Anishinabek Chiefs see progress on International Women’s Day

Chief Leslee White-Eye and Rachel Thevenard's, of Kitchener/Waterloo area, “Run Against Line 9” is in support of Chippewas of the Thames First Nation’s Supreme Court case
Chief Leslee White-Eye and Rachel Thevenard’s, of Kitchener/Waterloo area, “Run Against Line 9” is in support of Chippewas of the Thames First Nation’s Supreme Court case

By Joey Krackle

Anishinaabe-Kwe continue to excel in leadership roles and are now being paid more than non-aboriginal women.

Statistics Canada says that First Nation women aged 25 to 64 with a university degree had a median income of $48,356 compared to $47,742 for non-Aboriginal women with the same level of education.

First Nations, Inuit and Métis Women documents that it is very significant to see that progress is being made in closing and surpassing the gap by university educated First Nations women.

Chief Denise Restoule of Dokis First Nation welcomed the progress made in the median incomes of First Nation women. “I am very encouraged that our university educated First Nation women’s’ incomes are surpassing their non-Aboriginal counterparts. We have very capable women in the Anishinabek Nation and I look forward to further progress as more of our people receive university educations.”

There is still much work to be done with a huge gap in the wages of Aboriginal women and non-aboriginal men.

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) has tabled a report emphasizing that the impact of violence against Aboriginal women is a major reason for the significant gap in male-female earnings.

Making Women Count: the unequal economics of women’s work reports that there is a large gap in the earnings between men and women and a further gap between Aboriginal women and non- Aboriginals.

“Women working full-time and full year in Canada earn 72% of what men earn on average. Working full-time Aboriginal women earn 10% less than Aboriginal men and 26% less than non-Aboriginal men.”

Aboriginal women report rates of violence three times higher than non-Aboriginal women.

Domestic violence or its threat acts as a traumatic deterrent to women’s participation in the economy. According to a recent study by the Canadian Labour Congress over 80% of victims report that their work performance has been negatively affected by violence. Justice Canada now estimates that the annual economic impact of violence against women is $12.2 billion annually.

Chief Kelly LaRocca of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation (MSIFN) welcomed the federal government announcement of the first phase of Canada’s public inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

“I want to commend the federal government for demonstrating their commitment to making an inclusive, collaborative inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women a top priority. Today’s announcement is an important first step toward bringing justice to the families of the many Indigenous women and girls that we have lost to senseless violence. We must do everything we can to put an end to this national tragedy.”

Currently, eleven or approximately 28% of the Anishinabek Nation chiefs are women. Chief Leslee White-Eye of the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation was recently elected and has earned much respect for her community’s efforts to require the enforcement of the duty to consult meaningfully.

Chippewas of the Thames First Nation seeks leave from the Supreme Court, to appeal a decision of the Federal Court of Appeal which upheld a National Energy Board decision granting Enbridge the authorization to reverse a section of pipeline between North Westover, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec to expand annual capacity.

Chippewas of the Thames First Nation appeared before the National Energy Board and provided evidence of its existing Aboriginal and Treaty Rights in the vicinity of the pipeline project and the risks to the environment with the expansion.

Chief Leslee White-Eye teaches that the duty to consult with First Nations people and accommodate their interests is a constitutional duty. “Invoking honour of the Crown requires that the Crown act with good faith to provide meaningful consultation appropriate to the circumstances and uphold Indigenous beliefs. All decisions are based on the next seven generations therefore we must look at the potential hazards or threat towards our water.”