[Indigsol] Algonquin protest on july 28

Thu Jul 26 08:27:24 PDT 2007

I'd really like to go, but I don't think I have a car.  Anyone else?

D.

On 7/26/07, mattm-b at resist.ca <mattm-b at resist.ca> wrote:
> hi,
>
> some of you may already know: there will be a protest on saturday, july 28
> from 3-6pm against the uranium mine.
>
> does anybody want to go?  does anybody have a way to get out there?
>
> can i or we hitchike?
>
> matt
>
> http://intercontinentalcry.org/algonquin-protest-and-information-toll-july-28/
>
> *ALGONQUINS PROTEST AGAINST URANIUM EXPLORATION WILL AFFECT TRAFFIC ON
> TRANSCANADA *
>  <http://intercontinentalcry.org/wp-content/uploads/perth-ontario.png>
>
> Ardoch Algonquin First Nation and Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation will be
> conducting a protest and information toll on Highway 7 in Perth on July 28th
> from 3pm-6pm to bring attention to the issue of uranium exploration and
> mining in North Frontenac County.
>
> This will be the third action by the Algonquin alliance to bring attention
> to the fact that mining claims were registered and issued to Frontenac
> Ventures Corporation for land where Algonquin title and jurisdiction remain
> and where required consultation never took place.
>
> Consultation must take place between the Crown and the two affected First
> Nation communities prior to any mining or land use permits being issued.
> More actions are planned along Highway 7 over the next few months until a
> positive resolution has been achieved.
>
> *For more information please contact: *
> Chief Paula Sherman – 613-329-3706 omamikwe at bell.blackberry.net;
> Chief Randy Cota – (613) 541-8205;
> or our lawyer, Christopher Reid – lawreid at aol.com (416) 466-9928.
>
> *ALGONQUINS SUED BY URANIUM MINING COMPANY *
>
> The Algonquin First Nations occupying a proposed uranium mine site in
> eastern Ontario are being sued by the mining company, Frontenac Ventures
> Corporation, for $77 million dollars in damages, as well as a court order
> ending our protest and forcing us to vacate our land.
>
> In their Statement of Claim, which was served on our lawyer today, the
> company makes absurd and outrageous claims that we are "threatening" and
> "intimidating" them and their employees. In fact, our peaceful protest has
> been completely non-violent and non-threatening from the beginning, even
> when the president of FVC threatened to send in armed paramilitaries to
> attack us.
>
> We are not afraid and we have no plans to end our protest! In fact, news of
> the company's legal action has brought more supporters to our protest camp
> at the mine site. Meanwhile, the provincial government, which has the legal
> obligation to consult with us, remains conspicuously silent.
>
> Last year Frontenac Ventures Corporation began aggressively exploring for
> uranium on our land in Frontenac County in eastern Ontario. FVC have now
> staked hundreds of mineral claims covering more than 5,000 hectares of land
> and have clear-cut large areas of forest to make way for the next phase of
> exploration: drilling core samples to determine how much uranium is under
> the land they have staked. The government of Ontario has allowed all of this
> to happen without any consultations whatsoever with our communities, in
> clear violation of Canadian law.
>
> Last week, after we rejected an offer by the company to end our protest in
> exchange for $10,000 blood money, we again called for the province to begin
> discussions with us to end the standoff. The province has still not
> responded.
>
> AAFN members, together with our neighbours, the Shabot Obaadjiwan Algonquin
> First Nation, have occupied the site of the proposed uranium mine since June
> 29 and we have informed Frontenac Ventures that no further mineral staking
> or exploration activity will be allowed within our territory at this time.
>
> Today, Chief Doreen Davis of Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation and Paula
> Sherman, Co-Chief of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation again called on the
> province to begin consultations to resolve the issues which led to the
> protest. Said Chief Sherman, "we have yet to hear anything from Premier
> McGuinty or his Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, David Ramsay, and so far
> none of their officials have even had the courtesy to return our calls,
> emails or letters, They do not appear to have any interest in resolving this
> mess or meeting their legal obligation to consult with us."
>
> *ALGONQUIN ALLIANCE STATEMENT AGAINST URANIUM EXPLORATION AND MINING*
>
> July 24, 2007
>
> On June 28, 2007 leadership and members of Ardoch Algonquin First Nation and
> Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation moved to secure the site of a proposed
> uranium mine in the traditional lands of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation
> near Ardoch Ontario. Frontenac Ventures Corporation, under the ownership of
> George White had been notified by mail to vacate the premises prior to the
> 28th with his equipment and staff. On the 28th members of the two Algonquin
> communities moved in and secured the site to prevent the drilling of uranium
> core samples which were slated to begin the following week.
>
> Upon securing the site, the two communities established an alliance whose
> overall purpose was to prohibit access to the site and any proposed drilling
> within and around the site and all associated sites by Frontenac Ventures
> Corporation. The Algonquin alliance discovered through an initial search
> that multiple users had been granted access to the site and land surrounding
> the site by the MNR, Mining and Northern Development and private owners. At
> no time did any of these ministries or private owners contact or secure
> permission from Algonquin people to use the lands or resources in question.
