Supporters of Idle No More Movement Protest at Queen’s Park

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Almost around 1,000 supporters of Idle No More movement assembled at the Queen’s Park on Friday night to participate in a solidarity rally, which formed as the latest part of a global day of action corresponding to a summit in Ottawa, where some chiefs of First Nations met with Prime Minister Stephen Harper for discussing budget bill C-45.

The Idle No More movement began since early November in Saskatchewan by four women, namely Sylvia McAdam, Jess Gordon, Nina Wilson, and Sheelah Mclean. They were protesting against Bill C-45′s affect on First Nations people, while demonstrating through rallies and teach-ins. Soon after its formation, Idle No More movement spread proportionally though social media and exploded into a nationwide movement. The movement spread across the country, and even abroad, arranging drum rallies, road blockades, and flash mobs to raise awareness. Than later on 11th December, Chief of Attawapiskat First nation, Theresa Spence, begun a hunger strike for pressuring Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, and Governor General, David Johnston, to arrange a meeting with First Nation chiefs to adress their concerns. Even though Spence’s strike was not directly related with Idle No More movement, she soon became the benefactor of the movement.

Spence boycotted the meeting on Friday and continued  her hunger strike, even though she was invited to attend a meeting with Prime Minister Harper and some First Nation chiefs. She opposed to only meeting with Prime Minister alone and vowed only to meet PM if Governor General was present in the same meeting.