Idle No More event will draw more attention to sovereignty issues

By Lance Holdforth Barrie Examiner January 14, 2013 

SPRINGWATER TWP. – The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) won’t be able to avoid the concerns of native Canadians during an Idle No More teach-in on Thursday in Midhurst.

A crowd is expected to gather at the MNR building at 2284 Nursery Rd., where First Nations speakers say they will educate visitors about Bill C-45 and its contradictions of the Canadian Constitution and the Indian Act.

The meeting will also feature guest speakers from AWARE Simcoe, Springwater Park Citizens’ Coalition, plus will look at sovereignty and the Crown Forest Sustainability Act.

With the spirit name, Myiingan, Oro-Medonte resident Jeff Monague from Beausoleil First Nations will speak to the crowd regarding the federal government’s new control of native lands.

“We’re simply getting a few people together and provide some information about what our side is,” he said. “It’s a non-violent way to share information and it’s important for us to protect our rights.”

Monague said Bill C-45 violates the rights of native Canadians by giving the federal government more control to manage native reserve land and reduce the protection of the country’s lakes and rivers.

“These are things that affect everybody, not just First Nations people,” Monague said. “Our rights are protected under treaties and are also protected under the Canadian Constitution section 35 and these rights have been watered down.”

Bill C-45 passed with a 50-27 voted on Dec. 14 and was not well received by natives across the country because it goes against treaty rights, Monague said.

“It (Thursday’s event) is just to tell people what is in the bills and what the treaties are and what they are supposed to protect,” he said. “We’ll talk about the need to understand these bills and what their effects are.”

The teach-in is part of the nationwide Idle No More movement, which aims to educate the population about native sovereignty and the need to protect land an water while maintaining renewable development.

“There’s division all across Canada with every Canadian and we’re no different in that and the main message that we want is that Bill C-45 has to be taken off the table,” Monague said. “I think the message is out there across Canada about what Idle No More stands for.”

The public event in Midhurst will run from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. and will include five keynote speakers before ending with traditional drumming and singing.

“We’re hoping to have a lot of participation and it’s all going to be part of a peaceful demonstration that carries on for everybody,” Monague said.

“These events are all going to be peaceful events and we will turn away anyone that has other intentions.”