NAN responds to Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal election ad

Wednesday June 11, 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
THUNDER BAY: Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Harvey Yesno, on behalf of the Executive Council, has issued the following response to an election ad by Libertarian candidate Tamara Johnson published in the June 10 edition of The Chronicle Journal:
“The statements made by Libertarian candidate Tamara Johnson are outrageous and disparaging against First Nations and our Treaty rights. All citizens have the right to express their opinions, but we strongly disagree with the dissemination of information that is factually incorrect and appears to be racially motivated. We do not see ourselves as “above the law”, but we are fighting for the justice that has been denied us. We are not looking for “handouts”, but we are trying to raise our children in safe and healthy environments with a quality education. We are not owed a “debt” by taxpayers, but we deserve to benefit from resource development in our homelands. Finally, we are not “Super-Citizens”, but we honour and respect our unique nation-to-nation Treaty relationship with the Governments of Ontario and Canada.”
“These and other statements by this candidate are having a damaging effect on the efforts of area First Nations to develop positive relationships within the community, and we are disappointed that a community newspaper would seek to profit by publishing them. We are especially concerned that the consequences of such statements and the hatred they may inspire will jeopardize the safety of First Nation youth in and around the community, including students from remote communities residing in Thunder Bay while pursuing their education. We condemn the claims in this disturbing advertisement as incorrect and outright misleading and we do not believe they reflect the views of the citizens of Thunder Bay and area.”
Nishnawbe Aski Nation is a political territorial organization representing 49 First Nation communities in James Bay Treaty No. 9 and Ontario portions of Treaty No. 5 – an area covering two thirds of the province of Ontario in Canada.