Protesters from the Idle No More movement dance in a drum circle in downtown London, Ont., Jan. 10, 2013.The Canadian Press
We asked readers participating in the Idle No More movement to tell us why they have joined the moment, what they hope to achieve and what they hope Canadians will learn from this. Here are some of their responses. To submit yours, scroll down to the bottom of the page.
Diane Marie Richmond, Marathon, Ont.
I am participating because I am a concerned elder, I want a future for my grandchildren and the youth, I do not want them to go through what many of our people have gone through. I would like to see justice prevail, it is way overdue.
Sonia Julien, Kanata, Ont.
Idle No More isn't simply an Aboriginal peoples movement; it concerns all Canadians young and old. It is about human rights abuse, environmental protection and honouring treaties in order to end the exploitation of what sustains us all - mother Earth. Every human being in this country should have access to clean drinking water, adequate housing and be free from human rights violations.
Rachel Linton, Ottawa
The rights of First Nations people in Canada has been a topic of discussion for decades, but this time, we are seeing people from all corners of the world and from all sorts of different backgrounds unite and mobilize around the multitude of issues that Bill C-45 presents. It's more than a protest, which we've seen no shortage of recently; it's a social movement. I hope that we will see a change in the attitude of Canadian people towards First Nations people.
Rebecca Hackett, Vancouver
I participate because I am Native and like Harper says "We have Rights!" and my right is to stand for my Dene Nation. I hope that Harper watches these movements and sees what we stand for, he needs to know how many of us his words can affect.
Paula Jardine, Victoria
This is an important moment in our history. I would like to encourage all Canadians to view it as an opportunity, not a threat. Let's inspire the world, and ourselves.