Inside Story Americas - Canada's indigenous movement gains momentum

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Canada's Idle No More movement began as a small social media campaign - armed with little more than a hashtag and a cause. But it has grown into a large indigenous movement, with protests and ceremonial gatherings held almost daily in many of the country's major cities. The movement is spearheaded by Theresa Spence, the leader of the Attawapiskat, a small native band in northern Ontario. Spence is now 22 days into a hunger strike on Ottawa's Victoria Island just across from the Canadian Parliament.
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[@shirehorse91]

Agreed, that's a concern. However, that is not the demands of Attawapiskat.

[@shirehorse91]

"Lakes, rivers, oceans and most bodies of water are connected." Gosh, what an amazing incite. They aren't asking for anything to do with the environment. They are asking for new homes, jobs, and new water treatment plant.

[@tasinallb]

It's about time someone from mainstream media is listening. .. thank you for having Clayton Mueller who has spent his life fighting for the protection of natural life. .

[@lastrationalist7890]

So most Plains tribes came up of and adopted a method called the Counting Coup. And it was a method that encouraged warriors to simply touch an enemy with their hands, bow or a coup stick without killing them and escaping that unharmed as the ultimate form of honor and pride.

[@shirehorse91]

The government isn't legally allowed to tear up contracts. They can be renegotiated as happen in Nunavut, but not torn up. If you it was torn every Canadian would loose the ownership to their property.

[@shirehorse91]

Agreed. But, I'm also concerned with communities that have bad housing, unemployment, and education.

[@shirehorse91]

Attawapiskat is in a great area with many resources. If managed sustainably, industries such as lumbering and log cabin building could last for ever.

[@shirehorse91]

I was reading a bit about tuberculosis in the school.

[@crazylegger]

By the way, the number of FN massacres in Canada is 1. 24 people died, and it was over a misunderstanding. You can read about it, it's called the Cypress Hills Massacre. There were a couple battles as well, but they don't account for 14 million people. Also, you were somewhat correct about residential schools, although the information I have gathered says the number is between 30% and 60% mortality rate, a 6-12% per year.

[@alphabettsoup]

Thanks for clearing that up! I hope Harper takes this protest seriously and honors the treaties. I'm disgusted by what he's doing with C-45

[@shirehorse91]

Can you explain the mortality rate a residential schools. What's causing it.

[@manoloarciniegas2542]

You realize how Canadian media sucks, when something as important and controversial is not discussed. Every conservative that voted for Harper should get informed about this issue.

[@shirehorse91]

That's not what's happening. The oil isn't on their land. Those are typical environment problems that many communities have. I agree that they need control over their resources.

[@AuthorityQuestion]

@shirehorse91 Lakes, rivers, oceans and most bodies of water are connected. If they push for the river mentioned to be clean I'm sure that would effect other bodies of water.

[@shirehorse91]

Food, is extremely expensive, if you are going to fly it in to Northern communities. If you farm it yourself, then it's pretty cheap. I believe they get paid a lump sum as you said. The government payment was never designed as a substitute for working or to be lived off of. When the contract were set up the communities were responsible for the maintenance of the community.

[@lastrationalist7890]

Before the fur trade was introduced the Iroquois had traditional restrictions which prevented them from overhunting animals in their area but these traditions had been, unfortunately, largely forgotten by the time the Beaver Wars had started. So to get more beaver skin the Iroquois expanded their territory west and pushed out Algonquin tribes as they moved along.

[@shirehorse91]

Attawapiskat is about getting new houses and water treatment plant. It's not about the environment. They need emergency support and long term change to create jobs in the local area.

[@shirehorse91]

There are some disputes still happening, but most have been resolved. Selling off land for mining and development? Where? What land that was stolen? Well yes, streets, cars, electricity, etc aren't traditional lifestyle.

[@3101010]

Riiiiight!

[@shirehorse91]

It's not a stereotype. Unemployment is a major issue in Native communities. In most northern communities no one works.

[@shirehorse91]

Well, the government pays for everything in community from streets to houses to schools to living expenses, so I don't know how else to class it. In the northern res nobody works or pays taxes.

[@lastrationalist7890]

The Mikmaq became heavily influenced and corrupted by the fur trade and it’s young men who especially became victims of it. Young Mikmaq men abandoned their traditional roles as caretakers of their tribe and instead sought out to make personal wealth through the trade. The Beothuks, on the other hand, refused to participate in the fur trade and this was the core reason that started the conflict between the two especially after the Mikmaq allied with the English.

