As the days get
warmer and longer, the water flows powerfully, free once again from the
glittering snow-covered landscape that have contained it to a mere gurgle and
trickle under the thin ice cover during the past winter months in Noopemig and
elsewhere, where nature is allowed to run freely as it is meant to be. While
having had to compensate a few times after thawing from a mild winter, Noopemig
and its waters provide what it does best – new life and freedom as it wakes up to
share all its majesty and glory.
While a mild winter
struggled to compensate for the impacts of progress attributed to climate
change, the economic engine continues to chug along its way into the Far North
where the First Peoples who live on and off the land continue to call for a say
into activities that could have a drastic impact on their lives, culture and
traditional lands.
Before 2011
ended, the Wildlands League suggested that “It is time for a fundamental
re-think of the relationship between major industrial players in the North, our
governments and affected First Nations communities.” This was based on what was
happening in Attawapiskat where community members were living in tent frames in
the freezing temperatures of a northern winter while a diamond mine extracts minerals
and generates millions from Attawapiskat’s
traditional territory.
In early 2012,
federal Natural Resources Minister, Joe Oliver stated that environmental and
other “radical groups” were trying to undermine the Canadian economy by
blocking trade saying the groups “threaten to hijack our regulatory system to
achieve their radical ideological agenda,” to delay or kill good projects.
On April 17,
2012, the Harper government announced that they will recognize provincial
reviews providing they meet the requirements of the Canadian Environmental
Assessment Act as environmental projects are moved to a “one project, one
review” policy with “fixed timelines” for major economic projects.
Minister Oliver
says that both levels of government do not have the resources to do “separate
reviews of the same project.” The First Peoples sees the federal streamlining of
the environmental review process as the latest effort to undermine First
Nations rights when it comes to industrial development on their traditional
lands. Minister Oliver stated, “We need to tap into the tremendous appetite for
resources in the world’s dynamic emerging economies – resources we have in
abundance.”
Upon announcing
a moratorium on KI lands in 2001, KI stated, “Our resources have been taken
from us and we have not benefited from what has been extracted from our land to
be sold to the rest of the world…(economic development) must be done in a
manner where our natural environment is not destroyed, and mitigation practices
which are consistent with our beliefs and practices must be in place.”
On July 5,
2011, eighty-two years after the adhesion to Treaty # 9 was signed at
Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, (KI) the membership passed the KI Water
Declaration, protecting the entire watershed from industrial development under
KI authority, laws and protocols. This and another document received
overwhelming support in a community referendum to become part of KI’s
Indigenous laws.
These laws are
based on Kanawayadan D’aaki, the ultimate law which binds Kitchenuhmaykoosib
Inninuwug to the sacred duty and responsibility to protect and look after the
land. This sacred duty is provided to Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug by Keeshaymanitou,
the creator who placed KI on this chosen land.
The Watershed
Declaration covers a vast 13,025 square kilometers of lakes, rivers, forests
and wetlands in the KI Homeland, including the 661 square kilometer
Kitchenuhmaykoosib Lake, which has a buffer zone around the lake which is
excluded from all and any development.
Under the
Declaration, all waters that flow in and out of Kitchenuhmaykoosib and all
lands whose waters flow from those lakes, rivers and wetlands (the entire
watershed) are deemed to be protected under KI authority.
Kitchenuhmaykoosib
Inninuwug has protected the lands and waters in Kitchenuhmaykoosib Aaki before
which resulted in the incarceration of a majority of it’s leadership, who serve
two (2) months of a six (6) month sentence, but released upon appeal. The Court
of Appeal ruled that “incarceration should be the last resort” and directed the
Crown to negotiate in good faith to reconcile the Aboriginal interests with
competing interests.
Specifically,
the decision directed the Crown to consult, accommodate and negotiate in good
faith in a serious attempt to resolve and reconcile Aboriginal interests with
competing private interests whenever these interests collide.
Upon
introducing reforms to the Mining Act, Premier Dalton McGuinty made the
following statement – “The Ontario Government
believes exploration and mine development should only take place following
early consultation and accommodation of Aboriginal communities.”
Leadership in Northern Ontario is now warning that expediting
environmental scrutiny on major developments and “fast-tracking projects,” like
the Ring Of Fire without recognizing the rights and interests of the First
Peoples can only result in “direct confrontation on the ground.”
It appears that
the stage has been set and the environment is ripe for accelerated industrial
development with nothing more than a minimal or cursory glance at environmental
processes that keep the lands and waters healthy for all.
Dr. David
Suzuki on Science Matters says that “Eliminating environmental reviews
altogether, shifting responsibility to the provinces, and severely cutting back
on staff and agencies are not ways to make processes more efficient; they’re
ways to accelerate major projects, making the short-term interests of industry
a higher priority than protecting the air, land and water we all need to stay
healthy.”
Kitchenuhmaykoosib
Inninuwug has taken strong actions to protect Kitchenuhmaykoosib Aaki and will
likely continue to do so. While KI are possibly lumped into the other “radical
groups” category as defined by the Canadian government, KI is no stranger to
being called names in the effort to justify access to lands and resources
without any return or for the protection of the environment. If reports of RCMP
surveillance are any indication, KI efforts to protect its position that “Water
is the source of life and water connects all things in the sacred web of life”
will continue to be challenging but with glowing hearts we’ll continue to see
the rise of the True North strong and free!
As legislation
and policy is prepared to pave the way for accelerated development by the
Canadian government, Noopemig meanwhile continues to deliver life-giving
nutrients by peacefully providing water to all life forms to ensure all life
flourishes while the country continues to sing – God keep our land glorious and free!
