Call for help! Algonquins at Barriere Lake in Quebec

CALL FOR HELP! SUPPORT BARRIERE LAKE ALGONQUINS AGAINST QUEBEC POLICE ATTACKS, ARRESTS, BEATINGS, HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES

Article by Mohawk Nation News
Photos: Barriere Lake community

Oct. 12, 2008. On Monday, October 6, 2008, the Algonquins of Barriere Lake had enough and blocked Highway 117 in Northern Quebec. They want Canada and Quebec to live up to the "trilateral agreement" signed in 1991 between the 3 parties. The Algonquins have a right to sustainably develop and co-manage their traditional territories and to have a share in resource revenues. Canada and Quebec obviously believe in stealing but not sharing. Isn't that the "slippery slope" that multinational corporations are sliding into right now? They refuse to comply with the agreement which would save the environment.

Rotten to the core, Canada and Quebec responded to the blocked road by sending in almost 100 Quebec police, some fully-equipped riot police, to attack the Algonquins to get out of negotiations. Tear gas was shot into a group of youth and elders. One canister hit a handicapped person in the chest. Nine people, including; an elderly women, a pregnant woman, and two minors, were arrested. Severe "pain compliance" techniques were used on peaceful men, women and children who had secured themselves to concrete-filled barrels. The cops twisted their arms, dislocated their jaws, left them with bruised faces and sore necks and throats from the tear gas.

To view the video of brutal police attack, go to www.barrierelakesolidarity.blogspot.com. The Algonquins of Barriere Lake intend to demonstrate until Canada's Conservative government and Quebec honor signed agreements and Barriere Lake's leadership customs.

Allies and supporters are needed as witnesses. From Montreal: Take #15 North to St. Jerome where it turns into #117; drive north past Mt. Laurier and 1 hour after Grand Remous to LaVerendrye Park; turn right on "#362 km" sign; drive 8 kms to the community of "Rapid Lake". Needed are camping equipment, food, phone cards, cameras; volunteers, equipment and everything necessary for makeshift schools. See contacts at end.

In 1996, Indian Affairs tried to hijack the agreement by sneakily replacing the legitimate chief and council with their outside nominees [sort of creating "New'gonquin appointees] to stop the agreement.

Algonquins, who are not part of the colony of Canada, do not come under the Indian Act. Elders nominate eligible leaders who are then approved, by consensus if possible, in assemblies. Participation is open only to those who live in the community, speak the language, and have knowledge of and connection to the land. Since they rejected the colonial "implants", the majority have been deprived of employment, education and social assistance. Electricity is being run by local generators. The parents of more than half of the children refuse to send them to Indian Affairs funded schools. The reason is because the curriculum, no Indigenous language instruction and no say in the running of the school. Volunteer community members are educating the children. They need school and food supplies. There are no phone lines. They subsist on bush food and donations. This sounds like Kanehsatake. We wouldn't be surprised if the same players are involved in Barriere Lake. See the list of slimy bureaucrats at end of this article.

In 1997 Quebec Superior Court Judge Réjean Paul and two federal facilitators ordered that the legitimate chief and council be restored and that the trilateral agreement be upheld. Indian Affairs, Quebec and their appointees rejected this order. In 200, Rejean Paul returned and agreed that, opponents to the traditional chief and council was "a small minority". Even so, in January 2008 this minority group conducted another supposed leadership selection which was quickly recognized by the filthy, dirty Indian Affairs department, Andre Cote himself.

In 1998 Quebec signed a complementary Bi-lateral agreement. In 2006 two former Quebec Cabinet Ministers, John Ciaccia and Barriere Lake special representative, Clifford Lincoln, made recommendations to implement the agreement in 2006.

Said Norman Matchewan, "Forestry operations will not be allowed on our Tri-lateral agreement territory, and we will be doing more non-violent direct action."

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.

