Now, the Canadian government has breached Barriere Lake’s governance customs and replaced their Customary Chief and Council with a federally imposed Chief and Council, in yet another effort to get out of the signed agreements,, because of the precedent setting nature of these agreements

For twenty difficult years, the small Algonquin community of Barriere Lake, 3 hours north of Ottawa, has been struggling to hold the government to their word. In 1991, they signed a landmark resource co-management and sustainable development agreement with Canada and Quebec to protect Algonquin land uses, conserve the forest and wildlife, and give them a share in the resource revenue from the logging and hydro projects on their traditional territories. Corporations extract $100 million a year -- Barriere Lake receives nothing.

The Canadian government walked away from the agreement in 2001. To avoid fulfilling their obligations, the Federal Department of Indian Affairs has ousted the Customary Chief and Council and illegally appointed a minority faction as the leadership, in an attempt to scrap the agreement. Despite knowledge of his government's illegal actions, Minister of Transport Lawrence Cannon, Harper's Quebec lieutenant and MP in Barriere Lake's riding of Pontiac, has not ensured the federal government complies with the law.

* Despite several Quebec Hydro dams on their territory, the community is forced to use aging diesel generators to provide power.

* The housing crisis in the community has reached tragic proportions, with most living in moldy, often condemned houses. As many as 18 people live in one house.

* The Surete du Quebec has been used to forcibly impose and maintain the authority of the government-backed Chief and Council, supported by a community minority.

* Children have been prevented from speaking Algonquin in school by teachers hired by Third Party Management—a grim throwback to residential schools.

Join us in Ottawa and Gatineau, and support the community as it demands that the government respect the law and uphold their agreements.