Use every legal resource at hand. These blockades are rediculous.

Arrest them and lock them up.

Hope they are freezing their asses off!!

take them to the jail cell now!!!!!!!!!!!!no boozze!

I love how the RCMP are there to monitor the situation. What the @#$%, monitoring the illegal act of restricting people from public land? When are the RCMP and this gov't going to grow some balls and stop letting these people get away with everything. How about I get some friends well grab some rifles and block the road coming into the city. Stopping them from getting there booze, smokes and lottery tickets and see how long it takes before I'm in jail.

Turn a fire hose on them to disperse the blockade!

Superdave - If the RCMP did anything people would be stringing them up and claiming the big bad RCMP are out of control and harrassing these poor people.

This a classic case of IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE NATIVE. UN-#$%^ BELIEVABLE!!!!!

Keyoh's... an invention by the carrier sekani.

Well...if ya don't have to go to work....

No comment

Put up another blockade and don't let them into town see how they like it.

indians or whatever they call themselvs these days should be charged a land improvement tax because if there was no white man they wouldent have power,highways etc...

I agree with you ckpg1111, this is so true. lol just like some native woman came into our class today and said that white people took our land and did horrible things even to this day... HAHA B.S!

Oh to have the time and money to bring my new pickup with my new 5th wheel out to protest.

Leave it up to the natives and we would all be on welfare in no time.

We should put up a blockade in front of the liquor store.
That will teach them a lesson!!!

This was similar to what happened in Caladonia, Ont. Police whatching blatant law breaking and "monitoring". If you want to see this situation times 10, read the series of articles in the National Post by Chritie Blatchford on Caladonia, you wouldn't believe that could happen in Canada.

I know its not popular, but please at least read what the courts think about aboriginal title in B.C. - try http://www.thecourt.ca/2007/12/10/the-anniversary-of-delgamuukw-v-the-queen-two-legacies/ for starters.

The courts have said that we didn't follow our own damn rules and negotiate treaties. We stole their land and shoved them on reserves in typically, places no-one else wanted. Then the priests came along and did, you know, abuse them. For generations.

Ya, they might have one or two advantages we don't - but do you want to live on a reserve? We haven't really treated them fairly with residential schools and sexual abuse now have we?

And under the law, you know the one that keeps us from being a Somalian hell hole, we have a duty to consult with them on anything that involves natural resources.

So that's why they don't get thrown in jail.

So, to all you rednecks out there, grow a pair and educate yourselves before you spew hatred ok?

Before you rant at least educate yourselves.

apoliticalgeek. I agree.

The problem"apoliticalgeek", is the courts "interpretaion" have created a unworkable, two tiered society. There are several tastless comments on here, but un elected judges making rules which will impact how we live in this country for ever are a bit hard to swallow when you run into anarchy like Caledonia. The reserve system and abuse of the residential schools are certainly a shamefull past. But blockading at will won't change that. This will only deepen the divide of natives and non-natives. Having the RCMP monitor instead of inforce the law won't help there current questionable reputation.

Sorry dow7500, but first, would you rather a king or a court decided the rule of the day (under our first past the post system I think we can agree that Gordo's acted a little like a king)? I think the magna carta settled that issue back in the 12th century, or perhaps the other option is full socialism - the masses take what they want? That also has problems when applied ie, the old USSR. So private property is here to stay. And so are the courts with their damn unelected, for good reason, judges. The law enforces status quo, rule of law.

So, with that out of the way, a literal interpretation of the law is that bc belongs to the people here first. Under the queens charter the HBC was to negotiate treaties and didn't. So they have undistinguished title. So we leave. That is unworkable. So we have a difficult compromise. That is in essence what the courts have said.

So, in this case the RCMP arrest, and the Crown charges the blockaders, it goes to court and the supreme court very likely sides with the native blockaders. Remember, under the law you wish to charge them with they are on their land. The courts further their title to that land and further their claims to more money/goods etc. in their land claims settlements.

So what is it you want the RCMP to do again? Lets agree that it's a hell of a catch22, and that you're right about the divide. I think avoiding anarchy is precisely what the RCMP presence is avoiding. Peaceful blockades are viewed differently than violent ones, and getting the blockade rammed by some rednecks in a crew cab would essentially shut down northern bc as there would be blockades on every road out of town. So we fight the blockades and then no one wants to invest or buy our product?

