Northern Ontario Mining Dispute between Platinex Inc. and Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation
by admin ~ January 15th, 2007
The Ontario Provincial government seeks intervenor status in a mining and treaty dispute between Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) First Nation and Platinex Inc. in northern Ontario. In July, 2006, the Ontario Supreme Court ruled in favor of KI and threw out the Platinex Inc. suit of $10 billion dollars against the First Nation. It also decided in favor of a 2001 moratorium against all development issued by KI, and supported an injunction for Platinex Inc. to halt operations for at least five months until proper negotiations can take place between Platinex Inc. and KI. On January 10, 2007, an Ontario judge extended the injunction and moratorium. Over the last year, First Nations have made significant gains in the courts to put pressure on developers, and demand consultation with their communities and greater attention to aboriginal and treaty rights. The Dene-Tha case in northern B.C., Alberta and NWT made a significant impact on the Mackenzie Gas Pipeline consultations, and the injunction gained by KI promises to be another significant case. Platinex Inc., a junior mining company, seeks exploration rights 60 km south of the KI reserve, and KI has grown increasingly concerned about pressure from mining giants like De Beers and Kennecott, and other mining proposals for access to their traditional territories. First Nations are not opposed to resource development that benefits their communities, but not at a cost to water quality, hunting access, treaty rights, or the protection of their interests in resource development decisions over their lands. “We must look at the bigger picture and look to what this land offers,” says chief Donny Morris. “We will continue to guard the land as custodians.”
Sources:
- Dene Tha Case: Forestry Blog, Globe and Mail (external)
- KI and Platinex: NationTalk, Wildlands League, ON Gov., Source List, Globe and Mail (external), the Dominion, and numerous other sources.
- Platinex Inc. Website
- Map credit
Update:
- Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug leaders jailed over mining dispute: “Chief jailed in mining dispute” (March 18, 2008), “Anishinabek supports Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation Chief and councillors” (March 17, 2008), “Native leaders jailed over dispute” (March 24, 2008), “KI Press Release” (March 20, 2008), and numerous other reports.
- Summary of broader context: “Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug and the Battle Over Northern Development in Canada” (by Todd Gordon, March 26, 2008).
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December 10th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
It is time overdue, that Canada and Canadians accept what our ancestors left for us to inherit, and bring about the Justice BACK to these People’s.
It is time overdue, for Canada’s educational institutions to teach accurate, truth in the school’s and to bring this on from Primary Grades, forwards, so that Our Next Generations, will grow up without all this racism and inaccuracies that our white dominant ancestors bred via their educational, one sided textbooks, which are based on half truths at best. May I recommend the schools start off teaching in about grade six .. Shirley Sterlings book My Name is Sheepeetza. This is an excellently written book on Indigenous Children, trying to survive the damages brought on by the Churches and the Governments thru colonization in those dreaded, Residential Schools. Those schools were anything and everything except, education… and its time we, as Canadians stand up and realize, we owe so much to These Peoples, most importantly, we Owe Them ALL Our Respect! No white man would have managed to survive the winters here if it were not for Them, much less the scurvy… not only this, but They also fought alongside us… in all the wars… and They suffered far worse fate then we did, for their populations were not that plentiful. In the 70’s the age of mortality for most living on Reservations ( concentration camps in my opinion ) was mostly 34 years of age! They lived in poorer standards of living then most white society members too. It’s time we give them back also, the Land that the Hudson Bay Company stole from them, and also the Lands the Churches also stole and sold out from under them… if you care enough for Humanity, then why, why can we not start changing Canada, and giving These Magnificent, Beautiful People’s back THEIR Respect, THEIR Cultures, THEIR RIGHTS under OUR ( yes, they are our responsibilities also to with hold these Treaties ) TREATIES with These Peoples… I keep hoping Canadians, will educate themselves, and their children… I can not do this alone…
October 18th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
Why does the mining companies try to use the courts when the Supreme Court of Canada has already ruled that anything that remotely affects/effects an aborignal peoples reserve, territory… will trigger the Consultation and Accommodation aspect which brings in the Probable Impact-Impact Statements in the Planning Stages of any venture, even cutting the grass can trigger the S.C.C. ruling.