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Trick or Treaty? | NFB | YouTubeToText
YouTube Transcript: Trick or Treaty?
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Summary
Core Theme
The content highlights the ongoing struggle of First Nations in Canada for recognition, rights, and equitable treatment, stemming from historical treaty misunderstandings and ongoing systemic issues, as exemplified by Chief Theresa Spence's hunger strike and the Idle No More movement.
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see Fabio what do you make of the
situation in Auto ops cat a couple of
days ago were a reporter peacefully
going about her business was escorted
off that reserve by band police acting
on the orders of the chief is it
appropriate that First Nations rank
around 67th on the UN Human Development
Index when Canada ranks in the top seven
is it appropriate that when abnesti
International released a report that
said that there's a grave human rights
crisis amongst First Nations in Canada
is that appropriate in 2011 when Sheila
Fraser said that after ten years of
audits and over 30 audits specifically
on on Indian northern Affairs that
conditions were getting worse is that
appropriate around the date when that
report was released in December I
attended with a family we went to the
morgue to identify the body of their 16
year old daughter who is not just a life
from a single family this is now not
only over 600 in a formal sense but
those that provide leadership and
support for the murdered and missing
indigenous women of this country suggest
that the number is over 2000 the
question is is that appropriate this is
what our people are saying that poverty
is killing our people that the history
of colonization and unilateral
unilateral action on the part of
governments will stop now we said we
would be at a tipping point with the
growth of our population exploding over
half under the age of 25 that tipping
point is now we have arrived at a fork and
December 2012 chief Spence begins a
hunger strike she takes up residence in
a tepee on Victoria Island facing
Parliament Hill in Ottawa
she is requesting a special meeting with
Prime Minister Stephen Harper the
Governor General David Johnston and all
the First Nations leaders in Canada in
hope of improving the relationship
between the First Nations and the
Canadian government [Music]
we came here to come and see how Teresa
is how she's doing and it's mixed
emotion feelings about what she's doing
part of me is really sad because in this
country in the year 2012 almost 2013 our
people still have to do drastic measures
just to be acknowledged that were the
original people of this land Turtle
Island in anything that has been done
regarding the land the water the future
of the unborn has always been the women
any occupation or anything that has
happened it's always been the women that
have stood up and said that we're tired
of this I think I really would like to
see our human rights honored our our
treaties honored I'd like you know our
people to have adequate housing there's
got to be a place for us in society to
recognize the harm that's been done to
us with the Indian Act and all those
other things and that's displaced us has
chief Spence insists on the presence of
the governor-general as it was the
governor-general Sir Albert Henry George
Earl Grey who as the representative of
the King was responsible for the
original treaty nine negotiations in
1905 fasting for 31 days today she needs
this meeting supposed to be with the
governor-general and the Prime Minister
it's important for both of them to be
there same thing with the leaders with
all leaders not just a few of the
leaders and we were given this
opportunity for them to resolve the
broken promises and the treaty and then
all we were asking is a meeting and to
sit down with them or not
it's not a new thing that's been
happening infrastructure for our
communities in housing and education and
health and justice and our revenue
sharing no like we share Abbas Jersey we
share the land we shall add all these
all the benefits is point the Canadian
citizens except for us you know your
ancestors came to our land we even saved
them it seems like they're forgetting
about the treaty roadies we don't
understand it you know the treaty was
not about control is about sharing
honoring and respecting each other and
we've been doing that for so many years
we never change your lives
why should you guys change our lives we
[Music]
James Bay treaty number nine articles of
a treaty made and concluded at the
several dates mentioned therein in the
year of our Lord one thousand and nine
hundred and five between his most
gracious Majesty the King of Britain and
Ireland by his commissioners Duncan
Campbell Scott of Ottawa Ontario Esquire
Samuel Stewart of Ottawa Ontario Esquire
and Daniel George McMartin of Perth
Ontario Esquire
representing the province of Ontario of
the one part and the Ojibwe Cree and
other Indians inhabitants of the
territory within the limits hereinafter
defined and described by their chiefs
and head men here on - subscribed of the
other part and whereas the said Indians
have been notified and informed what our
people understood that it was a peace
and friendship agreement that it was a
treaty of of sharing there was a treaty
of peace and prosperity which is
something that we so desired at that at
the time because we were poor we were
poor people and when we saw the
opportunity of the government government
coming to us to make a treaty we saw it
as an opportunity that the things would
get better things would improve things
that things would would begin to prosper
dr. John long a professor at Nipissing
university went to Moose Factory in 1972
as a teacher and later on as a principal
he worked in Moose Factory
kesheshian and forth Albin II he has
written a book titled treaty number nine
which documents the historical written
my grandfather was there as a young lad
which is signing the treaty excellent
young lad yep
what do you want to know about treaty
number nine is a beautiful food
excellent question all depends which
