INAC minister continues to avoid addressing FN land claims and safe water issues
INAC Minister Prentice's cancelled meeting with Ontario's minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs is creating a lot of reactions from First Nation leaders and the press ... see below.
NAN Press Release ...
NAN Grand Chief concerned First Nation drinking water low on federal priority list
THUNDER BAY, ON, Nov. 1 /CNW/ - Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Stan Beardy is shocked by federal snub of Ontario's actions to push agenda of safe drinking water in First Nation communities across the province.
"If the Government of Canada can't even commit to working with the provincial minister responsible for Aboriginal issues to address the issues facing First Nations in terms of safe drinking water and land claims (Caledonia), how can we expect Minister Prentice to work directly with First Nation leadership," said NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy who recently demanded immediate action to implement both short-term and long-term solutions to various water emergencies in NAN territory - an area covering two-thirds of Ontario.
"Minister Ramsay was prepared to address the issue of safe drinking water and Prentice snubbed him. It's a shame that strong support from the provincial level isn't being recognized by the feds."
Beardy's comments come after Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Jim Prentice cancelled a pre-scheduled meeting with provincial Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Ramsay yesterday evening. The meeting's agenda was to include the stand-off in Caledonia and First Nation water. Ramsay was prepared to request the Government of Canada take a leadership role at Caledonia and question the status of the federal safe drinking water report that was scheduled to be released by the end of October.
As relayed by Minister Ramsay's staff today, no alternate meeting time was given by Minister Prentice's Chief of Staff who advised Ramsay of the cancelled meeting while he waited in Prentice's Ottawa office just hours after confirming the meeting would, indeed continue.
"You'd think Prentice would want to step up and work together with Ontario, especially considering the current state of water emergencies that have been brought to light in the past few weeks," said Beardy.
Fearing increased risk to the health and safety of community members, Marten Falls, Pikangikum, and Attawapaskat First Nations have declared water emergencies due to lack of capacity of water treatment plants, filtration and turbidity levels, contaminated intakes, and traces of carcinogens.
Nineteen of NAN's 49 First Nation communities are under boil water advisory. Last week marked the one year anniversary of the evacuation of over 1000 residents of Kashchewan First Nation after e-coli was found in drinking water. In the Kelowna Accord (November 2005), the former Liberal Government of Canada outlined specific commitments to the James Bay coastal community in the areas of water, health, housing, and social services.
The Conservatives have not fulfilled that deal, nor has an alternate deal been presented or implemented.
-30-
/For further information: Jenna Young, Director of Communications, Nishnawbe Aski Nation at (807) 625-4952 or (807) 628-3953 (mobile)/
+++++++++++++++
Chiefs of Ontario Press Release ...
Ontario Regional Chief calls on Federal Government to fulfill Fiduciary Duty and Honor Treaty Obligations
TORONTO, Nov. 1 /CNW/ - The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Regional Chief for Ontario responded today to news that Ontario's Minister Responsible for Aboriginal Affairs David Ramsay was snubbed by the federal Minister of Indian Affairs Jim Prentice yesterday, when federal Minister Prentice backed out of a meeting at the last minute that was set-up to discuss the situation at Six Nations/Caledonia and water issues.
AFN Ontario Regional Chief Angus Toulouse stated: "This Conservative government claims it is a government that takes action, but when it comes to First Nations they are completely missing in action."
Regional Chief Toulouse called on the federal government to fulfill its responsibilities with regard to the settlement of outstanding First Nation land rights.
"The reality is that issues related to First Nations lands are a direct and clear federal responsibility," said Regional Chief Toulouse. "This is yet another example of this governments' refusal to accept and fulfill their lawful obligations. This government needs to understand that in order for progress to be made in Caledonia - and across the country - there needs to be some semblance of political leadership at the federal level. First Nations leadership are working with all parties directly involved in the talks in a constructive manner, yet the federal government and federal Minister prefer to run away from responsibility instead of working with us on these difficult but fundamental issues. Why is the federal Minister abandoning the people of Six Nations and the people of Caledonia?"
This meeting scheduled for October 31st was to address the cost of the land rights dispute at Six Nations, as well as water issues in First Nation communities. Regional Chief Toulouse expressed deep concern regarding the pattern that has emerged with respect to the approach of the federal government toward First Nations issues since coming into office in January 2006.
The Regional Chief stated: "This Minister has a lot to say but little to show for it. We are still awaiting the 'urgent' report on clean drinking water for First Nations announced more than 7 months ago, which is reportedly sitting on the Minister's desk. The only action we are seeing is funding cuts in important areas like health and special education. There are 134 First Nation communities in Ontario, the largest First Nations population of any province or territory in Canada. We have made reasonable efforts to engage the federal government and we are being largely ignored. The Minister has now decided to ignore his provincial counterpart and Ontario taxpayers as well."
