Amidst weeks of protests across the country, First Nations leaders plan to hold a mass meeting at the end of January and Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Gov. Gen. David Johnston are invited.
The meeting, planned for Jan. 24, will fall on the anniversary of the Crown-First Nation gathering last year in Ottawa.
In January 2012, aboriginal leaders met with Harper and agreed to focus priorities on education and economic development.
Since then, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo has raised concerns about the “disappointing” rate of progress.
There has also been mounting First Nation frustration with the government’s second omnibus budget bill, which includes legislation revoking certain environmental protections of lakes and rivers.
Aboriginal protesters showed up on Parliament Hill in early December to “serve notice” to government. Since then, Idle No More protesters have marched in several major cities and demonstrators have blockaded a handful of major transportation routes – highways and rail lines – across the country.
Attawapiskat First Nation Chief Theresa Spence has also launched a personal protest at Ottawa’s Victoria Island. She has vowed not to consume solid food until Harper and a representative of the Crown sits down with aboriginal leaders to discuss treaty implementation.
Harper has not made any suggestion he is willing to meet with Spence or other leaders anytime soon. The government maintains it is consulting with First Nations and it has made various investments to improve conditions in communities.
Categories: General
Cut the first nations budget from 6 billion to 3 billion, and give them real reason to protest.
the average chief salary is $36,000 the average canadian salary is $46,000 there are 30 chiefs who get $0 how many in ottawa work for free? Out of the billions that are suppose to go to First Nations water, housing and infrastructure, almost half goes to Aboriginal Affairs which has over 5000 employees many 6 figure salaries.
Why cut the First Nations budget from 6 billion to 3 billion???? What will that solve. Some non-Native people need to understand that Bill C-45 is actually going to affect them as well as the First Nations People.
Harper is pass all kinds of omnibus bills where a lot of bills are all shuffled into one bill in hopes that Harper will get these bills passed.
First Nations are a patience people and we will continue to pursue Bill C-45, however if Chief Spence suffers any serious illness or the worse death, Harper is going to have a real problem on his hands. The easiest solution to this matter is for Harper to step up to the plate and meet with the Native Leaders and discuss this issues at hand. Does Harpers seriously think this is just going to go away? No, it is not going to go away, Harper is on First Nations Land and he should respect and honour the treaties that were inplace long before he came into the government. Also HARPER needs to learn to respect the ELDERS of the First Nations Peoples, as we are taught to respect elders from a young age.
Stick to your guns Mr Harper.
The Idle movement is nothing more than Occupy dressed in feathers and banging drums.
You can’t allow extortion to trump the rule of law, otherwise there will be open warfare on the streets. The law must be upheld, or the police department brass who do not need to be removed.
Idiots! THEY will have to cut senior’s programs to keep the natives happy.