Piikani Idle No More supporters stage peaceful protest

Idle No More protesters in Brocket
C. Davis photos and video

Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

Note: the accompanying video to this story includes some words that may offend some viewers.

Idle No More protests were held all over Canada on Friday, January 11, including one at Brocket by members of the Piikani Nation.

The event began with an information seminar hosted by lawyer Faye Morning Bull, LLB at the Piikani Community Hall.  Morning Bull summarized various pieces of legislation and Senate Bills that currently being proposed by the federal government, outlining how she felt they would impact indigenous peoples in Canada.


She said that the Jobs and Growth Act omnibus Bill C-45 includes Indian Act amendments that would make it easier for reserve land to be surrendered. She challenged proposed Fisheries Act amendments that would change the definitions of the rights to fish. According to Morning Bull, proposed technical changes to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act threaten the environment by making it possible to proceed with less technical data than previously.

She voices opposition to the First Nations Financial Transparency Act (Bill C-27), calling it paternalistic and saying it wold force disclosure of financial information to non-Band members, which she said goes against the Competition Act and would put First Nations owned entities at a disadvantage.

Morning Bull says there are similar concerns with the First Nations Elections Act, the Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act, Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act, Indian Act Amendment and Replacement Act, First Nations Self-Government Recognition Act, and others.  She said there was a concern common to these pieces of legislation - a lack of consultation with First Nations groups about the implications and potential impacts they might have on First Nations cultures and rights. She argues for self-governance.

On Highway 3

Following the seminar, supporters made their way from the hall to Highway 3.  They marched east to about the periphery of the Brocket townsite and then back again, blocking traffic in one direction while walking before blocking the whole highway for a few minutes.  RCMP were on scene directing traffic during the protest.

Afterwards I spoke with Abby Morning Bull, daughter of Faye Morning Bull.  Among many other things, Abby is an organizer and eloquent speaker for Piikani's Idle No More movement, but she denies being a spokeswoman.  "I can only speak for myself, I will not speak on behalf of the movement, or on behalf of the Nation, I can only speak on what I know."

"We need to move together, we need to stand together, we need to stop letting these things that divide us and segregate us and let them go," she said. "Let go of that evil and that negativity, and let go of all that.  It's not just within First Nations themselves, but Canadians as well.  We are blessed in this country.  We have so much at our disposal.  we have so many amazing, amazing, amazing things, which are overshadowed with racism, with ignorance."

"What I see is that one of the biggest outcomes of this has been education about First Nations in Canada, the historical context, and empowerment.  Empowerment of people, First Nations people and Canadians alike.  Empowering them to step up and say 'What's going on with this legislation with the government?'.  It's not right, it's not good for anyone."

"They keep talking about the economy, the economy, the economy.  More money, more money, more money.  What good's the money without land for your people to live on, without a healthy environment?  What is money if we don't have proper food, proper water?  I mean, that is the essence of life and that is the essence of everything.  they keep talking about the economy.  Great, fine, whatever, but you need to look after your people too.  Because the government is a representation of the people, and that's what we need to remember as the people, is that we have a voice, too."

"We are a part of this land, we are a part of the universe, and we are a part of what surrounds us and what happens out there affects us within ourselves because we are interconnected.  Quantum physics: Energy cannot be created nor destroyed.  So when you go out and you destroy water, you destroy land, how does that affect you as a person?  How does it affect your community? How does it affect your family?  How does it affect everything?"

"It is something that we are not taught.  It's not explored, either.  It's not a dialogue.  You have to question those things.  I mean, with water sources especially, Water is the essence of life, and with this legislation affecting the definition of what is a lake and a river is and going from 2.2 million protected lakes and rivers to under 82?  What is the implication of that across the country?  How many people, Canadians, First Nations, people, whatever people are going to be affected by that?"

"We didn't have the right to vote until 1961.  We were not seen as human beings until 1961.  Women got the right to vote in the 1920's.  Why did it take another 40 years until First Nations people were allowed to vote?  that's what this government has done, and that's what people don't see and that's what people don't talk about."

"We will not turn anyone away.  If you want to be a part of this, we welcome you with open arms.  We want you here.  This is about your home too, it's not just ours, it your home, too."

The full interview with Abby Morning Bull covers the second half of the following video.

Related links:
Idle No More - Piikani on Facebook
Faye Morning Bull -  Harper Government Unilateral federal legislation imposing over First Nations