Idle No More and the Audit of Chief Spence's Band

[Wetcoaster]

The Queen has already made her views known on this before the letter - by direct actions.

Back in 1994, while the Queen and her then PM Jean Chrétien, were attending an aboriginal cultural festival in Yellowknife, the Dene community of the Northwest Territories presented a list of grievances over stalled land claim negotiations. The same thing occurred in 1997 the community of Sheshatshiu in Newfoundland and Labrador, where the Innu people of Quebec and Labrador presented a letter of grievance over stagnant land claim talks. In both cases she passed the letters over to PM Chrétien as he heads the Governor -in-Council that provides the advice on how to proceed upon which the monarch or her vice-regal representative will then act.

Here is that 1997 letter:

http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/41/052.html

That is how our Constitution has evolved over the centuries. And bear in mind the Canadian Constitution is both written and unwritten.

[Hugemanskost]

When will the time come where all Canadians are treated the same? How long will we continue to pay for our forefather's actions?

[Wetcoaster]

When will the time come where all Canadians are treated the same? How long will we continue to pay for our forefather's actions?

[Hugemanskost]

Aboriginals have different rights as compared to non-aboriginals, that has been entrenched in our supreme law.

Q: "When will the time come where all Canadians are treated the same?" is

A: "Not in the foreseeable future".

Q: "How long will we continue to pay for our forefather's actions?"

A: "As long as the Constitution is not amended or until the First Nations agree to give up those rights by way of negotiation." (Translation they will continue to bind us now and in future.)

[Wetcoaster]

Protest blockades are not the answer - so saysIdle No More movement co-founder Sylvia McAdam.

Major protests across Canada that close highways, rail lines and other public infrastructure in pursuit of improved lives for natives are a bad idea. Even the co-founder of the Idle No More movement, Sylvia McAdam, says so. "If you have an impromptu blockade that doesn't follow the legal permits, then you're irritating the public and that's not the purpose behind Idle No More," she told the National Post.

The problem with the protests is that their only effect is to anger most Canadians, leading to less understanding between native and non-native communities and making solutions even more difficult to find.

Idle No More is falling into the same trap that derailed the Occupy Movement: so many complaints are being articulated that no one really knows what the movement wants.

That natives need a new relationship with Canada and other Canadians, almost everyone can agree. But until aboriginal leaders articulate a clear vision for that relationship, or how natives will fit in to modern Canadian society, both sides will remain lost, frustrated and no closer to finding answers.

http://www.theprovince.com/Idle+More+protests+answer/7831354/story.html#ixzz2IXQGUQ5c

Ms. McAadam also sought to distance Idle No more from Chief Theresa Spence's actions:

Ms. McAdam, a consultant who lives on Saskatchewan’s Whitefish Lake reserve, also made the distinction between the movement and Attawapiskat Chief Spence, who started a liquid diet around the time Idle No More ramped up late last year and has since been married to movement in the eyes of many Canadians.

“We’re both headed in the same direction, but the grassroots movement of Idle No More is the face of all grassroots people,” Ms. McAdam said. “Idle No More has no leader. The founders might be considered guides or maintaining the vision, but Idle No More has no leader or official spokesperson.”

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/01/15/idle-no-more-co-founder-distances-movement-from-planned-blockades-hunger-striking-chief-spence/

[RUPERTKBD]

Good to see that there are some voices of reason extant in the Idle No More movement...

...as far as Spence goes, I believe she's just attaching herself to the movement in order to deflect attention away from her obvious mismanagement of band funds.

[Common sense]

It took them *this* long to realize blockades don't do your PR machine any good?!

[Wetcoaster]

And the latest from Chief Spence - she has lost 30 pounds on her liquid diet (no word if Jenny Craig has asked her to be a spokesperson), she will continue here liquid diet until the Governor General and Prime Minster meet with her in the same room on her terms and that the scathing audit of her band's finances was a "witch hunt".

A First Nations leader who has vowed to go without solid food until she meets with the prime minister and Governor General in the same room said in a television interview aired Sunday that a scathing audit of her band’s financial records was part of a “witch hunt.”

Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence also said she would not give up her liquid diet despite growing calls for her to do so as she defended criticism of her fast, her demands of the government and her band’s finances.

