Idle No More day of action Friday will begin in Egypt

While thousands are expected to converge on Ottawa Friday as the Idle No More movement turns into a national day of action one woman in Egypt plans to make it go international.

APTN National News
While thousands are expected to converge on Ottawa Friday as the Idle No More movement turns into a national day of action one woman in Egypt plans to make it go international.

Patricia Stein, a Lakota from North Dakota, has been living in Cairo, Egypt since 2010 teaching English and art to young children and intends to demonstrate outside of the Canadian embassy.

“I can’t stay there for long since the Canadian embassy is right beside the Syrian one (high security presence). But doing what I can,” she said to APTN National News via Twitter.

She also has to do it before nightfall because people take to the streets on Fridays and it can be unsafe she said. With a seven hour time difference of Ottawa she will be the first to start the day of action. She intends to begin at 3 p.m., Egypt time, which would be 8 a.m. in Ottawa.

Stein, 21, has been active on the Idle No More movement through social media sites like Twitter. In fact, a map showing where all the tweets with the hashtag #idlenomore have been used indicates Stein isn’t alone in Egypt.

A few have popped up outside of where she lives but she only expects one other person to join her Friday.

She wants to post two signs on the wall of the embassy, including a painting she did of an Indigenous dancer with “Idle No More” painted over it in thick black letters.

She’ll be joined, however, in London, England by a group of demonstrators, as well as a couple in the United States, but it’s here in Canada where most of the rallies are planned with Ottawa expected to be the largest.

They’re protesting federal government legislation they say will affect treaties and their lands.

It’s a grassroots movement sparked by four women in Saskatchewan that has grown to be a strong national movement. Today, more than a thousand people shutdown a portion of Hwy. 401 near London, Ont.

Busloads of people are expected to arrive in Ottawa from different parts of the country with the rally beginning at noon.

A list of speakers has been confirmed for the demonstration, including Attawapiskat First Nation Chief Theresa Spence who entered her ninth day of a hunger strike Wednesday or a spokesperson. She is demanding a meeting between Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Governor General David Johnston and First Nations leaders. She wants treaty rights to be respected.

Other scheduled speakers include Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo, Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett, NDP MP Charlie Angus and about a dozen others. As of Wednesday a representative from the Conservative party hadn’t been confirmed.

 

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17 thoughts on “Idle No More day of action Friday will begin in Egypt

  1. Dan Feidt~hongpong says:

    I have posted 5 videos from the Minneapolis Idle No More protest at hongpong.com . These are Creative Commons – please remix!

  2. great story, thank you to egypt too; these are brave strong people who have been so inspiring to me the last couple years, hiy hiy… I’ve seen the careful media reports, basically cuz they are owned by BIG business (lottsa oil money); I am also not surprised that the PM who won a majority election with 37.6% of the votes can kiss off 1.3 million+ First Peoples- he thinks he is invincible (classic peter principle), and underestimated the determination of people who have little to lose has been the bell tolling for many dictators…(the problem with the corrupt, is they always go too far). Hope he has some ghostly visits this christmas…?

  3. I see where Amanda Dale “There is very little media coverage other than APTN on these huge
    protests and yet the smaller grade teacher strikes are on every news
    channel? was there a letter or something sent to all media saying not to
    share these protests?? I don’t get it!!
    I share her opinion Has the KKKonseveative Government sent out a order to not give us any new coverage /
    I thank the A P T N for being there for us.
    I am of the Metis Nation / B C Metis Federation and proud to be a supporter of Chief Spence and the IDLE NO MORE.

  4. I do find it wierd as well.. I always listen to the radio instead u just hear about them talking about Employment Insureance! Nothing on the news at all..

  5. I have googled the blockade in London ONtario because that must have been an amazing sight to see the solidarity and the blockade and Yet NOT ONE PICTURE or COMMENT on this protest…except here in a small blurb…Don’t you find it weird that there is very little media coverage other than APTN on these huge protests and yet the smaller grade teacher strikes are on every news channel? was there a letter or something sent to all media saying not to share these protests?? I don’t get it!!

    1. i was told that canada put a nationwide media blackout on anything to do with the idlenomore movement

  6. Washte’ Kona From The Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation “Stoney People” It means alot to stand United on both sides of the Border…..

  7. to the Lakota people who are also gathering this month to remember those in the Battle of Wounded Knee we keep you in our prayers and thank you to Ms Stein in Egypt

    may you be safe

  8. hats off to you our sister, we all Natives will share the news, we won’t back down and Harper will not silence us either.

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