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82-648: Idle No More is an ongoing protest movement , founded in December 2012 by four women: three First Nations women and one non-Native ally. It is a grassroots movement among the Indigenous peoples in Canada comprising the First Nations , Métis and Inuit peoples and their non-Indigenous supporters in Canada, and to a lesser extent, internationally. It has consisted of a number of political actions worldwide, inspired in part by
164-667: A teach-in at Station 20 West in Saskatoon called "Idle No More", held in response to the Harper government 's introduction of Bill C-45 . Sylvia McAdam, an author and educator from the Nehiyaw (Cree) Nation , stated that "one of our strongest motivations is our children. We want them to witness that we weren’t silent about Bill C-45". C-45 is a large omnibus bill implementing numerous measures, many of which activists claim weaken environmental protection laws . In particular, laws protecting all of
246-548: A grassroots movement, clearly no political organization speaks for Idle No More". Furthermore, this is not just an Aboriginal Canadian movement. These pipeline projects will be stretching beyond borders carving through critical ecosystems and landscapes in the States . Canada's large oil reserves have attracted industry to exploit, and profit, "The tar sands industry aims to create an extensive web of pipelines to deliver increasing amounts of this Canadian tar sands sludge to refineries in
328-563: A huge expanse of land. Thus, when Iroquois cultures refer to the earth, they often call it Turtle Island . According to Converse and Parker, the Iroquois faith shared with other religions the "belief that the Earth is supported by a gigantic turtle." In the Seneca language , the mythical turtle is called Hah-nu-nah , while the name for an everyday turtle is ha-no-wa . In Susan M. Hill's version of
410-622: A month-long dispute between Akwesasne Nation and CBSA . On January 11, 2013, thousands of people participated in Idle No More demonstrations in all regions of Canada. In Vancouver, British Columbia, a mass march and rally was held at Vancouver City Hall. It was estimated over 1000 people attended the march which started at the Native Education College. The protests have also spread outside of Canada. On December 27 an online source reported that there had been 30 Idle No More protests in
492-503: A percent for every paragraph printed about the event. Turtle Island (North America) Turtle Island is a name for Earth or North America , used by some American Indigenous peoples , as well as by some Indigenous rights activists . The name is based on a creation myth common to several indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands of North America. A number of contemporary works continue to use and/or tell
574-402: A pipe with a sumac branch and a soapstone bowl, and the creator gave him Tobacco to smoke with. Nanapush then told the people that whenever they fought with each other, to sit down and smoke tobacco in the pipe, and they would make decisions that were good for everyone. The same bear tooth later caused a fight between two evil spirits, a giant toad and an evil snake. The toad was in charge of all
656-590: A protest as a way of publicly making their opinions heard in an attempt to influence public opinion or government policy, or they may undertake direct action in an attempt to enact desired changes themselves. When protests are part of a systematic and peaceful nonviolent campaign to achieve a particular objective, and involve the use of pressure as well as persuasion, they go beyond mere protest and may be better described as civil resistance or nonviolent resistance . Various forms of self-expression and protest are sometimes restricted by governmental policy (such as
738-464: A protest could make them an easier target for government surveillance . A study of 342 US protests covered by The New York Times newspaper from 1962 to 1990 showed that such public activities usually affected the company's publicly traded stock price. The most intriguing aspect of the study's findings revealed that the amount of media coverage the event received was of the most importance to this study. Stock prices fell an average of one-tenth of
820-669: A recurring theme of the protest during the pre- and post-Christmas shopping season in 2012. On December 17 a flash mob performed a round dance at the Cornwall Centre shopping mall in Regina. The following day a similar flash mob round dance occurred at West Edmonton Mall . This tactic was also used at the Rideau Centre in Ottawa and St. Vital Centre in Winnipeg. It spread internationally with
902-804: A significant barrier to industrial development, especially to projects such as pipelines which crossed many rivers. The government had by this time been engaged for some years in a campaign for approval of the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines project, a proposal to build a pipeline for bitumen condensate connecting the Athabasca tar sands with the Pacific Ocean, facilitating unprocessed bitumen exports to China. Many bills affecting First Nations people have failed to be passed. Numerous attempts to introduce bills have failed due to their low priority for past federal governments, eventually dying on
