CALLING ALL FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE OF CANADA
The Anishinabe Women, Keepers of the Water, need your support!Sunday, May 10, 2009.
Concession 2, Tiny Township, Ontario, CanadaMy name is Vicki Monague and I am apart of 5 Anishinabe Kweag from Christian Island, Ontario who are making a stand for the Water where the purest water in the world is being threatened here by Dump Site 41 ( www.stopdumpsite41.ca ).
This dump site has been approved by Ontario's McGuinty Government and is currently under production. It is slated to start receiving the waste products of 4 municipalities the County of Simcoe later this year. This ‘debated, reviewed and approved' landfill site is being built on top of the World's Purest Water source, the Alliston Aquifer, which runs from Georgian Bay right to the Oak Ridges Moraine and affects all the Great Lakes of Ontario. This Aquifer is part of a larger, deeper hydro geological system. In the territory of the County of Simcoe is three First Nation Communities; Rama, Georgina Island and Beausoleil.
Some major components of the approved site plan has already been proven to be ineffective when it was implemented in Cache Creek, British Columbia in 1989. This site was built in arid climate zone and in a natural depression with a sealed liner which was thought to be secure from leaks. Researchers found traces of leachate almost everywhere they looked outside the dump site as well as underground water. Contaminants in the underground water system were found as close as 2 kilometers away from Ashcroft Indian Reserve, near Cache Creek.
With the Alliston Aquifer running directly below in to every major body of water in Central Ontario, there is very real danger of the World's Purest Water Source becoming contaminated. As Anishinabe Women, it is our duty to stand up for the water to ensure its preservation for generations to come. As First Nations people, it is our duty to protect the land. Site 41 is not only raping Mother Earth, it will also give her the disease called leachate for which the affects could be felt for many, many generations to come.
A group of 30 native and Metis people have been holding vigil at Site 41 in Tiny Township for the past three days in what was to be a weekend Peaceful Protest. However, it seems very clear to us that our work is not done and we are going to continue to hold vigil over Site 41 until the Federal Government stands up for the Rights of First Nations People and overturns the Province of Ontario's decision of approval for Site 41.
We have been receiving the support of well over 40 non-native local community members all weekend long who have taken part in our Water Ceremonies and our Songs from the Drum. To my knowledge, this is the first time in Canada that the Non-Native People and First Nations have taken a stand in this region, side-by-side, against the levels of Government. We will continue to stand unified with our White Brothers and Sisters against Site 41.
Our voices have also been heard by Native Elders in Utah and California and we are quickly gaining support from other First Nation communities. Our Sacred Fire has been lit and will continue to burn until our demands are met. We are now inviting all First Nations People in Canada to come and take part in our Peaceful Protest of Site 41. Your First Nations Women need your support. We are going to protect our Heritage Land!
WE WILL NOT LEAVE UNTIL SITE 41 IS STOPPED PERMENTANTLY!
Sincerely,
VICKI MONAGUE
Ojibwe of the Wolf ClanPlease sign the petitions;
Aborginal Women Protest Dump Site 41
Thu, 2009-05-14 22:56
#1
Aborginal Women Protest Dump Site 41
Quote:
I would call upon all peoples in Canada, not just the First Nations people.
It is time to stand for the water, the land, and the animals.
If you don't do it now, it will soon be too late.
What can you do to support the people who believe that protection of what gives us life should be the first priority.
Who has the courage to stand and say stop, this is enough, this is not right, this is a stupid idea, go build your garbage dump some place else.
Who can say, stop creating so much garbge in the first place.
Not that it matters for the water table, but I'd like to know where the toxic waste is coming from. I read several years ago that Toronto and Montreal accept somewhere over 600,000 metric tonnes of toxic waste from the US every year for "processing" If it's good garbage, they should shove it up their derrieres sideways. A good thing cant hurt.
Facebook message sent out today
Correction:
Thanks refuge, and there was a link somewhere to bank info to help with actions, do you have it?
yep, here is the info (linked to the facebook message)
Monetary donations can be deposited at Scotia Bank: Transit #: 40782/Account #: 0052116
Thanks,
"It's not too late to stop this imminent threat to Georgian Bay and the purest groundwater in the world!
Come out to dumpsite 41 on Saturday July 25 for the Rally! We are advocating for a one year moratorium on the issue. Speakers include:
*First Nations speakers
*Maude Barlow, first Senior Advisor on Water on the United Nations and Council of Canadians Chairperson
* David Crombie, former Toronto Mayor and federal cabinet minister
etc.
Fill a car, bring your entire household,- as well as lawn chairs and a water glass to toast the best groundwater in the world!
Participating groups:
Anishinabe kweag, Federation of Tiny Township Shoreline Associations, Stop Dump Site 41, Council of Canadians
Please show your support and stand up for the water. The time is now BEFORE the water gets contaminated.
