Indigenous Inclusion not Sweet Enough at Butter Tart Fest: Indigenous Educator Arrested

Beausoleil First Nation member Johnny Hawke giving Treaty Talks and Wampum Belt Teachings and Traditional Stories and information on Treaty Rights at Midlands Butter Tart Festival that see's 40,000 people in attendance on Saturday June 14, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHRISTIAN ISLAND ON - Sunday June 15, 2025 - Beausoleil First Nation member Johnny Hawke was released from custody from Southern Georgian Bay OPP Detachment after being charged with Causing a Disturbance CC 175 (1) (a) of the criminal code. Hawke was arrested at the Town of Midland ’s Buttertart Festival and detained for two hours yesterday and released with a promise to appear in Court.

Hawke set up a teaching space with Wampum Belts on site and posted a banner in opposition to Simcoe North’s MPP Jill Dunlop who voted in favour to pass Bill 5 into law on June 5 at the Ontario Legislature. Hawke peacefully engaged event goers during Midlands famous annual Butter Tart Festival which see’s 40,000 people in attendance. Hawke shared information on how the Bill would impede onTreaty Rights, Civil liberties and Environmental Protections law. 

Hawke was engaging attendees of the event at the 3.5 acre green space of Neezhoday Park located between St. Paul's United Church and the Midland Public Library. ‘Neezhoday’ which means “Two Hearts” in the Anishinabe language is named after and dedicated to Andrew Mixiimong, a Elder of Beausoleil First Nation who was murdered by two Midland men in 2012 outside a downtown Midland deli.  

“I set up at this specific space strategically because our Peoples are being killed by this Settler Society right from its citizens, missing and murdered women crisis to the police and by Government Policies that permit Industry to come and contaminate our lands and leave us with with crumbs where we can’t even have clean water where our peoples suffer from mercury poisoning from these economic agreements.” Says Hawke

Hawke also mentions his disappointment of no Indigenous inclusion and representation at the Midland event.

“Simcoe County occupies Upper Canada Treaties 5, 16 and 18 between our Chippewa Tri Council and the Crown where there are outstanding issues where we have never been properly compensated. There is also nothing in this area visibly that celebrates our Anishinabe presence except for our on going genocide.” Claims Hawke.

Hawke claims he was expressing his right to freedom of speech in which the Mayor of Midland stopped in at his space to show support.

“Bill Gordon stopped by to say he didn’t have any problems with me and my banner and informed me he instructed event organizers and police to leave me be if there were any issues as the space is a Midland Park and that I was expressing my right to freedom of speech.” Says Hawke

Hawke states he set up at 12pm with no issue until 4pm where he claims Event Organizer Staff in orange tee’s came to tell him to remove his sign. Hawke refused and OPP arrived where Hawke refused to remove his banner from the Elder Miximong’s and Park plaque. 

“I asked the eight officers who came in like a swat team, Who gave this direction to do this? They took my property and walked off where I followed them and asked for my banner back and called them out for violating my rights in which then I was arrested, for demanding they give my property back.” Says Hawke.

Hawke later shares that Bill Gordon the mayor was very apologetic.

“They Mayor messaged me on Facebook last night to apologize and to let me know the decision to take my banner did not come from him or his staff.” Says Hawke.

Hawke says he will be filing a Human Rights complaint on the Ontario Provincial Police where he currently has a complaint at final stages with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal that stems from an incident from last July, involving the same detachment.

“Last Summer I was threatened by a Tiny Township Councillor, Kelly Helowka accusing me of taking photos of him and informed me that he was a former RCMP and can make me disappear. There was video evidence and the OPP failed to investigate and take my complaint seriously.” Says Hawke.

An Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Report called Policy on eliminating racial profiling in law enforcement, in Section 2.2.1. Indigenous experiences of under-policing has stated: The Government of Ontario has implicitly acknowledged racial under-policing in this context, stating: “more could have been done to meet the needs of Indigenous communities.” A high-ranking OPP official recognized that inadequate law enforcement investigations can be influenced by anti-Indigenous racism. 

Bill 5 presents a comprehensive set of changes to various aspects of Ontario law, with major implications for the province. The new law amends several key pieces of legislation with the goal of fast-tracking economic development, specifically mining in key regions of the province, like the Ring of Fire located roughly 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay.