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#1732845023730984-761: A similar protest a week earlier where Clyde Bellecourt had been arrested, as well as another flash mob at the Paul Bunyan Mall in Bemidji . On January 5, the International Bridge was closed again due to Mohawk protests from New York. Within the United States, protests have been reported in many states: Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, New York, Arizona, Colorado, Maine, New Mexico, Vermont, South Carolina, Washington State, Washington, D.C., Indiana and Texas. Former Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin , who had supported
1066-849: A similar protest at the Mall of America in Minnesota. Members of the Sandy Bay First Nation in Manitoba blocked the Trans-Canada Highway on December 15, 2012. Members of the Driftpile First Nation also blocked a road on December 18. The group executed their second round dance flash mob in Saskatchewan on December 20, this time at Midtown Plaza in Saskatoon. Two thousand people filled
1148-505: A way of protesting. Any protest could be civil disobedience if a "ruling authority" says so, but the following are usually civil disobedience demonstrations: Blogging and social networking have become effective tools to register protest and grievances. Protests can express views or news, and use viral networking to reach out to thousands of people. With protests on the rise from the U.S. election season of 2016 going into 2017, protesters became aware that using their social media during
1230-425: Is Aboriginal and a former chief, has told media that the demonstrations lacked focus in protesting "a whole gamut of issues". He also said that democratic processes were available for participating in decision-making affecting First Nations. He criticized Teresa Spence's tactics, saying she should have used the "proper parliamentary process." The founders of the Idle No More movement have emphasized their intention for
1312-440: Is influenced by individuals' ties within social networks . Social connections can affect both the spread of factual information about a protest and social pressures on participants. Willing to participate will also vary depending on the type of protest. Likelihood that someone will respond to a protest is also affected by group identification, and by the types of tactics involved. The Dynamics of Collective Action project and
1394-430: Is supported by many groups including non-governmental and grassroots organizations. In a human rights report on Canada, Amnesty International suggested that the government should have "respect for indigenous rights when issuing licences for mining, logging and petroleum and other resource extraction." The Idle No More movement outlines ways by which it opposes resource exploitation, although these views are contested within
1476-693: Is the removal of the term "absolute surrender" in Section 208. A number of these measures drew fire from environmental and First Nations groups. In particular, Bill C-45 overhauled the Navigable Waters Protection Act (NWPA) of 1882, renaming it the Navigation Protection Act (NPA). The NWPA had mandated an extensive approval and consultation process before construction of any kind could take place in or around any water which could in principle be navigated by any kind of floating craft. Under
1558-461: Is they're all we are." King's book explores the power of story both in native lives and in the lives of every person on this planet. Every chapter opens with a telling of the story of the world on the back of a turtle in space, and in each chapter, it is slightly altered to show how stories change through tellers and audiences. Their fluidity is itself a characteristic of the story as they traverse through time. King provides us with his own telling of
1640-516: The Canadian National main railway line between the country's two largest cities of Toronto and Montreal at a point near Belleville, Ontario for approximately three hours. On January 2, Waterfront Station in Vancouver was packed for a demonstration drawing hundreds of participants. Protestors danced and chanted. Protestors filled Toronto's Eaton Centre , while a simultaneous protest occurred in
1722-488: The Global Nonviolent Action Database are two of the leading data collection efforts attempting to capture information about protest events. The Dynamics of Collective Action project considers the repertoire of protest tactics (and their definitions) to include: The Global Nonviolent Action Database uses Gene Sharp's classification of 198 methods of nonviolent action. There is considerable overlap with
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#17328450237301804-598: The Haldimand Tract . At Canadian universities, many courses, student and academic meetings, as well as convocation and other celebrations begin with a spoken acknowledgement of the traditional Indigenous territories, sometimes including reference to Turtle Island, in which they are taking place. There are a number of contemporary works which continue to use and/or tell the story of the Turtle Island creation story. Thomas King 's book tells us that "the truth about stories
1886-547: The Kelowna Accords , said that Teresa Spence's efforts made her "an inspiration to all Canadians". Former Progressive Conservative Prime Minister Joe Clark also met Spence and made a speech afterward saying that Canada and First Nations were on a dangerous path. In solidarity with the movement, Council of Canadians National Chairperson Maude Barlow , author Naomi Klein , and singer Sarah Slean have returned their Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medals . Criticism of
