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Nishnawbe Aski Nation
Press Releases
"Our Lands, Our Resources, Our Future"
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Toronto (December 15, 1998) --Nishnawbe-Aski Nation served the Ontario
Provincial Government with a court application to halt the Lands for
Life planning process citing inadequate consultation with NAN First
Nations who will be profoundly affected by Ontario's resource development
plans and violation of environment protection laws. The Ontario government
recently released a set of sweeping recommendations allocating preferred
uses of crown lands across all of Northwestern Ontario. The lands
in the Boreal East and West Planning Regions encompass large areas
of traditional Nishnawbe-Aski Nation territory which is covered by
constitutionally-protected First Nation land rights. Nishnawbe-Aski
Nation representing 48 First Nations totalling more than 30,000 people
fear that the Minister could transfer control of large areas to private
interests. These fears among other concerns were re-confirmed with
the release of the 84-page document containing the three provincial
land use planning roundtables consolidated recommendations. Only two
pages deal with aboriginal issues.
Prior to the filing of this court action, NAN attempted to restore
deteriorating relations with the province over lands and resources
matters by initiating an open dialogue with the Minister of Natural
Resources. Despite a teleconference meeting in early August between
some NAN Chiefs and the Minister, the Ontario government remained
non-committal to a government to government discussion as requested
by the NAN Chiefs on lands and resources matters.
NAN Grand Chief Charles Fox noted that the Minister of Natural Resources,
John Snobelen assured the NAN delegation at that time that he would
send the consolidated recommendations in advance of their release
to the public. To date, nothing has been forthcoming from the Minister's
office. NAN learned of the recommendations from newspaper reports
made last week. Upon further analysis of the scanty aboriginal-specific
recommendations, it was learned that the Great Lakes roundtable authoured
the majority of the aboriginal content.
Although the aboriginal recommendations say that land decisions will
respect treaty and aboriginal rights there is no underlying rationale
provided by the Round Tables to justify this foregone conclusion.
The assumption is baseless and is not connected in any apparent way
with the overall scheme of the recommendations.
"I commend
the southern table for their attempt to give some well-meaning substance
to aboriginal issues. However, one of our major requirements was that
the provincial government demonstrate good faith by dealing with us
on a government to government basis, as promised by Premier Harris
in early discussions on aboriginal issues" said Fox. "We
told both the Minister (of Natural Resources) and the Premier that
we could only engage in a meaningful dialogue with Ontario on lands
and resources on this basis. The aboriginal participation that had
occurred prior to the wrap-up of the Roundtables did not meet the
level of consultation demanded by landmark Supreme Court decisions
which require aboriginal consent especially where our rights are profoundly
impacted."
Last year, Nishnawbe-Aski Nation successfully challenged Ontario's
plans to expand municipal boundaries in the Geraldton-Longlac - Nakina
area under the proposed Greenstone super-municipality citing lack
of adequate consultation with First Nations as the primary argument.
This ruling is now under appeal by Ontario. The Lands for Life court
challenge by NAN also follows on the heels of an Ontario court of
appeal decision last week ruling that Ontario violated its own forestry
and environmental protection laws in the approval of three logging
plans in northeastern Ontario. Environmentalists speculate that the
ruling "opens doors to other legal challenges".
"The tide is turning against the Province in making rushed decisions
that ignore internationally recognized principles of sustainable development
in the North", stated Fox.
Grand Chief Fox pointed out that NAN First Nations are not against
development. " However, as owners of this land since time immemorial,
we want to secure an economic future for our people that recognizes
our inherent role in lands and resources matters. We have faith that
Ontarians will support us and that the courts will rule in our favour",
said Grand Chief Fox.
For more information, contact:
Nishnawbe-Aski Nation
Bentley Cheechoo
Phone: (807) 623-8228
Fax: (807) 623-7730
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