It also introduces or changes legislation affecting local governance, labour laws, environmental protections and Internationally Protected Indigenous Rights.

Hawke feels his rights to freedom of speech were violated and shares

“If this can happen to me this can happen to anyone and I feel the OPP are being directed to silence opposition not from local municipal and town governments but by Ontario itself. Canadians are the new 'Indians', What is going on is a major violation of everybody’s rights. This is not just an Indigenous issue, It is about Fundamental Rights and Freedoms and the Rule of Law which are the Treaties.” Says Hawke 

Hawke says when he get his disclosure in court he will share who gave direction to the Police. The 2007 Ipperwash inquiry shared Ontario over stepped its laws to direct OPP to remove with legal force involving Anishinabe Land Defenders in 1995 which led to the killing of unarmed Dudley George protecting burial grounds. Hawke suspects Ontario's, a member of government collusion with the Provincial Polices was a factor to silence him.

Below Midland Mayors Facebook Messages to Hawke

Open Letter to the Corporation of Canada and Ontario regarding Bill C-5 and Bill 5

Tuesday June 10, 2025

Waynaboozho/Greetings,

My name is Kaikaikons and am Atik Clan from the community of Gchimnissing in the Chippewa Tri Council Territory that is part of the Ojibway Nation; a People and land mass that makes up our Great Anishinabek Confederacy. I am also known as John Courtney of the Hawk Family. Our former treaty partner Great Britain referred to our Tri Council as the Chippewas of Lakes Huron and Simcoe in the Upper Canada Treaties. The Corporation you represent now reduces us as “Indians” where you may know my community as Indian Reserve 30-A, the Beausoleil Band located on so called Christian Island, ON. 

I am writing you today regarding Ontario’s Protecting Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, and the proposed Federal Bill C-5; An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act. With it being National Indigenous History Month, I’d like to first share with you a brief reminder of your corporations history within our Territories as it pertains to the applicability of said laws that will affect our fundamental rights and freedoms where you have made yourself liable by speaking on behalf of our Territory. The foundation of your legal history is as follows;

• 1764 Niagara Covenant Treaty offered by Britain to 24 Indigenous Nations to ratify the 1763 Royal Proclamation. In return our Nations accepted by offering the Two Row Wampum and 24 Nations Presents Belt. This established a Nation to Nation Relationship based on Peace, Co-existence and Non-Interference and established the process of how agreements were to be made in relations to our lands.

• The Indian Land Management Fund (Indian Trust Fund) established in 1858 is an account to hold all moneys collected, received, or held by the Crown for the “use and benefit” of the Indigenous Nations . These monies come from the lease of lands and from royalties and revenues from natural resources. This Trust was eventually stolen by “Canada” where it exists today as the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Canada.

• The 1867 British North America Act was not a constitution but only a UK Statute to consolidate its four colonies (provinces) as one colony called the “dominion.” This enactment did not confederate any such colonies to become free and independent but was created as one colony and kept as a UK possession in order to pay debts owed to the United States as agreed in the 1871 Treaty of Washington.    

• The 1893 Statute Revision Act removed Section 2 of the BNA Act which was the enacting clause that pertained to future heirs and successors of the monarchy. This meant when Queen Victoria died so did the BNA Act as well as the Indian Act. The Queen in Section 2 (a) being referred to in the Indian Act is Queen Victoria. These acts after 1901 became void, repealed and could no longer be amended or reenacted by any future heirs and successors of the monarchy.

• 1931 UK Statute of Westminster extinguished the UK’s jurisdiction over its Dominions where the Crown in Chancery gave up its possession over all Crown lands to allow its Dominions to become free independent states. Politicians needed to make a legitimate Constitution at this time but did not.

• 1931 Statute of Westminster also means that all crown lands obtained by treaties with Indigenous Nations reverted back to the underlying allodial title of the original title holders, the Indigenous Nations. The Treaties with the Crown were extinguished. The Indigenous Nations never consented to have such corporation and its officers replace the Crown as treaty partners nor made treaties with the so called Provinces. All monies, the land mass referred to as Canada and the resources are that of Indigenous Nations. All laws and agreements passed since 1931 are also unlawful and illegal.