[@kevincharbonneau5953]

theresa spence is right to not hold a meeting with the prime minister of canada without the governor general(who really holds power) being there.

[@lastrationalist7890]

Now it’s true that the Mikmaqs, like the Europeans, also invaded Beothuk territory but their role was secondary compared to what the Europeans had done. In fact there's proof that the Mikmaqs lived in Newfoundland far earlier than was once believed and actually were allies with the Beothuks before European contact. Unfortunately everything changed when the fur trade was introduced by the Europeans.

[@pepelay9748]

About time for Native People of both North & South America, the true rightful owners of the land, to reclaim their long lost beloved mother land. 500 yrs is more than enough for putting up with neglect and indifference. [Google 'sicko uncle sam' for more]

[@shirehorse91]

"CONTRACTS should finally be upheld and respected for once" What do mean? The contracts are up held. The problem isn't contracts in the case of Attawapaiskat and many northern communities, rather it's jobs. No one works because there are no jobs in the area. The contract doesn't guarantee jobs or welfare for the entire community.

[@shirehorse91]

Yes, LOL. There seems to be those that don't quite grasp that there's a contract involved. If the contracts are ripped up then be prepared to give the land back.

[@shirehorse91]

It isn't legal for treaties to be scraped by referendum. I'm not looking for handouts because I work for living.

[@shirehorse91]

Seriously, how do you improve the financial for people who live hundreds of mile away from any job.

[@shirehorse91]

There was no genocide of the Native people by the Europeans in Canada. War was common for Native people were permanently at war and summer being the war season. The Hurons were exterminated by the Iroquois (?), the Mikmac exterminated Beothuk, the Inuit exterminated everyone in a strip of land hundreds of miles wide and thousands of miles long, Plains tribes exterminated other Plains tribes etc. Natives normally didn't keep prisoners.

[@biggadawgz]

what do you reference when you post i dont know what im talking about ? what is it i dont know ?

[@AuthorityQuestion]

Attawapiskat want change that will really effect everyone not just indigenous people. They're a small group but speaking for everyone's water and air and improving the environment for the world.

[@pruebasdegajo]

good guests

[@lastrationalist7890]

FYI: The Iroquois Confederacy (who calls themselves the Haudenosaunee) was represented by five nations (Mohawk, Seneca, Oneida, Onondaga, and Cayuga) who were previously at constant war with each other before an individual known to the Iroquois as the “Great Peacemaker” came and put an end to the conflict. Afterwards they made a democracy called the great council and largely lived in peace with one another and didn’t raid or attack neighboring tribes.

[@iluminatiytu]

Good.

[@manoobo]

One of the issue they face is it is the same government and same churches still oppressing them, yes they need spiritual healing, we all do. The only ticket out of here is spiritual, however before they can begin to heal they have to first be free to heal and the perpetrators need to be brought to justice. Hopefully is what will be the result of the Idle No More movement.

[@lastrationalist7890]

In fact their great council would later have great influence over the creation of the US constitution. The fact that the Iroquois would become aggressive expansionists during the Beaver Wars shows how badly affected they were by the fur trade.

[@lastrationalist7890]

“The Hurons were exterminated by the Iroquois” From my understanding you’re trying to mention an event that happened during the Beaver Wars where the Iroquois invaded territory inhabited by Algonquin speaking tribes so that they can monopolize the fur trade especially on beaver skin. But the truth is that the story is far more complex than that.

[@shirehorse91]

...These communities need the government to pay for highways to be built and maintained which cost millions of dollars for one small group of people. The don't pay taxes so any medical facility, school, roads, water etc. has to be paid for by the government. Their houses are paid for by the government and need to be rebuilt because nobody maintains them. Other Northern communities assume that they may have to move to find jobs or go to school and don't expect the gnmt to bring it to them.

[@picturepirate62]

There are adds by Harper,on CTV like the pepline is a forgon conclusion. and it is far from that.

[@lastrationalist7890]

Wait I'm confused by what you said by your last sentence. If the contracts are ripped off (which are the treaties) then indigenous peoples will lose their status as sovereign nations (well hypothetically they're suppose to be sovereign nations but of course the US and Canadian governments never kept their promise). But your last statement suggest that if the treaties are ripped up then land will be given back but who's the one giving back land?

[@shirehorse91]

Yes, environmental laws have to change back and Native communities need more help. The problem is that these agreements are hundreds of years old when Native communities supported themselves on hunting a fishing. It's impossible to support a modern lifestyle with hunting and gathering so everyone is unemployed. In addition, they're are small communities of few hundred people who live hundreds of miles from any source of employment. ...

