[Indigsol] Fwd: Press Advisory: Conservative MP Lawrence Cannon’s assistant racially slurs Algonquin youth spokesperson

[Jesse Freeston]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Barriere Lake Solidarity <barrierelakesolidarity at gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Sep 18, 2008 at 11:07 AM
Subject: Press Advisory: Conservative MP Lawrence Cannon's assistant
racially slurs Algonquin youth spokesperson
To: barrierelakesolidarity at gmail.com




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



-- 
"Your current frequencies of understanding outweigh that which has been
given for you to understand. The current standard is the equivalent of an
adolescent restricted to the diet of an infant. The rapidly changing body
would acquire dysfunctional and deformative symptoms and could not properly
mature on a diet of apple sauce and crushed pears."
- Saul Williams
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.resist.ca/pipermail/indigsol/attachments/20080918/9c59820e/attachment.html>