APTN National News
OTTAWA–Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence may have officially ended her fast Thursday but Wednesday was admitted to hospital as a precaution and remains there on an IV.
Spence, who was facing pressure from her own band council to end the fast which began on Dec. 11, was scheduled to appear at a press conference along with Manitoba Elder Raymond Robinson in Ottawa at about 11 a.m. local time.
APTN National News was told she will miss the press conference and likely planned events Thursday to be held in her honour.
Robinson, who was recently buffeted by the the recent murder of his 19 year-old nephew back in his home community of Cross Lake, Man., began his fast in support of Spence on Dec. 12.
He was also admitted to hospital as a precaution but released soon after his family said. He stayed a hotel overnight.
APTN National News reported early Wednesday morning that Spence had already decided to end the fast but news of the end came much later in the day.
Spence and Robinson officially agreed to end their fast based on a 13 point plan endorsed by the Assembly of First Nations, the Native Women’s Society of Canada, the NDP and Liberal caucuses.
Spence, however, was facing pressure from her own band council to end the fast and a delegation from Attawapiskat left for Ottawa to hand-deliver a letter urging her to quit the protest or face removal as chief.
Her health was also starting to fail and she had been considering a way to end the protest on a high note after realizing she would not be able to obtain her goal of forcing a meeting between the prime minister, the governor general and First Nations leaders.
Spence’s teepee on Victoria Island became a type of pilgrimage destination for many First Nations people across Canada who came to visit her, offer her gifts and blessings.
what a farce this woman was. Fasting as a way of protest is not the First Nations way. She is an embarrassment to me as First Nations. What a joke.
GIGANTIC success as a result of her action!
I say BRAVO!
Ripples still happening
NDP and Lib reps meet and agree with FN
Pundits shoot but never score /get responding GOALs from every member on panel at press conference today
Canadians getting educated
New respect for FN and interest in the history and culture
Everyone except ignorant persons with settler mindset getting educated
Thank you for your efforts in keeping our government accountable for the health and welfare of first nations and all canadians. The prejudice and bias demonstrate just how necessary the Idle No More movement is. I am deeply saddened by our PM’s strategy of divisiveness. Keep fighting the good fight!
I’m a FN that supports her all the way..whether it was right or wrong, worked or didn’t work..she woke us FN up!! sending our warrior chief light love and strength…She has more strength in one pinky than anyone i know and probably will ever know..I thank Creator for her.
sorry to hear of your undying love for this sad lady. I am also First Nations and she is an embarrassment. There was absolutely no tact or strategy involved. As First Nations, this is not our way to negotiate, we never had to fast to protest. Open you eyes and come and visit us Blackfoot. Come see our sundance, only authentic sundance in North America, and see what it means to have strength
.
Sadly the non-FN community at large is totally undereducated with regard to the history of Canada as a whole. I have really been impressed by the surge of FN peoples coming forward to claim their rightful place in this country. Ignorance about the initial terms and agreements that disenfranchised FN societies to begin with needs to end. Understanding of where Band moneys come from needs to begin. The facts of the relationship, nation to nation, need to be front and center in conjunction with the moneys information. It can’t be assumed that Canadians in general know anything about these two very important aspects of FN’s right to place in this country. INM! It’s time.
So, what money is the Council using to go to to Ottawa to deliver this letter? What is the size of this delegation? Why didn’t they just call her?
She did a very brave thing.
what was her hotel , room service bill? or is that secret also?
Just turn yourself in, to the Police, Theresa.
if she did indeed do the protest to over shadow her audit, then it will be her who will have to answer to a higher power, and more over, her band, and all the people who believed and supported her. I am still impressed that she went this far, and that although the outcome may not be what was intended, she still brought the Idle No More cause to light! And it that cannot be ignored!
… The commonality throughout was … “man’s inhumanity to man- makes countless thousands mourn !”(R. Burns)
… the commonality throughout was …”Man’s inhumanity to man – Makes countless thousands mourn ! (R. Burns)
As long as progress is made at future meetings – leading to tangible change, that will be good. But historiclally, how many times has there been little or no progress on aboriginal and treaty rights? Let’s hope that before the snow flies again, aboriginal people can see the difference that progress has made. Otherwise, how many chiefs will have to fast on Victoria Island next time to make a difference: 10? 20? 100?
They probably need her back in Attawpiskat to answer some questions regarding the audit. This whole protest was designed to take the spotlight away from the corruption. If I resided on this reserve, I would start my own hunger strike protesting her as chief. This woman should be meeting with the Police.
Approved
all those people that were behind managing the financials of the band office should also be investigated, people might be surprised what they will find.
