“We’re not acting under the threat of police action,” Shawn Brant, a spokesman for the men’s council at the reserve said by telephone. “We just don’t feel it’s right to be unnecessarily sticking a finger in people’s eyes.”  Via Rail Canada, the country’s passenger rail system, canceled service between Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa for the duration of the day. Canadian National said that freight service is also being disrupted.  Phil Fontaine, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, had called for a “national day of action” earlier this year to protest a variety of grievances.  Relations between native groups and the Canada’s current Conservative government have been strained. Shortly after taking power last year, the Conservatives canceled an agreement between the federal government, the country’s 10 provinces and three territories that would have provided 5 billion Canadian dollars for education, employment training and health care improvements for native people.  This month, the government announced a new system for settling native land claims that met with a favorable reaction from Mr. Fontaine, whose group is the main national organization for natives. The government also rushed to settle a land claim from a tribe in Manitoba that had also threatened to block railroads today.  Despite those developments, Mr. Fontaine and other native leaders still have a long list of complaints, including demands for a formal apology for programs that once removed native children to distant boarding schools. Pupils at several of those schools were sexually and physically abused. While the government is offering financial compensation, it has rebuffed requests for an apology.  Most demonstrations this morning appeared to be peaceful. Mr. Fontaine was to be joined by several opposition politicians and prominent Canadians in a march past the Parliament buildings in Ottawa in the afternoon that was to end at an Ottawa River island claimed by a native group.  The Mohawk tribe that blocked roads and rail lines today had shut down the Canadian National tracks in April.  Mr. Brant, who is the subject of an arrest warrant from that episode, said that his tribe has found non-disruptive protests to be ineffective.  “We possess strength and power. Our people have a great deal of courage and our making this kind of disruption is to get a message to government,” he said. “Pushing the button of disruption and inconvenience moved our status up.”  Julian Fantino, the commissioner of the provincial police force, said that no attempt will be made to arrest Mr. Brandt until the protest ends at midnight. Mr. Brant has promised to turn himself in at that time.
OTTAWA, June 29 — Canadian travelers faced road and rail shutdowns this morning as they set out for the Canada Day holiday weekend amid nationwide protests by native groups.