Idle No More

January 24, 2013

When the Harper government buried some legislative changes in two large omnibus bills last year little did it know it would give birth to the grassroots Aboriginal movement we’ve come to know as Idle No More. OPSEU Aboriginal Circle calls on all OPSEU members to join in the movement in a show of solidarity and strength.

The federal legislation under fire – Bill C-38, the “Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act” and Bill C-45 – together contain more than 800 pages stuffed with 160 laws and regulation, many effect First Nations and the environment.

Changes to the Indian Act now make it easier for the federal government to remove land from the First Nations. The Aboriginal Affairs minister has been granted the power to call a meeting to consider surrendering band territory. The minister can choose to ignore a resolution from the band council that"s in opposition to a decision at the meeting. Under the old act, a referendum for land surrender had to include all members of the band and required a majority of the eligible voters to agree to the surrender.

The 130-year old Navigable Waters Protection Act has been changed to the Navigation Protection Act under which thousands of Canadian lakes and rivers can be removed from federal environmental protection. The government says the new act makes it easier to implement necessary infrastructure projects along waterways.

Changes to the Fisheries Act limit environmental assessments on industrial projects, and shuts down Aboriginal-specific programs.

The revised Fisheries Act removed a section banning activities which “harmfully alter, disturb or destroy” fish habitat. The legislation was amended to only ban harm to the fish themselves:

It also allows corporations to opt out of environmental commitments that they were held to under the old legislation. Previously, corporations had to build new lakes or streams when one of its projects damaged waterways.

The Idle No More movement and several other First Nations claim that Bill C-45 violates the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples:

It does not honour the treaties or indigenous sovereignty

It does not make it mandatory to consult with First Nations before adopting the legislation

“This is not just an Aboriginal problem,” said OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas, “This has absolutely nothing that might address the rights of people and protections to ensure a sustainable environment.”

“Canadians must learn more about the real history of the First Nations,” urged OPSEU Aboriginal Circle Chair, Pauline Saulnier. “We were not taught about treaties, residential schools, or the fundamental role First Nations played to make Canada the great country it is.”

Contrary to some media reporting, the Idle No More protests are overwhelmingly peaceful gatherings which are marked by round-dancing, silent marches and teach-ins. It has a large social media presence and it’s growing rapidly.

OPSEU supports First Nation Chief Spence’s demand for meeting with Prime Minister

December 14, 2012

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union is calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to meet with Attawapiskat First Nation Chief Theresa Spence who is now into the fourth day of a hunger strike over her request to meet with the PM to discuss solutions to deteriorating conditions on the James Bay reserve.

"Stephen Harper"s silence on Chief Spence"s simple request is deafening," said OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas. "Instead of witnessing an honourable person like Theresa Spence slowly starve herself, the Prime Minister must show leadership on a serious aboriginal issue that keeps festering without any sign of resolution."

Chief Spence elected to begin her hunger strike in Ottawa on Dec. 11 when her repeated requests to meet with the Prime Minister to discuss Attawapiskat went unmet. The message she wants to deliver to the PM is that nothing has changed more than a year after she declared a state of emergency on the reserve because of crumbling infrastructure and rampant economic and social problems.

OPSEU Aboriginal Circle chair Pauline Saulnier likened conditions in Attawapiskat and dozens of other aboriginal reserves across northern Canada to "a shameful page out of some Third World country.

"Theresa Spence is one of our most respected leaders," said Saulner. "Mr. Harper"s refusal to meet with her is not just an insult to her but an insult to all aboriginal people in this country."

James Clancy, president of the National Union of Public and General Employees, echoed OPSEU"s demand that the Prime Minister meet with Chief Spencer.

"Instead of doing photo ops with pop stars or newlyweds or kissing babies, Stephen Harper should organize an emergency meeting with Chief Spence and listen hard to what she has to say. The time for Harper to do nothing is over."

More information:
Laurie Miller OPSEU Campaigns 705-349-0306

Free concert, art exhibit, and much more

July 12, 2012 OPSEU is one of the proud sponsors to the social-cultural program at the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Annual General Assembly (AGA) which will take place July 16 to 19, 2012 in Toronto. Come join in. View program

Documents

The Reason the OPSEU Aboriginal Banner Looks as it Does

Circle of Life

The wearing of one’s personal regalia

The Medicine Bag

Why is this important

War Dance of our Children

Events

June 21 is National Aboriginal Day

Celebrations to commemorate National Aboriginal Day are held annually on June 21. This day honours the unique heritage, diverse cultures, outstanding achievements and contributions of Canada"s First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples.

Canada"s Governor General officially proclaimed the first National Aboriginal Day in 1996. June 21 was selected because of its cultural significance as the summer solstice. It is also a time when many Aboriginal groups traditionally pay homage to their heritage. National Aboriginal Day is celebrated across the country but is only declared a statutory holiday in the Northwest Territories. Below are some of the activities and events that normally take place to commemorate the day:

• Summer solstice festivals
• Barbecue fundraisers
• Social networking gatherings with traditional and contemporary music, dance and singing
• Sacred fire extinguishing ceremonies
• Traditional feasts, which may include fry bread and moose stew
• The cutting of a cake to honour National Aboriginal Day

This day is also an opportunity for OPSEU to express solidarity with Aboriginal peoples. OPSEU members from every region in the province are encouraged to celebrate National Aboriginal Day by participating in events that celebrate the achievements Aboriginal peoples have made throughout history.

For more information:

http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100013248/1100100013249

http://www.aboriginalaffairs.gov.on.ca/english/events/national_aboriginal_day.asp

http://www.daair.gov.nt.ca/_live/pages/wpPages/National_Aboriginal_Day.aspx