Crowe and Ó Clochartaigh express concern over the health of Canadian Hunger Striker

Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Trade and Diaspora, Seán Crowe TD, and Sinn Féin’s Seanad spokesperson on Justice, Equality and Defence, Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, have expressed their growing concern over the health of the Canadian hunger striker Chief Teresa Spence.

Chief Teresa Spence of the Attawaspikat First Nation is on her 25th day of hunger strike today. She is camped at a lodge erected on Victoria Island, in the river near the Parliament in Ottawa. The First Nations are the various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis.

Chief Spence embarked on hunger strike in response to the failure of the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Govern General David Johnson to meet the First Nation Chiefs to discuss controversial budget legislation passed last month. The legislation will impact on the environmental safeguards for rivers and lakes, and will have an impact on the rules which govern the sale of reserve land.

Deputy Crowe said:

“I am extremely concerned at the deteriorating health of Chief Theresa Spence as she enters her 25th day on hunger strike.

“I hope that meaningful dialogue between the First Nations and the Canadian government can begin right away and before Chief Spence’s health deteriorates even further.

Senator Ó Clochartaigh, who has a long-held interest in Canadian affairs, said:

“History shows us that genuine and inclusive dialogue is the best way to break the deadlock in situations such as this.”