Idle No More event held in Barrie’s east end 29
By Cheryl Browne, Barrie Examiner January 16, 2013
According to an ancient Midewiwin prophecy, the eighth fire has been lit.
As told by the forefathers of the Anishinaabe and other First Nations, seven of eight prophecies have been fulfilled and the new awakening of the First Nations people — together with people of all colours and faiths – must work together in an attempt to avert environmental and social catastrophe.
Kim Newby, spokesperson for the Barrie Idle No More movement, said the best explanation she’s heard was by hitchhiker Martin Heavyhead Jr. from the Blood tribe in Western Canada.
“He travelled to see Chief Theresa Spence on her hunger strike and he said, ‘This movement is not about anger and hate and getting back at anyone. It’s about love. It’s about supporting each other’.”
Newby, wearing a traditional jingle dress, named after the hundreds of silver cones hanging from her skirt, had helped orchestrate the Idle No More National Day of Action at Georgian College campus Wednesday morning.
After a smudging and prayer, approximately 100 people gathered near the sacred fire outside the aboriginal studies program — housed in the Sadlon Health and Wellness Centre — for the demonstration and round dance. It involved a united group of people holding hands and side-stepping slowly around a smaller group of drummers and singers inside the circle closer to the fire.
The peaceful protest wound its way southwest along Georgian Drive with the help of Barrie police riding bikes and on foot, behind the group to the corner for a brief demonstration at the Duckworth Street intersection.
“We live in Canada, it’s a democracy and they’re trying to make their point,” said an idling driver who identified himself only as Michael. “It’s culturally important to them. It’s not a nuisance.”
International student Anil Popatiya, 24, watched the dancing and drumming in the street, saying he was surprised at the spectacle.
“I thought things didn’t happen like this in Canada,” Popatiya said, shivering in a light windbreaker. “If they’re protesting for something good, then I agree with them.”
As the Idle No More movement continues to grow, Newby has taken on the task of educating people about the grassroots campaign and what it stands for.
After a communal pot-luck lunch at the Barrie Native Friendship Centre, Newby spoke to the 25 people assembled.
She said four women began the Idle No More campaign to build relationships, awareness and to educate their people about the ill effects the federal government’s omnibus bill will have on watercourses and land, erasing treaties signed by previous generations.
When Spence joined by announcing her hunger strike in Ottawa nearly 40 days ago, Newby said it wasn’t to raise money, but awareness about the plight of natives living on reserves.
“The Indian Act recognized us as people. We have the right to make changes to that before all of our rights are eradicated,” she told the group. “Our mandate began long before the fast and it stops when the omnibus bill is scrapped.”
By creating strange new bedfellows, including working with teachers, police, unions and non-natives, the Idle No More movement is spreading it message across Canada that Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government’s Bill C-45 is detrimental to all Canadians, not just those on a reserve.
Lacey Day, who attended the lunch at the Friendship Centre, said it’s time for First Nations to get involved.
“I think a lot of people feel alienated from the political process and feel there’s other people who are better able to speak on their behalf,” Day said. “We didn’t create these problems, but it’s time we all spoke up to fix them.”
Another Idle No More demonstration is being held at the Ministry of Natural Resources office on Nursery Road in Springwater at 11 a.m., Thursday
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