Ottawa, ON — On Wednesday, Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief RoseAnne Archibald welcomed José Francisco Calí Tzay, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, as he arrived for his first official visit to Canada.
National Chief Archibald requested the Special Rapporteur’s visit to Canada when they met in New York at the UNPFII Twenty-First Session in April 2022. Calí Tzay’s arrival in Ottawa marks the start of a 10-day country visit that also includes stops in Montreal, Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Vancouver.
In their meeting Wednesday afternoon, National Chief Archibald summarized the AFN’s requests for the Special Rapporteur’s visit, emphasizing Inherent and Treaty Rights, Economic Reconciliation, and holding Canada accountable for past and ongoing genocide against Indigenous Peoples. The Special Rapporteur’s preliminary findings and recommendations will be shared in a press conference Friday, March 10 in Ottawa.
“I wish the Special Rapporteur a safe journey across Turtle Island,” said National Chief Archibald. “I look forward to March 10 when he shares his observations for the Healing Path Forward.”
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Contact Information:
Andrew St. Germain
Office of the National Chief
[email protected]