By Jorge Barrera
APTN National News
WINNIPEG — The American Indian Movement is in the final stages of sanctioning a chapter in Winnipeg that is prepared for “direct” action to extract “justice” from Canada, members said Tuesday.
During a small press conference at the Marlborough Hotel in downtown Winnipeg, former Roseau River First Nation chief Terry Nelson and a group of seven people, some wearing AIM t-shirts, said the time for round dances had passed.
“We round danced, but we didn’t get any results. We want results, that is what we want and there is a thousand more people like us willing to stand up,” said Blackwolf Hart-Bellecourt, whose father Vernon Bellecourt was one of the co-founders of AIM.
Hart-Bellecourt said AIM has always been present, but not visible and that’s about to change.
“AIM has never been idle, we have always been here, our culture is strong,” he said.
“We are committed to action,” said Kylo Prince, another member, from Long Plain First Nation which is near the scene of last Wednesday’s rail blockade.
“These cars I see go my place on the CN tracks, I don’t see oil in them, I see the blood of my ancestors driving by, stolen from the ground of mother earth,” said another member known as Indian Ozzy
Prince said the chapter is going through “certain steps” to get sanctioned and still needs final approval from AIM’s grand governing council.
Several of the fledgling AIM Winnipeg chapter’s members and Nelson, who is also vice-chairman of AIM, were involved in last Wednesday’s temporary rail blockade. They are now girding to fight CN rail in court over the action. CN obtained a court injunction against the blockade last Tuesday evening and served the blockaders the next day.
“We are saying very clearly, we will answer the injunction and we will ensure that our side is told in the court and we have no illusions about the court. There courts in Canada are not about justice, but about the law…The immigrant court was established by the immigrant government and must follow immigrant laws passed by the immigrant government,” said Nelson. “We as Indigenous people are clear that the only one trespasser that is here…is CN who trespassed on our lands.”
Nelson, who doesn’t usually mince words, said the pressure is going to continue to mount against Canada’s economic arteries unless the Conservative government finally comes to the table and acknowledges First Nations people are the rightful owners to the lands in Canada.
“Our rights don’t come from treaty, our rights come from the fact we are the Indigenous people, we are the owners of the land,” said Nelson. “The treaty is where the immigrant gets their rights, not us.”
Nelson warned of looming escalation.
“A lot of the people here, in their communities, there is 60 to 95 per cent unemployment, so we don’t have a hell of a lot to lose if we end up in a fight with Canada,” said Nelson.
Prince said the battle is on now for survival.
“It’s about a fight for survival, not just for us, but for everybody,” he said. “We have to protect the land, we have to protect the water, for our descendants, for the next seven generations and their seven generations after that.”
Canada has faced at least seven rail blockades over the last several weeks. Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia have all seen rail blockades stop train traffic.
Apartheid (even the Canadian ‘soft’ version) doesn’t work. Integration has been, and is, the way forward. End the Indian Act, the reserve system and ‘special status’ now. Canada: One People, One Nation, One Law…
https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/photo.php?v=584000314959737
AIM reinventing itself with the blood of one of its women on their hands? How typical, I saw the national aptn news interview and they should have asked Bellecourt what he thought of his uncle Clyde publically supporting the murderer of Annie Mae Pictou Aquash, John Graham? Annie Mae is one of the first original 600 missing and murdered women in Canada and I am highly offended that these guys would even attempt to offer support let alone speak the words.
Terry Nelson is an egomaniac trying to stave of obscurity. I’m Anishinabe, and I will not follow AIM as long as he is involved. Wolf, Kylo, and Ozzie will find themselves standing alone, because as soon as the cameras are gone, Terry will be gone. These impressionable young minds need to look elsewhere for leadership, and ignore the grandeur. Terry is only in it for his ego. Thank god he will never be a chief again.
Approved
It is Harper’s intransigence and anti-aboriginal actions that has lead to the spawning of the movement in Canada. If he had consulted on the bills (C-37, C-45) and negotiated properly with AFN or Idle No More in the first place, AIM would have had no ability to find purchase in Canada. Everything is reversible but it seems Harper wants conflict, as his desire to also bring Canada into the Mali war would indicate.
Go read about the process that allowed these bills to have passed parliament.
There was plenty of discussion with indians although not all 1.2 million of them. We the citizens of Canada ELECTED PMSH in an open and democratic way to represent us. Would you prefer to fight to the death over canada against 26 million taxpayers that are paying the freight for indians . Let us know,then we will activate the military to put you all in your equal place. That means NO Indian act no treaties’.Just plain equality to look after yourselves
Terry Nelson is more of a danger to Aboriginal people in Canada than to anyone else.
Hilarous.
Nelson, you are an embarrassment to your people and a embarrassment to this Country. Why don’t you and your 15 clowns take off to Iran and stay there.
I suppose its easier to attack our railways, road ways, and government than to look at some of the crooked(not all) chiefs. Funny what it brings out in people when they are told their books are now gonna be transparent.
A National Indian Act (IA) Class Action lawsuit is in high order starting with IA artificialized definition of an Indian…imagine since 1876 the compensation package…than all the rest of the IA sections -some 124 sections plus the other IA definitions…
aim is a dead pony. you can whip it as much as you like , but it will not take you were you want to go. you say, the time for round dance is over, but i think round dance flash mob is the most brilliant form of protest ever. it makes ALL the people want to join in something wonderful.i am 61 and have never heard so much drumming and singing from first nations. my family lives here in Huron territory for 173 years , 6 generations.
my son is named after Elijah Harper who i think is a hero of Canada
Everyones Ancestors sufferd at some point in History..a lot of Canadians came here to escape the Suffering and most are grateful to live in this Country…Your People have the same oppertunities at employment and Equal rights as anyone else..It is not the Goverment or the Taxpayers fault that you are chosing to stay on the Reserve and continue to Suffer…at the hands of your own Chiefs I might add..Why don’t you stop complaining and demanding , join everyone else here in the 21st Century
Mr. Nelson your rhetoric and theatrics belittle you and your subjects. All you do alienate yourselves as radical elements on the outside of the law and society. First nations problems won’t be solved today and surely not tomorrow following your incompetent trash talking. You fail to get average Canadians any sympathy on your peoples plight especially the millions of immigrants who have come to our country and are productive contributing citizens working hard every day to better their lives…….
thank god terry nelson is with them. now they’re assured a resounding whuppin and zero respect for anything they say. take them to iran with you next time terry.
We Idle no more