Event: Indigenous People and Resistance to Police Violence and Prisons

~ solidarity

Indigenous Women, Two-Spirited People and Resistance to Police Violence and Prison

Monday, Sept. 26 at 7pm
Somerset West Community Health Centre
55 Eccles St.

Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=217053778350444

Speakers:

Tania Dopler, Ontario Aboriginal HIV/AIDS Strategy
Kim Pate, Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies
Other Speakers TBC.

This event will focus on the violence experienced by indigenous women and two-spirited people by the police and prisons, their resistance to this violence and alternatives to both the police and prisons.

“Aboriginal women are over‐represented in the federal correctional system, representing only 2% of women in Canada and 29% of women in federal prisons in July, 2003. In July, 2003, 60% of Aboriginal women serving federal sentences were in prison.”

“Native peoples’ experiences are often completely erased from mainstream discussions of law enforcement violence. Yet, since the arrival of the first colonists on this continent, Native women and Native Two Spirit, transgender and gender nonconforming people have been subjected to untold violence at the hands of U.S. military forces, as well as local, state and federal law enforcement. Movement of Native peoples across borders with Canada and Mexico has been severely restricted, often by force, separating families and communities. Integral to the imposition of colonial society and enforced assimilation, the notion of “policing” was forced on sovereign nations and cultures that had previously resolved disputes within communities.”

“Developing community-based responses to violence is one critical option. Community accountability is a community-based strategy, rather than a police/prison-based strategy, to address violence within our communities. Community accountability is a process in which a community – a group of friends, a family, a church, a workplace, an apartment complex, a neighborhood, etc – work together to do the following things:

  • Create and affirm VALUES & PRACTICES that resist abuse and oppression and encourage safety, support, and accountability
  • Develop sustainable strategies to ADDRESS COMMUNITY MEMBERS’ ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR, creating a process for them to account for their actions and transform their behavior
  • Commit to ongoing development of all members of the community, and the community itself, to TRANSFORM THE POLITICAL CONDITIONS that reinforce oppression and violence
  • Provide SAFETY & SUPPORT to community members who are violently targeted that RESPECTS THEIR SELF-DETERMINATION”

Sources:

http://www.elizabethfry.ca/eweek06/pdf/aborig.pdf
http://www.incite-national.org/media/docs/5676_toolkitrev-native.pdf
http://www.incite-national.org/index.php?s=114

Walk 4 Justice

~ solidarity

Please spread the word!

On June 21, 2011, Walk4Justice began their long walk from Vancouver, Coast Salish Territory to Ottawa, Algonquin Territory to raise awareness about the plight of the far too many (over 3000) missing and murdered Indigenous women across Turtle Island (Canada). On Monday, September 19, they will be ending their walk at Parliament Hill where they will continue demanding justice for these women and their families.

Please come out and show your support for the walkers. Bring your banners, signs or placards and good spirit to the rally!

March & Rally
Monday, September 19
9am at Minwaashin Lodge (424 Catherine St), 10am Parliament Hill

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=112167435552467

Please join the walkers at Minwaashin Lodge at 9am and walk with them to Parliament Hill.  If you can’t make it then, please come to the rally on Parliament Hill at 10am.

Feast and Fund-raiser 
Monday, September 19
5:00pm at Mac Hall on 211 Bronson Ave.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=242669869108872

Community celebration, feast, entertainment, and fundraiser! Featuring Walk4Justice co-founders Gladys Radek & Bernie Williams and Beverley Jacobs from Families of Sisters in Spirit.  Headliners for the performance: Elaine Kicknosway, Nancy Myatt, Vera Wabegijig, Sandy Scofield, Elizabeth Riley Band and Jamie Koebel!Please spread the word!

These 2 events are part of the 30 Days of Justice organized by the Families of Sisters in Spirit and their allies.  “30 Days of Justice” brings together families of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and the wider Ottawa communities to raise critical awareness on the violence against Indigenous women and demand justice and accountability for the disappeared and murdered women. For more details and other events during the 30 Days of Justice: http://30daysofjustice.wordpress.com

About Walk4Justice

The Walk4Justice is a nonprofit organization that was created by donation and volunteer since January 2008. Gladys Radek and Bernie Williams co-founded this group to raise awareness about the plight of the far too many missing and murdered women across Canada. Their supporters consist of family members who have lost their loved ones across the nation and grassroots women and men from all walks of life. Together with their supporters, the Walk4Justice demands justice, closure, equality and accountability.

