Idle No More teach-in event shines light on movement to save Springwater Park

By Cheryl Browne, Barrie Examiner January 17, 2013

SPRINGWATER TWP. – No one was idle when the mercury dropped below minus -15 degrees Celsius in the sunshine on Nursery Road, Thursday.

More than 50 people stomped their feet and shrugged in their winter coats in an effort to stay warm as they gathered at the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) office to demonstrate against the federal government’s omnibus bill and the MNR’s planned closure of Springwater Park.

They also came to remember their successes at the closures of the landfill at Site 41 in 2009 and the aggregate mega quarry in southwestern Ontario last year.

“We are here for the same reasons, to protect Mother Earth,” said Don Morgan of the AWARE Simcoe grassroots organization.

“I’m just thrilled Idle No More came to the forefront. We started working together in this whole process at the Site 41 area, and learned we ultimately want the same thing. We at AWARE Simcoe — the whities in this whole affair — want to thank you for starting this with us,” Morgan said to much laughter.

But the underlying message was clear from both sides, the long-held skin-colour issue has been set aside and it’s time to hold the government responsible for decisions made about the land.

The Save Springwater Park group has met with Simcoe County staff and Springwater Township, as well as a brief meeting with the MNR, in an attempt to keep the 107-year park open. The MNR announced last year they would be closing 10 provincial parks, but as late as this week said they’d made arrangements with the Town of Hearst, the Township of Moonbeam and City of Timmins to keep parks open in their areas.

Almost 30 rescued animals in Springwater Park would need to find other sanctuaries if the park closes March 31.

“I’m wondering what the heck the county’s problem is,” said Les Stewart of Save Springwater Provincial Park. “But I think they’re coming to the realization people are tired of having all of their services and lands stripped away from them.”

As the Idle No More movement welcomed partners into their fight against Bill C-45, former Beausoleil Island First Nations Chief Myiingan, formerly known as Jeff Monague, encouraged the crowd to respond as he spoke.

The Idle No More movement that held dozens of peaceful demonstrations across Canada Wednesday on the International Action Day — including Barrie — has picked up the pace as Chief Theresa Spence enters the 40th day of her hunger strike to draw attention to the poverty on her Attawapiskat reserve.

Myiingan spoke of the first treaty signed in 1763 between the aboriginal people and the British and French that was given Royal Proclamation at that time.

“For the first time, they recognized aboriginal rights that are now enshrined in our Charter of Rights,” Myiingan said. “They have to be given due respect. For generation after generation, those rights have been protected. They cannot be taken lightly.

“But under Bill C-45, they’re treating them as if they don’t exist. No person was consulted on Bill C-45. I wasn’t,” he said, to a chorus of similar personal affirmations from the assembled crowd.

Myiingan knows the land in and around Simcoe County well. He named Treaty 16 as the land in Springwater, and Treaty 18 as the land in Nottawasaga, and Treaty 15 as the land in Awenda Provincial Park as lands appropriated by former governments without consulting First Nations people.

“We were supposed to be partners, but that partnership has been broken off, little by little,” he said.

Myiingan ended his speech by admitting he’d grown up poor on a reserve, but had also fought in the Korean War proudly as a Canadian.

“I fought for you. Will you fight for me?”