Ontario Attawapiskat First Nation Chief Theresa Spence has been on a hunger strike since Dec. 11, 2012. She is holding her strike in a tipi on a small island in the Ottawa River.
Spence is trying to draw attention to the dire circumstances of her First Nations people in Northern Ontario, but her efforts have inspired and been taken up by a larger, nation-wide movement called ‘Idle No More.’
The self-styled grassroots movement has been holding rallies across the country in a show of unity in defiance of Bill C-45. This recently passed omnibus package included changes to environmental legislation that critics have identified as weakening Canada’s protection of environmental and First Nations interest in the face of resource development.
The movement is fundamentally about First Nations treaty rights and further proposed changes to federal legislation defining the relationship between First Nations and the rest of Canada.
But the Idle No More movement also calls for First Nations and none First Nations to stand together in opposition to resource development that is seen to harm the environment.
Deanna Brown was the organizer of the Idle No More rally in Burns Lake at the campus of the College of New Caledonia. She addressed the crowd gathered on a cold Dec. 22, by calling attention to the unity that exists between First Nations concerns and the concerns of various green movements that challenge, among other things, the construction of the proposed Northern Gateway Enbridge pipeline.
“This event will honour the ways of our ancestors as we call on them to help us bring attention to the injustice Indigenous peoples, land and waters are encountering through the unilateral imposition of legislative policies that blatantly disregard our Natural Laws and the sacred Treaty relationship,” said Brown.
Burns Lake Band Councillor Ron Charlie was also on hand.
“First Nations are not for sale,” he said.
About 50 protesters and supporters turned out for the rally.