[Indigsol] Barriere Lake FN question

[Angela Schleihauf]

Hello,

Apparently OPIRG supported peacekeepers to Barrier Lake for internal
disputes resolution in the past. .Karen Hawley sent along this message
(article below) to update us on the current situation

-Angela S



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Helen Forsey"
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2008 08:03:09 -0500
Subject: Fw: Barriere Lake FN question



Dear Friends,

    I received this from a good friend who has been very supportive
(from her home in BC) of our ongoing Algonquin/settler resistance to
the uranium development near Sharbot Lake. Most of us who have been
deeply involved in that struggle continue to be fully occupied with
it. However, I want to pass this on, as it certainly seems to be
important to find out more and respond accordingly. (Note that
Clifford Lincoln was their Negotiator!)

    Back in the early 1990s I did have some knowledge of what was
going on at Barriere Lake at that time. The traditional people set up
and maintained a months-long blockade which eventually stopped
clear-cut logging on their traditional lands (north of Maniwaki) and
achieved (among other things) the Trilateral Agreement on resources
referred to in the information below. (It was at a Barriere Lake event
in Hull, celebrating the arrival of a traditional birchbark canoe with
a message related to the situation, that I first tasted bear meat.) I
believe the Religious Society of Friends (Ottawa Meeting) was also
actively involved in support at that time.

    I am going to try to dig out my old files on this. Meanwhile, I
would be grateful to know your response. (Please copy information to
Jan as well.)

    Megwetch.

    Helen

----- Original Message -----
From: Jan Slakov
To: Helen Forsey
Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2008 1:19 PM
Subject: Barriere Lake FN question

Dear Helen,

If you know of this situation, which is apparently north of Ottawa,
could you let me know if this is something worth acting on?

love & best wishes, Jan
*********

Begin forwarded message:


From: Peter Garden <pgarden at resist.ca>
Date: March 14, 2008 2:09:27 PM GMT-06:00
To: turning-news at lists.riseup.net
Subject: [turning-news] URGENT CALL FOR SUPPORT - ALGONQUINS OF BARRIERE LAKE
Reply-To: turning-news at lists.riseup.net, Peter Garden <pgarden at resist.ca>

NOTICE: CANADA AND QUEBEC ARE ORCHESTRATING A COUP USING THE SQ TO
REPLACE OUR CUSTOMARY CHIEF AND COUNCIL WITH A DISSIDENT GROUP IN
ORDER TO GET OUT OF SIGNED AGREEMENTS WITH OUR FIRST NATION
Urgent Request‹March 13, 2008

CALL FOR SUPPORT
We are known as the Algonquins of Barriere Lake (also known by our
Algonquin name, ³Mitchikanibikok Inik²) we are a First Nation
community of approximately 500 people, situated in the province of
Quebec, 3 hours drive north of Ottawa, Canada.

We, the Barriere Lake traditional people have always lived under our
customary laws, which we have codified as our Mitchikanibikok
Anishinabe Onakinakewin.(Barriere Lake Customary Governance Code).
This is what our great grandparents left for us, for our children,
grandchildren and the coming generations. Our responsibility is to
make sure that our customary laws will always be respected and
protected.

Our Feast is where we give thanks for what we feed our families, the
foods that come from our lands and waters. The Three String Wampum,
this is where we shake hands to our Brothers and Sisters and their
children and to all living things. This is where our teachings come
from.

We have a big responsibility; To Protect Our Land, To Protect Our
Animals, Fish and Birds.

To defend our hunting way of life so our teachings and our feast, will
continue to exist for our children, grandchildren and the coming
generations, along with our Language and Beliefs.

Today as the traditional people of our community, we are fighting back
to defend our customary laws from being violated and disrespected by
individuals who no longer respect our customs, including how we govern
ourselves.  We will honor what our great grandparents left us, nobody
is going to take our customary laws and side with the federal
government to gain money from our rights and interests.

To All People Who Support Traditional Indigenous Peoples & Customary
Governments: This is a Call for Support and an Update on Our Situation

Our customary laws are meant so we live in harmony on our Lands and
with each other. It is only when individuals living in our community,
violate and disrespect our customs, that harmony is broken.

