National Day of Terrorism?

[Posit]

Assembly of First Nations chief Phil Fontaine says blockades were never intended to be part of the day of protest.

"We've never advocated blockades," he told a Canadian TV station. "We've made it very clear that this is to be peaceful. We want to do everything possible to reach out to Canadians. We are not interested in major disruption. We don't want to impede the Canadian economy."

Fortunately, Fontaine simply does not have the chops to control an increasing large and vocal minority of First Nations people.

he is permanently yesterdays 'leader'.

Burn, baby, burn.

Fontaine is not a democratically elected leader. He is a government puppet with less support in the aboriginal communities than Harper's minority government. Brant is a community appointed spokesperson according to traditional law. He has over 85% of the community's support. Only 30% of eligible voters voted in the band council elections. Of that just slightly more than half voted for the Chief.

This is a priceless lie. I like how you make up the news to suit your bigoted POV:

"1. It is NOT their democratic right to blockade private property (Rail Lines)

2. It is NOT their democratic right to express militant will of force against the police

3. It is NOT their democratic right hinder the rights and freedom of movement of other citizens as they have done."

1. They did not blockade the rail lines. CN & CP voluntarily shut down service. All they did was caused the rail gates to come down at the crossing.

2. No one expressed a militant show of force against anyone. Brant answer a reporter's question about guns being at the quarry. His response was:

"We've indicated that we are not going to have firearms on the front line but we certainly have ample resources available if the situation should arise."

3. The protesters only blocked a County Road that passes through disputed territory. There is no law broken or right infringed by such an action. If there was then the police would have to arrest city workers every day. The news reports that say the protesters block the 401 are false. The 401 was blocked by the provincial police.

It is everyone's democratic right and responsibility to respond to injustices in society. Notwithstanding that they do not consider themselves to be Canadian, they have every right to protest, stand on and close roads upon lands that have never been ceded to the Crown. Furthermore it is the responsibility of Canada to prove that they have a claim at all to any of First Nations lands and resources in accordance with the Royal Proclamation.

[geoffrey]

How is he a terrorist?

Do you not consider taking over private property with physical force and weapons terrorism? I happen to.

I thought a terrorist is someone who willfully acts on such threats. The definition is getting more and more broad as we along eh?

What's the difference? Someone that calls in a bomb threat in order to create fear and panic is really a terrorist in that they caused terror. Is it the legal definition? Maybe not. But it's the moral one.

[Posit]

"Do you not consider taking over private property with physical force and weapons terrorism?"

No one occupied "private" property with physical force and weapons. That's another delusion you keep reinforcing in your own mind. The road is a county road and they had as much right to be on it as the OPP. As well there was no physical force used to drive a bus there, nor were weapons ever involved. If you go back and read the quote, Brant told the media there would be no weapons on the front line.

Do yourself and us a favour. Dispatch with your propaganda and trying getting to the truth once and a while.

[geoffrey]

Your hatred for people of aboriginal heritage is hardly surprising.

This thread should be entitled "National day of over-reaction."

I don't hate anyone because of their Indian status. I just am strongly opposed to those that use violence to reach their political ends in a country that claims to be civilized. I have news for you, when you see images like you'll see on CBC tonight, you'll realise how uncivilized Canada is becoming in a hurry.

Indians that want to fight for "their land" in courts or whatever, all the power to them.

No one occupied "private" property with physical force and weapons. That's another delusion you keep reinforcing in your own mind. The road is a county road and they had as much right to be on it as the OPP. As well there was no physical force used to drive a bus there, nor were weapons ever involved. If you go back and read the quote, Brant told the media there would be no weapons on the front line.

Excuse me? Did you not read the article I posted before you start whining to me. Brant openly threatened to kill anyone opposing him:

He wouldn't disclose the actual sites, but confirmed that he and others were prepared to “meet force with force” if police got in their way.

“We've made no secret that we have guns within this camp,” he told The Canadian Press in an interview.

The rail line, by the way, is the private property of CN... they are intentionally obstructing their ability to do business. You'll likely see a lawsuit from that, I would hope. The roads are public property yes, but I can tell you if I rented a bus and drove it across the 401, lit fires and danced around in army fatigues, I'd likely last less than an hour before I spent a long time in jail.

Apparenetly Brant is finally going to jail. Hopefully for a long time. It's about time.

There was lots of Indians out protesting peacefully, having a jolly good time expressing to Canadians their concerns. Brant successfully destroyed their entire message and reinforced in the average guy's mind that all Canadian Indians are as twisted and distorted as Brant's band of merry men.

Do yourself and us a favour. Dispatch with your propaganda and trying getting to the truth once and a while.

I have the truth. I have a quote from Brant saying he'll kill anyone that opposes him. That's terrorism.

He thinks he's above the law. His soon to be stint in jail will show him the reality of the way civilized people do business... though I doubt he'll learn.

