Aboriginal and Inuit Mining and Oil/Gas – Page 222

Making progress on mining issues in Ontario’s north – by Anna Baggio (CPAWs Wildlands League – March 8, 2012)

March 10, 2012

Anna Baggio is the Director Conservation Land Use Planning, CPAWs Wildlands League (Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society)

This past week, Ontario made a historic announcement and protected over 2.3 million ha of native lands from staking and prospecting in the far north. This was in response to the long standing moratorium declared by Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI). In its announcement, the government said it withdrew the lands “from prospecting and mining claim staking to give clarity to the province’s mineral exploration industry and avoid future disagreements over the land in question”.

To give you a sense of the size of this area, picture not 1 Greenbelt or 2 Greenbelts around Metro Toronto, picture something bigger than 3 Greenbelts or more than 3 Algonquin Parks. The last time Ontario withdrew land on this scale was in 1999 during Lands for Life. The last time Ontario withdrew anything this size in one shot was in 1970 when they established Polar Bear Provincial Park. See the map here.

Land withdrawal does not quell First Nation dispute – by Northern Ontario Business staff (Northern Ontario Business – March 6, 2012)

March 8, 2012

Established in 1980, Northern Ontario Business provides Canadians and international investors with relevant, current and insightful editorial content and business news information about Ontario’s vibrant and resource-rich North.

Removing Crown land from mineral exploration does nothing to resolve a territorial dispute between a junior mining company and a remote First Nation community in northwestern Ontario, said the band chief.

Donny Morris fails to see how the provincial withdrawal of 23,181 square kilometres of land in the vicinity of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (K.I.) addresses their demand for a halt on gold exploration by God’s Lake Resources.

“This where we keep harping on the government, this is where consultation comes in, so where exactly are these lands that are withdrawn?” While the Ontario government heralded it as a step to addressing the impasse, Morris called it “a smokescreen” that sends out the wrong message.

The disputed area where the exploration firm is working is 83 kilometres north of the village of 1,300. One of the company’s claims are on the Morris family trap line, which is also considered a sacred birthplace and gravesite.

Bartolucci’s is to keep mine production in Ontario – by Mike Whitehouse (Sudbury Star – March 7, 2012)

March 8, 2012

The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper. mike.whitehouse@sunmedia.ca

The expectations First Nations groups have about the fabulous wealth the Ring of Fire represents are welcome, Ontario’s minister of Northern Development and Mines says. But the government’s focus, first and foremost, is keeping ferrochrome production in Ontario, Rick Bartolucci said Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Chief Eli Moonias, of Marten Falls First Nation, and Chief Sonny Gagnon, of Aroland First Nation, outlined to the Ontario government their position on mining development in their territory. High among their expectations is that Ring of Fire minerals extracted within First Nation territories are processed and refined in those territories.

The Ring of Fire mineral deposit is located within First Nations homelands in Northern Ontario. There are more than 35,000 staked mining claims in the area, the majority in the Ring of Fire area, which holds chromite and precious minerals.

KI ‘wins’ in mining’s loss – Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal Editorial (March 7, 2012)

March 8, 2012

The Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal is the daily newspaper of Northwestern Ontario.

THERE is frustration bordering on resentment in today’s letter from geologist John Scott concerning the Ontario government’s withdrawal of 23,000 square kilometres of northern land from mining. Curiously, there is not a concurrent level of joy in the response of Donny Morris, chief of the area’s Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation, who has been leading prolonged opposition to mining exploration anywhere near KI except on its terms, which remain elusive. Instead, Morris claims he was caught off-guard by Sunday’s announcement by Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci, though his office says it tried several times to make contact. Morris challenged the minister to visit the reserve to discuss the boundaries of the land.

By Morris’ own count, his band and the province have been discussing the future of this land mass since 2001. There is a time for talking and a time for doing and it appears that Bartolucci has called Morris’ bluff. Unable to settle with KI on how to proceed, and facing mounting pressure from the mining industry for certainty on where it can look for minerals, Bartolucci withdrew this giant chunk of land “to give clarity to the province’s mining exploration industry and avoid future disagreements over the land in question.”

[Ontario] Gov’t fails mining – by John Scott (Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal – March 7, 2012)

March 8, 2012

The Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal is the daily newspaper of Northwestern Ontario.

John Scott is from the Thunder Bay Geological Services

Re Government Move Surprises KI; Huge Chunk of Land Near Reserve Off-limits to Mining — CJ, March 6:

Once again the Government of Ontario has failed the people of Ontario and has failed the only industry in the province that is still (?) viable enough the drag the province out of its economic tailspin. The problems with KI are not so great that Premier Dalton McGuinty has to use a club of this proportion to appease the handful, and it is a handful, of KI squeaky wheels.

