NEW YORK – NEWS – Don Rusnak, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay-Rainy River, attended the 18thsession of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues this week in New York City.
The Forum, held this year from April 22 to May 3, is a meeting of delegates from around the world who come together to discuss indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights. The theme this year is “Traditional knowledge: Generation, transmission and protection”. The Forum is a valuable opportunity for Canada to maintain its leadership role in the world as an important partner in promoting the human rights and dignity of all people around the globe.
Rusnak participated in discussions surrounding issues such as Indigenous languages preservation, rights recognition, environmental conservation and the protection of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions.
Maintaining Canada’s strong presence on the international stage creates opportunities at home, and brings more opportunities for economic growth and development to all the communities of Thunder Bay-Rainy River.
“It was an honour to attend the United Nations Permanent Forum of Indigenous Peoples in New York this week alongside several of my colleagues. This year’s theme of Traditional Knowledge allowed for the forum to have some important conversations about language preservation and the protection of traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions. Maintaining Canada’s strong presence on the global stage creates opportunities at home, and I look forward to building on the relationships forged during the Forum to create new benefits for all the communities ofThunder Bay-Rainy River,” states Don Rusnak Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay-Rainy.