Together we are strong
For the next seven generations,
Shelley Essaunce
Minwaabe Kwe"
Although ordered by the Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner to do so, Jagger Hims [the company Simcoe County contracted for Site 41 groundwater analysis] has refused to release their ModFlow groundwater analysis to the public. The County-created Community Monitoring Committee has contested the company's claims regarding groundflow information, a key component to the structural integrity of the proposed dump site in relation to the aquifer.
The Council of Canadians has discovered that Genivar [a major landfill development company] recently aqcuired both Jagger Hims and Henderson Paddon [the company the County has hired for all its Landfill Site designs including Site 41].
full press release here
On Friday, Tiny Township Mayor Peggy Breckenridge sent an email to Simcoe County Warden Tony Geurgis, urging an emergency meeting of County Council be called to deal with the concerns surrounding Site 41. On Monday, Tiny Township Council passed a resolution urging the Province to intervene to stop the dump site.
Full Article
Just got a message from Vikki Monague that they have heard there is now an injunction.
If anyone has any details on this please post, I have not seen anything on the web to confirm or deny this.
edited to add: Just found this but it is very small on details. If anyone else has any more details please post.
July 16th Council of Canadians media release in response to the OPP confrontation with protesters barricading Dump Site 41:
http://www.canadians.org/media/water/2009/16-July-09.html
Thanks for the info steady_diet. So no injunction but threatening to arrest on mischeif charge. Interesting. I smell the garbage getting closer and the police getting more desperate to get the protestors out of the way.
Now that the OPP have set the precident for clearing FN protestors off land with KI, Sharbot Lake, Cayuga etc sounds like they are now brave enough to threaten to go forward without an injunction.
I think it's a mistake to focus on the police as if they are calling the shots. They have a role to play, but it's the local politicians who approved the dump and who are pushing for police action who need to be held to account. Today the County obtained a temporary injunction against the blockade: http://www.barrieadvance.com/barrieadvance/article/141583
Joey Ramone,
Prior to the KI, Sharbot Lake and Cayuga (and Brantford) the police did not arrest and target the people who were leaders in their community.
If you are writing about me you are the one that implied I focus on the police, which I do not. If you review the thread you will see that I have posted about other parties that are responsible. If you are talking about my post #14 - at that point when I posted there was no injunction against the protestors so it WAS purely police discretion - nobody was telling them to arrest or threaten to arrest the protestors at that point and that was what I choose to talk about in that post (I do not need to bring up every issue I have already posted or others have already posted in every post I write). Thus the focus in that post on the police making the decision. Now it is the courts discretion (which apparently they have made their decision) and the OPP's discretion on whether they will follow the court and arrest or the Ipperwash Inquiry which they have followed in the past
The police are not willing to stand up and do what they should be doing - following the Ipperwash Report recomendations. Just because there are other players in the game who are trashing the Ipperwash Report who also need to be held accountable doesn't mean the police shouldn't be held accountable for their decisions and actions.
I hope to God another inquiry is called and if it is I can guarantee the report will not state - and the police were just the victims, only following orders.
If you are talking about the entire thread focusing on the police you are the one implying it but the thread does not focus on the police. Perhaps you should read it again because there are various posts about the provincial government who is approving and pushing it through, about the various companies involved and the federal government who is not intervening.
Originally Sent July 21
Email sent out to correct earlier information that was mistaken
Just a reminder this is tomorrow.
I thought Charlie Angus was also a speaker tomorrow? His name was on the press release that I read.
Could be, that is the what was posted a couple of weeks ago, I couldn't find a more recent one to repost.
this situation reminded me just now of the blockade by residents outside the Coca-Cola plant in India.
that was/is another earlier story that has been pivotal in efforts for water and people
The rally went well yesterday, about 4 or 5000 people they said, though media reports are only saying 1000. I haven't gotten back to my computer to post any articles on the rally but will do if anyone hasn't posted one by then. I didn't make it to the rally because of an accident on the 400 which closed traffic for all but one lane for 10 hours yesterday so I went directly to the camp.
It rained all yesterday and today - even some hail today! But there have been some sunny spots and a beautiful rainbow all across the sky yesterday. They had some wonderful drumming and a lot of stories yesterday as everyone took cover from the rain it gave plenty of opportunity for listening.
It is important to note they mentioned that anyone who wants to come to the camp and support is more than welcome and really wanted and if there is fear about coming into conflict with the injunction they can freely visit the site as the injunction is specifically for blocking entrance to the site and the camp is across from the site at a private landowners farm where there is no injunction.
It was said yesterday that it really helps the people at the site to have visitors so they can see the support.
Thanks for the update Refuge. I wasn't at the rally but hear it was great. In other news, the First Nations protesters have retained legal counsel to represent them in the injunction proceedings on Wednesday. They've retained Peter Rosenthal, who has represented Shawn Brant for the past few years, and Chris Reid, who represents KI and Bob Lovelace and the Ardoch Algonquins.
Full article here
Full Article Here
Court is coming up tomorrow. They are hoping for an injunction against the dump so that no work can be done based on the environmental concerns. I am not really up to speed on environmental law so I don't know how likely or unlikely this is to happen on Wednesday.