While generally the area still has to be explored, we know enough of the area to indicate that the mineral potential is conducive to exploration. This is based on the magnetic characteristics of the rocks as well as the geology of the area. The potential for deposits of gold, base metals, copper, nickel and the platinum group metals to be found within the area withdrawn from staking is very high. The development of these Ontario resources would have benefited the entire province; now these potential resources have been removed from the economy of the province to the detriment of all.

What would the people living in the Toronto-centered area say if the government did not allow any exploration or development of any kind in an area equivalent to the KI withdrawal centered over Toronto?

A cautionary tale for the mining industry [Solid Gold Resources/Wahgoshig F.N. conflict] – by Jeff Gray (Globe and Mail – March 7, 2012)

March 7, 2012

The Globe and Mail is Canada’s national newspaper with the second largest broadsheet circulation in the country. It has enormous influence on Canada’s political and business elite.

David Babin, chief of the tiny Wahgoshig First Nation in Northern Ontario, was driving home from nearby Kirkland Lake during the spring thaw last year when he noticed the heavy equipment of a drilling crew, looking for gold in his people’s traditional lands.

It was the first Chief Babin had heard of the drilling. And it was the beginning of conflict that would end up in court, with an Ontario judge handing down a rare injunction earlier this year that suspended drilling on behalf of Solid Gold Resources Corp., a Thornhill, Ont.-based junior miner, and ordered consultations with the Wahgoshig.

“They didn’t understand first nation’s concerns,” Chief Babin said of the company in an interview. “Meanwhile, these guys kept on drilling, saying, ‘We’ve got the right to drill, and you can’t stop me.’ ”

Lawyers who work on these cases, representing both native bands and mining companies, say Solid Gold’s story is a cautionary tale for companies that fail to properly consult native communities that could be affected by their activities on Crown land.

NEWS RELEASE: Alliance formed between Aroland and Marten Falls First Nations to ensure their rights and interests are protected in the development of the Ring of Fire

March 7, 2012

Mar 6th, 2012 4:18 PM

Media Release

(Queen’s Park Media Studio, March 06, 2012) Today, Chief Eli Moonias of Marten Falls First Nation and Chief Sonny Gagnon of Aroland First Nation outlined to the Ontario government their position on mining development in their Territory. Chief Moonias and Chief Gagnon are founding members of the North-South Alliance.

The two Chiefs are in Toronto to monitor Ring of Fire related activity at the Prospector & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) International Convention, Trade Show & Investors Exchange.

The Ring of Fire mineral deposit is located within First Nations homelands in Northern Ontario. Currently there are over 35,000 staked mining claims in the area. The majority of claims are staked in the Ring of Fire area which holds immeasurable wealth in the form of chromite and precious minerals with tonnage that can potentially drive Ontario’s economy for decades.

[Ring of Fire] Chiefs oppose chromite plant for Sudbury – by Star Staff (Sudbury Star – March 7, 2012)

March 7, 2012

A $1.8-billion ferrochrome processing facility and the 500 jobs it will create won’t be located in Sudbury if native leaders from northwestern Ontario have their way.

The chiefs of the Marten Falls and Aroland First Nations say the plant – and others like it built to process minerals from the Ring of Fire area – should be located on their territories.

It was one of a list of demands Chief Eli Moonias of Marten Falls First Nation and Chief Sonny Gagnon of Aroland First Nation made public Tuesday during a press conference in Toronto.

The two chiefs are in Toronto to monitor Ring of Fire related activity at the Prospector & Developers Association of Canada International Convention, Trade Show & Investors Exchange.

Ontario to protect 23,000 square kilometers of native land from mining – by Tanya Talaga (Toronto Star – March 6, 2012)

March 6, 2012

The Toronto Star, has the largest circulation in Canada. The paper has an enormous impact on federal and Ontario politics as well as shaping public opinion.

In a surprise move, the province has protected 23,181 square kilometres of traditional First Nation land in northern Ontario away from mining firms.

The land in question is near the territory of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) about 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay. God’s Lake Resources, a junior gold mining firm, has plans for a 3,000-metre drill program in the area.

This is not the first time KI has been in a dispute over land use. Four years ago, KI was embroiled in a long-standing conflict with Platinex, a Canadian exploration firm, who sued Ontario and the Cree First Nation because they said they were prevented from accessing their mining claims.

The province spent $5 million to settle the dispute.

Native law a growing field – by Drew Hasselback (National Post – March 6, 2012)

March 6, 2012

The National Post is Canada’s second largest national paper.

One of the newest and most rapidly developing areas of the Canadian legal system is aboriginal law.

