Idle No More gains allies in fight for environment, human rights

In Edmonton, labour and public interest groups came together to declare their support for the Idle No More movement, while in Lubicon Lake territory, members blocked highway 986. These actions, as well as others across the province and the country, marked the opening of Parliament on Jan. 28 and declared the fight against Bills C-38 and C-45 were continuing.

Morningstar Mercredi, who helped organize the event in Edmonton which drew hundreds to Winston Churchill Square in snow and frigid temperatures, says it is important to get non-Indigenous people behind the cause.

“Common Causes and labour groups reflect tens of thousands of members,” said Mercredi. “Everybody sees the urgency of doing something right now.”

Mercredi put out the call to the unions and labour movements and says there was no resistance from them to support the work being undertaken by the Idle No More movement.

“We stand in solidarity for the protection and preservation of our human rights and indeed for the preservation and protection of the water, and land for each generation to come,” said Mercredi.
“What we’re seeing as Canadians is our water rights being eroded,” said Bill Moore-Kilgannon, executive director with Public Interest Alberta and co-organizer of the Edmonton rally. “Idle No More has started challenging that and it’s not just a First Nations issue.”

The Edmonton rally marked one of 25 actions happening with Common Causes for Idle no More across the country.

In attendance were representatives from the Canadian Labour Congress, with 3.3 million members; Council of Canadians; Alberta Federation of Labour, with 140,000 members; Alberta College of Social Workers, with 6,500 members; Edmonton and District Labour Council, with 45,000 members; Greenpeace Canada; Friends of Medicare; and Sierra Club.

“All the power is at the grassroots…from our organization’s point of view the last sort of way to stop environmental destruction and environmental catastrophe of the water, air and land is to stand behind the First Nations peoples and the treaties and to say after (the government) got rid of all the other environmental protections of Bill C-38, really the last thing that can help all of us together,” Chelsea Flook, executive director with Sierra Prairie Chapter Club.

Moore-Kilgannon agrees with Flook.

“Through the treaties, First Nations are going to have a huge ability to challenge the legislation,” he said.

Already, the Mikisew Cree and Frog Lake First Nations have filed papers in the federal court for an application for a judicial review of omnibus Bills C-38 and C-45, alleging the federal government failed to meet its constitutional duty to consult.

But it is about more than environmental concerns, says Lori Sigurdson, of the Alberta College of Social Workers.

“Social workers see first-hand the suffering of Indigenous people when governments impose their agendas, disregarding Indigenous rights and traditions,” said Sigurdson.

“We are here for justice and we’re here for fairness… we will all stand together with you in solidarity,” said Nancy Furlong, secretary-treasurer for Alberta Federation of Labour.

David Eggen and Deron Bilous, of the provincial New Democratic Party, were in attendance.  While the provincial Liberals were not represented, the party did issue a news release stating its support for Idle No More.