News

They have the unenviable distinction of being one of the poorest of Canada's impoverished native reserves.

Yet the Algonquians of Barriere Lake do not live in a remote fly-in community; they are just a three-hour drive north of the nation's capital and will be travelling in that direction as part of tomorrow's National Day of Action.

Their traditional lands have long been submerged as part of Quebec's thirst for hydroelectricity, yet, in a grim irony, the power lines bypass the community.

They have tried many forms of protest over the years, including one winter when they shut down their diesel generator and lived without any electricity at all.

Over the course of the past two decades, the beleaguered members of Quebec's Barriere Lake aboriginal community have twice made their way to Parliament Hill to draw public attention to their plight. In 2001, they camped near the Hill for two weeks, waiting for a meeting with then Indian Affairs minister Robert Nault that never happened.

Chief Jean Maurice Matchewan has been trying to meet with current minister Jim Prentice, but instead got a meeting Tuesday with the deputy minister, and was not impressed.

Six years after their last attempt, the Algonquians of Barriere Lake are heading back to Parliament's green grass as part of tomorrow's day of action.

"We're going to bring some people to Parliament Hill, put a camp there and stay there until we get an answer to resolve the problems that we have in our community," Chief Matchewan said.

The fact that thousands of Canadians will descend on the proposed campsite for this weekend's Canada Day festivities will not deter the chief.

"That's our land there; they have to know that. Those thousands of people are going to know that Parliament Hill is on unceded Algonquian title," he said.

The official Assembly of First Nations itinerary for the day of protest does not include Parliament Hill. A march will begin at Ottawa City Hall and head up Elgin Street, before turning west down Wellington Street - in front of the Parliament Buildings - and then will continue to Victoria Island between Ottawa and Gatineau.

A stage will be set up on the island for speeches and folk singer Kathleen Edwards is scheduled to entertain the crowd.

Police and government officials have privately expressed concern that a protest tomorrow on Parliament Hill could interfere with preparations for the major Canada Day events. A large stage has already been set up on the lawn and workers regularly drive their trucks across the grass as they put the finishing touches on the annual event.

The Assembly of First Nations released a chart yesterday, outlining the many events planned across the country for the day of action. The vast majority involve peaceful gatherings and speeches.

So far, only Shawn Brant, a Mohawk protester who was involved with a rail blockade in March near Deseronto, Ont., has publicly said he intends to block rail lines or Ontario's busy Highway 401.

Beyond that, there is talk that some native groups in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia may slow down highway traffic in order to hand out pamphlets.

Phil Fontaine, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, issued a statement yesterday in response to Mr. Brant's calls for blockades.

"While these comments have been widely reported, they are isolated comments and do not reflect the position of the Assembly of First Nations, or the many first nations across the country, who have organized peaceful and positive events that are inclusive of all Canadians," he said.

"The real story here is that we have an unprecedented critical mass of support for justice and fairness for first nations."