Over the past year, Frontenac Ventures Corporation (and Mining Resource Engineering Limited MREL) has been appropriating Algonquin traditional lands near Ardoch, Ontario. According to a statement from the Algonquins of Ardoch lake, the plan is to develop the 60km to extract uranium from the land. As you may know, there’s currently a bit of uranium fever going around.
The land however has been appropriated without the authority of Ardoch Algonquin First Nation. Further, they were not at all consulted with respect to this plan to mine the land, and have not given permission for activities being currently engaged on this land.
In response to this, and after the concerning discoveries made while recently inspecting the land (see above link), Yesterday the Algonquins of Sharbot and Ardoch Lakes blocked Highway 7 (42 miles north of Kingston)
The Algonquins have since been warned that an injunction is to be served against them tomorrow, and the Algonquin People are now calling upon other Aboriginal communities, concerned Canadian citizens, and environmental groups to get involved in this issue.
According to the Media Release from the Algonquins of Ardoch lake Algonquin Chief Doreen Davis says the companies have already destroyed their trap lines, beaver dams and beaver ponds. They set up a gate across the only entrance to the land refusing to allow the mining company to enter. They want a moratorium on mining in the whole Ottawa Valley.
For more information on how you can help, please contact Paula Sherman paulasherman@trentu.ca or Robert Lovelace BLOVELAC@flemingc.on.ca
Ardoch Algonquin First Nation Statement on Uranium Mining
June 23, 2007
Over the past year, Frontenac Ventures Corporation has appropriated Algonquin traditional lands near Ardoch, Ontario and begun the process of filing claims through the Northern Mining and Development for a geographic area that covers approximately 60 kilometres in Northern Frontenac County. FVC disclosed in a press release on May 30, 2007 that it has at its disposal a $3.5 million dollar budget to complete this project, including the implementation of a diamond drilling program at the site. Undoubtedly, some of the funds from this expected budget will come from Silvio Ventures Inc, who entered into a binding letter agreement with FVC on May 23, 2007. At the end of the proposed merger, a new company will emerge by the name of Amalco who will lead the Frontenac project as a subsidiary of Silvio. The mineral to be mined at this proposed site is uranium.
The plan to develop this site as a uranium mine, however, was done without the authority of Ardoch Algonquin First Nation. Furthermore, we were not consulted at all with respect to this plan as is our right as an Algonquin community who still holds Aboriginal title and rights to much of the land in question. As a corporation interested in our lands, FVC, did not follow an honourable path in their actions toward us, instead they choose to follow a historical path that has led to conflicts and blockades with other Indigenous peoples across Canada. Likewise, Ontario and Canada as the children of our British relatives have failed in their Constitutional duty to protect our lands and resources, a responsibility handed down to them through the Proclamation of the King in 1763.
This duty remains a morally and legally binding duty according to the Supreme Court of Canada who ruled in 2005 in the Haida Nation and Taku River cases that “the Crown has a duty, whenever it seeks to take action that stands to affect Aboriginal interests in a substantial way. What’s more, the responsibility of the Crown with respect to its duties to Aboriginal peoples passed down in the Haida and Taku cases, was expanded further in March of 2005 in the Musqueam and Blaney cases. The judgements in these cases reveal that “the duty of government to consult and in appropriate cases to accommodate “is part of a process of fair dealing and reconciliation” with affected Aboriginal peoples where Aboriginal rights or title are in play.
The controlling question in cases such as this one is what is required on the part of the Crown (as well as its agents, and ministries) to maintain the honour of the Crown and to achieve reconciliation between the Crown and Aboriginal peoples as is required under Section 35 of the Constitution Act of 1982? Aboriginal title and rights are still in existence in the Kiji Sìbì (Ottawa Valley), including what became Northern Frontenac County. These lands were never ceded or surrendered to the Crown. As the Algonquin community holding title and rights within the lands in question, and as an Aboriginal community whose rights are embedded, recognized and guaranteed in the Section 35 of the Constitution Act of 1982, we understand that both the Province of Ontario and the federal government have Constitutional duties and obligations to protect our lands from the detrimental activities associated with uranium mining. What’s more, Frontenac Ventures Corporation should not have been granted claims or staking rights on our traditional lands without prior notification by the Ministry of Mining and Northern Development, and they should not have been allowed to purchase our lands without our consent, as we are the only autonomous authority within those lands.