Despite repeated warnings to stop, a dissident faction has continued
to violate and disrespect our customs and have broken our community¹s
harmony. Therefore, on March 4, 2008, the majority of our eligible
community members of Mitchikanibikok confirmed that we will not accept
these dissidents living in our community. Now the federal government
is trying to impose them on us by using the Surete du Quebec dressed
in riot gear to force us to allow the dissident group into our
community. The Government of Canada wants to replace our Customary
Chief and Council because our leaders are demanding that the federal
government honour the agreements they entered into with our First
Nation, which are:

€ The 1991 Trilateral Agreement.

€ The 1997 Memorandum of Mutual Intent & Global Proposal to Rebuild
our Community.
\
€ The Special Provisions inserted into our Contribution Agreements
until the Third Party Manager took over our administrative affairs.

The Government of Quebec wants to replace our Customary Chief and
Council because our leaders are demanding that the Quebec government
honour the 1998 Bilateral Agreement and negotiate the implementation
of the Joint Recommendations adopted by the Quebec negotiator, John
Ciaccia, and our negotiator, Clifford Lincoln, particularly paying our
First Nation $1.5 million annually in Revenue Sharing.

The federal government is trying to impose a minority dissident group
over our First Nation in order to try and get out of their obligations
under the signed agreements with our First Nation. This is a repeat of
what they tried to do to us in 1996-97.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP!

We Need Monitors/Witnesses:
We need outside supporters with video cameras to monitor and witness
how the Surete du Quebec (SQ) are conducting themselves in our
community.The SQ have arrested ten of our people so far for defending
our community from the dissident group who is collaborating with the
governments to take over our community.

The SQ have pepper sprayed children, pregnant mothers, and other
vulnerable members without regard to their health or safety.

The SQ have refused to take our complaints against their behavior and tactics.

If you can bring a video camera and be a monitor to witness please
contact, Marylynn Poucachiche at (819) 435-2113. We will have to
arrange accommodations for monitors/witnesses.

We Need Donations and Supplies:
The federal Department of Indian Affairs has placed our community into
what is called ³Third Party Management² (TPM). This means our
Customary Chief and Council have no say in how our First Nations¹
administrative affairs are managed. The Department of Indian Affairs
(DIA) decides how our band funds are spent.

We are trying to keep our Elementary School open on a volunteer basis,
the Third Party Manager removed the certified teachers from our
community on February 20, 2008, while we were trying to get
negotiations started with DIA to get Algonquin language and culture
into the curriculum and to have a role for our Education Committee in
running the school.

We need food for breakfast and lunch program we offer to the children
who attend the school.

For SUPPLIES we need the following:

€ Potatoes
€ White Flour
€ Rice
€ Oatmeal
€ Baking Powder
€ Lard
€ Cooking Oil
€ Dry Cereals
€ Margarine
€ Crackers
€ Macaroni
€ Spaghetti
€ Tomato Sauce
€ Tomato Paste
€ Canned Tomatoes
€ White Peas
€ White Beans
€ White/Brown Suger
€ Salt
€ Pepper
€ Soup Base
€ Mustard
€ Ketchup
€ Coffee
€ Tea Bags
€ Canned Milk 2%
€ Canned Goods
€ Powdered Juice
€ Bread
€ Cookies/Snacks
€ Coffee Whitener

Other items: Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Batteries ŒAA¹ Copying Paper,
Pencils, Erasers, Note Books, Colored Construction Paper, HP Printer
Cartridge # 21 and HP Printer Cartridge #56. If you can provide a cash
donation towards milk, eggs, meat, etc. please contact Marylynn
Poucachiche at (819) 423-2113.

Communicate Your Support:
You can write to the following federal Ministers calling on them to
stop trying to illegally replace our leadership and honour the signed
agreements they entered into with our First Nation:

€ Prime Minister Stephan Harper
€ Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian & Northern Affairs Canada
€ Lawrence Cannon, Local Member of Parliament responsible for our
Reserve and Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities

You can write to the following Quebec Ministers calling on them to
stop the federal government¹s attempt to try to illegally replace our
leadership and honour the signed agreements they entered into with our
First Nation:

€ Premier Jean Charest, Government of Quebec
€ Benoit Pelletier, Quebec Minister Responsible for Native Affairs
€ Claude Bechard, Quebec Minister of Natural Resources and Wildlife
€ Line Beauchamp, Quebec Minister for Sustainable Development,
Environment & Parks

To contact us please use the following:
Marylynn Poucachiche, Spokesperson Home: (819) 435-2113,
marylynnpoucachiche at hotmail.com

Letter to Minister Chuck Strahl From A/Chief Benjamin Nottaway

WITHOUT PREJUDICE

March 10, 2008
Honourable Chuck Strahl
Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
10 Wellington Street
Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0H4

Re: Andre Cote Letter of March 10, 2008

Dear Minister Strahl:

This is to acknowledge receipt of the above noted letter from your
Quebec Regional Director General, Mr. Andre Cote.

