Over forty people showed up to give their support for Grand Elder Raymond Robinson’s hunger strike at the Place des Festivals in Downtown Montreal on April 8. Event organizers were happy at the turnout, which helped bring the struggle for First Nations rights to the streets of Montreal. Vigils were held all over the world with events organized in Canada, the United States and even as far as Germany.
“I’ve seen across the world that First Nations, Indigenous people have been completely mistreated in a sense that is grotesque and disgusting,” Said Constance Lefevre, organizer of the Vigil, “what has been done to them is not being taught in schools.”
Despite not having reached a conclusive deal for a meeting on Nation-to-Nation talks between the Federal Government and First Nations, Raymond Robinson announced at 11:30 today, that he has ended his hunger strike on midnight Monday. He has come out of it in good health and is extremely grateful for the incredible show of support from all over the world.
Reaction to the end of the hunger strike has been positive with supporters grateful that Grand Elder Robinson has stopped the no food and no water fast, which would have surely taken a turn for the worst if he had continued it. Many feel that his actions have continued the momentum from the Walkers of Nishiyuu and now it is up to members of the First Nations communities and their supporters to keep the issues in the national discussion.
