Current Problems: Treaties and Land Claims
Exploring Theme: "Aboriginal Rights and Title"
Updates on this page: 133
April 18, 2024
AFN National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak and Nova Scotia Regional Chief Andrea Paul Call for Support of First Nations Elver Fishers
NationTalk: Unceded Algonquin Territory, Ottawa, Ontario) – The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak and Nova Scotia Regional Chief Andrea Paul are calling today for support of First Nations elver fishers, who are experiencing a violation of their inherent and Treaty rights as well as abuse at the hands of fisheries...
April 17, 2024
Liberal MP, senator call for public investigation into federal officers who stranded Mi’kmaw fishers
A Liberal MP and a Senator are asking for an independent investigation into DFO enforcement activities. Photo: APTN. APTN News: Liberal MP Jaime Battiste says an outside investigation into an incident where federal fisheries officers stranded two Mi’kmaw fishers at a gas station without their phones or shoes needs to be conducted and should be...
April 5, 2024
N.S. First Nation councillor acquitted of cannabis charges
Decision in case of Chris Googoo means treaty rights challenge in provincial court will not be heard CBC Indigenous: A constitutional challenge by a councillor for a Nova Scotia First Nation who has claimed a treaty right to sell cannabis will not go ahead this summer after a judge ruled there was not enough evidence...
April 2, 2024
Mi’kmaw harvesters say DFO officers took their shoes, phones and left them stranded
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says there will be ‘full investigation’ into the incident. APTN News: Two Mi’kmaw harvesters say officers with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, commonly called DFO, left them at a gas station in the middle of the night after taking their shoes and cell phones. “We told them that we’re not...
April 2, 2024
Innu chiefs accuse Quebec of bad faith after delay on ‘fundamentally important’ treaty
Community members ‘are losing confidence in the negotiation process,’ says chief CBC Indigenous: Chief Gilbert Dominique is trying to remain optimistic that a “fundamentally important” treaty will be finalized with the Quebec government despite delays. A year after the deadline passed to conclude the Petapan Treaty, Dominique says there’s still “total disappointment” in his community...
April 2, 2024
Cannabis is emerging as a new battleground over Mi’kmaw rights
Some unauthorized store owners are asserting they have a treaty right to sell cannabis CBC Indigenous: It’s no mistake that Thomas Durfee calls his cannabis and cultural arts store in north-end Dartmouth, N.S., a “truckhouse,” a reference to trading posts outlined in a 1752 treaty signed between a Mi’kmaw chief and the British governor of...
March 29, 2024
A year after declaring state of emergency, 11 Manitoba First Nations start self-governance plans
‘We are being shunned by the government,’ Keewatin Tribal Council grand chief says CBC Indigenous: The Keewatin Tribal Council has begun plans to move toward self-governance — one year after declaring a regional state of emergency over what the tribal council’s grand chief called “system-wide failures” in public safety, health and infrastructure. The council, which...
March 25, 2024
Chief Na’Moks: The RCMP’s specialized C-IRG unit exists to crush Indigenous resistance
One year since a system review was launched, the hostile situation between Indigenous communities and RCMP has only got worse Nation Talk: Ricochet – This month marks one year since the RCMP’s civilian watchdog, the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission, launched an investigation into C-IRG. The RCMP’s Community Industry Response Unit (C-IRG) was created to police Indigenous peoples like...
March 15, 2024
Wolastoqey Nation pushes back against closure of baby eel fishery in New Brunswick
APTN News: The lead fishery negotiator for the Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick say the federal government is treating them like “second class citizens” when the minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada or DFO, decided to close the elver fishery for the 2024 fishing season. “They really don’t take into consideration the concerns from our...
March 12, 2024
For traditional Mi’kmaw adult eel fishers, it’s not about the money
Enduring significance of eels in Mi’kmaw spirituality is maintained through generations How eel fishing is changing for the Mi’kmaq trying to preserve it 1 day ago, Duration 3:39 The modern Mi’kmaw winter harvest of adult eels is a profound act of cultural preservation. The CBC’s Sis’moqon ventured onto the ice to learn more about how a...
February 22, 2024
New film documents struggle of Wet’suwet’en land defenders
“Canadian police went to great lengths to silence this story. Journalists and filmmakers documenting this history have variously been blocked from accessing newsworthy events…” — filmmaker Michael Toledano Howilhkat Freda Huson is arrested during a ceremony. Photo copyrighted Amber Bracken. Provided courtesy of filmmakers for the documentary Yintah. Canada’s National Observer: Yintah is a new documentary...
February 21, 2024
Wolastoqey fishers say proposed elver fishery shutdown infringes on treaty rights
Neqotkuk chief says more commercial access could keep fishers from turning to the black market CBC Indigenous: Some Wolastoqey fishers say closure of the fishery for baby eels, or elvers, this year will infringe on their treaty rights and impact their right to earn a moderate livelihood from fishing. Last week, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) issued letters...
February 14, 2024
First Nation sends notice of opposition over drilling plans in northern Alberta
Obsidian Energy plans to increase production by 12% this year CBC Indigenous: Thomson Reuters – A First Nation in northern Alberta says it has told the Alberta Energy Regulator that oil and gas producer Obsidian Energy cannot proceed with plans to expand drilling on its territory due to concerns about earthquakes. The Woodland Cree First...
February 11, 2024
Sask. chief files class-action lawsuit over $5 annuity payments signed 150 years ago
The suit alleges Ottawa has not kept its end of the bargain over annuity payments after signing Treaty 4 CBC Indigenous: The Canadian Press – Chief Lynn Acoose says she’s taking a step elders and past Indigenous leaders in her community have long been reluctant to. The chief of Zagime Anishinabek, home to several First...
February 8, 2024
Judge rules in favour of big timber companies in Aboriginal title claim
First Peoples Law Report: The Penticton Herald – The owners of New Brunswick’s big timber companies are likely breathing a sigh of relief after a judge presiding over a large Indigenous title claim ruled in their favour on an important legal question. In a decision issued Feb. 1 and obtained by Brunswick News, Justice Kathryn...
January 24, 2024
Ontario First Nations want a year-long pause on mining claims. Will the Ford government listen?
