What you can do to support Barriere Lake today!

Scroll down for a list of actions to support the Algonquins of Barriere Lake as they protest illegal logging on their traditional territory:
— or click here for an updated list

— For updated coverage of the situation, please click here

 

Send a letter or place a phone-call to the Ministry of Natural Resources, Quebec:

Take 3 minutes to click this link and send a letter to:

• M. Clément Gignac, Minister of Natural Resources (ministre@mrnf.gouv.qc.ca)
• M. Vincent Larin, Ministry of Natural Resources, Maniwaki (outaouais@mrnf.gouv.qc.ca or vincent.larin@mrnf.gouv.qc.ca)
• M. Richard Garneau, President and CEO, Resolute Forest Products (richard.garneau@resolutefp.com)

OR

Cut and paste the letter at that link into your email and send it to them yourself. If you are sending from your own email account, consider cc’ing:

• Mr. Shawn A-in-chut Atleo, National Chief, Assembly of First Nations (satleo@afn.ca, info@shawnatleo.com)
• Mr. Ghislain Picard, Regional Chief, Assembly of First Nations, Quebec and Labrador (gpicard@bell.blackberry.net)
• Mr. Gerald Butts, Executive Director, World Wildlife Fund (GButts@wwfcanada.org)
• M. François Dufresne, President, Forest Stewardship Council of Canada (fdufresne@fsccanada.org)
• M. Mathieu Ravignat, MP, Pontiac (Mathieu.Ravignat@parl.gc.ca)
• Mme. Stéphanie Vallée, MNA, Gatineau (svallee-gati@assnat.qc.ca)
• Ellen Gabriel (katsitsakwas1@hotmail.com)
• Pamela Palmater (ppalmater@politics.ryerson.ca)

 

Join in a Montreal action against Resolute Forest Products on July 18:

Emergency Casserole Demo in Solidarity with Algonquin Land Defence
From Montreal to Barriere Lake: Solidarity against police repression

== Facebook event page (invite your Montreal friends!) ==

Wednesday, July 18th at 11:30am
at 111 Duke street (between Wellington and Ottawa),
10 minute walk from Metro Square-Victoria
In front of the offices of the logging company, Resolute Forest Products

Last week, Resolute Forest Products (formerly known as Abitibi-Bowater) began active clear-cut logging on the traditional territory of the Algonquins of Barriere Lake, five hours north of Montreal, on land that is crucial for their culture and survival as a people. The logging company and government have ignored repeated demands by the community for consultation, despite resource-sharing agreements signed by both the provincial and federal governments that require this kind of community participation.

Rather than talking with the community, the government sent the riot squad of Sûreté du Québec (SQ) to enforce the continuation of logging, and threatened to arrest the families who are currently camping near the logging site.

Montreal-based supporters of the people of Barriere Lake are calling for a lunchtime casserole outside of the logging company offices to demand that they stop their logging and consult with the people of Barriere Lake. After a rally in front of the logging company office, we will continue towards the office of Premier Charest, to protest the criminalization of popular struggle by the government of Quebec. Casseroles began in Montreal as a rejection of attempts by the government to criminalize the popular movement of the students through Law 78 and police repression. For indigenous communities such as Barriere Lake, the struggle against the criminalization and repression of their communities has been ongoing for generations as they struggle to defend their land.

No to the criminalization of popular struggle!
Solidarity with indigenous defence of the land!
Solidarity with the Algonquins of Barriere Lake!

 

Donate money in order to cover expenses for basic needs of the land defense camp:

Please give generously through our PayPal account:
http://www.barrierelakesolidarity.org/2008/03/donations.html
(You will need to scroll down for the PayPal button).

If you live in Ottawa, you can drop off supplies at 46 Edgar St. over the new few days. Email barrierelakesolidaritytoronto@gmail.com with questions.

HERE IS THE LIST OF NEEDS:

• gas money
• coffee
• whitener for coffee
• tea bags
• white sugar
• brown sugar
• cookies
• cooking oil
• long grain white rice
• white beans
• canned goods
• powder juice
• pasta
• pasta sauce
• baking powder
• salt
• veggies
• fruit
• tea bags
• eggs
• bread
• lighter
• walkitalkies
“These are the essentials and other stuff is welcome.”
 

Share press releases, videos, images, upcoming solidarity actions, and messages from the community’s camp site through your networks:

Check out www.ipsmo.org for ongoing coverage of the land defense camp. Please share within your networks. Better yet, write a story for your local newspaper or radio station.
 

Sign on to the Barriere Lake solidarity listserve to stay involved:

Find the sign-up box on the right column of our website:
http://www.barrierelakesolidarity.org/
 

Learn more about the community’s struggle:

For more information on Barriere Lake’s land struggle, watch this video
and check out the “Background” section of the Barriere Lake solidarity website.