If you haven’t already heard about Ontario’s huge announcement for the Boreal and Indigenous rights then you should REALLY check out this earlier post.
Ontario’s Premier committed to protect 50% of the province’s Northern Boreal Forest from all industry, and to allow new logging and mining only with the support of First Nations through a community landuse planning process that would require First Nations agreement.
Indian Country (The Nations’ Leading American Indian News Source) ran a long article today that began to put the announcement in context.
While the Government may cast their move as a benevolent attempt to ‘do the right thing’ they were really spurred to action by the highly effective and hard fought campaigns of Indigenous communities like Grassy Narrows, KI, Ardoch, and Six Nations. Those communities have not only been on the front lines of the blockades, they are also setting ground breaking legal precedents, and they are galvanizing a solidarity movement that has mobilized people and organizations across the spectrum from mainsteam to radical enviros, human rights, faith-based, labour, student unions, anti-poverty, and immigrant rights organizations.
It is primarily the work of these communities (and their supporters) that has created the political and economic necessity for this change. The work goes on as these communities continue the process of asserting their sovereignty, re-claiming their territories and livelihoods, healing their people, and caring for the earth. They are setting a bold example for the whole world to follow.
RAN, and our allies, have had the honor of working with some of these courageous communities over the last four years. Here are some of the pictures:
Sept. 21, ‘07 action with Grassy, KI, Ardoch, and CPT at the Ontario Legislature, shortly before the elections
June 25, ’07 action at Provincial Legislature with Grassy and KI , and CPT
July, ’06 Blockade of the English River Road with Grassy activists
April ’07 Seattle action at Weyerhaeuser subsidiary right before Weyerhaeuser AGM
March ’07 Seattle action
July 2006 TransCanada Highway blockade near Grassy Narrows
Nov. 2005 Boreal Day of Action – Toronto
May ’08 Gathering, Rally, and Sleepover at Provincial Legislature with Grassy and KI , Ardoch and a huge coalition of supporters
Twitter Updates
This is a tremendous success story. It is absolute proof of “power to the people” at a local and international level.
RAN’S resolute action seems to be a protocol of how grass roots action can work.
It truly is inspiring to know that people who voice their opinion(even though opposed by many)can and will make a difference.
eksploitation environmental, biodiversty and illegal forest or fising.
inever protektion naw is eksploitation eart life ecology
The Candian Government has shown great foresight in the presevation of your Boreal Reserve while my country has prosed to open our Artic Tundra to oil exploration!
Are we…the Tree Huggers…finally making some headway or what?:) I’m proud of the Indigeous Resistance and their attempts to protect the earth.
Wanted to express my gratitude to the brave people of Grassy Narrows. Although the fight is not over, you have
enlightened another supporter. Proud of your efforts. I too am affected from forty years of a daily toxic serum of sulphur dioxide, sulphuric acid and all the other toxic pollutants irritating the community of Dryden from these forest industries.