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Feb. 25, 2008
This evening I met Harold Perry, a man I will never forget. Harold is a leader
in his community, The Ardoch Algonquin First Nations people. Although in frail
health, he showed us around his property with the ease of a man much younger
than his 78 years. He showed us the beautiful canoes he builds in his workshop.
The inside of his house is evidence of his skill as a carpenter. He is an
electrician, an engineer, and a musician. But mostly Harold is a man of deep
compassion for his people and the earth.
He seemed to be as unclear as we are about the draconian actions of the court
system, which has come down severely on his people. A people whose only actions
have been to non-violently try to protect their lands from uranium exploration.
The legalities of this issue are complicated, the injustice is blatant.
Sentences of six months in prison, tens of thousands of dollars in fines as well
as two thousand dollars for every day until those arrested agree that their
actions to protect their property are wrong. Of course they cannot do that. And
so listening to Harold you can hear the pain of the oppression. Oppression his
people have continued to endure since Europeans set foot on this continent.
Harold’s wife Elsie, a gracious host, served us a delicious meal and made small
talk with us afterwards. She too must feel great pain, not only for the people
but also for herself as she sees Harold’s stress deteriorate his health. We were
soon brought back to the present moment by Harold’s talented guitar playing.
It is clear to me that Harold and Elsie’s struggle is not just theirs, but all
of ours. It is all connected, and it is true that an injustice anywhere is
injustice everywhere.
Randy Bond
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