Monday, April 02, 2007
Natives Threaten Rail Blockade
Sigh.
Considering that these guys were planning the protest three months ahead of seeing the budget, I find it hard to believe that any budget would be able to stop them from protesting. And do they really think that preemptive protesting is going to help their cause?
Point-in-case, now that the budget has actually dropped, some natives would like to up the ante, with Terence Nelson chairman of the Dakota Ojibway Tribal Council Chief saying, "My personal goal is to have the Treaty 1-11 First Nations jointly demand that CN and CP voluntarily cease operations for 24 hours on June 29 or face the threat of a month-long roving blockade across our treaty territories."
I say, bring in the troops.
Anticipating the actions of the Conservative government, the Assembly of First Nations overwhelmingly passed a resolution in December calling for a day of action on June 29.
Considering that these guys were planning the protest three months ahead of seeing the budget, I find it hard to believe that any budget would be able to stop them from protesting. And do they really think that preemptive protesting is going to help their cause?
Point-in-case, now that the budget has actually dropped, some natives would like to up the ante, with Terence Nelson chairman of the Dakota Ojibway Tribal Council Chief saying, "My personal goal is to have the Treaty 1-11 First Nations jointly demand that CN and CP voluntarily cease operations for 24 hours on June 29 or face the threat of a month-long roving blockade across our treaty territories."
I say, bring in the troops.
Radical natives are listed in the Canadian army's counterinsurgency manual as a potential military opponent, lumping aboriginals in with the Tamil Tigers, Hezbollah and the Islamic Jihad.
The military is putting the finishing touches on the manual, but a draft version of the document obtained by The Globe and Mail outlines a host of measures the military might use to fight insurgents at home and abroad. The measures include ambushes, deception and killing.
Labels: Conservative Party, politics, Treason
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RE: Point-in-case, now that the budget has actually dropped, Phil Fontaine wants to up the ante, saying "My personal goal is to have the Treaty 1-11 First Nations jointly demand that CN and CP voluntarily cease operations for 24 hours on June 29 or face the threat of a month-long roving blockade across our treaty territories
PLEASE IMMEDIATELY REMOVE THIS LINE FROM YOUR BLOG – IT IS FACTUALLY INCORRECT AS IT IS NOT THE WORDS OF NATIONAL CHIEF PHIL FONTAINE.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION, I HAVE ATTACHED THE NEWS RELEASE CONTAINING QUOTES FROM THE NATIONAL CHIEF.
PLEASE ADVISE UPON RECEIPT OF THIS EMAIL AND CORRECTION.
THANK YOU,
Nancy Pine
Communications Advisor
Office of the National Chief
Assembly of First Nations
Npine@afn.ca
April 1, 2007
Assembly of First Nations National Chief demands that Federal Government Immediately Repudiate and Remove Reference to First Nations from Military’s Terror Manual List
Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine today demanded that the federal government immediately remove any reference to First Nations in a Department of National Defense draft counter-insurgency manual listing international terrorist threats. According to a report by The Globe and Mail, radical Native American organizations such as the Mohawk Warriors Society are listed in the training manual as insurgents, alongside other insurgent groups.
“Any reference to First Nations people as possible insurgents or terrorists is a direct attack on us – it demonizes us, it threatens our safety and security and attempts to criminalize our legitimate right to live our lives like all other Canadians do. Just being referenced in such a document compromises our freedom to travel across borders, have unimpeded telephone and internet communications, raise money, and protest against injustices to our people,” stated AFN National Chief Phil Fontaine.
“I am calling upon Prime Minister Stephen Harper to immediately and without reservation, reject and remove any references to First Nations from all versions of the training manual.”
“It is shocking and outrageous to learn that the Canadian military would consider First Nations people as insurgents or equate us to Hezbollah or Hamas. Not only is there not a shred of evidence to make this link, First Nations have always served Canada well by their contributions to the Canadian services. Such absurd allegations only serve to undermine respect for the military and lead us to believe we will not be able to rely on their protection the way other Canadians do.”
Moreover, the federal government has also recently threatened that it would aggressively audit and possibly cut off funding provided to First Nations organizations who participate in, or support a peaceful National Day of Action on June 29th. This, taken with the report that we are included in the list of insurgent organisations in the military’s manual, raises serious questions about the federal government’s respect for freedom of speech and freedom of assembly for First Nations people. It appears that they want to silence us.