Gladys’s niece, Tamara Lynn Chipman disappeared off Highway 16 out of Prince Rupert, BC, now dubbed the Highway of Tears in northern British Columbia. She vanished without a trace on September 21, 2005. Bernie is a long time advocate and voice for the women who have been forced to live on the streets of Canada’s poorest postal code, the DTES. She has been a frontline worker in the DTES for 25 years. Her mother and two sisters were also victims of violence who were murdered in the DTES over the years.

For more info: http://fnbc.info/walk4justice

About Families of Sisters in Spirit (FSIS)

FSIS is a volunteer grassroots non-profit organization led by families of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada with the support of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities. FSIS was the vision of one family member named Bridget Tolley, an Algonquin grandmother and activist from the Kitigan Zibi First Nation whose mother was killed by a Quebec provincial (SQ) police car in 2001 with the ongoing support of Beverley Jacobs, Mohawk grandmother from Grand-River Territory, whose cousin Tashina General, pregnant with her son Tucker, was murdered in 2008, and non-Aboriginal student and activist Kristen Gilchrist. Together we are working to end violence, challenge interconnected inequalities in Canadian society, and transform ourselves and the world around us.

Visit their FB page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Families-of-Sisters-in-Spirit/169989823049052

About the performers

Elaine Kicknosway and her son Theland: Drummer and Hoop dancer

Nancy Myatt: Nancy is a Mohawk from Kahnesatake with Algonquin. Her family lives in Kitigan Zibi. She is a traditional dancer and drummer. She has two daughters and a granddaughter arriving in November. She has supported Take Back the Night and Sisters in Spirit by sharing songs in her culture. She is very happy to support and be involved in this cause because her great grandmother was also murdered.

Vera Wabegijig: Vera is a poet and Anishnaabe mother from the bear clan who writes for expression and to connect with the larger world. See Vera’s gift to us: http://verawaabegeeshig.wordpress.com/

Sandy Scofield: Sandy is a multi-award winning composer, musician and singer. She has studied classical, jazz, African, Indonesian gamelan and electro-acoustic music. A Métis from the Saulteaux and Cree Nations, she hails from four generations of fiddlers, singers and musicians. Among her four recordings to date, she has won five Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, a Canadian Folk Music Award, an Indian Summer Music Award (U.S.A.), a Western Canadian Music Award and received three consecutive Juno nominations. Check out her web site: http://sandyscofield.com/

Elizabeth Riley Band: Ottawa-based Elizabeth Riley Band has a raw, contagious sound, with original songs and interpretations inspired by bluegrass, folk classics, and alt and traditional country music. Wielding banjo, acoustic and electric guitars, harmonica, djembe, stand-up snare, these four singer-songwriters speak out about personal, social and political realities. Their songs are infused with women’s lived experience. Vocally driven with an electrified edge, Elizabeth Riley Band has captivated audiences at an eclectic range of venues. For a taste of their music: http://www.elizabethrileyband.com/

Jaime Koebel: Jamie is Metis from Lac La Biche, Alberta. She is an artist, a performer, an educator and a public speaker. As a successful visual artist, she has been fortunate to have works that have been showcased world-wide and held in many prestigious personal and public galleries. Her art reflects fantastical plant life – all with a story! As a performance artist, She was a dancer with the well-known troupe, Jig on the Fly for five years until 2010 when she started a new dance group with her children called Jaime and the Jiglets. She also dances with the musical group, Fiddle Ground. Over the years, She has won many individual dance competitions in Canada and the United States. See her fantastic works: http://www.JaimeKoebel.com/

In Commemoration of Grandfather William Commanda and Jack Layton

~ solidarity

Dear Friends,

This past month, two well-known people in our community – Grandfather William Commanda and Jack Layton – along with many more unknown heroes around the globe, went to the Spirit world. It is sad time for us but we know that they are in a peaceful place now. We send our love and prayer to all of their relatives and wish them strength to continue the work of these two men and countless others for peace. Grandfather and Jack had very different world views but they both spent most of their life working for their people. It is an honour to work for the people.