> In fact, while Algonquin people in the area had heard rumors of a proposed
> uranium mine in Frontenac County, we were not aware of the plans to develop
> a mine on our traditional territory until Gloria Morrison, a private land
> owner in the region, attended a council meeting and asked for the Ardoch
> Algonquin council's help in protecting her property. Gloria came to the
> meeting because 60 acres of her 100 acre holding had been staked by
> Frontenac Ventures under the Mining Act. She had exhausted all other
> alternatives at that point and hoped that Algonquin people could help her as
> she understood that the land she had purchased was in the historical
> territory of Algonquin people.
>
> As already mentioned the overall purpose of the Algonquin alliance is to
> prohibit access to the site and any proposed drilling within and around the
> site and all associated sites. This includes sites that are privately owned
> and leased to Frontenac Ventures Corporation as this usage is against the
> Original Teachings and Guiding Principles which provide the guidance
> necessary to live within Mino-Pimaadiziwin (which means to live the good
> life, in a balanced way that promotes the sustainability of the Natural
> World and all living entities). The alliance is using a four-pronged
> approach to dealing with uranium exploration and mining which includes
> education of the larger community on the dangers of uranium exploration and
> mining and direct action in various locations in Algonquin territory to
> bring local, national and international attention to the issue. The two
> Algonquin communities who make up this alliance are also concerned with
> their responsibility as Anishinaabe people to examine prior usage of the
> land and resources by all users who have been granted access by the province
> of Ontario. Part of that strategy is to develop sound mechanisms for
> restoring balance to the land and waterways that have been impacted by their
> activities on the land and also create protocols of interaction that can be
> used with future users so that the same mistakes do not occur again.
>
> The alliance also has to deal with the other users who were granted access
> to our territory through the province. One such user is MREL. MREL is a
> company that has moved heavily into the defence and security industry, and
> in particular the development of a range of vehicle disrupters which are
> used to neutralize improvised explosive devises and bomb laden vehicles,
> placed in anything from regular automobiles up to tractor trailer sized
> trucks. The units are robot deployed and designed to minimize collateral
> damage. The thrust of their work is humanitarian with an emphasis on saving
> lives, both by countering the threat of bombs in the civilian community, as
> well as to improve the defence capability of Canadian troops.
>
> As MREL's current contract is designed to save lives, and not connected to
> the drilling of core samples or uranium mining, the alliance has made the
> decision to permit MREL to enter the site under a memorandum of
> understanding between MREL and Ardoch and Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nations.
> The memorandum of understanding will cover only the current project related
> to their research on vehicle disrupters. It will cover the nature of
> required clean-up from previous MREL work, set out the protocols for
> relating to the land in a way that promotes balanced relationships with the
> land and waterscapes, while also enabling MREL to complete the project in
> the designated timeframe. Any other usage of the site by MREL would have to
> be renegotiated. The MOU will also address the issue of securing the site
> while MREL is conducting their research. MREL has also come out openly
> against George While and Frontenac Ventures Corporation and has provided the
> alliance with numerous documents, maps, and correspondence that supports our
> position against uranium mining.
>
> The alliance is also concerned with a new tendency on the part of some
> individuals to treat this site as a tourist attraction. The articulation of
> our autonomy here is a serious issue for both Ardoch Algonquin First Nation
> and for Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation. We have secured the area for the
> sole purpose of preventing the drilling of core samples which would lead to
> the development of a uranium mine on our traditional territory. Securing the
> area means literally keeping everyone out unless they have been invited to
> enter at the main gate where the encampment is located. This policy is
> necessary to secure the safety of everyone, inside and outside the gate. The
> entire parameter has been secured through the use of warriors to prevent
> access to Frontenac Venture Corporation and no one should enter the site as
> you could be seen as working for FVC. This encampment and occupation of the
> surrounding land and watersheds is part of an ongoing resistance on the part
> of these two First Nations to resist the attempts of Frontenac Ventures
> Corporation to drill core samples, it should respectfully not be treated as
> a tourist attraction.
>
> The Algonquin alliance and resistance force is being assisted by CCAMU,
> Mining Watch, and other environmental and citizenship groups who are opposed
> to uranium mining. Many of the individuals involved in the various groups
> have had their own property staked under the Mining Act by Frontenac
> Ventures Corporation. While Algonquin people are concentrating on direct
> actions that articulate our autonomy in the valley of the Kiji Sìbì (which
> is a necessary component in the overall efforts to prevent uranium
> exploration and mining on our traditional lands), our non-Aboriginal friends
> and neighbors have renewed ancient relationships with the Algonquin people
> and communities here and have taken up once again their side of the wampum