• October 1, 1947, William Lyon Mckenzie King created The Letters Patent Constituting the Office of the Governor General. This can only be done by the Crown in Chancery of Great Britain. A Governor General was no longer required as Canada was an independent state. Every MP, MPP, Lieutenant Governor, Premier, Prime Minister and Governor General since has been committing fraud and violating international laws.

• In 1982, the UK a foreign government and monarch had no longer a legal and lawful right over so called Canada and to amend and reenact the BNA Act through the Canada Act to create the 1867 Constitution Act and 1982 Constitution Act. Steps to ratify and enact the UK Canada Act required all Provinces to sign Schedule B of the Act where a total of 3 Proclamations were needed to pass the Act. None of this Happened.

• So called Canada has only been a Shipping and Trading Company operating under Law Merchant since it was the Hudson Bay Company in the 1670’s. 

• All historic injustices, settlement agreements and funding of our communities have been with our own monies made from our own resources. CANADA hasn’t paid us anything as a result no settlements have ever been lawfully and legally made. 

Remedy Sought 

• When your corporation’s board of directors returns after summer break introduce a new bill to rescind the Protecting Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, and the proposed Federal Bill C-5; An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act.

• Stop all development on our lands. Create a Constitutional Convention to create constitutions for your so called Provinces to legitimately Federate then we can talk about sharing our resources.

• Give us our Monies to fund a National Program for Indigenous Nations to reemerge as our inherent forms of Governance the rightful Title-Holders outside of the legal fiction birth certificate registry. 

• Negotiate and establish new Treaties under the process intended under the 1764 Niagara Covenant Chain Belt, Two Row Wampum and 24 Nations Belt that was based on Peace, Co-existence and Non-Interference.    

• Reinstate a central Bank of the People and remove the Indigenous Nations and “Canadian Citizen” from the fraud and fictitious debt incurred by the Bank of International Settlements and other International Banks that print our money and loan your fraudulent governments money based on outrageous compound interest that is theft of the so called taxpayer and theft of Indigenous Resources.  

Continuing to engage in these international crimes and acts of treason and fraud is holding the Indigenous Nations and the so called “Canadian Citizen” in servitude to a foreign monarch in which such laws, enactments, and statutes are made under which violate Indigenous Peoples and the “Canadian Citizens” fundamental rights and freedoms protected by the UN’s Declaration of Human Rights Article 4: No one shall be held in slavery or servitude. 

Today I write to you standing as a rightful Title Holder and Representative of the Caribou Clan of the Chippewa Tri Council signatory to the Penetanguishene Purchase Treaty# 5; Lake Simcoe Purchase Treaty No. 16 and Lake Simcoe- Nottawasaga Treaty No. 18 that make up a total of 250,000 acres in which we have not been properly compensated including annuities. I also speak on behalf of our 13 Million Acres of our Territories that were subject to the 1923 Williams Treaties which failed to implement annuities and 2018 Williams Treaties Settlement Agreement that also failed to include annuities where such agreements were unlawful and illegally made between Canada and its subordinate; the Officers of a Federal Board, the Indian Act Councils. 

I also write you as Regional Coordinator of ACTION- Anishinaabek Clans to Invoke our Nation and as Chairperson of INAC -Indigenous Nationals Against Colonialism a registered Non-Profit in which we are a collective of Indigenous Nationals organizing as the rightful Title Holders unto our Territories and reemerging our inherent forms of Governance to Represent ourselves accordingly to our law and constitution, the Clan System. 

In Conclusion failure to heed to such International Law and failure to implement the said remedies we will have to approach the UN Security Council for intervention, apply to the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court to hold all such individuals accountable.  We will also notify our International allies and other Nation States to employ economic blockades until these international crimes are remedied.  To ensure these remedies begin to be implemented we will begin with filing a Constitutional Challenge and Class Action Suit against your corporation CANADA INC and ONTARIO for the Protecting Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, and the proposed Federal Bill C-5; An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act. 

As it stands Bill 5 being enacted has breached the Robinson Huron Treaty annuities Settlement and the Williams Treaties Settlement Agreement which are now null and void by enacting this Bill which violates such agreements. 