Looking at other FN cases though, I am unfortunately not to hopeful that the injunction against the protestors will be lifted as there was not lifting of the injunction in Sharbot lake (or KI I believe) or Haggersville or Brantford and the injunction was only disolved in Caledonia because the province bought the property (and even that was a fight with the Judge to get it disolved even though all parties agreed to it).
Around camp the talk was that everyone is looking to Wednesday to see what happens in court.
Thanks refuge, this is so ugly of an action by politicians that people should be outraged across Canada.
I know remind. Guess people are willing to look past ugly if there is a big stack of money behind it.
Court Information for anyone who can attend tomorrow:
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Time: 9:00am - 3:30pm
Location: Barrie Courthouse
Street: 114 Worsley Street, Barrie, ON
Update from court:
The crown wants to adjourn for two weeks. Viki's side said that is fine as long as the judge drops the injunction. Ann's side said that's fine as long as they put stipulations in that the county can do no work until they adjourn. The county said they didn't want either of those and will procede even though they aren't ready if the judge decides to include either in the adjournment. The judge is coming back with his decision at 2:00.
The judge kept the injunction in and the city can work at the site. They will be back in court for further arguments on the "temporary injunction" August 13th and 14th at 9:30. Reactions from the site and protestors involved still to come.......
Thanks for the updates Refuge. I thought Rosenthal did a great job on behalf of Vicki, but this judge seems determined to enforce the County's claim to the site and ensure that protesters cannot in any way interfere with the construction and operation of the dump. His closing sermon about the "rule of law" was a completely one-sided rant about the need for dump opponents to "obey the law". He totally ignored the more nuanced description of the rule of law by the Court of Appeal in the Frontenac (KI and Ardoch/Lovelace) case. The outcome on August 14 is not much in doubt, but then it was always much more likely in this case that victory would be won by having a new vote of the municipal council rather than convincing a judge to stop the dump. The court proceedings are still useful in exposing the County's underhanded tactics and the risks posed by the dump.
Oh dear thanks for the updates.
John Hawk was charged for activities related to site 41. He is not allowed to have contact with organizers of the site or allowed back to the site.
What activities?
Refuge: Do you mean that he was charged with a Criminal Code offence or served with a summons to appear as a defendant in a motion for civil contempt? When did this happen?
He was arrested by the police so I am assuming they are criminal charges but I am trying to find out what they are. He was arrested off site on Thursday night.
I also heard that 11 people have been added to the injunction and am also trying to find out who.
edited to add: sorry remind, just realized my answer to you wasn't very clear. I know that he has been involved at sitting at the gates, not sure if he was actually involved with blocking the trucks but the charges would stem out of that. The cops had threatened to charge people with mischief before and they can charge with criminal contempt since there is an injunction in place (as they have done down at Brantford) but I am not sure right now what they charged him with.
Just saw an article the cops are saying that he is charged with mischeif and intimidation with an unrelated blocking of roads and access to property. WTF! They are telling the media that it has nothing to do with Site 41! Filling the media with propoganda it sounds like to me to make it seem as if the protestors and people who just wake up one day and say hey, think that I will block a road and not let somone on their property today.
Please! What a coincidence - he is charged with exactly what was threatened at the site and not allowed back at the site but really it is a completely unrelated matter!
This is bullshit. He was picked up on an unrelated matter but when he was brought to the cop shop they didn't follow through on the complaint that brought him there - they charged him with mischief and intimidation for blocking roads and not allowing access to property. He is not allowed back to site 41. Unrelated mattter my ass!
Thanks refuge, what happens next?
His court date is in October so he is suppose to stay away from the camp until then at least (even though the camp is not covered under the injunction, only blocking the gates).
In terms of the camp, everyone is still there and still doesn't want a dump. The gates are being watched for activity but other than some supervisors showing up the Thursday after the injunction (and turned away) there has been no attempts to try and get into the dump to do new construction to continue the process of the dump.
Thanks, seems like more needs to be done.
Of the people I have heard about, so far, it is all farmers who are being added to the injunction.
Elderly couple to be charged: http://www.orilliapacket.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1685948
Stop Dumpsite 41 website for latest information: http://stopdumpsite41.ca/
Thanks zazzo, unbelieveable actually and the Site 41 link is especially informative.
There is a walk today at 9 am going to the OPP police detachment in support of the elderly couple who are charged.
This is just truely sickening, IMV they are doing this to try and intimidate people, to keep them from supporting FN's, and protecting themselves.
Seriously who in the hell ordered the police to get involved in this manner, as it seems the MPP does not know.
A hundred fifty plus people met at the gate this morning to accompany the elderly couple to the OPP detachment to turn themselves in. If anyone has links to any articles it would be appreciated if they could post them.
Ann has been taken in by the OPP bail hearing for her is tomorrow. Vikki is going in the morning to OPP with an escourt same as this morning with the elderly couple
Vicki Monague is to be charged tomorrow with intimidation and mischief. If she agrees to an undertaking to stay at least 1 km away from the site, she will be released immediately on a promise to appear for her trial. If she refuses she will be held until a bail hearing can be held.
Pages