Community members occupy Williams Lake band office: RCMP on scene

 

At least four members of the Williams Lake Indian Band have forced their way into the band administration office Tuesday morning and asked staff to leave.— image credit: Angie Mindus photo

by  Angie Mindus, Williams Lake Tribune, May 24, 2016 at 10:00 AM

RCMP are on scene at the Williams Lake Indian Band administration office where at least four men forcibly entered the building just after 8 a.m. Tuesday morning and asked staff to leave.

It is unclear at this early stage what the group wants, however it is suspected their motive is political. Text messages from the group relayed to the Tribune indicate the men are unarmed, however that has not been confirmed.

Toronto protest ends, INAC offices still occupied in Winnipeg, Vancouver

April 21, 2016 For the first time in nine days, people from a group called #OccupyINAC emerge from Toronto’s Indigenous and Northern Affairs office. (Sakura Saunders/Twitter)

#OccupyINAC protests ‘same energy’ as Idle No More, says Cree lawyer who was key figure in movement

By Tim Fontaine, CBC News, April 21, 2016

On Thursday, demonstrators left the Toronto office of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, nine days after they took it over and sparked a protest that has spread across the country.

“The time has come for us to go back to our families and loved ones, and to come out and thank our supporters. Without you, this week of awareness that has spread across the land may never have happened,” read a statement from a group called #OccupyINAC, who say they were directed to leave by youth from Attawapiskat.

Statement from Vancouver #Occupy INAC

A young masked warrior at #OccupyINAC Vancouver, April 18, 2016. Photo via Facebook.

Occupations of offices of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) continue in Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver, along with protests across the country and a tent camp in Regina.  Below is the statement from Vancouver #Occupy INAC (hopefully we’ll get a text version to post).

Suicide crisis protests at Indigenous Affairs offices spread across Canada

INAC offices in Winnipeg, April 14, 2016.

#OccupyINAC protesters demand action on suicide crisis

CBC News, April 15, 2016

Demonstrators calling themselves #OccupyINAC have taken over two Indigenous and Northern Affairs offices and forced the department to close six more buildings to the public.

The protests began in Toronto, where around 30 people took over part of the Indigenous Affairs office on April 13. One day later, a similar occupation began in the department’s downtown Winnipeg office.

Demonstrations have since been held outside offices in Regina and Gatineau, Que.

In an email to CBC News, a department spokesperson said offices across the country have been affected by the protests.

Aboriginal protesters occupy federal office buildings across Canada, demanding Trudeau visit Attawapiskat

Occupation of Winnipeg offices of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), April 14, 2016.

by Victor Ferreira, National Post, April 14, 2016

TORONTO — Several groups of indigenous activists have occupied the offices of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada in Toronto and staged a sit-in in Winnipeg, demanding that Justin Trudeau visits a northern Ontario community struggling with a recent spate of suicide attempts.

A group of about 30 people first occupied the Toronto building around 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning, police said. The protest has been peaceful, police said. A second group of activists occupied the Winnipeg INAC offices Thursday evening. There are reports that a third group has occupied an INAC office near James Bay in northern Ontario.

Winnipeg Indigenous and Northern Affairs office occupied by protesters

Protesters say they are taking over the Indigenous and Northern Affairs office in Winnipeg “in support of our brothers and sisters across Turtle Island.” (Raquel Lynn Lavallee/Facebook)

Protesters at INAC office on Hargrave Street call for help for First Nations in crisis

CBC News, April 14, 2016

Protesters have occupied an Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada office in downtown Winnipeg.

“We have officially occupied INAC in Winnipeg in support of our brothers and sisters across Turtle Island!!!!” organizer Raquel Lavallee posted on Facebook.

Idle No More, Black Lives Matter protesters occupy Toronto Indigenous and Northern Affairs office

A protester stands on a desk in the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada office Wednesday. Protesters occupied the office to urge Ottawa to address the Attawapiskat, Ont., suicide crisis. (Facebook / Idle No More Toronto)

Protest to urge government action during Attawapiskat suicide crisis has been non-violent, say police

By Chantal Da Silva, CBC News, April 13, 2016

Protesters have been occupying the Toronto office of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) since mid-morning, demanding that the federal government take action following a recent spate of suicide attempts in Attawapiskat First Nation in northern Ontario. 

Occupation of premier’s office ends as meetings planned with First Nations over human-waste spreading in Okanagan

The Canadian Press, April 21, 2015

First Nations leaders say the occupation of Premier Christy Clark’s constituency office is over because the government has agreed to talk about the spread of treated human waste on private and public lands in the Nicola Valley.

Four chiefs and a representative from a fifth First Nation began their sit-in of Clark’s West Kelowna office on April 15.

At the time, Chief Aaron Sam of the Lower Nicola Indian Band said leaders had met Environment Minister Mary Polak twice and asked her to disclose where the waste was being spread, but the government only provided a partial list.

The leaders said they were worried about impacts on land, water, traditional foods and health, noting the government is legally obligated to consult with aboriginals.

BC Premier Christy Clark’s Kelowna office occupied by First Nations protesters

Nicola Valley chiefs protesting trucking of sewage from Central Okanagan to Merritt

CBC News, April 15, 2015

A group of about 25 people including chiefs representing Nicola Valley First Nations are occupying the Kelowna office of BC Premier Christy Clark.

They are protesting a contentious proposal to truck in and dump treated bio-waste on to local farmer’s fields as compost.

“Trucking thousands of tons of sewage treatment waste to be spread onto our farms, ranches and forests is not healthy for our lands,” the chiefs said in a statement.

Heiltsuk wins herring dispute as government agrees to close fishery

Sue Farlinger, regional DFO director (center) speaks to crowd of Heiltsuk community members gathered outside the DFO office on Denny Island, to update on negotiations about the controversial herring fishery on Monday night. Photo by Mychaylo Prystupa/Vancouver Observer.

by Jenny Uechi, Vancouver Observer, April 2, 2015

In a stunning reversal, the federal government caved in to Heiltsuk First Nation’s demands to close commercial fishing of herring near Bella Bella in northern B.C.

“It is confirmed. All commercial gill-netters are exiting Heiltsuk waters,” Heiltsuk First Nation councillor Jess Housty wrote on Facebook this afternoon. “They will be escorted by Heiltsuk patrol boats and we will continue to occupy DFO until they have exited our waters.”