Mohawks shut down a Highway and Rail Line in Canada

Mohawks shut down a Highway and Rail Line in Canada (and they ain't Messing around (wolf))

June 29, 2007 - 10:41

By: SUE BAILEY

DESERONTO, Ont. (CP) - An aboriginal protest in eastern Ontario that paralyzed the country's busiest highway ended Friday morning and traffic was allowed to start flowing again after a deal was reached between aboriginal and provincial police.

Militant Mohawk protester Shawn Brant had set up three blockades near the town of Deseronto - on Highway 401, Highway 2 and the CN rail line (TSX:CNR) - as part of a national day of action that was otherwise peaceful.

Brant said he did not want to aggravate long-weekend travellers more than necessary by keeping the 401 closed. It had been shut down by police at midnight Thursday night after Brant said his group was armed with firearms and ready to use them in any confrontation with police.

Brant said Friday morning his co-operation with police shouldn't be seen as a retreat by protesters fed up with unsettled land claims and poverty on their reserves.

"We've been able to demonstrate the courage, commitment and resolve of our community members," said Brant. "We don't want people to see this a stepping back, we don't feel that it is."

Brant said he was asked by Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Julian Fantino to take down all three barricades, to which he said he replied, "absolutely not."

The two other barricades would be maintained until midnight, the official end of the national day of protest, Brant added. Ontario provincial police Supt. Angie Howe said the force was "very happy at this move forward through negotiations."

"As the morning continues, we'll have further negotiations and we're very, very hopeful that we'll be able to have Highway 2 and the railway open," Howe said.

Via Rail announced Thursday it would halt service for thousands of travellers between Montreal to Toronto and Ottawa to Toronto and offer a full refund to any ticket holders. Officials said service was expected to resume Saturday.

The rail barricade prompted CN to cancel all traffic Friday morning on the busy line between Toronto and Montreal, affecting almost 50 passenger or freight trains. It is the second time in three months the railway's operations were shut down by a blockade. In April, CN obtained an injunction to end a 30-hour protest, although police did not enforce the court order, frustrating railway operators.

"First Nations protesters are again blocking CN's rail corridor and the OPP continues to refuse to intervene," said a statement issued by the railway early Friday.

Fantino gave a public warning Thursday that Brant would be held accountable for his actions. He stood out as the lone voice advocating militancy for the day of protest.

Provincial police issued an arrest warrant for Brant on a charge of mischief, although they made no move to remove the blockades or arrest him.

Brant said Friday he would turn himself in to police after midnight.

He called the demonstration that closed Highway 401 for 11 hours and disrupted rail service a "good test run."

"This is the first time ever we've shut down the 401, and I don't believe it's going to be the last," Brant said. "It was certainly a good test run for us."

Two secondary roads - County Road 38 west of Bala and County Road 45 south of Peterborough - remained blocked, although Howe said negotiations were also underway to re-open those roads.

Brant, a 43-year-old militant Mohawk, is out on bail on previous charges of mischief, disobeying a court order and breach of recognizance in connection with the blockade of the CN rail line April 20.

He has served jail time for trashing the offices of politicians.

Brant said Fantino called him three times between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., urging an end to the blockade, although he never felt police were ready to move in.

There was a tense moment early Friday morning as Brant was meeting with fellow Mohawks along the deserted highway.

A white van believed to have been driven by a provincial police officer sped through the area without slowing and this appeared to anger Brant and his group.

Assembly of First Nations chief Phil Fontaine says blockades were never intended to be part of the day of protest.

"Our position has been very, very clear," he told a Canadian TV station on Friday. "We've never advocated blockades. We've made it very clear that this is to be peaceful. We want to do everything possible to reach out to Canadians. We are not interested in major disruption. We don't want to impede the Canadian economy."

Ontario Regional Chief Angus Toulouse said Brant's actions were "not reflective of the collective resolve of the First Nations in Ontario."

"There is no doubt that First Nations have longstanding legitimate grievances that must be addressed now and not 10, 20 or 30 years down the road," Toulouse said in a release.

"The First Nation leadership in Ontario appeals for calm, restraint and good judgment on the part of all parties on this national day of action."

Demonstrators also blocked roads in and out of a reserve in Alderville, Northumberland County, halfway between Toronto and Kingston.

A county road near the popular Ontario Muskoka town of Bala was also blocked by demonstrators.

Earlier, the Mohawk protesters near Deseronto parked an old school bus across Highway 2, forcing a steady stream of traffic and heavy trucks to turn around. Brant warned his group was armed with firearms and was ready to use them.

"We've made no secret that we have guns within this camp," Brant told The Canadian Press in an interview.

"It's our intent to go out and ensure a safe day. Unfortunately, previous incidents have shown that aggressive tactics by the police need to be met with equal resistance by the people that they're bringing those against."

Later, the protesters closed the CN Rail main line, using jumper cables to activate crossing barriers before moving another old school bus onto the tracks.