Traffic advisory issued for Hwy 17/17B intersection
Thursday, March 21, 2013 by: SooToday.com Staff
OPP NEWS RELEASE
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Traffic advisory, Hwy 17B, Garden River, 21 March 2013
Sault Ste. Marie Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police advise of the follow road advisory:
Location: From Highway 17/17B intersection east of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario to the Root River Bridge the Hwy will be closed to ensure a safe and peaceful protest from 1 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 21, 2013.
Eastbound traffic through Hwy 17 will not be affected.
Detour (if available): Westbound traffic along Hwy 17B through Garden River FN into Sault Ste Marie is advised to use Hwy 17.
Estimated duration of Road Advisory: 1.5 hours.
The O.P.P. will distribute details and updates of the road advisory as information becomes available.
Please do not call O.P.P. Provincial Communication Centres for road advisory updates or road condition information.
Visit the Ontario Ministry of Transportation website for traveller's information such as Winder road Conditions, Construction Reports, Road Closures, Traffic Reports, Traffic cameras and interactive mapping.
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S.Claus 3/21/2013 6:26:36 AM ReportThe protest is supposed to be about asking for an end to racial discrimination - - - I agree it is high time that the OPP enforces the law EQUALLY without regard to race, creed or colour. Illegal blockades are just that ILLEGAL.
Just Curious 3/21/2013 7:54:06 AM ReportThe thing is,Claus,this one is on their land so they can do as they please. This time I agree with what they are saying and doing...
Thim 3/21/2013 7:55:35 AM ReportThey can close 17B thru the Garden as long as they want, just leave 17 itself free for motorists.
TFinn 3/21/2013 7:56:03 AM ReportI think Chief Clarence Louie of Osoyoos should be an honourable invite to these protests and blockades ....just a suggestion...!
TFinn 3/21/2013 8:01:27 AM ReportDoes anyone know what Theresa Spence has been up to lately.?? I heard a rumour she may be ousted out of her position. Don’t know if there was any truth to it or not...??
Miss Kitty 3/21/2013 8:25:02 AM ReportI totally agree with S. Claus...Enough is enough, they should be charged with obstructing traffic. If they don't want to follow the law, like everyone else does, then maybe they should all move to Quebec, where they also seem to make up their own rules and laws...
inferno 3/21/2013 8:41:00 AM Reportthese antics only fuel fury against their cause.
gassman 3/21/2013 8:56:34 AM Reporti agree thats this needs to stop.
these natives are creating more racial hate by stoping all others from having the freedom to travel like us whitties, and un-educated red necks as they call us. the constent blocking of roads is not helping any of there causes, now its racial, next week will be idle no more, come on give it a rest.
maybe its time for us whitties to start blockading the reserves in the morning to stop some of the working natives from getting to school or work.
maybe we need to creat a blockade at the opp station protesting that we want equal police rights to stop allowing these road blocks.
i think it is time to start standing against them.
what if i was to schedual a street party ( blockade)on the highway in front of the reserve have a stereo and people dancing on the highway for a few hours, i could call it a (protest for the freedom to dance) i bet i would be arrested instantly.
natives are making us all divided, we are all canadians and we should all live with equal rights.
we have 2 seasons here in canada winter and protest seaon.
yes i am an un-educated red neck so i will have mistakes in my spelling.
stop the non-sense
Patron 3/21/2013 9:24:58 AM ReportIt is sad that these protest have got out of hand and a lot of folk who cared have said enough is enough. It no longer draws our attention to the native's issues, it just drives us further apart, no one likes to be held hostage.
Just Curious 3/21/2013 9:39:40 AM ReportPeople,people,people; You are not being held up this time...Read the advisory,it's 17B,on the reserve,on indian land.. Now if I was camping at Ojibway I might be a bit ticked but it's too early for that yet,as we well know...:-)
archer 3/21/2013 9:44:01 AM ReportThe protest is just another form of blackmail. It certainly has made me change my focus from moderate sympathy to digust.
They remind me of children backmailing their parents by not eating or something similar.
This is just pure B.S and it is a travesty that the OPP don't respond accordingly.
We tolerate these demonstations because Canadians in general don't want to appear to be bigots or racists.
Enough is enough!!
eclectic 3/21/2013 9:56:19 AM ReportThe 17B highway does not belong to the First Nation, in the same way that no other section of the Trans Canada highway belongs to any other municipality, etc.
So, while I would be happier if they confined their divisive protests to 17B, let's not pretend that they have any special right to do so.
good4now 3/21/2013 9:56:24 AM ReportWhile it is very easy for the Natives to inconvenience locals, it is equally ineffective, as the politicians are unaware or ignore such efforts.
They need to make life challenging for the politicians. Blockade the legislatures WHEN they are in session.