[Posit]

He never threatened anyone. In response to a reporter's question if they had guns, he stated:

"We've indicated that we are not going to have firearms on the front line but we certainly have ample resources available if the situation should arise". That is not threatening. Perhaps a warning that if lethal force was going to be used by the OPP they would defend themselves.

They didn't "obstruct the railway. Both CN and CP took their trains off the lines just in case if might be blocked. Once that happened they parked the bus across the tracks but that was hours have CN and CP announced they had stopped the trains.

Brant won't be going to jail for anytime. The bal restrictions were based on a charge stemming from the blocakade of the tracks in April. The OPP made a deal with him that they would not charge anyone if the barricades came down. The agreement was reached and after a week Fantino order the Napanee detachment to charge him. The bail judge had a stern warning for the OPP at Brant's bail hearing which indicated they could not uphold charges when a deal was struck. Once the charges are dropped or he is acquitted the bail conditions will go with it.

Did you notice that the only charge the OPP could muster against him was for "mischief"? That is a vague charge that is only used by the police where no law was broken but where they think someone might be instigating something. The history of the Crown is that either the charges get dropped or if convicted the sentence amounts to time at community service. There were no laws broken today andthe event was as peaceful as could be - active but peaceful. Get over it.

[ScottSA]

He never threatened anyone. In response to a reporter's question if they had guns, he stated:

"We've indicated that we are not going to have firearms on the front line but we certainly have ample resources available if the situation should arise". That is not threatening.

:lol: This has got to be the dumb quote of the day!

[noahbody]

They didn't "obstruct the railway. Both CN and CP took their trains off the lines just in case if might be blocked.

He called the 401 and railway "targets." That's obstruction.

[Posit]

Nope it isn't. No highway was obstructed, nor were the rails obstructed. Both require a physical presence to be considered obstruction. It would even be questionable if this would constitute "mischief" under the law.

[Riverwind]

Nope it isn't. No highway was obstructed, nor were the rails obstructed. Both require a physical presence to be considered obstruction. It would even be questionable if this would constitute "mischief" under the law.

Spare us all the Orwellian doublespeak. Brant and his bands of thugs have been threatening violance and obstruction for a while. Via made a business decision to avoid confontation but they would never have made that decision if it was not for the threats from Brant and co.

[Posit]

Wrong again. CP announced that they symbolically shut down the rails across Canada for one minute in support of aboriginal lands claims. Toronto ferry to Toronto Island shut down for an hour on their own accord, also in support of the Mississauga Toronto Claim.

You are right about it being a business decision since most of CN rails travel on First nations territory. They could be considered an easy target. The OPP also shut down the 401 for 30 kms. There was no 401 occupation by protesters. Just an indication that the 401 was one of the transportation routes considered by protesters.

Keep up with the news will you...instead of relying upon that narrow pointed view at the top of your head...

[Riverwind]

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[Riverwind]

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[noahbody]

Nope it isn't. No highway was obstructed, nor were the rails obstructed. Both require a physical presence to be considered obstruction. It would even be questionable if this would constitute "mischief" under the law.

If I threaten that I might beat the shit out of you if you walk out your front door and you don't come outside, I guess I'm not doing anything wrong. After all, it was your decision for you not to come outside, not mine. I didn't obstruct you at all.

[August1991]

I really feel for you guys in Ontario, I really do. McGuinty has, by pretending his hands are tied, given the Indians there the ability to break the law at will, fearing nothing.

Geoffrey, you should know your history better.

Another such violent dispute in Canada occurred in Batoche, Saskatchewan.

There are two sides to this story. On one side, immigrants took land and changed the society of people living here. On the other, the people already here weren't using the land for much at all. Life means coping with change.

[Note to Argus: Do you disagree with immigration?]

IMV, in ths modern world, some Native gangsters just want an angle to exploit. Ordinary Natives have less than recently arrived immigrants.

[geoffrey]

Geoffrey, you should know your history better.

I'm better than the average, but no expert.

Another such violent dispute in Canada occurred in Batoche, Saskatchewan.

Louis Riel ended up a national hero (how, I don't know). Will Brant be a Riel one day? Is he trying to be?

There are two sides to this story. On one side, immigrants took land and changed the society of people living here. On the other, the people already here weren't using the land for much at all. Life means coping with change.

It's hard to justify having it both ways. Asking for new world ammenities while condemning everything that created them is tough. We could give back the land and live like they did 300 years ago, but why?

IMV, in ths modern world, some Native gangsters just want an angle to exploit. Ordinary Natives have less than recently arrived immigrants.

Explain.

[Chuck U. Farlie]

Ordinary Natives have less than recently arrived immigrants.

In what way? You mean like paying less tax or paying less (ok... none) tuition? Yeah... they have way less than recently arrived immigrants.

Give me a status card any day... I will make good use of it.