Quebec: Police Violence Breaks Up First Nations' Blockade
by solidarite lac barriere
 Kitiganik/Rapid Lake, Algonquin Territory- Yesterday afternoon, the
Conservative government and Quebec used riot police, tear gas, and
'pain compliance' techniques to end a peaceful blockade erected by
Algonquin families from Barriere Lake, rather than negotiate, as
requested by the community.
The blockade on Highway 117 in Northern
Quebec began at 6:00am Monday, with nearly a hundred community members
of all ages and their supporters promising to remain until Canada's
Conservative government and Quebec honoured signed agreements and
Barriere Lake's leadership customs.
Around 4pm, nearly sixty Quebec
officers and riot police encircled families after a meal and without
warning launched tear gas canisters, one of which hit a child in the
chest.
UPDATE:
An Algonquin man is hospitalized the morning after Quebec police shot him in the chest with a tear-gas cannister. A disabled teenage girl was also treated with oxygen in the local Health Clinic. Twenty two children under eight and two babies were caught in the tear gas shot by the police.
To view photos click here.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October, 7, 2008
Canada and Quebec use riot police, tear gas, and 'pain compliance' on peaceful Algonquin families to avoid negotiations: 'pain compliance' perfect description of Conservatives' aboriginal policy, say community spokespeople
- 'Our demands are reasonable,' said Norman Matchewan, a spokesperson who was racially slurred by Minister Lawrence Cannon's assistant earlier in the election. 'We're only asking for the government to uphold the agreements they've signed and to stop illegally interfering in our customary governance. The message we've received today is that Stephen Harper and Jean Charest are unwilling to even play by their rules.'
- 'We will not tolerate these brutal violations of our rights,' added Matchewan. 'Forestry operations will not be allowed on our Trilateral agreement territory, and we will be doing more non-violent direct action.'
 Nine people, including an elderly women, a pregnant woman, and two minors, were roughly arrested. While a line of police obscured the view of human rights observers from Christian Peacemaker Teams, officers used severe 'pain compliance' techniques on protesters who had secured themselves to concrete-filled barrels, twisting arms, dislocating jaws, leaving them with bruised faces and trouble swallowing.
- 'In this election alone, the Conservatives have labelled us alcoholics and vilified our community's majority as 'dissidents,' said Michel Thusky, another community spokesperson, referring to an op-ed published by Minister Lawrence Cannon in regional newspapers. 'Now they and Quebec have chosen violence over meeting their most basic obligations to our community. 'Pain compliance' is the perfect description of the Conservative government's aboriginal policies.'
Barriere Lake community members had promised to maintain the blockade until the Government of Canada honoured the 1991 Trilateral agreement, a landmark sustainable development and resource co-management agreement praised by the United Nations and the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. To end federal interference in their leadership customs, they wanted the Government of Canada to appoint observers to witness a leadership re-selection according to their codified customary selection code, respect its outcome, and then cease interfering in their internal governance.
Media Contacts:
Contact information:
Marylynn Poucachiche, Barriere Lake spokesperson : 819-435-2171
Michel Thusky, Barriere Lake spokesperson: 819-435-2171
Norman Matchewan, Barriere Lake spokesperson : 514-831-6902
Collectif de Solidarité Lac Barrière
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