Anti-Native Organizing & the “Caledonia Crisis”: Countering the Right Wing Backlash

August 3, 7 PM, Rm 5-170 OISE (252 Bloor St. W.)

After the Six Nations people of the Grand River territory began the reclamation of the “Douglas Creek Estates” housing development in Caledonia in February of 2006, a grass-roots anti-Native campaign has been building in nearby white communities. Led by full-time organizers backed by local developers these anti-native activists have organized a “militia” to oppose “native lawlessness,” held regular protests against native smoke shops, and have consistently supported the actions of local governments to criminalize Six Nations land defenders for the past four years. The protests they have organized against Six Nations have been attended by neo-Nazis from elsewhere in Southern Ontario, and more recently – in the wake of the Israeli attack on the Gaza Flotilla – anti-native organizers have sought to tie struggles for indigenous self-determination on Turtle Island to “Muslim Hatemongers” and so-called “terrorist formations” such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Tamil Tigers while at the same time solidifying the links between “democratic” settler states such as Canada and Israel.

On August 3rd, join us for a panel discussion examining the nature of the right wing backlash to the “Caledonia Crisis” in the context of a growing right-wing populist resurgence taking place in the United States and Canada.

This event is being organized as part of the July 31 2010 “Call to Action Against Racism and Fascism” issued by Portland anti-fascists after ARA member Luke Querner was shot by suspected fascists on the evening of March 27th 2010.

This event is co-organized by Common Cause and the CUPE 3903 First Nations Solidarity Working Group (FNSWG) and sponsored by the Pan-African Solidarity Network

About the presenters:

Mark Corbiere is a member of the Ojibway nation and is a long time member of Anti Racist Action. He is based in Kitchener-Waterloo.

Tom Keefer is a member of the FNSWG, an editorial committee member of Upping the Anti and the author of several articles on Six Nations land struggles.

Kate Milley is a member of the FNSWG and the author of “Where is John Wayne when you need him?” Anti-Native Organizing & the “Caledonia Crisis” In Upping the Anti #9.

Shaista Patel is a graduate student at OISE. She identifies as a Muslim feminist and is a member of the FNSWG.