[Indigsol] Uranium drilling fight gets hot

[Ben Powless]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dawn Paley <dawn at miningwatch.ca>
Date: 30-Jul-2007 09:51
Subject: [MWC-News] Uranium drilling fight gets hot
To: news at lists.miningwatch.ca

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/city/story.html?id=d424a2d7-a374-4cbd-8124-7557e1962713

Uranium drilling fight gets hot
Natives warn of threat to Ottawa's water as
company looks to court to end blockade
Suzanne Ma, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Monday, July 30, 2007

A month-long standoff between two Algonquin
communities in Eastern Ontario and a uranium
prospecting company will be moving from a
make-shift blockade near Sharbot Lake to a
Kingston courtroom today, after the Ardoch Lake
and Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nations were served
with a $75-million lawsuit last week.

In late June, the two communities had joined
forces to prevent Frontenac Ventures from
drilling for uranium core samples on disputed
land. Since then, all have been embroiled in what
has been, so far, a test of nerves. Each side has
accused the other of using intimidation tactics.
The Algonquins allege the big-ticket lawsuit is
Frontenac's latest "stunt."

The company has staked more than 5,000 hectares
and was about to start drilling when the
Algonquins and their supporters blocked them from
accessing the land. They set up a gated base camp
near Sharbot Lake, about 50 kilometres north of
Kingston, and put up signs and flags, parked a
couple of trailers and pitched tents. A handful
of people have remained on-site 24 hours a day
since June 28, and a number of volunteers guard
the perimeter of the staked land.

The Algonquins say the land belongs to them --
most Ardoch Lake and Shabot Obaadjiwan First
Nations are non-status Indians, meaning they
never signed a treaty to extinguish their land
rights in exchange for reserves and services --
and they're upset the province didn't consult
them before giving Frontenac Ventures permission
to explore for uranium.

The Algonquins and their supporters say they're
worried that exploration and mining will
contaminate their lands and water with
radioactive waste. The waterways, they point out,
are connected to the Ottawa River and could
affect the drinking water in the nation's capital.

Frontenac's lawyer, Neal Smitheman, said he will
be seeking an injunction to have the blockade
removed while working on getting Frontenac access
to its mining claims, which were approved by the
Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and
Mines.

"If we don't get something resolved soon, it
could put the company out of business," Mr.
Smitheman said. "When you do things like this,
when you occupy and prevent access to people from
doing what they have a lawful right to do, they
can have serious ramifications."

Paula Sherman, co-chief of the Ardoch Lake First
Nations, said the lawsuit has only strengthened
her people's resolve.

"We're not leaving until there's a moratorium on
uranium mining," said Ms. Sherman, who has been
living in a trailer at the base camp.

"We will never allow them to have entry. It's our
land. We have a responsibility to take care of
the land for future generations."

The apparent confusion over land ownership comes
at a time when several Algonquin communities in
Ontario are engaged in land-claim negotiations
with the provincial government. Frontenac's
staked land is just part of a vast territory in
dispute, stretching from Algonquin Park all the
way to the front lawn of Parliament Hill.

The Ardoch Lake and Shabot Obaadjiwan First
Nations only recently discovered Frontenac
Ventures was on the land when an area resident
showed up at an Ardoch Lake council meeting a few
months ago.

Frank Morrison, who owns 100 hectares of pristine
streams, meadows and trees in North Frontenac,
found out last November that his land had been
prospected for uranium.

His story was featured in the Citizen earlier
this month, where he described coming across
scarred trees and stumps bearing metal tags with
the Ontario trillium symbol. Mr. Morrison started
doing some of his own digging, and found a
139-year-old piece of Ontario legislation that
allowed mining prospectors "free entry" to his
property. He also learned he didn't own the
"mineral rights" to his land, so while he owned
the surface of the land, he did not own what was
buried beneath. And, he found out who the
prospector was: Frontenac Ventures.

"Frank came in and said all of his land had been dug up," Ms. Sherman said.

"We began to check it out and discovered roads
had been dug out and trees had been cleared."

Algonquin representatives confirmed with the
ministry that a chunk of their land had
indeed been staked by Frontenac Ventures. First
came disbelief. Then anger. And, as word spread
throughout the community, non-natives joined in
the fight. This week, Dawn King drove to the base
camp from near Perth, bringing food and supplies.

"It's a human issue. It's not a native issue. It
will affect us all," said Ms. King after
unloading a carload of donations from the
community, including toilet paper, homemade
salsa, bread, eggs and cheese.

Earl Recoskie, a 56-year-old retiree, moved to
the area six months ago, drawn to North
Frontenac's beautiful lakes and marshes. He
wasn't happy when he found out Frontenac Ventures
was planning to dig for uranium. He now visits
the blockade every day.

"It's disastrous, as far as I'm concerned," he
said, resting under the shade of a tent. "We find
out a uranium mine could very well be in our
backyard. For our sakes and the First Nations'
sakes, we are going to do everything we can to
try and stop it."

But while much frustration lies with Frontenac,
Mr. Recoskie and Ms. King said they were
disappointed with the province's inaction.

"You can say what you want about ... any
business. They're going to try to do what they're
going to do to make money. But the government has
the responsibility to do what's right," Mr.
Recoskie said.

That's one thing that the Algonquins and
Frontenac Ventures can agree on: that the Ontario
government granted permits to the company. They
gave the go-ahead without saying a word; not a
word to Frontenac about the potential conflicts
they could face with the local Algonquins, and
not a word to the Algonquins, who only learned of
the drilling plans when Mr. Morrison tipped them
off.

"We do have an obligation to consult First
Nations," allowed Laura Blondeau, press secretary
for Rick Bartolucci, minister of northern
development and mines. But did the ministry
consult the Ardoch Lake and Shabot Obaadjiwan
First Nations before Frontenac moved in?

"I cannot confirm this," said Ms. Blondeau, who
could only say that the ministry was continuing
"to establish better processes" when dealing with
such matters.
Randy Cota, co-chief of the Ardoch Lake First
Nations, said many people in the community are
fed up.

"We're used to this, (First Nations) have been
burned so many times," he said. "The government
asks, 'Why can't you trust us?' When (throughout)
all of our Canadian history, can you tell me one
time when we ever got a fair shake?"

Mr. Smitheman said the public has been
misinformed about Frontenac Ventures' plans.
"Frontenac Ventures is really a prospector rather
than a mining company," he said. "They are trying
to gather samples to see if it's a feasible
mining site. They want to drill some holes and
get some samples. It's no different for someone
to drill a hole for water in that area."

But Mr. Cota said there would be no drilling of any kind on the disputed
land.

"It's our homeland, we have no place else in the
world for the Algonquin people to call home," he
said. "We have a responsibility to the land, to
respect her and not abuse her. It's time for us
to step up to the plate."


(c) The Ottawa Citizen 2007
--
Dawn Paley                              Communications & Outreach
Coordinator
MiningWatch Canada                              ofc.  (613) 569-3439
250 City Centre Ave., Suite 508                 fax:  (613) 569-5138
Ottawa, Ontario  K1R 6K7                        e-mail: dawn at miningwatch.ca
Canada                                          http://www.miningwatch.ca


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