1968-568: The May 2, 2011 Canadian Federal election , the Conservative federal government, led by Stephen Harper , proposed a number of omnibus bills introducing sweeping changes. While omnibus bills had been presented to parliament by previous governments, the removal of protections for forests and waterways proposed in Bill C-45 led to concern among Indigenous communities and environmentalists. Of particular concern
2050-847: The West Edmonton Mall , 50 Protestors at Clifton Hill in Niagara Falls, and other locations in Canada. On January 5, 2013, protests shut down multiple border crossings throughout Canada, including Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia, Ontario, International Bridge in Cornwall, Ontario, the Peace Arch crossing in Surrey, B.C., The Peace Bridge between Fort Erie and Buffalo in the Niagara region, and NWT's Deh Cho Bridge. The International Bridge in Cornwall had not been closed since
2132-541: The civil rights movement in the United States tended to produce favorable media coverage and changes in public opinion focusing on the issues organizers were raising, but violent protests tended to generate unfavorable media coverage that generated public desire to restore law and order. Unaddressed protests may grow and widen into civil resistance , dissent, activism, riots, insurgency , revolts, and political or social revolution. Some examples of protests include: A protest can take many forms. Willingness to participate
2214-452: The liquid diet hunger strike of Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence and further coordinated via social media . A reaction to alleged legislative abuses of Indigenous treaty rights by then Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservative federal government, the movement takes particular issue with the omnibus bill Bill C-45 . The popular movement has included round dances in public places and blockades of rail lines . After
2296-627: The order paper without being debated or passed. In 1996 Bill C-79, the Indian Act Optional Modification Act died on the order paper. In 2002 , Bill C-7, the First Nations Governance Act , attempted to reform reserve administration. It died in 2003. In 2008 , there was Bill C-47, the Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act , to redress inequity in the treatment of women. That one died on
2378-522: The 14 Cherokee states. The first chapter of the book Beginnings starts with a telling of the Sky Woman story. Notably, this telling of Turtle Island has the water beetle dive for the earth necessary for the sky woman, where often you will see a muskrat or otter. Turtle Island is a running theme throughout the book, as it is the beginning of life and story. We Are Water Protectors is a children's storybook written by Carole Lindstrom in 2020 in response to
2460-490: The 1970s when the term came into wider usage. American author and ecologist Gary Snyder uses the term to refer to North America, writing that it synthesizes both indigenous and colonizer cultures, by translating the indigenous name into the colonizer's languages (the Spanish "Isla Tortuga" being proposed as a name as well). Snyder argues that understanding North America under the name of Turtle Island will help shift conceptions of
2542-602: The AFN delegation, questions over what to include on the meeting's agenda, and the fact that the Governor General would not be present throughout the meeting, and would be limited to a shorter ceremonial meeting after the meeting with Prime Minister Harper. The day of the meeting, members of the Idle No More movement organized protests on Parliament Hill (drawing an estimated 3000 demonstrators), and in cities across Canada. Idle No More spokesperson Pam Palmater, who ran against Atleo for
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2624-579: The B.C. group opposed proposed pipelines such as the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline. Moreover, several First Nations communities, the BC Métis Federation, the Union of British Columbian Municipalities, and several local governments have passed resolutions banning pipelines in B.C. and opposing Enbridge specifically. The use of flash mobs performing round dances in shopping malls became
2706-507: The Council of Women) (B) Taking training in coordinating rallies, media, messaging and safety issues as well as in identifying provocateurs, misinformation shills, and propaganda. (C) Placing key spokespeople and connecting with experienced experts in different areas; i.e. treaty research, indigenous rights and governance, environmental activism, writers, international spokesperson, national etc. (D) Creating chapters across Turtle Island under
2788-529: The Crown-First Nations Gathering on January 24, 2012. His statement announcing the meeting made no mention of Idle No More. The meeting was held on January 11, 2013. The preparations were the subject of intense negotiation and debate within the AFN membership, until late in the evening of the eve of the meeting. Some chiefs voted not to participate, choosing to boycott the meeting for various reasons, including demands that more chiefs be included in
2870-672: The Dynamics of Collective Action repertoire, although the GNA repertoire includes more specific tactics. Together, the two projects help define tactics available to protesters and document instances of their use. Thomas Ratliff and Lori Hall have devised a typology of six broad activity categories of the protest activities described in the Dynamics of Collective Action project. Some forms of direct action listed in this article are also public demonstrations or rallies. Written evidence of political or economic power, or democratic justification may also be