Thousands of online mining claims are being made on the territories of First Nations without their consent — and often they aren’t even told about it Alex Moonias of Neskantaga First Nation alongside members of Asubpeeschoseewagong Anishinabek (Grassy Narrows), Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (Big Trout Lake), Wapekeka, Neskantaga and Muskrat Dam First Nations in September 2023. As...
January 17, 2024
Dogs, Snipers and Axes: Inside the RCMP’s Actions in Wet’suwet’en Territory
RCMP officers testify in BC Supreme Court hearing about potential Charter rights violations. The Tyee: RCMP officers considered shooting a security camera and sending a police dog to pull people out of a small structure as they moved to make arrests on Wet’suwet’en territory in November 2021, according to testimony in a B.C. Supreme Court...
January 8, 2024
Trial of prominent Wet’suwet’en leader and land defenders begins
Three accused are charged with criminal contempt over Coastal GasLink pipeline blockades CBC News: The trial is underway for three people charged with criminal contempt for breaking a court order forbidding them from blocking access to the Coastal GasLink pipeline. Among the accused is Sleydo’, also known as Molly Wickham, who has been the public face of...
December 15, 2023
Breaking into TMX: Secwépemc allies, wrapped in chains, drop tobacco into borehole
While some of the last of the pipeline expansion tears through Pípsell in Secwepemcúl’ecw, a last-ditch effort is made to defend the sacred site First Peoples Law Report: IndigiNews.com – Over the course of two trips in the past month, a team of journalists on joint assignment for Ricochet, IndigiNews and The Real News Network...
December 9, 2023
Mi’kmaq lobster harvesters facing vandalism and intimidation
The Globe and Mail: Lobster season had only just begun in southwestern Nova Scotia when Arnold Hammond of Acadia First Nation steamed down the coast toward Lockeport to check his lobster pots on Wednesday morning. He was shocked to find his 100 lobster traps, marked with tags indicating he is licensed by a government-authorized Indigenous fishery, had...
December 1, 2023
100 years of the Williams Treaties in Ontario: Anishinaabeg perspectives
Agreements between First Nations and Canada in southeastern Ontario are considered ‘among the worst’ treaties in Canada by some. Their legacy cannot be forgotten Anglers from Curve Lake First Nation on Pigeon Lake, in the vast southeastern Ontario region that falls under the Williams Treaties of 1923. Photo: Fred Thornhill / The Canadian Press The Narwhal:...
November 30, 2023
Indigenous Rights and Marine Spaces: Case Comment on Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation; First Peoples Law Report
In the following case comment, my colleague Kate Gunn weighs in on the Ontario Court of Appeal’s Saugeen decision and its implications for Indigenous rights in relation to marine spaces.I hope you find it informative and helpful.You can also read it on our website.Best, Bruce Indigenous Rights and Marine Spaces: Case Comment on Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation By...
November 27, 2023
Nova Scotia lobster fishing season opens amid tensions between Indigenous leaders and Ottawa
The Globe and Mail: As thousands of fishermen took to the sea in southwestern Nova Scotia for the beginning of the most lucrative lobster fishing season in the region, Mi’kmaq leaders are decrying the federal government’s decision to maintain limits on their access to the fishery in what they say is a violation of their...
November 22, 2023
Indigenous rights collide with $35B Western Canada pipeline expansion
NationTalk: Global News – Trans Mountain, the company that’s building the federal government-owned pipeline expansion from Alberta through B.C., says its project, which is billions of dollars over budget, is now 95 per cent complete. The company hopes oil will start flowing within weeks. Except there’s a problem. Some residents of an Indigenous community are...
November 8, 2023
Dakota Tipi First Nation sues federal government for $475M, alleges Manitoba air base built on unceded land
Loss of land caused economic, cultural, mental and physical suffering, Dakota Tipi lawsuit says CBC Indigenous: Dakota Tipi First Nation has launched a $475-million lawsuit against the federal government, alleging a former military base turned aerospace centre in south-central Manitoba exists on part of the First Nation’s ancestral land that was never surrendered to the Crown....
November 7, 2023
Supreme Court of Canada hears Ontario’s appeal of landmark Robinson Huron treaty annuities case
The province is appealing an Ontario Court of Appeal decision in 2021 CBC Indigenous: More than six years since its first day in court, the Robinson-Huron treaty annuities case is being heard in the Supreme Court of Canada today and Wednesday. At the centre of the landmark case is a promise that annuities to Indigenous communities would increase...
November 1, 2023
Saugeen Ojibway Nation raises concerns about Metis rights in territory
First Nations Law Report: Owen Sound The Sun Times – The Saugeen Ojibway Nation is raising concerns about what it says are Metis groups asserting rights in their traditional territory and the willingness of organizations, proponents and governments to engage with those communities. On Oct. 25, SON – made up of the Saugeen First Nation...
October 30, 2023
Despite opposition and environmental violations, major B.C. pipeline project nearly complete
TC Energy says the 670-km Coastal GasLink pipeline has been fully installed from Dawson Creek to Kitimat CBC News: A controversial pipeline meant to transport natural gas across northern British Columbia has passed a major milestone. On Monday, TC Energy announced it has finished installing pipe on its Coastal GasLink pipeline project. “That means that all...
October 27, 2023
Why Are Indigenous Fisheries Still Drawing Anger and Violence?
Canada has spent nearly 25 years ignoring its own Supreme Court. First Nations fishers are suffering the consequences. The Tyee: Hakai Magazine – In the summer of 2000, Mi’kmaw fishers from Esgenoôpetitj, also known as Burnt Church First Nation, took to the waters of Miramichi Bay, in New Brunswick, each small boat carrying a cache...
October 15, 2023
More than 50 Indigenous fish harvesters in the Maritimes face charges or on trial
Several of the accused plan to argue treaty rights have been violated CBC Indigenous: The Canadian Press – Three years after a First Nation started a self-regulated lobster fishery that sparked protests and violence in Nova Scotia, federal prosecutors are pressing ahead with charges against dozens of Indigenous fishers, some of whom are planning constitutional...
October 13, 2023
10 years after RCMP raided N.B. anti-fracking camp, Aboriginal title claim ongoing
‘If they … really got into the heart of the problem, I think we wouldn’t have this kind of protesting’ CBC Indigenous: It may have been 10 years ago, but members of Elsipogtog First Nation who were on the frontline when the RCMP raided an anti-fracking encampment near Rexton, N.B., say the events of that day are still fresh in...