treaty were talking about there's more
than one version of it because in one
sense it is something that is signed
it's a document the other way to look at
it is that it's an oral agreement
Nascimento and so for the people who
were there that day like grandparents
and great-grandparents of people who he
may be talking to you today their
ancestors may not have been they're
actually signing the document they may
just have been witnessing an event
because it was signed in private in
private meetings Ontario influence some
of the I had this very naive
understanding that everyone thinks the
same way and everyone is honorable so if
I want you to sign something I will
explain what it is you can read it you
understand it and if you agree you sign
your name and then I started thinking
more and more about the treaties and
realizing people have a way of life and
they understand things based on their
prior experiences well what were
people's prior experiences with non
Aboriginal people
what experience did people have with
signing a document so the other thing
that happened was when the Hudson's Bay
Company gave up its Charter in 1870
which it had had for 200 years one of
the terms of that Rupert's land transfer
was that Canada would protect the Indian
tribes Canada actually made the promise
that when we acquire this land for
Canada we will protect the Indian tribes
and so on the one hand the motivation
for a treaty is Canada wants this land
and the other side of it is First
Nations were expecting some kind of
protection and some kind of assistance
in the case of treaty number 9 my
argument would be that people just
thought of it as assistance and
protection and the surrender was never
in December 2012 the Canadian government
passed the omnibus bill c-45 which
contains many changes to several acts
such as the Indian Act the James Bay and
northern Quebec Native Claims Settlement
Act the Natural Resources Act the water
pollution prevention act and so many
others all without the consultation and
consent of indigenous people the
unilateral imposition of legislation
that affects inherent treaty rights
cannot it's not on anymore that cannot
happen and through bill c-38 c-45 that
affects the land in the water that
cannot happen so it's the best interest
of everybody to protect mother earth and
stand up for the protection of waters
that is what prompted the emergence of
the idle no more movement created by for
Saskatchewan women questioning federal
the land is holding up a straw and all
our relations are smiling down upon us
because they know what we are doing here today
we see that all the indigenous peoples
but we see our white brothers and
sisters as well we see that make the
people our brothers and sisters are here
we see the Inuit people their brothers
and sisters are here 58 nations are here [Applause]
[Applause]
it is a time for change transformational
change our treaties were meant to be
peaceful coexistence and mutual respect
we shared this territory we did not
surrender the land and resources were sharing
part of the treaty understanding is the
nation-to-nation relationship and that
relationship means that we are involved
as grassroots people this is the reason
why you are here today to tell the
Conservatives they do not have your consent
consent [Applause]
that our understanding of the treaty
relationship will be fully recognized
and implemented in a way that it should
an Indian public to understand but she's
not fighting with them she wants you to
stand with her too and she wants her to
work together this shares things this
but this stock will have one party be
over or another this work together
shoulder so then we're all shared in a
I want people when we can and remember
all the other leaders that have come
since I first came here 41 years ago and
when I looked out here now
I remember that 41 years ago we never
had crowds like this we have the same
arguments our lands were being taken
away from us our environment was being
destroyed our way of life was being
threatened the health and safety of our
peoples were all at risk you know in
some ways it's no different than when I
came here in 1971 we still have
governments that deny us that won't let
us get into their doors they don't want
to meet with us don't want to talk to us
they're blind to the problems but it's
so different in so many ways because in
1971 they could get away with it
and now in 2012 they can't here look at
my heart when I see our women that we
are here we stand strong we've always
been told and we women are the backbones
of our communities one strong woman that
is the backbone of our nation and she is
giving her life for all of us and that
is chief Theresa Spence
so please remember her in prayer and her
family please close this but the circle
has not stopped
hey will continue and continue and
the said Indians do hereby cede release
surrender and yield up to the government
of the Dominion of Canada for his
majesty the king and his successors
forever all their rights titles and
privileges whatsoever to the lands
the same to His Majesty the King and his
successors forever there's two versions
of the treaty when you talk to
government officials they'll level
they'll talk about the the the written
version which is basically a seating a
ceiling or giving up or taking up of the
land by the by the government because
yeah and the resources and opening up
the land basically because back in 1905
and 1906 went when the Treaty 9 was
signed prior to that Ontario and the
federal government came to an agreement
that one of the sole purposes of wanting
to enter into his treaty with a crease
of Northeastern Ontario was that they
wanted the land they wanted the
resources they could see that in the
future there will be the De Beers mines
there'll be all kinds of developments
forestry happening in the next 10 20 30
40 years and they said let's make a
treaty with a crease because we want to
get a get our foot in the door we want
to get ourselves there we want to be we
want to be able to have access to those lands
grand chief dr. Stan looted of the
Muskego work nation is preoccupied with
making sure that everyone understands