> belt that was neglected long ago by their ancestors. Their efforts to create
> and disperse important information on the Mining Act and impacts of uranium
> mining have gone a long way in gaining outside support for our struggle to
> stop Frontenac in their tracks. Our non-Aboriginal neighbors have also
> created a network of support for the Algonquin and other Aboriginal
> communities who remain on the site behind the gate. This network of
> concerned friends and neighbors have taken it upon themselves to make sure
> that the people who remain there have the food, supplies, and necessities
> needed to maintain the occupation until a positive resolution can be
> achieved. Both Algonquin communities, as well as the other Aboriginal people
> at the site greatly appreciate the dedication and sacrifices made by
> everyone who has supported and continues to support our efforts to stop the
> proposed uranium exploration and mining on Algonquin land and that of our
> neighbors.
>
> Direct Action
>
> The alliance has taken several direct actions in the past few weeks to draw
> attention to the issue including two protest marches down Highway 7 in
> Sharbot Lake. The next direct action will take place on July 28 in Perth.
> Those wishing to participate in the action should meet at the lot behind
> Wendys at 3pm. This particular action will take place at two spots on
> Highway 7. There will be pylons inserted into the middle of the road to slow
> it down to two lanes. We will be setting up information tolls at each end of
> perth on Highway 7. Cars will be allowed to travel but at a much slower pace
> which will permit us to provide info on the issue and also ask for donations
> which are needed to sustain the resistance force at the site and to pay for
> legal fees. We will need volunteers to stand at each end of the highway with
> picket signs and eight people to work the information toll. We will maintain
> the information toll from 3pm-6pm. We will continue to plan such actions on
> Highway Seven moving next to Carleton Place and eastward……eventually
> reaching Ottawa if necessary.
>
> Legal Strategy
>
> The Algonquin alliance has secured the legal services of Chris Reid, who is
> an expert on Aboriginal rights and law. Chris is working from the legal
> standpoint that Algonquin people never surrendered our lands and thus our
> autonomy and jurisdiction remain intact in the areas in which Frontenac
> Ventures Corporation has staked and plans to drill core samples. The details
> of that strategy need to remain confidential, but we will keep you updated
> on the progress made.
>
> Response from Frontenac Ventures Corporation
>
> Frontenac Ventures Corporation has responded to our protest in a variety of
> ways, including issuing a statement in the Globe and Mail wherein
> Frontenac's CEO George White suggested that perhaps companies in Canada
> should utilize paramilitary forces such as those used in Africa (if you have
> seen Blood Diamond you will get the idea) to protect mining interests from
> people such as ourselves, which he equated with terrorism. In a meeting held
> last week, White's lawyer said several nasty things about our Mohawk allies
> and asked point blank if there were Mohawk warriors on the premises. White
> also promised swift legal action against us at that meeting and has followed
> through with that threat as we have been told that he has filed a 77 million
> dollar law suit against the two Algonquin communities here and their
> associated leaders. While a security force showed up at several points today
> trying to serve the notice, no one accepted it and they will know deliver it
> to our legal team which is being led by Chris Reid out of Toronto.
>
> Fundraising
>
> Given the length of time we will need to maintain the occupation of our
> lands and the nature of the legal issues, we will need to implement and
> maintain various fundraising initiatives and activities over the next few
> months. Frank Morrison, who alerted us to the activities of Frontenac
> Ventures Corporation, is in the process of organizing a major benefit
> concert to take place in Carleton Place which will help in that regard, as
> will the one that is scheduled for Weds in Sharbot Lake. If you are not able
> to come and stand with us on the ground here please get involved in
> organizing fundraising activities to support our efforts here and what will
> be undoubtedly a lengthy and costly legal battle. All funds raised can be
> dropped off at the gate or mailed to 1045 Canoe Lane Ardoch, ON. Please
> specify that mailed funds go to fight uranium mining and the efforts of the
> Algonquin people occupying the site. If you are not able to get involved in
> the organization of fundraising activities, please consider dropping off or
> sending in your donation to support this important issue. Uranium
> exploration and mining will destroy our traditional territory and make it
> impossible to live off the land or to maintain our responsibilities to the
> land and waterways. We are doing this for the benefit of your children and
> grandchildren, so that they will have a future as Algonquin people.
>
> CHI-MIIGWECH!
>
> The Algonquin Alliance of Ardoch Algonquin First Nation & Shabot Obaadjiwan
> First Nation
>
> *For more information please contact: *
> Chief Paula Sherman – 613-329-3706 omamikwe at bell.blackberry.net;
> Chief Randy Cota – (613) 541-8205;
> or our lawyer, Christopher Reid – lawreid at aol.com (416) 466-9928.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Indigsol mailing list
> Indigsol at lists.resist.ca
> https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/indigsol
>

-- 
Organizational Development and Administrative Coordinator
OPIRG-Carleton
V: 613 520 2757
E: opirgadmin at gmail.com
F: 613 520 3789
www.opirg-carleton.org

OPIRG-Carleton
326 Unicentre, Carleton University
1125 Colonel By Dr., K1S 5B6