Thursday February 7, 2013, 9:18 am
Late last year, amid the the rallies, dances, blockades, and furious tweeting that accompanied the burgeoning Idle No More movement, a young native woman was kidnapped by two Caucasian men in Thunder Bay, Ontario. It was two days after Christmas. They drove her out to a remote wooded area where they raped and strangled her. According to one report, the men told her that they’d done this before, and intended to do it again. They allegedly said, “You Indians deserve to lose your treaty rights.”

The movement—which has swept North America and inspired solidarity actions all over the world—was initiated by four women: Jessica Gordon, Sylvia McAdams, Sheelah McLean, and Nina Wilson. It gained early momentum around the hunger strike maintained by another woman, Chief of the Attawapiskat, Theresa Spence.

This is just an excerpt.....please go to Visit Site for full story.....thank you.

Related stories of other First Nations Women with a clear message. Short musical videos I think you will like.
No No Keshagesh by Buffy Sainte Marie

Shallow Waters by TaKaiya Blaney

Thursday February 7, 2013, 9:47 am
noted, thanks Dandelion

Thursday February 7, 2013, 10:07 am
Kudos to them. Please keep up the good work. Thank you.

Thursday February 7, 2013, 10:29 am
Standing ovation to these women, warriors, and the many others, who represent, Courage, Strength, Perseverance, and Dignity for their movement. This is great.! Thank you, Sheryl for this post. Passing on to others.!!

Thursday February 7, 2013, 10:33 am
It is time for the indigenous people of every nation to rise up and demand justice from the dominator culture that seeks to assimilate native people; to crush their culture and their pride; to steal their resources and to poison their land. We must all act to stop corporate-government colonialism.

Women are a powerful source of wisdom that have suffered long under the global patriarchy. Now is the time for them to be silent no more; oppressed no more; idle no more. Women are key to direct action and to guiding us all to the one prize that matter: the survival and well-being of the seventh generation.

Thursday February 7, 2013, 10:48 am
Many thanks. A+ and hugs to all

Thursday February 7, 2013, 10:50 am
Noted and shared ~

Thursday February 7, 2013, 11:02 am

NOTED&SHARED

Thursday February 7, 2013, 11:07 am
The 13 grandmothers would be proud.
They've been the heart of justice for a long time.
Noted, Thanks Dandelion

Thursday February 7, 2013, 11:13 am
Loved it! TY Dandelion!

Thursday February 7, 2013, 1:00 pm
You cannot currently send a star to Brian because you have done so within the last week.
It could hardly be said any better than he did, thanks Brian! and of course, thanks Sheryl!
More power to them and we all need to fight for their treaty rights as well.

Thursday February 7, 2013, 1:05 pm

When you need leaders, or peace allow the women to step forward. If not allowed, they make just walk over and around you to step forward anyway.

Thursday February 7, 2013, 1:17 pm
Noted and Thanks Sheryl!! Brave women!

Thursday February 7, 2013, 1:23 pm
I liked the story, though not the reason for its being there. This is something I've been talking about here for a long time and I'm glad to see it happening in my life time. Men have pretty much run everything since we all came down out of the trees and look where that has gotten us. Not a pretty place at all, stories of unimaginable horror all over the world, every single day and virtually all perpetrated by men. It is time for a change in leadership, it is something I know in my soul is coming and have for a long time. I don't mean to say things will be rosy immediately but over time as this newest generation rises, things will change, and continue to change. It's time. About time.

Thursday February 7, 2013, 1:46 pm
Bravo

Thursday February 7, 2013, 2:35 pm
Noted & thanks Dandelion!

Thursday February 7, 2013, 3:28 pm
Bravo to these women and all woman who stand. TY Dandelion

Thursday February 7, 2013, 4:15 pm
The article was very educational. Thank you.

Thursday February 7, 2013, 4:27 pm
Thank you Dandelion-great article as are the others.. Blessings to them all.

Thursday February 7, 2013, 4:37 pm
Very Cool!
Thanks, Dandelion.

Thursday February 7, 2013, 4:47 pm
I love Native Women! These people who hurt Native Women should take a little walk in the woods with me! Thank you for sharing this Dandelion.

Thursday February 7, 2013, 4:58 pm
Thanks Dandelion for sharing this I belong to a group Idle No More on Facebook, Bravo to these women for standing up for their rights I am with them all the way.

Thursday February 7, 2013, 5:10 pm
I feel so proud for these women and they are truly an inspiration. Thanks Sheryl

Thursday February 7, 2013, 6:52 pm
Still seeking the 3 videos so as to sign the petitions that accompany them....

Thursday February 7, 2013, 8:40 pm
Kudos to all indigenous women

Thursday February 7, 2013, 10:11 pm
Inspirational leadership is required to bring about much needed changes and the women are a rainbow of hope to all seeking change. It is hoped that their voices and actions bring about a metamorphosis in society itself so that all can fly free and unfettered by prejudice and misunderstanding.