Spence told CTV’s Question Period that she met with Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada officials to discuss the results of the audit and find ways to improve what auditors considered abysmal record keeping on the northern Ontario reserve of Attawapiskat.

The audit found that going back to April 1, 2005, the band council didn’t properly prepare budgets or keep minutes to support band council resolutions. About 80 per cent of the transactions analyzed — many of which took place before Spence became chief in 2010 — didn’t have proper documentation to support spending of about $104 million in funding provided to Attawapiskat during that time.

Spence said on the political talk show that she told officials the band would comply with all recommendations in the report, but told officials, “We don’t want you to use this against us. We want to have a better working relationship.”

Days before Prime Minister Stephen Harper met with Assembly of First Nations (AFN) chiefs, the aboriginal affairs department posted the audit on its website and argued the decision to do so was not politically motivated.

Spence questioned the findings of the review, saying auditors were in Attawapiskat for 10 days and rejected a request for a larger, forensic audit of the band’s finances.

“There were documents in the warehouse which they didn’t even go and look at,” Spence said. “It was a witch hunt.”

On her hunger strike, Spence said she was willing to die and leave her children without a mother if Harper and Gov. Gen. David Johnston didn’t meet with her and other chiefs.

“I go day by day. I’m still waiting for that meeting that needs to take place with the Governor General and the prime minister and our leaders. This meeting is required,” Spence said.

Spence said it was a mistake for AFN chiefs to meet with Harper on Jan. 11 because it was considered a “working group” rather than nation-to-nation talks. She also said that First Nations leaders saw Johnston’s role as key to their concerns, despite the Governor General being a largely ceremonial figurehead that acts on the advice of the government.

“We feel his role in a different way because when this treaty was signed, it was with the Crown,” Spence said.

Spence said she has lost 30 pounds since she started her liquid diet about 40 days ago, and brushed off anyone doubting the validity of her fast saying: “There’s always criticism.”

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/01/21/attawapiskat-chief-loses-30-pounds-since-going-on-liquid-diet-claims-band-audit-is-a-witch-hunt/

Here is a link to the CTV interview

http://www.ctvnews.ca/qp/

[Common sense]

Now, her own band members are threatening to remove Spence from her position as Chief. This just gets more interesting!

End hunger protest or leave office: Band readies demand for Chief Theresa Spence, report says

A band council delegation from the beleaguered Attawapiskat community is reportedly slated to fly into Ottawa to hand-deliver an ultimatum to Chief Theresa Spence on Wednesday afternoon, threatening to oust her from office unless she ends her liquid-diet protest.

Negotiations to end the fast — which began more than 40 days ago when she left her northern Ontario community to set up camp on Victoria Island — had already ramped up earlier this week, but the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network is reporting that Ms. Spence now faces pressure from within her own council.

“They are coming in tonight,” a source close to Ms. Spence told APTN. “Then it will end.”

Ms. Spence’s spokesperson, Danny Metatawabin, confirmed that Liberal interim leader Bob Rae and First Nations leaders are in the midst of talks to end the liquid diet, although he would not comment on the preconditions. According to the Canadian Press, Ms. Spence wants opposition parties and First Nations supporters to sign a 13-point declaration, in part promising to maintain pressure on the Conservative government to amend its omnibus legislation and also to demand on-reserve housing and education improvements.

Sources — who don’t want to be quoted because they negotiations are at a critical point — say a resolution could be reached as early as Thursday.

Mr. Metatawabin told the National Post he has not heard that a delegation is bound for the island near Parliament Hill on Wednesday, but said “I’m sure everybody wants her home.”

“Those are her own community members, so I can’t stop Theresa from seeing them,” he said, adding that a hand-delivered letter threatening her removal would only complicate an already fluid situation.

He said Ms. Spence’s camp expects to make an announcement sometime today or tomorrow regarding an end to the liquid diet, which is reportedly likely to end Thursday. Until this week, Ms. Spence has said she would maintain her fast until the Prime Minister agreed to meet with First Nations leaders and the Governor-General — at the same time — to discuss treaty rights and implementation.

“We’re not backing down,” he said, rejecting the notion that Ms. Spence is capitulating without having her long-standing demand met. “We’re not giving in. Actually, we’re building momentum to stand united as a nation.”