2952-552: The First Nations population itself. It communicates the need for treaty modernization as well as increased land claims. It also advocates against resource exploitation on First Nations land without any benefit to the First Nations. Furthermore, the movement argues that First Nations communities do not get an equitable share of the profits from natural resource exploitation and encourages the government to address this issue. One demonstration reflecting opposition to resource exploitation
3034-537: The Government of Canada, rather than a relationship as defined in the Indian Act to address issues and (2) social and environmental sustainability . The Idle No More movement generally opposes certain types of resource exploitation, particularly on First Nations territory. The movement takes this stance against resource exploitation, as attributed to First Nations sovereignty and environmental sustainability. The position
3116-538: The Idle No More movement has appeared in Canada's mainstream media, which has covered related high-profile protests such as road blockades and Spence's fast. The parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs stated to media that "With respect to Bill C-45, the changes to property leasing provisions, these changes respond directly to the request of a number of First Nations Chiefs to provide them with more flexibility". Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau , who
3198-474: The South. Together, they created the Earth just as Kishelamàkânk had dreamt it. One of their final acts was creating a special tree. From the roots of this tree came the first man, and when the tree bent down and kissed the ground, woman sprang from it. All the animals and humans did their jobs on the Earth, until eventually a problem arose. There was a tooth of a giant bear that could give the owner magical powers, and
3280-545: The Turtle Island creation story. The Lenape story of the "Great Turtle" was first recorded by Europeans between 1678 and 1680 by Jasper Danckaerts . The story is shared by other Northeastern Woodlands tribes , notably the Iroquois peoples . The Lenape believe that before creation there was nothing, an empty dark space. However, in this emptiness, there existed a spirit of their creator, Kishelamàkânk. Eventually in that emptiness, he fell asleep. While he slept, he dreamt of
3362-500: The United States" (Glick, page 2). Reports say that some 900,000 barrels of oil per day will be traveling from Canada tar sands through these pipelines. According to the National Wildlife Federation report, these pipelines will stretch thousands and thousands of miles through Canada and into the States and will leave devastation along its paths. "This pipeline system would virtually assure the destruction of swaths of one of
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3444-645: The United States, and solidarity protests in Stockholm, Sweden, London, UK, Berlin, Germany, Auckland, New Zealand, and Cairo, Egypt. On December 30, approximately 100 people from Walpole Island marched to Algonac, Michigan . CBS reported that "hundreds" attended a flash mob at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twin Cities Daily Planet called it a crowd of "over a thousand" and stated that it followed
3526-474: The animals if one of them would dive down into the water to get some of the old Earth. The beaver tried first, but came up dead and Nanapush had to revive him. The loon tried second, but its attempt ended with the same fate. Lastly, the muskrat tried. He stayed down the longest, and came up dead as well, but he had some Earth on his nose that Nanapush put on the Turtles back. Because of his accomplishment, Nanapush told
3608-495: The animals, thus creating Turtle Island as we know it. Through the Sky Woman story, Kimmerer tells us that we cannot "begin to move toward ecological and cultural sustainability if we cannot even imagine what the path feels like." Christopher B. Teuton book provides a comprehensive look into Cherokee oral traditions and art to bring them into the contemporary moment. He put together his collection with three friends, also master storytellers, who get together to swap stories from around
3690-402: The back of a turtle so that she does not drown. All the animals congregate to help find dirt for the sky woman so that she can build her habitat, some giving their lives in the search. Finally, the muskrat surfaces, dead but clutching a handful of soil for the Sky Woman, who takes the offering gratefully and uses seeds from The Tree of Life to begin her garden using her gratitude and the gifts from
3772-475: The building of the Dakota Access Pipeline , represented as a large black snake in the book. The book says that water is the source of all life, and it is all of ours duty to protect our water sources so that we can preserve not only ourselves but those of animals and the environment. The story draws important meanings from the Turtle Island creation story such as water as the origin of life and closes with
