Posted: Monday, 2 June 2008

Courageous communities from Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI), Ardoch Algonquin First Nation, and Asubpeeschoseewagong Netum Anishinabek (Grassy Narrows First Nation) have stood firm in their resolve to protect the land, forest, water, and air and to promote respect for Indigenous rights in saying NO to economic exploitation and environmental destruction.

Over the last few months, leadership from both aboriginal and settler communities have joined together to say NO to unwanted development or exploration of resources on aboriginal territories.

But what is the cost of standing up for values that put community priorities, health and well being first?

The price is high.

Recently, the leadership from two of these communities has been handed extreme fines and their leadership have sent to jail for 6 months for peacefully defying a court order that allows unwanted exploration and development of community lands.

In mid February, 2008 leaders Robert Lovelace & Paula Sherman from the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation were sentenced to 6 months in maximum security, plus their community face stiff fines, for peacefully protesting uranium mining in their Ardoch homeland.

On March 17, a Superior Court judge in Thunder Bay similarly sentenced six leaders of the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) to six months after they were found in contempt of court for trying to stop mining exploration on their traditional lands.

Canada's free-entry mining system allows prospectors and mining company’s permission to enter both public and private property to explore so-called mineral claims. Trees can be cut down and holes and trenches dug to seek rock samples without the landowner's permission.

Meanwhile the community of Grassy Narrows has witnessed the long standing practice of clear-cut logging destroy trap lines. In their words; ‘our fundamental ability to traditionally harvest, feed and support our families as we have, for millennia is being jeopardized.’

In 2002, community members from Grassy Narrows launched a blockade to stop logging in the area. The blockade, which still stands, is now one of the longest running indigenous land protests in Canadian history.

Robert Lovelace, who turned just turned 60 in jail, announced that he will begin a hunger strike on May 16th, 2008 to press the provincial government to respond to Ardoch’s request for good faith negotiations. “I do not want my children and grandchildren to have to go through what we are going through” said Lovelace from jail.

Chief Paula Sherman said: “I will soon be going to jail because I cannot and will not pay this unjust fine. I am a single mother with three dependents whose only crime is the defence of our land. Like Bob Lovelace and the KI 6, I would rather go to jail than take food out of my children’s mouths or let our land be destroyed.”

The youth of Grassy Narrows are now walking to Queen's Park to bring the message of autonomy from Ontario's northwest.

Beginning May 26th for four days, Queen’ Park will host allies and aboriginal peoples gathering together peaceful and powerfully to say NO to economic exploitation and destruction.

The Canadian Labour Congress representing 3.2 million members joins with the courage of these communities. Our 3.2 million members and more than fifty affiliates acknowledge that Canada was settled by Aothers@ and that Aboriginal rights must be respected.

The time for a new deal with aboriginal communities is long overdue.

Our future here and our economy is inextricably linked to the natural resources of the land.

We know the time for a green agenda especially in cases of resource extraction is long overdue.

Labour is committed to supporting a jobs strategy that changes course from past practices that unduly favour developers at the expense of any communitys well-being, health or right to decide their own development path.

The CLC urges its membership to join in solidarity with the Queen’s Park gathering, and to say YES to making a difference today and for generations to come.