The Canadian Press obtained a draft of the 13-point declaration, which lays out the specific conditions for resolving a protest that has thrown the Ottawa-First Nations relationship into disarray for the last six weeks. The draft declaration says treaties should be fully implemented within five years and demands a thorough review of two Conservative government omnibus bills that dramatically changed environmental oversight and sparked the Idle No More movement.

“We fully commit to carry forward the urgent and co-ordinated action required until concrete and tangible results are achieved in order to allow First Nations to forge their own destiny,” it says.

The National Post sought to confirm that an Attawapiskat band delegation is, indeed, bound for the Ottawa River island, but a staff member at the band office hung up on the newspaper three times and would not provide any information whatsoever.

Thursday, the day that a resolution is hoped for, is when Spence and the Assembly of First Nations had asked Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Gov.-Gen. David Johnston to hold a meeting with the country’s chiefs.

Neither Harper nor Johnston have agreed to the meeting, but several chiefs are expected to travel to Ottawa anyway.

The PMO has said that Johnston will not be involved in any future policy discussions with First Nations.

“[First Nations people] are very insistent on having the Governor-General there, but the Governor-General says this is a policy matter with the government and that [he] shouldn’t be there,” PMO spokesperson Andrew MacDougall said. “We agree with that.”

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/01/23/end-hunger-protest-or-leave-office-band-readies-demand-for-chief-theresa-spence-report-says/

[Tearloch7]

Something my sister forwarded to me adds perspective:

Chief Clarence Louie, Osoyoos BC speaking in Northern Alberta :

Speaking to a large aboriginal conference and some of the attendees, including a few who hold high office, have straggled in.

'I can't stand people who are late, he says into the microphone. Indian Time doesn't cut it. '

Some giggle, but no one is quite sure how far he is going to go. Just sit back and listen:

'My first rule for success is Show up on time.'

'My No. 2 rule for success is follow Rule No. 1.'

'If your life sucks, it's because you suck.'

'Quit your sniffling.'

'Join the real world. Go to school, or get a job.'

'Get off of welfare. Get off your butt.'

He pauses, seeming to gauge whether he dare, then does.

'People often say to me, How you doin'? Geez I'm working with Indians what do you think?'

Now they are openly laughing ..... applauding. Clarence Louie is everything that was advertised and more.

'Our ancestors worked for a living, he says. So should you.'

He is, fortunately, aboriginal himself. If someone else stood up and said these things - the white columnist standing there with his mouth open, for example - you'd be seen as a racist. Instead, Chief Clarence Louie is seen, increasingly, as one of the most interesting and innovative native leaders in the country even though he avoids national politics.

He has come here to Fort McMurray because the aboriginal community needs, desperately, to start talking about economic development and what all this multibillion-dollar oil madness might mean, for good and for bad.

Clarence Louie is chief and CEO of the Osoyoos Band in British Columbia's South Okanagan. He is 44 years old, though he looks like he would have been an infant when he began his remarkable 20-year-run as chief.. He took a band that had been declared bankrupt and taken over by Indian Affairs and he has turned in into an inspiration.

In 2000, the band set a goal of becoming self-sufficient in five years. They're there.

The Osoyoos, 432 strong, own, among other things, a vineyard, a winery, a golf course and a tourist resort, and they are partners in the Baldy Mountain ski development. They have more businesses per capita than any other first nation in Canada.

There are not only enough jobs for everyone, there are so many jobs being created that there are now members of 13 other tribal communities working for the Osoyoos. The little band contributes $40-million a year to the area economy.

Chief Louie is tough. He is as proud of the fact that his band fires its own people as well as hires them. He has his mottos posted throughout the Rez. He believes there is no such thing as consensus, that there will always be those who disagree. And, he says, he is milquetoast compared to his own mother when it comes to how today's lazy aboriginal youth, almost exclusively male, should be dealt with.

Rent a plane, she told him, and fly them all to Iraq. Dump'em off and all the ones who make it back are keepers. Right on, Mom.

The message he has brought here to the Chipewyan, Dene and Cree who live around the oil sands is equally direct: 'Get involved, create jobs and meaningful jobs, not just window dressing for the oil companies.'