In the Spirit of Truth and Reconciliation,

Kaikaikons, Atik Clan, John Courtney of the Hawk Family

IDLE NO MORE 2.0? - A Critical Analysis of INM

Above: Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence, wearing a headdress, ends her Hungry Strike and gets a meeting with Gov. Gen. David Johnston in Ottawa, Friday January 11, 2013

By Johnny Hawk

As our Peoples began to be unshackled by the chains of Canada's colonial policies through a very small symbolic gesture such as the ending of the "pass system" to leave a reserve to travel and began to organize regionally and nationally in the 1930's leading into the 60 and 70's Red Power and AIM militancy to where we are today; it seems every 10 years a movement explodes but dwindles just as fast as it starts.

This past week after the Ontario Government passed Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, an act to fast track resource development which overrides environmental protection laws and Indigenous Rights and in the looming Federal Bill; One Canadian Economy Act; our Peoples have been calling for Idle No More 2.0

If we are to heed the teachings of our Elders then we first need to learn from our Past.

Idle No More’s Timeline of Influential Events.

• Oct. 18, 2012: An Omnibus Bill was introduced in the House of Commons. Bill C-45 termed the Jobs and Growth Act affected over 60 acts, including the Indian Act where changes made it easier for the government and big business to push through projects without strict environmental assessment, while simultaneously diminishing the rights and authority of First Nations.

• Nov. 10, 2012: Nina Wilson, Jessica Gordon, Sheelah McLean and Sylvia McAdams hold a small conference in Saskatoon titled “Idle No More” to raise awareness of Bill C-45. The four Women with background in academia and law created a Facebook group and website.

• Nov. 17, 2012 Throughout the week, teach-ins and protests are held in other cities, including Regina, Prince Albert, and Winnipeg, according to Idle No More’s website.

• Dec 4, 2012, AFN’s Special Chief ’s Assembly in Gatineau Quebec held Dec. 4-6. A rally started the morning of Dec 4 with about 200 people on the steps of Parliament Hill to protest. A small group of Chiefs attempted to enter the House of Commons to deliver a message to the PM. They were refused entry by security guards and the minor 30 sec scuffle became headline news .

• Dec 10, 2012, A National Day of Action planned by the Co-founders, ignites protests in Vancouver, Saskatoon, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, Whitehorse, Yukon and other cities.

• Dec 11, 2012, Chief Theresa Spence of Attawapiskat launches a hunger strike to demand a meeting with Prime Minister Harper and the Governor General with Leaders to discuss violation of Treaty Rights.

• On December 14, Bill C-45, the Jobs and Growth Act receives Royal ascent.

The Assembly of First Nations issued an open letter on December 16 to Governor General David Johnston, calling for a meeting to discuss Spence's demands.

• Dec. 21, 2012: Rallies are held on Parliament Hill Ottawa, in Vancouver, Winnipeg, Truro, Iqaluit, Prince Albert, Toronto, Edmonton, Montreal,Yellowknife. Aamjiwnaang First Nation blocks a railroad in support of Theresa Spence. The blockade continues for two weeks.

• Dec 22, 2012, Flash mob round dances start in Winnipeg and became a recurring theme of the protests in some of the biggest shopping centres across the country.

• December 30, 2012, Members of Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory block the railway between two of the country’s largest cities Toronto and Montreal at a point near Belleville, Ontario , stranding 2500 commuting passengers.

• December 30, 2012, Terrance Nelson, Chief for Roseau River in Manitoba, forwarded private emails to the Department of Aboriginal Affairs. The group of five emails released contained suggested strategies from some of the most outspoken Chiefs during the Idle No More movement. An email from Derek Nepinak, Grand Chief at the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, wrote “We have the power to shut down the economy.” 

• The emails also contained messages from Isadore Day, Chief of the Serpent River First Nation and Ann Gladue-Buffalo, then-Chief of Alberta’s Confederacy of Treaty Six Nations. Gladue-Buffalo’s email contains details about plans for a National Day of Action on Jan. 16 .“It was agreed that in the short-term immediate pressure needs to be stepped up because Chief Spence’s health is at risk,” she wrote. 

• December 31, 2012, Idle No More Founders issue a Statement denouncing the use of blockades. "Idle No More" feels that any acts that are not in line with peace and solidarity only detract attention from our ultimate mission," and “The chiefs have called for action and anyone who chooses can join with them, however, this is not part of the Idle No More movement as the vision of this grassroots movement does not coincide with the visions of the leadership”. 

