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“Spirit of the Land”. Significant Time lines. 1500’s – 1800 Indigenous laws Ohcinewin Ohcinemowin Okicitaw iskwewak – lawkeepers Sacred sites – graves, rock markings. 1810 - 1876. Military Indian Policy British North America (BNA) Act – lands reserved for Indians
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Significant Time lines • 1500’s – 1800 • Indigenous laws • Ohcinewin • Ohcinemowin • Okicitaw iskwewak – lawkeepers • Sacred sites – graves, rock markings
1810 - 1876 • Military Indian Policy • British North America (BNA) Act – lands reserved for Indians • Treaty 6 – family of 5 (more or less) • Mapping of Treaty 6 • Indian Act – became wards – residential schools, disconnection to lands begins.
Instead of honouring the Treaties of peace and friendship it made with Indigenous Peoples, Canada made the Indian Act in 1876.
By 1927, the Indian Act described over 200 crimes which could only be committed by an “Indian.” These included: • holding a potlatch – one of the primary instruments of government • hiring a lawyer to pursue land rights • keeping a child home from Indian Residential School • traveling without permission of an Indian Agent
1885 – 1950’s • NorthWest Rebellion • Pass system • Our reserved lands became our prisons • Big River Reserved lands #118
Since the Indian Act was amended to repeal the prohibition on hiring a lawyer, in 1958, there have been hundreds – if not thousands – of court cases where Indigenous Peoples have sued, and been sued, for the lawful exercise of their land rights. Below, demonstrating against the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline, Unistoten camp, Wet’suwet’n territory, 2010
Sea-to-Sea Protest Indigenous peoples have resisted Canada’s control of their lands, women, children, governance, and cultural expression since the 18th century.
In the last two decades, Canada has been the object of hundreds of roadblocks, sit-ins, train blockades, occupations and even armed confrontations on traditional Indigenous lands. Above – the Oka crisis, 1990
Mohawk In 1990, the Mohawk community of Kahnewake blocked highways, roads and bridges to halt development of a golf course on their burial grounds. Securité Québec was joined by the Canadian army. Indigenous Peoples across Canada set up demonstrations of support and solidarity. No golf course was built.
Líl’wat One of the supporting blockades was at Líl’wat, in British Columbia. The people were also blockading development of their smallpox burial grounds. Representatives from every Líl’wat family were arrested for blocking the highway which runs through the center of their Indian Reserve.
Secwepemc The ensuing conflict involved 400 RCMP, 6 APCs, and 77,000 rounds of ammunition fired on the camp. In 1995, 17 Sundancers in Secwepemc fenced in their sacred arbor against cows. Above, OJ Pitawanakwat and Wolverine at Gustafsen Lake.
Gustafsen Lake, 1995 Left, cops enforce a perimeter. Below, this red truck was blown up by a C-4 land mine just after the photo.
Ipperwash, Stoney Point Chippewa,1995 The people protested over access to the lake shore of Ipperwash Provincial Park, cut into their Reserve lands. They occupied the park, the Ontario government panicked, and Dudley George, left, was shot to death.
Nuxalk All the Nuxalk hereditary chiefs stood together to protect their most sacred island from logging. In 1995, they blocked the road and were all arrested and charged for disobeying a court injunction to leave the road. In 1997, they did it again.
Grassy Narrows The people of Grassy Narrows have been protesting, blocking roads and launching court actions since the 1980’s to stop logging on their treaty lands. Logging continues as they protest and argue in court.
Lubicon Cree The people say they may not be able to practice their way of life for a long time to come, as it has been polluted, made desert, and criss-crossed with roads and pipeline. Right, Edward and Josephine Laboucan
Lubicon Cree Lands Over $14 billion worth of oil has been extracted from Lubicon territory over the past two decades. The Lubicon people cannot stop it, nor get a fair share of the profit, nor compensation for their lands. This in spite of extensive protests and legal action.