'The biggest employer,' he says, 'shouldn't be the band office.'

He also says the time has come to get over it. 'No more whining about 100-year-old failed experiments.' 'No foolishly looking to the Queen to protect rights.'

Louie says aboriginals here and along the Mackenzie Valley should not look at any sharing in development as rocking-chair money but as investment opportunity to create sustainable businesses. He wants them to move beyond entry-level jobs to real jobs they earn all the way to the boardrooms. He wants to see business manners develop: showing up on time, working extra hours. The business lunch, he says, should be drive through, and then right back at it.

'You're going to lose your language and culture faster in poverty than you will in economic development', he says to those who say he is ignoring tradition.

Tough talk, at times shocking talk given the audience, but on this day in this community, they took it and, judging by the response, they loved it.

Eighty per cent like what I have to say, Louie says, twenty per cent don't. I always say to the 20 per cent, 'Get over it.' 'Chances are you're never going to see me again and I'm never going to see you again' 'Get some counseling.'

The first step, he says, is all about leadership. He prides himself on being a stay-home chief who looks after the potholes in his own backyard and wastes no time running around fighting 100-year-old battles.

'The biggest challenge will be how you treat your own people.'

'Blaming government? That time is over.'

There are other ways to approach the 21st Century if you are a native leader ..

[Wetcoaster]

And the declaration referred to in the post above...

(Interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae and northern Ontario deputy grand chief at Nishnawbe Aski Nation Alvin Fiddler), along with Spence and a couple of her closest confidantes, have been working the phone lines to craft a declaration of the chief's concerns that would be signed by supporters. They also hope to design a ceremony to mark what her protest has accomplished, and define a process that will allow Spence a recovery.

A draft copy of the declaration, obtained by CBC News, states that Spence and Robinson will continue their hunger strike unless they can be assured that commitments made by Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Jan. 11, in the meeting with national AFN Chief Shawn Alteo and other First Nations chiefs, are followed though and implemented as quickly as possible.

The declaration also asks for:

• An immediate meeting between the Crown, the federal and provincial governments, and all First Nations to discuss treaty and non-treaty-related relationships.

• Clear work plans and timelines, and a demand that the housing crisis within First Nations communities be considered as a short-term immediate action.

• Frameworks and mandates for implementation and enforcement of treaties on a nation-to-nation basis.

• Reforming and modifying a land-claims policy

• A commitment towards resource revenue sharing, requiring the participation of provinces and territories.

• A review in regards to Bill C-35 and C-45 to ensure consistency with constitutional requirments about consultation with aboriginal peoples.

• The removal of funding caps and the indexing of payments made to First Nations.

• An inquiry into violence against indigenous women.

• Equity in capital construction of First Nation schools and additional funding support for First Nation languages.

• A dedicated cabinet committee and secretariat within the Privy Council Office responsible for the First Nation-Crown relationship.

• Full implemenation (sic) of the United Nations declaration of the rights of indigenous peoples.

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...ger-strike.html

And the spotlight has been shone on the issue of her band's finances:

Spence's protest attracted unwanted attention, too: Much publicity surrounded a government-ordered audit of her band's finances that showed a lack of proper documentation for about $100 million in funding.

Rae, the Assembly of First Nations, Spence's spokesman and Fiddler would not comment Tuesday when contacted by The Canadian Press.

And divided the Assembly of First Nations as Chief Shawn Atleo's leadership remains in question as he is about to return from sick leave.

While Spence's protest may be forging a bond among First Nations women leaders, her refusal to budge over the past few weeks has divided the Assembly of First Nations and prompted questions about the leadership of Atleo.

Atleo attended the meeting with Harper on Jan. 11 even though the Governor General was not included in the meeting, as Spence had demanded. She boycotted the meeting, as did many chiefs from Manitoba, Ontario and other parts of the country.

Atleo has been on sick leave ever since, but issued a statement on Monday saying he would be back at work with a united AFN later this week.

[Wetcoaster]

CBC is reporting that Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence will end her six-week-long liquid diet protest on Thursday morning and the usual suspects have joined in to sign her declaration.

