Alderville says ministry should call miners

By Marlene Bilous

ALDERVILLE FN – Chief James Marsden has requested the Minister of Northern Development and Mines to uphold the Honour of the Crown.

He has asked Minister Michael Gravelle to comply with the Supreme Court decision requiring the Crown, the Province of Ontario, to uphold its commitment to the Duty to Consult with and Accommodate with First Nations where and when their Section 35 rights are impacted by proposed mining activities.

“Section 35 of the Canadian Constitution guarantees our Anishinabek and Treaty rights and the Supreme Court has mandated that First Nations need to be consulted and accommodated where their rights may be impacted,” said Chief Marsden. “I am asking the Minister to respect our rights and consult us in a meaningful way.”

Chief Marsden pointed out that he wrote to Minister Gravelle requesting that he examine and review the ministry practice of notifying First Nations by letter, following up with quick phone calls or brief visits from MNDM staff advising First Nations of applications for exploration projects and requesting First Nations to call proponents directly.

“Alderville First Nation resents being notified by letter of proposed exploration in our traditional territory which will have significant effects on our environment, having a quick meeting with MNDM staff and then being requested by MNDM to call the proponent.  The Duty of Consultation is the responsibility of the Crown and MNDM should not be asking First Nations to call proponents,” said Marsden.

Chief Marsden was referring to the Union Gold application to drill over 5000 feet in Tudor Township which is Anishinabek traditional territory.

The Moira River area was negatively impacted by gold mining in the Deloro area during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.

In the 1970’s, the Ontario Ministry of Environment (MOE)  issued an order under the Environmental Protection Act to the company involved to control the discharge of arsenic into the Moira River.  One year later, this company went bankrupt and the ministry took control of the property. MOE found nearly a century’s worth of hazardous by-products and residues on this property in addition to serious contamination of the site’s soil, surface water and groundwater.

“The Anishinabek Nation does not want a repeat experience with contamination.”