ALANNA WALLACE
The Cord (Wilfrid Laurier University)
WATERLOO, Ont. (CUP) — A speech by columnist Christie Blatchford turned sour as protesters against the journalist’s new book took over the stage.
Three protesters locked themselves together at the centre of the stage where Blatchford was meant to speak at the University of Waterloo on Nov. 12, with another individual acting as their “negotiator.”
Tallula Marigold acted as the group’s media representative.
“We don’t want people who are really, really racist teaching [the people we love],” said Marigold. “And we don’t want that person to have a public forum because it makes it dangerous for others in the public forum.”
Blatchford was scheduled to speak about her new book, entitled Helpless: Caledonia’s Nightmare of Fear and Anarchy, and How the Law Failed All of Us. The book chronicles the ongoing occupation by members of the Six Nations reserve of a residential subdivision that is currently under construction in Caledonia, Ont. The Six Nations people are occupying the site as part of a land claim issue that is now over 50 years old.
Protesters across the country have mobilized in opposition to what they describe as anti-Native coverage of the issue by Blatchford in her new book. She says Helpless is not about land claims, but rather about the government’s failure to protect all citizens equally.
According to a blog on Rabble.ca, “Blatchford champions white Caledonia residents as hero-victims, rendered helpless and traumatized by native lawlessness.”
Despite a pro-Blatchford crowd, Michael Strickland, assistant director of media relations, addressed the audience about an hour after Blatchford was meant to start her talk to inform them that the event would be rescheduled.
“Unfortunately there is a small minority that felt that they would win if they’d just sit on the stage and yell ”˜racist, racist, racist’,” said Strickland. “We made a determination that since she wasn’t going to get a word in, in any sort of respectful fashion, there would be no point in bringing her out and having her subjected to that.”
“Our goal was to not let her speak. We accomplished that.”
-Tallula Marigold, protestor
A group had organized a teach-in two hours before Blatchford’s speech, held in a room across the hall from where the event was to take place. There, a group of about 30 individuals engaged in a critical discussion of the journalist’s articles and the issues surrounding what some deemed racist, xenophobic and anti-Native.
Although Blatchford’s event will be rescheduled, there was a general feel in the audience of distaste for what had transpired. Among those saddened by the events were Waterloo resident Pauline Campbell and former Wilfrid Laurier University student Jacob Pries.
“The people who were on stage were expressing some very real ideas that I, to a degree, agree with, but they weren’t backing them up with any facts and that made it hard for people to listen,” said Pries.
“That wasn’t the night I came out to hear and I mean it’s a load of garbage, calling people Nazis; it was very unpleasant,” said Campbell.
With the event cancelled and Blatchford returning back to Toronto, Marigold expressed her contentment with the events that had transpired.
“Our goal was to not let her speak. We accomplished that.”
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photo: Nick Lachance/The Cord