A North America Call to Action to Eliminate Poverty Among our Indigenous People
By
Terrance H. Booth, Sr. Tsimshian Tribe
This is a North America Call to Action to eliminate poverty among Alaska Native, First Nations of Canada and Native American Tribes to join forces and take realistic steps against poverty of our North American Continent by the year 2016. “The 1980 and 1990 censuses show that the poverty rate for American Indians has remained considerably higher than that of the total population. In 1989, 31 percent of American Indian persons lived below the poverty level, up from 27 percent in 1979. The national poverty rate was about 13 percent in 1989 and 12 percent in 1979.” (from Population Profile of the United States, by EDNA L. PAISANO)
Over several decades poverty rate of North America’s Indigenous has been in the high teens or twenties with little or no reduction of poverty. It is with a sense of urgency that we put forth this challenge for all of North America’s Indigenous for there is a dire need to bring about realistic changes and no longer put forth piece meal efforts. President Lindon Johnson’s administration on January 8, 1964 the “War of Poverty” was introduced to USA in his State of the Union Address. Even with gallent efforts by the Presidents North America’s Indigous still confront poverty and for Alaska Native and Native American Tribes unemployment Rate is as high as 50%-80% in some areas; while that of the USA general population unemployment is at 9.6%. We spend more more with foreign aid to other countries of the globe and yet it is a real shame that we cannot eliminate homelessness within our own country.
This call to action is a request to all of the Indigenous leaders and their people develop a united voice with one accord and oneness working together call our Nation’s leaders to hold true and accountable on their legislative efforts to prioritize and make elimination of poverty from North America by the year 2016 in both Canada and USA. How are world leaders responding to elimination of poverty around the globe?
NEW YORK (September 22, 2010) — "Today, the president delivered a winning formula for global development. The passion and principles he delivered are what’s needed in the final drive to reach the U.N. Millennium Development Goals. Ultimately, this means more children’s lives saved, more prospects, more prosperity," said Charlie MacCormack, President and CEO of Save the Children.
The president’s speech at the United Nations came on the heels of the release of a new global strategy on women’s and children’s health at an event attended by many world leaders today. Ban Ki-moon deserves credit for putting child and maternal mortality at the top of the global agenda, Save the Children said. Today’s announcement pledges $40 billion but it is not clear how much of this is genuinely new and how governments will be held to account if they fail to deliver.
(http://www.savethechildren.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=8rKLIXMGIpI4E&b=6230287&ct=8668283)
“Make Poverty History expressed concern that the G20 dealing with budget deficits through cutting back on government services will end up hurting the poor. The coalition felt that government's reliance on austerity measures alone to tackle deficits risked increasing unemployment and poverty in the developed world as well as the developing world. Make Poverty History said the G20's not adopting an FTT to make the banking sector pay their fair share was 'a kind of anti-tax madness'. The organisation took some comfort in the creation of a Working Group on Development as they felt the G20 may be able to do a better job of addressing the poverty crisis than the G8.”
(http://www.sherpatimes.com/g8/185-ngo-responses-to-the-g20-summit.html)
Secretary Ken Salazar at Second White House Conference with American Indians December 16, 2011, part of his comments to Tribes: “A little over a year ago – at the first ever White House Tribal Nations Conference – President Obama pledged to you that we would work with American Indian leaders to fulfill our trust responsibilities, to empower tribal governments and to help build safer, stronger and more prosperous tribal communities.”
We as Tribes of North America should hold our elected official accountable to their words that they give to us in bring about prosperous tribal communities.
President Obama comments to United Nations Address:
“In his Presidential Proclamation last month honoring National Native American Heritage Month, President Obama recommitted ―to supporting tribal self-determination, security and prosperity for all Native Americans.‖ He recognized that ―[w]hile we cannot erase the scourges or broken promises of our past, we will move ahead together in writing a new, brighter chapter in our joint history.”
“The decision to review the U.S. position on the Declaration came in response to calls from many tribes, individual Native Americans, civil society, and others in the United States, who believed that U.S. support for the Declaration would make an important contribution to U.S. policy and practice with respect to Native American issues. The decision by the United States to support the Declaration was the result of a thorough review of the Declaration by the relevant federal agencies.”
