Ont. Mohawks plan blockade for Friday

Monday, June 25, 2007

CBC News

Travellers in the Montreal-Toronto-Ottawa corridor may have to adjust their Canada Day weekend plans after a native group said it will go ahead with a road or rail barricade on Friday, likely between Belleville and Kingston.

Spokesman Shawn Brant confirmed Monday that protesters from the Tyendinaga Mohawk reserve near Deseronto, Ont., plan to set up a blockade of either Highway 401 or the national rail line, close to the town on Lake Ontario’s Bay of Quinte, or will block access to Deseronto itself.

‘This is the power we have’
The move will be part of the Assembly of First Nations’ National Day of Action on June 29 to draw attention to aboriginal poverty and unresolved land claims, Brant said.

He added that the day is important for indigenous people.

“We’re gonna be able to say to the government, ‘This is the power that we have,’ ” said Brant, whose group has occupied a quarry near Deseronto since March to protest an unresolved land claim.

Brant is also among those named in a lawsuit launched by Canadian National Railway over a blockade held in April over the same issue.

The Tyendinaga Mohawk band council is negotiating with the federal government over about 400 hectares of privately held land that Mohawks say they never surrendered. Brant’s group says the talks are moving too slowly.

Phil Fontaine, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, has said the National Day of Action is meant to reach out to Canadians, not to cause major disruptions.

Manitoba chief called off blockade
In May, Chief Terrance Nelson of Manitoba’s Roseau River First Nation threatened to block a CN line running through his community on the June day of action. He called off the protest last Tuesday after Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice decided to add 30 hectares of new land to the Roseau River band’s territory.

Brant called the government’s move at Roseau River a last-minute ploy and said he thinks it was done to “destabilize June 29 as a day of action.”

He was also critical of Nelson’s decision to call off his blockade.

“To say that 70 acres was enough to sell out the day and sell out the people is an indignity to everyone who’s been standing in these positions from the beginning,” he said.

National Day of Action – June 29, 2007

Date: Friday, June 29th.

Location: On and near the railroad tracks at the VIA rail station on Counter Street, Kingston, ON.

The Kingston Mohawk Support Network (KMSN) plans to hold demonstrations on and near railroad tracks in Kingston.

We will be calling upon our government to respect its historical agreements with First Nations, and to begin to conduct itself peaceably, justly and honourably in its dealings with all First Nations and peoples.

We have chosen the train tracks as the location for this event to demonstrate our solidarity with the numerous road and railway blockades that are being planned by First Nations communities across Canada as part of this National Day of Action.

A big part of celebrating the National Day of Action will be educating the non-native public as they cross the tracks, but equally important is showing the government and First Nations that First Nations are not alone in their fight for justice and the land they were promised.

We encourage the participation of as many people as possible, in as many ways as possible. Some people may choose set up lawn chairs and “relax on the tracks,” while others may choose to stand by the side of the road and pass out pamphlets and refreshments to motorists (where roads cross the tracks), and still others may play music, chat with passers-by, or play Frisbee on the grass.

We hope to foster a positive and celebratory tone to the protest, with music, street theatre, dancing, and free food.

We invite natives and non-natives alike to join us on June 29th, as we call for an end to Canadian colonialism and apartheid, and for the recognition of First Nations’ sovereignty.

For more information, please contact: mohawksupport@riseup.net

CUPE PRESS RELEASE

Union activists support First Nations National Day of Action – June 29th

Ottawa — The National Executive Board (NEB) of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is meeting in Ottawa this week, and passed a resolution calling on CUPE members and all Canadians to support the Assembly of First Nations National Day of Action, planned for June 29, 2007.

Speaking on behalf of the NEB, National President Paul Moist reinforced CUPE’s nation wide support for this planned day of action in response to the crisis First Nations communities face throughout the country.

“I am proud to be the leader of Canada’s largest union and even more proud that our leadership voted unanimously to support our brothers and sisters in First Nations communities across this country in a day dedicated to promoting issues that First Nations people face.”

“CUPE’s national executive and our members in every part of Canada share the concerns expressed by First Nations Peoples and we will take our place in support of you.

Moist reinforced the importance of CUPE’s mandate to ensure that all communities have publicly funded and operated services.

“Ensuring public services are available to make communities vibrant fits right in with CUPE’s strong communities mandate,” said Moist.

“It is CUPE’s role to advocate on behalf of all communities for the very basic rights of public water, public education and child care, public health and health and safety standards and more,” added Leo Cheverie, diversity vice-president.

“On June 29th, says Moist, “we’ll support the day of action and every other day of the year we will continue to advocate on behalf of all communities who need basic public services.”

CUPE members are asked to support and attend any events and activities <http://www.afn.ca/nda/es.htm> in their area, sign the online petition at the AFN website <http://www.afn.ca/MPH/mph.htm>, wear a wristband to show support for Make Poverty History campaign, call or write MPs, the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs and the Office of the Prime Minister.

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