the meaning of treaty number nine for
the past several years he has been
traveling and organizing conferences on
our history is here here in Moose
Factory where the treaty was signed back
in 1905 these are very very historic
documents that we have here and having
the treaty document with us to be able
to honor and respect what our
forefathers did in terms of the treaty
in regard to their vision and their
dream and their aspirations for the
future I think it's very very special [Applause]
[Applause]
when we look at this treaty we think of
our elders that have gone before us we
spoke about the treaty and how important
it was for them and how they understood it
is a special moment for me as well as a
grandson of signatory to the treaty that
my own grandfather my own blood
Andrew Wesley for this mark signifying
his agreement to what he had heard from
the commissioners they did all of this
my mother's pamper so when you think
the treaty is says something is stored
but I believe I believe in my heart that
says has it's as relevant today as it
was then because the understandings that
were reached by my grandfather Andrew
Wesley and some of your grandfathers and
great-grandparents that were involved in
the treaty
I understood certain things the
understood that they didn't give up
anything that it's a sharing agreement
that it's something that we understand
to be as important today in terms of all
our lands our resources our territories
sharing in a wealth of the land that's
what it's all about isn't it cause a lot
of times our communities are in poverty
and the treaty should be a vehicle that
should be able to get us out of that
poverty but we're way behind I think we
gotta get caught up we got to get caught
up and begin that process of bringing
governments to the table and we're
trying to do that but before we do that
we need to have a conversation amongst ourselves
ourselves
I have never seen that government sit
across the table from me to negotiate
anything a moterz treaty they don't want
to talk about the treaty we as nations
have to implement our treaty on our own
are we gonna sit and wait another 107
years for the federal government to
honor this treaty I'd iose chief will
not sit by and continue just taking
program funding going forward we need to
be able to develop resources within our
territory we need to be able to do that
but never to compromise on the
environment and negative impacts that
may happen there's been a lot of case
law a lot of Court decisions since the
70s that have made it really clear that
Ontario's right to take up land any the
Crown's are to take up land in general
is subject to a consideration of the
effect of that taking up will have on
its treaty partners and the duty to
consult and accommodate is
real and creates significant obligations
on the part of the ground but at the
core of it we have a different view a
very fundamentally different view in
terms of how to approach a very core
issue as to has to do with the use of
land I recognize that that different
view will create litigation will create
tension will great frustration but our
futures are intertwined and the essence
of being treaty partners is as much
focusing on what the past meant and what
the treaty meant as much that is also
trying to identify what our future looks
like together and how we're going to
work together
what does treaty mean to you
because it meant something to us in our
generation that's how my dad explained
it to us in a family and when the treaty
came around it meant something it wasn't
economics this is about stories about
morality it's like my dad said you know
Wesker's the stories were passed on so
when you do to tell a story and it's
always believed that way that you give
it your life to like our grandfathers
did before us because if you don't speak
and give it life the story stops this is
our history we have to believe it we
can't be reading it in the books in a
newspaper that's not our history our
history is the world well we have to go
into our back into our hearts [Applause]
today some First Nations Chiefs are
invited to meet with Prime Minister
Stephen Harper the governor-general will
not attend the meeting
[Applause]
this is a very troubling day not
everyone agrees that any of the First
Nations chief should attend but at least
violence has been avoided and the police
and the people have maintained good
relations the police departments are
changing like they're working with us
there's they're softening towards First
Nations people I mean picture yourself
at a demonstration the First Nations
people up on the hill even two three
years ago do you not remember the guns
that were all of those snipers on the
roof and they're looking like with guns
aimed down the could strafe if they
needed to the crowd did you see any
today I didn't see any on the 21st
either they're realizing that it's not a
threat to have a bunch of Indians
together we're changing the way we deal
[Applause] [Music]
[Music] [Applause]
what we're doing here is powerful we
have said that the small fires all
across the land have come together and
there is now a mighty fire that will not
be extinguished [Applause]
this building behind me I'm ashamed to
look at it but I'm proud to stand beside
a chief tree suspense daughter's open
for suffering okay I could for those
young people who are suffering too
I will not fight for this reason as
chief Spence says to be kind with each
other to share with each other to walk
beside each other to love each other [Applause]
[Applause]
we are losing our battles and all our traditions
traditions
my children live off the land we live up
our animals we only ate what we need we
do not take what morning we don't need
because that's the way we were caught
and I choose to live on my reserve
because that's where my ancestors came
children will continue to live on our
land as us you should have a people we
are also the keepers of our animals
because animals also keep us give us
strength urge for twenty thirty thousand
people up north at home that are
isolated what's gonna happen to them at
this bill c-45 you're so selfish mr.