September 25, 2023
Regulator rules in favour of Trans Mountain route change
Workers place pipe during construction of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion on farmland in Abbotsford, B.C., on Wednesday, May 3, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck Canada’s National Observer: CALGARY — The Canada Energy Regulator has approved Trans Mountain Corp.’s application to modify the pipeline’s route, a decision that could spare the government-owned pipeline project from...
September 12, 2023
Mineral company evicted from Innu territory for unwanted, incompatible exploration
“The free mining system…is unlike any other kind of legal framework because it denies the possibility of being properly and meaningfully consulted and accommodated.” — Legal counsel Morgan Kendall At left is Vice-Chief Kenny Régis of the Innu government for Uashat mak Mani-utenam. He and others travelled by helicopter to give an eviction notice to...
September 11, 2023
Two arrested during protest at wharf where Mi’kmaw fishery underway
A peaceful moment on the Saulnierville Wharf. On the weekend, two people were arrested after a protest against the Mi’kmaw fishery. Photo: Angel Moore/APTN. APTN News: The RCMP says two people were arrested and later released for alleged assaults on Saturday after police responded to what they described as “an assembly” at a fishing wharf...
August 31, 2023
Nova Scotia fishers, Indigenous stakeholders call for more dialogue amid violence
WATCH: Nova Scotia RCMP are investigating after four people allegedly stole a crate full of lobster on a wharf in St. Mary’s Bay which led to a property owner being assaulted. As Zack Power reports, the tensions come as Indigenous and commercial fishery stakeholders are calling for peace and dialogue. Click on the following link...
August 29, 2023
Ontario First Nations leaders reiterate opposition to Greenbelt land swap in unanimous vote
Chiefs of Ontario says province didn’t adequately consult First Nations on Greenbelt decision CBC News: First Nations leaders from across Ontario are demanding the provincial government return environmental protections to land it recently removed from the Greenbelt to build housing. The Chiefs of Ontario, an organization that advocates for 133 First Nations in the province,...
August 29, 2023
Prairie First Nations prepare to launch legal battle over natural resources
Chiefs seek to overturn ‘illegal’ 1930 act granting provinces control over resources CBC News: Billions of dollars worth of oil, potash, uranium and other commodities are extracted across the Canadian Prairies every year, and First Nations say they’ve been illegally excluded from that windfall. Now they say they’re launching a lawsuit to change that. “We are united to claim...
August 29, 2023
First Nations chiefs demand return of Greenbelt land, call for criminal investigation of Ford government
By Abdul Matin Sarfraz | News | August 29th 2023 Following their Emergency Chiefs Assembly, the leaders also called for a criminal investigation into the province’s removal of Greenbelt land for housing development. Photo submitted by Chiefs of Ontario Communications Sector from a previous event Listen to article Canada’s National Observer: First Nations leaders in Ontario are demanding the Ford government...
August 29, 2023
Better dialogue with First Nations could have avoided Joffre Lakes closure, critics say
Closing of park by two First Nations can be traced to B.C. government’s failure to negotiate treaties with Indigenous communities, Indigenous lawyer says NationTalk: Times-Colonist – The closing of a popular provincial park by two First Nations is a consequence of the B.C. government’s failure to negotiate treaties with Indigenous communities, says a prominent Indigenous...
August 22, 2023
Marten Falls chief wants housing and water issues fixed ahead of Ring of Fire mining
Bruce Achneepineskum and community won’t be satisfied with the ‘bare minimum’ in consenting to James Bay development NationTalk: Northern Ontario Business – The chief of Marten Falls First Nation isn’t opposed to mine development, he’s just cautious about what should be included in any future agreement connected to the Ring of Fire. Bruce Achneepineskum wants...
August 16, 2023
First Nations Coalition Supports Minister’s Decision to Close Open Net-Pen Fish Farms in the Discovery Islands
NationTalk: (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil Waututh) /Vancouver, B.C.) — The Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis First Nation, ‘Namgis First Nation, St’át’imc Chiefs Council, Stó꞉lō Tribal Council, Musqueam Indian Band, and the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (together the “First Nations Coalition”) have jointly applied together to the Federal Court for leave to intervene in...
August 4, 2023
Mi’kmaw nation, lobster harvesters suing feds for treaty violations
Theft of Mi’kmaw harvester’s lobster caught on video. APTN News: Sheyanne Francis is used to being hassled by enforcement officers with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, also known as DFO. But a theft of her catch left her speechless. “Gut wrenching, sick to my stomach, disgusted, wow,” she said. After Francis and her crew...
August 2, 2023
Sipekne’katik First Nation sues federal government for seizing lobster traps
Lawsuit says fisheries officials, coast guard violated right to moderate livelihood fishery CBC News: Sipekne’katik First Nation is suing the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard for seizing some of its members’ lobster traps earlier this month in southwest Nova Scotia. The statement of claim, filed in the Supreme Court of...
July 31, 2023
Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek Resolves to Protect Its Treaty Rights Against Unconstitutional Mining Claim Registration
NationTalk: GULL BAY, ON – Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek (Gull Bay First Nation) (KZA) has publicly affirmed its resolve to protect its treaty rights against unconstitutional mining claim registration. In recent weeks, there has been a rush of new mining claim registration in the close vicinity of KZA’s reserve at Gull River. “The Mining Act permits...
July 27, 2023
RECONCILIATION AND ABORIGINAL TITLE: CASE COMMENT ON THE NUCHATLAHT V BRITISH COLUMBIA
By Kate Gunn and Nico McKay Last month, the BC Supreme Court issued its decision in The Nuchatlaht v British Columbia. The Court held that the Nuchatlaht failed to provide sufficient evidence to establish their claim to Aboriginal title on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The decision represents a setback both for the Nuchatlaht and for the...
July 21, 2023
Tahltan Nation Opposes Doubleview Gold Corporation’s Operations in Tahltan Territory
NationTalk: DEASE LAKE, BC, JULY 21, 2023 – The Tahltan Central Government has provided notice to Doubleview Gold Corporation (“Doubleview”) that the Tahltan Nation opposes Doubleview’s continued operations at the company’s Hat Property located to the northwest of Telegraph Creek within an area of Tahltan Territory that has been identified as being a highly sensitive...