Friday February 8, 2013, 2:03 am
Inspirational story and I'm happy that you posted it Sheryl,let's hope their good work will bring more fairness to indigious people in Canada and elsewere in the world.

Friday February 8, 2013, 2:27 am
Thanks, good story.

Friday February 8, 2013, 2:46 am
THANK YOU

Friday February 8, 2013, 3:36 am
Thank you Sheryl

Friday February 8, 2013, 3:59 am
Noted thanks.

Friday February 8, 2013, 4:06 am
noted ,very interesting

Friday February 8, 2013, 4:12 am
That's a good thing. One of my volunteer days in prison we share the activities floor with the Lakota Club. I am thoroughly impressed with the women who keep coming to encourage the prisoners.

Friday February 8, 2013, 4:58 am
ty

Friday February 8, 2013, 4:59 am
noted, thanks.

Friday February 8, 2013, 6:17 am
Thank you Dandelion..
I was saying it in the sixties and seventies

"Women of the world unite sisterhood is powerful!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday February 8, 2013, 6:22 am
Indeed the predominance of Patriarchal societies have caused a great harm around this world and to our planet.

Friday February 8, 2013, 6:27 am
"FACTS ABOUT WOMEN ACROSS THE WORLD.

"Gender-based violence kills one in three women across the world and is the biggest cause of injury and death to women worldwide, causing more deaths and disability to women aged 15 to 44 then cancer, malaria, traffic accidents and war."

Women's Rights News.

Friday February 8, 2013, 6:39 am
Indigenous people everywhere must get all the support they deserve to achieve their noble target. As for these ladies they certainly have my admiration,respect and appreciation.
Thanks Sheryl for this enlightening story.

Friday February 8, 2013, 7:12 am
Thanks , Sheryl

Friday February 8, 2013, 10:22 am
I first read about about "IIdle No More" when they protesting the tar sand pipe-line from taking their land!
"Idle No More!" shoud be a stance we all should be taking against a government that sold us out. That profit from big oil and gas. That have taken away all our rights with the passing of the "Patriot Act!" To imprison a citizen, without a trial, without a cause for life! We no longer have the right to Protest. It was done to fight American born terrorist that were hiding behind our laws, but, it is also an open book to allow them to do it to anyone, for any reason! If I am not mistaken, hat is what is called "Tyranny" one (The Government) who rules without law, looks to his own advantage rather than that of his subjects, and uses extreme and cruel tactics—against his own people which is the basic of the Patriot Act!

Friday February 8, 2013, 5:03 pm
I wish everyone would stand up and be as passionate about something that would be for the GOOD of the world as they are. Indigenous people have been treated so poorly, Im ashamed to be of the white race. People can learn alot from that culture and women.
Its time people paid attention.
I cant send another star to Dandelion or Russell, but I would if i could.

Friday February 8, 2013, 9:10 pm
What a terrifying and all-too-common story! It appears that the Canadian government isn't doing its job very effectively. I clicked on one of the links in the article and learned the following:

UN Human Rights Council: HRW's Submission for Canada's Universal Periodic Review

"Serious concerns persist regarding Canada’s response to the widespread violence against indigenous women and girls in the country. During Canada’s first UPR, the government stated that it was committed to “identifying the causes of violence against Aboriginal women and developing appropriate responses in consultation with Aboriginal and civil society organizations” and accepted many detailed recommendations in this regard. However, since that review, the government has taken steps that call into question its commitment to meaningfully engage with indigenous communities on the issue of police accountability for responding to such violence.

In 2010, the government ceased funding the Sisters in Spirit (SIS) initiative of the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC), which had collected data showing that nationally 582 indigenous women and girls had gone missing or been found murdered in Canada, with 39 percent of the disappearances and deaths occurring since 2000. The government has since committed to funding NWAC’s “Evidence to Action,” a follow-up to SIS programming, for three years. However, the statistical monitoring of cases of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls that was a part of the SIS database initiative–the only database of its kind in Canada–is now to be assumed by the National Police Support Centre for Missing Persons, run by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Canada’s national police force, with government funds allocated to improve the Canadian Police Information Centre database on missing persons. Police forces in Canada are not mandated to collect ethnicity data; thus there is currently no precedent for the routine collection of such data in RCMP missing persons databases. While the center is still in development and the database will not be fully operational until 2013, it will lack the independence and focus of the NWAC data initiative.

