Media.Knet.Ca

Eleven First Nation communities from Treaty 9 and Robinson Superior 1850 have joined forces to voice their disappointment at the Province’s failure to ensure consultation and accommodate the needs of regional First Nations.

THUNDER BAY, ON – Eleven First Nation communities from Treaty 9 and Robinson Superior 1850 have joined forces to voice their disappointment at the Province’s failure to ensure consultation and accommodate the needs of regional First Nations over the potential sale of Neenah Paper (current license holders to the Kenogami Forest) to Buchanan Forest Products.  To date, area First Nations have been excluded from all negotiations despite the fact that the Kenogami Forest Unit lies within jurisdiction of their communities and treaty lands.

“All we are asking is to be included as part of the negotiation process to discuss opportunities for our First Nations in the Kenogami Forest sale agreement. Our communities have pre-existing agreements with Neenah Paper which play a vital role in sustaining our local economies. It is not unwarranted that we would expect to be consulted on how a potential sale will impact or change those agreements. The current labour disputes also cause hardships and shortfalls in our First Nation economies and yet, it is clear that the demands of the Union are being given precedent over our needs and rights as First Nations.” said First Nation spokesperson Chief Veronica Waboose of Long Lake #58 First Nation.

The eleven impacted First Nations are urging the Ministry of Natural Resources to step forward and ensure that the jurisdiction of First Nations in this area is respected and that meaningful engagement with First Nations is made a conditional component of any future Sustainable Forest License.

“The lands of the Kenogami Forest have been used by our Aboriginal people for generations and are recognized in both the 1850 Robinson Superior Treaty and Treaty 9.” continues Chief Waboose. “These Aboriginal rights are not being respected today within the Kenogami Forest and we urge Minister Ramsey to recognize his government’s fiduciary responsibility, step forward and ensure that the concerns of all potentially impacted parties are heard on this issue.”

-30-

NOTES TO THE EDITOR:

Kenogami Forest Facts Sheet

• Largest Sustainable Forest Licenses (SFL) in Ontario
• Several First Nations in or surrounding this SFL:
• Aroland First Nation
• Constance Lake First Nation
• Ginoogaming First Nation
• Lake Nipigon Ojibway
• Long Lake # 58 First Nation
• Ojiways of Lake Nipigon
• Pays Plat First Nation
• Pic Mobert First Nation
• Pic River First Nation
• Rocky Bay First Nation
• Sale of Neenah Paper will affect Aboriginal communities in the following ways:
• No consultation with First Nations about the impacts on their agreements with the license holder or changes to them
• No recognition of Section 20 of the License which talks about negotiations between the Minister, Neenah and First Nations on Aboriginal opportunities
• No recognition of Term and Condition 34 which in part guides forest management practices that talk(s) about sharing of economic benefits with First Nations
• No recognition of impacts on First Nations as the SLF holder is unionized and is governed by the collective bargaining agreement.
• No recognition of proposal for Shareholder Forests Licenses, which the Minister has supported and for which First Nations hope this will work to their advantage.
• No recognition of new certification code to be implemented by Ontario forest management plans with Forest Stewardship Council of Canada that include clause about Aboriginal communities
• No recognition of Forest Sector Prosperity Fund or the Forest Loan Guarantee Program which must include Aboriginal involvement.
• No recognition of infringements on any Aboriginal and Treaty Rights – i.e.: trapping.
• Formerly Kimberly-Clark, and now owned by Neenah Paper of Alpharetta Georgia, Neenah is responsible to the Ministry to fulfill certain terms and conditions.  These include:
• Meeting various wood supply commitment’s to area mills and over-lapping license holders
• Development of forest management plans and reports based on Ontario’s Forest Planning Manual and government guidelines, policies and procedures
• Commit funding to forestry renewal trust
• Herbicide and spraying issues
• Siliviculture standards and implementation
• Various reviews and auditing procedures
• Aboriginal Opportunities (Section 20)

Extract of Term & Condition 34 - Negotiations with Aboriginal Peoples

34. During the term of this approval, MNR District Managers shall conduct negotiations at the local level with Aboriginal peoples whose communities are situated in a management unit, in order to identify and implement ways of achieving a more equal participation by Aboriginal peoples in the benefits provided through forest management planning. These negotiations will include but are not limited to the following matters:

(a)    providing job opportunities and income associated with forest and mill operations in the vicinity of Aboriginal communities;
(b)   supplying wood to wood processing facilities such as sawmills in Aboriginal communities;
(c)    facilitation of Aboriginal third-party license negotiations with existing licensees where opportunities exist;
(d)   providing forest resource licenses to Aboriginal people where unallocated Crown timber exists close to reserves;
(e)    development of programs to provide jobs, training, and income for Aboriginal people in forest management operations through joint projects with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada; and
(f)     other forest resources that may be affected by forest management or which can be addressed in the forest management planning process.

MNR shall report on the progress of these ongoing negotiations district by district in the Provincial Annual Report on Forest Management that will be submitted to the Legislature.