From Ipolitics.ca

Chiefs take protest to doors of the House to oppose budget bill 

By Laura Stone | Dec 4, 2012

Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver(right) debates with Chief Wallace Fox of Onion Lake First Nation before they try to push their way into the House of Commons and are restrained by House of Commons guards on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Tuesday. CP/Fred Chartrand

On Tuesday morning, Chief Wallace Fox of Onion Lake First Nation in Saskatchewan stood at the microphone and urged his fellow leaders attending the Assembly of First Nations annual meeting at Casino Lac Leamy to take their fight to Parliament Hill.

In the afternoon, Fox tried to force his way into the locked House of Commons.

It happened during question period. Fox was there, with others, to protest the budget implementation bill, C-45.

One of the members of his group started to push his way into the chamber. Security guards pushed back. The crowd swayed forward. The guards shouted no. For a few minutes, it was tense.

"Your laws and your legislation don't mean a damn thing to us. It won't work," someone yelled. "You want democracy, we've got to talk."

Eventually, everyone stopped pushing.

"This is what we did today, serve notice," Fox said after he and the others were escorted out by security.

"We're not going to put up with this."

Fox's primary concern, one among many, was that the Conservative government failed to consult with aboriginal people on the budget implementation bill being voted on in the House all day Tuesday.

He was led into Parliament by NDP MP Charlie Angus, who said he spoke to the RCMP about allowing a small group of chiefs in to meet with ministers.

That's how Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver got involved.

"The issue here is with this omnibus legislation that it's going to strip environmental protection of lakes," Angus said after QP, referring to changes to the Navigable Waters Protection Act which remove thousands of lakes and streams from federal protection.

"It's basically declaring open season on all parts of Canada, but especially on First Nation territory," Angus added. "No consultation. There's a real frustration. So the desire was for some of the leaders to be able to come in and actually say, wait a minute, how come you're pushing this through, this omnibus legislation, you haven't spoken to us.

"So I went to minister Oliver and I just asked him. I said, 'Minister Oliver, there's a number of chiefs out there that would like to speak with you. Would you come out and meet with them?' And he agreed and that's what happened."

After a quiet discussion between Fox and the minister, Oliver left.

Despite the minister's assurances that the government wanted to work with First Nations, Fox apparently grew frustrated.

Then came the decision to go into the House. And the pushing.

Angus downplayed it.

"I wouldn't really make a mountain out of a molehill. I remember ... opening for the Dead Kennedys, so I can tell you, I've seen physical scuffles," said the former musician.

"This was an example of people wanting to be heard," he said, before praising Hill security.

Outside, Fox agreed.

"All we wanted to do was have an audience with the very government that is continuously (undermining) our people, our sovereign right as a people of this land and they're continually making decisions based on what's good for us," he said.

When asked what could happen next, Fox said blockades were "an option."

"What happens in all of society, in Canada and the United States, when they're sending billions and billions of litres of oil a day ... Our land, our resources. And we don't get a share of that. What happens when the oil doesn't come across the border? What then will industry do?"

It all went down after a peaceful demonstration on the steps of Parliament Hill - signalling perhaps a fracture in the organization that is supposed to represent the interests of aboriginal people across Canada.

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo said early Tuesday that C-45 "is part of the siege that we're under right now."

But he tried to downplay, at first, the move to Parliament Hill.

"I want us to be thinking about the most strategic and powerful approaches that also allow us to do our work," Atleo told chiefs from across Canada.

Eventually, the group moved downtown for more than an hour before returning to the annual meeting.

"We are gathered here with a strong message, a message to our peoples, that we will stand together, we will stand united, and we will stand strong," Atleo said on the steps of Parliament. "There is a great struggle going on. We want this message heard."

Ryerson associate professor Pam Palmater, who also ran for national chief, helped organize the move to Parliament.

"It is our responsibility to stand up for our community members and show them that chiefs and community leaders are about taking action, not sitting around listening to speeches, especially when (Prime Minister Stephen Harper) is in the House right now trying to pass legislation that will devastate our communities," she said.

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