Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller visited Tyendinaga Township and Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory on Saturday, where he “Polished the Chain”with demonstrators. People in the demonstration have maintained they are not blocking CN tracks, but in fact are a peaceful gathering of people supporting the Wet’suwet’en in British Columbia. They are concerned because the RCMP removed protesters who are against a pipeline which will carry liquefied natural gas to the BC coast, exporting it globally.
Since Thursday February 6, no CN freight or passenger traffic has gone through the area. One demonstrator last week told Quinte News that if a train does try to come through, they would place a dump truck on the tracks. They say no train shall pass through the area, until the RCMP leave Wet’suwet’en traditional territory. The demonstration on Wyman Road is in Tyendinaga Township, while just further east near the Highway 49 CN overpass, there is another demonstration location, which is in the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory.
(Photo: Quinte News)
Much of the meeting was broadcast on a radio station from Tyendinaga (87.9).
Demonstrator Seth Lefort (First Nations name Kanenhariyo) said the goal of the entire meeting is to discuss the different rules of law, governance, and traditions. “Welcome to our territory,” Lefort told the minister, “the river of life is still flowing. We have been standing here for nine days and it has gotten down to -25 C.” He added, “Justin Trudeau said he did not get into the affairs of the police, however there are ways to work with the crown to navigate this.”
Lefort says what is happening in British Columbia happened in Tyendinaga, “when they put train tracks and Highway 2 on our land.” He says, “Our land was taken. Then the police came with an injunction and told us to get off our own land.”
Lefort continued “Our people are not angry. There would be hell to pay if they were angry. They are afraid that you are going to bring your army against us. We are afraid, not angry.”
Trains have been sitting idle in the Belleville train yard (Photo: Quinte News)
Minister Miller says the rules of past treaties have been ignored, and broken. “People do not think about these things every day. These rules were not something I thought about 10 years ago. It is my job now. We need to take small steps, and we will be taking the concerns to Ottawa.”
The Minister and demonstrators also agreed to meet away from cameras and microphones to have a more open dialogue. They are heading to the community hall to have closed-door talks. RoseAnne Archibald, the Ontario Regional Chief says she is happy to see that the talks will continue.
Many across the country, including numerous First Nations communities have voted in favour of the LNG project, including band councils, hereditary chiefs, community members, and non-First Nations. Meantime, there are also members of First Nations communities who are against the project, and do not want a pipeline going through their traditional lands.
Quinte News will continue to monitor the situation.
