[Indigsol] Message from AAFNA re: Robertsville and "one" OPP message

[Ben Powless]

(an unprovoked and provocative police response to a prayer event)

Please distribute as widely as possible.

============================

Dear friends
As expected, the OPP have sent a message in response to our gathering
notifying us that the injunction is still in place. We have appended
the OPP response as well as our community's response. Should you have
any questions, we will be pleased to answer them.

Remember to dress warmly.

Mireille and Paula

---- EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE FOLLOWS ---

This message is from the OPP regarding the Praying for the Land Gathering.
Please refer to Bob Loveklace's reply to this message for our position.
--

Hello Mr. Lovelace,

I understand that you had some correspondence with my colleague Joanne
Verbruggen today. I also understand that there may have been some confusion
relating to the messaging that the OPP delivered in relation to this
weekend's prayer gathering.

Please find some additional information that I hope will provide some
clarification:

The OPP's primary concern is for public safety.  Historically, the prayer
events related to Robertsville have been peaceful and the OPP has no reason
to believe that what is planned for this weekend will be any different.  It
is ART and MELT's responsibility to work with and educate communities so
that they can make informed decisions.  Hence, when it was brought to our
attention that there would be "Prayers for the Land" this weekend, it became
incumbent upon us to remind participants that the injunction is still in
effect.  It is the OPP's obligation to enforce court orders but the when and
the how is at the discretion of the OPP. We can not speculate as to if or
when we may be called, or in the event that we are, what the nature of the
call would be. Our intention is to resolve any report of conflict
peacefully.

Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions.

Regards,

Merisol Primeau

OPP Aboriginal Relations Team

----------------------------------------------------


 October 22, 2008

Kwey Kwey Ms. Primeau,

Thank you for the clarification of the Ontario Provincial Police position
regarding our gathering this weekend, Pray for the Land.  I want to make our
position equally clear.  Pray for the Land is a non-confrontational,
non-violent, spiritual gathering of faith groups and individuals who are
choosing Robertsville as a focal point to pray for the restoration of the
natural environment which continues to be destroyed by development.  For
many people, Robertsville represents a totally unnecessary and dangerous
destruction of the environment for purely speculative purposes.  People have
been hurt in the struggle to defend the Land beyond the Robertsville gate
and they want an opportunity to express their grief and pray for the
restoration of the land and their own sense of well-being.  That is why we
called for the weekend of prayer.

In early October we wrote to Mr. George White who is the owner of Frontenac
Ventures.  We invited Mr. White to the gathering and asked him to open the
gate so that we could use the Algonquin land behind the gate and Jorgensen
property.  We assured Mr. White that it was not our intention to interfere
in any way with his personnel, equipment or operation.  This past week we
heard from Mr. White, through his lawyer, that he would not attend or open
the gate.  His lawyer reminded us that Judge Cunningham's injunction was
still in place.

We will not be opening the gate at Robertsville.  That will be another day.
The gathering will take place in front of the Robertsville gate and on the
road allowance adjacent.  No permanent structures will be raised.  At
present, there are no Frontenac Ventures personnel on site but should they
be present there will be no effort to interfere with them.

The OPP should take into consideration several important facts.  A
substantial portion of Frontenac Venture's claims have now lapsed or been
surrendered to Ontario.  The Algonquin communities have now been invited by
Ontario to consult in regard to the future disposition of these claims.
Frontenac Ventures has recently suspended activity on the remaining claims
and does not intend to resume activity until the Spring of 2009.
Substantial infractions against the Environmental Protection Act and the
Crown Lands Act have now been committed which will require further
investigation.   An Ontario Appellate Court decision has questioned the
rationale and validity of Judge Cunningham's injunction.  The Appellate
Court decision is now before the Supreme Court of Canada for leave to
appeal.  Twenty-four legally incorporated Municipalities have passed
resolutions for a moratorium on Uranium exploration in response to the
activities beyond the Robertsville gate.

There is just cause for people to want to turn their attention to
Robertsville and seek through spiritual faith, reconciliation with the
Land.  I trust that the Ontario Provincial Police will fulfil their duty to
keep the public peace and protect those who attend our gathering.

Mìgwetch,

Robert Lovelace

Chief Negotiator

Ardoch Algonquin First Nation


--
"In life we meet extraordinary people who follow us wherever we may go" -
Trisha Nagpal
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