Aboriginal women protest Ottawa's refusal to back UN declaration

Aboriginal women from across North and South America marched through the Kahnawake reservesouth of Montreal onFriday to protest against Ottawa's refusal to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

About 40 women took part in the march following the Fifth Continental Meeting of Indigenous Women of the Americas, which was held this week in the Mohawk reserve.

Hosted by Quebec Native Women Inc., with support from the group Rights and Democracy, the meeting brought together more than 250 women from 17 countries, including Chile, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Nicaragua, Venezuela, the United States and Canada.

Rights and Democracy spokeswoman Marie Léger said the march was meant to send a message to the federal government.

"The indigenous women say, 'We are in Canada. Canada is not supporting the declaration. We really call upon Canada to change its position and support the declaration, because it is very meaningful."

Ellen Gabriel, president of Quebec Native Women,said Canada presents itself as a defender of human rights, but it's not living up to that reputation."It's kind of hypocritical of Canada not to support this declaration," she said.

Meeting delegates said Canada's Conservative government erred when it announced it would notsupport the UN declaration, which upholds aboriginal peoples' land rights and ways of life.

The previous Liberal government had endorsed the declaration but Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government backed away from the UN document.

Only one other country, Russia, has refused to support it at the Human Rights Council.

The indigenous women passed a resolution calling on all nations to back aboriginal rights.