‘Despite our best efforts to work with the province of Ontario, we have yet to see meaningful signals of their willingness to work with us’
If Ontario doesn’t come to the table soon, years of work to protect the land and water of the Far North are at risk. Mushkegowuk Council Grand Chief Leo Friday issued a statement today urging Premier Doug Ford to meet with their chiefs. They want the province to agree to immediately protect the coast of Western James Bay and southwestern Hudson Bay, and the North French River.
The ask isn’t for money, in 2022 the federal government committed $800 million to create up to four Indigenous-led conservation areas, including Mushkegowuk.
The group also has the documentation to move the project ahead, said Lawrence Martin, Mushkegowuk Council’s lands and resources department director. Because Ontario has jurisdiction over land, the province needs to sign off on the project.
“Since that (2022) announcement was made, Omushkego people have worked tirelessly to realize our vision for the project, called Omushkego Wahkohtowin in our language, which will secure the protection of our lands and waters for generations to come,” said Friday in the statement.
For the rest of this article: https://www.timminstoday.com/local-news/there-will-be-nobody-monitoring-the-land-grand-chief-urges-ontario-to-meet-9550596