Not once in the last three weeks did I think Stephen Harper should go meet Chief Spence. Just because someone demands a meeting doesn’t mean the meeting has to happen. And threatening to starve yourself to death is not exactly the way to make Harper reconsider. Like it or not, this prime minister does not respond well to blackmail. Personally, I like it.
I don’t know who the First Nations leaders employ as consultants, but they ought to be fired for this:
First Nations leaders have discussed plans to launch country-wide economic disruptions by the middle of January if Prime Minister Stephen Harper doesn’t agree to hunger-striking Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence’s demand for a treaty meeting, APTN National News has learned.
During three days of meetings and teleconferences, chiefs from across the country discussed a plan setting Jan. 16 as the day to launch a campaign of indefinite economic disruptions, including railway and highway blockades, according to two chiefs who were involved in the talks who requested anonymity.
“The people are restless, they are saying enough is enough,” said one chief, who was involved in the discussions. “Economic impacts are imminent if there is no response.”
So here we go again. Threats and blackmail. I say it’s time to meet this threat head-on. You want to break the law? Be prepared for the consequences – by which I mean swift and decisive police reaction. It’s time to put an end to this nonsense.
Categories: Aboriginals
Ms. Pellerin. It’s called civil disobedience. It’s the only way to get the government and it’s taxpayers to, hopefully, look at issues closer. The First Nations people’s would welcome non-native people to meet this head-on. All it will do is put Canada and their shameful record in the world wide spot light once again.
Ms Pellerin,
It is sad to see that people from our own country are still in 2013 so ignorant on first nations history and issues. But it is up to us to educate people and this is exactly what is happening right now. This movement should not be seen as a threat but as our people gathering to finally be heard and for our treaties to be respected!
Onen!
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
Looks like Chief Spence and Idle No More are at the third stage and on the verge of winning.
Thanks for noticing!
Is it blackmail? Perhaps, though it’s strange that you’d only use that word to describe the actions of a First Nations leader and not, say, those in the business community who threaten to take jobs elsewhere if they don’t get low taxes and such. Is it overdue? Yes. Our governments have a shameful history of not honouring treaties signed in good faith by the original inhabitants of this nation. If this is what it takes to draw attention and force action, so be it. That is has to come to this is an indictment of Stephen Harper and the rest of his party’s so-called “leadership”.
WOW?? They took our LAND, they forced us on RESERVES, then they STOLE our children, they tried to ASSIMILATE us and are still continuing to MARGINALIZE our people! Now our MOTHER EARTH is being seriously HARMED! Perhaps sending this message through REDMAIL, people will finally understand and more importantly wake up and take notice about what is going on. Evidently with people like you and your comments we still have a ways to go, but we are thinking about our FUTURE generations like our ancestors have taught us.
Their can only be progress through STRUGGEL – Steven Biko!
Typical right wing pro Harper silliness in this paper…when the Conservatives bring in legislation which abrogates treaties signed between the FN and the government, when a government attempts to divide people by introducing an omnibus bill which attacks FN and the environment, trusting that people will buy into the attacks on FN as being unaccountable while on the other hand allowing massive environmental damage to be done by corporations to waterways and the environment…this from a PM who signs secret deals with China in Siberia…who is blackmailing whom? As least try to look at it from the FN side Ms. Pellerin…you don’t even examine at all why the FN are doing what they are doing…
Why is it when First Nations make a stand they are subject to condemnation. In a January 1st 2013 article Brigitte Pellerin accuses the Chief Theresa Spence and the First Nations of using blackmail to get a meeting face-to-face meeting with Prime Minister Steven Harper. Perhaps someone should ask why the First Nations feel that they have to resort to what Ms. Pellerin calls “blackmail”. The PC government is not listening to First Nations pleas for equity and justice. In her 2011 June status report Auditor General of Canada Sheila Fraser tabled a status report highlighting the appaling conditions on First Nation reserves. Ms. Fraser commented on the stark contrast of living conditions of First Nations reserves and other communities in Canada: “It is clear that living conditions are poorer on First Nation reserves than elsewhere in Canada”. Analysis by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada supported this view. In 2010, INAC reported that there was little or no progress in the well-being of First Nations. Ms. Fraser went on to comment on this federal governments’ repeated failure to adequately address deplorable conditions on First Nation reserves, and repeated failure to uphold First Nations rights and provide them with critical services. The AG stated that “the status quo must be completly transformed and smashed, and Ottawa should no longer work in isolation. First Nations and governments must jointly design a way forward”. To achieve this First Nations must be able to have dialogue with the federal government, this has not happened. First Nation communities have been very patient, exhausting every “official” effort to meet with the Prime Minister and the federal government on a government to government basis, still the Prime Minister willl not give First Nations the courtesy of a face-to-face meeting (but he will travel to other continents to offer the same courtesy). Ms. Pellerin states that the Prime Minister does not respond well to “blackmail”, the Prime Minister does not respond to repeated official requests for meetings either. These issues (education, health and drinking water) could and should have been resolved years ago, now the situation is critical and must be addressed. “Blackmail” I think not.
