PROGRESS
How it started: “began as a series of teach-ins throughout Saskatchewan to protest impending parliamentary bills that will erode Indigenous sovereignty and environmental protections, has now changed the social and political landscape of Canada.” (IDM site, The Story)
There were major successes in the indirect or direct product of the campaign
National Inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls provide an active voice for women (involvement of Indigenous women in the design, decision making, process, and implementation of the inquiry), as well as initiating a comprehensive and coordinated national action plan.
Who else has helped move the movement forward?
Solidarity groups and allies working against governmental policies
What has happened to move the issue forward? What tools/strategies have been effective?
Working against government policies that impacting collective rights, social safety nets, and environmental policies.
Fighting in court to get the government to revise the environmental impacts of the bill.
Civil disobedience
Demonstrations
Hunger strikes
Internet activism
Nonviolent resistance
Picketing
Transportation blocks
What obstacles continue to stand in the way?
Indigenous peoples are still being looked over by the government. One of the founders was accused of living on land illegally – she said it was one of her treaty rights. Her family had lived there for generations and then the government came and started building a park without their consent. That is a violation of treaty 6. While Idle No More’s impact influences the government regarding the environment and indigenous rights, real lives are being overlooked.
Wet'suwet'en land and pipeline protest create a negative view of Indigenous peoples. The protest isn’t as peaceful compared to the Idle No More protests. Because of this, people assume that all indigenous are in support of this and it creates yet another thing people associate Indigenous peoples with.
As of the end of March, constructions on the Trans Mountain pipeline continues, construction workers are still being sent in, even in the midst of a pandemic. The Idle No More community calls for people to take action online and try to shut down one of the possible funders of TC energy.
The movement was successful in relation to spreading awareness but not as much towards change.
"First Nations are the last best hope that Canadians have of protecting lands for food and clean water for the future - not just for our people, but for Canadians as well... So this country falls or survives on whether or not they acknowledge - or recognize and implement - those aboriginal and treaty rights. So they need to stand with us to protect what will be essential. And what we're talking about is having food and water for future generations. That impacts all of us."