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Nishnawbe Aski Nation

Special Chiefs Assembly

November 2 to 4, 2004.

The Nishnawbe Aski Nation Special Chiefs Assembly hosted a number of Chiefs and Delegates from the First Nation communities from all across northern Ontario. Also present in the meetings were government officials such as NDP Leader Howard Hampton, and Minister of Natural Resources David Ramsay.

The issues that were discussed included topics such as revenue sharing of resources within the NAN lands, water rights in respect to the 1905 and 1929 signing of the James Bay Treaty or Treaty Nine and the Manitoba/Ontario Transmission Line Interconnect, a proposed power line which might run from northern Manitoba and across the NAN territory in Northwestern Ontario.

Bill Nothing also introduced plans for the 1905 Treaty #9 Commemoration at Mishkeegogamang First Nation in the summer of 2005.

Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay introduced a new Ontario policy for authorizing hydro projects on Crown land. Although the policy aims to give more participation towards First Nation communities with these hydro projects, a number of concerns were raised by the Chiefs in response to the proposal, a policy Ontario is planning to release next week. Many of the Chiefs felt they were not properly consulted and were left out of the planning process of this proposed policy.

KO’s Telehealth resolution on making Aboriginal Health Access Centers services available in northern and remote First Nation communities was unanimously passed by the Chiefs on Thursday afternoon. This would allow patients in remote communities access to better health services without the burden of traveling to the proper health centers in the south.

For pictures click here___