The Regional Chief reiterated his expectation that the federal government accept their responsibilities to First Nations in Ontario and across the country. He pointed out that as recently as last week, Prime Minister Harper referred to the Six Nations land rights dispute as a provincial issue and a policing matter.
"It is time for this government and this Minister to accept their responsibility" stated Regional Chief Toulouse. "The Minister himself has stated that finding more effective and efficient ways to resolve claims is of critical importance. We agree, and in fact, have many concrete recommendations and proposals we can discuss if he is seriously willing to listen. We remain ready and willing to work with all parties towards a fair, just and timely resolution to the issues at Six Nations/Caledonia and on the broader agenda of improving the quality of life for First Nations. We should all be embracing this responsibility, not hiding from it."
-30-
/For further information: Pam Hunter, Communications Advisor, office: (905)683-0322, Cell: (613) 203-3233/
+++++++++++
From http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/canada/story/3754894p-4341440c.html
McGuinty blasts feds as thin skinned - Wednesday Nov 1 2006
(CP) - Federal and provincial politicians should stop acting like children and focus on ending the nine-month aboriginal occupation in Caledonia, Ont., the town's mayor said Wednesday as Ottawa and the province traded shots about who should foot the dispute's $40-million bill.
The day after Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice refused to meet with his provincial counterpart to discuss the occupation and its costs, Haldimand County Mayor Marie Trainer said the finger-pointing is exasperating for residents who just want the ordeal to come to an end.
"They are just playing games right now," Trainer said about the escalating war of words. "We're in the middle. We're the ones suffering."
"I'd like them to stop acting like children. I wish they would quit holding Caledonia residents as hostages. It's pretty frustrating."
Although the province purchased the disputed land and is negotiating, Premier Dalton McGuinty has increasingly argued land claims are a federal responsibility, and said Tuesday that Ottawa must "step up to the plate."
That comment prompted Prentice to cancel his meeting with David Ramsay, Ontario's minister responsible for aboriginal affairs, later that evening. Prentice said Ontario is solely responsible for paying the costs of occupation - now pegged at $40 million for policing, business compensation and the purchase of the disputed land.
"The Constitution is very clear. Property and civil rights, the administration of justice and policing are all provincial responsibilities," Prentice said in an interview.
"What's missing here is the justification for the province to say this is a federal obligation to pay for this. While the federal government has responsibility for Indians, that doesn't override provincial law."
Prentice said he's been working hard to end the "oldest land claim in Canada," appointing fact finders, negotiators and meeting with key provincial and aboriginal leaders to help sort out the dispute.
"I'm prepared to discuss the issues in a serious way with (the province) any time they choose, but I'm not going to be part of a media circus and political grandstanding about the issue," he said.
McGuinty responded to the snub by calling the federal Conservative thin-skinned, and said people shouldn't get into politics if they can't take criticism. A clearly frustrated McGuinty repeated his demand that Ottawa take a lead role in negotiating an end to the dispute.
"They've got to understand, it's not going to go away," McGuinty said. "If it's not Caledonia, it's going to be land claims issues elsewhere across the country. This is an issue that's been percolating on the backburner for a long time now."
People want to see the dispute resolved, McGuinty said. "They want us to meet," he said. "And I think they want us to respect each other's constitutional responsibilities."
But no new meeting between the two levels of government has been set.
The federal government should start settling smaller side-issues with the Six Nations protesters and establish some goodwill to resolve the larger land claim issue, said Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Ramsay.
"We don't want to have these disputes," he said. "We want to get these things settled for the people of Ontario and especially the aboriginal people in that area who - for a couple hundred years - have not had justice."
Ramsay said he didn't know how long this dispute would take to resolve but "it should be sooner rather than later."
In the meantime, Caledonia residents are losing faith.
"They have really lost focus about what this whole thing is about," Trainer said of the politicians. "They're forgetting about the people who are suffering every day - their nerves are shot, they're on tranquilizers, they're on heart medication. It's not a good thing."
McGuinty's ramped-up rhetoric about Ottawa's role in the Caledonia dispute is the latest tough talk about how Ontario is getting short-changed under the federal Conservatives.
That Liberal tactic has backfired, critics said. Conservative Leader John Tory said Caledonia residents were looking for progress on the standoff and are seeing "a jousting match instead." NDP Leader Howard Hampton said the Liberal government is paralyzed and is falling back on the "tired old politics of blame and squabble."
