The Presbyterian Church was one of eight denominations to sign a covenant with Canada's First Nations at a ceremony in Winnipeg on National Aboriginal Day, June 21st. The renewed covenant acknowledges and celebrates the positive examples of cooperation between churches and First Nations since the covenant was signed for the first time in 1987.
The covenant was formally reaffirmed in March, but the summer ceremony was chosen as “an appropriate occasion for the churches to publicly recommit to the gospel values of the New Covenant,” said Stephen Allen, the PCC's associate secretary for Justice Ministries, and responsible for the church's healing and reconciliation programs.
The original covenant was a response to constitutional talks between government and Aboriginal leaders about the rights of First Nations in Canada. The recognition and protection of aboriginal self-government was deemed vital, and the covenant formally voiced the churches' support for this right. In its renewed form, churches recognized that many agreements and treaties of the past have been ignored, asking for a new call to action. By signing this covenant, the churches not only agreed to the right to self-government for Aboriginal Peoples, but also the right to be distinct, the right to an adequate land base, and the right to self-determination. Lori Ransom, healing and reconciliation animator, and Moderator Hans Kouwenberg were on hand for the event, as were numerous First Nations organizations.
“The 1987 covenant could have been filed away, but the signing churches and KAIROS are making a real effort to ensure this document is not forgotten,” said Allen. “Signing the covenant 20 years later challenges us to try and live up to the values and principles expressed in the covenant.” – AM
