Minister Struthers Refuses to Meet Chief Ian Bushie

It's clear that Minister Struthers refuses to meet with Chief Ian Bushie. The Chief went right to the Minister's office and verbally invited him to attend a Saturday meeting (Sept. 22nd) but Struthers didn't show up. Struthers has indicated he will not meet with Chief Bushie until the blockades are removed. Chief Bushie has indicated the blockades will remain until the province comes to the negotiating table.

The process appears to be at a standstill. A waiting period. Who'll make the next move?

Meanwhile, angry cottagers continue to vent to the Minister's office and through the media. It seems only their voices are being given loud consideration through the media while the local voice is downplayed and/or ignored. Even reports of discontent from those in the surrounding area is being given the spotlight over the good things happening in the community.

So what good IS happening? Well, for starters, those that are attending the blockade sites are building a strong bond through their collective efforts and interaction. There is a heartfelt peace that you will experience when you visit the sacred fires where the tipis are erected at each blockade site. But only those open to this spirit of peace will actually feel it; a few angry cottagers have showed up and I'm sure they didn't "feel the love".

Secondly, a groundswell of support is emerging. Other First Nation people have already showed up at the blockade sites and have sung songs on the sacred drum and voiced their strong support. More are ready to join the cause (refer to Greg McIvor's letter at the tail end of this post).

Thirdly, the Elders are a strong presence at the sites. Their support and their knowledge and wisdom is being shared. They lend an element to this issue that is soothing - for us to know they are there and in full support of what is taking place is not only comforting but strengthening to our spirits. The stand that is being taken to halt any more encroachment or development on our traditional lands is fully supported by our Elders.

Fourth, people that previously had misunderstandings or misgivings about the strong stand taken by Chief Bushie are beginning to see the light. Walls or barriers that were initially there are starting to erode and fade away to be replaced with a nod of support, greater understanding, and unified strength. This can be expected to grow. True enough there are still some people at the local level that do not understand or support Hollow Water's position. But they are not willing to go up to visit the sites to gain a greater appreciation of what is taking place. Some of the "hard-nosed ones" haven't been willing to approach the Chief to sit down and talk. And Chief Bushie should not have to chase anyone down to convince them of Hollow Water's position.

Fifth, you would not get over how much the women of Hollow Water have contributed to this effort. They are constantly bringing home cooked food and making sure there's coffee, tea, and bannock. They also sit around the fire contributing their thoughts and ideas on what should be done to support the First Nation's cause. They are a pillar of strength along with the Elders and I salute them!

And finally, I watched over three nights staying out at the tipis how the young men and women from the community of Hollow Water and Seymourville came to the sites to lend their support. Seeing these young men and women stay up all night long watching the fires and sacrificing their time and energy is an incredible inspiration. They sit there pondering matters quietly whilst the stars and moon shine brightly. Their future is at stake and I'm proud to see their courage, their commitment, and there proud stand against injustice. It truly moved me and I will never forget the expressions of concern on their faces. I honour them all.

So what is going to happen next? Only time will tell that story. It'll unfold in the coming days as the fall season where's on and the temperatures drop. Chief Ian Bushie is resolute in his position - he will not be swayed by empty promises from the government. And he is well supported in this quest for justice and a better future for the people of our community. As for Struthers, we'll find out if he's interested in listening to the people's rightful claim to their traditional lands. We'll find out if he's honestly willing to sit down and hear the concerns of the local people. And we'll find out if Doer's NDP government - the very ones that purport to side with the underprivileged and the marginalized, namely First Nation people, is willing to move in favour of First Nation people. How many MLA's have been sent to the Legislature with the support of Aboriginal people over the years? The eyes of the Aboriginal community are on you and your government, Mr. Premier. Your resolve for taking Aboriginal rights issues seriously will surely be tested. My caution is that you choose your steps wisely. The next election will bear the results of your choices on these fundamental matters of land and resources for First Nation people.

As for disgruntled cottagers that the media and the government like to sympathize with? You'll need to wait longer. Perhaps much longer. Perhaps you'll think twice about venturing onto First Nation territory without any consideration for them in the future. Then again, maybe this entire process isn't teaching you anything. One has to be ready and willing to listen and be considerate of others. If you were not taught that throughout your lives, you may never get it. But be certain of this: non-Aboriginal society has taken enough from First Nation people. Gone are the days when successive governments, and now fat-wallet cottagers, come in to take-take-take. Gone are the days when First Nation people sit idly by and watch others benefit from their land while poverty holds its throttle-neck grip on our own people.