prime minister
now you have mistaken mr. prime minister
minister [Applause]
[Applause]
Plus Northern Reserve before a humble
people tonight I said last night if I
have to wake up paper edition have it in
Northwest or not I will and His Majesty
the King hereby agrees with the said
Indians that they shall have the right
to pursue their usual vocations of
hunting trapping and fishing throughout
the tract surrendered as heretofore
described subject to such regulations as
may from time to time be made by the
government of the country acting under
the authority of his majesty and saving
and accepting such tracts as may be
required or taken up from time to time
in the written version of the treaty
that these words are so important or
this concept was so important that the
treaty says it four ways seed release
surrender and yield up forever all your
rights and titles it also says the right
to pursue their usual vocations of
hunting trapping and fishing throughout
the tract surrendered subject to such
regulations and accepting such tracks as
may be required or taken up well
according to the written version what it
means is that the Government of Canada
can make regulations that someone might
argue that this would mean that the
government could say there will be no
hunting in the spring because this
treaty says subject to regulation it's
not very likely that people would say oh
you're right and this is why we have to
understand the big difference between
what the treaty says and the way it was
explained to people so before people
signed their names to the agreement it
says signed at moose Factory or signed
at Fort Albany or Mishka government or
Rosenberg after having been first
interpreted and explained
so when people signed their name they
were signing their name I argued because
of what was said so the question then
becomes how was it interpreted and how
was it explained and from that if we'd
been there at the time and we'd been
Kriya or Ajab way how would we have
understood it how was it explained how
would I have understood it in 1995 the
archives in Queens University in
Kingston Ontario a student just doing
research came across the Diaries of the
provincial Commissioner a treaty making
time George McMartin the Ontario
commissioner kept very detailed Diaries
and his were proving to be very very
useful to us in his diary it states
exactly what are our grandfather's my
grandfather who signed a treaty
understood we could use the land forever
it is a good thing it's there's nothing
amiss or crooked about the this thing
will be taken care of we're gonna
prosper in time so all of that is
recorded in the diary of the
Commissioner of the Ontario government
at the time he was also not an employee
of the Indian Affairs Department he was
a minor he was in the mining profession
he said Scott explained through the
interpreter because Scott couldn't speak
a job where Cree we have been sent by
the king the king wants his people to be
happy and prosperous as a sign of his
good will he will give you a present of
$8 per person every man woman and child
this year and every year after this $4
per person there will be a feast it
won't be every year it will just be this
year because it's such an important
event you will choose a chief and the
chief will be given a flag it will be a
symbol of his authority the way that
this flag would be given if I have a
volunteer here be unthinkable for a
woman to be a chief Rael
in certainly in the eyes of Duncan
Campbell Scott and folks right it would
actually be cloaked in the flag and you
can see some of the pictures of this at
treaty time and so it was to protect you
or to smother you right which is it
right but but there was occasionally a
mention about the law never a mention
about the Indian Act never a mention
about not being equal citizens any of
no I don't think you were I think that
was great thank you very much so that's
the way McMartin explains it people said
we accept this agreement or treaty
whatever word they use to increase as
you stated it somebody's offering you a
gift you don't say no thanks I don't
want it these diaries are proving to be
very very very useful in understanding
what was said what was understood and
also affirming what our elders
understood and why they said the things
I said and the evidence thus in the
places where they went
the very first place I went was Oz
Newburgh July 19th 1905 Kagawa
but first treaty making wasabi wasabi
his name is a blind guy he was well
respected he's the leader of his
community he was made a chief until
after a treaty but people who respected
him because he knew the land he knew his
territory is a really good hunter but he
was blind the Sun took him our own and
he told the Sun wherever everything was
where the animals were where to go and
they looked up to him and he was scared
wasabi was you scared that if they sign
that treaty they would be compelled to
live on that reserve that was given to
them as part of that formula
Ximena butcher below with the speak mr.
