Algonquins expand blockade, halt all logging.

The Algonquins of Barriere Lake of Quebec have expanded their blockade of loggers on their territory and ordered all forestry companies cutting La Verendrye Park to stop their activities "until the Trilateral Agreement is put back in good standing." The foresters were also advised to put pressure on the federal Minister of Indian Affairs, Ron Irwin, and the Quebec Minister Responsible for Natural Resources and Aboriginal Affairs, Guy Chevrette, to speed up the resolution of the whole matter and return to the management of the region's natural resources through the Trilateral Agreement process. Algonquin Chief Harry Wawatie said the Algonquins have been denied a voice for a full year in the management of their traditional land and their own affairs, since a "callous" decision by Irwin to not recognize the traditional leadership of the community. "People have no food and no money to buy anything for the children. While your accountants may be worried about your profit-margin, our community is worried about whether or not we are going to survive," wrote Wawatie to the forest companies.