Aboriginal protesters demand changes to Mining Act
Posted 14 hours ago
The property rights of all Ontario residents are being threatened by
archaic mining laws that allow companies to stake land anywhere they
like, aboriginal protesters said Monday before a swelling crowd that
gathered on a the front lawn of the provincial legislature to demand
change.
And if the province doesn't act now to change the Mining Act,
politicians can expect another Ipperwash, an emotional Darryl
Sainnawap, one of six Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) First Nation
members who were jailed over a dispute with a mining exploration
company said in reference to the infamous 1995 aboriginal standoff that
ended in the fatal shooting of protester Dudley George by police.
Among the guests of honour at the multi-day sit-in that's expected to
culminate with Thursday's national aboriginal Day of Action, Sainnawap
thanked the crowd for supporting him while he was in jail and called on
the government to negotiate.
"I personally want to call on the provincial government to come to the
table and see if we can find a resolution," he said before the mass of
several hundred, which included aboriginal groups from across the
province and beyond as well as labour groups and environmentalists.
"But I would also like to say our land comes first . . . Ontario says
get on board, get out of the way, or go to jail. We cannot compromise
our children's future."
Sainnawap, along with KI Chief Donny Morris, deputy chief Jack McKay
and members Sam McKay, Cecilia Begg and Bruce Sakakeep, were all
released from jail temporarily Friday after agreeing to abide by an
injunction that prohibits them from interfering with the operations of
Platinex Inc., a mining company that's seeking to drill on KI land
about 600 kilometres north of Thunder Bay.
The decision was made only after Platinex promised not to bring an
exploration crew onto the disputed land before 9 a.m. Thursday.
The group dubbed the KI 6 is due back in court Wednesday where they are
appealing their six-month sentence for contempt of court. The Ontario
Appeals Court could decide they've served enough time and release them
or send them back to jail to serve out the remainder of their sentence.
The brief reprieve, however, gave them the opportunity to join fellow
KI members as well as colleagues from Ardoch Algonquin First Nations in
eastern Ontario and Grassy Narrows First Nation near Kenora. All three
groups organized the event, originally aimed in part at calling for
their release.
Bob Lovelace of Ardoch Algonquin First Nation still remains in jail in
solitary confinement on a hunger strike for a similar breach involving
a uranium exploration company.
The group called for his release and also played a recording he made
from jail to share with the crowd.
