Item 2019-071/001(03) - F.N.G.A. 2002

Item consists of a Anishinaabe family's home movie.

Donor(s) and project contributed description follows: "A protest against the First Nations Governance Act (FNGA) at Parliament Hill in 2003. FNGA was a legislation that the government was trying to impose on First Nations that would overstep their jurisdiction to First Nations relations, impeding their rights as sovereign nations in very much the same type Indigenous people had with the White Paper, it could lead to a slippery slope of further government control over our nations.

Various Chiefs across Canada organized this protest that gathered quite a lot of support across First Nations. This was part of a caravan to Ottawa and take place in Toronto, ON.

Chief Roberta Jamieson, the chief of Six Nation, is talking about the FNGA can negatively affect the community. Beside her is another respected leader Roger Obonsawin shared a few words among well-known community members. Rebeka and David travel in their van and on their way stops in a Mohawk community, Tyendinaga where they are hosted.

They arrive in Ottawa and people from across Canada came and in the end there are people the legislation was thrown out. They succeeded.

The National Chief Matthew Coon Come gave a speech on Parliament Hill. The National Chief spoke out a lot at that time against the Federal government. Many social organizations were afraid of having their funding pulled but it was really good to be apart of something larger, bringing people across the country together.

As young Indigenous people in Toronto they formed the Coalition of Indigenous Sovereignty, including allies, supported by unions and grassroots organizations, met regularly to oppose this legislation. ‘It’s pretty inspiring to review that part of our lives. It captured a moment in time in Toronto for our family that was very special with us. It reflects where our communities were at.’

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Rebeka and her family take a road trip to relatives in the states of David Shilling's in their old van. They were excited to cross this huge bridge into the states. His cousin plays with their kids.

There was a gathering to honor the live of the late Anishnaabe [Rodney Bobiwash] from the Mississaugas nations up north and [Kim Pernel Dominco]. Rodney was a professor at the University of Toronto and used to be the director of First Nations House. He worked international solidarity with Indigenous people in the South, and he had been support the work of [Kim penrecl Dominico] from Colombia. They had been working had together to bring light to the damning of a river on traditional territories. It was during the Free Trade Agreement summit happening in Montreal. Unfortunately, [Kim] was targeted and disappeared. It was devastating.

Shortly after that Rodney passed away due to complications with diabetes. They had his funeral at the Native Canadian Centre in Toronto, hundreds and hundreds of people came out. A Mayan group performed a beautiful dance in his tribute. At the time they felt very fortunate to be able to document things for their communities and to have that proof of gatherings and also for their family.

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In the late nineties and early 2000s Rebeka’s brother and dad at the cabin for the summer. They had a huge catch and had a big fish fry and invited friends over. They made fried bread and lightly battered fish. Rebeka recalls that it was a lot of work to get the line ready, and to fillet it and to bred it, but it was heavenly to have."