Hydro lines called for at 5th annual mining forum

Mushkegowuk Council Grand Chief Lawrence Martin called for a hydro line-transportation route between the Ring of Fire and James Bay during the 5th Annual Ontario Mining Forum.

“Our concept for economic benefits for generations (to come) is a (merchant power transmission) line from Quebec, a rail line to the Ring of Fire and a seaport,” Martin says. “We feel we need to be involved to be able to protect the environment and to ensure we have economic gain from this activity.”

Martin says other merchant power transmission lines are already being developed in Canada.

“For instance, in Alberta they have merchant lines coming in from Montana to provide energy for some of these economic development projects that are happening in that province,” Martin says.

“So here we are not able to buy power from OPG (Ontario Power Generation) in the same way we can from Quebec because the regulations don’t allow it.”

Martin says Eeyou Power, which is owned by the Quebec Crees, and Wabun Tribal Council are interested in doing a joint venture on the merchant power transmission line.

“We are proposing to Matawa (First Nations) that they join us in this joint venture, that they become part owners of this line that would come in to provide power to the Ring of Fire activities, but also to do electrification of their communities which are all at this point powered by diesel,” Martin says.

Martin says the rail line would be an extension of the current rail line to Moosonee.

“We are looking at how we can benefit our communities by being able to bring supplies in,” Martin says. “So it is not just for the Ring of Fire.”

Martin says the Mushkegowuk Council has been in discussions with a number of companies over the proposed seaport.

“We have been talking to different companies in Canada and also in Norway to see how this could benefit this whole notion of us becoming a part of international trade,” Martin says.

Held June 17-18 at the Valhalla Inn in Thunder Bay, the mining forum featured a group of government, industry and Aboriginal leaders and experts who shared their insights on the Ontario resource sector and how to participate in its development.

Grand Chief Harvey Yesno brought up a number of challenges facing Nishnawbe Aski Nation communities, noting that First Nations people are often misunderstood.

“Our people will not move off this land — this is home for them,” Yesno says. “People have said why do you stay there — this is our home.”

Yesno says the winter road system to many NAN communities is not the same as seen on the Ice Road Truckers program.

“Our roads, you need a kidney belt and a hard hat,” Yesno says. “They are very narrow and Keewaywin didn’t even get a road this year because there was so much water on one lake they had to cross. I mention that because these are some of the challenges we are encountering in the communities.”

Yesno says many community members live off reserve, which creates a challenge for communications among community members.

“Part of that is just lack of resources to do all the work that needs to be done,” Yesno says.
“So that sometimes contributes to lack of decision making in the community. It is important that governments and industry recognize that when you go into a First Nation, not every First Nation is the same size or capacity.”

Yesno says there were 23 NAN communities and one tribal council under co-management or third party management when he was elected three years ago.

“Today we are down to about 16 First Nations that are under co-management,” Yesno says. “I mention that because it does have an impact on decision making at the community level.”

Yesno says the NAN perspective on the taking up clause in Treaty 9 is that it was not disclosed to First Nations people during treaty negotiations. The diary of Ontario’s treaty commissioner — Daniel McMartin — does not include mention of the taking up clause, which enables government to take up land for mining and other ventures. At the time of the 1905-06 treaty signing, very few First Nations people could speak or read English, so the treaty document had to be translated during negotiations.

“If you can imagine 110 years ago at Fort Hope if people were told — they were living off the land — that they were surrendering and ceding and releasing this land forever and we are going to put you in this postage-stamp land to live from here on in, you know we didn’t have tar then but we had lots of feathers,” Yesno says. “I’m sure those people would have been tarred and feathered and kicked out of the community. I am pretty sure people would not have agreed to the terms of the treaty.”

Yesno says there are two different views of the treaty.

“So now we are looking for a new deal, a new interpretation of the treaty relationship,” Yesno says. “We did agree to sharing and being in peace with people.”

Yesno says NAN sees the treaty as having three partners.

“We clearly do see it as three partners — us, Ontario and Canada — one shared future,” Yesno says. “We need to build it together and build it right, particularly in the far north.”