"Railroads and highways could be shut down in Idle-No-More"

Six Nations people are considering direct action as the community ramps up its involvement in the Idle No More movement sweeping the country.

Tentative plans are in place to shut down railroads and highways in the coming weeks but community members will be holding further meetings to decide a definitive course of action.

The idea came at a community meeting last Thursday held in the Social Services building where the majority of people said that writing letters and talking do nothing for the cause of promoting and asserting aboriginal treaty rights.

"Letter writing doesn't do anything, as far as I'm concerned," said Larry Sault, of New Credit. "I've written letters to the President of the United States when I was grand-chief and chief. That doesn't do anything. I don't support weapons. I don't support violence. But if I have to fight, I'll fight."

The meeting was called to talk about how Six Nations plans to respond to Bill C­-45, now making its way through the Senate.

The proposed legislation is at the heart of the Idle No More movement, along with an ongoing hunger strike by Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence She is in her third week of the hunger strike.

About 50 people turned out for the meeting, which was split into smaller groups to discuss how Six Nations will fight the legislation.

"What can we do as a community to fight this?" asked John Henhawk, who has been heavily involved in Idle No More. "Can we all come to one mind that we need to take a direct action here; that we need to do something that's a direct action that's peaceful?"

Everyone in the group agreed to direct action.

Band Councillor Ava Hill, who at first was criticized at the meeting because of her role on council, said she was just as against the legislation as other community members.

"I personally have been fighting a lot of these bills ever since I've been on council." said Hill. "We need to say as a community we're not accepting it. We need to be unified because we know we're not. We need to be unified with the rest of the people across the country. This movement is growing."

There is a planned blockage of border crossings in Niagara Falls Jan. 5 that some community members will attend.

Other community members said education of the general public is also necessary and they suggested attending universities and colleges across the province to inform people about aboriginal issues and what the Idle No More movement is all about.

Jan longboat expressed admiration for hunger­striking Spence.

"I really have to give Chief Spence credit for what she's doing," said Longboat. "She's willing to give up her life for our people. What are we willing to give up?"

Bill Monture, a member of the Six Nations Men's Fire, said direct action is the only way to get the government's attention.

"We need to have a plan of action that will impact the government's economy," he said. "The only way this government will understand things is by shutting down their economy. But we need to do it all together."