Cynthia Thank You Donna this raisin let
me and he will be deprived as they're
hunting and fishing reserve we need to
know and you really expect us all to
live on that land we cannot continue to
survive badly we cannot be free that we
we cannot be anything either
Annie was told by the commissioners
don't worry miss ivy
don't worry GU you have nothing to fear
the way that you make your living now
will in no way be interfered with you
can continue to live the way that you
and your ancestors has always lived this
promise will last as long as the Sun
shines and that River flows what that
mean surance mr. ray was satisfied and
the first signing of treating a man
island took place they didn't leave the
document with us
they didn't translate the document
dr. John long one of the questions he
asks right in the beginning of his book
is this is Treaty nine were said a trick
or a treaty and in my opinion it was a
trick because the government of the day
knew that that that if they didn't go
back to Ottawa with a signatory of
signature signatures of the crease or
the marks of the crease they were going
to get fired they're gonna be sent home
that they're failed their job so they
had to do everything in their in their
power to be able to say things and sound
good to our people so they could get
their marks they could get their
signature and they could go back to
their offices and their bosses in Otto I
said we got the treaty we also have an
article that Duncan Campbell Scott wrote
and published because that was his real
passion was was writing he's basically
said what could they understand about
the reason why we were there nothing
they couldn't possibly understand why
we're there and all this constitutional
stuff so he says the simple facts had to
be stated and the parental idea
developed that the king is the great
father of the Indians watchful over
their interests and ever compassionate
we're doing what's best for you right
and they talk in the written version of
the treaty about the Chiefs and had men
who had been chosen to represent the
others when in fact we know from the
culture that normally somebody doesn't
have the right to make a decision on
your behalf
unless you talk about it and your each
consensus and then that person can speak
for you because he's speaking the
consensus but in the summertime that's
the time when you go travel and you
visit your family
so people were moving around because the
pressure was a non right to have meat
for the winter and all this third there
was time for social gatherings I guess
absolutely at Fort Albany probably half
the people were absent because they
weren't going to go around from trapping
ground to trapping ground to get people
signature they were doing whatever was
the easiest way to get the signatures
and to say that they they met with everyone
everyone
skidding mad the people of the Amish
giggle area saying that I by virtue of
taking this money I agree to this treaty
when Scott Stewart and McMartin are
coming along the Albany River not
everybody was at the post they met
people halfway in between who didn't get
there yet or or who weren't planning to
go there and they write in their journal
that it was always explained that by
taking the money you take the treaty how
would they ever explain that when it
doesn't seem like the treaty was
explained when they had two hours to
talk about it so one of the arguments
might be by taking the money you
surrender during the entitle right
that's why you've got this money even
though McMartin seems to say the king is
just generous and he wants you to
prosper and be happy as far as the
rights to hunt and trap and fish it
doesn't look like government regulation
was mentioned and it doesn't look like
glance taken up were mentioned so even
if taking that money is a problem
legally doesn't take away the issue of
hunting trapping and fishing it's not
clear-cut in other words it says that
the there will be a copy of the treaty
provided we have no evidence that they
were distributed in 1905 they weren't
even printed until 1906 and even then we
have some evidence that people didn't
find out what the treaty actually said
until maybe 25 years later when we
interviewed these elders in 1987 there
was one man at cosecha wan and he said
my dad was a young man when the treaty
was signed and 25 years after the
Anglican Minister invited him over for
tea and he asked him what does the
treaty say and he said my father told
him what he had heard and Anglican
minister said to him no this is what the
treaty says and 25 years later it seems
was the first time people heard that
what was written down is different
from what they had heard Martin Falls
same thing William whitehead
he says that's not enough line you're
giving me he says we want to hunt all
the way down that River it's not enough
this reserve you're giving us he says
he's questioning the commissioners about
that formula this is not good it's too
small then they told him mr. whitehead
you can hunt and fish as the world and
you're not restricted to territory don't
worry about it don't worry about it they
gladly accepted the situation that's
what it says in McMartins diary he
doesn't even say anything about the
taken up clause in the diary why why
because the commissioners never said
anything about the taken applause never
mentioned it at all never miss said
anything about the taking up clause
because if they had told my grandfather
look Andrew you can hunt fish and trap
you can live on there's a reserve this
reserve but if I want to build a mine
and do some forestry sorry you can't do
that in the world sorry you think my
grandfather words said so it's good
where do I put my mark no it wasn't even
talked about no taken up clause in the
diary of the commissioners I don't know
why that people think are like the
garbage now I don't know why do you
think we're stupid
okay like Stan said he put it this way
if he told my grandfather that they were
surrendering the land you would have
pushed a boat back out I say go back to
where you came from
no way no our people weren't you - but
you were intelligent this baffles me
what the government of the day was
secondly so can you answer your question
about the treaty yep what is your answer
oh they asked I asked if it was
fulfilled and obviously is not a treaty
is to us is to live in peace and prosper
together in peace
