Dennis Ward
APTN National News
In an unexpected move, the chains were cut off and removed from the former Kapyong military barracks in Winnipeg on Tuesday. They called it “reconciliation in action”.
The site has been at the center of a legal battle between the federal government and Treaty 1 First Nations for a decade. Now, access has been granted for a week-long occupation.
Kylo Prince is a member of the Long Plain First Nation, which is one of the Treaty 1 bands involved in the land claim. He says the occupation is not about protesting; it’s about ceremony.
“I think it’s a good idea to cleanse land and bring blessing for future ventures for First Nations people.”
The federal government and Treaty 1 bands are in negotiations to turn the site into an urban reserve. Prince intends to set up a sweat lodge and hold ceremonies on the property for the next week, until the Kapyong Barracks are locked up once again.
Dennis Ward
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