Police attack Algonquin families at peaceful blockade of highway 117 in northern Quebec on Vimeo

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Canada and Quebec use riot police, tear gas, and "pain compliance" on peaceful Algonquin families to avoid negotiations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, October, 7, 2008

Canada and Quebec use riot police, tear gas, and "pain compliance" on peaceful Algonquin families to avoid negotiations: 'pain compliance' perfect description of Conservative's aboriginal policy, say community spokespeople

Photos:
flickr.com/photos/31135244@N07/

Kitiganik/Rapid Lake, Algonquin Territory -- Yesterday afternoon, the Conservative government and Quebec used riot police, tear gas, and "pain compliance" techniques to end a peaceful blockade erected by Algonquin families from Barriere Lake, rather than negotiate, as requested by the community. The blockade on Highway 117 in Northern Quebec began at 6:00am Monday, with nearly a hundred community members of all ages and their supporters promising to remain until Canada's Conservative government and Quebec honoured signed agreements and Barriere Lake's leadership customs. Around 4pm, nearly sixty Quebec officers and riot police encircled families after a meal and without warning launched tear gas canisters, one of which hit a child in the chest.

"Our demands are reasonable," said Norman Matchewan, a spokesperson who was racially slurred by Minister Lawrence Cannon's assistant earlier in the election. "We're only asking for the government to uphold the agreements they've signed and to stop illegally interfering in our customary governance. The message we've received today is that Stephen Harper and Jean Charest are unwilling to even play by their rules."

"We will not tolerate these brutal violations of our rights," added Matchewan. "Forestry operations will not be allowed on our Trilateral agreement territory, and we will be doing more non-violent direct action."

Nine people, including an elderly women, a pregnant woman, and two minors, were roughly arrested. While a line of police obscured the view of human rights observers from Christian Peacemaker Teams, officers used severe "pain compliance" techniques on protestors who had secured themselves to concrete-filled barrels, twisting arms, dislocating jaws, leaving them with bruised faces and trouble swallowing.

"In this election alone, the Conservatives have labelled us alcoholics and vilified our community's majority as "dissidents," said Michel Thusky, another community spokesperson, referring to an op-ed published by Minister Lawrence Cannon in regional newspapers. "Now they and Quebec have chosen violence over meeting their most basic obligations to our community. 'Pain compliance' is the perfect description of the Conservative government's aboriginal policies."

Barriere Lake community members had promised to maintain the blockade until the Government of Canada honoured the 1991 Trilateral agreement, a landmark sustainable development and resource co-management agreement praised by the United Nations and the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. To end federal interference in their leadership customs, they wanted the Government of Canada to appoint observers to witness a leadership reselection according to their codified customary selection code, respect its outcome, and then cease interfering in their internal governance.

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5 Likes

Cory Cothrum
6 months ago
flora gould
3 years ago
Calvin Tatsey
3 years ago
Anonymai
3 years ago
Daniel J Towsey A Truth Soldier
3 years ago

Tags

Anonymai 3 years ago

WE ARE WITH YOU, WE HEAR YOUR MESSAGE!@

Can you somehow get this on YOUTUBE? Please. If you can't may I?

SHAME ON YOU CANADA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Calvin Tatsey 3 years ago

3 Short Tips: 1) Have only one well informed and organized spokesperson while making the videos and talking to the press; 2) have your spokesperson dress-and-act the part, with clean clothes, a professional demeanor and a neat appearance; 3) This is the most important -- stop the protesters from using profanity and all abusive language during video and press time!

I am Blackfeet Indian from Browning, Montana and my heart is with your people 100% (and it will always be) but the disorganized messages from the young, apparently self-conscious spokesperson et al, and the background-profanity coming from within the protesters' ranks, can only become a means to detract from your overall statement if you are not careful.

