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From http://cgi.bowesonline.com/pedro.php?id=3&x=story&xid=281731

Grassy Narrows renews calls for clearcutting ban

By Mike Aiken - Miner and News - Thursday January 18, 2007

Grassy Narrows Chief Simon Fobister declared a moratorium on all industrial activity within the First Nation’s traditional land use area Wednesday.

The chief targeted forestry companies Abitibi and Weyerhaeuser, as he continued to criticize the province for allowing resource extraction without consulting the First Nation.

“We have been seeking, for many years, a constructive solution to this untenable situation, but the response has always been to talk and log,” he said.

“We cannot sit back and watch the demise of our way of life, which disappears every time more cutting areas are extended to Abitibi and Weyerhaeuser,” he added.

Fobister said the moratorium doesn’t have any legal weight, but is a strong statement that clear-cutting is hurting the aboriginal community and nothing else has worked.

The community of about 1,250 set up a permanent blockade along the Slant Lake Road four years ago, and they have set an end to the controversial logging practice as a precondition for a settlement with Abitibi, who own the wood rights for the area.

Weyerhaeuser also uses wood from the Whiskey Jack Forest in its Kenora plant, and it’s been the subject of demonstrations, including the closure of the Trans-Canada and the English River Road last summer.

MNR willing to talk

Representations of the Ministry of Natural Resources extended an invitation to restart talks last July, following the roadblock on the bypass, but negotiations haven’t restarted. Staff have noted the province’s laws for logging meet international standards.

The ministry has invited band members to take part in consultations for the 2009 to 2019 forest management, which is currently underway. Spokesman Anne-Marie Flanagan noted the ministry has also offered band leaders the opportunity to create their own consultation process.

Representatives from Abitibi and Weyerhaeuser say they are following the rules set out by the province. While Abitibi has closed their operation in Kenora, Weyerhaeuser points to an ongoing relationship with Wabaseemoong (Whitedog) First Nation, which includes benefits sharing.

KFP decision not delayed

Flanagan noted a decision on the proposal from Kenora Forest Products won’t be delayed because of the declaration by Grassy Narrows. She hoped a decision would be made by the end of February or early March, as previously suggested.

She noted the province has set aside the harvesting of 112,000 cubic metres of wood a year within the forest management area for First Nation businesses. Aboriginal companies are also welcome to bid on the remaining 495,000 cubic metres up for bid in the Red Lake, Kenora and Dryden area.

Kenora Forest Products is hoping to be awarded the wood rights previously owned by Abitibi, so it can finance an expansion project that could bring 250 jobs to the city.

CPAWS Wildlands League and Sierra Legal press release ...
http://www.cpaws.org/news/archives/2007/01/groups_slam_ont.php

Groups slam Ontario for poor oversight of public forests - Complaint highlights mismanagement of northern timber resources

Toronto -- Two of Ontario's leading conservation organizations, CPAWS Wildlands League and Sierra Legal, filed a critical submission to the Environmental Commissioner today highlighting serious concerns over how public timber resources are allocated to the logging industry. The groups state that the province’s current approach to managing and accounting for public forests fails to adequately protect the environment and the rights of Aboriginal Peoples, and is delivering a dreadful return on investment for Ontarians.

“If a bank were to manage the finances of its clients in the manner that the Ontario government manages the wood from its public forests, it would be bankrupt very quickly,” says Trevor Hesselink, Director of Forests for CPAWS Wildlands League.

This complaint comes on the heels of Grassy Narrows First Nation calling for a halt to all development in its traditional territory in the Boreal Forest, and after the province called for proposals to redistribute wood volumes that were originally assigned to the closed Abitibi mill. This redistribution process or tendering has raised the ire of First Nations, industry, and environmentalists. Much of the woodshed in question is the subject of a long-standing conflict with Grassy Narrows, who has asked for a halt to clearcut logging on their traditional territory.

“This tendering process is the tip of the iceberg of an allocation system fraught with problems,” says Hesselink. In their application to the Commissioner, the organizations describe the overarching transparency and accountability gaps in the system, including a lack of consistency of approach across the province and systemic reporting problems from the companies operating in the forests. Moreover, because the management tools used to oversee the entire undertaking are inordinately complicated, oftentimes the numbers don’t match up, are missing, or are out of date.

“Moving forward with the tendering process is a slap in the face to the community,” says Dr. Anastasia Lintner, Staff Lawyer & Economist for Sierra Legal. “It is as if the people of Grassy Narrows can’t be heard over the felling of trees in the forest.”

“This is a serious concern because it is communities like Grassy Narrows and the public that ultimately bear the costs of this mismanagement,” says Lintner. “Without a rational, transparent and fair allocation process we can expect to see more conflict and uncertainty in the Boreal Forest in the future,” Hesselink adds.

The groups are calling for a new model: one that would deliver business stability, forest conservation and public trust, without generating conflict for northern communities.

