Algonquins of Barriere Lake Press Release
Algonquins of Barriere Lake Press Release
Rapid Lake, Algonquin Territory
March 12, 2007
Dissident Faction Now Blocking Highway 117 — Direct Result of Interference by the Department of Indian Affairs Alleges Barriere Lake Elder
Speaking about the blockade of Highway 117 by community dissidents, Harry Wawatie, Spokesperson for the Elders Council of the Algonquins of Barriere Lake, today stated that the community does not support the blockade of Highway 117, and he denounced the federal Department of Indian Affairs (DIA) for meddling in the internal affairs of the community by refusing to recognize the Customary Council led by Chief Jean Maurice Matchewan.
Matchewan’s Council was selected in July/August 2006, in accordance with the First Nation’s ancient customs on governance, known as the “Onakinakewin”. The First Nation’s customs give the Elders a prominent role in the leadership selection process. Since August, the Elders Council has been calling on DIA to recognize the First Nation’s selection, but federal officials from the Quebec Regional Office of DIA have refused – basing their refusal on what they claim is the existence of a rival chief and council put forward by a dissident faction in the First Nation.
Elder Wawatie, who believes DIA’s actions to undermine Matchewan has empowered the dissident faction, said “DIA’s divide-and-conquer tactics have caused this”. He added, “After the leadership crisis in 1996, we codified our Onakinakewin with the guidance and support of Superior Court Justice Rejean Paul. We followed our Code exactly this time! There is no reason DIA should refuse to recognize Chief Matchewan’s Council”. Justice Paul has again been called in to make recommendations to Minister Prentice on the matter.
In the meantime, National Chief Phil Fontaine has recognized Chief Matchewan’s Council: the National Chief wrote to the federal Minister of Indian Affairs, Jim Prentice, on December 22, 2007, informing him that “the Assembly of First Nations recognizes Chief Jean Maurice Matchewan, and his Council, as the leadership of the Algonquins of Barriere Lake.” Matchewan’s leadership has also been recognized by AFN’s Quebec branch, the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador, as well as the tribal council of which Barriere Lake is a member, the Algonquin Nation Secretariat.
Chief Jean Maurice Matchewan stated today: “It is Indian Affairs that is to blame for this mess! They did the same thing to me in 1996, when I was the Chief at that time. They don’t like me because I refuse to bow down to them. As a result, they are always trying to undermine my leadership. We see the results now with the dissidents operating outside of our First Nation’s authority and blocking Highway 117. We do not support their blockade and we will not accept any responsibility arising out of the dissident groups’ actions. Let Indian Affairs fix it. They started the problem.”
There is a larger conflict between the Algonquins of Barriere Lake and the federal government. Matchewan is accusing the government of breaching agreements it signed with Barriere Lake; one which he signed as Chief in 1991 with Canada and Quebec, called the Trilateral Agreement. This Agreement, Matchewan hopes, will result in economic opportunities for Barriere Lake and lift them out of their deplorable social conditions.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Russell Diabo Cell: (613) 296-0331
Policy Advisor,
Algonquins of Barriere Lake
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let the chief be free for cassy rat rapid lake has been crying for a new chief and let donta thusky become counselere and he will stand for 2008 and let the people go through let roger jerome become a counseler and ricky become counsler and we need these people to stand for us in 2008 THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chief Casey Ratt…his last name says it all! Why should these 5 individuals sit in as Chief and Council??
Jean Maurice has worked hard to protect our land
The Truth…..the week before CHIEF Casey Ratt and his Councillors were recognized, it was both very scary and traumatizing for the young and the old. Being hosed down at night in 30 below temperature, most of the elders and young people caught colds. Tents ripped apart, chairs thrown at us, hot boiling water thrown at us, all because we wanted a change from the corruptions and lying done to the people by Russell Diabo and David Nahwagebo, biggest one of all is Poncho aslo known as Jean Maurice Matchewan. HE calls himself the Traditional Chief, but no chief has ever got the young boys to attack the elders nor the women, he’s suppose to represent. WE are finish with that kind of leadership, that’s why we had a NEW LEADERSHIP SELECTION, to bring the voices back to the community. Not from the consultants, whom have not stayed within our people. So how do they know what it is we want? 20 yrs since they came around and nothing grew except their bank account. They got rich out of our community dollars, while we live in poverty, mold-ridden houses.
No results ever came from the[Poncho and consultants] so- called hard work in protecting the land. IT is actually the other way around, it is they that are selling off our rights to make some dollors. They use the land and the giving up of our rights to the people as a scare tatics. To have hold on them. TO bad for them, there are more people now seeing what they are up too.
CHIEF CASEY RATT AND HIS COUNCILLORS, are a YOUNG generation, they will bring results to the table. Bring the voice of the people back to the community.
If what Poncho, used to preach is his true feeling" It’s for the future generation" then he should step down and let the young councillors take over and stop fighting them so hard through the media because it is all lies anyways. Everything they are putting in the NewsPaper, about us doing this to them, is actually them doing that to us. To see proof of my claim, YOUTUBE is almost ready for viewing.
What I don’t understand is that we are fighting with ourself. There is away to get him put of the seat. You have to vote him out. The Elder and I mean all the Elder have to agree. Our people have been fighting among ourself and killing each other off, for what cause we can’t stand each other somebody id talking about someone, come on. Look back in the day when family meant something. How close we all use to be. We were ONE not divided. All this has to stop how are we going to overcome the saying how Indians are nothing but drunks and money hungry which we are not all but some, we need to stand up for what is ours and not let someone dictate what we need to do and what we should do. You can challenge the law and change. But we all have to be on the same page. Time is going to change but we forgot who we are. Things are changing and will continue to change, we need to change with but not some much we forget we are Algonquin Indians, and we are all family. Tape in to the past listen to the stories and your dreams, we still have the power. The spirits are not gone we have left them, we need our dreamer and our warriors. Tell us what is to come. I can tell you this much we are a dying race that will be forgotten forever, if we can’t stand as one. I know this has nothing to do with this article but something has to be said. If anyone really care you will see how some of us live and what a change. People are living like dogs, and we are not so stop treating each other like we are. Elders tell the story of how we were one and the spirits never failed before. Don’t let the past slip away from us Storytellers listen to when the wind is talking and the earth is hurting you will hear everything. Tell the stories that the people tell thats why you are storyteller, Dreamer don’t keep your dreams to yourself tell the storyteller, they will share, We need to tap into our ancestry. They will show us the way if you let them. Time is changing and it’s going to be BIG….
WELL said algnatind!
Sago… It is so sad to hear how communities are being torn apart by Chiefs who have been taken in by white man’s greed and care so little about their people who live in deplorable conditions. It is good to hear the people are finally finding their voices and exposing what is going on and demanding positive changes be made!! My Prayers go out to you … Ona