Evolving First Nation, Industrial, & Governmental Relations To Fresh New Levels

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

STATEMENT

It is another dark day for Democracy in Quebec. Human dignity and Human respect have taken a back seat to totalitarian rule of conservatives in red coats.

Quebec has had options from us since November 11^th, 2004 which would have seen the checkpoints lifted, and wood flowing in exchange for a commitment to a process to follow. On November 22^nd, we deposited the following proposition to Quebec:

·   Judge Paul’s recommendations

 

·   A communication committee consisting of representation from the unions and the region, and allowing this committee to choose who would sit at the table as an observer

On November 4^th , Quebec claimed that we did not accept Judge Paul’s recommendations (which is not true) and brought in the Surete du Quebec’s Riot Squad. When we proposed their own (same) proposition back to them on November 20^th, they use the Riot Squad anyway.

They say they won’t negotiate with a gun to their head. But even when there is no “gun”, as was the case before the checkpoint, they still don’t negotiate.

When we dropped off this proposal with Quebec’s negotiator, he indicated that he needed time to get up to speed on the file, and would call us Monday afternoon.

On Monday morning, Quebec and Domtar forced the wood out anyway.

We continued to stay on the high road and allowed this as a test to see if Quebec would be genuine and follow the rest of Justice Paul’s recommendations as he intended.

Two days later, we approached Domtar to explain the details to them and inform them that we have Quebec’s mediators’ proposal on the table and that it would only take hours to resolve.  We asked them to stop the trucks, that they contract to do this, and join us in fixing the problem diplomatically.  Absent of this we would have no choice but to intervene.  They called us back later in the morning, turned us down and said we were on our own. 

We are very disappointed in Domtar and the role they played in creating this confrontation. They made an informed conscious choice to trivialize their own policies and advertisements by choosing the brutal arrest of our defenseless women and trampling our dignity while having a simple diplomatic solution available to them.

·    they could have contributed to the solution constructively but choose to agitate it instead

 

·   however, there is still time for them to be the solution

Sadly, despite the brutality forced upon our powerless women by Domtar and Quebec, not one human rights group has contacted us to offer their support. We begin to appreciate this further after reviewing a newspaper article in Le Devoir, where Minister Chagnon of Public Security states “It is cultural to beat native women”. It is not difficult to understand why this government ordered the S.Q. to what they did, despite the diplomatic option they had.

We find it quite concerning that the Charest government rewards companies and contractors with $1.6 million of tax payers money when they shout about their rights, but what we get is the S.Q. beating our Women and Chiefs, and throwing us all in jail.

The Algonquin Chiefs have met and wish to state the following:

·   We are appalled at what Quebec and Domtar have done to our people despite having other options.

 

·   We support the Coalition’s movement to protect Algonquin land, and urge Quebec and Domtar in a balanced negotiation process.

 

● We urge Quebec and Domtar to revisit the proposition received from the Coalition, consisting of their own hand picked mediator’s recommendation, and realize that our members are appalled and will expect nothing less.

As we started out saying, it is a dark day for democracy in Quebec. This is not just our problem, it is a problem for anyone in this province that expects to have their interests dealt with diplomatically. Is this the type of democracy Quebecers choose now, despite being once considered the pillar of democratic and social reform in the country?

We invite anyone of any nationality or creed to please feel free to join us in a demonstration as we have a common cause in defending our democratic values.

We are establishing a hotline for anyone who wishes to join us to call and we’ll get this out soon.

In the meantime, we urge Domtar and Quebec to immediately take the initiative to solve the problem by stopping the log trucks temporarily and seeing the merit in their own mediators recommendations.

If this isn’t resolved by Wednesday evening, we will not walk away and feel that we have no choice but to take action ourselves. Our people have become more and more energized by the attacks and a movement is sweeping across the region. As Aboriginals we do no accept brutal beating over diplomacy, and we are coming together to prove it.

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Source:

Mr. Jean Cotten, Chief of Communications

819-949-2298/819-722-2441

819-722-2579 FAX   www.forevergreen.ca/news.htm

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