obviously were the low end of that
prospering of of candidates from the
Journal of Joseph vanna's constable of
the Dominion police of Canada James Bay
July 1905 as we approached we could hear
easily in the distance the beating of
the drums we had been seen coming for
the natives were then standing on the
crown of the hill lining the shore in
order to impress them all the more I
picked up the Union Jack which was
waving over our canoe and carried it up
the hill marching in the footsteps of
the commissioners by request one of the
young Braves went for the old conjurer
[Music]
we then drew up the crowd in a
semicircle facing us and the
commissioners gave them a reprimand
telling them their great father the king
would be shocked if he knew of their
conduct instead of holding their illegal
feast this should all have been at the
Hudson Bay Company fort but our mission
was one of peace and if they promised
faithfully to stop the objectionable
the afternoon of the 6th was spent in a
visit to the lac salé reserve in an
attempt to discourage the dances and
medicine feast which were being held
upon the reserve that's how this works
that's what we're learning and this
exciting I'm excited because this is a
good stuff and it's what we've been
saying all along finally we're getting
evidence finally we're getting support
in terms of how the treaty was really
presented how the treaty was really
understood by our forefathers that's
good stuff because now we know our
elders all along I've been saying we
never gave up our land how true that is
how right on they are aborted people
like Amy analogy Willie Stephens go Xuan
burner or Linklater Thomas Archibald all
these elders that we know Andrew Wesley
that said that all these years and our
chief norm is saying that grand chief
yes no we're saying that I'm saying that
our Chiefs are saying that we're right
and Anglican Thomas Scott he's standing
in front of the government of the day
and speaking on the creation of a bill
to implement the Indian Residential
school system and Cabot 1920 and he said
I want to get rid of the Indian problem
I do not think as a matter of fact that
the country ought to continuously
protect a class of people who are able
to stand alone our objective is continue
until there's not a single Indian in
Canada that has not been absorbed into
the body politic and there's no Indian
question and no Indian department that
and he's the same guy who sat down with
my grandfather would talk about the
Treaty and the sad part is 2013 is there
Duncan Campbell Scots who think that way
in Toronto Kingston Ottawa Montreal
Ottawa you're darn right there is
there's people unfortunately that still
have that mindset and that's why we got
to continue talking about the treaty
that's why we ought to continue talking
about the the good things that came out
of it and they are understandings from
our elders in regard to in regard to the
treaty that's why we need to educate not
only ourselves we got to educate the
general Canadian public about the treaty
because the treaty is not something that
you should be scared of the treaty is
it's something that we should all
benefit from and it's a good thing we're
all treaty people not needed people are
treating people - because your
government represented you and you need
to learn the board water said and what
was done and what was done wrong and
what was done right so I think we got a
On January 24th 2013
Chief Terry suspense agrees to end her
six week long fast with the condition
that a declaration of commitment on the
part of the government be presented by
the Assembly of First Nations consisting
of thirteen points that address the
betterment of First Nations life and the
recognition of their treaties remember
that we're here together
we're here for our people especially to
use our leaders really it's really
important to remember they're watching
watching leaders knowing it is their
future we are to protect to treaty
rights and the relationship again I just
want to say thank you for Jesus and the
grandmothers the woman even a children
that came to Victoria and given us
encouragement words [Music]
[Music]
Chief Spence fights for the rights of
all indigenous people there is a special
place in her heart for children and the
youth and they know it all the way from
James Bay on the Quebec side from Webb
Majesty the Nishio walkers made it 1,600
years from now people will tell the
story of your journey they will say once
long ago six young people and their
guide came on foot from afar during the
coldest time of the year carrying a
message of a new beginning where
families are united where there is love
well it all started from the vision of a
young man he was 17 at a time he
celebrated his birthday on the on the
journey and this young man said he was
gonna walk he didn't he didn't invite
anybody he said I'm gonna walk to Ottawa
so when the other young men heard that
he said we're gonna go with you but
there's six of them that left what my
Christine yeah that's the last Cree
community I was really tired of what was
going on the government pushing us aside
it really showed how they didn't want to
talk to us face to face I saw that
drinking trees expenses hunger strike if
they really wanted to do business with
natives day they would have answered
right away but they didn't they continue
to let Teresa Spence suffer so oh I want
to show my support what was going on and
I want to go with something grassroots
from decree people and I remembered
stories of our ancestors when on
journeys that lasted for months to trade
with fellow First Nations across Canada
they walked with snowshoes without the
best time to travel because lakes and
rivers are frozen so you can just walk
over so it's pretty much how the idea
came to me the journey they got a really
really good reception in every every
community as we passed the people are so
touched by the words that they used to
describe what it is that they want to
show the world and their message
and it's been hard along the trail but
nobody gave up in fact in fact they grew
in numbers at every community so instead
of people like dropping out people
joined and now today you're gonna see
hundreds of you know over a couple
hundred youth walking you know from this
Fila the good if you really good walking that far it's helped me a lot personally
