Aboriginal Women Gather For National Summit

Aboriginal Women Gather For National Summit

Wednesday, June 20, 2007 at 14:37

First Nations, Metis and Inuit women from across the country have assembled in Cornerbrook, Newfoundland for a National Aboriginal Women’s Summit.

Native Women’s Association of Canada president Beverley Jacobs says, among other things, delegates will be discussing the contentious issue of on-reserve matrimonial real property rights.

The association says there are countless stories of reserve women being forced from their homes after a family break-up because they have no rights to the property.

The federal government has promised to draft legislation to deal with the issue, but Jacobs says it hasn’t fulfilled its promise to consult her group.

Jacobs also says she hasn’t heard of any progress being made finding “non-legislative solutions”, as recommended in a 500-page report by ministerial representative Wendy Grant-John.

Northern Affairs Minister Joan Beatty is part of the Saskatchewan delegation at this week’s summit.