Stand united, and stand firm, said Atleo

Chiefs from the Assembly of First Nations have voted unanimously to “put the government of Canada on notice.”

The words may have been borrowed from a resolution passed by the Chiefs of Ontario, but the sentiment is shared.

After receiving direction from chiefs gathered at the Special Chiefs Assembly, Dec. 4 to 6, talks were chaired by AFN Regional Chiefs Stan Beardy and Roger Augustine.

“We need to understand when we talk about a national action strategy, this is not an AFN initiative, it is not an Ontario initiative, it is a people movement,” said Beardy, Ontario regional chief.

The Ontario Chiefs’ document, which was adopted by the AFN as the guiding principles in moving forward with a national action strategy, calls for First Nations to assert their sovereign rights.

“We hereby put the government of Canada on notice that any further imposition of legislation and/or policies will be met with appropriate measures in order to protect the integrity of our treaty and inherent rights,” states the document.

What “appropriate measures” are is unclear.

Beardy said that in discussion with approximately 60 chiefs, which included the majority of regional chiefs, a number of questions were raised.

“A question posed to us: ‘What are we prepared to do…if we are forced to stand up for our rights… how far are we prepared to go?’” asked Beardy.

Beardy and Augustine’s work was the result of the unanimous passage of a resolution, entitled Assertion of Inherent and Treaty Rights to Traditional Lands, Territories and Resources. The resolution called for the development of “strategies to support First Nations to assert their rights to their lands, territories and resources, to pursue the successful implementation of the treaties in the spirit and intent as originally negotiated by the ancestors, and to provide such assistance and support as First Nations may request in this regard.”

“There are so many courageous battles being fought. Can we link this effort and pull it so that we’re supporting each other?” said National Chief Shawn Atleo, speaking to the resolution.

Atleo said the resolution “represents what the Elders have been saying would awaken and it’s the sleeping giant of our people.”

He added that the awakening was obvious the previous day when, spurred on by Onion Lake Cree Nation Chief Wallace Fox, chiefs marched on Parliament Hill.

“As we stood together in unison on Parliament yesterday being but a hint, as former Chief (Ovide) Mercredi said, of what is to come,” said Atleo. “Can we stand firmly in our inherent rights, our title rights and our treaties, and can we stand firmly together sending a signal as we did yesterday?”

Atleo said that for any action to work, First Nations must fight against the government’s divide and conquer strategy.

The resolution referred to “legislation and policies (by the federal government that) are designed to accentuate differences, divide regions and communities and impede First Nation successes in governance, education, and in areas such as child welfare, housing and health.”

“We (need to) gravitate to support one another, to do so in a coordinated way,” he said.

Augustine said the meeting of the chiefs showed that the strength for the movement would come from the people.
“It’s going to be one of the most powerful movements ever organized in this country by our people,” he said.