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Afghanistan, First Nations - Issues, experts & ideas
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March 14, 2006
Simon Fraser University
Media & Public Relations
604.291.3210
www.sfu.ca/mediapr
Harper's Afghan surprise
Stephen Harper's surprise visit to Kandahar, Afghanistan last weekend comes as opposition voices clamor for a House of Commons debate and polls indicate the country is divided over the role of Canadian forces in that war-torn country. SFU political scientist and Fraser Institute senior fellow Alex Moens says the Canadian military's Afghan mission is as difficult as it is necessary and deserves our full support. SFU political scientist Doug Ross, executive director of the Canadian-American Strategic Review, says Harper has gained supportive publicity for the Canadian mission. But he has now made it 'his' mission too, which could constrain his future political options should casualty rates soar.
Alex Moens, 604.291.4361, 604.858.0917 moens@sfu.ca
Douglas Ross, 604.291.4782, 604.737.8049; douglasr@sfu.ca
First Nations treaties, what treaties?
Last week's agreement-in-principle to a treaty with the Yale First Nation is the sixth such agreement between a first nation and the B.C. and federal governments. But aside from the Nisga'a agreement in 2000, B.C. has not signed a final treaty with any of the province's almost 200 aboriginal nations during 10 years of negotiations. Associate professor of history Mary-Ellen Kelm is an SFU Canada Research Chair focusing on indigenous peoples of North America and can comment on both the Yale First Nation agreement and the current state of the treaty process.
Mary-Ellen Kelm, 604.268.7299, kelm@sfu.ca
Media & Public Relations
604.291.3210
www.sfu.ca/mediapr
Harper's Afghan surprise
Stephen Harper's surprise visit to Kandahar, Afghanistan last weekend comes as opposition voices clamor for a House of Commons debate and polls indicate the country is divided over the role of Canadian forces in that war-torn country. SFU political scientist and Fraser Institute senior fellow Alex Moens says the Canadian military's Afghan mission is as difficult as it is necessary and deserves our full support. SFU political scientist Doug Ross, executive director of the Canadian-American Strategic Review, says Harper has gained supportive publicity for the Canadian mission. But he has now made it 'his' mission too, which could constrain his future political options should casualty rates soar.
Alex Moens, 604.291.4361, 604.858.0917 moens@sfu.ca
Douglas Ross, 604.291.4782, 604.737.8049; douglasr@sfu.ca
First Nations treaties, what treaties?
Last week's agreement-in-principle to a treaty with the Yale First Nation is the sixth such agreement between a first nation and the B.C. and federal governments. But aside from the Nisga'a agreement in 2000, B.C. has not signed a final treaty with any of the province's almost 200 aboriginal nations during 10 years of negotiations. Associate professor of history Mary-Ellen Kelm is an SFU Canada Research Chair focusing on indigenous peoples of North America and can comment on both the Yale First Nation agreement and the current state of the treaty process.
Mary-Ellen Kelm, 604.268.7299, kelm@sfu.ca