As indicated in the cases presented above, the courts are prepared to determine whether or not appropriate consultation and accommodation has occurred. Indeed, they are prepared to suspend court actions, licences, and order-in-council authorizing Crown activity. As a First Nation responsible for the health and vitality of those lands, we will not allow our lands to be appropriated in this way without our participation, agreement, and consent for the activities that are proposed for that site. We therefore demand that the Ministry of Mining and Northern Development and the Province of Ontario clear up this issue and facilitate the shutting down of all mining exploration, staking, and drilling by FVC now occurring, or planning to occur on our lands. We also demand that the Ministry of Mining and Northern Development and the Province of Ontario facilitate the removal of all FVC equipment and personal belongings from our lands by June 29 2007.
This decision is based upon the fact that our Aboriginal title and rights have been violated by FVC and the Ministry of Mining and Northern Development, as well as the realization that uranium mining will destroy the ecological balance and sustainability of the Natural World and will have particular impacts on local water tables which will in turn contaminate waterways throughout the Kiji Sìbì. At the end of this process people living within Northern Frontenac County could very well be left with no other option but to purchase water (as is the case in Kitigan Zibi) as all wells will be contaminated from the tailings left behind from the mining process. Tailings can never be disposed of and will pollute the area for many unforeseen generations.
As Algonquin people, we also know that uranium mining will lead directly to our social, spiritual, and cultural demise as our collective identity as people requires a continual relationship with the land in which we interact and carry out our cultural and spiritual activities and ceremonies on a daily basis. If the land is contaminated and altered as a result of the proposed mine, the animals and beings that we depend on for our survival will also disappear, leaving us with no possibility for survival. Vacating the area is not an option for us as this land is our home and has been the home of our people for hundreds of years. As Algonquin people there is no other place that we can go and be ourselves except for this place which is our homeland. We do not have the option that FVC has to pack up and leave once their destruction of our lands is complete.
Read the full Media Release
Indigenous peoples and their lands MUST be protected! Get off their land and STAY OFF! Period. Nothing more needs to be said.
No mining should be done on these land without the direct consent of the entire Algonquin people. This will contaminte their land. These lands are being illegally without their permisssion. How would you and I feel if they were doing this to land of ours.
Nothing should be done on lands stolen from indigenous people!! It goes against everything our country stands for–a wrong that must be righted and not repeated! It is morally, legally and ecologically reprehensible!
STOP!!!!!!! NOW!!!!!
As Buffy Ste-Marie’s song says,We let Germany and Japan keep their lands after they lost a bloody, massive war, but we still are taking Native Lands in North America. While Canada is overseas “protecting” other nations, and losing soldiers, Abotriginal people in Canada are seeing their lands usurped again and again, with the governments tacit approval, and no protection, in spite of Supreme Court rulings. Ontario is one of the worst provinces: their are so many cases past and present one of which, at least, resulted in the shooting of an unarmed man, again with the “tacit approval” if not directive of the then Premier, Harris. We are no better than we were when our ancestors first came here and started taking land from the people who were actually helping them to survive in a harsh environment. How long will “citizens” stand by and allow this to happen by their silence or active participation??? SHAME!!! I am ashamed of that part of my heritage that is part of this rape of the land and its people; I cry for the other part of my heritage which helped the colonists to survive and were treated so despicably in return. I will help in any way that I can…
Wealthy corporations have one main objective. The bottomline is profit. It doesn’t matter how or who may suffer. Yet, there may be another side that is often forgotten. What does it profit any man to gain the entire world, and lose his own soul?
Governments subsidize development, either through obtaining resources to distribute to corporations, or as socialist governments do, directly to their constituents.
