By Alessia Passafiume THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA-The current federal Liberal government is trying to distance itself from the 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 idea of a more state-friendly version originated with Jean Chretien’s Liberal government, the documents say, and was backed by Australia at the time. Every Liberal government is different, Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu told The Canadian Press,…
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