Rift among First Nations leaders over threat for ‘economic shutdown’ coast-to-coast

Idle No More protest temporarily blocks the Blue Water Bridge border crossing to the United States in Sarnia, Ontario, Jan 5, 2013.

Peter O’Neil, National Post/ Postmedia News, May 16, 2014

B.C. First Nations leaders distanced themselves Thursday from a formal threat by a group of aboriginal leaders to grind Canada’s economy to a halt.

A resolution from leaders claiming to represent the Confederacy of Nations, a regional entity that is part of the Assembly of First Nations, passed a resolution in Ottawa on Wednesday threatening the Harper government over education legislation.

Indian Act chiefs mount “national day of resistance” rallies

The “National Day of Resistance” rally in Ottawa, May 14, 2014.

At heart of today’s protests is frustration with First Nations education bill

CBC News, May 14, 2014

More than 1,000 people rallied in Ottawa today to protest the federal government’s approach to aboriginal Canadians.

They are calling it a day of resistance. While aboriginal people and supporters arrived by the busload on Parliament Hill, protesters also took to the streets in Kahnawake, Saskatoon, Sudbury and Winnipeg.

First Nations education bill ‘on hold’ after AFN chief Atleo quits

“Grand Chief” Shawn Atleo of the AFN with PM Harper during Crown-First Nations Summit, Jan. 2012.

Gloria Galloway, The Globe and Mail, May 5, 2014

The federal Conservative government is shelving its contentious proposal for revamping on-reserve education following last week’s resignation of Shawn Atleo as national chief of the Assembly of First Nations.

“With the support of the Assembly of First Nations, our government introduced historic legislation, the First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act in April,” a spokeswoman for Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt said on Monday.

“However,” she said, “given the recent resignation of the national chief, following today’s second reading vote, any further consideration of this legislation will be put on hold until the AFN clarifies its position.”

Harper visits Blood rez; women forcibly removed for “Tweeting”

On February 7, 2014, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper made a surprise visit to the Blood reservation’s Kainai High School in Standoff, near Calgary, Alberta, where he announced a “historic” agreement with the Assembly of First Nations on a revised First Nations Education Act.  But not before at least two Native women were forcibly removed by police, at least one for allegedly “Tweeting.”