Idle No More 'a marathon, it's not a sprint'

Friday's meeting between the Prime Minister Stephen Harper and First Nations leaders is an important step in the Idle No More movement but there is a lot more work to be done, says a P.E.I. Mi'kmaq leader.

The Idle No More movement is protesting new legislation believed by some Native peoples to be is an attack on aboriginal rights. In addition to protests across the country and demands for a meeting with the prime minister, some First Nations have taken the government to court for failing to consult.

Don MacKenzie, director of intergovernmental affairs with the Mi'kmaq Confederacy of P.E.I., said even if Friday's meeting and the court challenge go well, any big changes for First Nations will take time.

"It's a marathon, it's not a sprint," said MacKenzie.

"The day after the litigation, or the day after of perhaps a re-thinking by the government of Canada, that in itself will not change everything, but it's a step in the right direction. As I say, it's a long path for the advancement of the Aboriginal people of Prince Edward Island and of Canada."

MacKenzie is hoping the federal government puts the Bill C-45 legislation on hold until First Nations have their say.