3854-726: The continent. Turtle Island has been used by writers and musicians, including Snyder for his Pulitzer Prize-winning book of poetry, Turtle Island ; the Turtle Island Quartet jazz string quartet; Tofurky manufacturer Turtle Island Foods ; and the Turtle Island Research Cooperative in Boise, Idaho . The Canadian Association of University Teachers has put into practice the acknowledgment of indigenous territory and claims, particularly at institutions located within unceded land or covered by perpetual decrees such as
3936-442: The country's navigable waterways were limited in scope to protect only a few waterways of practical importance for navigation. Many of the affected waterways pass through land reserved to First Nations. Law blog writer/observer Lorraine Land, and Idle No More itself, identified the following bills as affecting natives or native sovereignty currently in 2013: This led to a series of teach-ins, rallies and protests that were planned by
4018-477: The definition of "nation" is itself problematic. Sylvia McAdam, a co-founder of the movement, has said that she does not condone the rail or road blockade tactics that some demonstrators have used, and has spoken in support of peaceful protest "within the legal boundaries". The movement was initiated by activists Nina Wilson , Sheelah Mclean , Sylvia McAdam Saysewahum , and Jessica Gordon in November 2012, during
4100-460: The end. Finally, he sent the wolf, and the wolf never returned because the land had gotten so big. Lenape tradition said wolves howl to call their ancestor back home. According to the oral tradition of the Haudenosaunee (or "Iroquois") , "the earth was the thought of [a ruler of] a great island which floats in space [and] is a place of eternal peace." Sky Woman fell down to the earth when it
4182-695: The first person to be buried on the turtle's back and whose burial post helped grow various plants such as corn and strawberries . This, according to Hill, also shows how soil, and the land itself, has the ability to act and shape creation. Some tellings do not include this expanded edition as part of the Creation Story, however, these differences are important to note when considering Haudenosaunee traditions and relationships. The name Turtle Island has been used by many Indigenous cultures in North America, and both native and non-native activists, especially since
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#17328450237304264-555: The founders in a National Day Of Action on Dec 10 which coincided with Amnesty International's Human Rights Day. These coincided with similar protests already underway in British Columbia over the Northern Gateway and Pacific Trails pipelines as well as a march and protest organized by students at the Native Education College. The protests were timed to coincide with the announcement that Chief Theresa Spence of Attawapiskat
4346-438: The humans started to fight over it. Eventually, the wars got so bad that people moved away, and made new tribes and new languages. Kishelamàkânk saw this fighting and decided to send down a spirit, Nanapush, to bring everyone back together. He went on top of a mountain and started the first Sacred Fire, which gave off a smoke that caused all the people of the world to come investigate what it was. When they all came, Nanapush created
4428-458: The land, created light, and created woman, while the other made valleys and mountains, shadows, and man. King emphasizes that the Turtle Island creation story creates "a world in which creation is a shared activity...a world that begins in chaos and moves toward harmony." He explains that understanding and continuing to tell this story creates a world that values these ideas and relationships with nature. Without that understanding, we fail to uphold
4510-492: The legality of any laws passed by the federal parliament, "including but not limited to Bill C-45, which do not fulfill their constitutionally recognized and affirmed treaty and Aboriginal rights; as well as the Crown's legal obligations to meaningfully consult and accommodate First Nations." As of January 4, 2013, the main goals have been narrowed down to (1) the establishment of a nation-to-nation relationship between First Nations and
4592-573: The meeting). While it had previously been announced that Harper would only attend portions of the meeting, he attended the entire meeting. The meeting was also attended by Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan, his Parliamentary Secretary Greg Rickford , Cabinet Ministers Tony Clement and Leona Aglukkaq , and senior officials from the Privy Council Office, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, and several other federal departments. The ceremonial meeting with Governor General Johnston
4674-474: The movement to remain at its core a "grassroots" movement, led by Indigenous women; they have released a statement to say that they have a different vision than that of the "leadership" of First Nation Chiefs, saying "we have been given a clear mandate … to work outside of the systems of government." By early January 2013, Shawn Atleo , leader of the Assembly of First Nations , and other Chiefs, were beginning to "use
4756-423: The muskrat he was blessed and his kind would always thrive in the land. Nanapush then took out his bow and again sang, and the turtle started to grow. It kept growing, and Nanapush sent out animals to try to get to the edge to see how long it had grown. First, he sent the bear, and the bear returned in two days saying he had reached the end. Next, he sent out the deer, who came back in two weeks saying he had reached
