[Indigsol] MNN Canada Border Guards are Control Freaks

Tue Jul 15 18:17:09 PDT 2008

Why are Canadian Border Guards Control 
Freaks - "You Indians are all guilty of 

something and we are going to find it"!! 

by Ieriwa'on:ni

MNN 15 July, 2008.   Habit governs a lot of people.  

It's about doing things the way they are told to do it 

without asking "why?"  As Scot Patterson, of the 

Canadian Border Services Agency says, "You are 

all unbelievable!"   

When did the colonizers start harassing Onkwehonwe 

on Cornwall Island?  They always have.

There weren't always colonizers around.  Even the 

Supreme Court of Canada in 1996 admitted: "When 

Europeans arrived in North America, aboriginal peoples 

were already here, living in communities on the land, 

and participating in distinctive cultures, as they had 

done for centuries."  

There wasn't even a "Canada".  There were no bridges.

When the British corporations arrived they formed an 

alliance with the Haudenosaunee called the Two Row 

Wampum.  That meant no interfering with the 

Onkwehonwe rights.  The 1794 Jay Treaty between 

Britain and the United States said that "Indians" could 

cross the border that was set up for the settlers.  

Because of the Two Row Wampum they knew that the 

Onkwehonwe were not to be affected by this border.  

So what made Canada think it could put a border post 

on Cornwall island in the middle of Akwesasne and 

start pestering Onkwehonwe?  It's a delusion.  Back 

then we were probably laughing.  What border?  The 

invaders said, "We're setting up a border and it's only 

for us!"

As John Boots and some other old timers remember it, 

a railway bridge was put in first. People started crossing 

it and went right on using it after the rail track was pulled 

up.  Some folks figure the Canadian border control on 

Cornwall Island went in about 1934 when they built a 

bridge for cars.  The Canadian National Archives in 

Ottawa should have the records.  

1934, this was at the height of the "Depression" and the 

height of the "oppression". A "person" was still defined 

as "an individual other than an Indian" in colonial Canada's 

Indian Act. Canada's Parliament took that definition out in 

1954, but that didn't change much.  The Canadian 

government went right on illegally expropriating wherever 

it wanted. In the 1950's they kicked Onkwehonwe off our 

land in both Akwesasne and Kahnawake to build the St. 

Lawrence Seaway.  The people fought tooth and nail 

against it.  

With the Seaway came a new bridge and new tolls.  

What's the difference between a toll and a tax?  Not 

much.  They both make it hard to afford anything.

What led up to the blockade of the Cornwall Bridge in 

1968?  An elder said: "We're a pretty self-reliant people.  

We don't like to complain.  If we get into trouble we try to 

take care of it ourselves."  But when they started 

charging duty on groceries, it was just too much.

Things came to a head when Canadian officials tried to 

make Mike Mitchell's mother, Esther, pay taxes on a 

sack of potatoes.  Someone called a meeting. 

Nikawen:na'a recalls someone from Kahnawake asking, 

"How can you live on the Island where the road passes 

by and let them charge taxes on you people?  It's your 

land!" 

"That opened up our eyes", she said.  People went right 

out and blocked the bridge. A group of 14 and 15 year 

old Kahnawake boys who couldn't get a ride walked all 

the way to Akwesasne to help.  Canada's National Film 

Board made a movie about it.  It's called You Are on 

Indian Land. 

Forty years later.  Same bridge, same problem. John 

and Harriet, who live nearby, are always being called 

over to witness abuse.  Aside from the June 14th 

assaults on Kahentinetha and Katenies there is a pile 

of almost 300 border abuse complaints. 

So the 1968 blockade of the Cornwall border didn't 

change much. A few years ago, it was finally decided 

that the people of Akwesasne didn't have to pay the 

bridge toll. They also tried making an "Indian lane" 

where those with a special sticker could go ahead 

instead of waiting in line with the tourists. 

