Idle No More Protest on January 11, 2013

On January 11, Ottawa laid witness to nearly 3,000 people as they gathered to walk from Victoria Island to Parliament Hill as part of the Idle No More Movement. Formed just months ago in protest to indigenous rights and environmental protection concerns, Ottawa’s protest was just one of many held across the continent and around the world to show solidarity; from London, Ontario to London, England, to Germany, Japan and back to Edmonton, Montreal, Calgary, Sault St. Marie, San Diego and New York, New York. The march did not begin until Chief Spence addressed the crowd within the encampment on Victoria Island. Although Chief Spence states she is not part of the Idle No More Movement and the Idle No More Movement states they are not Chief Spence, they act in unison and not without each other.

Rain pelted the supporters of the movement as they walked up to the main entrance of the Prime Minister’s office. Just short of this building the protestors were met by Chiefs who chose not to attend the meeting with Prime Minister Harper. Grand Chief Derek Nepinak of Manitoba, who shunned the meeting with Harper, called Friday “a great victory” and said he was “ecstatic about our drums and about our people today.” The Chiefs walked toward the front line of protestors in a show of support that proved to be a very emotional and powerful union. The front line of protestors consisted of those carrying ceremonial staffs, Chiefs, and flag holders with singers and drummers following closely behind. There were many groups of singers who weaved throughout the march lending spiritual support by their songs and drumming. One elder from the Cross Lake First Nation, Raymond Robinson, is also on a hunger strike consisting of water and herbal tea, and started his just 10 hours after Chief Spence started her liquid diet of fish broth and traditional teas. Robinson stopped often during the walk due to his hunger strike and weakening state. Robinson, rallied by the energy of the people, singers and drumming, went on to give an emotional speech on the steps of the Prime Minister’s office.

Chief Spence did not attend the meeting either; Spence stated she would not meet with Harper until the Governor General was in attendance as well. Chief Spence remained in her tent and continues her liquid diet of fish broth and traditional teas as of this writing.

As unified as Chief Spence is with Idle No Movement the national chiefs appeared divided on January 11, 2013. Assembly of First Nations chiefs led by National Chief Shawn Atleo attended the Harper meeting while other chiefs boycotted the talks. After the January 11 meeting, Chief Atleo downplayed any rifts between aboriginal leadership.

“We have full consensus on the substance of the issues that were pressed fully today by the delegation that went to the Prime Minister,” Atleo expressed, “It’s going to require real work to follow through, but we have now a highest level mandate from the Prime Minister. I cannot understate that the voices of our people helped create the level of urgency.”

Those chiefs that did attend left feeling optimistic and even though Harper didn’t promise to remove the controversial environmental provisions in two omnibus budget bills those issues “are on the table.” The other major issue surrounding the talks is the state (safety) of aboriginal women, it remains unclear as to any progress being made on inquiry into the issue of missing aboriginal women.

Divisions with the Chiefs

Chief Spence remained in her tent during the “working meeting” with the Prime Minister. The working meeting was followed by a ceremonial event at Rideau Hall, which included a greeting by Gov. Gen. David Johnston, a procession, and a smudging ceremony and prayer performed by a native elder, according to a statement from the Office of the Governor General of Canada. Chief Spence did attend this meeting.

Joining Atleo inside were delegates representing Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, P.E.I., Quebec, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Alberta and Yukon, including Quebec’s leader, Matthew Coon Come, who said that his colleagues wanted to be able to go home and tell their people they didn’t come to Ottawa just to protest, but to have a meeting and address real issues.

Here are some of the people who attended a meeting between First Nations Chiefs and Prime Minister Stephen Harper, according to the PMO and the Assembly of First Nations.

From the government:

•Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

•Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan.

•Treasury Board president Tony Clement.

•Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq.

•Parliamentary Secretary Greg Rickford.

•AANDC officials, including Deputy Minister Michael Wernick and senior assistants.

•Senior officials from the Privy Council, Natural Resources and HRSDC.

From the AFN:

•National Chief Shawn Atleo.

•Terry Paul, Debora Robinson (Nova Scotia/N.L.).

•Regional Chief Roger Augustine, George Ginnish (New Brunswick/P.E.I.).

•Regional Chief Ghislain Picard, Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come (Quebec).

•Leo Omani, Norma Johnstone, Marcel Head (Saskatchewan).

•Regional Chief Jody Wilson-Raybould, Grand Chief Ed John, Doug White (B.C.).

•Regional Chief Mike Smith, Eric Fairclough (Yukon).

•Grand Chief Charles Weaselhead Treaty 7, Grand Chief Roland Twinn Treaty 8 (Alberta).

•Sasha Maracle, AFN Youth Council.

•Bertha Commanda, AFN Elders Council.

By the evening of January 11, the talks were breaking down, with chiefs from first Manitoba and then other regions including Ontario, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories saying the talks must be held on their terms: involving more chiefs, in a bigger room and including the Governor General.