Steelworkers on Parliament Hill to advance Indigenous rights

Entering the halls of federal government power to meet face-to-face with Members of Parliament and Senators was a bit unnerving, Tammy-Lee Hawkins admits.

“I arrived feeling nervous and unsure,” says Tammy-Lee, a member of USW Local 2009 in B.C. who came to Ottawa in mid-April to lobby federal politicians, as part of a delegation of Indigenous Steelworkers from across the country.

The lobbying effort, organized by the USW National Indigenous Committee, gave Steelworkers activists the opportunity to bring their concerns and issues directly to federal politicians, in meetings with MPs, Senators and ministerial staff.

The lobbying was the first of its kind for many of the USW members who participated, including Tammy-Lee. Once the nerves settled, however, the experience was empowering and rewarding, she said.

“It showed me the power of my voice,” Tammy-Lee said following the lobbying meetings. “As an Indigenous woman, I’m leaving inspired, more confident and ready to continue advocating for workers and our communities at every table.”

The Indigenous USW activists urged federal politicians to push for greater action from government on longstanding issues, including:

• Full implementation of the 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission – only 15 of which have been implemented to date.
• Access to safe drinking water directly in the homes of Indigenous communities.
• Establishing a national transportation system to provide bus services, especially in northern and remote communities.
• Full implementation of the Calls for Justice from Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girl
• Recognition of Indigenous status and the relaxation of the Indian Act to end the loss of status imposed on future generations.
• Establishing alert and prevention systems for missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and gender-diverse persons, co-ordinated among federal, provincial and municipal police forces.
• Recognition of September 30 as a Canada-wide statutory holiday – National Truth and Reconciliation Day.
• Adoption by all Canadian provinces of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

The lobbying was a positive, first-time experience for Noah Pépin-Papigatuk, who found politicians were genuinely interested in the issues raised by the Indigenous Steelworkers and in some cases identified with their concerns.

“The people we met were very open and receptive to our ideas and words,” said Noah, an activist with USW Local 9449 which represents workers at the Raglan Mine in Nunavik in Quebec’s far north.

“I loved my experience, my first one as a lobbyist, and I sincerely hope that it won’t be the last.”

For Beatrice Clowe, the lobbying effort was a powerful solidarity-building experience for Indigenous Steelworkers.

“I’m incredibly grateful to the strong USW members who walked this path together this week,” said Beatrice, an activist with Local 9508, which represents workers at Vale’s mining operations in Voisey’s Bay, N.L.

“On Parliament Hill, and in our time with Senators, we carried our voices with purpose – grounded in who we are as Indigenous people and in the responsibility we hold to our communities.”

“This lobbying campaign is an example of our National Indigenous Committee’s leadership in advancing our union’s work on reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and communities,” said USW National Director Marty Warren, who met with the Indigenous activists during their visit to Ottawa.

“Our union is committed to empowering and supporting our Indigenous activists, to ensure that we truly represent all of our members and to further our work on reconciliation,” Warren said.

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