• The statement continued to say INM has a different vision than that of the "leadership" of First Nation Chiefs, saying "we have been given a clear mandate to work outside of the systems of government.” Sylvia McAdam says, ”While we appreciate the leadership's support of Idle No More, they cannot take the lead on this. Their voice is restricted.”

• January 1, 2013, APTN publishes that it had learned that First Nations leaders have discussed plans to launch country-wide economic disruptions by the middle of January if Prime Minister Stephen Harper doesn’t agree to hunger-striking Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence’s demand for a treaty meeting.

• January 2, 2013, Protesters from the Gesgapegiag Mi’gmaq First Nation set up the blockade on Highway 132 in Quebec's Gaspé region and a group of demonstrators from the Listuguj Mi’gmaq First Nation are blocking a rail line west of Gesgapegiag, saying they plan to maintain the blockade of the tracks to stop Resource Extraction of Trains at Pointe-à-la-Croix in Solidarity of Chief and Spence and Idle No More.

• On January 4, 2013, Prime Minister Harper announced a meeting with a delegation of First Nation leaders coordinated by the AFN for Dec 11, to follow up on the issues discussed

during the Crown-First Nations Gathering on January 24, 2012. His statement announcing

the meeting made no mention of Idle No More. Idle No More organizers announce a

Day of Action on that day also.

INM Day of Action and Day of AFN Chiefs meeting with Prime Minister: INM Co-Founder, Sylvia McAdam giving a speech to hundreds of grassroots in attendance. Standing to her right is AFN Executive Member, “Pipeline” Perry Bellegarde on Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Jan 11, 2013.

• On January 5, 2013, Protests shut down multiple border crossings throughout Canada, including Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia, Ontario, International Bridge in Cornwall, Ontario, the Peace Arch crossing in Surrey, B.C, The Peace Bridge between Fort Erie and Buffalo in the Niagara region, and NWT's Deh Cho Bridge. 

• January 7, 2013, Mikisew Cree and Frog Lake First Nation filed application to Supreme Court to challenge Bill C-45 for failing to consult them in the creation of the Bill. In Oct 2018 Supreme Court rules Canada owes no such duty to consult over creation of legislation.

• January 10, 2013, AFN membership prepare and debate among themselves on the coming meeting with the PM. Some Chiefs voted not to participate in the meeting, choosing to boycott for various reasons, including demands that more chiefs be included in the AFN delegation and the fact that the G.G would not be present throughout the meeting, and would be limited to a shorter ceremonial meeting after the meeting with Prime Minister Harper.

• January 11, 2013, Protests are organized on Parliament Hill and in cities across Canada. The meeting with the PM was attended by National Chief and a delegation of 17 Chiefs from several provinces, the Yukon, AFN Youth Council, Women's Council and Elders Council. Ontario and Manitoba Chiefs boycotted the meeting. PM and AFN plan to have future meetings. The ceremonial meeting with the Governor General was attended by around 100 chiefs, including Chief Theresa Spence. 

• January 16 - March 25, 2013, Cree Youth walk 1,600 km from Whapmagoostui First Nation, the northernmost Cree village in Quebec on Hudson Bay, to Parliament Hill in Ottawa in support of the Idle No More movement.

• January 23, 2013, Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence ends her six-week-long hunger strike after members of the Assembly of First Nations and the Liberal and New Democrat caucuses agreed to back a list of commitments supporting Indigenous issues.

• March 18, 2013, Idle No More has joined forces with Defenders of the Land and the new alliance plans to launch “escalating action” according to a draft joint declaration obtained by APTN National News. The four founders now agree to support non-violent direct action, including blockades, in the cause of Indigenous rights.

• June 16, 2013, A Statement released on the official Idle No More Webpage titled, Idle No More Sees Bigger Issues than C-45. The statement states that the same attention and action given to C-45 needs to be put on future similar legislation.

Critical Analysis

• INM was not an organization but a policy reformist mobilization of lobbyist’s rallying to influence Canada to repeal its Bill C-45. Lobbying as a route to influence policy is only successful for mega corporations and multinational organizations that work in collusion with government such as International Private Banks, the Pharmaceutical Industry and the Oil Industry.

• To declare “we’re working within the legal boundaries” is recognition of the legitimacy of Canada and its jurisdiction over the movement. This is not Indigenous Sovereignty or keeping to the following provision of “working outside the systems of government.” This mandate set participants up for being divided from the start and only marched the people within the systems of government.