[@byurBUDdy]

You do not seem to understand, the entire Continent is the land of the Original People. Each tribe existed on this land free to transgress from one place to another for thousands of years, then another people came over, made treaties with them, breaking them each step they took. What good faith do they have in the word of European, when every time they promised something they breached that promise made in good faith, and stole the land anyways.

[@lastrationalist7890]

At the same time though fur was in high demand in Europe and countries like Britain, France and the Netherlands were competing with each other to have more control over the fur trade. So to get more of those said fur these countries had to gain more colonial land control over the boreal forest in northern USA and Canada.

[@mosesbullrush8051]

@buckodcelt VERY good point.

[@lastrationalist7890]

The English especially wanted to expand westward of their colonial territory in North America and as a result they made the Iroquois do all the dirty work by encouraging them to invade Algonquin tribes who were largely allied with the French (who were the English’s biggest competitor in terms of colonial control in N. America at the time). This thus triggered the bloody Beaver Wars.

[@crazylegger]

I think people see that, but I think people don't tend to carry the guilt of those Europeans on their sleeve because they are not those people. Just because someone is white, does not mean they hold or ever held those ideals. It's not fair to put that on someone based on the colour of their skin...

[@shirehorse91]

Got'ya. I might have over reacted because everyone was yelling at me.

[@lastrationalist7890]

The Europeans, on the other hand, retaliated against the Beothuks by massacring entire villages all just because one of their fishing posts was destroyed or for some other stupid similar reason. This, along with the spread of European diseases, was the primary factor for the genocide of the Beothuk Indians. Ask most scholars about the fate of the Beothuks and they will say that European colonization was at fault. What else can it be?

[@byurBUDdy]

Lets look at it logically. Say we made a agreement that I can get oil from your land, and that I build you a house. But not only do I get money off the oil, I make you pay for the house, and dirty up your whole land so that now your house is a oil covered house that you paid for. Plus you do not get paid for the oil.

[@shirehorse91]

Your quote doesn't support your claim. Might I suggest reading up on the issues of Attawapiskat.

[@shirehorse91]

Gosh, thank you, I didn't know that (sarcasm off). "Each tribe existed on this land free to transgress from one place to another for thousands of years." Uh no, that a bunch of New Age nonsense and the land wasn't stolen, it was SOLD.

[@aaniiniji]

We're not just grassroots people. We are federal people, meaning the power that this supposed country has assumed is promulgated my the delusion that they by law have more power.

[@crazylegger]

What are you talking about? No, not at all. If you look at the number of massacres in the US, it far exceeds the number in Canada. Canadian government established the numbered Treaties. The Harper government listened to the FN people when making amendments to the Indian Act, the changes he made were the ones asked for during their meeting last year. Harper is the only PM to ever acknowledge residential schools, and apologized!

[@lastrationalist7890]

Are you telling me that that when Indians signed treaties with the government they did it with full knowledge and consensus of what would happen afterwards? No what really happened is that the Indians were told only the good parts of the treaties and they signed the treaties with only knowing that specific knowledge.

[@crazylegger]

You can give people money, you can give people land, but does that make them stop passing on hatred a nd pain to their children? I don't think so. I agree that healing needs to happen, but I think there are other ways of doing it. Spiritual healing is important, getting people in touch with their beliefs, their culture. That doesn't mean their heritage, it means what they currently believe in and practice. Getting people therapy, support, allowing people to talk instead of throwing money at it.

[@crazylegger]

Communities promote segregation. First Nations people should be allowed to sell the land they own to whoever they want, and those people should be able to own said land. Non-aboriginal people should be allowed to live on all land in Canada, if aboriginals were not allowed to live on some land, that would be racist, how is the opposite not true? The land should belong to all Canadians, and we should all share it and live together.

[@lastrationalist7890]

"The only genocide of Natives in Canadian history is by fellow Natives." Okay I hear people like you say this statement many times but where is the proof that this actually happened? I understand there was always war between different native groups but where is the evidence that there was a large scale killing of natives by other native groups on the same scale that the Europeans committed? To the point where it can actually be considered genocide?

[@shirehorse91]

Yes, Natives do have land and resources because they have a CONTRACT that says so.

[@lastrationalist7890]

Also name me ONE case where the Indians "sold" their land and actually had full knowledge and consensus before doing so and not just being told half truths.

[@shirehorse91]

The fact that you have to rely examples of land being illegally sold in foreign countries and have no contemporary case in Canada proves you don't have a point.

