OTTAWA 鈥� An aboriginal chief鈥檚 decision to go on a hunger strike until the prime minister agrees to a meeting has entered a deadly serious phase, a New Democrat MP said Thursday.
Charlie Angus, who stood by Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence as she began her fast on Dec. 11, says he鈥檚 now reaching out to area chiefs to see what steps can be taken to solve what鈥檚 at risk of becoming a national crisis.
鈥淭his is much bigger than Theresa Spence; it鈥檚 much bigger than any individual community,鈥� Angus said Thursday as he prepared to travel to Ottawa to visit Spence today.
鈥淭his is across the country now. It really needs the prime minister to take action.鈥�
Spence launched her protest this month with a vow to die unless the Conservative government started showing more respect to First Nations concerns and aboriginal treaties.
She is demanding a meeting between the Crown, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and First Nations leaders to create a new relationship.
Her remote northern Ontario reserve was catapulted into the spotlight late last year after Angus wrote about the dire housing and economic conditions.
The crisis in Attawapiskat was followed by a historic Crown-First Nations gathering in Ottawa in January, where Harper met with aboriginal leadership to discuss economic and social development.
They had agreed to produce a report in one year鈥檚 time on progress made since the summit and, in late November, Harper met with Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief Shawn Atleo.
A spokesman for the prime minister pointed to that meeting when asked directly why Harper has so far refused to sit down with Spence.
鈥淲e are willing and ready to work with partners who are willing to take concrete action to improve conditions on reserve,鈥� Andrew MacDougall said in an email.
Though she has declared a hunger strike, for the last 21脷2 weeks, Spence has subsisted on some soup and tea.
She has welcomed a steady stream of family, friends and other opposition politicians into her teepee on Victoria Island in the Ottawa River, just across from Parliament Hill. The island is considered by the Anishinabe as traditional territory.
On Thursday, an invitation was issued via Spence鈥檚 Twitter account for talk show giant Oprah to come visit.
Angus will visit today, saying he is concerned for her health.
鈥淚 was very concerned with Theresa taking this step,鈥� he said.
鈥淭here is too much pressure on her shoulders putting her health on the line.鈥�
On Wednesday, Liberal leadership contender Justin Trudeau visited with Spence, saying he found the visit moving and that she was 鈥渨illing to sacrifice everything for her people鈥� and that 鈥渟he shouldn鈥檛 have to.鈥�
His visit was followed by the issuing of a letter by fellow leadership contender Marc Garneau, who said Harper shouldn鈥檛 be worried about setting a precedent by agreeing to a meeting.
Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan, the MP for Vancouver Island North, has expressed disappointment that Spence will meet with other politicians but not him.
鈥淕iven your willingness to accept meetings now, I am hoping that you will reconsider my offer, as a minister of the Crown, to meet or speak with you,鈥� Duncan wrote Spence late Wednesday night.
Duncan is offering to set up a joint working group with senior federal and First Nations representatives.
He has repeatedly tried to speak to her by phone over the last few weeks.
Earlier this week, Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau went over to Victoria Island in an effort to speak to Spence but was turned away.
Angus said it seems only Harper can now solve this problem.
鈥淚f this thing goes south, who knows what the consequences are going to be? But there will be a huge breach in relations in sa国际传媒,鈥� he said.
Spence鈥檚 hunger strike coincides with rolling protests by aboriginal groups across the country under the banner of Idle No More.
Flash mobs, a rail blockade and sustained social media campaigns have attracted some international support.
