If you’re headed to Kenora or northwest Ontario for the weekend, be prepared for some delays on the Trans-Canada Highway.
The Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO)– which represents 34 southern Manitoba First Nation communities — will be protesting Friday along the highway at the Ontario border.
They will be holding a round dance to protest several issues they have with the Manitoba government, including changes to the province’s tobacco tax formula that SCO Grand Chief Jerry Daniels says now sees the province taking 35 per cent instead of 10 per cent.
“We’re the most impoverished people in this province and now we’ve got a government that wants to dig into the pockets of our communities, and that’s why we’re doing it,” he said.
“That’s our children’s recreational money, their education money — we use that to subsidize a lot of the social programs and problems we have in our communities.”
Daniels said traffic will be allowed through but delays of between 10 and 20 minutes should be expected.
The protest is planned for between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday.
And it’s just the first of seven similar actions the group has planned over the rest of the summer.
Daniels said to expect round dances set up at the province’s western and southern borders on Fridays going forward.
“We hate to have to do this, but we have to ensure that people are taking our issues seriously and it’s being prioritized,” he said, adding information pamphlets will be passed to drivers at the round dances.
“You’re part of this treaty process and we need your help — we need you to pay attention to what’s really happening — and look for clarity.
“We hope that people will join us and sing with us.”
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