 | Fall 2009 walk to Ottawa |
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The recent and ongoing standoff at Akwesasne is a spiritual sign to Chrissy that the time for the journey is imminent. The events of Friday June 12 (when the OPP brutally raided a solidarity blockade in Tyendinaga, and also escalated the police crackdown on protests by women from the Beausoleil First Nation who are camped at Dump Site 41) were a signal to Chrissy that there was a need to talk to people in both settler and Indigenous communities, trying to build solidarity and support for communities engaged in land protection struggles, and to work towards healing. The walkers are inviting other Indigenous activists and allies to meet them in Ottawa to tell the federal government that the time is now to protect the Earth, the time is now for healing and reconciliation—between settler and Indigenous communities, and between us and Mother Earth as well. “The government does not understand that words are not good enough. Talking ‘green’ and making empty apologies that don’t actually deal with real issues is not good enough. We have to protect the land—protect our Mother Earth. I want to tell Harper that apologies are not good enough. Canada needs to give proper respect to the victims, families and survivors of the residential schools. We need Canada to recognize the damage those schools have done to our communities and cultures, and we need an end to the destruction of our lands, and an end to native people being criminalised when they stand up for their rights to protect their lands, their cultures, and their communities.” -Chrissy Swain, June 2009 |
Protecting Our Mother - Walk to Toronto spring/summer 2008 |
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