Six Nations protesters have occupied the former housing development site in Caledonia, Ont., since February. Their occupation has been marred by violent clashes with town residents and barricades that cut the town in half.
The aboriginals say they are prepared to stay on the land - which they say was taken illegally from them 200 years ago - until it is returned to them.
++++++++++
Ontario government press release ...
Statement from Minister David Ramsay - Minister Responsible for Aboriginal Affairs
TORONTO, Oct. 31 - Ontario families - particularly those in the Caledonia area - find themselves caught in a dispute between the federal government and Six Nations.
Ontario taxpayers have paid, and continue to pay, a hefty price for the ongoing occupation in Caledonia.
The Ontario government has been working hard to bring all parties together at the negotiating table. We have achieved some progress, but not nearly enough.
Over the past 26 years, 29 land claims have been filed by Six Nations in that area of Canada. Only one has been settled by the federal government.
That pace is too slow.
The federal government must take the lead and bring vigour to the negotiating table and a will to resolve these outstanding disputes.
I am disappointed that Minister Prentice chose not to attend a scheduled meeting tonight with me to discuss the situation in Caledonia.
This is another example of the federal government failing to live up to its obligations to the people of Ontario.
We are determined to work toward a peaceful resolution to the Caledonia situation and look forward to working with the federal government as it assumes its rightful role in resolving this dispute.
www.aboriginalaffairs.osaa.gov.on.ca
For further information: Anne-Marie Flanagan, Minister Ramsay's Office, (416) 268-3690
+++++++++++
Caledonia costs set at $40M - Province delivers bill to Ottawa - Feds snub Ontario's Ramsay
Nov. 1, 2006 - ROB FERGUSON - QUEEN'S PARK BUREAU
The native standoff at Caledonia has cost Ontario taxpayers almost $40 million — a tab that will keep rising until the federal government "steps up to the plate" to settle the land claim, Premier Dalton McGuinty warned yesterday.
A bill for handling the eight-month dispute at a housing development was to be delivered to Ottawa last night by David Ramsay, Ontario's minister responsible for aboriginal affairs, but federal Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice refused to meet with him as scheduled.
A spokesman for Prentice said he objected to the way McGuinty and Ramsay had been posturing in the media earlier in the day about the meeting, which saw Ramsay fly to Ottawa with his deputy minister and an aide to attend.
"Mr. Prentice was disturbed by the kind of political grandstanding that went on," Bill Rodgers told the Toronto Star in a telephone interview from Ottawa.
"He wasn't interested in having a meeting in that kind of atmosphere. We expect we'll continue to negotiate when things have cooled off in terms of the politics of this."
Ramsay said he was "disappointed" at being rebuffed because federal progress on land claims in southern Ontario has been too slow. "This is another example of the federal government failing to live up to its obligations to the people of Ontario," he said in a statement.
"Over the past 26 years, 29 land claims have been filed by the Six Nations in that area of Canada. Only one has been settled by the federal government."
Ramsay said before heading to Ottawa yesterday that the bill he was about to present to Prentice was "a work in progress" because the Ontario government has "ongoing costs" at the site in the town south of Hamilton.
On the weekend, McGuinty criticized federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and other cabinet ministers who used to be Ontario MPPs about the unfairness of federal funding to the province. But Ramsay insisted those remarks would not have soured the meeting.
"Mr. Prentice and I have a great relationship," Ramsay told reporters at Queen's Park.
The bill Ramsay had hoped to present includes:
- $15 million for increased Ontario Provincial Police presence to keep an eye on sometimes violent confrontations between natives and locals.
- $15.8 million to buy the occupied land, a fledgling subdivision called Douglas Creek Estates, from its developer, Henco.
- $1.1 million to Henco for out-of-pocket and other costs, and $5.8 million to buy out other nearby builders and cover out-of-pocket costs.
- $1.4 million in financial assistance to Caledonia businesses that have lost revenue in the turmoil caused by the occupation.
- $200,000 to Haldimand County for marketing efforts to boost the area's economy because of decreased tourism.
The invoice is about $15 million less than the tally previously estimated by Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory, who yesterday called McGuinty a "world champion buck passer" and said he would call an inquiry into what went wrong at Caledonia if elected premier in next October's provincial election.
At Queen's Park yesterday, McGuinty said the costly occupation will drag on as long as the federal government remains largely "missing in action."
It marked the second time in two weeks that McGuinty, whose government appears mired in the dispute despite the fact Ottawa is constitutionally responsible for land claims, has taken the federal government to task.
"Until they step up to the plate and become much more determined in their effort to resolve this, we are going to be kept in this situation..."