Madahbee congratulates the Algonquins of Ontario

UOI OFFICES (Nipissing First Nation) October 19, 2016—Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee congratulates the Algonquins of Ontario for signing  a historic Agreement-in-Principle with the Government in Ottawa yesterday.

“I congratulate the Algonquins on this historical signing and accomplishment,” expressed Madahbee on the monumental achievement. “These negotiations were exhausting and lengthy for all parties involved.”

The non-binding Agreement-in-Principle is an avenue for continued negotiations toward a Final Agreement that will identify the ongoing rights of the Algonquins of Ontario to lands and natural resources within the recognized settlement area.

The shared goal of this agreement is to provide clarity for those who live within the claim territory, and for those who work on the land, create new economic partnerships and opportunities for the Algonquins of Ontario, while also balancing the rights and interests of all concerned and involved.

The Agreement-in-Principle also serves as a stepping stone on the path to reconciliation, and another step toward a modern-day treaty to resolve one of the largest and longstanding land claims in Canada. The land claim covers an area of 36,000 square kilometers in eastern Ontario.