The demonstrations along the CN’s three rail lines through Shannonville have moved into a second week.
One of the demonstrators, who had his face covered due to the cold, says they want to see Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller come to Wyman Road on Saturday.
Transport Minister Marc Garneau says conversations are ongoing to try and end the blockades. Several of the demonstrations have come off the rail lines, but not the pair in Shannonville.
Minister’s meetings will be taking place as late as Saturday, but there are talks going on hourly between government officials, First Nations, police and others.
The Prime Minister says dialogue and constructive talks will help resolve the demonstrations in locations like Tyendinaga. Justin Trudeau says he is not sure if he will head to Barbados next week for his already scheduled meetings, or return to Canada to deal with the conflict.
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer says it is time to stop the “illegal blockades”. He says some of the demonstrators have no connection to the community they are protesting in. Scheer addded that the jobs of up to 6,000 rail workers could be in jeopardy.
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The CN bridge crossing of Old Highway 2. Two flags were affixed to a train car (Photo: Quinte News)
There are two demonstration sites, the one at Wyman Road in Tyendinaga Township, the other near the Highway 49 bridge on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory.
Quinte News has also learned that even when demonstrations come to end, it could take up to 36 hours for trains to start rolling. Officials with the railway will be obligated to inspect the tracks for safety purposes.
Both First Nations and non-First Nations supporters showed up on Friday, including supporters of the Prince Edward County turbine project.
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Two supporters along Wyman Road brave the cold on Friday (Photo: Quinte News)
Another supporter came from Frankford. Marion Lennox tells Quinte News she wanted to tell them she was with them.
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The Mohawk Community Centre on York Road in Tyendinaga was the site of a closed door community only meeting on Friday morning. (Photo: Quinte News)
On Friday morning at the community centre, dozens of Tyendinaga Mohawk Community members, along with residents from other First Nations communities gathered to talk about the next steps involving the demonstrations. No media was allowed in the meeting.
Meantime, the Ontario Provincial Police have been on site since last Thursday, when the camp was erected. They said that discretion is a valid, appropriate approach to de-escalating a situation such as this. One one point there was a dozen police vehicles within two kilometres of the Wyman Road camp. They say they are continuing to monitor the situation closely.
Flags flying on the CN overpass at Highway 49 (Photo: Quinte News)
