[Indigsol] Open Message to Ottawa Mayor Watson and City Council

[Indigenous Peoples' Solidarity Movement -Ottawa]

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Open Message to Mayor Watson and City Council,


Attached is a copy of a letter being hand-delivered to Minister Chan today
as well as to the press gallery at Queen’s Park.  The provincial leader of
the NDP will also rise in the Legislature today to call attention to it.

As you read this letter, ask yourself whether this is indicative of the
quality of decision making that the people of Ottawa expect from all of
you.
 On what expert authority is the decision to ignore important
archaeological
potential being based?

·         It isn’t the expertise of licensed archaeologists – the city has
NONE on staff and none were contracted by the city to review the
situation.
The two licensed experts who did review the new evidence have called for a
new study.

·         It isn’t the Ministry of Tourism and Culture who have clearly
stated that they only review reports presented to them and that they have
downloaded the approval authority to the city when it comes to requiring
new
studies.  Only the City as the approval authority, or the Minister of
Culture acting on an emergency basis, can order that a new study be done.

·         It isn’t the City Council’s advisory committee on Arts and
Heritage that has unanimously recommended that a new study be done.

·         It isn’t the people whose direct heritage is being ignored.  ALL
the Algonquin First Nations on both sides of the Ottawa River have
expressed
their concern and requested that a new review be done.  Furthermore the City
Council’s new advisory subcommittee on Aboriginal Affairs has also
unanimously recommended that a new study be done.

The answer according to the Mayor is that the decision has been made by a
non-professional archaeologist (J. Moser) based on a legal opinion city
counsel (T. Marc) – *neither of whom have any training or expertise in
archaeology*.  This is the same legal counsel who recently stood against
public interest groups at an OMB hearing and challenged the affidavits
presented by the public because they were submitted by non-professionals
in
the subjects being reviewed!

Is this the quality of decision making that City Council wants to rely on?
Decisions made by those apparently blind to their consequences because
they
are untrained to evaluate the information required to make the right
decision?

The legal opinion only confirms that it is apparently legal in Ontario to
embarrass the City and its leadership by relying on an out-dated study
when
it comes to development approvals.  Doesn’t say much for the quality of
legislation used to protect cultural heritage.  It is equally legal to
require that a new study be done at any time prior to registration of
subdivision.

The City Council of Ottawa does not have to rely on a decision-making
process that is blind to the facts.  Nor should Council allow the City to
be
embarrassed by decisions made by staff in such a flawed manner.



With Fortitude,

Paul Renaud

South March Highlands – Carp River Conservation Inc.



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P.S. Also attached is the media release re: Algonquin Union hand-delivers
urgent letter of appeal to stop clear-cutting of South March Highlands in
Ottawa


-- 
In Solidarity,
IPSMO
on unceded Algonquin Territory
--
Check out IPSMO's Videos:
http://ipsmo.wordpress.com/video-archives/

IPSMO's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/ipsmo?v=wall


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