Idle No More protesters block Snow Lake mine

Idle No More protesters set up a blockade at a northern Manitoba mine Monday afternoon, prompting some area residents to worry about whether they can get to their jobs.

About 30 demonstrators took to the entrance of the mine in Snow Lake, Man.,at around noon CT Monday.

The blockade ended at about 5 p.m., according to Snow Lake Mayor Clarence Fisher.

Fisher told CBC News that citizens were able to get in and out of town while the blockade was on, but mine employees are worried they would not be able to get to their shifts.

The protesters came from the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation, which is located northwest of Snow Lake.

"It's an inconvenience for people in [Snow Lake], obviously," Fisher said early Monday afternoon. "You know, I'm not quite clear how coming to one municipality is solving problems in your own place."

Snow Lake is located approximately 700 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

The protests were part of Idle No More's national day of action, which includedprotests on Parliament Hill in Ottawaand outside the Manitoba legislature in Winnipeg.