Video by Zach Ruiter

Still No Texts/Supplies for Six Na, not much else to say except for that Six Nations has a lot to say and they will say it Thursday October 11 in Toronto, noon at 25 St. Clair Ave East. Some schools may have their photocopiers repossessed, this is very sad to treat children this way.

On our August 27, 2012 showRadio BASICS interviews Anishinabek activists Richard Peters and Jonny Hawke who established the Oshkimaadizing Unity Camp in “Awenda Provincial Park” and are rallying people of the Anishinabek nation against Coldwater-Narrows Land Surrender, and land surrenders in general.

For more information, see www.oshkimaadziig.org.

Click here to link to podcast or listen to the interview directly from the Mp3 player at the bottom of your BASICSnews.ca window.

For archive of all back shows click here or the RB icon above.

On July 7th, Dundalk residents, Six Nations land defenders, and non-native allies, marched through the town to oppose a hazardous sludge project. The theme of the march was Two Row Wampum in Action.

The first video is from Zach Ruiter of the Toronto Media Co-op. The second is from Camila Uribe of BASICS Community News Service.

Clear cutting on Algonquins of Barriere Lake territory is happening at devastatingly rapid rate. A group of Anishinabek people are camped out at Poigan Lake, Quebec determined not to leave until Resolute Forest Products (formerly AbitibiBowater) stops clear-cut logging their unceded territory. There are urgent and immediate calls to mobilize and act in solidarity. Organize an action to confront the Quebec government and Resolute Forest Products!

See http://www.barrierelakesolidarity.org and www.ipsmo.org for some other ways to show your support.

http://youtu.be/RW_AvAI-OkY

[Source: ACTION]

Coldwater Heritage Museum Board of Ditrectors have requested to the organizers of an Anishinabek Oshkimaadzig Camp to pack up and leave the Museum’s property as soon as possible in a show of good faith after setting up camp without permission.

The Camp has been set up for over a week by three Anishinabek Men who are trying to bring an awareness of the 1764 Niagara Treaty Belt, 24 Nations Belt, Two Row Wampum, the One Dish One Spoon Belt and the Ojibway Friendship Belt where they feel Canada’s Specific Claims Policy along with the Indian Act are in breach of these peace agreements as well as the Canadian Constitution.

”Our intention was not to cause any disruption between the residents of Coldwater or the members of the Four Communities in the Coldwater Land Surrender. Our intention is to raise awareness that an absolute surrender of our land title is an absolute surrender of our Sovereignty. As of yet our lands have not been surrendered. ” says Memeskwaniniisi one of the camp organizer’s

”In a show of good faith we will leave only if the illegal occupiers of our traditional territories also leave until a resolution to this fraudulent surrender as been resolved using an approach that is reflective of our peace agreements represented in the expressed belts and Canada’s Constitution.” We only want to establish a partnership with our neighbours and enhance this museum with factual historic facts of this area and mobilize our people who only want to uphold our end of the peace agreements. We Will not Surrender or leave.” says Kai Kai Kons another of the camps organizers.

A meeting today between OPP Aboriginal Response Team, Museums’ Board of directors and the Camp was held to establish a partnership with the Museum. a Second meeting to come to a resolution to this issue will be held tomorrow at 1pm.

OPP are closely monitoring this situation. The Camp is calling out to all supporters to join the encampment  and help uphold the peace agreements.

SITE PHONE

416 806 6929

FACEBOOK UPDATE PAGE:  Oshkimaadziig Camp

by Carolina Crewe

The community whose name few television reporters could pronounce became widely known by the first week of December, 2011.  A shower of media attention fell on Attawapiskat following the declaration of a state of emergency and the release of a documentary led by MP for Timmins-James Bay, Charlie Angus, showing the harsh realities of life for his constituents.  This reality is abhorrent living conditions- including overcrowded and unsafe housing, no running water, heat, electricity, and few washrooms for families.  There is no health care and no real school for 400 children.

There are many First Nations communities across Canada suffering in similar ways; Attawapiskat is ignored by the government despite declaring a state of emergency, repeated calls to provide a safe, healthy and real school go unheard and an ongoing need for health care and housing is not met.  Government agents acting as “third party managers” are dispatched to provide “band-aid” solutions when the voices of the people become too loud.  (If you want to know more about “band-aid” solutions Johnny Hawke gives a compelling account here: http://ogitchidasociety.wordpress.com/ )

When the inequality and hardships experienced by the people of this community have become too blatant to ignore, the government points their fingers at the community leaders which results in further deterioration of the interactions between the community and the government.  The use of a third party manager also means that little work is done to provide sustainable housing, and no work toward the construction of a school.  The third party manager freezes funds, refuses to pay teachers, and creates even greater financial hardship for the community.  In effect, “holding the children hostage to force the band to comply with a third party manager”, says Charlie Angus, MP.  The government is doing the work of shifting the blame and attempting to scapegoat the community.  The bureaucrats douse the flames of public outcry with their management presence yet provide no tangible solutions.

