Shawn Brant is a Native activist who lives on the

Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory is the main First Nation reserve of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte First Nation. The territory is located in Ontario east of Belleville on the Bay of Quinte. Tyendinaga is located near the site of the former Mohaw ...

, Ontario, Canada. He has been involved in direct action struggles for Native land rights, in conflict with Ontario provincial authorities. In the 1990s, Brant participated in protests at

Oka Oka or OKA may refer to: Cars * Oka (automobile), a small car designed by AvtoVAZ and produced by ZMA and SeAZ * OKA 4wd, a large 4-wheel-drive vehicle made in Western Australia by OKA Military * 2B1 Oka, Soviet 420 mm self-propelled mor ...

and Ipperwash. In November 2006, the Mohawk community of Tyendinaga reclaimed a gravel quarry that was licensed to remove over 100,000 tonnes of gravel per year despite ongoing

land claims A land claim is defined as "the pursuit of recognized territorial ownership by a group or individual". The phrase is usually only used with respect to disputed or unresolved land claims. Some types of land claims include aboriginal land claims, A ...

negotiations. The Mohawks claimed that their land was being stolen from them by the Canadian government that was at the same time ostensibly engaged in land claims negotiations. Although the Canadian government formally recognized the quarry as Mohawk land in 2003, private development has continued ever since. In January 2007, Brant was arrested for uttering death threats to members of the Canadian military who had been present at the November protest. On April 14, 2008, Brant was acquitted of all charges. In April 2007, he organized a 30-hour blockade of a

CN rail The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States. CN i ...

line in eastern Ontario. After this time the Ontario police guaranteed

immunity Immunity may refer to: Medicine * Immunity (medical), resistance of an organism to infection or disease * ''Immunity'' (journal), a scientific journal published by Cell Press Biology * Immune system Engineering * Radiofrequence immunity desc ...

to the protestors in exchange for ending the protest. The offer was accepted, and the protest ended without arrest or injury. On April 25, Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner

Julian Fantino Julian Fantino, , ( it, Giuliano Fantino; born August 13, 1942) is a Canadian retired police official and former politician. He was the Conservative Party of Canada Member of the Parliament of Canada for the riding of Vaughan following a Nov ...

issued a warrant for Brant’s arrest. In June 2007, the Mohawks of Tyendinaga blockaded CN lines and highways running through Mohawk land near

Deseronto, Ontario Deseronto is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, in Hastings County, located at the mouth of the Napanee River on the shore of the Bay of Quinte, on the northern side of Lake Ontario. The town was named for Captain John Deseronto, a nat ...

. Brant participated as a Mohawk spokesperson as part of the National Aboriginal Day of Action on June 29, 2007. Brant was charged with nine counts of

mischief Mischief or malicious mischief is the name for a criminal offenses that is defined differently in different legal jurisdictions. While the wrongful acts will often involve what is popularly described as vandalism, there can be a legal different ...

and breach of bail conditions. He turned himself in on July 5 and was denied bail. Denied bail again on August 10, Brant was finally released on August 30 with a $50,000 bond and a $50,000 surety. The courts have consistently denied Brant the right to associate with Tyendinaga protests. On April 25, 2008, Brant was again arrested and detained for assault and weapons charges in relation to a confrontation between two men from Deseronto – James Lalonde and Mike Lalonde – and several aboriginal protesters. Brant’s wife, Sue Collis, issued a public statement declaring that Shawn’s weapon was a fishing spear. To date, Brant has been the only person charged. On May 27, 2008, Brant was put on lockdown for 23 hours a day for 12 days for misconduct and breaking the prison rules. He was illegally burning

sage Sage or SAGE may refer to: Plants * ''Salvia officinalis'', common sage, a small evergreen subshrub used as a culinary herb ** Lamiaceae, a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint or deadnettle or sage family ** ''Salvia'', a large ...

in his cell as part of a Mohawk religious ceremony. In 2008, Brant was found to have sold land that didn't belong to him but belonged to the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. On June 7, 2009, Brant helped organize a blockade of the Skyway bridge which connects Tyendinaga with Prince Edward County. He was imprisoned for almost three years. On November 1, 2013, Brant announced he was running for elected chief of Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. He was unsuccessful in his attempt, coming in second to Donald Maracle. As of 2020, Brant is a Tyendinaga pot shop owner.

References

External links

Tyendinaga Support Committee
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brant, Shawn Canadian Mohawk activists Living people Native American activists Year of birth missing (living people) American Mohawk people 21st-century First Nations people

See also

References

External links