Let her starve, then maybe the country will spared listening to their never ending complaints and irrational decisions!
Dear Tammy,
If our ancestors had tought like you when your ancertors came to this country you would not be here today; intead they’ve welcome them, gave them food and medecine and helped them survive!
Although the natives have a point of envirimental issues I agree with,our laws say they way they are protesting is ilegal and damageing as a whole,why does the law not stop this kind of protest before it gets out of hand and a lot of people could get hurt ?
If I tried doeing what they are doing I would be wearing handcuffs and might spend three years in jail.
Dont the natives realize that this will ruin thier reputation as outstanding Canadians ?
Why are they not taken off the reserves and treated like the rest of us Canadians and save Canada an enormous amount of money ?
Where has all the money gone the government dolls out to them ?
@B Wiebe Anyone can set up a road block, it says so in the Constitution! As for your so called money, it goes to bureaucrats in Aboriginal Affairs! There is practically one office in each province! There are alot of people that want change, want jobs, want a better life but the Treaties were signed 200 years ago and should be upheld. Educate yourself on the Indian Act, Bill C-45 and the Constitution! This bill means changes to estates, taxes, ei, cpp, fresh water and forest land. Don’t people enjoy beaches, fishing and hunting also? Instead of that there will be natural gas lines, pipelines, nuclear plants and more hydro dams! Thats what these changes mean to this country, the government can take not only First Nation land but any small town or farm should they find oil or gas or anything else for that matter! Wake up!
Ms Pellerin, Tammy, B Wiebe, I have looked at your comments & you know there is nothing there that has not already been done. Let Chief Spence starve, better yet let them all starve. For some Indian families in each generation this is how it has always been. Many more are about greet this reality. The Indian Act as a system was only meant to feed enough so that not too many went to bed hungry. Indian parents in each generation have always been running around wondering how they are going to feed their kids. I would ask to check your history books though when children go to bed hungry parents will do anything rather than listening to them cry themselves to sleep because of it. Nothing new here Tammy it has been going on for generations & allowed probably by people just like you. Your guns, police and natural resource officers have always had their guns pointed in our direction. We, those who decided we don’t want to hang around the band office to wait for government hand outs your Natural Resource officers are there with their guns to arrest us when we try to take from the land what is needed. For crown agencies that do not recognize treaties boundaries they sure know where the Indian Act reserve boundaries are. All of this to continue the inter-generational disenfranchisement of Indian people from the land in order to clear the way for economic or corporate interests. These ideas of equality had better be remembered as the Canadian middle class disappears and margins of rich and poor widen. Corporations count on societies not being able to remember. But Ms Pellerin we remember fascism when corporation and rich people use governments and constitutions as these to enable and protect corporate power. As the police state arrives to protect the “haves” from the “have nots” so arrives people like Mussolini and Hitler, on that day Canada’s hollowed out Constitution will become Canada’s Indian Act. It will be realized that what is taking place can only feed so many mouths and the majority of the country goes hungry. So I guess Ms. Pellerin, Tammy, B Wiebe you can also let them starve and when they act to defend themselves you can arrest them and point guns at them too. It unfortunate because we really should be friends. We have never been given the chance to say what treaty and treaty rights can contribute to today’s problems. We have always been a contributing presence militarily and to environmental understanding. I may be the only one saying but I believe treaties can be dealt in such away where it is not only native people who will benefit from their recognition. As each new treaty jurisdiction that surfaces it must be driven by a justice that is concerned with all red and white people. Lastly assimilation is not just aboriginals being brain washed within residential schools. Assimilation is also Canadian society memory being tampered with in such a way that they cannot remember how they approached us to place our signitures to Crown documents(treaty)