| Lubicons need land claim settlements, says amnesty international
Amnesty International is calling on the federal government to reach a land claims settlement with the Lubicon Lake Indian Nation.
In a new report, Amnesty International points out that the United Nations Human Rights Committee urged Ottawa to reach a settlement back in 1990, but 15 years later, there’s still no agreement in place.
"It is time, far past time, for a just resolution of the land rights dispute with the Lubicon Cree. Canada must make negotiation of a just settlement a high priority, and ensure that its negotiators are given a clear mandate to reach a settlement that ensures full respect and protection of the rights of the Lubicon Cree under national and international law," says Amnesty International in the report.
Talks between the federal and provincial governments and the Lubicon Cree broke off two years ago.
Since talks have been suspended the Lubicon have expressed concerns about plans for new oilsands development on land they consider their traditional territory. There has already been widespread resource extraction on land that the Lubicons claim is theirs. The First Nation is located in northeastern Alberta near Peace River.
Rainbow Community Church opens doors
A new church aimed at creating a welcoming space for gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgendered Calgarians will hold its first service on January 8.
The Rainbow Community Church of Calgary is a daughter church of the Rainbow Community Church in Vancouver.
Ron Eberly, an ordained United Church minister, will lead the new church.
Eberly says such a church is needed in Calgary because members of the GLBT community still don’t feel completely accepted at mainstream churches.
"It’s a very conservative province and secondly the most important thing is the community needs it," says Eberly. "I’m over being tolerated. We need a place where we can meet and worship and be ourselves."
He says even in churches that claim to embrace everyone, there can still be pressure to keep your sexual orientation to yourself.
"The don’t tell scenario is out there and so why walk into a sanctuary where all racial and sexual identity drops at the front door," he says. "Yes you can sing in our choir and walk in with your partner but don’t get overly affectionate."
Eberly says all members of the Calgary community are welcome to worship at the church, adding that people of colour can also feel discriminated against at mainstream churches. He says at the Vancouver church people from "all walks of life" and a wide variety of Christian denominations come to worship.
The message of his first sermon will be that everyone is part of the family of God.
"That’s basically what the gospel is all about," says Eberly, adding people need unconditional love in order to be themselves. "I think it’s really important people get over the stigma of not being part of the family of God."
The first church service will take place at 4 p.m. on January 8 at the Hillhurst United Church (1227 Kensington Close N.W.). |
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