| The United Nations General Assembly has
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| | opportunity to celebrate and this really
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| adopted a non-binding declaration on the
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| | opens the door for a great future."
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| rights of native peoples, despite
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| | But representatives from several
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| opposition from the United States and
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| | indigenous groups criticized the
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| three other countries. From U.N.
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| | countries that did not support the
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| headquarters in New York, VOA's Margaret
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| | measure. Phil Fontaine, leader of the
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| Besheer has more.
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| | Assembly of First Nations from Canada,
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| The 143 members of the General Assembly
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| | says his country's vote against the
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| voted for the declaration that outlines
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| | Declaration is a blight on its human
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| the rights of some 370 million indigenous
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| | rights record.
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| people worldwide.
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| | "Canada can no longer present itself as
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| Only the United States, Canada, New
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| | one of leading proponents and defenders
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| Zealand and Australia - all nations with
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| | and protectors of human rights. It was
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| large native populations - voted against
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| | able to do that until this moment. You
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| the text, expressing concerns over some
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| | cannot pick and choose the human rights
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| provisions, including those on
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| | that you will defend. It is clearly a
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| self-determination and rights to land and
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| | slap in the face of indigenous peoples
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| resources. Eleven nations abstained from
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| | and a huge disappointment for us," he
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| the vote.
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| | said.
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| The passage of the Declaration creates no
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| | Canada objected to the measure saying it
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| new rights and does not place indigenous
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| | lacks clear guidance for implementation,
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| people in a special category, but it does
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| | and conflicts with the existing Canadian
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| lay out their rights in a number of areas
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| | Charter of Rights and Freedoms - which
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| including culture, employment and
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| | the government believes already protects
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| language, while prohibiting
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| | the rights of native peoples.
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| discrimination against them.
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| | Last year the General Assembly deferred
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| Latin American delegates, like Connie
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| | adopting the Declaration after African
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| Taracena from Guatemala's U.N. Mission,
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| | countries raised objections to language
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| welcomed the Declaration, saying it will
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| | on self-determination and the definition
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| benefit their region which has a large
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| | of "indigenous" people. After the
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| indigenous population. "My message to the
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| | language was amended this year, they
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| indigenous people is that this is a great
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| | threw their support behind it.
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