*Psych Survivors Chalk Sidewalks and Walls of CMHA:*

On August 11th 2008, Psychiatric Survivors and their allies went to the streets outside the local CMHA – Canadian Mental Health Association in a protest against the policies of the organization. Organized by the Peterborough Coalition against Poverty (PCAP), Psychiatric Survivors and Allies Group, and Food Not Bombs, the protest raised a number of issues concerning homelessness, poverty, and poor mental health support.

Despite the emotional weather during the day, several ex-consumers of CMHA were present at the speak-out and voiced their concerns on how the CMHA forces dependency and does not respect the rights of survivors. A number of issues were put forth including the over-use of psychiatric drugs and lack of supportive and individual counsellings. The local CMHA has a history of poor services and often violates tenant rights under its supportive housing program.

Another major issue that was brought out were the actions of CMHA in absorbing Crazy Cooks and bringing it into its own financial management which now runs as Catering Plus. Crazy Cooks used be a catering service run by psychiatric survivors as a means of livelihood and skills development. The Trustee Program has similar problems and often poor-bash survivors as not being able to have control over their own
financial funds.

Protesters, that included psychiatric survivors, ex-consumers, and PCAP advocates, chalked the sidewalks and the walls near the association to express their feelings.

Following the speak-out, a statement was delivered to the CMHA by the psychiatric survivors. The statement outlined many concerns, requested a response from the CMHA, and listed a set of demands for improving services and respecting the needs, agency, and choices of people with mental health issues. The statement also made an invitation to CMHA to participate in a workshop on how to provide supportive services and being an ally of survivors that will be put together by a psychiatric
survivor.

The CMHA has yet to respond to the psychiatric survivors' statement demonstrating once again how they treat the opinions and voices of the consumers and survivors. PCAP and the psych survivors group will be continuing their protest against the CMHA and demanding that CMHA stop forcing dependency, and respect the agency of survivors.

Check out the following links for coverage from the Examiner:
http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplayGenContent.aspx?e=7369
and
http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1152756

*A CALL FOR ENDORSEMENTS AND SOLIDARITY*

Dear friends and allies --

As you might know, in March the Algonquin community of Barriere Lake, located 400 kms north of Montreal, Quebec, had their Customary Chief and Council deposed by the Canadian government, with support from the Quebec government, in an attempt to get out of binding agreements signed with the community.

This is only the latest chapter in Barriere Lake's long struggle to wrest control over their lives and lands from governments and corporations. In 1991, Barriere Lake compelled Canada and Quebec to sign a groundbreaking land management and sustainable development agreement, after a campaign of civil disobedience that caught international attention. The Trilateral agreement set important precedents: it would give Barriere Lake decisive say in the management of 10,000 square kilometers of their traditional territory, protect Algonquin land uses, and give them a share in the resource-revenue from logging and hydro projects on their land. Praised by
the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, the agreement was an alternative to the Comprehensive Land Claims process, which Barriere Lake rejected because it would force them to extinguish their Aboriginal title and rights, among other reasons.

The federal and provincial governments never liked the agreement, and have tried everything to undermine it – including the unilateral leadership change in March. It's the third time in the past 12 years that the government has refused to recognize the legitimate community leadership. Today, the agreement remains unimplemented.

For background and information on Barriere Lake:
http://www.barrierelakesolidarity.blogspot.com/

Though a small community with few resources, Barriere Lake has demonstrated remarkable tenacity in their struggle for self-determination and the protection of their culture and land. But it is a struggle that can only succeed with broad support and solidarity from non-native people.

The Barriere Lake Solidarity collective in Montreal, taking direction from Barriere Lake, is looking for groups and organizations to *ENDORSE THE COMMUNITY'S LIST OF DEMANDS* in order to build pressure on the federal and provincial government

Email us if you can: barrierelakesolidarity@gmail.com

* Barriere Lake's List of Demands*

1. That the Government of Canada agree to respect the outcome of a new leadership re-selection process, with outside observers, recognize the resulting Customary Chief and Council, and cease all interference in the internal governance of Barriere Lake.

2. That the Government of Canada agree to the immediate incorporation of an Algonquin language and culture program into the primary school curriculum.

3. That the Government of Canada honour signed agreements with Barriere Lake, including the Trilateral, the Memorandum of Mutual Intent, and the Special Provisions, all of which it has illegally terminated.

4. That the Government of Canada revoke Third Party Management, which was imposed unjustly on Barriere Lake.

5. That the Province of Quebec honour signed agreements with Barriere Lake, including the 1991 Trilateral and 1998 Bilateral agreements, and adopt for implementation the Lincoln-Ciaccia joint recommendations, including $1.5
million in resource-revenue sharing.

6. That the Government of Canada and the Province of Quebec initiate a judicial inquiry into the Quebec Regional Office of the Department of Indian Affairs' treatment of Barriere Lake and other First Nations who may request to be included.

7. That the Government of Quebec, in consultation with First Nations, conduct a review of the recommendations of the Ontario Ipperwash Commission for guidance towards improving Quebec-First Nation relations and the SQ's procedures during policing of First Nation communities.

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Apart from *ENDORSEMENTS*, we are seeking other forms of support:

**Consider getting *INVOLVED* in our campaign – as a group, or as an individual – during the upcoming months.

**Consider making a *DONATION*, to support Barriere Lake's needs and to help with our mobilization efforts. Contact us by e-mail to make a donation, or donate directly to Barriere Lake through our website.
http://barrierelakesolidarity.blogspot.com/2008/03/donations.html

**If you want *UPDATES*, we can add you to an email list to notify you about upcoming events and actions. Just email barrierelakesolidarity@gmail.com

-- the Barriere Lake Solidarity collective

RALLY and SPEAK-OUT AGAINST CMHA

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End Psychiatric and Mental Health Abuse!
Stop poor-bashing and homelessness!
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Join us for a speak-out against the Canadian Mental Health Association:

Monday, 11th August 2008
3.30pm
outside CMHA-Peterborough
(466 George St.N.)

...followed by a Food Not Bombs feast at City Hall.

Organized by the Psychiatric Survivors and Allies Group, and Peterborough Coalition against Poverty (PCAP).

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WHY ARE WE PROTESTING?

Because the CMHA has failed in providing mental care support and supportive housing, and instead it has forced dependency and abused the rights of survivors. These issues can no longer wait:

*Lack of social support and individual counselling services. • Promotes drugs rather than good health. Not enough information about pharmaceuticals and their side effects. *Takes control of people limited finances through the Trustee Program instead of promoting living wages, affordable housing and decent social assistance
*Poor CMHA housing services with lack of freedom and violations of tenants rights
*Creates dependency through Trustee program and by encouraging medications, and over-use of buddy program,
*Absorbed survivor’s self-run catering service “Crazy Cooks”


WHAT ARE OUR DEMANDS?
•Provide capacity-building services and life coping skills
•Offer adequate counselling and social support services to individuals when requested
•Foster independence and freedom rather than dependency
•Provide educational materials and information on medications, side effects and alternatives to pharmaceuticals
•Respect the lifestyles, choices and livelihoods of survivors and stay out of the way!
•Focus on prevention programs and lobbing the government to raise social assistance rates and provide affordable housing
•Improve and increase supportive housing units
•Provide accountability and rights information
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Good mental health comes from the freedom to be who we are - culturally, racially and individually, from being able to live at a decent standard and from being able to access the right resources, healing and therapy we need, especially those that are not institutionalized.

End Psychiatric and Mental Health Abuse, Stop Poor-Bashing and Homelessness!!!