UN declaration bittersweet: Kusugak

The passage of the aboriginal rights declaration by the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva Thursday is a bittersweet victory without Canada's support, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami president Jose Kusugak says.

Canada and Russia were the only two of 30 countries to vote against the declaration. The United States, Australia and New Zealand are also opposed but they do not belong to the newly-formed council.

The declaration says aboriginal people should be free from discrimination and should get a greater say in decisions that affect them.Restitution for loss of land and resources should also be considered.

Under the Liberals, Canada was a strong supporter of the declaration but the Harper government took a different position.

Kusagak says the Conservatives are afraid to give more power to aboriginal people.

"It's a far-right wing government, and there is fear of strength of indigenous peoples of this country," he said.

"I think they would rather deal with the pitifulness of some things the aboriginal people are going through and not deal with their strengths."

The United Nations General Assembly meets in September to adopt the aboriginal rights declaration.

In the meantime, Kusugak says Inuit should lobby the Canadian government to change its stance.