Day of action motivates south

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While most of the native communities of central and northern Alberta were quiet on April 17, southern Alberta's Aboriginal population was motivated to contribute to the activities of the National Day of Action as called by the Assembly of First Nations Chief Ovide Mercredi.

A large march through Calgary's downtown saw participants protesting the government's lack of movement on recommendations in the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples report and lack of consultation regarding Bill C-79, the Indian Act Modification Act.

As well, 11 protestors attempted to occupy Liberal Senator Joyce Fairbairn's Calgary office, but were thwarted by government staff.

Deborah Murray, a spokesperson for the protestors, said she could not understand why government office would be locked to public.

"The government is not consulting with Aboriginal people before making changes to the Indian Act," said Murray. "We are here at Senator's Fairbairn's office to make sure our voices are heard."

Fairbrain, who Mercredi has described as having " a very powerful influence on the Prime Minister," was in Ottawa April 17, but after being tracked down by Calgary police, agreed to meet with the protestors. The protestors then agreed to leave the building, but with reluctance.

"I think we should have stayed until we met the Senator in person," said Lori Wildcat, as she was leaving. "We have lived through too many broken promises already."

In Lethbridge, the scene was less overtly political. An estimated 80 people gathered for an afternoon session at the newly opened Opokaa-sin Early Intervention Centre to share personal feelings and concerns with the way the government is acting to Aboriginal issues.

"Lethbridge is a quiet sort of place," said Tony Hall, Native American Studies professor at the university of Lethbridge. Hall was one of the organizers of the cities April 17 day action.

"It's hard for the community to address the whole problem of relationships between Native and non-Native communities. We just wanted to extend a warm invitation to the people in the community to listen and talk."

Valerie Goodrider McFarland, a student counselor and instructor at Lethbridge Community College, advised people to learn as much as they could about the Indian Act and treaties.

"Knowledge is power. Our greatest enemy is ourselves and the rumor mill," she said. "We have to learn to work together and use our knowledge to get what we need. This is our country. We can't just pack up and go home."

In Edmonton, the Metis Nation of Alberta pledged its support of the position taken by the AFN in regards to commission report. Metis Nation president Audrey Poitras called for renewal, friendship, and unity. She also called for a new round of negotiations based on this new relationship.

"This new approach based on pragmatism to empower the Aboriginal people's to determine our own destinies and to develop our forms of self-government must occur. This 'wait and see' attitude adopted by the federal government to measure the reaction from the public must cease immediately," said Poitras.

Day of action events included office sit-in

Poitras warned that if the federal government persisted in its unilateral decision-making in regards to Aboriginal issues, it will result in regional confrontations and armed blockades across Canada. The Aboriginal nations, including the Metis, are voicing their anger and frustration, she said. The younger generation will not be so tolerant in dealing with government, she promised.

In a press conference in Ottawa, Mercredi promised reporters that the AFN intends to maintain pressure on the federal government by escalating the protests, rallies and political action that occurred April 17.

"But this time I wanted to be very clear to the Canadian people that what we will do is not to target the Canadians," the national chief said. "We don't want to inconvenience the Canadian people themselves. It is not the Canadians in this country whoare holding back progress; it's the prime minister, it's the federal government.

Mercredi promised to target specific individuals in the government for political protest, including Prime Minister Jean Chretien, Paul Martin, the Minister of Finance, who the AFN holds personally responsible "for all the pain and suffering in our communities, because of the cutbacks," is also being targeted, as is Minister of Justice, Allan Rock, who the AFN contends "is guilty in terms of diminishing our treaty and Aboriginal rights when he introduced the gun control legislation."

Mercredi did not give specifics as to the kinds of protest these people will face.