The Assembly of First Nations, the NDP caucus, and the Liberal caucus have all signed a declaration from Spence. Interim Liberal Leader Bob Rae, who was in Sarnia Wednesday, will also signing the 13-point declaration.

Michèle Audette, president of the Canadian native women's association, said there will be a press conference tomorrow morning.

Spence, who has been subsisting on fish broth and medicinal tea since Dec. 11, has been examining ways to return to her home and nurse herself back to health, multiple sources told The Canadian Press.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/01/23/attawapiskat-spence-hunger-strike.html

[Wetcoaster]

The six week hunger strike liquid diet protest by Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence is wrapping up but the struggle continues.

The struggle will continue, a spokesman for Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence vowed Thursday, as her team wrapped up a six-week hunger strike in Ottawa.

Danny Metatawabin, speaking on behalf of Spence who is in hospital on an intravenous unit, said First Nations people have awakened and will not be put aside again.

"Change had to happen," Metatawabin said, "not only to protect our treaty rights but our non-treaty friends as well … for all our First Nation communities who live in third-world conditions. We will stand up, we will persevere. We want to be acknowledged, we want to be respected."

"The fight does not end because the hunger strike ends," he said.

Spence and Manitoba Elder Raymond Robinson officially ended their six-week hunger strikes this morning, with Spence absent from events scheduled in her honour because of her precautionary stay in hospital.

Robinson spoke at a press conference with Metatawabin, addressing everything from the pain of his residential school experience to frustration with the Conservative government's budget implementation bill.

Spence and Robinson were to resume eating solid food for the first time since Dec. 11. They have consumed only fish broth and herbal teas for the last six weeks and spent a great deal of time outdoors in punishing winter temperatures.

"She's fine, just her body's tired and weak, and they want to keep her under observation," Metatawabin said earlier Thursday morning from Victoria Island in Ottawa.

"This was not for Theresa, this was not for Raymond. This was not for me. This was for everybody. The whole nation. The whole nation has been awoken. This was a spiritual journey and we must continue the journey … The fight continues with regards to our treaty rights and regarding our non-treaty friends as well."

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...y-thursday.html

[Wetcoaster]

Chief Spence wanted the GG and PM in the same room to talk policy options and that is not the role of the GG in a constitutional monarchy. That is not happening

On January 15, 2013 she wrote the GG stating that "it is imperative that yourself and the prime minister be present at a meeting of all First Nation Chiefs. This was requested and explained to you face to face by Chiefs and hunger strikers with honor, spirit and respect and the special value your position means to First Nations People."

The GG responded by letter that according to Canada's constitutional monarchy, "the governor general acts on the advice of Canadian minister."

And Spence responded it's the Governor General's office that has a "direct role and duty" in respect to her concerns, and urges him to "provide your opinion and advice to the Prime Minister."

That latter claim shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of the GG.

Here is the letter of 15 Jan 2013 to the GG:

https://docs.google....jaVk/edit?pli=1

Here is the response of the GG of 18 Jan 2013:

https://docs.google....BSWc/edit?pli=1

And Chief Spence's letter of 22 Jan 2013:

https://docs.google....OeFk/edit?pli=1

And the PM's office has been clear on this differentiation in roles - it is the government who determines policy. In a statement issued by Andrew McDougall a spokesperson for the Prime Minister:

“[some First Nations people] are very insistent on having the Governor-General there, but the Governor-General says this is a policy matter with the government and that [he] shouldn’t be there. We agree with that.”

Our constitution has evolved since the Royal Proclamation of 1763 and the first treaties with the British Crown:

Constitutional expert Ned Franks said the British Crown did, indeed, enter into historic treaties via colonial governors, but that it is today a “myth” among aboriginals that First Nations leaders should negotiate treaty implementation with anyone other than the elected government — a myth, he fears, that could now prove fatal.

“My greatest fear in this whole thing is that [Ms. Spence] will die of this hunger strike and then she will become a symbol of the intractability,” said Mr. Franks, a retired Queen’s University political studies professor. “On the other hand, it’s just not constitutionally acceptable for her — without the wishes of the Prime Minister being taken into account — to meet with the Governor-General.”

