"It is important Canada conforms to the international conventions and protocols it has signed, which demand the end of discrimination against women"

WHRnet: What is the mission of Quebec Native Women Inc.?

Michèle Audette: Until 1974 the organization was called DEFI (Droits égaux pour les femmes indiennes-Equal Rights for Indian Women). It began with the rebellion of a Mohawk woman, Mary Ann Two-Axe Early, who had married a non-native man and returned to her community after an absence of more than five years. She returned with her dog to find, to her surprise, that she had lost her Indian status, and no longer had any rights, even that of being buried with her ancestors. But her dog, he did have the right! Along with other women, she protested to make her situation known. DEFI's mandate is still that of Quebec Native Women: to improve the situation of native women and to change the Indian Act, which dates from 1876, in order to put men and women on an equal footing. In plain language, to ensure that Canada conforms to the international conventions and protocols it has signed, which demand the end of discrimination against women. It is one of the demands that is regularly brought up at the United Nations.

WHRnet: The law hasn't changed since 1876?

Michèle Audette: Most of the measures remain the same and aim to dispossess a people of their identity. Imagine - the law originally spoke of the "gradual emancipation of the savages." The law wished to settle us, turn us into farmers - we, a nomadic people, who often traveled along with the herds of caribou. Among the measures taken, residential schools were set up and native children were sent to them by force. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police supervised this! These schools were located far from the communities. Some children almost never came home for holidays. At the end of 11 years of absence, this produced young people cut off from their roots, who no longer spoke their native language, and who had an alien way of life imposed upon them. Youths were also traumatized by being kept away from their families. There was a lot of physical and moral violence in these schools. Another method of hitting the native communities was to take away the status of Indian woman from native women who married non-natives, while allowing native men who married someone outside the community to keep it.

WHRnet: Is this particular battle still ongoing?

Michèle Audette: It still is, despite a change in the law in 1985, which was due to the Canadian Constitution establishing equality among citizens. In certain communities, tribal councils carried out expulsions of women who had lost Indian status. These expulsions often took very violent forms. At Kahnawake, men evicted women, loaded their possessions onto trucks and put them down on the other side of the bridge! From 1982 to 1985, there was strong pressure from women, native and non-native. There were remembrances, marches, and calls to the United Nations. Canada reviewed the Indian Act and all women of native origin regained their Indian status, but the tribal councils had the choice of reintegrating them or not. In Alberta, in 1991, nine women out of ten were waiting for their reintegration into the community. Furthermore, certain measures in the law limit the transmission of Indian status to mixed-race children of native women. In 40 years, there will be no more people who are exclusively native. Single mothers are obliged to reveal the identity of the father of their child in order to receive health and educational services. In ten communities, a law signed in 1999 established that in the case of divorce, all property reverts to the man. There is real discrimination. It is a huge battle, fought in both the external and internal spheres, to overcome all the brainwashing we have suffered. It's necessary to have resources and budgets.

WHRnet: The Indian Act, or rather the First Nations Governance Act as it will be called, is being revised. Will it improve the situation of native women?

Michèle Audette: The chances are slim. We were told on a ministerial level that the reality of native women was too complex to be changed, that it would take too long to examine it. But, the consultations end in two and half years. Of course, the ideal would be no longer to have a law, but at the present time, a judicial framework remains necessary to ensure that Canada respects the rights of native peoples. I also think that the law must acknowledge the distinctiveness of each nation.

WHRnet: What is the present situation in the reservations?

Michèle Audette: Poverty, violence, sexual violence, drugs…From my perspective, these are the effects of government policies, particularly the residential schools I spoke of already. These schools existed until the 1970s. Our eldest are only beginning to speak of what they lived through. Native women in Quebec also denounce violence against women. The figures we have at our disposal indicate that 47% of girls are victims of violence, but the reality should be far more important. We are looking for internal solutions. Before, the men of the tribal councils were not listening to us. Today, more and more are coming to our meetings. We were pioneers in the denunciation of violence; we broke the wall of silence. We now have nine refuges for women who are victims of violence, but we lack the funds to allow women to travel to them.

WHRnet: What is the role of women at the political level?

Michèle Audette: In the 42 communities established in Quebec, outside of the Inuit, there is one woman tribal chief. There are women in tribal councils. Around two years ago, we held a workshop on autonomous government with around 40 women. It appears that the ideal is not a 50/50 ratio. Our female representatives are often themselves quite "macho". The ideal would be for our leaders to have an attitude that encompasses everybody. One cannot talk of economic development if you do not take account of women.

WHRnet: Do women participate in economic development projects?

Michèle Audette: In the communities, there are no projects with strong economics and that were completely profitable. In contrast, one notes a gap between the very rich minority of people and the poor majority. It is difficult to develop the natural resources, the water, the land, because the property remains wholly and entirely federal government's. Many employees are seasonal and they return to hire the men. We are living out the same situation as Quebec women, but thirty years behind! We do not have all the organizations that exist elsewhere in the province.

WHRnet: Are you going to Buenos Aires, to the International Forum of Women Against Corruption?

Michèle Audette: It is possible, but the thing that interests me the most among the discussions that will take place is the social aspect. As for corruption, it is women, who, time and again, are the ones who take to the ramparts. In the tribal councils, it is above all a matter, in my opinion, of poor planning and poor use of available budgets. Often it is just a matter of lack of training. I'm eager that this issue comes out into the open. It will force us to revisit the way we work.

Related links:

Quebec Native Women, Inc.
http://www.faq-qnw.org

"Communities First: First Nations Governance," Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
http://www.fng-gpn.gc.ca/index_e.asp

International Forum of Women Against Corruption
http://www.mei.com.ar/eng/primerfring.htm

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