“The proposed June 29th National Day of Action is intended to bring focus to and generate awareness of the deplorable social - economic status of First Nations peoples in this country. Too often, First Nations poverty and the injustices suffered by our communities are not well understood. We aim to begin changing that by reaching out to Canadians and by putting our issues and our solutions front and center. First Nations people are people of integrity and we will abide by the rule of law while exercising our right to free speech,” said the National Chief.
The Assembly of First Nations is the national organization representing First Nations citizens in Canada.
- 30 -
Contacts:
Bryan Hendry, A/Communications Director
613-241-6789 ext. 229 or cell 613-293-6106
bhendry@afn.ca
PLEASE IMMEDIATELY REMOVE THIS LINE FROM YOUR BLOG – IT IS FACTUALLY INCORRECT AS IT IS NOT THE WORDS OF NATIONAL CHIEF PHIL FONTAINE.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION, I HAVE ATTACHED THE NEWS RELEASE CONTAINING QUOTES FROM THE NATIONAL CHIEF.
PLEASE ADVISE UPON RECEIPT OF THIS EMAIL AND CORRECTION.
THANK YOU,
Nancy Pine
Communications Advisor
Office of the National Chief
Assembly of First Nations
Npine@afn.ca
April 1, 2007
Assembly of First Nations National Chief demands that Federal Government Immediately Repudiate and Remove Reference to First Nations from Military’s Terror Manual List
Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine today demanded that the federal government immediately remove any reference to First Nations in a Department of National Defense draft counter-insurgency manual listing international terrorist threats. According to a report by The Globe and Mail, radical Native American organizations such as the Mohawk Warriors Society are listed in the training manual as insurgents, alongside other insurgent groups.
“Any reference to First Nations people as possible insurgents or terrorists is a direct attack on us – it demonizes us, it threatens our safety and security and attempts to criminalize our legitimate right to live our lives like all other Canadians do. Just being referenced in such a document compromises our freedom to travel across borders, have unimpeded telephone and internet communications, raise money, and protest against injustices to our people,” stated AFN National Chief Phil Fontaine.
“I am calling upon Prime Minister Stephen Harper to immediately and without reservation, reject and remove any references to First Nations from all versions of the training manual.”
“It is shocking and outrageous to learn that the Canadian military would consider First Nations people as insurgents or equate us to Hezbollah or Hamas. Not only is there not a shred of evidence to make this link, First Nations have always served Canada well by their contributions to the Canadian services. Such absurd allegations only serve to undermine respect for the military and lead us to believe we will not be able to rely on their protection the way other Canadians do.”
Moreover, the federal government has also recently threatened that it would aggressively audit and possibly cut off funding provided to First Nations organizations who participate in, or support a peaceful National Day of Action on June 29th. This, taken with the report that we are included in the list of insurgent organisations in the military’s manual, raises serious questions about the federal government’s respect for freedom of speech and freedom of assembly for First Nations people. It appears that they want to silence us.
“The proposed June 29th National Day of Action is intended to bring focus to and generate awareness of the deplorable social - economic status of First Nations peoples in this country. Too often, First Nations poverty and the injustices suffered by our communities are not well understood. We aim to begin changing that by reaching out to Canadians and by putting our issues and our solutions front and center. First Nations people are people of integrity and we will abide by the rule of law while exercising our right to free speech,” said the National Chief.
The Assembly of First Nations is the national organization representing First Nations citizens in Canada.
- 30 -
Contacts:
Bryan Hendry, A/Communications Director
613-241-6789 ext. 229 or cell 613-293-6106
bhendry@afn.ca
Office of the National Chief
Assembly of First National chief.......what a bunch of crooks....keeping your people down while you live it up !
Assembly of First National chief.......what a bunch of crooks....keeping your people down while you live it up !
My apologies for the mis-applied quote. The quote in question was said by Terry Nelson, not Phil Fontaine.
Nate,
you were correct with the original quote. If you look in today's Winnipeg Sun, columnist Geoff Matthews has the exact quote and it is attributed to Phil Fontaine.
you were correct with the original quote. If you look in today's Winnipeg Sun, columnist Geoff Matthews has the exact quote and it is attributed to Phil Fontaine.
Thanks Rene! Them and their threatening letters! Someday I'll have a savage pack of lawyers to back me up, then look out!
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