https://www.theglobeandmail.com/
A court action launched by Grassy Narrows First Nation against Ontario could invalidate all mining claims in the province, a lawyer representing the Indigenous group said – a scenario that could cause havoc for the industry.
Grassy Narrows on Friday served Ontario with a notice of application asking the Ontario Superior Court to mandate individuals and companies to consult with the First Nation before seeking mining claims. The Globe and Mail earlier in the week reported that the legal action was pending.
An Anishinaabe First Nation, Grassy Narrows is located about 80 kilometres north of Kenora in Northwestern Ontario. Its traditional territory covers approximately 7,500 square kilometres within the Treaty 3 area.
More than 10,000 mining claims have been issued in its territory without consultation. The First Nation says that Ontario’s current staking system violates both the government’s duty to consult Indigenous peoples under Section 35 of the Constitution, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which requires free, prior and informed consent.
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