July 11, 2023
DFO says it has enough resources to monitor Indigenous lobster fishing in Nova Scotia
Pledge comes in wake of illegal catches of baby eels by Indigenous and non-Indigenous harvesters CBC News: Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) says its enforcement branch will be on the water and adequately equipped to monitor compliance of First Nations lobster fisheries this summer. The pledge follows the chaotic fishery for baby eels this spring...
June 27, 2023
Experts call on Alberta government to strengthen treaty relationships
Partnerships, autonomy, key to moving forward, experts say CBC News: Treaty experts are calling on the new Alberta government to uphold and strengthen obligations under Treaty 6, 7 and 8. MLAs with the new UCP government were reminded of those responsibilities as they were sworn in last week. “The Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations reminds...
May 17, 2023
Trial Begins for a Hereditary Chief Charged in the CGL Pipeline Conflict
Chief Dsta’hyl says he was acting as an enforcement officer for the Likhts’amisyu Clan when he seized construction equipment. The Tyee: Security was unusually tight at the courthouse in Smithers on Monday, with sheriffs using metal detectors and searching the bags of those who attended the first day of the trial of a Wet’suwet’en Hereditary...
May 12, 2023
Nuchatlaht First Nation has 14 days to decide how to proceed with landmark claim
CBC News: : A British Columbia Supreme Court judge ruling on a First Nations land title lawsuit says it did not prove it had rights to its entire claim area, although he suggested it may be time for the provincial government to rethink its current test for such titles. The Nuchatlaht First Nation, a community...
April 28, 2023
Lennox Island, DFO agree on 2023 moderate livelihood lobster fishery off P.E.I.
PEIFA critical, says DFO tried to buy back licences but was unwilling to pay the price CBC News: The Department of Fisheries and Oceans says it has reached an “understanding” with Lennox Island First Nation for a treaty-protected lobster fishery off P.E.I.’s North Shore for the 2023 spring season. In a statement to CBC News, DFO says...
April 27, 2023
Atikameksheng Anishnawbek issues a formal response to Ontario government’s proposed Bill 71, Building More Mines Act
We do not support Bill 71 and call for a complete review of the Ontario Mining Act in collaboration with First Nations in Ontario NationTalk: AnishinabekNews.ca – ATIKAMEKSHENG ANISHNAWBEK – After careful review and consideration of the impacts that Ontario’s Bill 71, Building More Mines Act, 2023, will have on the traditional territories of Atikameksheng Anishnawbek,...
April 26, 2023
Can the Crown make land decisions without First Nations consent? Treaty 9 lawsuit argues no
Lawyer calls lawsuit ‘frontal attack’ on colonial idea governments have ‘supreme right to rule’ CBC News: Several First Nations have announced their intention to take the Ontario and Canadian governments to court, in a lawsuit their lead lawyer says could fundamentally change the way resource and land management decisions are made in the Treaty 9 area. Leaders...
April 25, 2023
Lennox Island to fish 1,000 lobster traps off P.E.I.’s North Shore, with or without DFO signoff
‘If you want to protect rights, you have to practise them. You can’t shelve them.’ CBC News: The chief of Lennox Island First Nation says it will fish 1,000 traps in the spring lobster fishery off P.E.I.’s North Shore this year as part of its treaty-protected fishery — whether or not the Department of Fisheries...
April 21, 2023
Coastal GasLink faces new fines for filing ‘false and misleading’ information
When B.C.’s Environmental Assessment Office reviewed reports filed by the pipeline it found discrepancies; now it says the company should pay up for misleading the government The Narwhal: Coastal GasLink is facing a new fine for allegedly misleading enforcement officers and sending them false information about the company’s efforts to protect an area around the...
April 16, 2023
Lucrative baby eel fishery shut down
Federal agency shelves elver production for 45 days amid poaching and safety concerns Toronto Star: Federal fisheries officials shut down the lucrative baby eel fishery in the Maritimes on Saturday amid growing concerns of illegal poaching and violence. Fisheries and Oceans Canada said the elver fishery in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick would be closed...
April 14, 2023
AFN Affirms Support for First Nations’ Assertion of Rights in Treaty 9 Legal Action on Cumulative Impacts
NationTalk: Ottawa, ON – On Tuesday, during its Special Chiefs Assembly, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) adopted a Resolution in support of litigation launched by Chapleau Cree First Nation, Missanabie Cree First Nation, and Brunswick House First Nation (the Treaty 9 Nations). The litigation challenges the Government of Ontario’s failure to uphold the Crown’s obligations...
April 12, 2023
Trudeau says premiers’ claims about natural resources power grab have ‘no grounding in truth’
Premiers criticized justice minister for saying Ottawa will look at resource agreement CBC News: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing the premiers of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba of misinterpreting remarks by a federal minister on whether Ottawa might review agreements that give those provinces control of natural resources. “Let me be very clear. The minister of...
April 11, 2023
Western premiers blast Lametti for suggesting Ottawa might ‘look at’ provinces’ power over natural resources
Lametti told an AFN meeting he would examine calls to rescind Natural Resources Transfer Act CBC News: Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and three western premiers are calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to disassociate his government from comments made by his justice minister — who promised last week to “look at” a decades-old law that...
April 10, 2023
When anarchists attack
How police say a peaceful, Indigenous-led protest over a B.C. pipeline was hijacked by violent outsiders CBC News: A security guard was swarmed in a truck near a worksite by a group of people in masks and camouflage firing flare guns. He was then forced to flee into the dead of night, while the assailants...
April 8, 2023
Canada is sitting on a critical minerals motherlode. But is it ready for the new gold rush?
Proponents say Canada must do more to turn aspiration into action CBC News: Drive two hours north of Ottawa, put on a hard hat and bright orange vest, descend into a pit — and you find yourself on the frontline in the fight to be part of the new, green economy. A mining project might not...