[@vaarsuviusprime]

Well another possible interpretation is that the politicians were aware that the network carries a bias and thus they would not be given a fair chance to make their points clear. Liberals avoiding Fox news and the like are certainly making a good choice.

[@MANIDOMINIS]

For a visual scope of the #IdleNoMore Movement visit 'Native Canadian-American Indian Veterans and Warriors' on Facebook.

[@acerb4566]

Because they are like the twit I met once who totally refused to accept that a Cree is a Cree!, and not Canadian! (Except for the cree's that "do" wish to be Canadian, theres lots of them. But just as many are traditional and truely wish to remain "Cree and Free"!

[@nowwhereman1]

Harper and Vic toews should have to live on that Reserve

[@lsdvine]

"they're are small communities of few hundred people who live hundreds of miles from any source of employment. ..." so that gives Harper the right to sell off the lands for mining and development? what about their rights to the land that was stolen? (also i dont think you could class their standards as a modern lifestyle, but they cannot even support that, i suppose capitalism will always win in the end, but at what cost)

[@shirehorse91]

You're the one making the claim that they didn't know what they were signing so you it's your responsibility to provide evidence. Chief Joseph Brant is one example of an 18th century land speculator that made a fortune off of selling his people's land. Rich chiefs and poor Indian communities is an on going problem.

[@iluminatiytu]

Sooner or later someone has to pay for the stolen land.

[@3101010]

Its time for that CONTRACT to be torn up. Its time for Indians to WORK for the things they want. If you want water drill a well or move to the city. Its so simple start looking after yourselfs and stop looking for handouts.

[@byurBUDdy]

So you are saying sense money was given its a viable contract when one party was incompetent to make the contract ( due to cultural differences), and was not fully informed of the terms of that contract. Here is some gold, ("Don't tell them we will be back in a week to kick them off the land) You are completely ignorant of contract law, and law in general.

[@byurBUDdy]

There are a lot of nice people on this comment page.

[@3101010]

When are the Indians going to start taking care of themselves? I have yet to see any of them say they want to help start paying for roads, parks, or any of the services they use. Canadians are sick of footing the bill for anyone who makes NO effort to participate in society.

[@darkpill]

Natives need to take responsibility for themselves and stop relying on handouts.

[@shirehorse91]

Also I should add, that they don't care enough about the issue to put effort into doing proper research or to be honest about the issues. Their only concern is playing the great white saviour and feeding their own ego. If you care about the issue then they need to find out what the issues really are.

[@lastrationalist7890]

“Plains tribes exterminated other Plains tribes” Okay now I know you’re just making shit up by saying this. There’s no evidence that tribes in the Plains exterminated one another. Yes it’s true that they liked to fight one another through wars but they didn’t exterminate each other like you’re insisting. Because even bitter enemies found large scale massacres wasteful and an act of cowardice.

[@Garrys300]

Joe who??

[@byurBUDdy]

The biggest fraud ever perpetrated.

[@lsdvine]

terrible.. thank god for al jazeera

[@shirehorse91]

Of course Natives have a concept of money, did you not listen to a thing the speakers said. What do you mean the money given to them has no value? That's what they use to by houses, clothes, cars, etc. No one pushed them off their land, gave them blankets infected with small pox, marched thousands away, or enslaved them. Please show me in a Canadian history book where this happened. You really need to get your head out of the clouds and read a history book.

[@Garrys300]

I thought that was what occupy was all about ,seems the same to me....uniformed young people too lazy to get real training and jobs "idlers " is an apt description

[@swammpwatter]

how much is harper paying you?

[@Garrys300]

but you have no valid point.....that is the point and I believe I said haha not ahha I was taught that difference in grade school with a slap to the side of the head ,in case you didn't know white kids were "abused" in schools as well :)

[@tracybutler5859]

Thats rich someone who doesnt know what their talking about again.

[@nicknchrist]

Sorry for what the false representatives of the Creator in the name of "Christianity" have done in the past. Did JESUS ever do this? NO. Did Jesus oppress the people in His days? NO. Did Jesus ever His disicples to kill and murder for "his cause"? NO. Jesus put Himself on the tree and GAVE HIS LIFE for every dishonour. HE told His followers to love their enemies and ot make disciples out of all nations. This is a 2 time injustice to first the aboriginals and to CHRIST JESUS Himself.

[@crazylegger]

Caused. Mostly suicide.

[@shirehorse91]

Are you insane. Never mind, don't answer that.

[@Garrys300]

hahahahhahahahahaahaha