CPTnet June 19, 2004 ASUBPEESCHOSEEWAGONG: CPT dumps clearcut mess on Kenora
harbour front
by Aiden Enns
Most of the hundreds of tourists and shoppers who got information about
clearcuts and treaty violations from Christian Peacemaker Teams at the
harbour front in Kenora, Ontario, were calm.
Many were outright supportive as they viewed the symbolic clearcut CPT had
set up: yellow caution tape around a mess of stumps, slash and litter, with
signs reading, "supermarket closed," "lost culture," "depression," "sacred."
More than 300 people walking or driving in the parking lot between a row of
restaurants and the waterfront boardwalk took "treaty violation" cards from
the twelve-person CPT delegation at the witness. Ninety-five people signed
a petition asking the head of the McClatchy Company, the newspaper chain
that buys over 90 percent of Kenora' s newsprint from Abitibi Consolidated
Inc., to meet with the Grassy Narrows First Nation to find a solution to
that would end the clearcut method of logging.
"We haven't had any trouble, except for the guy who tried to run us over,"
said delegate Joe Carr, referring to the man who saw red-capped CPTers in
front of their mock clearcut and hit the accelerator.
Another man from the "forestry industry" stopped to cuss out the Aboriginal
population on Kenora' s streets and explain why Anishinabe people should be
cut off of welfare. But he discussed the issues for ten minutes before
leaving with a "treaty violation" card and CPT brochure--unlike three women
who appeared to be Mennonite (black head coverings and plain dresses.) They
were "very cold and brushed us off," said Esther Kern, 61, CPTer from
London, Ontario.
Overall, however, the response was positive. Park managers didn't complain
about the temporary mess on the grass. And police slowed but did not stop.
"It' s been a long time since we reached that much of an audience," said
Matt Schaaf, 28, a member of the long-term CPT team at Grassy Narrows.
"I think it was a good action," said Raphael Fobister, 52, a community
member from Grassy Narrows First Nations. "It helps in illustrating the
problems we're having in the bush where the public is not readily able to
view the damage done by the logging companies."
The Kenora action followed an intensive eight-day tour of the forests and
meeting with representatives from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources,
Abitibi Consolidated Inc., Kenora City Council, Asubpeeschoseewagong (Grassy
Narrows) First Nations and Nee Chee Friendship Centre. Delegates came from
California, Iowa, Missouri, Oregon, Manitoba and London, Ontario.
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