I agree with Anonymai: "SHAME ON YOU CANADA!"
Calvin Tatsey 3 years ago

I hear what you are saying Polly Piper and I agree with you. Yes interesting and it is certainly “Sick,” on the part of Canada for these people to have to commit such a sacrifice to show The World just how far the Canadian police will go to show their complete disregard for Humanity and what is right, and how far the Canadian government will go to let the police; or should I say, instruct them? Polly Piper, you are so full of love and wisdom to care whether the young people will have to go through life with a “record,” but it seems that in Canada, as in The US, being Native/Indigenous is worse than having a criminal record, so what, in reality, do these people have to lose by being pushed into a corner and answering in the only way that they know how? SHAME ON THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT!

From my understanding “You are lower than us” is telling the Canadian police that although the Algonquin families are being dehumanized and walked upon, the Canadian police are lower than the lowest animal for mindlessly-enforcing the policies of a mindless and autocratic government – shame on the Canadian government.

By the handicapped girl’s having to be there just shows how determined and desperate the Algonquin families are. Would you want your name broadcast to the World? I wouldn’t. Concerning “who brought her there,” the Canadian government’s treachery and the Canadian police’s brutal tactics evidently brought her there – shame on the Canadian government.

The trees were obviously part of the sacrifice that these proud and noble families were forced to make in order to make the statement that had to be made -- shame on the Canadian government.

I think that you have answered everything in a nutshell with your final statement: “whoever it is.. probably does not care what happens to your people if they are willing to risk the safety of young children.” It “IS,” the Canadian police under the Canadian government – SHAME ON THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT!
Calvin Tatsey 3 years ago

Polly Piper, I understand what you mean by “sick” and I respect your opinion; however, I believe that your perspective is illogical.

I think that the Canadian police’s actions said it all. They did “use riot police, tear gas, and ‘pain compliance’ on peaceful Algonquin families to avoid negotiations” and they did do it at the expense of the health and welfare of the children, the elders and of the disabled. Can that be disputed?

Who is guiltier; who is sicker; who is more to blame? Is it the parents and the community who might not have known any better because of lack of sophistication, or the trained and sophisticated Canadian police who deployed their tactics regardless of whether the children, the elders, and the disabled were present?

I think that the families should look into whether the Canadian police committed a Human Rights violation, especially considering that it was obvious that children, elders and people with disabilities were noticeably-present when the police released the chemical.

These three groups represent the most fragile segments of any society and if Human Rights were not violated, then surely the Canadian police committed abuse because of universally recognized, mental, reasoning, or physical limitations relative to these groups and consequently, their ability to immediately escape the chemical.
Calvin Tatsey 3 years ago

Polly Piper, who’s more to blame, the parents and the community who allowed the participants’ placement or the Canadian police who used the chemical while fully knowing that it would directly affect the children, elders and the disabled?

Answer this simple question and then I will know where you're coming from and that you're for real.
Calvin Tatsey 3 years ago

My final statement in reference to these particular responses, and I will use another's statement to make it in reference to the Canadian police and the Canadian government: "The reaction you have now is probably the exact reaction they wanted."
david budd 3 years ago

We (protesters) need to protest professionally. There is alot of anger out there and there needs to be a place set up for that - sharing O. the govt is scared there is not enough resources for all of us, when in truth I think there is. Those who are rich, fear losing their money. Our ancestors never had money to begin with and considered themselves well off. There is got to be a better way. I can suggest a fast and see what the grandfathers suggest and again its all in the interpetation of those who receive the dream, be careful.
Chance Wolf 3 years ago

I don't know what the answers are, but we are all reacting too fast and too hard.
I don't think this is being conducted well on either side, one side is desperate for change, and the other is desperate to keep things the same.
I can't comment on what is a right or wrong way to protest, but to use excessive force and violence against any human being is wrong.
Stacy Joyea 3 years ago

Heaven forbid their women and children be attacked with pepper spray and whatever else they would friken bring in the Army if that happened. Redneck idiots