Canada's Indigenous service minister requests protesters to end demonstrations

#Indigenous; #MohawksDemonstration; #B.C.; #MarcMiller; #ShutDownCNRailTrack

​British Columbia, Feb 13 (Canadian-Media): In an email sent by Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller after midnight Thursday, it was stated that Miller would meet with the Mohawks of Tyendinaga on Saturday if they agree to end an eight-day demonstration that had caused  shut down of passenger and freight rail traffic through southern Ontario, media reports said.

Marc Miller. Image credit: Twitter

The email by Miller was sent to  three individuals, including Kanenhariyo, whose English name is Seth LeFort; Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte Chief Donald Maracle; and Assembly of First Nations Ontario regional Chief RoseAnne Archibald.  

"I hope you will agree to this request and that we can meet in a spirit of peace and co-operation that should guide our relationship," Miller wrote in the email.

"Indigenous Services minister Marc Miller has “agreed” to “Polish the Chain” with those stopping trains just off Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory in Ontario, according to an email forwarded to APTN News.
At 12:15 a.m. on Thursday, Mille…https://t.co/9kAHbwvCmL https://t.co/rTIzx9cFzQ

— NorthernOntarioKim (@NorthernOntKim) February 13, 2020

In this morning's meeting, Mohawk demonstrators plan to discuss how to respond to this offer. 

An injunction had been issued by the Ontario Superior Court last Friday prohibiting continued interference with CN Rail's operations and the demonstrators had been warned by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) an enforcment of the injunction with increased presence of OPP on Thursday morning. 

Miller had also expressed his desire in the email to renew a 17th century treaty between the Iroqouis and European settlers. 

"I am writing to confirm what I agreed orally a short while ago: that pursuant to the principles of the Silver Chain Covenant, I hereby agree to polish the Chain with you and the Kanien'kehá:ka of Tyendinaga at a location of your choosing this coming Saturday," wrote Miller.