Do the Liberals think this is okay?

I've often heard it said that Parliament Hill and surrounding lands are Algonquin land. It's one of those politically correct things that gets said in ecumenical gatherings and such. "Welcome to Algonquin land." I have often wondered, though, how genuinely seriously any of the politically- correct white people who nod and smile when these things are said take this statement. There is that kind of smarmy racism of low expectations and patronizing support for the multicultural shakedown industry that never, ever, gets anything real done for aboriginal people who experience some of the worst poverty in this country yet pays their band leaders more than the Alberta premier gets. It also contributes to debacles like Caledonia.

Well, today, a group of Algonquin leaders made it clear they take it very seriously. And, gee, so does the Liberal Aboriginal critic!

Brian Lilley reports (my bolds):

A declaration written on buckskin and signed by 8 Algonquin chiefs was
delivered to Parliament Hill today. The chiefs were there to tell politicians
that the land the Parliament Buildings stand on is Algonquin land and so is much
of Ontario and Quebec.

A map distributed with the declaration shows an area
stretching from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario to Drummondville, Quebec as belonging
to the Algonquins, the area includes cities such as North Bay, Ottawa, Montreal
and Trois-Rivieres.

Grand Chief Lucien Wabanonik says this is not a land
claim it is a statement of fact. "We will not be entering into the current land
claim process devised by the government," says Wabanonik in a statement,
"because these lands are ours." Wabanonik says that the government land claims
process is not about recognizing rights but extinguishing them.

The declaration says that the Algonquin will no longer allow development within their territory "without our free, informed and written consent." Wabanonik says he and his people are willing to cooperate and share resources but that they clearly own all the land in question, including homes in cities like Montreal and Ottawa. He says any development on Algonquin land, including homes, is an infringement of their rights and title.

Representatives from the Liberal Party and the NDP attended the rally and addressed the crowd of several hundred.

Liberal Aboriginal Affairs Critic Todd Russell telling those assembled, "I
accept your statement, I accept your statement of self-government." Russell also
said he accepts the map and territory claimed by the Algonquin and encouraged the Conservative government to sit down and negotiate nation to nation with the chiefs.