This takes planning and organization. And not just for a day or two, for the entire session and next session and the next...
Blockade the constituency offices permanently, not the road in front, just the offices. Annoying the taxpayers harms their cause and demonstrates ineffective leadership.
JUSTANOTHERNAME 3/21/2013 10:43:50 AM ReportDid everyone actually read the article? I know when I first seen the title the thought another blockade, crap. But other than the people from their own reserve who are they really inconveniencing? Highway 17 isn't being closed you have a way around it with very little inconvenience.
I'm In 3/21/2013 11:04:19 AM Reportarcher: so you had enough, peaceful protests are in the Canadian freedom of charter and rights, they are having a peaceful protest so stay at home if you don't like or go protest against them. For you I guess the government can do what it wants to you and you'll just accept it, your another passive Canadian
Zing 3/21/2013 11:07:55 AM ReportI got stuck in a blockade there and lost time and money idling my car all in the name of the 'Idle Forever' movement.
Then I recently got a call to come and teach some classes in Garden River.
My answer is up in the air, but if we continue to see more protests I'm afraid more and more people will just say "NO".
crashed13 3/21/2013 11:20:20 AM ReportThey can block 17B until the Maple leafs
make the play offs or win the cup for all I care.
guestwho 3/21/2013 11:43:26 AM Reportwhat the hell, MY BINGO!!!!!
Brianne 3/21/2013 12:07:38 PM ReportUnder the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, it is completely LEGAL to protest peacefully.
Why do some of you think this is illegal?
You also may want to research WHY they are protesting....... it is for you as well. What this government is doing to Canada right now, we should all be protesting.
notpc 3/21/2013 1:15:51 PM ReportBrianne
The Charter grants the right to free expression but it's stretching the meaning of that to say that it grants people the right to carry out protests that block other people's rights to move freely. This latest protest doesn't do that but all the protests a couple months ago did. A protest that blocks the free movement of others creates a significant risk of violence on the part of both the protestors and those who are blocked. A protest with the implied threat that if you try to get by, we will resist physically, is not a peaceful protest.
pumpkinmaster 3/21/2013 1:59:51 PM ReportI must agree they are not blocking the main highway, and if they want to blockage the land and stop other NA then so be it, let them deal with it and the rest us go about our own business, they are not doing anything wrong. I do not agree with it either, but did you ever think that they are doing this not only cause they, but because they see how pissed off the rest of the population reacts. THINK ABOUT IT.
archer 3/21/2013 2:10:08 PM ReportIm In
Blocking highways is not part of a peaceful demonstration that is in the Charter of Rights.
If it was a white group blocking any highway, I am quite certain that the OPP would have them removed very quickly.
Get with it!!
pumpkinmaster 3/21/2013 2:14:58 PM ReportCome on they are blocking 17B big deal, yes they probably would do something if us Caucasians were to do it, so if you think so form a group of them and blockage the highway from letting the natives getting in to where the live and do it at rush hour.
guestwho 3/21/2013 2:21:44 PM Reporta good sign that the weather is getting warmer,who needs Willie
FirstChairLastCall 3/21/2013 3:23:31 PM ReportI suggest those who think this is illegal read this.
http://publications.gc.ca/Collection-R/LoPBdP/CIR/8416-e.htm#f. Picketing
The Court reaffirmed that peaceful picketing is a form of expression protected under the Charter's right to freedom of expression.
R0FL0L 3/21/2013 3:43:29 PM ReportProtest is a democratic right. Surprised how many want to give this right up just because their lives are inconvenienced for 1.5 hours.
zardoz 3/21/2013 6:50:47 PM Report"Reservations", "Indians", "Native Canadians" are all racial words to me it seperates one people/race from another...its time we are all just Canadians treated all the same. And put the past to rest!!!
Norm 3/21/2013 11:05:58 PM ReportI called Fresco and asked if they took reservations, I guess I must be racist. My neighbour rode an Indian motorcycle in the second world war, he's gotta be racist too. Whatever eh!!!!!
Nats85 3/22/2013 9:34:11 AM Reportlol @ gasman - "so called uneducated red necks"...did you just see your rant? FULL of errors...get an education and THEN rant about how wrong it is to call you uneducated..
Nats85 3/22/2013 9:36:07 AM ReportAnd Highway 17b DOES belong to the first nation...Canada made us form reservations THEN asked PERMISSION to build the highway THROUGH the first nation. It is ours, the NEW HIGHWAY is Queen's land now, which is why it was not blocked. Get your facts and knowledge right before posting how ignorant you are.
Note: Comments that appear on the site are not the opinion of SooToday.com. Keep discussions civil and on topic. Refrain from obscenity and don't post anything that your grandmother would be ashamed to read. Those who do not abide by these guidelines will have their membership revoked without notice. If you see an abusive post, please click the link beside the post to report it.
