Canada failing human rights with indigenous people
Canada has made progress improving its human rights record in the last year.
Amnesty International says, the country has “stumbled” in a number of areas _ including indigenous rights
Alex Neve, secretary general of Amnesty International Canada, says Trudeau’s Liberal government has demonstrated leadership in areas such as transgender rights and fighting the death penalty around the world but loses points for approving a multibillion-dollar sale of arms to Saudi Arabia and for granting permits for the Site C dam and hydroelectric proposal in B.C.
Neve calls the decision to abandon the Northern Gateway pipeline a victory for indigenous rights, but says the government has moved ahead with Site C and other projects “without indigenous consent.”

Teens to have access to cannabis after legalization
Eighteen-year-olds will be able to purchase recreational cannabis when the Liberal government legalizes marijuana next year.
The age limit and concerns about pot-impaired driving were part of a five month research effort by Ottawa to develop framework for legalization.
Recommendations from the study include storefront and mail-order sales to be restricted to people 18 and older.
You’ll also see growing limits of four plants per person and a 30-gram limit on personal possession.
The legislation will be introduced in parliament next spring.

Federal government invests in indigenous tourism
Ottawa is making a $3million dollar investment into indigenous tourism.
The fund will support new and existing indigenous tourism businesses.
Minister Carolyn Bennett said Indigenous tourism offers visitors to Canada a unique experience they can’t find anywhere else in the world.
Indigenous Tourism in Canada employs nearly 32,000 people across the country. It also accounts for nearly $1.4 billion dollars of the GDP and more than $142 million dollars in taxes a year.
Bennett said indigenous tourism also serves as a vehicle promote and share cultural identities, stories, and traditions to help advance reconciliation with non-indigenous visitors to Canada.

Study says indigenous cancer survivors have poorer outcomes
A new study says First Nations in Canada have significantly poorer five-year survival from cancer than non-indigenous patients.
The study is the first nationwide effort to analyze cancer survival rates for First Nation cancer patients.
The findings reinforce the urgent need for interventions to improve health outcomes for First Nations and develop infrastructure to help health officials monitor First Nations patients.
Factors unique to First Nations patients affecting cancer survival rates included living in remote communities, though the study did not address reasons for the disparities.
Alethea Kewayosh Director for the Aboriginal Cancer Control Unit at Cancer Care Ontario says more research is needed to determine the exact causes of these disparities and to help inform culturally appropriate health interventions.