i am reposting this horrific news, without commentary except to say that obviously i do not share the authors’ insistence on nonviolence, but equally obviously that is not the most important thing here in this post. Sexual violence, from India to Turtle Island, has always been used by the powerful
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Accidental Deliberations: Sunday Morning Links
Assorted content for your Sunday reading. – Pam Palmater explains the historical background to Idle No More: (M)ost Canadians are not used to the kind of sustained, co-ordinated, national effort that we have seen in the last few weeks — at least not since 1969. 1969 was the last time
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Theresa Spence Hunger Strike: Social Media Conversation on Day 19
It’s the end of Day 19 of Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence’s indefinite hunger strike, taking place here in Ottawa. Spence started her peaceful protest on December 11, 2012. She’s demanding a meeting involving Prime Minister Stephen Harper, a representative of the Queen and First Nations leaders. She wants to discuss treaty agreements between
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Idle No More dance and speeches on Parliament Hill (VIDEO)
This colorful video of the December 21, 2012, Idle No More protest on Parliament Hill, will always remain one of the highlights of my career as a progressive activist. The video includes speeches by supporters and helpers of hunger striker Chief Theresa Spence. The speakers also repeated Spence’s call for a meeting involving Prime
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Hunger striker Chief Spence urges supporters to maintain pressure on Stephen Harper
In the press release below, issued on Friday, December 28, hunger striker Chief Theresa Spence invites MPs and Senators to visit her at her teepee on Victoria Island, a short walking distance from Parliament Hill, on Sunday, December 30th, 2012. Chief Spence, who is now on Day 19 of her
Continue readingbastard.logic: #IdleNoMore: What Do Protesters Want?
Dr. Dawg: The other day, I got into it a bit with John Ivison, who expressed polite disdain for the allegedly “hapless” Chief Theresa Spence—and then admitted that he had no idea what her demands actually were. That’s all too typical. But not all of us who support #IdleNoMore are as informed
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Saturday Morning Links
Assorted content for your weekend reading. – Lana Payne discusses the contrast between Theresa Spence’s selfless efforts to improve the lives of First Nations citizens, and Stephen Harper’s callous indifference: Is a hunger strike the answer? I honestly do not know, but then I have not known Chief Spence’s anguish.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Amnesty International Urges Harper to meet with hunger striker Chief Spence
by Amnesty International Canada: Editor’s Intro: In the letter bellow, issued yesterday, Amnesty International urges Prime Minister Stephen Harper to meet with hunger-striker Chief Theresa Spence as her peaceful protest reaches Day 18. Chief Spence is demanding a meeting involving Harper, a representative of the Queen, and First Nations leaders. She wants
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Theresa Spence Hunger Strike: Social Media Conversation on Friday, December 28, 2012
Today, Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence’s indefinite hunger strike, taking place here in Ottawa, enters Day 18. Spence started her peaceful protest on December 11, 2012. She’s demanding a meeting involving Prime Minister Stephen Harper, a representative of the Queen and First Nations leaders. She wants to discuss treaty agreements between Canada and First
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Why does it take a hunger strike to gain media attention for Aboriginal issues in Canada?
Dana Wensley | Troy Media: The issue is one of of fairness As First Nation groups continue their protests against Bill C-45, what comes as a surprise to me is that it took so long to happen in Canada. In the lead up to Canada Day I noted that while other
Continue reading350 or bust: The Drumbeat Continues
The story of the Idle No More is far from over. Over the holiday season, when people are generally too busy celebrating with friends and family to pay attention to political or social movements (there’s a reason why Stephen Harper shut down Parliament not once but twice in December). However,
Continue readingdrive-by planet: Idle No More: inspirational Thunder Bay rally and video
Idle No More is first and foremost a grassroots movement – a movement that has risen up to confront the unjust dealings of the Harper government with indigenous peoples. The moderate approach that has been favored by Assembly of First Nations’ national chief, Shawn A-in-chut Atleo, has been in certain
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Idle No More: Map Reveals A Global Movement
Map shows places around the world where Idle No More blockages, rallies, flash mobs, teach-ins, hunger strikes and other acts of civil disobedience against Prime Minister Stephen Harper have occurred in the last few days. Says the creator of the map, Toronto-based investigative researcher and journalist, Tim Groves: Although far from a complete list,
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: To Chief Theresa Spence, From Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan
by Obert Madondo: If it’s a Christmas present, it’s a terrible one. No, an insult. A window into the insidious, hostile and frozen core of political power in Canada under Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Conservatives. Yesterday, Christmas Day, Harper’s Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan wrote to Chief Spence, whose indefinite hunger
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Idle No More: An audio essay by the CBC Radio’s Jian Ghomeshi
Jian Ghomeshi, the host of “Q”, a national daily cultural affairs talk program on the CBC’s Radio One, weighs in on the Idle No More grassroots movement for First Nations rights in Canada. Ghomeshi tackles the slogan, the hashtag, and the movement. RELATED: Canada’s First Nations leaders confront Harper Gvt
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: This Christmas, Canadians and First Nations Idle No More
Neither the bitter Canadian winter nor the holiday season are slowing down Chief Theresa Spence and the phenomenal Idle No More movement. Flash mobs and other peaceful protest actions are either under way or planned for the near future, including the ongoing blockade of a CN Rail line in Sarnia, Ontario. Chief
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Tuesday Afternoon Links
Assorted content for your Christmas reading. – Naomi Klein comments on what we should take from the Idle No More movement: Chief Spence’s hunger is not just speaking to Mr. Harper. It is also speaking to all of us, telling us that the time for bitching and moaning is over.
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Chief Spence, Harper, and the Attawapiskat Christmas
I didn't want to blog tonight. I just wanted to enjoy Christmas.But I couldn't get these two contrasting images out of my mind. Chief Theresa Spence slowly starving to death.While Stephen Harper, with a weird look on his face, plays cribbage. Read more »
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Hunger striker Chief Theresa Spence gets 5 500 Twitter followers in only 40 hours
Today marks Day 14 of Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence’s indefinite hunger strike. Still, Canada’s Prime Minister refuses to tear down his stubborn wall of silence over the peaceful protest. He remains unwilling to meet Spence legitimate demand for a face-to-face meeting of the prime minister, Governor General and First Nations leaders. Michael
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your Monday reading. – Michael Harris asks why Stephen Harper is afraid to look Theresa Spence in the eye: (Harper) believes that the government’s lying about all these things is far less important than the fact that it is the government. Incumbency is a magic potion. Under
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