Katsi’tsakwas Ellen Gabriel said the great white pine is a symbol of peace. The small tree was brought from Kanesatake to be planted to promote peace among all people. The tree planting ceremony was conducted by the Traditional Longhouse people on the university’s lower field, where a pro-Palestinian encampment stood for over two months last spring.

All injunction requests that were filed in Quebec court were rejected. McGill hired a private security firm to dismantle the camp in July. Activists felt that McGill has been suppressing students’ free speech. 

Though McGill told Gabriel and other activists that they were not allowed to plant the tree on campus, security didn’t stop the activists.

Many donned keffiyehs and carried Palestinian, other flags and the Mohawk Warrior Society flag. Gabriel said the tree planting was “a gesture of solidarity for all those who are fighting for peace for people everywhere. It’s important to promote this message of peace. We want wars to stop. We want peace for everybody.” said Gabriel.

McGill was informed twice that a group planned to plant the white pine as a “permanent monument.”

In 1779 George Washington’s favorite general, John Sullivan, marched with 13,800 men through Seneca country to Onondaga to chop down the white pine, the great tree of peace. Natives of north and south America knew about this tree of peace. It was the greatest crime ever committed by the settlers on turtle island, and they doomed themselves to forever become the Republic of War. 

“When we were told that this plan would not be approved, we received a reply stating ‘We reiterate that we will be planting a tree of peace on Nov. 17,’ and that ‘We will decide what to do on our homelands,’” 

McGill had “various reasons” to reject the tree’s planting. “McGill’s commitment to the spirit of reconciliation is enduring” through other university initiatives. Okay, let’s plant the tree together somewhere else for the next seven generations to behold our joint act of peace today? Gabriel reminded McGill that “You are on our homeland, and we want everyone to act peacefully.”