Photo Credit: Charline Dequincey

Grandfather William Commanda, the respectful spiritual leader of the Algonquin Nation, passed away on the morning of August 3. He would be 98 years old on November 11 this year! Ojigkwanong is the name his mother gave to him because he was born under the morning star. Even though Grandfather isn’t here physically with us anymore, he, like the morning star, will always look after us and lead us in a good way. We, the folks at this small grassroots group called IPSMO, had the honour to meet Grandfather three years ago.  Grandfather was one of our very first supporters for our work trying to learn and act in solidarity with Indigenous peoples.

On March 3, 2009, we had our first big event in the National Library and Archive. We screened the documentary “Invisible Nation – The Story of The Algonquin” and had Grandfather open the event for us. His Granddaughter, Claudette Commanda, was our special guest speaker. Grandfather’s presence was a big reason why close to 500 people showed up, overflowing the auditorium’s seating capacity and requiring the setting up of a second screen in the foyer! It was a big success and we did what we intended to do – creating an opportunity for native and non-native peoples, who’ve been separated by colonial measures like the reserve system, to get to know each other.

Six months later, Grandfather surprised us by coming to another big event we held – The Epidemic of Continuing Violence Against Indigenous Women, to raise fund for Maisy Odjick’s family. Maisy and her friend Shannon Alexander, both from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, went missing on Sept 6, 2008.

And at the beginning of this year he was active in supporting the efforts to protect the Beaver Pond Forest and South March Highlands in Kanata.

Grandfather has inspired us and many others. He taught us about forgiveness. It was hard to understand at first how he could forgive after so many years of colonization by the white settlers. But now, we understand: it is only through forgiveness, the white settlers / colonizers can have a way out of white guilt for what they have done to Native peoples.  It is only through forgiveness, the white settlers can have the chance to transcend their guilt and start their decolonization process, and the Natives can get a possibility for co-existence.

Please read here for more: http://bit.ly/GWC-passing and for a tribute from Organizing For Justice, including links to many media articles: https://organizingforjustice.ca/?p=623

Photo Credit: Mark Barber

Jack Layton, another respectful man, passed away on the morning of August 22.  We did not know him well, to be honest. But, at our recent direct action to support the Algonquins of Barriere Lake in front of the Minister of Indian Affairís office on a cold December day, he surprised us by showing up and speaking to the crowd in support of Barriere Lake’s inherent right to self-determination and customary governance. We thank him and respect him for his support for Indigenous rights and other social justice issues. RIP Jack.

To continue the legacy of these two great men and countless others, please continue supporting our solidarity work.  Here is how:

CALL FOR SUPPORT: ALGONQUINS OF BARRIERE LAKE

The Algonquins of Barriere Lake have been forced into a costly legal battle with Canada to protect their land rights. They cannot succeed without your support.

Please donate! You can either make checks out to “Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Movement Ottawa” with “Barriere Lake Legal Defense Fund” in the memo line, or through PayPal – http://bit.ly/barrierelake.  Everything counts. Please give what you can.

For details on Barriere Lakeís legal battle and where to mail your cheque, please go to our previous post: https://ipsmo.wordpress.com/2011/08/17/barriere-lake-legal-defense-fund.

In solidarity,

Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Movement Ottawa
On Unceded and Unsurrendered Algonquin Territory

IPSMO HAS A NEW PAMPHLET and A BOOKLET to download & print

~ solidarity

IPSMO HAS A NEW PAMPHLET!

It describes who we are and what we do, and especially what we stand for. Don’t miss it!

Contents: Who is IPSMO?  – Our History – Algonquins of Barriere Lake – Indigenous Women – Solidarity – Highlights 2008-2010 – How to get involved

Please feel free to download it and share it with your friends and relatives: http://bit.ly/ipsmo-pamphlet2011

 

 

AND, A BOOKLET NOW ONLINE

Our long time solidarity activist Greg Macdougall has generously shared a booklet: “MY ENTRY INTO ABORIGINAL UNDERSTANDING”, featuring a collection of articles on Indigenous self-determination and sovereignty, rights, resistance, language and culture that he has written.

You can download two different PDF versions of the booklet at:

See the announcement here:

BARRIERE LAKE LEGAL DEFENSE FUND

~ solidarity

[français ci-dessous]

The Algonquins of Barriere Lake have been forced into a costly legal battle with Canada to protect their land rights.

They cannot succeed without your support.

The community has been fighting for years to ensure Canada and Quebec honour the Trilateral Agreement, a landmark resource co-management agreement signed in 1991.

