Prompted by recent ominous revisions to the Indian Act proposed by Robert Nault, Canada's Minister of Indian Affairs, a Western and Northern caravan of protestors was organized by Chief Stewart Phillip, head of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, to travel across the country to the nation's capital, Ottawa.
The long trek departed from Vancouver BC on April 22nd and picked up participants along the way – in Salmon Arm BC; Calgary, Alberta; Regina, Saskatchewan; and then on to Winnipeg where they were met by the Assembly of Manitoba
Chiefs.
Then on to Kenora, Ontario to meet with Grand Chief Leon Jourdain, and to Thunder Bay where Vice-Chief Charles Fox was picked up – as well as others in Espanola, North Bay and Matawa.
All convened in Ottawa on April the 28th in a mass "Gathering of Nations" protest against many proposed provisions of the act.
Among the nasties was a call to install property taxes on Indian reservations – and to grant armed police powers to often-corrupt tribal leaders. Policing is currently being handled by the federal police force (the Royal Canadian
Mounted Police). One federal MP rhapsodized about what a happy, proud day it would be when Indians paid taxes.
(I guess they must be running low on funds for high-priced call girls and stretch limos. ed.)
ISIL's Meaghan Walker-Williams was of course a spokesperson for the Somena Tribe and is becoming increasingly more visible as the proponent of an economic free zone in Coast Salish Territory on Vancouver Island. ISIL provided travel assistance for Meaghan, and 1st Nations chief spokesman Willie Seymour to fly to Ottawa for this event. Earlier we had also flown in Janice Switlo, Canada's top native-rights attorney from Edmonton, Alberta to Vancouver BC for a special public meeting regarding legalities of the free zone (held in Duncan, BC).
Meaghan has been demanding an end to the collusion of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs with the corrupt Band Governments in Canada. She stated, "Robert Nault has crafted, and is attempting to impose on Aboriginal Peoples, without their consent, legislation that will not solve the problem of corruption and collusion with the DIA, In fact it
will make them worse."
Meaghan was cheered on at the Ottawa rally by the 1st Nation traditionalists as she delivered an
emotionally-charged appeal. Evoking the memory of Patrick Henry, she stated that she was not going to leave Ottawa until either she
or the legislation was dead. In this regard she was grimly serious and was prepared to stage a hunger strike – to the death if necessary. Willie Seymour then had a meeting with Paul Martin's 1st Nations liaison man. (Martin is likely to be the next Prime
Minister of Canada after the upcoming elections).
The last news we had before going to press was that Meaghan had been advised and counseled by elders, family and friends to postpone the hunger strike until at least the 3rd of May when some kind of decision regarding the
disposition of this bill is scheduled to be made in Ottawa.
At the rally Meaghan publicly thanked ISIL for the international support generated on the ISIL, Free-Market.Net, and Libertarian International websites.
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