Carillon Regina

Protests look to target national economy to bring attention to issues.

During a senate committee meeting on Aboriginal peoples, Paul Martin was asked if he thought that if Aboriginal peoples “coalesced, could they not bring this country to a standstill?” Martin answered, “We would hope not; and that we would hope not because government will react before that happens.” Shut Down Canada, a grassroots movement calling for action on Feb. 13, plans to challenge this.

Akohseràke Deer, organizing Shut Down Canada action in Kahnawake, Quebec, said, “We want inquiries; we want the government to look into it. We want our stolen sisters back. [Families] are losing mothers, sisters, aunts and grandmothers, friends. And nothing is being done about it.”

Bill C-51 is another focus of the protests. Natasha Tutino, organizing the action in Montreal, explained that the proposed bill’s crack down on “unlawful protests” means they “are even more driven.

“It’s simple; we don’t get what we want, we’re shutting shit down,” said Tutino.