Ask yourself why most bands in bc have been stuck in stage four or five of the treaty negotiations for over a decade now?
Think that politician will get re-elected with the obvious mastery of the subtleties demonstrated by the masses on this fine thread?

Sorry, undissolved title I meant.

apoliticalgeek its time for the natives to suck it up and move on. Oh wait the native power players will not have any of that as there is the billions of dollors in handouts they covet. The natives had better look at how the world is evolving and get on board or get left in the dust. They need to be on the inside, not the outside.

geek, judges are appointed by the king. (ie chretien). Therefore in many cases thay are the mouthpiece for the king. Hardly an unbiased judiciary. So HBC didn't sign a contract with the natives 200 years ago and we now have a 2 tier society. That just isn't going to work reguardless of some judges opinion.

I would like the RCMP to enforce the law of the land equally. I can't commit crimes on my land, how come the natives can? The red necks in the crew cab would likely be workers of the mine who get no pay while several natives halt access while the RCMP "monitors" the situation and rednecks fed up with the injustice of this system and big brains like you marginalizing there feelings.

"Keyoh's... an invention by the carrier sekani."

Yes, a system of land stewardship invented long before non-natives got here.

What many non-native people don't seem to understand is that, at least for matters related to land use, it is the keyoh that matter. The band as a kind of government is a creation of the government. The failure to recognize this is an important source of problems. In this case, the government looks at this area, sees that it was once Sekani Sam's, and concludes that it falls within the purview of McLeod Lake Band. In traditional terms, this makes no sense: you have to ask what keyoh the area is part of, how that keyoh has been inherited, and who its current stewards are.

While I can't speak for the keyoh holders, their position is not, as so many people here seemk to think, inexorably opposed to all mining. One thing that they are looking for is simply acknowledgement of how the traditional system actually works and recognition of their rights under it. A second thing that they are looking for is a share of the profits made from their land. The third thing, which is perhaps the greatest sticking point, is that they want not only agreement that the mining operations will adhere to certain environmental standards, but an ongoing means of monitoring and enforcing that agreement.

To use Seamutt's terms, what they've been offered is a handout; they're trying to get into the "inside" of operations on their land.

Seamutt and dow7500. First, if you were a native, would you suck it up and move on? Right now they are holding a pretty big hand.

The problem is you see handouts - they see "we didn't want you here in the first place." They think "You came and you stole, and you abused us," at least until the 70's or 80's.

Hell, my family has been in Canada since 1769 so I certainly understand your frustration and get that we should get on with it.

But we didn't follow our own rules. We stole it. The common law has been in place since the 11th century. I'd wager its why western society is as good as it is. So, it doesn't matter if it happened 5 years ago or 200. If our courts, the same ones that make it so the banks can't willy nilly foreclose on our mortgages, that stop my neighbour from stealing my car, the same ones that make it illegal for companies to sell dangerous goods, decided to make an exception, just this once, because most of us wanted it, there would be no reason to have them at all.

Because what would stop them from coming for you or your property next?

If the courts can break laws at will, then
fascism is the likely result.

Credit to Pastor Martin Niemöller for the quote below.

They came first for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for me
and by that time no one was left to speak up.

The laws and the tradition of the legal system are the only things that keep the bullies of the day at bay. The magna carta just used the king of the day as the bully, but really it could be a rich man, a government or a even a boss. The courts, even if you hate them, are the reason our country works as well as it does. They're not perfect, but they're the best protection from abuse from the wealthy or the powerful we have. They even sent Conrad Black to jail.

So here we lose a little because some idiot a 100 years ago didn't give someone a couple of bucks. Given we live in one of the top 3-5 countries in the world, a stable, fat and mostly happy country, I'd say life is pretty good.

But to ignore the law just this once? I don't trust anyone in power to only do it once. And next time it most likely won't be for my benefit. Take a look at how China lets the powerful off all the time. Want that here more than it is now?

So lets get these damn treaties done. In 40 years it'll cost even more.

Unfortunately "getting these damn treaties done" means absolutely nothing......because the natives will NOT and HAVE NOT signed any treaty that had any FINALITY to it.

Their sleazy lawyers and consultants would never allow that because it would KILL the CASH COW!!!