The governments are determined to quash the agreement and are now trying to seize sensitive community documents supporting the fight for the Trilateral Agreement. These documents include research on traditional land use & occupancy, wildlife habitat studies, and land claims research.

Barriere Lake is being forced to take costly legal action to protect themselves against the actions of the Canadian government, and its proxy, an illegitimate band council that doesn’t represent the community. The band council was put in place last summer by INAC with only a dozen nominations; most community members boycotted the process, defending their customary government system.

Monthly legal costs that the Algonquins of Barriere Lake must incur will rise into the tens of thousands of dollars by the end of the year, amounting to approximately $30,000 by December 2011. The community’s next legal bill – due at the end of August – will total over $6,000 alone.

If the community loses their case to keep possession of the Trilateral documents, they will launch a constitutional challenge against Canada and the imposition of SECTION 74 of the INDIAN ACT. Section 74 allows the Minister of Indian Affairs to impose band council elections on a customary government, which is a violation of Aboriginal and Treaty Rights, protected in Section 35 of the Constitution. This legal challenge will cost more than $100,000 dollars over time.

To read about the 3 MAJOR CONSEQUENCES to this legal case, please see our website: http://www.barrierelakesolidarity.org/2011/08/barriere-lake-legal-defense-fund.html

You can also find a PayPal link on our website for direct financial donations to the community: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=Q22YF238ACE5N.   Everything counts. Please give what you can.

Checks can be mailed to:
OPIRG-GRIPO Ottawa
631 King Edward Ave. (3rd floor / 3ieme étage)
Ottawa, ON
K1N 7N8

** Please make checks out to “Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Movement Ottawa”  with “Barriere Lake Legal Defense Fund” in the memo line **

For more information on Section 74 or to find out how you can reach the community directly for support, please contact at ipsmo@riseup.net or barrierelakesolidarity@gmail.com.

For a good background video on Section 74 and the Barriere Lake struggle, please see this short 3-minute film:

`

`

Barriere Lake Solidarity has produced this video to help bring attention to the current struggle by the Algonquins of Barriere Lake (ABL) against the Canadian Government’s imposition of Section 74 of the Indian Act. By enacting this obscure piece of the Act, the Canadian Government is attempting to take control of the community by imposing band council elections on the community. The ABL have always had their own customary government.

For more information, visit:
http://www.barrierelakesolidarity.org

LAC BARRIERE FONDS DE DEFENSE LEGALE

Les Algonquins de Lac Barrière ont été entraînés de force dans une bataille juridique avec le gouvernement du Canada pour protéger leurs droits territoriaux.

Ils n’y parviendront pas san votre appui.

La communauté se bat depuis des années pour s’assurer que le Canada et le Québec honorent l’entente trilatérale, plan de gestion intégrée des ressources signée en 1991.

Les gouvernements sont déterminés à faire annuler l’accord et tentent maintenant de saisir des documents névralgiques de la communauté appuyant leur lutte en faveur de l’accord trilatéral. Ces documents comprennent de la recherche sur l’utilisation et l’occupation traditionnelle du territoire, des études sur l’habitat faunique et de la recherche en lien avec leurs revendications territoriales.

Lac Barrière est forcé de prendre des couteuses mesures judiciaires pour se protéger des actions du gouvernement Canadien et ses représentants, un conseil de bande illégitime qui ne représente pas la communauté. Le conseil de bande a été mis en place l’été dernier par AINC avec à peine une douzaine de nominations; la plupart des membres de la communauté ont boycotté le processus, défendant leur système de gouvernance traditionnel.

Les frais juridiques qu’encourent mensuellement les Algonquins de Lac Barrière totaliseront des dizaines de milliers de dollars à la fin de l’année, soit approximativement 30 000 $ en Décembre 2011. La prochaine facture de frais juridiques de la communauté, dues à la fin d’aout, coutera plus de 6000 $ à elle seule.

Si la communauté perd le droit de garder en sa possession les documents de l’entente trilatéreale, elle lancera une contestation constitutionnelle contre le Canada et l’imposition de l’article 74 de la Loi sur les Indiens. L’article 74 permet au Ministre des Affaires Autochtones d’imposer un Conseil de bande plutôt qu’un gouvernement traditionnel, ce qui est une violation des Droits et Traités Autochtones, protégés à l’article 35 de la Constitution. Cette contestation judiciaire couteras plus de 100 000 $ dollars à long terme.

