Day of action
The Assembly of First Nations says it will hold its second annual National Day of Action on May 29th.
The Assembly first tried this tactic last year as a way to focus attention on First Nation's issues.
It was June 29th and in spite of calls for calm by National Chief Phil Fontaine, it wasn't exactly without incident.
Shawn Brant, a Mohawk protestor, ended up in jail for successfully blocking CN railway. He had planned to block major highways too, but the police managed to prevent that move.
All of that doesn't seem to have discouraged Fontaine.
Because of the peaceful protests he calls last year's day of action "very successful."
What's more, Fontaine says he is being forced to try this tact again for the simple reason that nothing has changed.
Fontaine says he's tried to build a relationship with the Conservative government, but to no avail and that the Assembly of First Nations is not being taken seriously.
Listening intently to all of this at today's news conference were representatives of the opposition parties: NDP Leader Jack Layton, NDP MP Jean Crowder and Liberal MP Tina Keeper. There was no sign of anyone from the Conservative government
As for how things might unfold this year: Fontaine is again promoting peaceful protests based on bringing awareness to Canadians and to the Conservative government.
But Fontaine admits, when it comes to this government, he's not holding his breath.
About the Authors
- Rosemary Barton started her television career reporting from Quebec City where she covered the ins and outs of Quebec politics. She moved to the CBC Parliamentary Bureau in 2007. She also stood on the side of road awaiting U.S. President Barack Obama's motorcade for hours in the cold. When she finally spotted him, all of Canada heard her shriek, "I saw him!"
- Alison Crawford worked in Fredericton, Calgary and Winnipeg before returning to her hometown to work in the CBC parliamentary bureau. Her beats include the RCMP, justice, public safety and the Liberals. Alison credits her investigative skills as well as a national etiquette column and coverage of a ferret Christmas party, with having prepared her for covering national politics.
- Andrew Davidson is a producer for the CBC politics page in Toronto. He joined CBCNews.ca's national desk in 2006 and was the lead news writer for the website's 2008 federal election coverage.
- Chris Hall is the National Affairs Editor for CBC News. He's been a member of the CBC Parliamentary Bureau since 1998. That adds up to 11 budgets, four elections, three prime ministers and too many confidence votes to count. Chris started his career in print before moving to the CBC in 1992. Since then, he's worked in Toronto, Halifax and St. John's, as well as Ottawa.
- Leslie MacKinnon Leslie's been working in news and current affairs since newsrooms used teletype, televison was shot on film and radio tape was edited with a razor blade. She saw through The Journal's long run on CBC-TV, and since then has worked in Halifax, Toronto and Ottawa in the CBC's various permutations. Right now, she's a TV news reporter in the political bureau, and likes certain parts of Ottawa - the canal, the Hill - a lot.
- Janyce McGregor has been a television producer in the CBC's Parliamentary Bureau since 2001. She started her career working for Studio 2 on TVOntario. In 2005 her then-doctoral student husband persuaded her to follow him to the U.K., where she worked for BBC World Service Radio in London. Janyce is originally a farm girl from southwestern Ontario. Her most important job title is "Norah's Mom."
- Chris Rands has been a member of the Parliamentary bureau since 2001. He started at Toronto's AM Radio giant CFRB before moving to CBC's National Radio News in 1996. Chris has worked in Toronto, Moncton, Sudbury, Regina, Washington and St John's. Every time Chris walks up to the Peace Tower, he wants to throw his hat in the air like Mary Tyler Moore.
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