[Indigsol] Algonquins peacefully block logging until agreements and leadership respected

[Indigenous Peoples' Solidarity Movement -Ottawa]

For Immediate Release

September 1, 2009

Algonquins place bodies in front of logging machines: prevent logging until
Quebec and Canada respect agreements and leadership

Kitiganik/Rapid Lake, Algonquin Territory /- This afternoon members of the
Algonquins of Barriere Lake will peacefully block the machines of
Abitibi-Bowater forestry workers, preventing logging in their territory
until Quebec implements agreements covering forestry on Barriere Lake's
lands, and the Quebec and Canadian government's recognize the First Nation's
legitimate leadership.

"Our community has decided there will be no forestry activities or any new
developments in our Trilateral Agreement Territory until the status of our
leadership and the agreements we signed are resolved to our community's
satisfaction," says Jean Maurice Matchewan, Customary Chief of Barriere
Lake. "The Quebec government has acted in bad faith, giving companies the
go-ahead to log while they ignore their legal obligations, leaving us with
no choice but to stop forestry operations until Quebec complies with the
agreement. We have waited more than 3 years for Quebec to implement it."

Matchewan received no response to a letter he sent to Manager Paul Grondin
of Abitibi-Bowater's Maniwaki mill on August 25, requesting that the company
suspend logging operations until the governments follow through on their
obligations.

"Our plan is to peacefully put our bodies in front of their machines until
we get some results. We expect they may use the police, because we are used
to such tactics. This is our territory and they can't push us off our
lands," says Matchewan.

Canada and Quebec have refused to acknowledge the results of a June 24, 2009
leadership selection process that reselected Jean Maurice Matchewan as the
legitimate Customary Chief of Barriere Lake. National Chief Shawn Atleo of
the Assembly of First Nations, however, met with Chief Matchewan on August
19, to discuss the Trilateral agreement and other community concerns. The
Algonquin Nation Secretariat, a Tribal Council representing three Algonquin
communities including Barriere Lake, also recently reiterated their support
for Chief Matchewan.

"Instead of acting honourably and cooperating with our Customary Council to
implement these signed agreements, the federal and provincial governments
have been working in unison to try and install a minority faction whom they
can use to sign off on the cutting of our forest," says Matchewan.

Barriere Lake wants Canada and Quebec to uphold signed agreements dating
back to the 1991 Trilateral Agreement, a landmark sustainable development
and resource co-management agreement praised by the United Nations and the
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. Canada has been in breach of the
agreement since 2001. Quebec signed a complementary Bilateral Agreement in
1998, but has stalled despite the 2006 recommendations of two former Quebec
Cabinet Ministers, Quebec special representative John Ciaccia and Barriere
Lake special representative Clifford Lincoln, that the agreement be
implemented. The agreement is intended to allow logging to continue while
protecting the Algonquin's' traditional way of life and giving them a $1.5
million share of the $100 million in resource revenue that comes out of
their territory every year.

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Media contacts:

Chief Jean Maurice Matchewan - 819-435- 2136

To arrange interviews in case the line is busy : 514-398-7432