Suck it up geek

Regardless of the he say's she says's bull$hit which has been invented by the courts and festered over history....Get over it..(my family was ousted out of germany during WW2 left with NOTHING!! This doesnt mean im entitled to anything.) I dont owe anyone with different colour skin anything who was born on the same day as me. I.. like everyone else came in to this world with nothing and im going to leave with nothing..Your only entitled your own weight you pull and the lives we build for ourselves. When people wake up and realize this the faster they will be empowered to change thier lives instead of working against a system which isnt working for them in the first place.

Ok no thats set aside back to Milligan.

We are dealing with one family of one band which has stuck its head in the sand and ignored any legal framework set out during the 5 year permitting process of this mine. These guys had the full legal power under the Environment Assessment Act to get their concerns out in the open but they chose to ignore this process all together.

gimme a break

Might be true what you've said. That being said we do need to get it done. We've got one of those buy now but don't pay till 2013 deals. The interest just gets piled onto the balance. If our government wanted it to happen they could. They just don't want it to happen on their watch.

acidrider54

I understand this is an emotional issue. Read the body of what I wrote. Understand it. Then come back with something intelligent or thoughtful to say. I'll listen. I do have an open mind. But right now you just look stupid.

northman

I understand your issues as well. It doesn't seem fair that someone screwed up 100 years ago and we pay for it now.

I don't know f you noticed, but the courts are repatriating art and money lost by the displaced in WWII. A lady just sued the Austrian government and got here grandfathers art back. If you have a legal claim you'll get yours back. Remember, we're only talking in your great-grandfathers time, almost living memory.

The system, is mostly fair. Travel, and learn about other places in the world and you'll see that.

But we need to make decisions based on what's fair, and historically valid.

Otherwise this legal system, which I've pointed out is the only thing that really makes our and other western cultures remotely fair, can be changed and played with at will. And right now, that might be in your favour, but next week it might not.

If we let the bullies rule, one day you won't be one of the bullies. You'll be the victim.

I didn't know that one family is all that is holding up Milligan. The courts will prevail then, just might take a week or two.

To the people saying "if I tried that Id be thrown in jail!" you are probably right. However if you want to blockade your own driveway then feel free, the police will not care I promise you. Do you see the difference? Whether you agree or not, in these peoples eyes, and most likely the courts eyes, they are on thier own property.

I am so discusted by you people who write slanderous, ignorant, uneducated comments about our first Nations people.
While I am not native myself, I stand up for them as the first people on this land, I stand up for those who stand against the wrong doings of this government. What will it take for the rest of you to see how we are being swindled out of our natural resources, our pristine lakes and pure forests?? The clear cut raping of our forests are not enough, the prices at the gas pumps are not enough, the destruction of our fisheries are not enough....
I am disgraced in the lack of regard for our BROTHERS AND SISTERS....yes, folks, that's what I said....BROTHERS AND SISTERS....afterall we all originate from the same mother and are all on the same planet. Why do we need to fight against each other?

We should be fighting together as BROTHERS AND SISTERS to keep what's left of this planet for our future and our children's future.

One thing is guaranteed. It will never change.
There is way to much money to be made by the lawyers/politicians.
They have it setup that way for their own personal gain while the peeons go to war!

I'm sorry but I cannot agree with these tactics used by the FN people. Like it or lump it everything they have today is because we (the govt) agreed to give it to them. They are a MINORITY in this country and by rights the MAJORITY rule. They will benefit from this mine just like everyone else will in northern BC.

You can't have a two tiered society today and expect it to survive. It just doesn't work. Everyone has to be on equal footing. Just because they used the land for sustenance back in the day doesn't give them ownership over vast tracts of BC or any other part of Canada for that matter.

We are all Canadians and we all deserve rights and access to crown land regardless if our ancestors have been here 100 years or 10000 years.

What is the basis for the claim that native people will never sign treaties with any finality to them? There are hardly any recent treaties so there isn't much precedent to go by, but the Nisga'a Treaty is final, isn't it? Let's remember that it is the native people who have been asking for treaties for 100 years and the colonists who have refused to negotiate. These issues could have been settled a long time ago if they hadn't been unwilling to.

The sins of the father being wrought by his son and his son and his son..... Seems wrong doesn't it? Because it is and it's frustrating. Bill poser is dead on.