Pour en savoir davantage sur les 3 CONSÉQUENCES MAJEURS de cette affaire, veuillez visiter notre site web : http://www.barrierelakesolidarity.org/2011/08/barriere-lake-legal-defense-fund.html [Anglais seulement pour l’instant]

Vous trouverez également un lien PayPal sur notre site pour faire une contribution financière directement à la communauté: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=Q22YF238ACE5N.  Chaque montant compte. SVP. Donnez ce que vous pouvez.

Les chèques peuvent etre postés à :
OPIRG-GRIPO Ottawa
631 King Edward Ave. (3e Étage)
Ottawa, ON
K1N 7N8

** SVP libeller les chèques au nom de “Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Movement Ottawa”
et inscrire “Barriere Lake Legal Defense Fund” au bas du chèque **

Pour plus d’informations sur l’article 74 ou pour savoir comment joindre la communauté pour l’appuyer directement, svp contactez nous. Pour une introduction sur l’article 74 et la lutte de Lac Barrière, veuillez visionner cette courte vidéo de 3 minutes :

 

Tanya Tagaq at Women’s Worlds 2011: ‘Breaking Cycles’

~ solidarity

Tanya Tagaq was invited to participate in the first plenary, entitled ‘Breaking Cycles’, of the international Women’s Worlds 2011 conference, Her inspiring and heartfelt words touched on the topics of how traditional Inuit ways of keeping healthy communities were repressed under colonialism, about strong role models, residential schools, imposed community relocations, healing and breaking the cycles of sexual abuse, and even publicly announcing her 12-weeks-in pregnancy – plus she brought the plenary to a close with some beautiful singing.

She was on the panel with Andrea Smith, Devaki Jain, and moderator Joanne St. Lewis. She was there in place of Monica Chuji Gualinga from Ecuador, who had difficulties with her travel visa and was unable to attend.

See the full video of the plenary: http://vimeo.com/25984077

This was one of four plenaries, and around 300 sessions overall, during the five-day international women’s congress which is Women’s Worlds, celebrating it’s 30-year history in 2011. It was held this year in Ottawa, Canada, and over 2,000 women from around the world attended. More: www.womensworlds.ca

Harper Targeted First Nations for Increased Surveillance

~ solidarity

Harper targeted First Nations for increased surveillance, fears Native “unrest,”
newly released government documents show

Money for housing on reserves slashed, money for surveillance of Natives increased

For immediate release: June 13, 2011

Newly exposed internal documents from Indian Affairs and the RCMP show that shortly after forming government in January of 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper had the federal government step up intelligence gathering on First Nations to anticipate and manage First Nations political action across Canada.

Information obtained by the First Nations Strategic Bulletin through Access to Information requests reveals that almost immediately upon Harper’s taking power in 2006, the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) was given the lead role to spy on First Nations. The goal was to identify the First Nation leaders, participants and outside supporters of First Nation occupations and protests, and to closely monitor their actions.

To accomplish this task, INAC established a “Hot Spot Reporting System.” These weekly reports highlight all those communities across the country that engage in direct action to protect their lands and communities. They include Tsartlip First Nation, the Algonquins of Barriere Lake, Six Nations, Grassy Narrows, the Likhts’amsiyu Clan of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation, Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, and many more.

“Rather than listening to the needs of First Nations communities Harper is making plans to use force to stifle the dissent that inevitably arises from chronic poverty and dispossession in Native communities,” said Russell Diabo, Mohawk policy analyst, in response. “First Nations education and housing is chronically under-funded, but policing and surveillance of legitimate Indigenous movements is always a priority.”

The documents reveal that First Nations are a closely monitored population who are causing a panic at the highest levels of the Canadian government.

Says Gord Elliot of Tsartlip First Nation, “Obviously trust and good faith are expected when working with INAC, the RCMP and other agencies of the Government. We are outraged to discover these same Ministries are spying on us. We were identified as a ‘hotspot’ because we had a roadblock demonstration to voice our concerns about the Treaty process and non-acknowledgment of Section 35 Constitutional Rights and Title.
We felt we had no choice because the Canadian Government won’t acknowledge our Constitutionally protected Aboriginal Rights and Title.”