As our Elder, Harry Wawatie informed you on February 4, 2008, there
has been no leadership change in our community. Our Elder and former
Chief, Harry Wawatie, also confirmed to you that under our customs,
Mitchikanibikok Anishinabe Onakinagewin, our current Customary

Council remains as follows:

€ A/Chief Benjamin Nottaway
€ Moise Papatie
€ David Wawatie
€ Jean Paul Ratt
€ Jean Maurice Matchewan

As Mr. Cote¹s letter acknowledges, we are governed by our own customs
and not by the Indian Act. Our Mitchikanibikok Anishinabe Onakinakewin
sets-out the procedures and process for our First Nation to select its
leadership. Our customs do not give a role for the Department of
Indian Affairs (DIAND) to decide on the composition of our Customary
Chief and Council. In fact, Mr. Cote¹s letter also acknowledges that
DIAND¹s role is simply to register the results of what our First
Nation has decided in regard to leadership selection.

Nevertheless and given the impact of your actions, before you take
such steps you need to act carefully. We wish to advise you that Mr.
Cote is mistaken in his belief that there has been a leadership change
in our First Nation. As Elder Wawatie¹s letter of February 4, 2008,
informed you, please review the Report of Mr. Justice Rejean Paul of
May 15, 2007, which was the basis upon which Mr. Cote issued his
earlier letter of May 29, 2007, recognizing our Council. There have
been no changes in circumstances since the issuance of his Report to
warrant any changes in DIAND¹s previous decision.

Accordingly, we urge you to reconsider your decision. We further
submit that you ought to consider having a judicial inquiry into this
matter including the conduct of your officials within the Quebec
Regional Office, which appears to be directed at impeding our First
Nation¹s efforts to get DIAND to abide by its agreements and
obligations, which are the subject of current proceedings in Federal
Court.  Therefore, we do not accept Andre Cote¹s decision to work with
the minority dissident faction within our First Nation, made up of
supporters and employees of DIAND¹s third party manager. We consider
it a violation of our customs as codified in our Mitchikanikbikok
Anishinabe Onakinakewin.

As was the case in 1996 when the Quebec Regional Director General made
the same mistake, be advised we will not recognize those individuals
named in Andre Cote¹s letter as having any authority for our First
Nation, nor will we cooperate with them. They are not welcome in our
community.Should you decide to uphold your government¹s
responsibilities and obligations under the 1991 Trilateral Agreement,
the 1997 Memorandum of Mutual Intent and the Special Provisions of our
previous
Contribution Agreements, we are prepared to meet with you.

We await your timely response.

Sincerely,
Acting Chief Benjamin Nottaway

A/Chief Benjamin Nottaway
Algonquins of Barriere Lake
Rapid Lake, Quebec J0W 2C0
Contact: Marylynn Poucachiche
Phone: (819) 435-2113
E-mail:
marylynnpoucachiche at hotmail.com

We are known as the Algonquins of Barriere Lake (also known by our
Algonquin name,³Mitchikanibikok Inik²) we are a First Nation community
of approximately 450 people, situated in the province of Quebec, 3
hours drive north of Ottawa, Canada. The socioeconomic conditions of
our community are extremely poor:

€ We have been marginalized onto a tiny 59-acre reserve at Rapid Lake,
which is overcrowded, dusty and badly eroding.
€ Our unemployment rates are in the range of 80-90%.
€ There is a housing crisis in our community ­ on the average, there
are 7 persons per home, but the actual numbers go as high as 18 per
house.
€ Our formal education levels are low and the incidence of diabetes is high.

On the positive side, our community has managed to maintain our
language, customs and traditional way of life.

PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION!
Algonquins of Barriere Lake Customary Chief and Council

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