42.) This letter written by the Haudenosaunee-Six Nations Confederacy in 1988, to the Canadian government , to state that Indian language class teachers DO NOT have to sign any document declaring themselves Canadian Citizens.(10 min. read)

 The Canadian government practice of forcing indigenous teachers and students to sign documents declaring themselves Canadian citizens, to be approved for funding for language classes, or for students to take language class, is an illegal mandate. It was an illegal mandate back then and it is an illegal mandate now. It is a form of coercion, that you must declare yourself a Canadian citizen in order to get funding from the Canadian government. Or attend a Indian language class, funded by the Canadian government.

Pay particular attention to the quotes by Frank Oliver, Ministry of Interior of Canada, dated April 5th 1909. And the quote by the House of Commons, May 11th 1914, Hansard page 3537  with the approval of Blackmore, House of Commons debates, May 17th, 1951, page 3111.

Remember the Canadian government's response to Levi General speech at the League of Nations in 1924- specifically the Canadian government's purview of the Indian Act, page 16: "The ultimate aim of the government is to fit the indians for full citizenship."

This letter can also be used to null and void those signed documents for any type of funding that came from the Canadian government, that mandated indigenous people into declaring themselves Canadian citizens. If you signed any document to declare yourself as a Canadian citizen to get funding for language class or to register as a student to an Indian language class, you need to go back and get that document voided. Because it was an illegal mandate.

This is true for any type of funding or action taken, from the Canadian government in which you had to sign any document, at any time, declaring yourself a Canadian citizen, to get that funding or action taken.

It is an illegal mandate under Bill C15/ United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. Read Bill C15.

There is not any wrongdoing on the part of the indigenous people who got the funding from the Canadian government. 

There is not any wrongdoing on the part of the indigenous people who taught the classes. 

There is not any wrongdoing on the part of the indigenous people who took those classes. 

It is only wrongdoing on the part of the Canadian government, that demanded these Declarations of Canadian Citizenship, to get funding for the language classes, or for students to register or receive instructions on indigenous languages.

Here is the letter,dated March 7,1988. The names of the teachers have been x'ed out, due only to not having written permission from their families, to use their names in this context. This in no way, alters the content and weight of this document.

Here is the letter:

March 7,1988

Mel Jacobs, Director

Indian Services Ontario Region

25 St. Clair Avenue M4T 1M2

Dear Mr. Jacobs

As a courtesy, I am informing to you that a recently convened Confederacy Council has affirmed that the following teachers are within the jurisdiction of the Six Nations 'Iroquois' Confederacy: Mrs. Xxx xxx, Mrs. Xxx xxx, Mrs. Xxx xxx, Mrs. Xxx xxx, Mrs. Xxx xxx, Mrs. Xxx xxx, Mrs. Xxx xxx, Mrs Xxx xxx. This means that Confederacy status would be forfeited if they subscribe to any oath of allegiance outside the Convenant Circle as prescribed in the Kaianerakowa (Great Law).

It must be remembered that in our country, separation of church and state is non-existant. The Longhouse religion and the Great Law must be adhered to simultaneously. Those who practice their religion live it in accordance to the law and vice-versa. All of the teachers are in this category.

It should be remembered that the Great Law is sacred and absolute. There can be no exceptions or amendments. It was given to us by the Creator and must so remain. A further meaning of the Sacred Covenant Circle is that if at any time, one of our Chiefs or our people chooses to submit to the law of a foreign nation, he/she is no longer a part of the Confederacy. Those who go outside the circle leave behind the clans, laws, ceremonies and cease to exist.

According to Gus-Wen-Tah (Two Row Wampum) your mother government agreed that we would travel the River of Life together, side by side in parallel paths which would never cross or meet. The Dutch, the French, the English and later The Americans would all keep their government, their laws, their ways and beliefs in their vessel. In our canoe, we would keep our laws, our ways of government our traditions and beliefs. This concept was the basis for all agreements and was reaffirmed on the following two occasions:

" The Six Nation Indians of the Grand River came to Canada under special treaty as the allies of Great Britain, and the policy of the Canadian Government is to deal with them having that fact always in view."  ( Frank Oliver, Minister of Interior of Canada, April 5th, 1909)

" At the close of the war of the revolution they emigrated to Canada and were given lands under a special treaty, not as subjects of Great Britain, but as allies of Great Britain, and I maintain that the holding of these Six Nations Indians on the Grand River is of such a kind that this Parliament has no right to interfere with it."  ( House of Commons, May 11th, 1914, Hansard, page 3537.)

( quoted with approval by Blackmore, House of Commons debates, May 17th, 1951, page 3111.)

According to the mandate of the Two Row Wampum agreement, we are to sit down and work out our differences as they arise during our journey in the River of Life. Since the teachers have no objection to other provisions to the Public Service Employment Act and all training, compensations, deductions and union considerations have been met, perhaps a simple solution is at hand.

Other concerns to be addressed involve irregular practices of administering the oath of allegiance. It is known that other areas, who have part-time Public Servents, have not been required to swear an oath. This seems discriminatory. There is also a question of parity.

We do not wish to prolong this dilemma. It is not our intent to keep the students or teachers wondering if they will be forced to lose any school time. We do not wish to bring this to litigation. If some of the above suggestions seem amicable, we would appreciate a meeting date so we might put our minds together and solve this problem.

Yours truly,

Thomas Charles Longboat, Secretary

Six Nation 'Iroquois' Confederacy

cc   The Right Honorable Brian Maroney, Prime Minister of Canada.

Her Excellency the Right Honorable Jeanne Sauve, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief.

The Honorable William Mcknight, Minister of Indian Affairs.

Mr John Donnelly, District Manager.

Mr William K. Montour, Chief Councillor.

(End of letter)