Idle No More rally held at British consulate in Toronto
Posted January 16, 2013 8:43 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
First Nations people and their supporters held an Idle No More rally at the British consulate in Toronto on Wednesday.
The demonstration began at noon at College Park, near College and Bay streets.
Protesters are calling on the government to honour the treaty agreement between First Nations people and the Crown.
The Idle No More movement began last month in protest of a federal government omnibus bill that First Nations groups say threatens their treaty rights set out in the Constitution.
Wednesday’s demonstration coincides with similar protests nationwide. Native activists in Manitoba and Alberta said they may block rail lines, while other native groups will be holding marches and protesting outside civic buildings.
One of the co-founders of the Idle No More movement told the National Post that she does not support the blockades.
Sylvia McAdam said the purpose of Idle No More is “to educate Canadians about indigenous sovereignty and treaty rights.
“If you have an impromptu blockade that doesn’t follow the legal permits, then you’re irritating the public and that’s not the purpose behind Idle No More,” McAdam told the newspaper.
