Seth Cardinal DodgingHorse: “Today is not a good day.” Heart ripping – like having your home & aquifer frac’d by Encana/Ovintiv with white privileged regulators, RCMP and politicians enabling the law violations, harms and abuses

Tom Ross@Tommy_Slick

I’ve been watching the ceremony opening a portion of the Ring Road in Calgary, and an Indigenous man just wrapped up a speech about how this is a bad day, and the road was built on his family’s stolen land. He finished by cutting off his braids and tossing them on the road. #yyc

Indigenous drummers sang as he walked away. A clearly shaken MLA Whitney Issick is now reading a prepared statement from federal Minister McKenna.

This was a stunning and extremely emotional speech. He talked about how he played in the trees that were torn down for the road. His mother woke up and cried when she saw this event was happening today.

We’re now moving on to questions.

@CBCScott asks about the federal infrastructure investment first. Premier Kenney says they need to look at more details in order to determine how this will be used.

Tom Ross@Tommy_Slick

If you want to watch, the Premier’s livestream went down only eight minutes into the event. But if you head to the premier’s facebook page you can find a stream there and go back and listen to Seth Cardinal Dodginghorse’s speech.

A journalist is now finally asking about the speech. (Did not get her name). Asks Chief Roy Whitney to respond to his concerns and his claims about a lack of discussion. He says this is not the time or place for such an expression. What?! It’s the best place and time!

He says most of the nation voted in favour of this and says people were not forced.

Journalist is following up and asking if Whitney will discuss the concerns. He says he will only sit with a Nation member.

Despite saying there would be questions from the phone (I am on the phone) the press conference has now abruptly ended. I am quite amazed at this. Will be drafting a story about this today.
1:10 PM · Oct 1, 2020

AJ Fighting Irish Flag of Ireland Flag of Canada Flag of Jersey Flag of Scotland@YYCCowboy Replying to @Tommy_Slick

If you saw the look Whitney was giving.. You’d understand why it was over quickly.. I worry about that Kid & his family’s safety..

Sean Feagan@Sean_Feagan Replying to @Tommy_Slick
Video now private…

Tsuut’ina member cuts off braids to protest opening of Calgary ring road by APTN National News, Oct 01, 2020

‘The ring road is built on my family’s land…’

The premier of Alberta may say that naming a portion of Calgary’s new ring road Tsuut’ina Trail is “historic,” but Seth Cardinal Dodginghorse, a member of the nation, says the announcement was not a reason to celebrate.

Dodginghorse interrupted the ceremony to speak on behalf of his family, who he says were displaced from a home they lived in for generations to have the road built.

“The ring road is built on my family’s land,” Dodginghorse said while holding soil from his old home. “I lived on 210 Weaselhead Road. If you look straight down that way, you can see where my family’s home was. People are going to be driving on my family’s home.

“Today is not a good day. I woke up this morning to see my mother crying when she heard the news that this road was going to be opening.”

That portion of ring road is now open to the public.

Premier Jason Kenney described the day as an “historic day of partnership and prosperity.”

Dodginghorse finished his statement by cutting off his braids and throwing his hair on the road.

Tsuut’ina Chief Roy Whitney said there were “months of discussion within our community” and 80 per cent of community members were in favour of conducting the deal.

“There’s agreements by every family member that lived along this corridor that received additional homes or new lands or places to build their home.”

Tsuut’ina Trail will circle around the city of Calgary, which runs along the border of Tsuut’ina Nation. The ring road is set to be completed in 2024.

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