Chief Theresa Spence to end hunger strike Thursday
Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence has decided to end her six-week-long hunger strike after members of the Assembly of First Nations and the Liberal and New Democrat caucuses agreed to back a list of commitments supporting aboriginal issues.
Representatives from the AFN, the NDP caucus and the Liberal caucus have all signed a declaration of specific commitments asked for by Spence. Interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae, who was in Sarnia Wednesday, will also be signing the 13-point declaration.
Michèle Audette, president of the Canadian Native Women’s Association, said Spence will hold a press conference Thursday morning in Ottawa at 11 a.m. ET, along with Raymond Robinson, an elder from Cross Lake Nation in Manitoba.
Robinson, who joined Spence in her liquids-only diet, will also announce an end to his protest.
“I have never been in such an awe-inspiring movement … with all the nations of different races coming together to try to achieve a common goal, and I cannot thank them enough for all the generosity, all the support,” Robinson told CBC News Wednesday.
US cancels food aid to North Korea after missile launch, warns of more sanctions
Updated at 10:50 a.m. ET: The United States has canceled a proposed food aid deal with North Korea following over its attempt to launch a long-range rocket taking a satellite into orbit.
Senior administration officials told NBC News the deal with Pyongyang is off after the rocket was fired. It failed shortly after launch and landed in the sea off the South Korea coast.
“We are not going forward with an agreement to provide them with any assistance,” White House National Security Council spokesman Ben Rhodes told reporters traveling with President Barack Obama to Florida.
He added that the U.S. and its allies will “take additional steps” if there are more “provocative actions.”
