'Idle No More' First Nations protests (Canada)

[The Right Honourable Mlle Antéchrist]

First Nations activists are gearing up for a week of rallies as a growing grassroots movement known as Idle No More continues to draw communities across the country together thanks to a powerful presence online.

Supporters say they are upset about the effects of the Harper government's policies on aboriginal communities. They want First Nations to be recognized as sovereign stakeholders in decisions affecting the country's land and resources.

"There are many examples of other countries moving towards sustainability, and we must demand sustainable development as well," says a manifesto published on the group's website, idlenomore.com.

"We believe in healthy, just, equitable and sustainable communities and have a vision and plan of how to build them."

The campaign was started by four women from Saskatchewan who were protesting against a number of bills before Parliament. They are particularly critical of Bill C-45, the government's omnibus budget legislation, which they say weakens environmental laws.

O'Driscoll said Duncan has also tried to reach out to Chief Theresa Spence of the Attawapiskat First Nation, who is entering the second week of a hunger strike. Attawapiskat made international news last year for its poor housing conditions.

Spence has promised to continue her strike unless the Conservative government starts showing more respect to First Nations concerns and aboriginal treaties. She wants a meeting between the Crown, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and aboriginal leaders.

The hunger strike has become a cause celebre for some First Nations activists and Spence has drawn support from all regions of the country.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/idle-no-more-first-nations-activist-movement-grows-across-canada-1.1081501

Anyone else been following this? The major concerns seem to be Bill C-45 and other legislation that allegedly limits sovereignty and violates treaties & The Indian Act, but there are also more general complaints about the Harper government's methods of managing aboriginal affairs, conditions on reservations (particularly unclean drinking water concerns), environmental concerns, etc.

I haven't had a chance to review everything in C-45, so I can't really speak on that, but I can certainly understand the other frustrations, especially in regards to rez conditions. The drinking water situation is particularly atrocious.

Any thoughts on this?

(As always, avoid the comments on the article if you value your sanity.)

[kefkaownsall]

Seeing as Harper ending food subsidies up north is starving the Arctic Inuits I can see why they hate him

[D Laurier]

I think my stance on the Harperite agenda is pretty obvious.
I was seeing this building under the Mulrooney government, and subsequent liberals didnt try to fix it.
Harper is speeding up the destruction.

[DrFishcake]

As an outsider I used to look at Canada as a progressive bastion of hope. Either:

a) I was naive, or;

b) where and when did it go so wrong?

[The Right Honourable Mlle Antéchrist]

b) where and when did it go so wrong?

When we voted in Harper three times in a row.

[Stormwarden]

I haven't been following this, and frankly, I should, even though I'm an American. This is a very good development, and I hope for their success.

[ThunderWulf]

I sincerely hope they can at the very least open some people's eyes with this.  I too hope they succeed here.