There appeared to be some progress to resolving the housing crisis in Attawapiskat as two modular homes have arrived and twenty more are planning to be transported to the community.  However, it is clear from MP Charlie Angus’ communications with the media and on Twitter that appearances are deceiving.  Angus told CTV news the purchase orders are made but the sites need to be prepared.  Some demolition must occur, foundations are expected to be built in the frozen ground in February, and the 400 km ice road leading into Attawapiskat shuts down earlier with each passing year.  @CharlieAngusMP tweets on Feb.10, 2012 “Mod homes arrive in #attawapiskat. Band handles site prep while 3rd party manager sits on funds. education-water plant still held hostage”.  The responsibility to prepare the sites, both financial and infrastructure, is on the Band- whose money was frozen by a third party manager.  This obstacle combined with the time sensitive issues of building foundations in February and a melting ice road means slow progress.  However, the DeBeers company has a team working on the site preparation.  When asked for an update, Charlie Angus says, “I have spoken with the technical team on site and they are confident in getting the work done on the ground by the end of March”.

The crisis in Attawapiskat is not new- in fact it is very old.  It began with the imposition of the Indian Act, an attempt to erode away the strength and resilience of First Nations people.  The question now is: Where do we go from here? MP Charlie Angus raises the issue of education for First Nations children on Feb.27, 2012.  When I spoke with Charlie Angus on the phone from Timmins-James Bay on Feb. 22, 2012 he was confident in getting the support of the government for the Shannen’s Dream motion in the House of Commons.  This motion reminds the government and the public about Shannen’s Dream and over 20 years of broken promises for a real school in Attawapiskat and education and safe schools for all First Nations kids.  Shannen Koostachin led a children’s movement in the fight for a real school for her community in 2008, her dream is carried on by supporters trying to get First Nations kids the resources they need for education in their communities.

When I asked Charlie Angus, What kind of response do you expect to receive for the Shannen’s Dream motion?  He replied, “This will be an historic vote.  Children, a youth movement, have forced the government to take action and begin the steps needed to end the systemic negligence of First Nations education.”

He also affirmed that the children in Attawapiskat continue to attend portables for school on a toxic field, which has been deemed a class 1 threat to human health.  Angus confirms that this would be illegal under the provincial system.  The government has committed to building a school in Attawapiskat.  But Angus hopes the fight for Shannen’s Dream will establish a national standard to support and implement resources and changes which will improve the lives and education of thousands of First Nations kids across Canada.  At the very least, this will mean no more garter snakes coming out of the taps in Manitoba!

The Association for First Nations reveals that since 1996, INAC’s national funding for First Nations education has been capped at 2% per year despite population growth and economic factors which warrant a 6.3% increase.  Angus says, “There is a shortfall of $3000.00-$4000.00 per student, per year and this is even greater in isolated and northern communities”.

Attawapiskat’s struggles are a call to action to renegotiate the relationship between the federal government and First Nations communities across Canada.  The terms set into motion by the Indian Act in Canada are in need of revolutionary change.  If there were an award for patience, civility and community perserverance- Attawapiskat would be a top contender.  It is in the resilience, strength, and initiative of the people of this community that Attawapiskat will find a way forward including a school, healthcare, and homes.

by Ashley M.

“They trespass our bodies, like they trespass our land… we fail them…This war is at home… Under treaties of silence.”              —Ryan Red Corn

According to research conducted by the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NAWC), over 600 indigenous women have been murdered or gone missing in the last 30 years and the government of Canada has been actively complicit in this violence.


On February 14, 2012, I joined the many people gathered in front of police headquarters to remember lives lost.  No More Silence, The Native Youth Sexual Health Network, The Native Women’s Resource Centre and other Indigenous and feminist organizations were part of the Toronto organizing committee of the 7th Annual February 14 No More Silence National Day of Action.


The Toronto demonstration was just one the many held nationally on this day; part of the ongoing independent efforts nationally to raise awareness and actively mobilize communities to end violence against Indigenous women.


Through music, stories, poetry and spoken word, men, women and children, allies, friends and family gathered to remember all those who have lost their lives because of indifference. Community members showed support for the family members of those who have lost their mothers, daughters, wives, sisters and friends whereas the government has chosen not to.