As a concluding remark and to further bring light to the growing support out there in Aboriginal territory, I wish to include the comments made by Mr. Greg McIvor is his letter to the Editor of the Winnipeg Sun:

Dear Editor,

I have been following the actions of the Hollow First Nation over the last few days from print and TV news items and while I normally do not support blockades and demonstrations to resolve these types of conflict. I want to congratulate Chief Ian Bushie for taking the position that he has and that has been identified in recent articles including today’s article “Can’t just sit idly by” Blockades may grow: Chief By SHANNON VANRAES, SUN MEDIA.

Dealing with the NDP government and their party cronies that make up the so called commissions, boards and committees that have a history of deception and are notorious for stealing first nation lands and natural resources without any willingness to share the wealth from the revenue generated from these unlawful activities.

It is about time that our first nation leadership stand up to these activities and say enough is enough. We can no longer have the provincial government come into our communities and pretend that they are concerned about our first nation communities. The provincial government is unwilling to contribute any resources to address the community, social and economic crisis that exists in the majority of our first nation communities.

I trust that the “3 amigos” (Grand Chiefs of AMC, MKIO and SCO) and the “Lame Duck” Manitoba Treaty Commissioner will rally behind and support their people for a change. We can no longer accept the piece meal handouts as the recent Roseau River Dakota Nation has done. It is time to develop a long-term natural resource revenue sharing arrangement in the province that will benefit all first nation communities and applied uniformly across all natural resource activity. The current first nation leadership should no longer accept and cooperate with the exploitation and theft of our natural resources by the province and its crown corporations.

I believe that our young people would support such an initiative, especially our urban community members that can see the benefit of long-term arrangements for the children, community and a future. Compared to what currently exists such as, overcrowded housing conditions, high unemployment, social turmoil and above all “No Hope” in the welfare state that is our community.

Bravo! Chief Ian Bushie – Finally, we have a leader that is willing to LEAD!

Regards,

Greg McIvor

Minister of Conservation, Stan Struthers to Meet Chief Ian Bushie

The Minister whose department has been responsible for allowing cottage development on traditional Hollow Water territory was asked by Chief Bushie to meet with him and his Council. Stan Struthers, Minister of Conservation, has agreed to head up to Hollow Water Territory on Saturday September 22nd to sit with Chief & Council. He initially asked for the barricades to be taken down, but Chief Bushie is adamant that the Province must show significant good faith and concrete steps towards sincere negotiations with Chief Bushie. The blockades will NOT be removed until such time as there is real progress made in the negotiations.

Meanwhile, Thursday evening at 5:00 p.m. September 20th, a large group of community members from Hollow Water gathered at Provincial Highway 304 where a potential blockade site has been set up. The resounding response from the community was in strong support of Chief Bushie to continue his quest on behalf of the community for a just arrangement with the Province that will see benefits flowing to the community instead of to the Province and cottagers alone.

The Minister's response at the proposed meeting will reveal the intentions of the Provincal government and will determine the directions that will be taken by the Hollow Water First Nation.

Chief Ian Bushie of Hollow Water First Nation, Manitoba - An Open Letter

Greetings!

It was disturbing to find out the Province of Manitoba had constructed a road 2.7 kilometres long up the eastern shore of Lake Winnipeg on the Hollow Water First Nation’s Traditional area.

The road was constructed out of view of the community and the main access road. It wasn’t until weeks prior to the lot selection that access was granted to see the developed area. Residents of Hollow Water First Nation were shocked, to say the least. An area that had once been home to many species of animals, plant life and various sacred medicines had now been levelled with gravel and sand. Because we choose to leave our Traditional lands dormant - was taken by the Province as consent for development.

Our People are protectors of this land; Creator teaches Respect, Courage, Humility, Wisdom, Kindness, Truth, and Love for all that is bestowed on Mother Earth, protecting sacred medicines, animals, various species of plant life is but one way to spread the teachings. When we speak for future generations it is not to speak for money, but to speak for health, food and resources needed to survive as humans. Who is to say that a new disease may come about that will call for a certain simple little plant to provide the cure? What if it were YOUR child who needed this cure and the plant that once existed was now gone and replaced by someone’s second home, a home that is not even necessary?

A Proverb of our People reads:

“Only when the last tree is cut; only when the last river is polluted; only when the last fish is caught; only then will they realize that you cannot eat money…”

Meegwetch!

Chief Ian Bushie

Hollow Water First Nation Barricades Highways to Protest Cottage Development on Traditional First Nation Territory

The people of Manitoba, and an ever expanding number of folks around the world, are hearing of the current blockades happening on the traditional territory of the Hollow Water First Nation, 2 hours north of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

It is the desire of Chief Ian Bushie of the Hollow Water First Nation that information be disseminated to the general public that properly and accurately portrays the current situation of events and issues.

