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Fort Severn First Nation halts aerial surveys supporting political leadership, fasters and INM

January 25, 2013 - 3:40pm | by brianbeaton

Fort Severn First Nation Press Release

Fort Severn First Nation halts aerial surveys to support government-to-government talks

Fort Severn, January 25, 2013 - Today, the leadership in Fort Severn First Nation, Ontario's most northerly and isolated community in Ontario, notified the provincial government that no more aerial and ground surveys of the resources in their traditional territories will be allowed. This moratorium is in effect immediately and will be reviewed again after the proposed February 28 meeting between First Nation leaders and the government in Ottawa.

Fort Severn is demonstrating their support for Chief Theresa Spence and other First Nation fasters, the First Nation leadership, the Idle No More movement and the Declaration signed by multiple parties on January 24 in Ottawa.

Click here for a PDF copy of the letter sent to the Ontario government.

The following message and the letter was emailed to the ministry organizing these surveys.

TO: Andy (MNDM) Fyon

Subject: Fort Severn Geological Aerial Survey

Hello Andy:

Attached please find a letter to your Ministry demanding the immediate stop to the Aerial Geophysical Surveys on our traditional lands. We have not informed or contacted Goldak and expect you to do so to stop the survey work immediately.

We believe it is imperative to take this step to ensure our community stands in unity with other First Nations and our organizations across Ontario and Canada as we struggle to establish meaningful nation-to-nation relationships with all governments interested in working on our traditional lands.

Although Chief Spence has ended her hunger strike, there are still a number of issues to be dealt with by the Government of Canada and Ontario.

Our Leadership and Community fully supports the Declaration made yesterday by the AFN, COO, NAN, Chief Theresa Spence and other First Nation groups which requires the following demands be met as soon as possible:

  1. An immediate meeting to be arranged between the Crown, Federal Governments, Provincial Governments and all First Nations to discuss outstanding issues regarding the Treaty Relationship, as well as for non-Treaty area relationships.
  2. Clear work-plans that shall include deliverables and timelines that outline how commitments will be achieved, including immediate action for short, medium and long-term goals. Addressing the housing crisis within our First Nation communities shall be considered as a short-term immediate action.
  3. Frameworks and mandates for the implementation and enforcement of Treaties between Treaty parties on a Nation-to-Nation basis.
  4. Reforming and modifying the comprehensive claims policy based on inherent rights of First Nations.
  5. A commitment towards resource revenue sharing, requiring the participation and involvement of provinces and territories currently benefiting from resource development from traditional lands.
  6. Commitment towards ensuring a greater collective oversight and action towards ensuring the sustainability of the land through a sustained environmental oversight.
  7. A comprehensive review and meaningful consultation in regards to Bill C-38 and C-45 to ensure it is consistent with Section 35 of the Constitution Act (1982).
  8. Ensure that all federal legislation has the free, prior and informed consent of First Nations where inherent and Treaty rights are affected or impacted.
  9. A revised fiscal relationship between First Nations and Canada that is equitable, sustainable and includes indexing and the removal of arbitrary funding caps.
  10. A National Public Commission of Inquiry on Violence Against Indigenous Women of all ages.
  11. Equity in capital construction of First Nation schools, including funding parity with Provincial funding formulas with additional funding support for First Nation languages.
  12. A change in how government operates that would include direct oversight, a dedicated Cabinet Committee and Secretariat within the Privy Council Office with specific responsibility for the First Nation-Crown relationship to ensure implementation.
  13. The full implementation of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples - UNDRIP 

Fort Severn First Nation fully supports the Idle No More Movement. 

Thank you for your understanding on this issue.

 

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