Today, Robert Watts hosted his third Idle No More event in Port Alberni since Christmas Eve. On Dec. 24 he called together a flash mob at Walmart and on Boxing Day at Zellers. On Dec. 31 his 'mob' of about 100 people, at its peak, was situated in front of the Whaling Shrine at the bottom of Johnson in the shadow of the two welcome figures at Victoria Quay.
See Photo Gallery: http://www.hashilthsa.com/gallery/idle-no-more-whaling-shrine-port-alberni-dec-31
Watts said he is motivated to spread some awareness about the implications of omnibus budget bills C-38 and C-45, now law. What the federal government has done in these bills, including removing environmental protections for 99 per cent of navigable waterways (including the Alberni Inlet and the Somass River, said Irene Robinson of Tseshaht), affects all people, not just aboriginal people.
He described the quick spread of the Idle No More movement across the country as awesome.
"Fear," he said when asked what the motivator is for the thousands of people who have participated in the events. Fear of what's going to happen to the environment "when the whole country is turned into a tar sands," he explained.
Related stories:
http://www.hashilthsa.com/news/2012-12-23/idle-no-more-hits-west-coast
http://www.hashilthsa.com/news/2012-12-30/nuu-chah-nulth-aht-stand-solidarity-chief-theresa-spence
When Watts saw the Idle No More events happening in Vancouver and Victoria on Dec. 21, he and his friends began to wonder where they could raise their voice. A discussion with friend Alice Sam led to the idea of a flash mob, and Watts saw his hand go up.
"I'll do it." That’s when Walmart was chosen as the first event.
The Dec. 31 event attracted representatives from a number of Nuu-chah-nulth Nations, and from as far away as Neah Bay in Washington.
Fellow organizer Alice Sam said, for her, the movement is not just about being aboriginal, but about being caretakers of the land. She said the changes to protections to the waters and the lands will affect the young ones and they will be paying for it into the future.
She encouraged participants to raise their voices.
"Let's not be quiet."
Galleries:
http://www.hashilthsa.com/gallery/idle-no-more-port-alberni-dec-21-11-am-1215-am-harbour-quay
http://www.hashilthsa.com/gallery/idle-no-more-pics-montah-nadine-mcgee-sam
