IPSMO Indigenous Sovereignty Under Attack

Indigenous Sovereignty Under Attack
Date: Wednesday, 26 May 2010
Time: 18:00 - 21:00
Location: PSAC Boardroom (TBC)
Street: 233 Gilmour, 1st Floor
Town/City: Ottawa, ON

Indigenous Sovereignty Under Attack: Government Repression Through the Indian Act

Speakers will include:

Spokespersons from Barriere Lake

We are also hoping to have spokespersons from the Six Nations reserve, and from Akwesasne, but these speakers are still to be confirmed.

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Wednesday, May 26
6pm in the PSAC Boardroom
233 Gilmour
Wheelchair Accessible
Everyone Welcome
http://www.ipsmo.org
ipsmo@riseup.net
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The community of Barriere Lake, a small Algonquin community in Quebec, has been engaged in political struggle with both the Provincial and Federal governments, as well as Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) for over 2 decades.

As a result of their political activism they have been targeted by INAC for repression. INAC has invoked section 74(1) of the Indian Act in an attempt to silence the community by interfering in its governance system. Barriere Lake is currently one of only 26 indigenous communities that governs itself according to its traditional governance system.

Section 74 - the imposition of the Band Council system - has played a significant role the colonization of Canada. It has been instrumental in destabilizing indigenous political systems, creating divisions within indigenous communities, and illegally imposing the Canadian governments colonial system on indigenous nations.

Both Akwesasne and Six Nations have had section 74 of the Indian Act imposed on their communities. In both cases it had to be imposed by (police) force.

In 1899 in Akwesasne, one man, Jake Ice, was shot and killed by the police while trying to prevent them from arresting several Chiefs who were opposed to the Band Council system. Although the police and the government were successful in forcing the Band Council system on the reserve, the Mohawks of Akwesasne have also maintained their traditional governance systems despite this repression.

"In 1924, the Government of Canada entered Six Nations territory with armed force to end the centuries old system of governance outlined in the Gai yen sra go wa (Great Law). The Chiefs of the governing Confederacy were relieved of all responsibilities, and replaced by an elected band council under the Indian Act. Although the Band Council has been in place since that time, Six Nations continues to maintain their own governance outside the Indian Act through the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. The Six Nations have never permitted the Confederacy to die. It remaines a source of moral authority, the repository of the Haudenausaunee languages and spirituality. The Chiefs of the Confederacy are to be chosen by highly capable women of each clan or Clan mothers." - http://www.mcmaster.ca/indigenous/SixNationsLandClaim.htm

Section 74(1) of the Indian Act: "Whenever he deems it advisable for the good government of a band, the Minister may declare by order that after a day to be named therein the council of the band, consisting of a chief and councillors, shall be selected by elections to be held in accordance with this Act."

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