KI members walk from Toronto to Ottawa in support of Spence

Thursday January 24, 2013

The KI walking group with the community’s flag after they reached Ottawa to join the rallies in the nation’s capital.

Lenny Carpenter/Wawatay News

Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) members joined Attawapiskat Chief Teresa Spence on Victoria Island after walking from Toronto in protest of ongoing treaty violations.

The KI walkers, led by Mark T. Anderson, said their journey was a show of solidarity for Spence’s call for renewal of implementation of the treaty commitments made by the federal government.

“The Crown pledged to honour the commitments they made at treaty time ‘for as long as the sun shines, the waters flow and the grass grows,” Anderson said. “God’s creation was used to entice our people to sign onto Treaty #9 at KI, now Canada, through the actions of the Harper government, wants to continue to violate the treaty commitments through Bill C-45, which will negatively impact our peoples, lands, waters and environment.”

The walk from Queens Park in Toronto to Parliament Hill in Ottawa, over 500 kms, began on Jan. 2.

Anderson said the journey reactivated the walking team that walked 2100 kms to Queens Park in 2006 to say no to mining.

“The treaty promises made are very powerful, especially using God’s creation to relate the solemnity and the sacredness of these commitments. By reneging and making a mockery through the continued violations of the treaty, Canada is putting the lives of our people and all Canadians on dangerous ground.”

The KI members joined hundreds of other indigenous and non-indigenous people from across North America in Ottawa, where rallies have been held for over a month demanding a renewal of treaty implementation.