June 29, 2007:

Peaceful Protests Mark National Day of Action

Police braced themselves for a day of demonstrations, but it turned out to be a day of peaceful education. Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice said he has heard the protesters, and his government has much work to do.

"We have heard today the message that was transmitted by people who held peaceful, respectful rallies and demonstrations across the country," Prentice told a press conference in Ottawa.

"There were some demonstrations to the public, in eastern Ontario in particular, as a result of illegal blockades -- blockades, that I would point out, that were denounced by many aboriginal leaders across Canada who believe in negotiation rather than confrontation."

He added that there is "much work to be done" to tackle issues raised by protesters.

Native groups in each province did what they could to call the government's attention to outstanding land claims and the issues plaguing their communities on this National Day of Action.

Though the day started out with three blockades on an eastern stretch of Ontario's busy Hwy. 401, near the town of Deseronto, most groups settled for just slowing down traffic by handing out flyers, holding rallies and making brief speeches pleading their case.

Ontario's road closure of the country's busiest highway even ended peacefully and quickly to the surprise of many. Ontario Provincial Police were able to come to a deal with Mohawk protester Shawn Brant, known for his outspokenness and controversial tactics, to take down the blockade.

He now faces a warrant for his arrest.

"I obviously have some consequences to bear," he told CTV's Mike Duffy Live. "In these circumstances we don't skirt our responsibilities, we step up and we deal with those consequences when they come forth."

National Chief Phil Fontaine earlier said he never advocated blockades and wanted the Day of Action to be a peaceful protest.

"We want to do everything possible to reach out to Canadians," he said. "We want Canadians to stand with us and we want Canadians to walk with us and want Canadians to accept the very big challenges we face as a country."

But Fontaine also said there's no excuse for the staggering poverty in First Nations communities, where often people don't have access to safe drinking water, quality health care or good schools.

Across the country

Political leaders also stepped out and joined the protests. Liberal Leader Stephane Dion, and New Democrat Leader Jack Layton attended a rally on Parliament Hill while NDP MP Alexa McDonough joined a vigil in Halifax at the foot of the MacDonald Bridge.

"I think Aboriginal Peoples observe with both anger and grief that Canada continues to want to be seen around the world as a country that stands in solidarity with people who are poor and dispossessed," she said.

At the provincial boundary between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Mi'kmaq protesters and their supporters slowed traffic along the Trans-Canada Highway but didn't attempt to block the road. The highway is a sore spot with the Mi'kmaq community as they say it runs through their traditional land.

In other parts of the country, the Day of Action continued to carry a stern yet peaceful message.

CTV Montreal's Genevieve Beauchemin reports protesters blocked the Mercier Bridge in Kahnawake, Quebec for almost two hours, by putting up flags and making speeches.

"They wanted to make their point but they didn't want to hurt people. They wanted to be heard and that's the point of their protest," she told CTV's Newsnet.

Protest organizer Joe Deom said the march was necessary, because "in our experience with the people of Canada, you've got to hit them over the head with a two-by-four in order to get their attention."

Chief Lloyd Phillips of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake said his community was simply exercising their right.

"Every person in Canada has a right to demonstrate. And this is one way to gather attention," Phillips told CTV Montreal in an interview.

In Alberta, native chiefs put out an ad in daily newspapers calling for an end to colonization which they say is to blame for the poverty among First Nations communities.

Protests, rallies and marches were expected to carry on throughout the day in major cities across the country.

"I believe the accomplishment that First Nations have made is to reach out to Canadians in a peaceful way, in a diplomatic way, in a respectful way to seek their support," said Angus Toulouse, the regional Ontario chief.

"But at the end of the day, these are outstanding issues that have been there for many decades and generations now, and the First Nations people are tired. They're frustrated with the inaction and the inability for the government to sit down and resolve these outstanding issues."

Source: CTV.ca

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