Audrey Huntley writes in a New Socialist article that “No More Silence has always understood the disappearances in the context of ongoing genocidal policies.”


Genocidal tactics like the residential school system that aimed to apprehend children from their own communities and assimilate them into ‘society’.


“Justice Murray Sinclair says the United Nations defines genocide to include the removal of children based on race, then placing them with another race to indoctrinate them… for the purpose of racial indoctrination was—and is—an act of genocide and it occurs all around the world,” citing an article excerpt by Chinta Puxley.


For Krysta Williams, one of the organizers part of the Native Youth Sexual Health Network, the rally is important because, “It’s about remembering because so much of colonization is about forgetting—who we are, whose land you’re on, our languages, etc. I would also say that this doesn’t ‘impact’ our work so much as it informs it. What we do in community, at the grassroots is what informs and drives the rest of the work.”


She reflects on the words of Wanda Whitebird (who conducted the ceremony this year and for the last 7 years, “We made a promise to the women who have passed on that we would do this every year.”


The demonstration was followed by a community feast and open mic at the 519 Church Street Community Centre. The open mic allowed people to speak about their struggles, triumphs and pain of dealing with the loss of their loved ones coupled with the painful indifference of lawmakers but emphasizing the need to continue the fight for justice.


A beautiful video poem was screened called, “To the Indigenous Woman”. The powerful film was made by the 1491s, and was written and performed by Ryan Red Corn.

“The film really highlights everyone’s complicity in violence, and from the perspective of someone who, in the film, has committed violence” said Krysta. The film was created to raise awareness to end the epidemic of violence against Native Women in the U.S. for the Indian Law  Resource Center legal campaign,  www.indianlaw.org.


The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) was created in 1979 by the UN General Assembly and is often seen as an international human rights policy foundation just for women.


When asked what the February 14th Committee’s future plans were, Krysta said, “We’re currently taking our lead from women in the Downtown Eastside in Vancouver who are wanting to pressure the Canadian federal government  in making sure they agree to the inquiry. There’s been some confusion around how the optional protocol works (which Canada signed and ratified in 2002) and whether CEDAW has officially made a decision to investigate Canada.”


The ultimate goal: raise their voices and continue to push for an investigation that there are indeed violations of CEDAW and that this violence in unacceptable.


The memorial will carry on until this inquiry begins, until the violence stops, action is taken and will continue to be organized to remember those that are not forgotten.


The murders and disappearances of Indigenous women for over 30 years, and the government’s inaction, makes us ask: how is that possible in a supposed ‘democratic, developed, progressive’ country like Canada with policies that shun violence against women on paper?
It begs the question, what kind of women are the priority?


Are we not all protected by the laws that grant us ‘freedom’ from violence? What’s so different in the case of Indigenous women? It is clear to me that the state is sending the message that Indigenous women don’t matter by actively ignoring the issue, thus promoting indifference to all settlers.


It’s important to understand the colonial genocidal remnants of the justice system. As settlers on this land, it’s important for us to understand our role in seeking justice for all by looking past what has been taught to us (such as being grateful for being ‘accepted’ into Canada) and look back on what really happened after colonization.


Understanding that these policies that have been put in place have affected settlers who have come here and are continually exploited by the state is important as well.


“Reflecting back on organizing such an important vigil, is there anything that you want to say to our readers?”, I asked.


She replied, “Come out next year! Oh and settlers, remember whose land you’re on!”

by Johnny Hawke, Kai Kai Kons, Loon Clan, Three Fires Confederacy, Anishinabek Nation

The Crown-First Nations Gathering Jan 24, 2012 themed as “Strengthening our Relationship” is also a treaty protocol that is weaved within Canada’s first Constitutional documents the Wampum Belts of the 1764 Treaty of Niagara. This theme or treaty requirement periodically needs to be expressed to ensure a healthy Relationship between these two allies and it was hoped by many that this meeting would’ve attained that.

The meeting was a direct result of a call from First Nations to meet with the Crown. During the Annual General Assembly July 2010 in Winnipeg, discussion centered on First Nations advancing their rights and jurisdiction. As one of the principal suggestions of how to advance overall national advocacy and momentum in support of First Nation governments, the concept of a Crown – First Nations Gathering emerged.  In December 2010 the Prime Minister sent a letter agreeing to initiate such a meeting

The gathering billed as “Strengthening our Relationship” also serves as a protocol where it is weaved within Canada’s first Constitutional documents the Wampum Belts of the 1764 Treaty of Niagara.