4838-557: The new NPA, the approval process would only be required for development around one of a vastly circumscribed list of waterways set by the Minister of Transportation. Many of the newly deregulated waterways passed through traditional First Nations land. While the NWPA had originally been intended to facilitate actual navigation, the ubiquity of waterways in the Canadian wilderness has given it the effect of strong environmental legislation by presenting
4920-519: The order paper three times but eventually passed in 2013. The Kelowna Accord was agreed by the Martin government , but was neither endorsed nor implemented by the subsequent Harper government . These failures harmed relations between Natives and the government. Further background to this is the feeling that the federal government has repeatedly acted in bad faith with Aboriginal peoples' interests, and have violated treaties when it suited them. The feeling that
5002-420: The planet, and in her curiosity falls through all the way to earth. King tells us that this is a young Earth from before land was created, and in order to save Charm from falling hard and fast into the water and upsetting the stillness of the water, all the water birds fly up to catch her. With no land to set her on they offer her the back of the turtle. When Charm is almost ready to give birth the animals fear that
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#17328450237305084-466: The position of National Chief with the AFN, said in a CBC discussion that the diverse positions expressed among the AFN chiefs "doesn't mean good things for the AFN". The January 11 meeting was attended by National Chief Shawn Atleo and a delegation of chiefs from several provinces and the Yukon, AFN representatives from its Youth Council, Women's Council and Elders Council (Ontario and Manitoba chiefs boycotted
5166-464: The protests' momentum to press Ottawa on treaty rights and improved living standards." The protests have been noted for creating a stream of polarized debate online, bringing out both supporters and detractors. On January 4, 2013, Prime Minister Harper announced a meeting with a delegation of First Nation leaders coordinated by the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), to follow up on the issues discussed during
5248-548: The relationships forged by Charm, the twins, and the animals that created the earth. Robin Wall Kimmerer's book, Braiding Sweetgrass , addresses the need for us to understand our reciprocal relationships with nature in order for us to understand and use ecology as a means to save the earth. The version of the story from Kimmerer starts off with the Sky Woman falling from a hole in the sky, cradling something tightly in her hands. Geese rise up to soften her landing and place her on
5330-475: The requirement of protest permits ), economic circumstances, religious orthodoxy, social structures, or media monopoly. One state reaction to protests is the use of riot police . Observers have noted an increased militarization of protest policing in many countries, with police deploying armored vehicles and snipers against protesters. When such restrictions occur, protests may assume the form of open civil disobedience , more subtle forms of resistance against
5412-410: The restrictions, or may spill over into other areas such as culture and emigration. A protest itself may at times be the subject of a counter-protest . In such cases, counter-protesters demonstrate their support for the person, policy, action, etc. that is the subject of the original protest. Protesters and counter-protesters can sometimes violently clash. One study found that nonviolent activism during
5494-447: The states. Idle No More's vision has been linked by some commentators in the press with longstanding leftist political theories of indigenism . During the protests of late 2012 and early 2013, the theoretical framework of Idle No More has been frequently articulated in the Canadian press by Pamela Palmater . Palmater has denounced what she perceives as the federal government's "assimilationist agenda". It has been suggested by others that
5576-457: The story using a woman named Charm as his Sky Woman. Charm is from a different planet and is described as being curious to a fault, often asking the animals of her planet questions they deem to be too nosy. When she becomes pregnant, she develops a craving for Red Fern Root, which can only be found underneath the oldest tree. While digging for the Red Fern Root she digs so deep she makes a hole in
5658-575: The story, the muskrat or other animals die in their search for land for the Sky Woman (named Mature Flower in Hills's telling). This is a representation of the Haudenosaunee beliefs of death and chaos as forces of creation, as we all give our bodies to the land to become soil, which in turn continues to support life. This concept plays out again when the Mature Flower's daughter dies during childbirth, becoming
5740-402: The tar sands are already experiencing health problems linked to the pollution, and dozens of wildlife species are at risk, including millions of migrating cranes, swans, and songbirds" (Glick, page 3). With the magnitude and power of this project, these negative impacts will not end soon, and will not end in Canada. These pipelines will stretch across borders and come into our own backyards here in
