Hunger strikes ended with smoked char in Labrador MP's office
Muskrat Falls hunger strikers celebrated the end of their protest with smoked char in MP Yvonne Jones's Ottawa office.
The Labrador member of Parliament told CBC's Labrador Morning that Billy Gauthier, Delilah Saunders and Jerry Kohlmeister were in her office early Wednesday morning awaiting word from talks between the provincial government and Indigenous leaders.
"Democracy works, and we saw that work in Labrador over the last number of days and weeks and into this morning," Jones said. "People obviously make a difference."
Jones said she'd been concerned for the strikers' health.
"I knew we had to get an end to this soon, or something very, very terrible was going to happen, and nobody wanted to see that," she said.
Jones said when the talks began Tuesday afternoon she was optimistic about the chances for an acceptable resolution, but there were a lot of "ups and downs" as hour after hour went by.
"But I have to say, there was a tremendous feeling of positivity for the most part with the group, with Billy, Delilah and Jerry and their support team, and with a lot of people across Labrador," she said.
"I can't even tell you the numbers of emails, the numbers of calls and texts we were receiving throughout that 11-hour period from people across Labrador, waiting patiently at the edge of their seats, knowing they had fought a good fight, they had raised the profile of this issue, they had done what they felt they could contribute ... there were a lot of people in Labrador that never closed their eyes last night until they got the results of what was happening in that room."
Celebration
When the phone call came with word that the statement would shortly be released detailing the agreement, said Jones, there were some "pretty excited and happy people" in her office.
Everyone gathered around a speakerphone to hear the details, she said.
"As each one of those pieces were read out and how it was going to be implemented, more and more tears fell around that table," she said. "I cannot begin to tell you the celebration and elation that occurred."
Smoked fish had been prepared for the strikers. Gauthier had gone without food for 12 days. Saunders and Kohlmeister started their hunger strike soon after Gauthier.
"After being that long without food, we were very cautious about them eating and what they would eat," she said.