that far it's helped me a lot personally too but I'm really happy that I joined
too but I'm really happy that I joined it's it's life-changing that's for sure
it's it's life-changing that's for sure and
and it's gonna be something I'm always gonna
it's gonna be something I'm always gonna tell my grandkids and my children and
tell my grandkids and my children and I'll want them to tell the story to Emma
I'll want them to tell the story to Emma I'm sixteen sixteen you are already
I'm sixteen sixteen you are already talking about your branches
seeing the people that joined us seeing their faces they're smiling they really
their faces they're smiling they really looked up to us as what we did we were
looked up to us as what we did we were hoping that the lot of nations would
hoping that the lot of nations would come by the shoulder support and they
come by the shoulder support and they did Algonquin is the Mohawks the Micmacs
did Algonquin is the Mohawks the Micmacs our neighbors in what's all the other
our neighbors in what's all the other nations across the west they showed
nations across the west they showed their full support to what we were doing
their full support to what we were doing don't mean the clothes afterwards like
don't mean the clothes afterwards like brothers really all of us came like a
brothers really all of us came like a family the dream that was game to feel
family the dream that was game to feel like I was wanted I was loved
and this journey has rekindled a spirit of our people at a value system of
of our people at a value system of respective honor you know not not only
respective honor you know not not only among ourselves but also to honor and
among ourselves but also to honor and respect the lab
respect the lab we connected with the lab we're starting
we connected with the lab we're starting to understand more of the legends or off
to understand more of the legends or off the stories for us the storytelling is
the stories for us the storytelling is our Bible love respect honor that's our
our Bible love respect honor that's our value system was structured we need to
value system was structured we need to remember our ceremonies a traditional
remember our ceremonies a traditional ways of governance things need to change
ways of governance things need to change there's there's definitely something
there's there's definitely something wrong you know there's definitely
wrong you know there's definitely something wrong when our women are being
something wrong when our women are being murdered and go missing and no one cares
murdered and go missing and no one cares there's something wrong when suicide
there's something wrong when suicide rates are higher than third world
rates are higher than third world countries we need to go back to those
countries we need to go back to those traditional ways because I truly feel
traditional ways because I truly feel that's the only way we'll be able to
that's the only way we'll be able to heal a lot of people are waking up
heal a lot of people are waking up especially youth you know it's um what
especially youth you know it's um what we're doing and not just us but the
we're doing and not just us but the previous walkers in the shoe and walkers
previous walkers in the shoe and walkers was for them and the ones behind us you
was for them and the ones behind us you know it's all collaboration of unity
know it's all collaboration of unity we're gonna secure our futures not just
we're gonna secure our futures not just for this generation but for generations
for this generation but for generations to come
to come walking is medicine you get to feel the
walking is medicine you get to feel the land and that's how our ancestors are
land and that's how our ancestors are speaking through us is through the land
speaking through us is through the land feel myself now very close to my
feel myself now very close to my ancestors you know we're doing a lot of
ancestors you know we're doing a lot of the same things that they have always
the same things that they have always fought for I feel it inside me sometimes
fought for I feel it inside me sometimes when I'm speaking like somebody's beside
when I'm speaking like somebody's beside me even makes me proud of Who I am proud
me even makes me proud of Who I am proud to be here as a grandchild of chief
to be here as a grandchild of chief Jinghua corners and as we keep walking
Jinghua corners and as we keep walking through the land our our ancestors will
through the land our our ancestors will rise through us and we will be together
rise through us and we will be together once again
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Applause] the walkers
[Applause] [Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music] [Applause]
let me watch the sisters [Applause]
[Applause] why is it that how a young eagle soaring
why is it that how a young eagle soaring above
above [Applause]
this young man had the vision his name is David co-op
is David co-op [Applause]
[Applause] but yeah
but yeah [Applause]
surveillance as katisa result habits the ketchup of dummkopf yeah which image
ketchup of dummkopf yeah which image talked about that want a shot a man of
talked about that want a shot a man of teeth are not will bang out start you
teeth are not will bang out start you know each other yeah we are chuckles I
know each other yeah we are chuckles I guess so yeah
guess so yeah [Applause]
almost offended I had them share my words so the merit
I had them share my words so the merit thing in the me I or that Z stands says
thing in the me I or that Z stands says a my stomach and eastern US Customs
a my stomach and eastern US Customs still hating about the game or at least
still hating about the game or at least more
that day I'm pregnant that's when I got to see my father I was pretty much
to see my father I was pretty much overwhelmed that day
overwhelmed that day [Applause]
I was - come here I want to take my way I don't wanna show the youth that they
I don't wanna show the youth that they can accomplish anything
[Applause] Oh
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause] the time to stop like there's people
the time to stop like there's people that carry motion
[Music] [Applause]
Express from my heart a depth of gratitude for all you walkers use extra