• Any real effort of Indigenous Sovereignty “to work outside of the system of government” while working “within the means of the legal boundaries” to kill this bill the People would need to address the underlying issue of Canada’s illegitimacy by specified steps through Inherent Jurisdiction recognized by International Law. (These steps are the focus of next publication).

• INM statement condemning the use of blockades demoralized and discredited those communities who were in their right to use such a tactic in their exercise of sovereignty on their own lands. Making such a statement from a position seen in a leadership capacity only creates divisiveness, factions and gives permission to the opposition and its policing agencies to also discredit and act on such statements.

• When the group of Chiefs tried to walk into the House of Commons along with Chief Theresa Spence’s hunger strike these actions reverberated onto the people in which Chiefs were now given an unofficial pass by the people and became part of INM movement.

• INM’s mandate from the People was to keep the Movement grassroots and separate from the Chiefs however the AFN managed to hijack INM as a result of the lack of structure and passivity. Chiefs were visible in their Headdresses at marches and helped community members get to events in urban centres.

• Chief Theresa Spence’s Hunger Strike began to influence and steer Idle No More. Spence demanded the PM and Governor General to meet with Chiefs where the movement now focussed on Chief Spence. Sovereignty was a mandate of INM but there was no collective effort to put Headwomen/Clan Mother’s and Headmen of the Territories as a Confederacy to lead this Movement.

• The meeting of AFN Chiefs to decide who would attend the meeting with the PM and G.G created divisions. A faction decided to boycott the meeting where this division would play out within the grassroots. Theresa Spence had her demands met. The energy and events of Idle No More were not the same after this symbolic meeting that accomplished nothing.

• Idle No More’s “Chapter’s” began to pop up across the Provinces and Territories. Administrators of these FB Group Chapters would be seen as lead organizers for their area. There was no official sanctioning process or accountability mechanisms for individual “chapters”.

• Admins of these INM “Chapters” were seen as lead organizers and spokespersons of their regions became divisive with their “followers” at times. This is evident by visible online debates and internal divisions created by statements of INM Co-founders that condemned blockades. This created divisiveness and an exclusivity where ideologies had to be in line with an Administrators.

• It was not uncommon for Administrators of these various “Chapters” to silence and or slander those they disagreed with using the privilege of blocking and using “followers” to denounce actions, events and individuals they disagreed with. This is evident by splinter groups and the dialogue of their experiences. Structure, accountability and dispute resolution mechanisms are basic requirements to organization.

• Pan-Indian Traditionalism is a melting pot of culture and idealism that romanticizes the struggle where spirituality is often used like religion to pacify the movement. This distracts us from being cognizant, engaged in applying diverse tactics and critical thinking.

• INM was essentially a continuation of the Assembly of First Nation’s, 2007 Day of Action. The AFN Day of Action on June 29 2007 demanded restoration of funding to First Nation Orgs, removal of funding caps, implementing $5 billion Kelowna Accord, adjusting funding formulas and accelerating outstanding claims. The AFN used specific militant language and leverage of the grassroots to put pressure on Government to keep their well funded orgs afloat.

• Documents, acquired through access to information requests, reveal that heads of the RCMP and Ontario and Quebec police met in the summer of 2007 for the “first time in history” with then AFN to “facilitate a consistent and effective approach to managing protests and occupations.” 

• Before and after Idle No More, Police Agencies in the 2000’s raided and made arrests regularly in various Indigenous Communities for direct actions however Policing of Idle No More in similar actions were very relaxed. This most likely was due to Canada’s concern for potential major national unrest as a consequence of arrests or that Canada knew the AFN had INM under control and protests would dissipate.

• The failed opportunity to expose Canada’s illegitimacy as a continued Constitutional Monarchy, the fraudulent position of a G.G and Canada’s perceived Constitution is the underlying issue. This is what needed to be a message on the national stage and included in the discussion with the PM and GG.

• The use of social media has created a dependency where can mislead that all one has to do is to create a page and an event and a go fund me and click share to be an effective organizer. Social media has also created a type of celebrity persona for those who become the face of the movement in a collective effort which can contribute to inflated ego’s which create unhealthy spaces to organize in.