5822-715: The traditional tactics of negotiating with the federal government have become meaningless has caused support for new tactics. The founders of Idle No More outlined the vision and goals of the movement in a January 10, 2013 press release as follows: The Vision [...] revolves around Indigenous Ways of Knowing rooted in Indigenous Sovereignty to protect water, air, land and all creation for future generations. The Conservative government bills beginning with Bill C-45 threaten Treaties and this Indigenous Vision of Sovereignty. The movement promotes environmental protection and indigenous sovereignty. It plans to accomplish these goals by: (A) Implementing leadership structure and councils (Such as
5904-429: The tree. When he got to the top of the tree, he pulled out his bow, played it and sang a song that made the waters stop. Nanapush then asked which animal he could put the rest of the animals on top of in the water. The turtle volunteered saying he'd float and they could all stay on him, and that's why they call the land Turtle Island. Nanapush then decided the turtle needed to be bigger for everyone to live on, so he asked
5986-421: The turtle will be too crowded, so she asks the animals to dive down to find mud so that she can use its magic to build dry land. Many animals try but most fail, until the otter dives down for days before finally surfacing, passed out from exhaustion, clutching mud in its paws. Charm creates land from the mud, magic, and the turtle's back and gives birth to twins which keep the earth in balance. One twin flattened out
6068-553: The umbrella of the main INM. (E) Requesting regular meetings with First Nations leadership to have ongoing discussions regarding third party agreements between the Government of Canada and industry corporations To date the movement has been particularly focused on: (A) The education and the revitalization of indigenous peoples through awareness and empowerment. (B) Encouraging knowledge sharing about indigenous sovereignty and environmental protections. The press release also notes that "As
6150-446: The upper and lower levels of the mall for the 10-minute dance of the flash mob. Also on this day, organizers started gathering people around the Vimy war memorial on the Saskatoon riverbank. On December 27 an online source reported that there had been 100 protests in Canada to date On December 30, as part of a day of nationwide actions, a group believed to be involved with Idle No More blocked
6232-420: The waters, and amidst the fighting he ate the tooth and the snake. The snake then proceeded to bite his side, releasing a great flood upon the Earth. Nanapush saw this destruction and began climbing a mountain to avoid the flood, all the while grabbing animals that he saw and sticking them in his sash. At the top of the mountain there was a cedar tree that he started to climb, and as he climbed he broke off limbs of
6314-557: The world as we know it today, the Earth with mountains, forests, and animals. He also dreamt up man, and he saw the ceremonies man would perform. Then he woke up from his dream to the same nothingness he was living in before. Kishelamàkânk then started to create the Earth as he had dreamt it. First, he created helper spirits, the Grandfathers of the North, East, and West, and the Grandmother of
6396-447: The world's most important forest ecosystems, produce lake-sized reservoirs of toxic waste, import a thick, tarlike fuel that will release vast quantities of toxic chemicals into our air when it is refined in the U.S., and emit significantly more global warming pollutants into the atmosphere than fuels made from conventional oil" (Glick, page 3). These impacts are already being seen in Canada's peoples and wildlife. "Communities that live near
6478-537: Was attended by around 100 chiefs, including Chief Theresa Spence . Protest A protest (also called a demonstration , remonstration , or remonstrance ) is a public act of objection, disapproval or dissent against political advantage. Protests can be thought of as acts of cooperation in which numerous people cooperate by attending, and share the potential costs and risks of doing so. Protests can take many different forms, from individual statements to mass political demonstrations . Protesters may organize
6560-429: Was covered with water, or more specifically, when there was a "great cloud sea". Various animals tried to swim to the bottom of the ocean to bring back dirt to create land. Muskrat succeeded in gathering dirt, which was placed on the back of a turtle . This dirt began to multiply and also caused the turtle to grow bigger. The turtle continued to grow bigger and bigger and the dirt continued to multiply until it became
6642-566: Was held at Barriere Lake in Quebec by the Algonquin people . It closed Highway 117 and was reported "to draw attention to forestry operations that they oppose on their lands." In British Columbia (B.C.), the specific focus within resource exploitation is opposition to oil pipeline construction. Frank Brown, organizer of a B.C. Idle No More protest and a member of the Heiltsuk First Nation , said
6724-485: Was launching a liquid diet to demand a meeting with Prime Minister Harper and the Governor General of Canada to discuss Aboriginal rights. The Assembly of First Nations then issued an open letter December 16 to Governor General David Johnston , calling for a meeting to discuss Spence's demands. Also on December 17 the Confederacy of Treaty No. 6 First Nations issued a press release saying that they did not recognize
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