Concerns continue over threats made against Anishnaabe land defenders protecting moose on their territory from sport hunters

Facebook photo by Kijatèkwe Wawatè.

On September 23, Christopher Curtis with Ricochet reported: “Police are investigating at least two credible threats made against Anishnaabe land defenders at blockades on their territory over the weekend.”

CBC journalist Ka’nhehsí:io Deer has explained: “Members of the Algonquins of Barriere Lake have been turning away hunters [since September 13, the start of hunting season] at a growing number of checkpoints throughout Quebec’s La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve as the First Nation continues to enforce its own moratorium on moose hunting.”

Algonquins of Barriere Lake and Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg councils have called for a complete and immediate moratorium on the sport hunting of moose in La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve over concerns about a decline in the moose population.

Ricochet notes: “A series of helicopter excursions over the reserve confirmed what traditional hunters have been saying for years: the moose are slowly dying out. In the 12 years since the last government study, the population in La Vérendrye dropped by 35 per cent to about 2,100 moose over 12,000 square kilometres.”

But rather than implementing a moratorium, the Quebec provincial government issued 175 moose hunting permits, down from 250 last year.

As of September 21, six Algonquin checkpoints had been set up at Highway 117 to try to block hunters from hunting moose in the park.

APTN has also reported: “People here [in the Outaouais] say since the road blocks went up there have been many acts of intimidation.”

In this Contrepoints transcript, Anishnabe land protector Shanon Chief explains her support for the moratorium and concerns about sport hunting: “When non-native hunters come to our territory, we often find decapitated moose abandoned. Maybe some of them use meat, but they don’t kill for their survival, as we’ve been doing for so long.”

She then highlights: “When we look at how animals eat in the territory, we have to think about deforestation, all the mining projects, and the pipeline projects that run through our territory. All of this is an integral part of our current struggle.”

And Charles Ratt of the Algonquins of Barriere Lake says: “This isn’t an Indigenous cause, it’s about colonialism. We’re saying our way of life is under threat, we’re saying the animals that kept us alive for generations and continue to keep us alive are under threat. Hunters are mad because they don’t get to practise a sport. Think about that.”

Additionally, University of Ottawa law professor Amir Attaran has stated: “I support the Algonquin blockade. Quebec unconstitutionally refused to consult with them on moose hunting. Quebec unconstitutionally refused to consult with them on moose hunting.”

Moose hunting season officially ends on October 12.

For more on this issue, there will be a webinar and media conference on September 28. The details on that can be found on this Facebook event page. A donations page has also been established for the land defenders, that can be found here.

Updates direct from the blockades can be found from @Pidabin and @Shadyhfz on Twitter. The hashtag #moosemoratorium is being used. And there is the Facebook group: Anishinabe Call for a Moose Hunting Moratorium in La Verendrye Park.