Burnt Church, Mi’kmaq Decades of conflict over fisheries, including lobster fisheries, brought the Burnt Church First Nation to defy federal fishing closures in the Fall of 2000 and in 2001. The Supreme Court of Canada had recognized their treaty rights in 1999, but the decision did not affect their access to the fisheries.
Walk for Justice Indigenous women represent an alarming majority in cases of unsolved disappearances and murders. Thousands of women have gone missing while traveling Highway 16, from Prince Rupert on the west coast of BC to Winnipeg, Manitoba. Families and friends have been advocating for justice: proper investigations and an inquiry into the whole situation. Rallies and marches are held in the major cities, marches for justice have crossed the country several times, and a judicial inquiry specific to Vancouver took place last year.
Athabaskan and Mikisew Cree The Athabaskan of Fort Chipewyan and the Mikisew Cree of the same Tribal Council, and Treaty 8, have beautiful lands rich in wildlife, birds and fish, which have sustained them for thousands of years.
Alberta Tar Sands In these Athabaskan and Cree territories the tar sands development takes place. The Alberta Tar Sands are the single largest producer of carbon emissions in the world.
Treaty 8 The Alberta Tar Sands are in the midst of Treaty 8, where Canada says they can use the land as they please and they have bought it from the indigenous, and it is such an important economic driver that it outweighs the infringement of aboriginal rights. Above, a fish caught downstream in the Mackenzie River.
Delgamuukw, 1997 • The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that aboriginal title exists in the province of British Columbia, where there were almost no historic treaties. • Unfortunately, this ruling does not affect Canada or the province’s strategies to extinguish the aboriginal title by coercion, corruption and forced capitulation.
In 2003, the Nuxalk people stood again to bar access to industrial salmon feedlots in their territory. Again they were criminalized.
Skwelkwek'welt, Secwepemc • In 2004, people built winter lodges and camps in the way of ski resort expansion, at Sun Peaks in BC. • The lodges were bulldozed and expansion went on in spite of protest, blockades and legal action. • The 1862 map of the Secwepemc Indian Reserve includes the ski resort area.
Caledonia The Haldimand Tract The Mohawk people of what is now called Caledonia, Ontario, were promised this land in perpetuity in recognition of their allegiance with England during the American War of Independence, the American Revolution. Canada now says it cannot honour this compact because it failed to purchase the land from the Mississauga people, the original owners. This does not stop Canada or the province of Ontario from selling off the land to developers and non-native people. It does not make Canada settle with the Mississaugas either… Toronto
Sterling Street Bridge, HaldimandTract The Sterling Street bridge, within the Haldimand Tract, was burned during attempts to reclaim the land from Canada, in 2006. Non-native businesses were awarded $20 million in 2010, after they brought a class action suit against government for damages incurred during the conflict. The indigenous have neither received their promised lands nor compensation or reparation.
Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug In 2008, six KI leaders were imprisoned for rejected the unequal opportunity to “consult” with Platinex over mining plans. They were imprisoned for two months, and released. A cash settlement has kept Platinex out of KI territory for the meantime.
The Rocky Mountains The Canadian economy has been underwritten by resource industries operating on unceded indigenous lands for over 200 years. Many of the logging clearcuts are so extensive they can be seen from space, as can the tar sands.
There are 4,464 toxic sites in treaty territories of Indigenous Peoples – an average of 1.5 toxic site per Reserve, or 7 toxic sites per First Nation.
Bill C-45 Canada has created a suite of legislation that may entrap impoverished indigenous communities. It is yet another attempt to get Indigenous agreement to Canadian control; agreement to release self-determination and accept municipal status. Above: “Treaties Are Between The Crown and Indigenous Nations”
INM Original Organizers These women called attention to Canada’s plan to extinguish the Treaties unilaterally, and held teach-ins about Bill C-45. There has since been many organizers. Alex Wilson, Erica Lee, Janice Makokis Shannon Houle, Dion Tootoosis, Tori Cress, Angela Bercier, & many others. L-R: Sheelah McLean, Nina Wilson, Sylvia McAdam & Jess Gordon
