His self defeating threat

The chief of aManitoba aboriginal band has threatened widespread economic disruption this summer if land claims are not promptly settled. Terry Nelson of the Roseau River First Nation declared on Monday that he would attempt to blockade the rail line connecting Eastern andWestern Canada next month.

He said the stoppage could continue well beyond June 29 — which aboriginal leaders have named as a day of peaceful national protest — to draw attention to his band’s unresolved land claims under Treaty 1. “If [the rail companies] take a confrontational attitude and start throwing lawsuits around, clearly this could escalate and it will very likely end up in a month-long blockade,” he said. “If the chiefs cannot deliver any hope for the first nation people, the people themselves will take action. It is going to get out of control, very clearly.”

Such inflammatory threats can only damage the cause that Mr. Nelson seeks to promote. How can he ask for the application of the rule of law in regard to his claims when he does not honour that principle? Mr. Nelson has promised to meet justifiable lawsuits with “out of control” action.

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