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/153223.pdf
Jodi Archambault-Gillette, White House Office of Inter-Governmental Affairs, September 8, 2010. United Tribes Tribal Leader’s Summitm Bismarck, ND Comments made:
“First, President Obama promised greater engagement with tribal leaders. In November, the President invited representatives from each of the 564 federally recognized Indian tribes to attend a White House Tribal Nations Conference. Nearly 400 tribal leaders attended, making it the most widely attended interactive White House tribal meeting with the President, Cabinet Secretaries, senior officials, and members of Congress in history. The White House held listening sessions with tribal leaders and representatives from tribal organizations on health care, energy development, tribal consultation, job creation and education. The level of engagement with tribal leaders is extraordinary and continues outside of Washington, D.C. Our federal agencies are engaged in unprecedented outreach to tribal communities.
Second, President Obama believes Native Americans need representation in the Federal government to properly reflect their needs and views. History has shown that failure to include voices of tribal officials in formulating policy affecting their communities has all too often led to undesirable and, at times, devastating tragic results. To ensure that Native Americans are represented in this Administration, President Obama appointed Larry Echo Hawk of the Pawnee Nation as Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs; Dr. Yvette Roubideaux of the Rosebud Sioux tribe as the Director of the Indian Health Service; Hilary Tompkins of the Navajo Nation as the Solicitor of the Interior; Lillian Sparks of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe as Commissioner for the Administration for Native Americans; Mary McNeil of the Winnebago Tribe as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights for the United States Department of Agriculture; and Jodi Gillette of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe as Deputy Associate Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. Working with tribal leaders, this team is helping shape federal policies that impact tribal communities.
Third, President Obama is committed to regular and meaningful consultation with tribal leaders. Marking a new era in the United States’ relationship with tribal governments, the President signed a Memorandum on November 5, 2009, directing every federal agency to develop a plan to fully implement Executive Order 13175, “Consultation and Coordination with Tribal Governments.” This Order mandates that all agencies have an accountable process for meaningful and timely input by tribal officials in the development of regulatory policies that have tribal implications. The federal agencies are implementing consultation plans and the level of tribal consultation is at historic levels. Just last month, agencies turned in their progress reports to the OMB and the White House, as directed by the Presidential Memorandum. OMB also recently published guidance for agencies, both are available publicly.
Fourth, President Obama recognizes that a comprehensive response to address the needs of tribal communities means federal agencies must work together. Federal officials across various agencies are working together on a wide range of issues to improve the lives of Native Americans.
This combination of greater engagement, greater representation, greater consultation, and interagency collaboration is the foundation upon which we will help build stronger tribal communities and enable the United States’ relationship with Indian tribes to flourish.
Following these guidelines will enable the United States and tribal leaders to work together and build a brighter future for tribal communities.
We have serious work ahead and we are making progress.”
The doors of opportunity have been opened for the Tribes of USA by President Obama it is up to us to repond to this opportunity. We have the abilities within ourselves and across Indian Country, USA are pockets of success from among our tribal people and Tribes that bring to us ways to succeed. We have been given a gift for us to become successful during this time in history. Under Tribal Self-Governance Tribes have taken gallent strides having through this outstanding program are gaining tribal self-sufficiency.
What opportunities are out for grabs to prosper tribes more then they ever expected? It is tribal alternative energy projects to create tribal energy parks to sell much needed energy to that of our neighbors. Why? First, all tribes have solar, wind, water and biomass to convert into energy. Second, by the year 2016 all of America will need 70% more electricity. Third, who can provide this much needed energy of America? Tribes can make it happen! Already through the Department of Energy have completed feasibility studies on what alternative energy will work for their particular Tribe. We need to take step further and create Tribal Energy Parks and not only produce energy but have the ability to create hydrogen and even durable good that can replace Aluminum, Copper and Steel. Added information, Dr. Roy McAlister, of the American Hydrogen Association, a author, inventor, and economist says that there are nine major industries that use Aluminum, Copper and Steel. Tribes can be in the business of making this durable metal like substance and be building metal parts for automotive industry, wiring for utility companies, cans for food and drinks and many more products can be made by us Natives.
Conclusion, Tribes of North American can eliminate poverty by the year 2016 by working together. Some of us have natural resources and others of us have the ability to value-add these natural resources. In Alaska and Briitish Columbia beginning steps of formation of a Native Seafood Alliance is in the making. This in itself will make it a cultural revival for the Haida Nation, Tlingit Tribes of Alaska and Tsimshian Nation their ancestors use to trade and barter with one another. So there are natural regional tribal partnerships that can be developed. Simply stated we can make it happen by eliminating poverty from our midst for some of us it is part of our tribal tradtions to be giving. Let us make it happen and eliminate poverty from our midst by the year 2016. It can happen by being ourselves and revive our cultural history and look at how we use to work together by trading and bartering.