As a member of the Hollow Water First Nation, Little Black Bear is the community's servant in providing information that will bring light to the issues from a First Nation perspective and that respects all parties involved to the best of our ability.

Background:

The Province of Manitoba, of its own volition, constructed a roadway along the shores of Lake Winnipeg that enabled cottage development on the traditional territory of the Hollow Water First Nation (see the map).

Over the past several years, the four surrounding communities of Hollow Water First Nation, Aghaming, Seymourville, and Manigotagan have been seeing an increasing number of people move onto their lands by cottagers eager to establish their second home. For most of these cottagers, this is a luxury they can certainly afford and some of the "cottages" are reportedly in the $2 million+ range in terms of their cost. Essentially, the Province has accommodated the cottagers by building an access road and surveying the area to make it ready for settlement. They have paved the way for cottagers to move into the area with no thought for the local people. All benefits derived from taxes and selling of the lots, which ranged from $7000 - $47,000 each, was to be forwarded to the Province. No services, no benefits to the local communities of Hollow Water, Seymourville, Aghaming, or Manigotagan.

Indeed, throughout this entire process, so-called consultation with the local four communities has consisted of sending out faxes and letters to "tell" the people that development would be forthcoming, not to involve them.

In fact, the entire story requires a quick look back in history to the 1870's. When the federal government wanted to settle the west; they sent out Commissioners to sign treaties to pave the way for settlers to move in. They accomplished this in devious ways that eventually allowed for the occupation of the west, primarily by french and english people. There was a constant influx of Europeans that pushed the First Nation people further and further away into the northern lands of Manitoba.

First Nations understood the treaties to be sacred and living documents that were witnessed by the Creator. The land could not be given away any more than the air could be given away. First Nations were not presumptuous to believe ownership of the land could be asserted in what is understood today as a common law or legal right. The right to the land was not bestowed upon First Nation people by man, but by the Creator. That right included occupying and utilizing the resources of the land by the people for their survival and for thriving.

Small parcels of land, called Reserves, were eventually designated through the treaty making process and doled out to the "Indians" back in the 1870's; and the First Nations have survived ever since through incredible and insurmountable odds: small pox and TB epidemics, abuses of every kind, poverty, injustices, pestilence, and so many other adversities. The survival of the First Nation Peoples of Canada is a testament and an inspiration for their determined strength and resilience to remain as one with this beautiful land we call Mother Earth.

Fastforward to our current situation: the Provincial government didn't bother sending in Commissioners to talk about settling the Hollow Water First Nation's traditional territory, because they believed their laws gave them every right to do so. This dredges up in one's mind the ingrained belief of "terra nullius" that Columbus and his crew believed as well as successive colonists to Turtle Island (North America); it said, "this land is not inhabited". Didn't matter that there were "creatures" they thought resembled human beings staring at them along the shore, the land was empty and "no man's land" as far as they were concerned. And so, the Province of Manitoba, in like manner, viewed the traditional Hollow Water, Seymourville, and Manigotagan area as empty and free for development. Wrong move.

After watching these developments over the past several years, Chief Ian Bushie took a strong leadership stand and actions that say: "enough!" Enough of our resources of trees, wood, fish, various species of plant and animal life, being taken! Enough of our resources being negatively affected and destroyed altogether by greed and lust for coveted places like beach front properties! Enough assaulting the dignity of the people and of Mother Earth, which the First Nation people hold in sacred regard! Enough usurping our rights to economic benefits! Enough watching the cottage lots get developed with its roads and infrastructure while the local people are forced to drive on rutted, muddy roads that are literally killing our young children! Enough being ignored by successive governments and a bureaucracy that has no heart or soul but surely possesses an unrelenting determination to run roughshod over Aboriginal people and to deny their rightful place in society!

Enough!!

And so, here we stand today. Cottage development is halted. The road access to the cottage development area is blocked by the people of Hollow Water and some people from the surrounding communities. Nothing further will happen - not one more tree to be cut down and not one more moose or fish to be taken without the consent of the local people. No movement forward until the Province pays its due respect to the authority and autonomy of the Hollow Water First Nation people on its own traditional lands and territory.

Although, there have been some miscommunications and misunderstandings in the beginning, the other communities of Seymourville, Manigotagan, and Aghaming are starting to realize Chief Ian Bushie is right. Some people in these communities are beginning to acknowledge that if something is not done now, when will it ever be done?


(Note: The signs are going up that read: "Private Property" - on land that First Nations have left untouched and undeveloped, to be enjoyed in its natural state. Where freedom to walk once existed, "stay out" is now displayed)