[Indigsol] Press advisory from Barriere Lake

[Greg Macdougall]

FOR 
  IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Conservative MP 
  Lawrence Cannon's assistant makes racist remarks to Barriere Lake Algonquin 
  youth spokesperson: another example of the Conservative government's 
  mistreatment of Barriere Lake, say community 
  representatives

Kitiganik/Rapid Lake, Algonquin Territory / – At 
  Conservative MP Lawrence Cannon's official campaign launch in Maniwaki, Quebec 
  on Tuesday, September 16, Cannon's personal assistant racially slurred a 
  Barriere Lake youth spokesperson who asked that Cannon respect the 
  community's rights.

In a discussion with Norman Matchewan, a 
  twenty-five year old community teacher and part-time police officer, 
  constituency assistant Darlene Lannigan set conditions for any future 
  meetings.

"If you behave and you're sober," Lannigan told 
  Matchewan.[1]

"These patronizing, racist remarks from a representative 
  of Cannon are just another example of the Conservative government's disrespect 
  for our community," says Matchewan.

Lannigan went on to say that the 
  "problem in the community is too many drugs, alcohol, incest, and 
  violence."

"Our major problem is that the federal government is trying 
  to get out of a landmark agreement that would give us co-management of our 
  traditional territories and improve our dire economic situation," responded 
  Matchewan. "They're using divide and rule tactics, ousting our legitimate 
  Chief and Council and recognizing individuals who don't have the support of 
  the community's majority."

Cannon's office issued a statement Wednesday 
  stating that "these comments were made in a difficult 
  context."

"Nothing
justifies racism," says Matchewan . "And it wasn't a difficult context
– we were simply asking Cannon in a respectful manner to follow through
on his promises. This is a telling example of the attitudes we face in
the Conservative government, and why we have problems in the first
place."

Last summer Cannon told a crowd in 
  Maniwaki that "the Government of Canada is committed to honoring its lawful 
  obligations to First Nations, recognizing that their legal rights must be 
  respected and upheld."[2]

On March 10th, 2008, for the third time in 12 
  years, the Government of Canada interfered in the internal governance of 
  Barriere Lake. The Government rescinded recognition of the Customary Chief and 
  Council supported by the community's majority and recognized individuals whom 
  the Barriere Lake Elder's Council says were not selected in accordance with 
  their Customary Governance Code. To resolve the situation, Barriere Lake has 
  demanded that the Government of Canada send observers to witness a leadership 
  re-selection, and in good faith recognize the outcome.

They also want the Government of Canada to uphold an internationally lauded sustainable 
  development Trilateral agreement Barriere Lake signed with Quebec and the 
  Conservative federal government in 1991. The Government of Canada has been in 
  breach of the agreement since 2001.

"We have written letters to Cannon,  picketed at his Maniwaki constituency office, 
  peacefully sat-in at his Buckingham office, and protested for days at his 
  Ministry of Transport office in Ottawa," said Matchewan. "And yet he has not 
  so much as answered once – which puts the lie to his promises to respect First 
  Nations rights and shows he doesn't deserve to be re-elected."

Barriere 
  Lake representatives will meet this week with the NDP, Bloc Quebecois, and 
  Liberal candidates in the Pontiac riding, to build support for their 
  rights.

The Algonquin Nation Secretariat, the Tribal Council 
  representing three Algonquin communities including Barriere Lake, continues to 
  recognize and work with Customary Chief Benjamin Nottaway and his Council. 
  Across the country, more than thirty environmental and civic groups and 
  organizations have supported Barriere Lake's demands.[3]

– 30 
  –

Media Contacts:

Norman Matchewan, Barriere Lake youth spokesperson: 613-296-0110, 819-334-0411

Michel Thusky, Barriere Lake spokesperson (available 
  4pm–onward): (819) 435-2171


Footnotes

[1] 
  http://www.aptn.ca/streaming/index.php?wmv=wednesday/six

[2] 
  http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/nr/spch/2007/kza-eng.asp

[3] 
  http://barrierelakesolidarity.blogspot.com/2008/03/mission.html


Collectif de Solidarité Lac Barrière
*******************************************

www.solidaritelacbarriere.blogspot.com
barrierelakesolidarity at gmail.com
514.398.7432


      __________________________________________________________________
Yahoo! Canada Toolbar: Search from anywhere on the web, and bookmark your favourite sites. Download it now at
http://ca.toolbar.yahoo.com.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.resist.ca/pipermail/indigsol/attachments/20080918/a841a684/attachment.html>