News
Holding hands, north and west on June 26
June 25, 2015
In the west, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon will participate in an historic event on June 26, 2015 in San Francisco. Walkers and Indigenous leaders arriving in San Francisco will witness the signing of a declaration for Indigenous Peoples Independence Day.
In the north, walkers representing the Anishinaabe Nation of the Ottawa River Watershed will arrive in Ottawa the same day to declare their independence (Tibenindizowin) from the nation known as Canada. The walkers began their trek June 15 in the area of La Vérendrye Park, QC and will reach Ottawa the afternoon of June 25.
Download the full slate of activities (PDF will load) for June 25 and June 26. Refer to this Facebook page for updates to the schedule.
The site for most activities will be Victoria Island in the Ottawa River. On Friday, in that sacred place of ceremonial fires and gatherings, Elders Douglas Cardinal and Michael Swinwood will be among the speakers.
- Douglas Cardinal is one of five appellants in the Ontario Municipal Board appeal case vs. the City of Ottawa and its consultant, Windmill Development Group, over the rezoning of Chaudière and Albert Islands from parkland to commercial/residential.
- Michael Swinwood is a lawyer representing Mr. Cardinal at the OMB appeal. He also represents one individual and four groups that have filed a Statement of Claim in Ontario Superior Court of Justice based on Indigenous traditional hunting and territorial rights for lands and waters in the Ottawa River watershed, including Chaudière Falls, Chaudière Island, and Albert Island. Motions on this case will be heard July 14 and 15 in Toronto, ON.