April 3, 2023
Matawa Chiefs Council issue formal Response to Ontario Government’s Proposed Bill 71 – Building more Mines Act
Ontario prepares itself to Boom on Mining and Critical Minerals while minimizing Environmental Oversight and Avoiding Crown Responsibilities to First Nations across the North NationTalk: MATAWA TRADITIONAL TERRITORIES AND HOMELANDS: As the Matawa member First Nations have taken time to review and consider the impacts of Ontario’s Bill 71 – Building More Mines Act introduced...
March 29, 2023
First Nations protesting Ontario’s accelerated mining development plans
The Globe and Mail: Five First Nations communities are planning to stare down Doug Ford in the Ontario Legislature Wednesday, alleging that the Premier is railroading through mining development without their consent. Leaders of Neskantaga, KI, Grassy Narrows, Wapekeka and Muskrat Dam First Nations said in a statement they are converging on Queen’s Park with...
March 24, 2023
FSIN demands inquiry over mistreatment of First Nations
The FSIN continues its calls for action to address systemic racism within First Nations NationTalk: SaskToday: SASKATOON—The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations has called for an inquiry into the actions of Saskatchewan Environment after an Elder’s house was raided on the Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation. FSIN condemns Sask gov’t funding reduction for First Nations MN-S,...
March 17, 2023
Forestry companies say they’re at risk because of Wolastoqey title claim to more than half N.B.
Companies file three separate motions with the court CBC News: Some of the New Brunswick’s largest forestry companies say their business operations are at risk as a result of a title claim by the Wolastoqey Nation for about 60 per cent of land in the province. Three companies — and several subsidiaries — want a specific document removed from the...
March 14, 2023
Billions have been made on Robinson Huron Treaty lands. First Nations could finally get a fair share
For 173 years, Canada has failed to truly share profits from nickel, copper, uranium, lumber and fish. Now, courts will weigh in on fair payback for First Nations in northeastern Ontario The Narwhal: In northeastern Ontario, a treaty dispute over 170 years in the making might finally be coming to a close. A legal trust...
March 9, 2023
First Nations Affirm Treaty Rights Trump Provincial Firearms Laws
NationTalk: Treaty 6 Territory, Saskatoon SK – The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), under the direction of the Chiefs, is opposing the provincial government’s Bill 177, The Saskatchewan Firearms Act. The proposed legislation was introduced without consultation and does not include provisions or exemptions for First Nations Treaty rights and sustenance gathering. “We know...
March 2, 2023
Doug Ford government wants to speed up mining permits in Ontario
Changes to Mining Act aim to boost production of critical minerals, essential for EV batteries CBC News: Premier Doug Ford’s government will propose on Thursday changes to the laws governing approval of mining projects to boost Ontario’s production of minerals essential to electric vehicle batteries and other technologies, CBC News has learned. The changes would speed up permits...
March 2, 2023
Land Defenders Call on Courts to Dismiss Criminal Contempt Charges
Charter violations and use of excessive force by RCMP are alleged by Wet’suwet’en members and supporters in their application. The Tyee: A dozen Wet’suwet’en members and their supporters who currently face criminal contempt charges in connection with the Coastal GasLink pipeline dispute have applied to the B.C. Supreme Court to have the charges stayed, according to...
February 28, 2023
Some traditional lands to return to Wolastoqey Nation, agreement signed
AV Group signs memorandum of understanding despite being named in land title claim by Wolastoqey chiefs CBC News: A New Brunswick forestry company is agreeing to transfer a parcel of land to Wolastoqey communities in the province and allow their members input into their forest management practices. The agreement is part of a memorandum of...
February 21, 2023
Wolastoqiyik, Mi’kmaq say they’re allies in land rights despite overlapping title claims
‘Our biggest challenge is going to have the province recognize it,’ says Chief Patricia Bernard CBC News: As several Indigenous nations in eastern Canada make overlapping claims to their traditional lands, they say the biggest obstacle won’t be dealing with each other, but with the government of New Brunswick. Last week, Mi’gmawe’l Tplu’taqnn Inc. (MTI),...
February 15, 2023
Mi’kmaw First Nations expand Aboriginal title claim to include almost all of N.B.
Claim expands on 2016 Elsipogtog claim that covered a third of province CBC News: Mi’kmaw communities in New Brunswick are once again asserting Aboriginal title to land in the province — and it’s a lot more land than in the previous claim. In fact, according to a map released on Wednesday, the most recent claim covers nearly...
February 7, 2023
First Nations owed over $100B under 1850 Ontario treaty: Nobel-winning economist – National Post
Joseph Stiglitz is testifying in a Sudbury, Ont., courtroom why First Nations may have been short-changed under a revenue-sharing treaty signed in 1850 NationTalk: National Post – He is a Nobel prize winner, former vice president of the World Bank and one of the globe’s most famous economists. And this week Joseph Stiglitz is testifying...
February 6, 2023
First Nations Leaders Resolve to Protect Land in Manitoba: AMC, MKO, SCO and ILTC Demand Immediate Stop to Agricultural Crown Lands Lease and Permit Auction
NationTalk: Treaty One Territory – The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC), Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimaknak (MKO), the Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO) and the Anishininew Okimawin (ILTC) are providing Manitoba with notice that they intend to initiate legal proceedings to protect the traditional and ancestral lands of First Nations in Manitoba. The Province of Manitoba intends to...
February 1, 2023
Grassy Narrows hosts Historic Alliance to protect lands and waters from mining exploration companies enabled by Ford Government’s pro-industry stance
We are proud to share with you that yesterday leadership from Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI, or Big Trout Lake First Nation), Wapekeka, Neskantaga, and Asubpeeschoseewagong Anishinabek (Grassy Narrows) met in Grassy Narrows to sign a Mutual Cooperation Agreement. The four strong First Nations are forming an alliance to protect their lands and waters in the face...
January 31, 2023
Dollar value of resources to be debated as final stage of treaty annuities trial begins
One group of plaintiffs in confidential settlement talks while other continues with litigation CBC News: The final stage of a complex trial over the payment of treaty annuities in northern Ontario kicked off Monday with one group of plaintiffs pursuing negotiations and the other in court panning the provincial government. The case concerns a clause...
January 26, 2023
Saskatchewan does have a constitution; it’s called Treaty
The provincial government plan to auction Crown lands covered by treaties with Indigenous Peoples shows that it does not understand the Constitution. NationTalk: Policy Options: Saskatchewan’s provincial government has much to learn about the political history of the lands to which it lays claim. On Jan. 20, the Onion Lake Cree Nation called for Indigenous...
