By Alessia Passafiume THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA-The current federal Liberal government tried to distance itself Tuesday from the Jean Chretien-led one that reportedly conspired with Australia to weaken United Nations language on Indigenous Peoples in the early 2000s. Newly released Australian cabinet documents from 2003 show the two countries worked together on putting forward a softer version of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The declaration spells out Indigenous rights, including self-determination, language and cultural preservation, prohibits forced removal from lands or territories and requires states to consult with Indigenous Peoples. The proposed changes from Australia and Canada would have removed references to restitution of land, cultural genocide and demilitarization, significantly diminishing the scope and potential impact of the final version. The idea of a more state-friendly…
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