If you think about it, it’s downright bizarre that this should be “new.” The documents that underpin the legal relationship between First Nations and the British Crown date back centuries. For whatever reasons, the court rulings that define the current legal relationship are just a few years old.

With so many Canadian mining projects on or near aboriginal territories, this has tremendous legal consequences for mining companies.

The law is simple to state, but hard to implement. First that easy part, stating the law: If you want to develop a mine any place that affects a First Nations community or its land rights, the Crown has a duty to consult with that native community before the project gets a green light.

Huge [Ontario] land withdrawal catches KI off guard – by Shawn Bell (Wawatay News – March 5, 2012)

March 6, 2012

This article came from Wawatay News: http://www.wawataynews.ca/

The Ontario government says its recent land withdrawal near Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) will help avoid future disagreements like the ongoing conflict between God’s Lake Resources and KI.

The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines announced Mar. 4 that it has withdrawn 23,181 square kilometers “in the vicinity of KI” from prospecting and mine claim staking.

But KI Chief Donny Morris said the land withdrawal caught his community off guard, considering that negotiations between the First Nation and Ontario over land claims broke down months ago.

Ontario Government move surprises KI – by Carl Clutchey (Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal – March 6, 2012)

March 6, 2012

The Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal is the daily newspaper of Northwestern Ontario.

Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation Chief Donny Morris says his community needs time to ponder the province’s move to make a huge tract of land north of the reserve off-limits to mining.

“For something of this size, it’s an historical event,” Morris said Monday from Big Trout Lake, a fly-in community of 1,300 Oji-Cree located 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay.

In a surprise announcement Sunday, Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci excluded from mining 23,000 square kilometres of KI traditional territory “to give clarity to the province’s mineral exploration industry and avoid future disagreements over the land in question.”

In 2009, the Ontario government paid Toronto-based exploration company Platinex $5 million, plus options for future royalties, when the company agreed to stop exploring south of the KI community.

NEWS RELEASE: Ring of Fire- Agreement at PDAC 2012

March 5, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Northern Ontario First Nations Sign East-West Corridor Collaborative Agreement in Ring of Fire.

Toronto, Ontario, March 5, 2012: – Four First Nations in Northern Ontario today signed a landmark collaboration agreement to pursue the development and operation of an East-West corridor in the Ring of Fire.

The East-West Corridor Collaborative Agreement was signed between the communities of Webequie, Neskantaga, Eabametoong and Nibinamik at the Aboriginal Forum at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Convention. Other regional communities such as Mishkeegogaman have also joined the collaboration. The First Nations have been working together to formalize a community-driven strategy on regional infrastructure development. The ultimate goal is to establish a joint venture that will operate an infrastructure, transportation and service corridor for potential mining companies in the Ring of Fire.

These four identified are impacted by the potential mining developments in the Ring of fire area, and are committed to working collectively together to capitalize on the potential benefits while mitigating the potential issues.

NEWS RELEASE: Ontario Addresses Mineral Exploration Concerns [KI-God’s Lake Resources conflict]

March 5, 2012

March 4, 2012 10:00 AM

McGuinty Government Takes Steps to Address Mineral Exploration Impasse

Ontario has withdrawn lands in the vicinity of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) from prospecting and mining claim staking to give clarity to the province’s mineral exploration industry and avoid future disagreements over the land in question.

KI asserts jurisdiction over the land and has asked for a moratorium on mineral exploration and development. The Ontario Government has made several attempts to facilitate communication between KI and God’s Lake Resources (GLR), a junior mineral exploration company that holds a mining lease and mining claims in the vicinity of KI, north of Red Lake in Northwestern Ontario. The company’s existing mining lease and mining claims are not affected by the withdrawal.

The government remains committed to continuing discussions with both parties.

KI’s battle over mining exploration heads south – by Shawn Bell (Wawatay News – March 2, 2012)

March 4, 2012

This article came from Wawatay News: http://www.wawataynews.ca/

Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation (KI) is taking the fight to stop exploration on its traditional lands to Toronto. KI plans to hold a major rally in Ontario’s capital on Mar. 6 following a talk by the community’s leaders on Mar.5.

“We’re going to let the public know that this is still an issue, even though we’re way up here in the North,” KI Chief Morris said before heading to Toronto. “And to see this overwhelming support that we have.”

The rally takes place as thousands of mining company executives and government leaders from around the world gather in Toronto for the annual Prospectors and Developers Association Conference.

KI’s push into Toronto comes after Morris released a Youtube video in February announcing his First Nation’s plan to mobilize against God’s Lake Resources, a gold mining company with a stake in KI’s traditional territory.