Chants of ‘No More Fear’ and ‘Kill the Bill’ echoed out of downtown Saskatoon on Saturday.
Over 300 protesters in the city joined together with thousands of other protesters across Canada to voice their displeasure over new anti-terror legislation found in Bill C-51.
Organizers for the protest say the new bill aims to label small acts of activism as terrorism and they don’t want to feel afraid in their own country. They say even protests such as the one they held on Saturday would be illegal under the new bill.
Nina Wilson, a co-founder of the Idle No More Movement, spoke to the protesters. She says she discussed the bill with several First Nation elders.
“These elders talk about a time when we were criminalized and murdered because we spoke out and we sang and spoke our languages,” said Wilson. “Right now this is happening to all of Canada. Now you know how it feels to be indigenous.”
Wilson says Bill C-51 will be a repeat of what has happened to First Nations people in the past.
“This genocide and this colonial pathology, it’s not a race or culture, but it is devised through bills like Bill C-51,” said Wilson. “Bill C-51 will give birth to another pathology and sickness, but we have the antidote, the antidote is in the people.”
Among the protesters was Nancy Greyeyes from Muskeg Lake First Nation. She says she came to the protest because she believes Bill C-51 is a target on grass roots Canadians.
“It’s there to make us be quiet and stop trying to speak up for our little ones,” said Nancy. “This is their world and they think they have the right to ruin it and to make laws to prevent people from speaking against it.”
Last week, Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney said the bill is not aimed at capturing minor violations committed during legitimate protests. There have also been federal assurances Bill C-51 won’t be a licence to spy on activists.
The protest began at city hall with the protesters marching to the office of Conservative MP Kelly Block, who voted in favour of the bill.