Historical Background of “Strengthening our Relationship”

During the1760’s, the Anishinabe War Chief, Pontiac along with Wendat, Seneca, French, Shawnee and other Anishinabe Warriors were initiating a successful campaign destroying British Military Forts, removing the British out of their Territory due to unfulfilled agreements made by the Crown.

On behalf of the Crown, Sir William Johnson, British Superintendent of Indian Affairs contracted Anishinabe Runners to carry a message throughout the territories to gather as many Indigenous Nations for a Conference at Fort Niagara to “strengthen our relationship” and regain peace from the current war campaign that was happening and succeeding. At this same time other British Military officers sent in blankets infested with smallpox as gifts to these communities.

At this Assembly known as the Treaty of Fort Niagara, the Crown used the Indigenous practice of Wampum Belts and presented the attending Nations with the Great Lakes Confederacy Wampum Belt and the 24 Nations Wampum Belt. In acceptance these 24 Nations that were in attendance exchanged with the Crown the Two Row Wampum where an agreement of Peace, Non-Interference and Co-existence was established.

This Gathering and the accepting of these belts serve as Canada’s first Constitutional Documents and allowed for the legitimate presence of the British into First Nations Territories. First Nations have never broken this fundamental agreement where they have always helped to defend the Crown as allies in many wars from 1812 to today’s wars where some First Nations people even choose to enlist into their  “allies” militaries to ironically colonize and steal other Indigenous Peoples resources around the globe. Helping to defend the Crown in these Wars is just one example how throughout the era’s First Nations proved to “Strengthen our Relationship” with the Crown. The Crown now needs to uphold its end of this agreement.

The Great Lakes Confederacy Belt encompasses a silver link chain that symbolizes a relationship between equal allies that is as strong as links in a chain which requires a process of polishing and re-polishing what may tarnish, just as silver tarnishes. This is the historical background of this recent meeting in relations of “Strengthening our Relationship.”

Many felt this Jan 24 2012 Gathering was just a glorified photo-opt to calm threats of civil disobedience that Chiefs made in the National Media where the Mushkegowuk community of Attawapiskat made headlines in December for its Housing Crisis.

“There are people who are ready to stand up and be counted… to stand up and do civil disobedience so that we are heard. If the minister does not want to work with us, you may see that sooner than later,” said Stan Louttit, Grand Chief of the Mushkegowuk Council who told Evan Solomon on CBC-TV’s Power & Politics in late December. Louttit presides over the Mushkegowuk Council, which represents Attawapiskat and six other Indian Act governed First Nation communities in Northern Ontario.

Although I am in opposition to Indian Act Governed Chiefs and the Assembly of First Nations because they continue to let the Indian Act and Canada impose its laws over our Sovereignty I applaud the Chiefs in the 80’s who stood up to the likes of Pierre Trudeau and Mulroney in a similar type of gathering.

In the mid 1980’s National Chiefs met with the Crown and First Ministers, to “Strengthen our Relationship” and define our Rights in regards of the Canadian Constitution. Assertive leaders like the then National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations George Erasmus, articulately and intelligently demanded our Nations be respected. He also warned Canada about the youth. This prophetic warning Erasmus made eventually unraveled two years later after being said which came to be known as the Oka Crisis followed by Gustufson Lake, and Ipperwash.

The Chiefs at that time as well as the majority of Chiefs in this decade excluding the leaders of Kaschekwan, seem to utilize in their speeches the threat of direct action when they call on the Government of Canada for more funding. However they distance themselves from this kind of politics at the eleventh hour where they stand at the sidelines and watch their people uphold the treaties by any means necessary.

Chiefs tend to use frustrated angry youth or education of youth and the deplorable conditions on our territories and wrap it up in the threat of direct action as leverage to seek more funding dollars but yet I and many others are proof that there is a new generation of youth under 25 who are educated and yet still frustrated. I am a part of this generation where we are engaging in direct actions, educated in many professions in mainstream society, know our rights, treaties and history and do not want to be represented by the Indian Act or its Cheifs. Some within our circles feel that if Canada does not want to uphold our peace agreements maybe we are in a time where we need to disengage from our alliance, as they are not upholding their end of peace.

I like many others in my “demographic” are part of circles who assert our Sovereignty and defend our People, Rights and Territories and when we are on the front lines having guns pointed at us by the Crown the majority of us are not doing it to secure more Funding Dollars just so we can continue to be governed by the Indian Act and its Chiefs. Nor are we going to jail to secure economic opportunities that Chiefs like the current National Chief of the Assembly of First Nation Shawn Atleo can partner with the corporations, corporations and economic opportunities that cause destruction to our territories and are another form of control like the Indian Act.