Canada and the US seek to increase power and energy usage, equating that growth with health and life.
The waters, the creatures, and the Na Dene people, of Arizona have suffered great ill from uranium extraction. Such evidence as can be obtained needs to be presented to the department overseeing allowance of this offense.
Just as adult humans cease growing physically, so must their social and developmental institutions cease.
Now that habitats have been so fragmented that free passage for all creatures is prevented, the growth stage of governments, and takers of the land has been exceeded.
Now such organizations and decisions allowing taking and using are merely suffocating the earth.
I do not understand how if this is legally property of the Algoquin Nation how the mining company personnel have not been arrested for trespass and the damage they have done on it.
Hi Susan. This situation is not
not so much about a few mining personnel trespassing — it’s more about the Canadian government illegally usurping the land, and then selling it to the Company. And on top of that, we find out that’s all about uranium, etc…
This is the exact same thing that happened in Caledonia…
To answer your question (how they can do this) it’s because they can. Governments have no sets of laws to which they must abide — they are pretty much free to do whatever they want, and so often they do just that, without ever having to worry about consequences (that’s true everywhere) - I mean, who’s going to stop them?
Taking them to court is no guarantee of anything here. Especially since, what would likely happen is the company would just continue with their plan through the hearings.
Then if the court ruled in favour of the Algonquins, the company would appeal — Then they’d go back to court in say 10 months… throughout which the mining would continue.
Canada might even be obliged to step in, on behalf of the company..
And ultimately, the only discussion Canada will offer to the Algonquin is talk of money… as if Canada is offering to pay the Algonquins for stealing their land
It’s very twisted, but this is the way it always goes.
We just have to look to what is happening on Lakota land in N and S. Dakota to see what happens when mining companies come to mine uranium.
If they are not made to care about the Algonquin people now, why would they care later after they bring up these dangerous pollutants (with all the residual problems such as toxins entering the water table etc).
I wonder also if all the people in this area are aware of the effect that mining companies generally have on the land, and water when mining uranium. I can’t imagine people know what really happens.
Hi Ann. I don’t know to what extent or detail, but I’m sure everyone’s well aware of the consequences of mining uranium. (see here)
You could always contact Chief Paula Sherman to make sure.
You’re absolutely right, it’s now or never—but it’s unfortunate that corporations don’t ever seem to learn respect.
They take our lands and tell us it’s for our better good, and we fall back.
They harvest our meat and tell us it;s for their tables, and we fall back.
They separate our people locating them in 3 different reserves and we fall back.
No more. We have drawn the line, no more will white man’s lies and broken treaties convice the people that this company and mines are good for the people. The will be no baking away from this resolve. They speak about the enironment and how they want to clean it up. Too long have we heard words like this, but all lies and then to find out land has been sold that is clearly algonquin. No more. no more. no more will we allow the rape of the environment, Nokomis(Motherearth) is dying, and we along with her, she sends out signals of this everyday, but the old ways are lost and forgotton and the lessons learned have been forgotten.
To Frontac Cancer causing company, Back off this land will never be surrendered for this operation. Pack your trucks up and GET OUT.
John Leblanc
Kitigan Zibi
Kikinamadinan
FVC Corporate
Management & Board
Board of Directors
Anthony DeWerth (Chairman)
George White
Joel Lipshitz
Here are the board members of Frontenac Ventures Corp
Jack Kirkland
Jim Honsberge
Officers
George White (President & CEO)
David Callander (Treasurer)
Scott White (Secretary)
Jack Kirkland (Counsel)
Technical & Geological Advisors
Dr. Sethu Raman
F. Chris Harvey
Terrence Bottrill
Frontenac Ventures picked the wrong forest to mess with, us settlers stand arm in arm with our native brothers and sisters, As long as the Algonquin hold the blockade sight , we will bring them food, medicine or any thing they need, we just hooked them up with high speed inter-net,and food & wood for the winter. Are numbers are growing fast. we have the dragon by the tail.
Dissapointed… They do not even ask permission even though they knew it was aborigonal people’s lands… dissapointed