For more information and to obtain original documents, contact:
Shiri Pasternak, media spokesperson: 647-227-6696

Media Spokespeople:

Russell Diabo, editor and publisher, First Nations Strategic Bulletin: 613-296-0110
Gord Elliot, Councillor, Tsartlip First Nation: 250-883-3970
Shawn Brant, Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory: 613- 813-2057

– 30 –

ROLL WITH THE DECLARATION – “THE LAND, OUR LIFE”

~ solidarity ~ Leave a comment

~~ Please spread the word ! ~~

ROLL WITH THE DECLARATION – “THE LAND, OUR LIFE”
Participatory Indigenous Solidarity Workshop with KAIROS, IPSMO – Barriere Lake Solidarity Collective and FAMILIES OF SISTERS IN SPIRIT

We will be making BANNERS!

1 pm – 5 pm
Saturday, June 4 2011
PSAC boardroom, 233 Gilmour St. Ottawa
Unceded and Unsurrendered Algonquin Territory

This workshop is open to everyone!  Refreshment and snack will be provided.

Please R.S.V.P. through this facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=164532860277728.  Thanks!!

Special guests: Ed Bianchi, Kristen Gilchrist, Bridget Tolley, Tillis Wawatie Keye and Marcelo Saavedra-Vargas!

Come and learn about the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Mitchikanibikok Inik (the Algonquins of Barriere Lake) and Violence against Indigenous Women in Canada.  As a part of the discussions, we will do a powerful exercise that explores the experience and impacts of colonization – the BLANKET exercise.

In the 2nd part of the workshop, we will collectively make banners to express our solidarity with the Algonquins of Barriere Lake and Indigenous Women in this country.  These banners are a way to urge Canada to get to work on implementing this historic international agreement – UNDRIP – the minimum standard for the governments to fulfill their obligations for the right of Indigenous peoples to self-determination.  These banners will then join other banners from across the country in a demonstration and march on June 20 Day of Action organized by KARIOS.

** We will ask for donations to cover the costs of materials for this event.

For more info:

Mitchikanibikok Inik (the Algonquins of Barriere Lake): http://www.barrierelakesolidarity.org,
Violence against Indigenous Women in Canada: http://www.amnesty.ca/campaigns/sisters_overview.php,
Families of Sisters in Spirit: https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_126522944087041&ap=1,
Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Movement Ottawa: http://www.ipsmo.org,
KAIROS: http://www.kairoscanada.org, and

UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/en/drip.html

Information & Resources on Barriere Lake

~ Tim K ~ Leave a comment

WHO ARE THE ALGONQUINS OF BARRIERE LAKE?

The Algonquins of Barriere Lake (ABL) are a First Nation who hunt, fish, trap, and harvest on more than 10,000 square kilometers of territory north of Ottawa in what is now called Quebec. They are one of the few First Nations in Canada who still speak their traditional language and have a traditional government that is tied to their land-based existence. (Most First Nations in Canada had their traditional government replaced by the Government of Canada’s “band council” system). The community attributes the strength of their Algonquin language, their culture, and their protection of the land to the endurance of their own governance system, the Mitchikanibikok Anishinabe Onakinakewin.

The ABL, like many indigenous people world-over, have been long been embroiled in a land struggle against their colonizers (the Canadian Government). Since 1991 this dispute hinges on a Trilateral Agreement, which both the Federal and Provincial governments have signed, but have failed to honor.

WHAT’S THE STRUGGLE ABOUT?

In short, the Algonquins of Barriere Lake are struggling to survive, and preserve their customs and way of life. This involves defending the land on which they live. Since 1991, they have been trying to get the Federal and Provincial Governments to honour the Trilateral Agreement (See below for more detail).

From an outside perspective, it can seem like a very complicated struggle. The struggle has taken many twists and turns, as the ABL have had to respond to a wide array of tactics used by the Canadian Government to try to weaken them. The ABL have written letters, blockaded the highway that runs through their land, fought for their rights in court, marched in Toronto, participated in days of action, and so on. The details of many of these actions can be learned about on this website, as they’ve been documented and archived.

CURRENTLY, the ABL is running a campaign against Section 74 of the Indian Act, because the most recent tactic of the Canadian Government to take control has been to impose band council elections on the community. The ABL have always had their customary government. You can read our primer about that HERE.

WHAT IS THE TRILATERAL AGREEMENT?