Human Rights Watch is currently conducting research into police treatment of indigenous women and girls in northern British Columbia. As of 2010, the SIS initiative had documented approximately 160 cases of missing and murdered women in British Columbia, considerably more than any other province or territory in Canada. The province also had the highest unsolved rate of murders of indigenous women and girls. An ongoing provincial inquiry into missing and murdered women floundered when many of the nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) granted standing were unable to participate in the inquiry due to the lack of provincial government funding for counsel. A number of community groups representing the interests of the missing and murdered indigenous women have since refused to engage with the inquiry, citing concerns about the exclusionary and discriminatory nature of the process. The resignation of the inquiry’s first appointed independent counsel for indigenous interests over the lack of attention to indigenous communities’ concerns–including entrenched discrimination, poverty, and economic and social inequalities that contribute to indigenous women’s exposure to violence–has further undermined the inquiry’s legitimacy.

While some attention has been paid to addressing open cases involving missing and murdered women, including through the RCMP’s Project E-Pana, families continue to express frustration with delays and inaction by the police in response to the disappearances and deaths. These problems extend to the policing of violence against women generally. According to reports received by Human Rights Watch from domestic violence survivors and community organizations in northern British Columbia, calls to the police are frequently met with skepticismand victim-blaming.

In addition to examining police failure to investigate violence committed by others, Human Rights Watch is investigating the abuse of indigenous women and girls in RCMP custody, including reports of physical assaults, sexual harassment, and poor conditions of detention. Complaints of police misconduct are themselves investigated by police. Although a civilian complaints commission monitors the processing of public complaints against the RCMP and external police teams investigate the more serious allegations, current practice does not provide the accountability of an independent civilian mechanism. Furthermore, fear of retaliation obstructs access to existing complaint mechanisms, particularly for women and girls who live in small communities, are street-involved, or have had multiple contacts with the criminal justice system. Notably, the Canadian government failed to provide complete information in response to a request from the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) for the number of reported cases of abuse and maltreatment of children occurring during their arrest and detention. A recent class action lawsuit brought by more than 150 current or former RCMP officers alleging gender-based discrimination and sexual harassment within the national police force raises added concerns about discrimination within police operations."

We need to find existing petitions or start new ones...

Saturday February 9, 2013, 5:21 am
Thank you Susanne for taking the time to really comprehend the plight of these women. Despite their issues and because of them, they organize and stand up for all women which include the Mother of us all who is being raped, our Earth. Patriarchal society dominated cultures care little for their women overall including the one that gave birth to all that we see around us. Each tree, bird, person, animal, came from the Earth, she bore us all in the beginning and feeds us, nurtures us, offers us life while we Walk upon her, yet so few value this. It is to be noted that women of the USA who are native are also going through the same or similar issues, the violence upon them is horrific. To be indigeneous in North America, and a women as well, is not an easy Walk.

Sunday February 10, 2013, 2:20 am
We are behind these women in their fight for justice! These acts are horrendous and must be demonstrated against and publicized!

Sunday February 10, 2013, 10:00 am
Good on them! More power to them! Thanks, Sheryl.

Sunday February 10, 2013, 11:23 pm
Refuse to be silenced!!
An oppressors greatest fear is that someone who is NOT on their side will find out what they are doing and that they and others will speak out and stop it!
Always remember, "their"

Sunday February 10, 2013, 11:35 pm
Refuse to be silenced!!
An oppressors greatest fear is that someone who is NOT on their side will find out what they are doing and that they and others will speak out and stop it!
Always remember, "their"

Monday February 11, 2013, 12:58 am
Excellent! Go on, ladies! All over the world, we are with you!

BRAVO, IDLE NO MORE! x

Monday February 11, 2013, 12:44 pm
Cool, it is about time that Women everywhere, know that God in his wisdom made them equal to Men!

Monday February 11, 2013, 9:35 pm
"You cannot currently send a green star to Dandelion because you have done so in the last week". I hate that message. Thanks, Sheryl for this enlightening article. I doubt that Indigenous women are treated much better her in the U.S.

Tuesday February 12, 2013, 7:01 am
You are correct Edith, no they are not treated any better.

American Indians are 2.5 times more likely to experience sexual assault crimes compared to all other races, and one in three Indian women reports having been raped during her lifetime.

Eighty-six percent of the perpetrators of sexual offenses against American Indian women are non-Indian, but tribal police have no authority to detain them.

Wednesday February 13, 2013, 7:58 am
Kudos to them!!! Thanks Dandelion!

Saturday February 16, 2013, 2:53 pm
Noted. Great posting, Dandelion. I've been reading many articles regarding Idle No More in recent weeks. They are a passionate group, unafraid to speak truth to power and steadfast in their goals. They have my deepest admiration and gratitude.

Tuesday March 5, 2013, 12:46 pm

I have heard about it in Fb. Brave women! Right thing to fight for!

Wednesday March 6, 2013, 9:54 am
Noted Thanks

Thursday April 18, 2013, 11:48 am
noted, gracias