Russell Diabo, a First Nation Policy Analyst and author of First Nations Bulletin cautions about trusting the Assembly of First Nation's on his social media where he shared;

" Don’t be fooled by the bad Cindy’s manipulation of AFN to help Prime Minister Carney out, by stalling until he or his Minister’s can come sell the “Building Canada Act” Bill C-5, at the upcoming July AFN Annual General Assembly.

An online meeting is easy for AFN to control, instead of an in-person meeting where Chiefs can get up to the microphone and other Chiefs can see them.

Former National Chief Bellegarde held virtual online Assemblies and meetings, during the COVID pandemic, including in December 2020, AFN stopped a resolution qualifying support for CANDRIP (Bill C-15)—which Bellegarde supported—from hitting the floor for debate, and Bellegarde went on to support CANDRIP (Bill C-15) in Parliament helping to get it passed into law.

Moreover, if it’s a “Chiefs’ Forum” and not an “AFN Special Assembly”, the rules of the AFN Charter don’t apply, and outcomes of the “Chiefs’ Forum are non-binding on the AFN Executive Committee, who then decides what actions to take until the scheduled July 2025 AFN Annual General Assembly, where PM Carney and/or his Minister’s will come to sell the “Building Canada Act” (Bill C-5), which dovetails with provincial legislation to designate “National Interest Projects”, like Ontario’s Bill 5 designating “Special Economic Zones” like the “Ring of Fire” for mining “critical minerals”.

In January 2013, when Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence, was conducting a Hunger Strike and Idle No More was active and preparing to march on Ottawa, the then AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo, had AFN book a ballroom at the Delta Hotel in Ottawa and called a “Chiefs’ Forum” where Chiefs could speak at microphones, while grassroots people’s watched.

That “Chiefs’ Forum” was an informal non-binding session. The real decision-making meetings that took place were in the Ottawa AFN National Office with the AFN Executive Committee, which included then B.C. Regional Chief Jody Wilson-Raybould.

PM Harper had agreed to a meeting with AFN and in the “Chiefs’ Forum” Chiefs and grassroots people’s were calling on AFN not to meet with PM Harper, but the AFN Executive Committee ignored those calls and walked past Idle No More protesters to go into the federal building where the Prime Minister’s Office is, with a wish list.

All AFN came out of the Harper meeting with, was a commitment to set up two federal-AFN Senior Officials Committees (SOC’s) on: 1) Treaties and 2) Comprehensive Land Claims (Modern Treaties), both of these dirty SOC’s were deadends and died.

REMEMBER FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE’S ARE THE RIGHTS HOLDERS, NOT AFN, OR CHIEFS’ ORGANIZATIONS, OR BAND COUNCILS!

"AFN soon will schedule a virtual forum with Chiefs across Canada to discuss the implications of the proposed legislation to fast-track designated national infrastructure projects"

Statement from National Chief: Meeting with the Prime Minister and Planning for a Chiefs Forum "

- From Russell Diabo's Truth Campaign Page on Facebook

Conclusion

Despite efforts of Idle No More, to kill the Omnibus Bill C-45 at the time became law and the consequences are currently being engaged as Idle No More went Idle. As the energy of Idle No More dwindled just as fast as it started many within this movement including some of the loudest voices across our territories were silent when their own communities accepted Self Government Agreements, Land Claim Settlements, Compensation for money that extinguished inherent rights and title to Territories. Now we want to go an Play "Warrior" again?

Mobilizing via Protests, Rallies, Marches, Blockades are great to raise attention but are temporary where Revolutionary Organization is Permanent. Oppressor will use mobilization to demobilize us. Mobilization is based on Reactionary Emotions aka not Thinking. Mobilization surrounds itself on individual issues/camps/causes where Revolutionary Organization directs itself on the System that causes such issues.

Idle No More helped to get the everyday Indigenous Relative active if they were not a seasoned activist and a platform which was a positive however this also created the "slackivist" that now became dependent on social media rather then old fashioned organizing and also contributed to attention seeking behaviours, narcissism that social media has created within all corners of society in all countries. Idle No More was also hijacked by Indian Act Chiefs.

After every Ceremony and Blockade we return to a Way of Life we say we're Against!. How far are we really ready to Resist and organize some revolutionary ways of thinking and living. or here comes again the hundreds of Go Fund Me's all at once and where opportunists create careers off of the Struggle and where often the issues becomes more about them and not the cause. Are we going to Idol Some More?