Trouble is you can't use the lane if you have a friend or 

relative with you who is not from Akwesasne.  The 

restriction interferes with the family life and the right to 

free association.  Onkwehonwe are still forced to declare 

everything in the car:

"Where did you go? How much did you spend? 

What store did you visit? Show me your receipts.  

Where were you born?"  We get asked that even 

the 300th time we go past the same blood sucking 

officer.  

Some people get annoyed and refuse to pay the tax.  

Mike Mitchell tried that.  Look what that got him?  The 

Supreme Court of Canada wouldn't even recognize 

his ancestral right to cross the river of the Ongwehonwe.

On top of that, CBSA treats anything different with 

suspicion.  Say you pull into the regular lane and you 

notice there's a couple of tourists and a camper 

ahead of you.  You're late for a doctor's appointment.  

So you back out and go to a shorter lane:

          "Why did you back out of that lane?  Open your 

trunk." 

          "There's nothing in it.  I'm late for an appointment"

          "Open your trunk".

Since 9/11 things have gotten worse. The guards seem 

to target Onkwehonwe women and children especially.  

This makes their men mad.  People at Akwesasne think 

the guards are trying to provoke a violent incident as part 

of their campaign to carry guns.  Meanwhile the 

Americans are building a big new facility to block their 

side of Akwesasne.   Their trying to "cage" us.   

They are always in orange alert mode with their "9/11" 

delusions about terrorism.  

What gives the colonizers the right to draw and quarter 

the Kanion'ke:haka?  We never agreed that the visitors 

could jump their colonial ship and start bullying us in our 

canoe.

Ieriwa'on:ni and MNN Staff

Mohawk Nation News

As can be seen, it's becoming critical for legal actions to be taken 

soon to protect our rights.  We have no funds.  Canada is hiring 

costly law firms to defend their illegal actions and suppress our rights.  

If you can donate anything to our cause, it will be greatly appreciated.  

Send it to:  "MNN Mohawk Nation News", Box 991, Kahnawake 

[Quebec, Canada] J0L 1B0.  Nia:en/Thank you very much. 

Complicitors:  Phil Fontaineof AFN is a partner in CBSA's 
Sustainable Development Strategy; Chris Kealey, Canada 
Customs Excise, Immigration Taxation Board, CBSA Media 
Relations 613-991-5197; Alain Joliceour, President CBSA 
613-952-3200, 613-957-0612; General inquiries 
CBSA-ASFC at canada.gc.ca; National Aboriginal Initiative, 
Canadian Human Rights Commission 204-983-2189, 
1-866772-4880 info.com at chrc-ccdp.ca; Canada Customs 
Port of Entry, Cornwall Island Ontario; Gaetan Cousineau, 
Quebec Human Rights,  presidence at cdpdj.gc.ca; Akwesasne 
Mohawk Police 613-575-2250 ex 2400; Mohawk Security 
Louis Mitchell 613-932-5183, 613-575-2340; Lance Markel, 
District Dir. CBSA 613-930-3234, 613-991-1214; 
www.,chrc-ccdp.ca; Brent Lefebvre Investigator for CBSA; 
Susan St. Clair, Canadian Human Rights Commission, 344 
Slater, Ottawa 613-995-1151, 1-888-214-1090, 613-943-5188; 
National spokesperson CBSA 613-957-6500; Quebec Media 
Relations CBSA 514-350-6130; Handling arrest Scott 
Patterson; Chief MCA Nona Benedict 613-575-2250 
nbenedict at akwesasne.ca; Minister Stockwell Day, House 
of Commons, Ottawa K1A 0A6 613-995-1702 day.s at parl.gc.ca 
250-770-4480, days1 at parl.gc.ca; Dave MacKenzie, 
Parliamentary Secretary, Public Safety, 613-995-4432;
Mackenzie.d at parl.gc.ca; Melissa Leclair Communications 
Pub. Safety 613-991-2863; OFFICERS:  17012; 16320; 16511; 
16121; 16275;  

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