OTTAWA – Thousands of Idle No More supporters descended on the Prime Minister’s office on Friday, among them chiefs who refused to attend the controversial meeting being held within the historic sandstone building.
Shouts pierced the air, drums rumbled and flags waved as more than 3,000 demonstrators marched two kilometres from Victoria Island on the Ottawa River to the shadow of Parliament Hill to send a message to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
“Open the door,” people shouted as they pounded on the door of the Langevin Block and asked Harper to listen to their concerns about aboriginal rights, treaty rights and the environment.
Among the door-knockers were chiefs from Manitoba and Ontario who pulled their support from the meeting being held inside between Harper and other First Nations leaders, including Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo.
“We have not jumped through the hoops that the Prime Minister always puts in front of us just to meet with him,” said Grand Chief Derek Nepinak of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. “I will pray for the Prime Minister who will not leave his hive…he won’t step out of us because he is fearful of us.”
The protesting chiefs wanted Gov. Gen. David Johnston to attend the gathering as well, according to the wishes of Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence. She cites the importance of Johnston's presence at the meeting to discuss treaty issues as a representative of the Crown, which signed the agreements originally.
Johnston invited the chiefs to a separate “ceremonial meeting” Friday evening, but it was not enough to appease all the chiefs.
Spence, who has been on a liquids-only protest diet for a month, refused to attend the meeting on Friday and affirmed she would continue her protest.
While chiefs were divided over the meeting, there was unity among the Idle No More protestors, a grassroots campaign to stop legislation that they believe compromises aboriginal rights and the environment.
“Once the land is gone, there’s nothing,” said Lori Lemaigre of the Clearwater River Dene Nation. “It’s not only for us: we’re standing up for every Canadian across our country.”
Tina Kewais spoke of the need to fight laws she said would weaken environmental protection.
Idle No More began as movement to denounce laws passed by the Harper government, including the omnibus bill, which they say weaken environmental protection. Tina Kewais of White Fish Lake First Nation spoke of the need to fight those measures.
“Millions of lakes are already been unprotected,” she said. “The only thing standing in the way is First nations titlement. That's why they're trying to take our rights away.”
The laws aren’t the only thing people are protesting. Many were angry the government pushed the laws through without honouring their constitutional obligation to consult with First Nations people.
“We’re not going to be pushed around and sit at home and take whatever the government puts on us and takes away from us,” said Wenona Cottrelle, who came to the march from Sarnia, Ont.
“They have to listen. That’s what they have to do,” said Yvonne Sagon from Zhiibaahaasing First Nation in Ontario. “They’re not hearing that they made promises and now they are trying to break them.”
There was also much support expressed by demonstrators for Spence’s efforts to focus attention on treaty issues.
The protest started Friday morning at Spence’s encampment on Victoria Island, where the northern Ontario chief emerged after days of silence.
“This meeting has been overdue for so many years,” Spence said. “This government has been abusing us, raping the land.”
Spence also defended the financial management of her reserve for the first time since the government released a scathing audit of the community’s books. The audit suggests the band council did not properly keep track of $104 million in spending over the past several years.
“He gives false statements about the funding,” she said of Harper.
Most of the money the reserve gets ends up being spent outside the reserve to hire contractors, consultants, lawyers and other services, according to Spence.
Spence would not take questions from the media.
© Global News. A division of Shaw Media Inc., 2013.