The Trilateral Agreement is a contract between the Federal Government (Canada), the Provincial Government (Quebec) and the ABL that deals with land use of 10 000 km2 of land traditionally inhabited and used by the ABL. It is an alternative to Canada’s preferred negotiation policy, called the “Comprehensive Land Claims.” This negotiating process forces First Nations to extinguish their Aboriginal rights and title upon settlement, to give up communal land rights for private property ownership, and to shoulder expensive legal and land use mapping costs that eventually get docked from meager settlements.

The ABL rejected this Comprehensive land claims approach, and chose instead to sign a conservation plan called the Trilateral Agreement. In summary, the Trilateral agreement would see the ABL included in decision making about the land, and gain a financial return from any resource extraction or commerce on their land (logging, hydro-electric, tourism). It would see traditional Algonquin knowledge of the land integrated into how the territory might be used and conserved.

Both the provincial and federal governments have dragged their heels in implementing this agreement, going so far as to deny its legitimacy as a contract and orchestrating coups of the customary government in the ABL community, sowing internal foment. Instead, Canada has hired expensive diplomats to help strategize on how to break their own commitments. Proof of this has been made clear by a report penned by one of these diplomats, Marc Perron, in Dec 2007, in which he outlined strategies to disrupt the community and take them off course from pursuing the Trilateral Agreement. The imposition of Section 74 is but another tactic to try to divide and weaken this community that has shown such strength in its struggle to defend the land.

For a timeline of the recent history of ABL: https://ipsmo.wordpress.com/barriere-lake/

Coverage of Algonquins of Barriere Lake logging protest in the summer of 2012

Video: Algonquins of Barriere Lake VS Section 74 of the Indian Act

Dec 13: Barriere Lake Algonquins and supporters rally for sovereignty
OTTAWA: Day of Action to Support the Algonquins of Barriere Lake

Barricading INAC: Barriere Lake unites in opposition to the federal government’s imposition of Indian Act elections By Amy German on August 13, 2010
‘This looks like tyranny’ Canada imposes chief and council on Algonquin community By Gale Courey Toensing on Aug 26, 2010
Canada’s stealth democracy: Federal operatives infiltrate Barriere Lake to arrange secret “elections” for their pre-selected leaders By Amy German on August 27, 2010
Indian Affairs imposes new Chief and Council on Barriere Lake with the consent of only a half dozen people

Supportive Letter from AFN to Minister of Indian Affairs

Union of BC Indian Chiefs support Algonquins of Barriere Lake / Mitchikanibikok Inik

Action Alert/Action Urgente! Barriere Lake Algonquins say NO to Canada and Quebec’s armed-imposition of unconstitutional Indian Act election

Action Alert! Barriere Lake Algonquins set up peaceful blockade to stop unconstitutional attack on their customary government

SAY NO to Indian Act Section 74

Barriere Lake Algonquins protest Conservative government’s assimilation of their traditional political governance system: Political parties, major unions, Indigenous groups call for respect for community’s Inherent rights

A CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT THE ALGONQUINS OF BARRIERE LAKE OPPOSE SECTION 74 of the INDIAN ACT

Press release: Barriere Lake governance

“Community members and youth plan to defend our rights for the sake of our generation and the generations to come.”
– Tony Wawatie, spokesperson.

Local activists to face Quebec judge over Barriere Lake Algonquin highway blockades

Blockade on the 117 (Oct. 2008)

Barriere Lake: Blockade Round II (Nov. 2008)

NFB film: Blockade – Algonquins Defend The Forest directed by Boyce Richardson

About BARRIERE LAKE SOLIDARITY (BLS) Collective

BLS Collective is a network of people from outside of Barriere Lake who are working with the community to support their struggle. IPSMO is part of the collective in Ottawa.

For more resources please visit: http://www.barrierelakesolidarity.org/2008/03/resources.html

Video: Algonquins of Barriere Lake VS Section 74 of the Indian Act

~ waawaaskesh

Algonquins of Barriere Lake vs Section 74 of the Indian Act from Barriere Lake Solidarity on Vimeo.

Barriere Lake Solidarity has produced this video to help bring attention to the current struggle by the Algonquins of Barriere Lake (ABL) against the Canadian Government’s imposition of Section 74 of the Indian Act. By enacting this obscure piece of the Act, the Canadian Government is attempting to take control of the community by imposing band council elections on the community. The ABL have always had their own customary government.

For more information, visit:
http://www.barrierelakesolidarity.org