From the Manitoba Wildlands newsletter:
Conflicts continue to erupt in Ontario’s northern boreal region as companies hunt for platinum, palladium and diamonds in the absence of conservation planning.
Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (formerly known as Big Trout Lake First Nation) is now being sued by Platinex Inc. for $10 billion.
Platinex is also seeking a legal injunction that would enable them to drill for platinum against the wishes of the community.
Diamond giant De Beers recently devastated the annual spring goose hunt of Muskrat Dam First Nation. Both communities have called for a halt to mining and forestry on their traditional lands but extractive industries and the government are ignoring them.
Members from Kitchenuymaykoosib Inninuwug are walking from Big Trout Lake to Toronto – a distance of 2000 km, to raise awareness about the Platinex lawsuit against their community. They arrived in Ignace, Ontario on May 15th and hope to arrive in Toronto June 20, 2006.
Indigenous Peoples are putting their bodies on the line and it's our responsibility to make sure you know why. That takes time, expertise and resources - and we're up against a constant tide of misinformation and distorted coverage. By supporting IC you're empowering the kind of journalism we need, at the moment we need it most.
