US Too Advocacy

By the Founding Director, Us Too Advocacy

At Us Too Advocacy, we deal with the real-world consequences of systems that ignore people until the damage is impossible to deny. When we look at what’s happening across Indigenous communities in Canada today, the same pattern shows up again and again: governments praise “progress,” but the lived reality on the ground tells a much harsher truth.

Yes, there are positive developments. Cultural artifacts long taken by churches and institutions are finally being returned. Indigenous Nations like the Líl̓wat and N’Quatqua are reclaiming control over their own lands. Indigenous filmmakers are breaking into the mainstream with record representation at national festivals. Governments are funding language revitalization, cultural gatherings, and leadership programs.

But here’s the problem: Canada celebrates these milestones while ignoring the most basic, non-negotiable human rights still being denied to Indigenous people—clean and safe drinking water. Some Nations have been living under boil-water advisories for 20, 25, even 30 years. Entire generations have grown up without access to something the rest of Canada treats as a given.

And every political party—every single one—recycles the same promises during election season. They’ll “fix the water crisis.” They’ll “make it a priority.” They’ll “get it done.” But once the votes are counted, those promises get shelved, the urgency fades, and Indigenous communities remain stuck with the same unsafe systems and the same excuses.

At Us Too Advocacy, we recognize exactly what this is: a system that places Indigenous lives at the bottom of the priority list while congratulating itself for symbolic gestures. Returning artifacts matters, but it doesn’t change the reality that children in these communities can’t drink from their own taps.

Funding cultural programs matters, but it doesn’t excuse the fact that governments continue to underinvest in infrastructure that protects health, dignity, and survival. Creating a symbolic Indigenous presence on Parliament Hill is meaningful, but it doesn’t replace the political will needed to address core inequities.

Indigenous people don’t need another round of nation-to-nation “dialogue.” They need governments to stop performing reconciliation and start delivering the basics required for a life lived with dignity—safe water, safe communities, and respect for their inherent rights.

Us Too Advocacy stands firmly with Indigenous communities because the injustices they face mirror the broader patterns we fight every day:
Governments acknowledging harm but refusing to fix the root causes. Systems that claim to “care” while offering only symbolic change

378 confirmed kills by Canada’s deadliest shooter, Francis Pegahmagabow, who was denied the VC. 300 enemy soldiers captured. He engaged in frontline combat continuously for three years. Second Ypres. Passchendaele. The Somme. He fought through chlorine gas attacks and never stopped. Francis Pegahmagabow was Canada’s most effective sniper in WWI—and one of the deadliest in history. He received the Military Medal with two bars. He should have received the Victoria Cross.
THE PRECEDENT EXISTS:
✈️ Billy Bishop – 72 aerial victories, received VC for cumulative achievements ✈️ Geoffrey Leonard Cheshire – VC awarded explicitly for “four years of sustained bravery”

Pegahmagabow’s three years of extraordinary valour clearly meet this standard. But he was Indigenous.
HIS “REWARD” FOR SERVICE:
❌ Denied farmland under Soldier Settlement Act (white veterans received it)
❌ Pension withheld and delayed by Indian Agents
❌ Treated with suspicion and paternalism
❌ Couldn’t vote in the country he defended
❌ Restricted under the Indian Act
A hero abroad. A second-class citizen at home.
378 KILLS. 300 CAPTURES. ZERO VICTORIA CROSS.The same discriminatory system that denied him benefits after the war denied him the VC during it. Francis Pegahmagabow deserves the Victoria Cross.

The same discriminatory system that denied him benefits after the war denied him the VC during it.
Francis Pegahmagabow deserves the Victoria Cross.
SIGN PETITION E-6661 to create an Independent Review Board and finally give him the recognition he earned in blood. CLOSES NOV 20:
🪶 Canada’s deadliest sniper. Denied his honor. 🪶
🪶 Say his name. Sign the petition. Demand justice.

Sean Jerome,

Founding Director,

Donoan Mahoney Tribute Mural 312 Main in Vancouver

13 Sep 2025

Join us at any time during the day to paint, enjoy the food and music, or simply come and show your support for this wonderful event.

Community Gathering in John Henry Park 1 pm on Sept 30th.

13 Sep 2025

Join Nisga’a Ts’amiks Vancouver Society to honour the lost children and survivors from the Indian Residential Schooling system. The program will feature a ceremony, stories, drumming, and songs. All are welcome to attend and participate. Please meet at the south side of John Hendry Park. Orange t-shirts will be...

Conservative Rhetoric Minimizes Residential School Trauma

7 Mar 2025

From https://globalnews.ca/news/11032771/bc-conservative-residential-school-post/amp/ B.C. Conservative MLA Dallas Brodie’s recent post(s) on her social media account(s) prove that First Nations peoples still have to fight an uphill battle when it comes to unmarked graves and burials on the grounds of former residential schools. Posting on the social media platform X (formerly...

POISONOUS BEVERIDGE IN CHILLIWACK BC

6 Jan 2025

Tyler Beveridge, manager of the Major League 2 Pub (located at 45768 Gaetz Street in Chilliwack) and the son of the owner of Sardis Liquor Store (located at 45610 Luckakuck Way). in Chilliwack), recently put on an appalling public display of racial profiling inside Sardis Liquor Store. Us Too’s...

Welcome! This is just a start as we put together the material to share with you the plight of many Natives within the Canadian justice system. Our goal is to expose the systemic bias, racism, and discrimination perpetrated against Natives by the Canadian government, the courts, provincial and federal Corrections departments, and various other agencies that run halfway houses or other community programs on behalf of these departments. You will likely be shocked and will hopefully be moved to help us make the changes Natives need.

Our goal is to not only expose, but to find appropriate resolution, restoration, and healing for those affected by these practices. We invite you to help us raise $5,000 in order to pay for the development and maintenance of our website, the renewal of our domain name (ustoo.ca), a computer, printer, stationery, and other necessities to run the daily operations of our group. Please go to our GoFund Me page. We appreciate anything you can do to assist us.

A Message abour Orange Shirt Day

11 Nov 2025

On September 30th, we stand together to remember the history and ongoing legacy of residential schools in Canada. More than...

Inspiration is always needed and that starts with acknowledgement.

12 Sep 2021

We share our deep sorrow at the news about unmarked graves that are being discovered at former residential schools across...