Idle No More
The Idle No More protest movement continues to gain steam here in Chicago.
Approximately five hundred Native Americans from the Chicago region gathered on Saturday to hold a rally in opposition to the Canadian Government’s introduction of Bill C-45. According to the grassroots movement called “Idle No More,” this legislation will further erode indigenous treaty rights and damage the environment.
Idle No More is a grassroots movement that began when four women from Saskatchewan started communicating their concerns about Bill C-45. After starting a FaceBook page titled “Idle No More,” the movement quickly spread to include the First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples, as well as their non-Aboriginal supporters in Canada and around the world.
The group marched down Lake St. to the offices of the Canadian Consulate located at 180 North Stetson Avenue, Chicago. There was an overwhelming sense of community mixed in with the burning sage and rhythmic drumming.
Many of the activists claim C-45 weakens environmental protection laws. In particular, laws protecting the country’s navigable waterways, many of which pass through land reserved to First Nations.
A spokesman from the Canadian Consulate came out and addressed the crowd by reading a statement issued by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. This statement announced a planned meeting between a delegation of First Nations leadership and the Harper Government.
IDLE NO MORE MANIFESTO
We contend that:
The Treaties are nation to nation agreements between Canada and
First Nations who are sovereign nations. The Treaties are agreements that cannot be altered or broken by one side of the two Nations. The spirit and intent of the Treaty agreements meant that First Nations peoples would share the land, but retain their inherent rights to lands and resources. Instead, First Nations have experienced a history of colonization which has resulted in outstanding land claims, lack of resources and unequal funding for services such as education and housing.We contend that:
Canada has become one of the wealthiest countries in the world by using the land and resources. Canadian mining, logging, oil and fishing companies are the most powerful in the world due to land and resources. Some of the poorest First Nations communities (such as Attawapiskat) have mines or other developments on their land but do not get a share o…
f the profit. The taking of resources has left many lands and waters poisoned – the animals and plants are dying in many areas in Canada. We cannot live without the land and water. We have laws older than this colonial government about how to live with the land.We contend that:
Currently, this government is trying to pass many laws so that reserve lands can also be bought and sold by big companies to get profit from resources. They are promising to share this time…Why would these promises be different from past promises? We will be left with nothing but poisoned water, land and air. This is an attempt to take away sovereignty and the inherent right to land and resources from First Nations peoples.We contend that:
There are many examples of other countries moving towards sustainability, and we must demand sustainable development as well. We believe in healthy, just, equitable and sustainable communities and have a vision and plan of how to build them.