Brendan's autobiographical book The First Nations Party: Part One [click here]
Statements and speeches of Brendan William Cross [1]
Statements and speeches of Brendan William Cross [2]
Newspaper articles about Brendan William Cross
The Brendan Cross story (documentary)
Brendan Cross youtube search (videos)
brendan cross & The Disco Blues Band
CJTR 91.3 FM interview (2008)
Internet Archive.org
Flickr.com photos
Full-size photos
"Can't Stop Wanting You" from CATHEDRAL ONE [DOWNLOAD HERE]:
"Roll Baby Roll" from brendan cross 1992TO2012 [DOWNLOAD HERE]:
Stephen Leahy in Uxbridge, Canada, guardian.co.uk, Thursday 14 February 2013 17.41 GMT
Canadian government agencies have been accused of conflating extremism with peaceful protests, such as the ongoing campaign against Keystone XL tar sands pipeline project.
Monitoring of environmental activists in Canada by the country's police and security agencies has become the "new normal", according to a researcher who has analysed security documents released under freedom of information laws.
Security and police agencies have been increasingly conflating terrorism and extremism with peaceful citizens exercising their democratic rights to organise petitions, protest and question government policies, said Jeffrey Monaghan of the Surveillance Studies Centre at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.
The RCMP, Canada's national police force, and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) view activist activities such as blocking access to roads or buildings as "forms of attack" and depict those involved as national security threats, according to the documents.
Protests and opposition to Canada's resource-based economy, especially oil and gas production, are now viewed as threats to national security, Monaghan said. In 2011 a Montreal, Quebec man who wrote letters opposing shale gas fracking was charged under Canada's Anti-Terrorism Act. Documents released in January show the RCMP has been monitoring Quebec residents who oppose fracking.
"Any Canadians going to protest the Keystone XL pipeline in Washington DC on Sunday had better take precautions," Monaghan said.
In a Canadian Senate committee on national security and defence meeting Monday Feb 11 Richard Fadden, the director of CSIS said they are more worried about domestic terrorism, acknowledging that the vast majority of its spying is done within Canada. Fadden said they are "following a number of cases where we think people might be inclined to acts of terrorism".
Canada is at very low risk from foreign terrorists but like the US it has built a large security apparatus following 9/11. The resources and costs are wildly out of proportion to the risk said Monaghan.
"It's the new normal now for Canada's security agencies to watch the activities of environmental organisations," he said.
Surveillance and infiltration of environmental protest movement has been routine in the UK for some time. In 2011 a Guardian investigation revealed that a Met police officer had been living undercover for seven years infiltrating dozens of protest groups.
Canadian security forces seem to have a "fixation" with Greenpeace, continually describing them as "potentially violent" in threat assessment documents, said Monaghan.
"We're aware of this" said Greenpeace Canada's executive director Bruce Cox, who met the head of the RCMP last year. "We're an outspoken voice for non-violence and this was made clear to the RCMP," Cox said.
He said there was real anger among Canadians about the degradation of the natural environment by oil, gas and other extractive industries and governments working for those industries and not in the public interest. Security forces should see Greenpeace as a "plus", a non-violent outlet for this anger, he argued. "It is governments and fossil fuel industry who are the extremists, threatening the prosperity of future generations."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/feb/14/canada-environmental-activism-threat
"The keynote speaker for this first meeting of the party was the leader of the First Nations Party of Saskatchewan and his name is Brendan Cross.He is a young, ambitious, determined leader who is paving the way for a national party of like-minded Aboriginal people right across Canada.
His speaking power is undeniable and he comes prepared.
His topic to the assembled people at this first party meeting was focused on leaders who have had the courage to stand up for their convictions: Jesus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Moses, and other visionaries.
Witness the fact that he burned the Canadian Alliance's policy book on stage in front of Stockwell Day during the last federal election and you see someone who is unafraid of taking chances and willing to take chances for his people.
The poor Canadian Alliance crowd was stunned by the audacity of this articulate, powerful young man.
They were facing their worst fears-an Aboriginal with vision and an education and someone who could articulate a vision that other people could join without fear of repercussion.
The status quo now has reason to be afraid.
That is the way I see it anyway..."
[ from "NEW PARTY TO BATTLE OLD PROBLEMS", Keith Matthew / Raven's Eye Magazine, February 2001.]
CHAPTER TEN: MEETING PRINCE CHARLES
...
Again, a wave of excitement could be almost physically felt as Prince Charles moved in our direction. We were standing behind a rope barrier and my sister turned to me and nervously exclaimed, "He's coming our way! He's coming our way!" Indeed, he was. Within moments, the Prince was standing before my sister, quite interested in her one-year-old daughter. "Is this yours?" he asked, and my sister replied, "Yes." Prince Charles asked how old she was, and my sister told him she had just turned one days before. "They're quite a handful at that age," he stated, and my sister laughed and agreed.
My wife was holding my daughter just behind my sister, and I was beside her. Premier Lorne Calvert was with the Prince and I greeted him. "Good day, Mister Premier," I said and he replied, "Oh, hi Brendan," making it evident he was clearly enjoying being in the company of the Prince of Wales. Premier Calvert was grinning ear to ear and was almost giddy!
After chatting with my sister, Prince Charles turned to leave, and I found myself quite impulsively stepping over the rope barrier, planting myself only feet away from the Prince. My movement caught his attention and he turned to look at my curiously. "I'm the Leader of the First Nations Party of Saskatchewan," I declared. "Oh really," he replied, stepping toward me to shake my hand. "What's your name?" he asked as we shook hands. "Brendan Cross," I told him. "Will I be seeing you later, inside?" he asked, motioning toward the legislature where he would be addressing M. L. A.s and special guests. "No, we haven't elected anyone yet," I told him almost regrettably.
He looked into my eyes intently for a second and replied, "Oh. Well, there's always tomorrow, isn't there?" Our brief meeting was over, and the Prince continued towards the legislature with the Premier.
...
[ from "THE FIRST NATIONS PARTY: PART ONE", by Brendan William Cross, copyright 2005.]
"There are terrorist cells in North America right now planning an attack that will shock the world and begin a decade-long war to destroy Western values.
Just like the end of Fight Club."
-part of an internet communication I read in May of 2001, mere weeks after resigning the leadership of The First Nations Party of Saskatchewan, part 1.
"The Brendan Cross story" documentary from Brendan Cross on Vimeo.