January 23, 2023
British Columbia First Nations Strike Landmark Deals Governing Development on Their Ancestral Lands – Yale E360
NationTalk: YaleEnvironment360 Two First Nations in Canada have forged historic agreements governing industrial development on their ancestral lands. The Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi ‘it, also known as the Tobacco Plains Indian Band, have signed an agreement with NWP Coal Canada giving the First Nation veto power over a proposed mining project on their ancestral lands near Sparwood,...
January 11, 2023
RCMP, Coastal GasLink deny conspiring to intimidate, harass Wet’suwet’en members
Mounties acted ‘reasonably’ while enforcing injunction, B.C. legal defence says CBC News: The RCMP denies it conspired with a natural gas pipeline builder and a private security firm in a campaign designed to harass Wet’suwet’en people off their unceded territory in northern British Columbia, court filings say. The RCMP, Coastal GasLink and Forsythe Security, named...
January 9, 2023
Indigenous land defenders criminalized, surveilled and harassed as pipeline construction continues on Wet’suwet’en territory: Amnesty International
NationTalk: Four years on from the first large-scale police raid on Wet’suwet’en territory, Indigenous land defenders in Canada are still experiencing serious human rights violations as the construction of the Coastal GasLink (CGL) pipeline continues on their unceded, ancestral and traditional territories, said Amnesty International today. The Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs – the authorities of the...
January 7, 2023
Here are 3 places to watch the Land Back movement unfold in 2023
Calls for a return of Indigenous sovereignty over traditional territories have gained momentum in recent years CBC News: It was a hot, muggy July day when Nick Tilsen and about 200 other Lakotas blocked the way to a sacred mountain. The mountain is part of the He Sapa and is the centre of the Land...
December 29, 2022
Why Indigenous leaders are speaking out against ‘sovereignty’ efforts in Alberta and Saskatchewan
First Nations signed treaties with the federal government, not provincial ones, and fear separatist premiers will impinge on long-standing agreements. As Alberta and Saskatchewan pursue quasi-separatist agendas, no one has been blunter about the damage that may cause than First Nations leaders. But Indigenous people know well what happens when a government comes along and...
December 19, 2022
Onion Lake Cree Nation files lawsuit challenging Alberta’s sovereignty act
The Globe and Mail: A First Nation has filed a lawsuit against the Alberta government claiming Premier Danielle Smith’s Sovereignty Act violates the constitutionally recognized treaty rights of its members as it asks a court to strike it down. The Onion Lake Cree Nation, which is located on the Alberta-Saskatchewan boundary, filed a statement of claim on Monday,...
December 14, 2022
Smith apologizes for Indian Act comparison after remarks make some First Nations leaders bristle
Premier Smith said Wednesday she apologizes for earlier comments if they were ‘misconstrued’ CBC News: Alberta Premier Danielle Smith attended a pre-arranged meeting with Treaty 6 chiefs on Wednesday amid pushback from Indigenous leaders, who continue to call for her flagship Sovereignty Act legislation to be withdrawn. That meeting evidently did not move the chiefs from their initial request....
December 11, 2022
Delgamuukw 25 years on: How Canada has undermined the landmark decision on Indigenous land rights
The Conversation: Shiri Pasternak, Assistant Professor of Criminology, Toronto Metropolitan University This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Supreme Court of Canada’s Delgamuukw case on Aboriginal title. In 1997, the Wet’suwet’en and Gitxsan Nations brought the watershed case before the Supreme Court, yet a countrywide battle remains over implementation of the Delgamuukw decision involving all First nations. The...
December 9, 2022
Coastal GasLink protesters sentenced after pleading guilty to criminal contempt
3 protesters receive $500 fines; 25 hours of community service for 2 others CBC News: A B.C. Supreme Court judge sentenced five protesters Monday who pleaded guilty to criminal contempt of court for ignoring a court order forbidding them from blocking access to a controversial northern B.C. pipeline. Justice Michael Tammen accepted a joint submission...
December 8, 2022
First Nations leaders reject Trudeau’s proposed gun law, citing risk to treaty rights
AFN chiefs reject Liberal gun-control bill The Canadian Press: OTTAWA – Chiefs at the Assembly of First Nationsvoted Thursdayto publicly oppose the Liberal government’s proposed gun-control legislationand stand against sovereignty bills in Alberta and Saskatchewan’s legislatures. All three bills would infringe on treaty rights, the First Nations leaders said. An amendment to Bill C-21, which...
December 8, 2022
First Nations demand withdrawal of proposed Alberta Sovereignty, Saskatchewan First acts
CBC News: Standing at a podium in Ottawa with several treaty chiefs behind her, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations called for the proposed Alberta Sovereignty Act and the Saskatchewan First Act to be withdrawn. Chiefs connected with the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, Treaty 6 and Treaty 7 say the acts infringe...
November 23, 2022
Chiefs of Ontario and First Nations Oppose Bill 23: More Homes Built Faster Act
NationTalk: The Chiefs of Ontario express their full support for First Nations Leadership in their opposition to Bill 23: More Homes Built Faster Act due to its clear violation of First Nations constitutionally protected, inherent and Treaty rights and its inevitable adverse environmental impacts on First Nations ancestral and traditional territories. “The Government of Ontario’s...
November 18, 2022
Alberta First Nations leaders stand against premier’s sovereignty act
By Bob Weber The Canadian Press Posted November 18, 2022 8:36 am Updated November 18, 2022 8:54 pmclose First Peoples Law Report: Danielle Smith has said her first piece of legislation as Alberta’s new premier will be the sovereignty act. But Indigenous leaders from across the province say it’s unconstitutional and unethical, and they want it scrapped....
November 17, 2022
Matawa chiefs push back against U.S. military agenda in the Ring of Fire
First Nation leaders demand a big say over any industrial development on their James Bay homelands First Peoples Law Report: Northern Ontario Business Staff Nov 17, 2022 1:00 PM Toronto media reports about talks between the U.S. military, mining interests and government about funding development in the Ring of Fire has angered Indigenous communities in Ontario’s...
