Kenora MP Roger Valley continued to push for the release of Cecilia
Begg this week.
By Mike Aiken
Miner and News
Friday April 18, 2008
Kenora MP Roger Valley continued to push for the release of Cecilia
Begg this week.
After a visit with her at the jail, Valley said Begg was still holding
strong and in good spirits, even though the great-grandmother's been
isolated from the other five band councillors being held in contempt of
court.
"She's as tough as any of them," he said.
"I'm proud of her, but she should be in her own community," he added.
A Thunder Bay judge sentenced the six community leaders from
Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug to six months in jail after they refused
to comply with a court order to allow mining exploration companies onto
their traditional lands.
Valley noted another MP, Tina Keeper, had also come to visit Begg over
the weekend, in order to provide encouragement. Keeper also spoke out
on the issue in the House of Commons.
"I don't know of any system in Canada, where we'd lock up a mayor and
council for standing up for their community," he concluded.
While the province's attorney general has also voiced his support for
an appeal in the case, it may still take some time, before the matter's
heard, much less the prisoners released, the MP noted.
Federal NDP candidate Tania Cameron, who's a band councillor at Dalles
First Nation, has also spoken out in favour of the release of her
fellow band councillors at several rallies, including one in Toronto.
Conservative candidate Greg Rickford has reserved comment, saying it's
a complex matter involving a number of jurisdictions, which is still
before the courts.