This Gathering is one of many illusions and the illusions are now collapsing with the shaking of the Earth. There are many who choose to see past the illusions and this gathering means nothing to us who are conscious and awake and when the time comes when we need to be awake and connected to the Earth will the Indigenous Peoples want to share with what they know and help their “allies” a second time, just like when we met each other on those shores so long ago?

“We want to let you know that you are dealing with fire. We say, Canada, deal with us today because our militant leaders are already born. We cannot promise that you are going to like the kind of violent political action we can just about guarantee the next generation is going to bring to our reserves.” George Erasmus, National Chief of Assembly of First Nations 1988

Happy New Ears, Don’t listen to 2012 with old eyes.

…

ACTION is a union of Sovereign Anishinabe individuals, communities and allies of other Nations who are restoring our Anishinabek Institutions in assertion of our Sovereignty on our collective territories. ACTION is in the many territories on the traditional territories of the ANISHINABE NATION. http://ogitchidasociety.wordpress.com/

For our feature interview, we talk to Arthur Manuel, a member of the Secwepemc Nation, in the South-Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada, who served as Chief of the Neskonlith Indian Band for eight years and the Chairperson for the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council for seven years. Manuel also headed the Interior Alliance and currently serves as volunteer Chairperson for the Indigenous Network on Economies and Trade (INET), and is part of the Defenders of the Land network.

We talked to Arthur Manuel about the results of the First Nations-Crown Summit on January 25, 2012, a dissect the Conservative govt’s claims that First Nations will be given greater autonomy, which will actually amount to the liquidation of the land base of First Nations communities through municipalization and privatization of land through the ‘fee simple’ process.

Click here to link to podcast or listen to the interview directly from the Mp3 player at the bottom of your BASICSnews.ca window.

Lucien Lazarus to BASICS – 3 December 2011

Editorial Note: In early November 2011, the Attawapiskat Cree First Nation reserve declared a state of emergency due to a desperate housing situation, with some families of multiple generations living in tents for as long as two years.  These aren’t the heavy tents such as those used by many of the Occupy movements, but uninsulated tents unable to handle the -20 degree weather in the very isolated Northern Ontario community.  The existing houses are overflowing and falling apart; the plumbing and running water situation is terrible.  After making national headlines, questions are being asked about how many other issues the community is dealing with, and how many other indigenous communities face the same neglect by the Canadian government.  BASICS received this message from Lucien Lazarus, an Attawapiskat community member, activist, and author of the blog Smoke Signals From Cree Yellow Legs (creeyellowlegs.myknet.org).

Hello everyone! I am a member of the Attawapiskat First Nation in Northern Ontario. The community I live in has about 2,000 people. We can only go down south by aircrafts in the summer time and some by vehicles only on the winter road in the winter time.  Believe me when I say travelling by air is very expensive and the transportation costs are very ridiculous up here.

Seeing the great amount of news about Attawapiskat having housing problems is compelling me to write this small article. I will write about two things which I know is most important. Of course, everyone knows what one of them is already: it’s plastered all over the news stations and sites online, and that is the lack of housing.

Yes, Attawapiskat does have housing problems but it is impossible for someone to fix their homes instantaneously. Just by trying to figure out where to get the housing materials is a problem. Where are the places that have the most reasonable prices? We do not have these businesses that sell housing materials like down South. That is why Attawapiskat continues to have these problems in housing today.

There are a lot of homes that are decaying in Attawapiskat. Even if people are employed, it does no good to try and keep them in good shape. The problem is, it is the way they were or are still been constructed. Attawapiskat receive grants from the government to build cheap housing. Take my home for example, it was only constructed by two-by-fours, five inch thick of insulation on the sides, above and below, aspenite plywood
for flooring. No wonder our homes are falling apart.

The other problem we have up here is with our healthcare system. The people in care up here are suffering and dying. Like I have said previously, Attawapiskat First Nation is an isolated community and even the health organization that looks after the sick is inadequate, which is the result of both levels of government. They have made tremendous cutbacks on our travels and care.

What I mean by that is, we now have some sick people that are being dropped off in Moosonee, Ontario and shoved into trains and when they reach their destination in Cochrane, Ontario, they then are shoved into buses for that long journey to the hospitals in Toronto, Kingston, Ottawa, etc.

In conclusion, I want to say that the Cree people from the isolated James Bay communities are swollen with pride people. Just by telling them to move to a better life down South is not going to do any good as they already have been living here for thousands of years. Wachiiyay!