November 15, 2022
25 years after the Delgamuukw case, the fight for land is more contentious than ever
Judges ruled that Indigenous people had ancestral land rights but stopped short of declaring Aboriginal title Angela Sterritt · CBC News · Posted: Nov 15, 2022 4:00 AM PT | Last Updated: November 15 Twenty-five years after the Delgamuukw verdict was handed down, First Nations’ leaders behind the historic case are still ruminating about how the land they fought for is still largely...
November 8, 2022
Robinson-Huron Treaty annuities case: Ontario seeks stay – lawyer
Robinson-Huron Treaty Litigation Fund says Ontario has asked for a stay in final stage of court case while it appeals previous court decision on treaty annuity payments Sootoday.com: The third and final stage of an ongoing court case over treaty annuity payments launched by signatories to the Robinson-Huron Treaty is slated to begin early in...
November 2, 2022
First Nations leaders push back against ‘Saskatchewan First Act’ tabled by government
First Nations leaders unhappy with Legislation and lack of consultation. First Peoples Law Report: APTN news – The Saskatchewan government has tabled its controversial Saskatchewan First Act, in spite of push-back from the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, the Saskatchewan Treaty Commissioner and the opposition NDP. The government had unveiled the policy in October which...
October 27, 2022
Saskatchewan Office of the Treaty Commissioner says throne speech offends treaty rights
The Office of the Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan responded to the 2022 throne speech on Thursday, saying its contents do not work for everyone and offends the treaty and inherent rights of Indigenous people. “While the Office of the Treaty Commissioner welcomes programs and initiatives with Indigenous communities on health, education, and community policing among others, there remains an...
October 11, 2022
Saskatchewan premier overstepping his authority over land rights: FSIN
Scott Moe says he plans to fight Ottawa over natural resource jurisdiction. APTN News: The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) is taking Saskatchewan’s premier to task for his plan to “protect” the province’s constitutional rights against Ottawa. On Oct. 11, Premier Scott Moe unveiled what he’s calling The White Paper – Drawing the Line: Defending...
October 6, 2022
The complicated truth about pipelines crossing Wet’suwet’en territory
Alberta-based energy giant TC Energy frequently points to its agreements with 20 First Nations along the route of the Coastal GasLink pipeline. This is true, but look a little deeper and it’s a lot more complex The Narwhal: Three years after starting construction on a gas pipeline in northern B.C., Calgary-based energy giant TC Energy...
October 3, 2022
‘Backed into a corner’: Duncan’s First Nation sues Alberta for cumulative impacts of industry
Lawsuit follows in the footsteps of B.C. Supreme Court’s precedent-setting Blueberry River decision, which could have profound impacts for oil and gas industry A First Nation in northern Alberta is suing the Alberta government for infringement of Treaty Rights, leaning heavily on a B.C. Supreme Court decision last year, which found that province liable for...
August 4, 2022
AMC asks government to honour promises made on 151st anniversary of Treaty 1 and Treaty 2
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) reflects on the 151st anniversary of Treaty 1 and 2. NationTalk: Treaty One Territory, Manitoba – Manitoba, which translates to the land where the Creator sits in Anishinaabe, is where First Nations and the British Crown signed Treaty 1 and 2 at the Lower Fort Garry on August 3rd...
July 27, 2022
The Wolastoqey title claim in N.B., a centuries-old issue and the honourable solution
New Brunswick never signed a land-sharing treaty and is in violation of laws governing compensation. It’s time for a resource revenue-sharing agreement. Policy Options: In New Brunswick, a Mi’kmaw title claim by the Wolastoqey Nations is underpinned by a simple truth: the Mi’kmaw Nation of New Brunswick was unfairly dispossessed from its traditional territory by Euro-Canadian...
June 28, 2022
‘They beat us into submission’: West Moberly’s decades-long fight against Site C dam is over
West Moberly First Nations reluctantly signed a settlement seven years into construction on the beleaguered hydroelectric project on the Peace River in northeastern B.C. The Narwhal: After a decades-long fight against the Site C dam, Monday was a bittersweet day for West Moberly First Nations Chief Roland Willson. The Nation and the province announced a partial settlement...
June 23, 2022
Robinson-Huron Superior treaty annuity payments appeal heading to Supreme Court
Supreme Court to hear Ontario case on treaty payments to Anishinaabe APTN: The Supreme Court of Canada says it will hear a legal battle over Crown payments to beneficiaries of two Robinson treaties which cover the upper Great Lakes in Ontario and 21 Anishinaabe bands. The Ontario government sought to challenge a ruling by the...
June 13, 2022
Matawa Chiefs’ Council work towards solidifying approach to Ring Of Fire Regional Environment Assessment
NationTalk: TORONTO, ON: Chiefs of the Matawa First Nations of Northern Ontario announced today they are working towards solidifying a regional approach to the federal Impact Assessment (IA) in the Ring of Fire. This announcement was made during the Matawa Chiefs Council’s participation in the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada’s 2022 convention which was...
April 20, 2022
Robinson-Huron and Superior Treaties, 1850
NationTalk: Robinson Huron Treaty Territory — The Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund (RHTLF) leadership, Ontario and Canada officials have established a negotiation table to find common ground for resolving the annuities litigation outside of court. The Robinson Huron Treaty First Nations have outstanding litigation against both Canada and Ontario relating to treaty annuities. There is...
March 8, 2022
Nuchatlaht Nation Aboriginal Title case with BC Supreme Court
Windspeaker.com – The Nuchatlaht Nation began its legal battle in 2017 fighting BC and the federal government to get their land back. Their territory includes a large part of Nootka Island off the west coast of Vancouver Island. It has been impacted by industrial logging and fishing for almost a century since Nuchatlaht was displaced...
February 23, 2022
Matawa Chiefs Council Opposition to the Regional Assessment for the Ring of Fire
Feb. 23, 2022: The Matawa Chiefs Council and Matawa First Nations Management (MFNM) – representing (9) member First Nations call on Canada to begin the collaboration, negotiations and investment process – in partnership with Matawa member First Nations – to maximize the benefits of the development of the north. The land Ontario refers to as the Far...