gratitude for all you walkers use extra names in the history of this country
names in the history of this country [Applause]
there's so often told the leaders at all I'm here to say they are the leaders up
I'm here to say they are the leaders up right now
right now [Applause]
[Applause] the core here the young people are
the core here the young people are reaching out to this host behind us
reaching out to this host behind us you're reaching out to all Canadians we
you're reaching out to all Canadians we are stronger together to the walkers and
are stronger together to the walkers and the journey of 2013 they call Chekhov
the journey of 2013 they call Chekhov thank you so much
on that speaker needs no introduction when she walks on the stage you will
when she walks on the stage you will recognize her to suspense
recognize her to suspense [Applause]
we hear the modern Eskimo Bobo who shot the city but you must pay check he
the city but you must pay check he knoweth out miss Rosita no bestowed he's
knoweth out miss Rosita no bestowed he's like a reject
like a reject he know bestowed in a potato you know
he know bestowed in a potato you know first out mone how people start to
first out mone how people start to giggle you know to have no - static
giggle you know to have no - static until darkness even leadership that we
until darkness even leadership that we have to do things together not to be
have to do things together not to be afraid to move forward there is
afraid to move forward there is important for the leaders to hear and
important for the leaders to hear and message the youth because the additional
message the youth because the additional future and we had to do it together
future and we had to do it together there's one important message that we've
there's one important message that we've received from this journey is to love
received from this journey is to love each other and take care of each other
each other and take care of each other that was the purpose of this treaty is
that was the purpose of this treaty is to work together the surest step would
to work together the surest step would be that together they work together with
be that together they work together with hands in hands what do you make a lot of
hands in hands what do you make a lot of challenges join our journey we didn't
challenges join our journey we didn't walk away from each other they stayed
walk away from each other they stayed together they take care of each other
together they take care of each other it was a pity to go with this Parliament
it was a pity to go with this Parliament government
government [Applause]
[Applause] my treatise manipular never gonna go
my treatise manipular never gonna go away
away so we have to honor that and protect
so we have to honor that and protect that treaty but we can't do it alone we
that treaty but we can't do it alone we need our partners you're leading us to
need our partners you're leading us to be together to work with the government
be together to work with the government you're gonna need a stat journey and I
you're gonna need a stat journey and I want to say thank you from the bottom of
want to say thank you from the bottom of my to me Jeff
my to me Jeff [Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
change doesn't just come overnight it takes time
takes time we're just kick-starting something
we're just kick-starting something larger than that journey and slowly
larger than that journey and slowly getting there change is gonna come
[Applause] treaties are very sacred sacred thing
treaties are very sacred sacred thing that's why you know we were still here
that's why you know we were still here that Brazilian step belief that that
that Brazilian step belief that that hope that thing that someday we will
hope that thing that someday we will have what we want because to me I look
have what we want because to me I look around and it's still very much alive
around and it's still very much alive we're still trying to get people to
we're still trying to get people to understand what those agreements with
understand what those agreements with those promises me but it hasn't changed
those promises me but it hasn't changed who we are inside that's the important
who we are inside that's the important piece that to me is the hope
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
crazy horse we're what you say
and does not sell the earth to be will walk upon
walk upon we are the last
we are the last how do we sell our mother
how do we sell our mother how do we sell the star
how do we sell the star how do we sell
to many people standing there standing there
predators face he possessed a race
he possessed a race possession a war that does again
possession a war that does again children of God feed on children of
children of God feed on children of earth
days people don't care for people these days are the hardest
these days are the hardest material feelings
material feelings material harvest decoration unchained
material harvest decoration unchained that by
that by [Applause]
[Applause] mirrors goal
mirrors goal the people
the people lose their minds
crazy honors we hear what you say one earth
one does not sell here the people walk
the people walk we are in the land
today is now in there dream smokes touch the clouds
dream smokes touch the clouds fani day when death didn't die
fani day when death didn't die real-world time tricks shadows lie
real-world time tricks shadows lie red white perception deception
red white perception deception predator tries civilizing us
predator tries civilizing us but the tribes will not go without
but the tribes will not go without return
return genetic light from the other side
genetic light from the other side they saw from the
they saw from the our hearts to give
our hearts to give the wild the glory days live
[Music] one does not sell the earth
one does not sell the earth the people walk
the people walk [Applause]
[Applause] we are the last
we are the last we sell our mother
we sell our mother how do we sell the stars how do we sell
how do we sell the stars how do we sell the air
crazy horse we hear what you say crazy horse we hear what you say
crazy horse we hear what you say we are
we are the seventh generation we are the
the seventh generation we are the seventh generation
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