I would have really liked to hear from her community and how they felt. Thank you for confirming my thoughts. I wish your community well and I pray that you fix all of your issues. I would love to become chief there just to give the peeps an honest person who really cares about its members. Come and join my tribe, we are not rice with finances but are the wealthiest tribe when it comes to traditions and ceremonies. I am your Blackfoot cuzzint, come and visit.
Leave it to the First Nations to make up ancient sacred traditions on the spot – the latest “walking out ceremony” – can you believe it? The head dresses, costumes, dances, etc. are really becoming too Hollywood -the gullible maybe eating this up and be impressed.
Will Bob Rae and Mulcair be part of this “walking out ceremony” ? I suggest they carry out Chief Spence to her waiting Escalade.
“For now, the working plan is for a sunrise ceremony early Thursday. Elders from the nearby Algonquin community of Kitigan Zibi have been asked to meet with Ms. Spence in her teepee on Victoria Island, near the Parliament buildings, and engage in a “walking out ceremony” as they leave the tent for the final time, said Kitigan Zibi Chief Gilbert Whiteduck.”
Once again it is all about the money – Chief Spence was being delivered an ultimatum to-nite by the Attawapiskat band councillors to end this charade or you out on your ear as band chief, and you and your boyfriend are off the payroll, and out $250 thousand dollars tax free.
Chief Spence didn’t hesitate to see if her 13 point declaration was getting past the trash bin, but begin organizing the “the walking out ceremony” with her choreographers, and we found out it in a hurry it’s all about the money after all.
APTN National News
Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence is set to end her fast by Thursday, APTN National News has learned.
A delegation of band councillors from Attawapiskat is expected to hand-deliver a letter to Spence Wednesday urging her to end her fast or face removal as chief of the community.
“They are coming in tonight,” said a source close to Spence. “Then it will end.”
Careful, Peter…your bigotry is showing.
So is yours!
What bigotry?G*ddammit,instead of sniveling “bigot”every time you’re not greeted with fawning groupies,try refuting a statement he made.I didn’t think so.Go ahead,shreik “bigot”at me,too.It’s all ya got,and people’re finally catching on.
I pity those band members living under her feet, as they would continue to suffer from this lady’s financial abuse of community funds.
Those supporting this lady should search their conscience and decency, and give support instead to her suffering band members who are denied access to the money she and her boyfriend have been squandering.
What a sad world we live in, that a protest fast no longer has the power it once did.
perhaps because it was a ridiculous farce
Fasting is a non violent way to achieve a noble goal.You call it ridiculous !!
Perhaps you are not aware of the way and manner in which the Britiish were forced to leave India.
Fast? Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t Spence and her minions promote this as a “Hunger Strike” ? It was not a hunger strike, I have great difficulty believing it was even a fast as she does not appear to have reduced in size in any way, shape or form.
Indeed it is a sad world we live in,Sable.
This was purely symbolic. Had it been a true fast/hunger strike, it would have gotten the attention it deserved. As it stands, it just looked like a deflection of the audit, and a system cleansing retreat.
My deep respect goes out to Chief Spence. She has accomplished more than she might imagine. The symbolic importance of the sacrifices she has made for her convictions, for the survival of her community and treaty rights has been a beacon of light for us all. Through her hunger fast, she has illuminated the issues and led us to a greater understanding of the urgency at hand. More Canadians and the international community now know of the oppression, the environmental dangers, the history of and lack of respect for treaties in this country and the human rights crimes that First Nations peoples continue to endure. The needs of the world’s Indigenous Peoples are being highlighted and in the process, people have the opportunity to become much more aware of the human right’s issues and of the abuses of the earth’s precious lands, waters and living creatures by governments and corporations. The Four Founding Women and Chief Spence have helped to plant the seeds of many important ideas. The First Nations women and youth have been spreading the word. May we all now take responsible action to nurture them into fully grown, manifested ideals. The people are awakening. The time is here to understand the truth and work together with integrity and compassion towards a sustainable planet where we all can flourish in harmony with Mama Nature. Idle No More.
Chief Spence achieved success and is not giving up. She and her team was able to put First Nation Issues in the forefront both in Canada and Internationally.The Declaration of Commitment signed and endorsed by First Nation Leaders across Canada along with NDP, and Liberal simply reaffirms that the fight will continue and that their hunger strike will not go in vain. First Nation Peoples across Canada will pick up the fight and continue to fight this government to do the right thing.
This is.good news, especially for her health. I dont believe she did not reach her goal. She did. She achieved action, upon us all. She woke us up. Given this I’m dissapointed in the letter from her council, threatening her job.
I hope her council brings her to task for stealing from the band and letting them live in sub standard housing while she and her boyfriend rake in $10,000+ per month.
I hope she goes to jail, and Idle No More succeeds without her.
How can you be dissappointed, her band is living in squalor, while she pays her boyfriend $850 a day to do finances for her.
Thank-you for your leadership and inspiration, Chief Spence!