McGill University political science professor Christopher Manfredi echoed the Prime Minister’s position, saying discussions between Mr. Harper and Mr. Atleo involve policy and have nothing to do with Mr. Johnston.

http://news.national...cy-discussions/

[Common sense]

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/01/24/chief-theresa-spence-calls-senator-brazeau-an-a-hole-in-salty-language-twitter-spat/

Classy, Thief Spence.

[Wetcoaster]

Idle No More protest planned for Vancouver at noon today as part of Canada wide events.

As part of a global day of action, Vancouver Idle No More protesters are planning to rally outside a downtown federal Aboriginal Affairs office Monday starting at noon.

The rally is planned for the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada Department office near the intersection of Melville and Thurlow streets.

Speakers will include CUPE BC general vice-president Paul Faoro and aboriginal hip hop artist Jerilynn (JB the First Lady) Webster – who is a former executive director of a native youth organization and leader of residential school reconciliation workshops between elders and youths.

Idle No More protesters are set to gather in at least 30 Canadian cities and will be joined by solidarity protests around the world as the indigenous grassroots movement marks a global day of action on Monday.

The day of action, which comes as Canada’s MPs return to the House of Commons, is to include everything from a peace march in Calgary to a gathering of jingle dancers on Ottawa’s Parliament Hill and a sunrise ceremony in Montreal, according to regional Idle No More Facebook pages.

And internationally, protesters are set to gather for events everywhere from Australia to Sweden and across the United States.

“This day of action will peacefully protest attacks on Democracy, Indigenous Sovereignty, Human Rights and Environmental Protections when Canadian MPs return to the House of Commons on January 28th,” organizers said in a statement on the Idle No More website. “As a grassroots movement, clearly no political organization speaks for Idle No More. This movement is of the people… For The People!”

The aboriginal-rights movement seeks a more equitable relationship between the federal government and Canada’s indigenous people. The movement urges the government of Canada to “repeal all legislation; which violates Treaties, Indigenous Sovereignty and subsequently Environmental Protections of land and water,” according to the Idle No More website.

Although Attawapiskat Chief Theresa’s Spence former hunger protest had become inextricably linked to the movement, she began refusing solid food after the movement’s original rallies, teach-ins and first national day of action organized on Dec. 10.

Last week a new assembly of social movements called Common Causes – associated with the Council of Canadians – announced its support for Idle No More to mark the global day of action. Common Causes has also announced Monday rallies and marches in cities across the country, most of them in coordination with Idle No More events.

The largest Idle No More turnout is expected in Ottawa, where jingle dancers across the country have been invited by organizers to dance on Parliament Hill following a rally on Victoria Island. Maude Barlow – the national chairperson of the Council of Canadians – is scheduled to give a speech on behalf of Common Causes on Parliament Hill Monday afternoon.

In Vancouver, hundreds of protesters plan to march to the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Building, according to the event’s Facebook page. In Calgary, more than 300 people have RSVP’d for a peace march that will converge in “the biggest Round Dance the downtown core has ever seen!”

In Regina, Sask., 287 people had registered on Facebook to attend an evening of music and speeches. And in Winnipeg, more than 2,000 had registered to take place in a flash mob round dance.

Dozens of rallies are planned for cities across Ontario – including nearly 400 people expected to gather in downtown Toronto – and the Maritimes, according to Facebook.

Just over 250 people had RSVP’d for an Idle No More rally in Montreal, and another hundred people RSVP’d for a sunrise ceremony that then plans to organize transportation to the rally in Ottawa.

In Melbourne, Australia, 61 people were registered for a Haka flash mob in support of Idle No More. In Malmo, Sweden, 115 people said they were attending a rally in support of Idle No More. That rally was set to include dancing and drumming, according to the group’s Facebook page.

And events have been planned in a number of cities across the United States, including New York City, Washington and Las Vegas.

Spinning off the recent First Nations protests and meetings, NDP MP Romeo Saganash will introduce a private member’s bill Monday asking the government to ensure the laws of Canada are consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

http://www.vancouver...l#ixzz2JIDO9UJJ

[Amish Rake Fighter]

Good to see that there are some voices of reason extant in the Idle No More movement...

...as far as Spence goes, I believe she's just attaching herself to the movement in order to deflect attention away from her obvious mismanagement of band funds.