[A-List] Media advisory - First Nation trip to Israel

[Macdonald Stainsby <mstainsby@xxxxxxxxx>]

 Media advisory - First Nation trip to Israel

 Phil Fontaine, National Chief, Assembly of First Nations stated,
"Indigenous people in Canada have much in common with the people of
Israel, including a respect of the land...” Perhaps Mr. Fontaine and
other native leaders are unaware of Israel’s well documented practices
of polluting or stealing water from stolen Palestinian land, uprooting,
destroying and stealing olive trees, destroying farmland and olive grows
in the process of building Israel’s illegal wall on stolen Palestinian
land....It is astounding and so sad to witness Canada’s own native
people accepting to visit Israel,...

FROM: carolle@xxxxxxxxxx

  POSTED FEB 17, 2006
  Dear Friends,
  Ref: First Nation trip to Israel (see press release below)
  The Canadian Jewish Congress has organized a trip to Israel with
leading members of Canada’s First Nation people.
 Phil Fontaine, National Chief, Assembly of First Nations stated,
"Indigenous people in Canada have much in common with the people of
Israel, including a respect of the land...” Perhaps Mr. Fontaine and
other native leaders are unaware of Israel’s well documented practices
of polluting or stealing water from stolen Palestinian land, uprooting,
destroying and stealing olive trees, destroying farmland and olive grows
in the process of building Israel’s illegal wall on stolen Palestinian
land and poisoning Bedouin land in Israel’s Negev. It should be
additionally noted that unlike Canada, Israel’s native people (Arabs) do
not share the same rights as the country’s Jewish majority. It is
astounding and so sad to witness Canada’s own native people accepting to
visit Israel, a country that, in addition to stealing and destroying
land and resources, treats its own native people so abysmally.
  Please contact Nancy Pine, Communications Advisor, Office of the
National Chief, (613) 241-6789 ext. 243 or cell (613) 298-6382 to
express your disappointment and concern about this trip to Israel.
Please call her today and follow up with an official letter. You are
also encouraged to express your desire to build a relationship with them
in solidarity with natives of a colonized land.


 Attention News/Assignment Editors:
  Media advisory - CJC, AFN travel to Israel for educational mission
 TORONTO, Feb. 17 /CNW Telbec/ - In the largest-ever mission to Israel
by a North American First Nation group, First Nation leaders from across
Canada will learn how their Israeli counterparts preserve their historic
languages and culture as part of the first joint Canadian Jewish
Congress-Assembly of First Nations (AFN) visit to Israel.

 During this six-day educational journey co-chaired by CJC National
President Ed Morgan and AFN National Chief Phil Fontaine, First Nation
Chiefs, women and experts in the fields of business, law and academics
will learn about best practices in agriculture, aquaculture and the
preservation of minority languages from Israeli experts.

 "Indigenous people in Canada have much in common with the people of
Israel, including a respect of the land and their languages. This
mission is an excellent opportunity for us to share our values and our
traditional ways of life, in the hope of building greater understanding,
awareness and respect for our similarities and differences, both at home
and abroad," said Fontaine.

 "We share values and similar historical experiences with our First
Nations friends," said Morgan. "This trip presents an exceptional
challenge and opportunity to learn about what each of our communities
holds most dear - our culture and our history."

 While in Israel, the group will visit numerous sites of cultural,
religious and historical significance, including the Yad Vashem
Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. They will meet with Canada's ambassador
to Israel, Donald Sinclair, and will have the opportunity to explore
kibbutz, or collective farm, life. The mission arrived in Israel this
morning and returns Wednesday, February 22. CJC CEO Bernie M. Farber
will provide professional support for the trip.

  The Assembly of First Nations is the national organization
representing First Nations citizens in Canada.

  Canadian Jewish Congress represents the Jewish communities of Canada.

  Backgrounder: Participants on CJC-AFN Mission to Israel

  MISSION CHAIRS:

  Phil Fontaine
  National Chief, Assembly of First Nations
  Member, Sakgeeng Ojibway Nation, Manitoba

  Ed Morgan
  National President, Canadian Jewish Congress

  MISSION PARTICIPANTS - FIRST NATIONS LEADERS:

  Second Peter Barlow
  Chief, Indian Island Nation, New Brunswick

  Kelly Bird
  Chief, Mosquito Grizzley Bear's Head First Nation, Saskatchewan

  Beverley Jacobs
  President, Native Women's Association of Canada
  Member, Six Nations of the Grand River, Ontario

  Tina Levesque
  Chief, Brokenhead Ojibway Nation, Manitoba

  Rick O'Brien
  AFN Regional Chief, Yukon Territory

  MISSION PARTICIPANTS - INVITED GUESTS:

  Bernie M. Farber
  Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Jewish Congress

  Blaine Favel
  Advisor to AFN National Chief, Calgary

  Brenda Gedeon-Miller
  Executive Director, Migmawe Mawiomi Secretariat (Tribal Council)
  Member, Listiguj, Quebec

  Fred Kelly
  Elder,
  Member, Onigaming First Nation, Ontario
  Accompanied by his wife, Sharlene Kelly

  Jack London
  AFN Legal Counsel and CJC volunteer
  Accompanied by his wife, Belva London

  Kathleen Mahoney
  AFN Advisor on Indian Residential Schools and University of Calgary Law
  and Human Rights Professor, Alberta

  Kathleen McHugh
  Co-Chair, AFN Women's Council
  Member, Siksika Nation, Alberta

  Frank Meawasige
  First Nation Artist and Entrepreneur,
  Member, Serpent River First Nation, Ontario

  Anna Morgan
  Freelance journalist, Toronto; wife of CJC National President Ed Morgan

  David Porter
  Chair, Kaska Dena Council, Vice-Chair of the Council for Yukon Indians
  Member, Kaska Nation, British Columbia

  Dr. Cora Voyageur
  Professor of Sociology, University of Calgary, Alberta, with academic
  interests in culture, identity, women's issues and Aboriginal issues

  Donna Wuttunee
  Regional Director, Industry Canada, Aboriginal Business Canada for
  Western Canada and the North
  Member, Red Pheasant First Nation, Saskatchewan

  For further information: Bernie M. Farber, CJC CEO,
011-972-50-406-1266 (Israel cell phone), bfarber@xxxxxxxxx; Wendy
Lampert, CJC National Director of Communications, (416) 631-5844
(office) or (416) 845-4674(cell), wlampert@xxxxxxxxx;

 Ian McLeod, AFN Bilingual Communications Officer, (613) 241-6789 ext.
336 or cell (613) 859-4335; Nancy Pine, Communications Advisor, Office
of the National Chief, (613) 241-6789 ext. 243 or cell (613) 298-6382
--
Macdonald Stainsby
http://independentmedia.ca/survivingcanada
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green
In the contradiction lies the hope
   --Bertholt Brecht.