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ANISHINABEK NATIONTransmitted by CNW Group on : March 17, 2008 11:37 Anishinabek supports Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation Chief and councillors THUNDER BAY, ON, March 17 /CNW/ - Anishinabek Nation leadership are demonstrating their support for a Treaty 9 community whose chief was prepared to go to jail for refusing to allow a mining company to conduct exploration activity on traditional territory. Deputy Grand Chief Glen Hare represented the 42 member communities of the Anishinabek Nation at the Ontario Superior Court building today where Judge Patrick Smith sentenced Chief Donny Morris of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug and six council members to six months in prison for contempt of court. The councillors of the fly-in First Nation about 600 km north of Thunder Bay defied an Oct. 25 court order granting Platinex Inc. access to Big Trout Lake, which the First Nation claim as ancestral land. "In one breath we hear Ontario talk about the importance of First Nations sharing in the wealth of the province’s resource revenues, and in the next breath they ignore Supreme Court of Canada rulings that say we need to be consulted by companies wanting to exploit our lands," said Deputy Grand Chief Hare. "Meaningful consultation involves mutual respect, not telling First Nations where you’re going to drill for ore or clear-cut forests. That’s not how good neighbours behave." Despite several recent Supreme Court rulings requiring consultations with First Nations prior to making decisions affecting their lands, the Ontario government has allowed the Toronto-based junior mining company to stake claims and begin exploratory drilling for platinum. When First Nation members peacefully protested their activities, Platinex retaliated with a $10-billion lawsuit, subsequently reduced to $10 million. Chief Morris says $500,000 in legal fees defending the suit have bankrupted his community, and he and his council accepted Justice Smith’s Oct. 25 ruling that found them in contempt for continuing to deny Platinex workers access to the exploration site. "The province of Ontario needs to develop policies that support partnerships involving First Nations in harvesting natural resources," said Deputy Grand Chief Hare. "We won’t tolerate our citizens being punished for defending our traditional territories."The Anishinabek Nation incorporated the Union of Ontario Indians as its secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 42 member First Nations across Ontario. The Union of Ontario Indians is the oldest political organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact./For further information: Marci Becking, Communications Officer, Union of Ontario Indians, Phone: (705) 497-9127 (Ext. 2290), Email: [email protected]/ Province blasted as natives jailed TheStar. com - Canada - Province blasted as natives jailed March 18, 2008 http://www. thestar. com/News/Canada/article/347199More than 30 organizations are calling on Premier Dalton McGuinty to live up to his rhetoric about protecting the environment and improving Ontario’s relationship with its native communities. McGuinty says his government is dedicated to developing a "positive" relationship with First Nations communities, yet band members say they continue to be jailed and fined over conflicts with the province’s outdated Mining Act.Yesterday, in a Thunder Bay court, six members of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation were each sentenced to six months in jail for contempt over their opposition to drilling for platinum near Big Trout Lake on the band’s traditional lands. That follows a six-month sentence and $25,000 fine handed last month to Bob Lovelace of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation for contempt of court, related to a protest of drilling near Sharbot Lake by a uranium prospecting company.There’s a "disconnect" between McGuinty’s words and the government’s actions, said Anna Baggio of the CPAWS Wildlands League. "It seems like it’s getting a bit out of hand," she said, noting high mineral prices have fuelled a dramatic expansion of exploration.Yesterday, McGuinty asked people to stay tuned, saying work is "being done now behind the scenes on that score at a number of ministries."Kerry Gillespie~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NE WS RELEASE For Immediate Release March 19, 2008 First Nations Summit publicly releases letter to Minister Strahl and issues statement on the jailing of the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug Chief and Council Coast Salish Traditional Territory/West Vancouver –Given the seriousness of the situation that is occurring in Ontario, where on March 17 the elected Chief and Council of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation were unjustly criminalized and jailed for standing up for their constitutional rights, the First Nations Summit is taking the unusual step of releasing to the public a copy of its correspondence to the federal minister of Indian Affairs, Chuck Strahl, on the matter. Along with the letter, the Summit issues this statement: The jailing of these indigenous leaders in favour a mining exploration company is political persecution and represents a menacing shift in the official attitude in this country toward First Nations and its political representatives. And so what was once only associated with repressive regimes elsewhere in the world is now occurring here in Canada. The Government of Canada has a fiduciary responsibility to look out for the interests of First Nations where their interests are threatened by other parties. It cannot hide behind jurisdictional excuses in order to avoid this responsibility. Where is the Canadian government on this matter? -30- Attachment: FNS Letter to Minister Strahl Media Contact: Kevin Ward, Assistant Communications Coordinator First Nations Summit Office: 604-926-9903 Further background information on the Summit may be found at www.fns.bc.ca 2 / 2 COPY March 18, 2008 Honourable Chuck Strahl Minister of Indian Affairs & Northern Development Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H4 Mr. Minister: Re: Canada’s breach of confidence in allowing the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug leadership to be unjustly incarcerated Yesterday, the Chief and Councilors of the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation were unjustly incarcerated for protecting their people’shuman rights, aboriginal and treaty rights, traditional lands, and community interests from an incursion by an exploratory mining company. Canada, which has by constitutional and case law the authority to protect aboriginal rights and aboriginal title interests, including treaty rights, has completely and shamefully abandoned its fiduciary obligations in this matter. Your department and your government has stood silently by while the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug leadership has been unfairly criminalized for protecting their interests within their traditional territories, which are recognized and affirmed in the constitution. Your government must quickly take on an honourable role in this situation, such that what is now happening within the traditional lands of the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug is effectively halted and reversed. The eyes of all First Nations in Canada are watching. Sincerely, FIRST NATIONS SUMMIT POLITICAL EXECUTIVE Original signed by Grand Chief Edward John Original signed by Chief Judith Sayers Original signed by Dave Porter cc. Prime Minister of Canada Justice Minister of Canada Premier of British Columbia Assembly of First Nations National Chief Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation Chief and Council Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs President B.C. Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief