Photos & captions by Shiri Pasternak; text by Tim McSorley

Early this morning, members of the Algonquins of Barriere Lake (Mitchikanibikok Inik) blockaded the access road leading to their community in northeastern Quebec, about five hours north of Montreal. Primarily using their cars, they successfully stopped a federal elections officer from entering their territory.

The elections officer was sent by the federal government to hold a nominating meeting for band council elections. This meeting would have been a step forward in the federal government's attempt to replace the community's current customary leadership selection process with the federally defined band council process.

On paper, Section 74 of the Indian Act allows the Canadian government to impose an election process on First Nations, but it has been decades since Indian and Northern Affairs last used the provision. Members of the commuinty have denounced the measure, saying it is a politically motivated attempt to remove the their link to the land and to find a way for the federal government to avoid its obligations to the community under signed agreements to do with co-management of resource development on their land.

“We reject the Minister’s unconstitutional attempt to assimilate our leadership selection customs by imposing a foreign regime on us. The community is unanimously in favour of continuing to be governed by our customs,” Marylynn Poucachiche, a community spokesperson, said via a news release this morning. “Because the government has not heeded its constitutional obligations or our community’s wishes, we are turning to peaceful direct action. We will be preventing the nomination meeting from proceeding and are demanding the federal government immediately cease and desist in their attempt to abolish our customs. The government is breaking the law, but through our actions we are protecting it.”

Yesterday, community member Tony Wawatie also spoke to the Assembly of First Nations and gained their unanimous support in opposing the implementation of Section 74 rules on the community and calling on the federal government to rescind it's decision.

According to a release from the community, the federal government plans to hold the elections on September 8. It is unclear whether today's action will delay the vote.

For more information http://www.barrierelakesolidarity.org/