Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Questions Premier McGuinty over Outdated Mining
Law and Jailed First Nations' Leaders
TORONTO, May 23 /CNW/ - Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sent Ontario Premier
McGuinty a tersely worded letter in which he asks that the Premier
reform
Ontario's outdated mining rules and do whatever possible to halt ongoing
drilling on traditional lands of jailed First Nations' leaders. Mr.
Kennedy
states that, "It is appalling that this could happen to Aboriginal
leaders in
Ontario who are standing up for their people and their traditional
lands in
the face of antiquated and unjust mining laws." His letter elevates the
high
profile controversy over the need for mining reform to an international
level.
Premier McGuinty responded to a similar letter from twenty high
profile
Canadians late last month by claiming the "work is already under way"
on a
commitment to review the Mining Act, supporting an "expedited appeal"
for the
jailed First Nations' leaders, and citing the "need to modernize the
(Mining)
act so that it is in keeping with our values and expectations at the
beginning
of the 21st century."
But First Nations and conservation activists close to the issue say
that
no apparent action has been taken. "Premier McGuinty has been beseeched
by the
conservation community, well respected Canadians, Amnesty
International, and
the clergy to reform the mining law, protect the Boreal Forest, and
respect
Aboriginal rights. But, despite several statements, no action has been
taken
to date," noted Anna Baggio of the CPAWS Wildlands League. "The world
expects
better of Canada," added Susan Casey-Lefkowitz of the Natural Resources
Defense Council in Washington, DC, "This issue is escalating to an
international embarrassment while the First Nations' leaders continue
to sit
in jail." Mr. Kennedy is an attorney with her organization.
Six members of the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) and Robert
Lovelace
of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation are currently serving extended jail
sentences for peacefully opposing mineral exploration on their lands.
Mr. Lovelace began a hunger strike last week after serving three months
of his
six month sentence and is now in solitary confinement.
This is the second time Mr. Kennedy has weighed in on behalf of the
KI.
He wrote a letter of support in June 2006 after several members of the
band
walked 1,200 miles from their lands in Northern Ontario to Ottawa to
bring
attention to the lack of consultation by the province. Mr. Kennedy has
worked
on environmental issues across the Americas and has assisted several
indigenous tribes in Latin America and Canada in successfully
negotiating
treaties protecting traditional homelands.
Mr. Kennedy's letter will be read at a rally planned for Monday,
May 26th
at 5 pm in Queens' Park, Toronto.
For a copy of the letter, please visit www.wildlandsleague.org
For further information: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., (914) 422-4343; Anna
Baggio, CPAWS Wildlands League, (416) 453-3285,
anna@wildlandsleague.org;
Susan Casey-Lefkowitz, Natural Resources Defense Council, (646)
287-6225,
sclefkowitz@nrdc.org
