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Media Release: Rally in Shawanaga – Stop the Raids, Return our Medicines!

Protest convoy to APS detachment in Wasauksing led by Chief Del Riley to leave Shawanaga Monday, March 22nd at 10am.

On March 11, 2021 a group of Anishinabek Police Services officers led by Constables Mitchell McNamarra and Sheema Osipenko, raided the High-Way 69 Medical Cannabis dispensary in Shawanaga First Nation and unlawfully stole medicines that people need to treat their ailments. 

Cannabis is legal on the unceded Indigenous land where the store is located. The people of Shawanaga support cannabis, and they have the Aboriginal right to provide medicines and to sustain themselves from creation.

There are currently over 100 Indigenous cannabis dispensaries operating on a sovereign basis across Ontario. The March 11th raid was the first raid on an Indigenous cannabis dispensary by the APS since traditional people rallied outside of police stations in Garden River and Batchewana First Nation in June of 2021

The High-Way 69 Medical Cannabis dispensary has retained hereditary Crane Clan Chief Del Riley as a representative. Chief Riley was one of the negotiators and authors of Sections 25 and 35 of the Canadian Constitution. According to Chief Riley, “Indigenous people have the constitutionally protected right to operate their own cannabis stores free of Provincial, Federal, or Band Council Regulation.” 

At 9:30am on Monday, March 22nd, supporters of the High-Way 69 Medical Cannabis dispensary will gather in the parking lot of the store, and then travel in a convoy to the APS station in Wasauksing First Nation which launched the raid. The convoy will be led by Chief Del Riley and will demand that the APS return the stolen medicines and apologize for the raid. Supporters are asked to bring flags and signs and wear camo to show their support. 

Chief Del Riley and constitutional lawyer Michael Swinwood will be available at the March 22nd event for media interviews. Media can also quote the following interviews with land owner Vince Pawis and store customer Katherine

For more information: contact the High-Way 69 Medical Cannabis dispensary via Facebook Messenger. 

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