Maude Barlow, national chairperson of the Council of Canadians, will be mailing her Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal back to Gov. Gen. David Johnston on Monday to protest his attitude toward the Idle No More movement and its symbolic leader Chief Theresa Spence.
“It’s still hanging on my wall in Ottawa,” said Barlow from Toronto Friday. “But my husband has promised to take it down until I can mail it back to the Governor General on Monday morning.
“I can’t accept this honour from the Governor General if he won’t honour the Crown’s commitment to First Nations by meeting with Chief Spence.”
Barlow said she is showing solidarity with Spence and the Idle No More movement because they have focused public attention on “destruction to Canada’s environmental infrastructure” through omnibus legislation introduced by the Conservative government.
“Chief Spence and her people are sounding the alarm in a way all our environmental groups have not been able to do,” she said. “The Harper government is putting our land, water and air at risk by taking away the rules and tools that protect our environment.
“I am deeply grateful to the Idle No More Movement and I think every Canadian has to stand up and say thank you to them and support them.”
The Council of Canadians has been working closely with the Ottawa protesters and has given them office space.
Writer Naomi Klein and singer Sarah Slean also announced Friday that they had rejected the offer of a Jubilee Medal for similar reasons.
“Was just offered Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal from GG. I respectfully decline in solidarity with hunger strikers + #IdleNoMore,” wrote Klein on Twitter Friday.
Original Article
Source: canada.com
Author: CHRIS COBB
“It’s still hanging on my wall in Ottawa,” said Barlow from Toronto Friday. “But my husband has promised to take it down until I can mail it back to the Governor General on Monday morning.
“I can’t accept this honour from the Governor General if he won’t honour the Crown’s commitment to First Nations by meeting with Chief Spence.”
Barlow said she is showing solidarity with Spence and the Idle No More movement because they have focused public attention on “destruction to Canada’s environmental infrastructure” through omnibus legislation introduced by the Conservative government.
“Chief Spence and her people are sounding the alarm in a way all our environmental groups have not been able to do,” she said. “The Harper government is putting our land, water and air at risk by taking away the rules and tools that protect our environment.
“I am deeply grateful to the Idle No More Movement and I think every Canadian has to stand up and say thank you to them and support them.”
The Council of Canadians has been working closely with the Ottawa protesters and has given them office space.
Writer Naomi Klein and singer Sarah Slean also announced Friday that they had rejected the offer of a Jubilee Medal for similar reasons.
“Was just offered Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal from GG. I respectfully decline in solidarity with hunger strikers + #IdleNoMore,” wrote Klein on Twitter Friday.
Original Article
Source: canada.com
Author: CHRIS COBB
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