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Contacts:
Trevor Hesselink CPAWS Wildlands League (416) 707-9841
Dr. Anastasia Lintner Sierra Legal (416) 368-7533 ext. 30

Background:
Background materials available at www.wildlandsleague.org

1. See full text of the submission: “Request for Review Of Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Crown Timber Allocation Regime”
2. See Grassy Narrows Press Release: “Grassy Narrows Declares Moratorium and Challenges MNR Tender Process Currently Underway”

Ontario government press release ...

REPORT OF THE HATE CRIMES COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP - Provides Recommendations On Fighting Hate Crimes And Strengthening Communities

TORONTO — The McGuinty government is marking International Human Rights Day by releasing the report of the Hate Crimes Community Working Group, Attorney General Michael Bryant and Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Monte Kwinter announced today.

“Our society has zero tolerance for hate crimes, so I thank the chair and members of the working group for their thoughtful proposals,” said Bryant. “Our government is committed to maintaining its leadership role in promoting human rights, equality, diversity and tolerance. I will also work with the federal government to consider those recommendations that fall within its jurisdiction.”

Bryant said that the Ontario government is striking an inter-ministerial team to consider those recommendations that fall within its jurisdiction and to plan the investment of $1.3 million to help strengthen Ontario’s communities by taking action against hate crimes.

“I offer my congratulations to members of the working group, who have given so freely of their time and contributed their depth of understanding of Ontario’s diverse communities to completing this report,” said Kwinter. “The government looks forward to working with community groups and stakeholders to better protect Ontarians and to prevent future hate crimes.”

The Hate Crimes Community Working Group began its deliberations in January 2006 and met with stakeholders in Toronto, Windsor, Ottawa, Thunder Bay and Kenora. More than 600 Ontarians provided input. The working group reviewed best practices in other provinces and countries and conducted an on-line questionnaire to gather stakeholder views on hate crime issues, incidents and victimization. The group provided recommendations on ways to improve services for victims of hate crimes and to prevent further victimization.

“I was honoured to have been asked to chair the working group on this very important and timely issue,” said Dr. Karen Mock. “It has been a privilege to work with such a dedicated group of individuals representing diverse communities, and to be able to reach out to so many communities and stakeholders across the province. Many communities look forward to continuing to work with the government to implement a strategy to counter and prevent hate crime in Ontario.”

International Human Rights Day, December 10, is celebrated around the world, commemorating the 1948 adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the General Assembly of the United Nations. This declaration affirms the human rights of people everywhere – the right to be treated with dignity, the right to freedom of religion and expression, the right to equality before the law and to protection from discrimination.

The McGuinty government has taken other significant steps to combat hate crimes, including:

• Expanding the categories of projects eligible for funding under the Community Grant Program to include community-based projects that support victims of hate crimes
• Providing specialized training in hate crimes legislation for a team of Crown counsel that provides legal advice to police and other Crown prosecutors on matters related to hate crimes
• Updating the Crown prosecution policy on hate crimes to ensure that it reflects legal developments and addresses the current social environment relating to hate activities.

The Hate Crimes Community Working Group was appointed by Attorney General Michael Bryant and Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Monte Kwinter in December 2005. The group's mandate was to advise the ministers on approaches to address hate crimes in the province, including measures to enhance services to hate crime victims and to reduce hate crime victimization directed at both individuals and communities at large.

The 10 members brought to their task a diversity of community perspectives, expertise and experience in addressing hate crime. The working group reviewed published research, held regional community meetings and focus groups, circulated an electronic questionnaire to agencies involved in hate crime work, and met with academics, lawyers, government officials, victim services staff, prosecutors, police and educators. The working group heard directly from representatives of many victimized groups, such as the Aboriginal, African Canadian, Jewish, Arab, Muslim, South Asian, East Asian, and Lesbian /Gay /Bisexual /Transgendered /(Two-Spirited) /Intersexed communities. In all, the working group received input from more than 600 stakeholders and community members.

Proposed Strategy

The working group proposed a strategy to encourage proactivity, inclusiveness, innovation and effectiveness in response to hate crimes and hate incidents, and in support for victims of hate. The strategy goes beyond the hate offences identified in the Criminal Code. It addresses not only individual acts of hate but also attitudes, systems, structures and arrangements that may facilitate or excuse them.

The working group included goals and objective statements under each component of the strategy, and made recommendations to help achieve these. The strategy includes a broad range of areas in relation to hate and hate crimes, including the unique position of Aboriginal peoples, the role of communities, education and training for professionals who deal with victims, services to victims, response and remedies within the justice system, and public awareness and understanding.

The full report is available on the ministry website at http://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/about/pubs/hatecrimes

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Contacts:
Brendan Crawley
Ministry of the Attorney General
Communications Branch
416 326-2210
 
Anthony Brown
Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services
Communications Branch
416 314-7772

Joyce Atcheson (joycea@kanen.on.ca), Policy Development Officer with Ka:nen Our Children Our Future in Thunder Bay worked on getting the Summary Report translated into Cree, OjiCree and Ojibway. Click on the links below to view this summary document in these languages.

• Cree
• Oji-Cree
• Ojibway