[IPSM] Forestry Hacks Point to "Consultation Process" with Pride

[Macho Philipovich]

The Abitibi-Consolidated owned Kenora Daily Miner and News(1) published a
story today entitled "Few objections so far to Kenora Forest harvest
plan"(2) which makes the bold and dubious claim that little opposition has
surfaced to the 2006-2011 clear-cutting plan for the Kenora area which has
been cooked up by government and industry officials.

Have they failed to notice the over two-year long ongoing logging blockade
in response to the plan's predecessor, Abitibi's "Whiskey Jack Forest
management plan"? Did they miss that many First Nations have taken to
boycotting "consultations" after decades of being ignored when they've
come to raise their concerns?

No, the Kenora paper has noticed. Buried inside the article we find that
all First Nations bodies have dropped out of the planning process, and
that "there is also no First Nations representation on the local citizens
committee." But the overall tone is one of relief; as long as natives
aren't participating, industry can churn out PR assuring us that there was
very little opposition to the plan, and that it was well received by the
community.

It's time to join our voices with those of the Anishinabek to protect the
land, and to give the state-corporate industrial machine a whole lot more
to worry about.

notes:
(1) - http://www.kenoradailyminerandnews.com/
(2) - http://www.kenoradailyminerandnews.com/story.php?id=151632

for more information on the blockade and other indigenous struggles visit
www.friendsofgrassynarrows.com.  the original miner & news article is
below:

Few objections so far to Kenora Forest harvest plan
So far, so good for the planning team of the 2006-2026 Kenora Forest
forest management plan.

By Dan Gauthier
Miner and News
Tuesday March 29, 2005
So far, so good for the planning team of the 2006-2026 Kenora Forest
forest management plan.
The public had its second opportunity to look over the plan last week, in
particular a more detailed plan for the first five years from 2006-2011.
Despite the high number of people who attended, there were few objections.
The Ministry of Natural Resources, Weyerhaeuser-Trus Joist’s Kenora
operations and the Kenora Local Citizens Committee hosted a pair of public
information sessions for the plan. On Wednesday, a session was held Sioux
Narrows and on Thursday a second session was held in Kenora at the Best
Western Lakeside Inn. The Sioux Narrows session attracted approximately 15
public participants while there was well over 30 who attended in Kenora.
Henry Dribnenky, the planning team’s representative for the Kenora Local
Citizens Committee, said Thursday that although the long and technical
planning process has been hectic at times, there have been no major issues
from the public that have not already been addressed. The committee
represents the public at large with members from the business community,
local residents, tourist operators and cottage owners in the region.
“Things have been going very good,” said Dribnenky, an area cottage owner
who resides in Winnipeg. “We can always resolve the issues as far as
cottagers are concerned.”
Dribnenky, who was also involved in the planning process for Abitibi
Consolidated’s Whiskey Jack Forest management plan, said while things have
been quiet thus far, there is always the possibility of issues cropping up
with First Nations on this plan as well.
“The potential is always there,” said Dribnenky.
The planning team did include representation from Anishinaabeg of
Kabapikotawangag Resource Council, the Bimose Tribal Council and
Wabaseemoong (Whitedog) First Nation at the start of the process, but
Dribnenky said they are no longer active. He added that, despite attempts,
there is also no First Nations representation on the local citizens
committee.
The Kenora Forest includes an area of 1.2-million hectares of Crown land
from the Manitoba border in the west, to Sydney Lake in the northeast,
down to Nestor Falls and along the U.S. border in the south. However,
approximately 40 per cent of the area is made up of water including Lake
of the Woods.
Matt Wilkie, a Weyerhaeuser-Trus Joist forester, and author of the plan,
said representatives of several interest groups including cottagers,
trappers, tourist camp operators and even wood harvesting contractors
attended the meetings to see how the proposed harvesting operations would
affect them.
“All the people want to come out and want to know what’s going on,” said
Wilkie of those who attended the public information sessions.
He said, however, that many still wait until late in the process to voice
their concerns despite their best efforts to establish communications
through public consultation.
Dribnenky noted there are still opportunities for the public to bring
their concerns to the planning team even after last week’s information
sessions. A draft of the plan, scheduled to commence April 1, 2006, should
be submitted by June 24 and a public review of the draft is slated for
July 24 prior to MNR approval. A public inspection of the MNR-approved
plan is then scheduled for Dec. 27.
“Actually there is opportunities (for public feedback) even after the plan
is in place,” said Dribnenky. “They can voice their concerns and they can
be dealt with.”