Shining The Light On Attawapiskat

Over the past months (here, here and here) I've been writing about the fight by the Cree community of Attawapiskat to get a new school to replace their long since condemned building. So far, that fight has fallen on deaf ears with the Conservative government, despite the amazing efforts of the parents and especially the children of this community and the thousands of children from other communities, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, from all across the country. If you want a good primer on the story, check out the piece written by the Toronto Star's Carol Goar, because it really does the situation justice.

In the meantime, the fight is not over for the kids of this community on James Bay, and the efforts of the youth there has gotten their issue a lot of exposure and support. And thanks to that work, one of the young members of this community has been singled out with a very special nomination for her hard work:

"Thirteen-year-old Shannen Koostachin has been nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize Prize for her fight to get a school built in her impoverished Cree community of Attawapiskat. Earlier this spring, Koostachin gained national attention when she challenged Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl over his refusal to honour a federal commitment to build a school in Attawapiskat.

NDP MP Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay) says Koostachin has inspired young people across Canada to fight the second-class treatment of on reserve children.

“Children shouldn’t have to mount an international campaign just to get a school built,” said Angus. “Shannen has emerged as a voice for the so-called ‘forgotten children’ of Attawapiskat. She has reached out to students across Canada to help in the fight.”

Cindy Blackstock of the First Nation’s Child and Family Caring Society nominated Koostachin for the award that is overseen by the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates...

The nomination package for Shannen Koostachin includes numerous supporting letters from education associations, First Nation organizations and individual teachers in both the separate and public boards of Ontario."

The amount of support that Ms. Koostachin and her classmates have been able to bring to their cause is beyond impressive, and they deserve a huge amount of credit for everything that they have been able to accomplish thus far. Ms. Koostachin's nomination for such a prestigious award is not only recognition of her hard work, but also shines a larger spotlight onto the plight of the "forgotten children of Attawapiskat". It will shine more light onto the shameless actions of the current and past governments of Canada who continually made promises to this communities, made them three times, raising their hopes, only to dash them and leave their children in squalid conditions. Hopefully that light will bring the new school that they have deserved for so long, and will bring justice to the children of this community.

I know that good heart Canadians, across the political spectrum are not alright with this situation and I am calling on all of my fellow blogging colleagues out there to show your support for these children and their fight. I'm calling on all of my blogging colleagues to upload the picture below, and put it up on your blog, linked to the site the community has set up for their cause: http://www.attawapiskat-school.com/Home.html. I'm calling on my blogging friends to use the power of their blog to help shine more light on this issue and to show the Harper Conservatives that every child in Canada deserves the chance to attend a real and safe school. Miigwetch.

*UPDATE* - 6:45 pm

Thanks to Troy at Troy's Scribbles for taking up the cause for these kids.

*UPDATE #2* - 7:10 pm

Thanks to Blast Furnace and Scott's DiaTribes to take up this cause as well. This is a great start.

*UPDATE #3* - 8:15 pm

Thanks to Jim at "What Do I Know Grit" for taking part. Let's keep it going.

*UPDATE #4* - 9:10 pm - The group of supporters keeps growing. Thanks Impolitical and The Progressive Right for lending your support.

*UPDATE #5* - 9:55 pm - Thanks to Stageleft for lending their supporting, including a link giving people contact information for our MP's. Don't be afraid to use them and let our Parliamentarians know how you feel.

*UPDATE #6* - 6:45 am Thursday - A big thanks to the most recent bloggers to show their support, Vijay Sappani, Mushroom and Devin Johnston. Thanks for your support.

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