Canada's #IdleNoMore marches on
Canada's #IdleNoMore marches onCanadian indigenous movement receives global support on day of action.
The Canadian indigenous rights movement known as "Idle No More" held a global day of protest on Friday as Prime Minister Stephen Harper met with First Nations chiefs in Ottawa.
The protests, which have been going on since December, were initially sparked by a controversial bill that opponents say would erode indigenous land and treaty rights. The movement has since grown into a wider call for the Canadian government to also address disproportionate poverty rates among aboriginal groups as well as environmental and sovereignty rights.
But indigenous leaders in Canada have been divided over the meeting with Harper. One prominent figure, Chief Theresa Spence (@ChiefTheresa), has been on hunger strike since December 11 and said she would not agree to a meeting unless Canada's Governor General is also present.
Along with protests across Canada, support for "Idle No More" has also poured in from around the world. Below is a map of events planned for Friday: