Idle No More Protests in Windsor

By: Aussie Vizcayno

Thousands of first nation demonstrators gathered to support the group Idle No More in protest.

Protestors rallied down Huron Church Rd. on Wednesday to raise awareness of Bill C-45, the omnibus budget bill that changes the legislation contained in 64 acts or regulations and affects the rights of native people. Mary Deleary, an Algonquin Anishinabe and speaker during the protest said young people are the heart of the spiritual movement.

“People are finally waking up across the lands that they have to do something about it,” said Deleary.

Deleary also said there are several asects to the movement.

“The core of the movement is the protection of our mother earth, our environment,” said Deleary. “The way that our rights work and our land that we all depend on, the greatest protection will come from the indigenous people.”

The changes that concern the Idle No More movement the ones made to the Indian Act, the Navigation Protection Act and the Environmental Assessment Act. Native Candians support the protest for the purpose of fighting to keep their lands and treaties protected. Kristin Jacobs, a member of the Delaware Nations said the bill that is being put to law is also going to pass a navigable waters act that will affect many of their people.

“The act will only protect 97 per cent of lakes and rivers in Canada when there are thousands of lakes and rivers,” said Jacobs. “Without water then we would have nothing because water is life and that is what sustains it.”

While Harper met with an AFN delegation on Jan. 11, that was a demand from Chief Theresa Spence in connection with her hunger strike rather than a demand from Idle No More.