Posted by MNN Staff www.mohawknationnews.com
Posted by MNN Mohawk Nation News www.mohawknationnews.com
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Contact the Barriere Lake people: Michel Thusky, Barriere Lake spokesperson: 819 - 435 - 2171 m_wawatie@hotmail.com; Norman Matchewan, Barriere Lake spokesperson: 514 - 831 - 6902; Marylynn Poucachiche, Barriere Lake spokesperson: 438 - 868 - 3957

WATCH OUT FOR THESE SLIMEY BUREAUCRATS. They all work together to plan these attacks on us.
- High up - Chantal "Who-Has-a-Dirty-Hand-in-Everything" Bernier chantal.bernier@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca;
- Ryan W. "Sour-Man" Monsour, Quebec Caucus Liaison, PMO, PSEPC, 613-991-2924;
- Margaret "Trying-to-Suck-Every-Last-Drop-of-Indian-Blood-Now-might-Be-Getting-Her-Fangs-Ready-for-Algonquins" Bloodworth, "National Security Advisor" to Prime Minister, Margaret.bloodworth@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca, 613-957-5466;
Indian Affairs sewer rats
- Pierre "Jellyfish" Nepton, Indian Affairs Quebec;
- Walter "Whose-Billy-Club-Has-Been-Taken-Away" Walling, wallingw@ainc-inac.gc.ca; Christian "Anti-Christ" Rouleau, rouleau.c@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- Andre "Turn" Cote, cote.a@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- Stuart "Swan-Song" Swanson, swanson.s@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- Paul "The-White-Man" Leblanc, leblanc.p@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- Zuwena "Squeal" Robidas, Indian Affairs mouthpiece, zuwena.robidas@pspec-sppcc.gc.ca 613-993-2596;
- Helene "Parrot" Philippe, another Indian Affairs mouthpiece, philippe.h@ainc-inac.gc.ca;
- David "Economic-Hit-Man" Hillman, DG Econ. Dev. david.hallman@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca 819-953-0517;
More Emergency Preparedness creeps
- Jean "Lapse-of-Selected-Memory" Chartrand, jean.chartrand@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca 613-990-8470;
- Denise "Who-was-in-there-like-a-dirty-shirt" Charron, denise.charron@spepc-sppcc.gc.ca 613-991-1694;
Other excreta agents of the crown
- Yvan "Who-Maintains-Toilet-Supplies" Dery, for the Privy Council Office ydery@pco-bcp.gc.ca;
- Gilles "Pig-Shop-Keeper" Rochon, Aboriginal Policing, gilles.rochon@psepc.gc.ca 613-990-2666;
- Emanuel "Little-Lamb" Chabot, emmanuel.chabot@psept-sppcc.gc.ca 613-990-4353;
- "Slippery" Jim Beaver jim.beaver@pspec-sppcc.gc.ca;
- Peter "Flat-Foot" Fisher, Police Services PSEPC fax 613-991-0961;
- Louise "Who-Doesn't-Know-the-Half-of-It" Savage louise.savage@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca;
- Sylvia "Ambulance Chaser" McKenzie, Justice Canada sylvia.mackenzie@sppcc-psept.gc.ca 613-998-3952;
- Annik "The-Squeak" Pelletier, Justice Canada apelleti@justice.gc.ca;
- Louis-Alexandre "Who-Sits-on-a-Very-High-Chair" Guay, Justice, lguay@justice.gc.ca;
- Ghyslain "Who-Readily-Grabs-the-Colonial-Persuasion-Money" Picard AFN Quebec reception@afn.ca;

Help! Give a piece of your mind to: GG Michaelle jean info@gg.ca; Stephen Harper, Prime Minister, Fax 613-941-6900 pm@pm.gc.ca; Lawrence Cannon, Transportation Minister and member for Pontiac, 613-99202940; Fax 613-944-9376; Chuckie "Baby" Strahl, Indian Affairs Minister, 819-997-0002, Fax 819-953-4941 strahl.c@parl.gc.ca; Jean Charest, Quebec Premier, 418-643-5321 514-873-3411

We need to tell Canada and Quebec and their agents to: (1) immediately stop their attacks and police brutality; (2) to honor the Trilateral Agreement they signed with the Algonquins of Barriere Lake; (3) to support the Barriere Lake community's struggle for the right to chose its own leadership; and (4) to get Indian Affairs the h---lout of Barrier Lake unless asked!

Resources: Laurier Riel Report, part I - Riel witnessed the alleged leadership selection, whose result was recognized by Indian Affairs on March 10, 2008; Laurier Riel Report, part II; Federal MP, Lawrence Cannon's Message to the Community in Le Droit (22 September 2008); Norman Matchewan's Response to Lawrence Cannon in Le Droit (26 September 2008); Trilateral Agreement - discussed in the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP); 2007 leadership report by Quebec Superior Court Rhejean Paul; Legal challenge of Federal Government's deposition of Barriere Lake's Customary Chief and Council; Assembly of First Nations briefing note - January 2008