Chiefs tell Minister to be prepared for strong action
Tb News Source
Web Posted: 6/5/2008 8:22:03 PM
Self government, revenue sharing and the Mining Act were some of the topics raised on the final day of the All Ontario Chiefs Conference hosted by the Red Rock Indian Band but the fireworks were not planned.
More than 100 chiefs from across the province attended the conference including on Thursday, the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs Michael Bryant who took some heat for his brief appearance.
The Minister wasn't expecting any softball questions from those in attendance and he didn't receive any. Bryant began by addressing the conference on revenue sharing and self-government but First Nations leaders had their own questions for the minister.
Gull Bay Chief Wilfred King said some chiefs were offended that the minister was only at the conference for a little more than an hour and he called the jailing sentences of six members of the KI First Nation a national shame.
''Members of the CAW have erected a blockade, when is the government coming down to condemn those actions. Its alright for other members of society to erect blockades but when our members oppose development, they're thrown in jail,'' King said.
Minister Bryant said the Ontario Government does not oppose blockades and admitted to making mistakes. ''I'm going to make mistakes like showing up here for an hour and half'' he replied and said ''I went to KI three times because I wanted to stop it and it was a national disgrace. ''
But KI band councillor Sam Mckay accused Bryant of being disingenuous about the true intentions of his visit to the First Nation to deal with the dispute with Platinex, an accusation that Bryant did not take lightly, saying he wanted to provide solutions to the dispute.
''Instead of what did you talk about, honestly it discourages government ministers from even going to a First Nation if you go there and they turn it into something else. I have bent over backwards on this, I give you my word. ''
Bryant assured the conference that changes are coming sooner than later to the Mining Act and he also promised reforms were coming with regard to land claim settlements but the Minister was told to be prepared for some very strong action from this assembly.