January 18, 2022
Québec Summit on Land Use Planning
Assembly of First Nations Québec-Labrador – AFNQL Chiefs are opposed to any form of government strategy, policy, or development project impacting their territories without, as a priority, being actively involved in discussions. “This announcement is yet another announcement that illustrates the lack of sensitivity, even contempt of the CAQ government towards our territories,” said Interim...
January 7, 2022
Robinson-Huron and Superior Treaties, 1850
CBC – Ontario will appeal the Robinson Huron Treaty Annuity Case to the Supreme Court. The case was upheld by both the Ontario Superior Court and then the Ontario Court of Appeal. The 21 First Nations involved said that amount needs to be re-negotiated, and the courts have agreed....
December 11, 2021
Delgamuukw-Gisday’wa decision,
Union of BC Indian Chiefs – UBCIC marks the 24th anniversary of the Supreme Court of Canada’s ground-breaking Delgamuukw-Gisday’wa decision, which confirmed the continuing existence of the Wet’suwet’en and Gitxsan Title and Rights, contrary to provincial claims that their Title, if it had existed, had been extinguished. On December 11, 1997 the six members of...
November 24, 2021
Coastal First Nations vs Government of Alberta and 2 Métis organizations
Coastal First Nations – In the wake of the news that two Métis groups received funding from the Alberta Government to legally challenge the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act, Coastal First Nations (CFN) will continue to fight to protect our waters, lands and resources from potential oil spills. “We will do whatever it takes to protect...
November 5, 2021
Robinson-Huron and Superior Treaties, 1850
The Manitoulin Expositor – The Ontario Court of Appeal releases judgment on Ontario’s Stage 1 and 2 in Robinson–Huron Treaty Annuities Case that affirms much of the trial decision and only disagrees with the trial judgment on a limited number of issues. As we explain, we unanimously reject the majority of the arguments raised on...
October 29, 2021
Manitoba Métis Section 35 rights
Manitoba Métis Federation – The MMF will be taking the Government of Manitoba to court as a result of Manitoba’s continued attempts to disregard the Manitoba Métis, also known as the Red River Métis, section 35 rights. The MMF also commits to supporting any Métis moose harvesting parties that are wrongfully charged by Manitoba conservation...
August 16, 2021
Robinson-Huron and Superior Treaties, 1850
Wawa News – The Government of Canada has completed their mandating process and are prepared to negotiate and settle the ongoing annuities case. Canada has stated that the negotiation and settlement process requires participation from the Government of Ontario. “Now, we need the province to come to the table to make this settlement happen,” said...
May 14, 2021
Summit of Treaty 5 First Nations Declaration on Natural Resources on Treaty Territory
NationTalk – O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation, Treaty 5: The Summit of Treaty Five Sovereign Nations comprising of 40 First Nations in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario will stand with the Treaty 5 First Nations and individual Treaty 5 holders who will be adversely impacted by the issuance of a permanent licence for Churchill River Diversion, Lake Winnipeg...
May 11, 2021
Giant Mine Remediation
CBC – The Yellowknives Dene First Nation says the federal government’s response to the Giant Mine petition “reflects some progress,” but when it comes to remediation contracts, the response “falls short.” They say the response fails to reflect over three months of discussions between the Yellowknives Dene and government representatives. It also points out that...
April 28, 2021
Robinson-Huron and Superior Treaties, 1850
Wawa News – the Ontario Court of Appeal concluded its hearing of the Government of Ontario’s appeal of the Stage 1 decision in the Robinson Treaties annuities case. The Court of Appeal has reserved its decision on the Stage 1 appeal, which it will likely release in the months following its hearing of the Stage...
March 16, 2021
Batchewana First Nation exercises treaty rights for logging
Sault Online – Open Letter from Batchewana First Nation – outlining numerous grievances with the government of Ontario for their ongoing failure to uphold the “honour of the crown” by continuing intrusions of our inherent sovereignty and unextinguished jurisdictions over the lands in Eastern Lake Superior and the lands in direct proximity. In direct response...
March 3, 2021
Treaty 8 and Site C Dam
First People’s Law – The Site C dam, downstream of the WAC Bennett Dam, capitalizes on the destruction of Treaty 8 territory and the ongoing infringement of treaty rights. It will also cause additional, irreversible impacts on the lands and rights of Indigenous Peoples in Treaty 8 on both sides of the Alberta-BC border. In...
February 3, 2021
Giant Mine Remediation
CBC – The Giant Mine operated from 1948 to 2006, displacing the Yellowknives Dene First Nation (YNDFN) from the western part of Yellowknife Bay, affecting their harvesting rights. The mine contaminated the water and led to long-term negative social impacts among the YKDFN. The YKDFN and the federal government agreed to set up a formal...
January 22, 2021
Partial Advanced Cost Award
CISION – LAC-LA BICHE, AB – The Supreme Court of Canada granted leave to appeal the decision of the Alberta Court of Appeal overturning Beaver Lake Cree Nations’ partial advanced cost award. After ten years of litigation, including 5 years where Alberta and Canada unsuccessfully tried to strike its claim, the Beaver Lake Cree could...
January 14, 2021
Bill 197 (COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2019) violates Treaty Rights
NationTalk – Following the declaration of a second state of emergency on Jan. 12, 2021 due to the COVID-19 crisis, the Matawa Chiefs Council are issuing a public statement that the Matawa Chiefs Council reject the Ontario government-imposed deadline of Thursday January 14, 2021 for comments related to Ontario’s proposed revisions of the Far North...
November 17, 2020
The Anicinape Nation ancestral rights
The Minister Responsible for Indigenous Affairs – Minister Ian Lafrenière met with the chiefs of the Algonquin communities and the Grand Chief of the Tribal Council of the Anishinabeg Algonquin Nation, Verna Polson. All parties agreed to immediately begin a negotiation process to find lasting solutions to avoid a repeat of the situation experienced in...
October 8, 2020
The Anicinape Nation ancestral rights
First Nations Drum – The Anicinape Nation is calling for a complete moratorium on moose hunting on its unceded ancestral territory. Faced with the Quebec government’s refusal to authorize this moratorium, roadblocks have been erected in the La Vérendrye wildlife reserve to prevent hunters from passing through. Yesterday, the Quebec Superior Court granted a provisional...
September 20, 2020
Alberta’s 150th anniversary on entering Confederation
NationTalk – On the day celebrating Alberta’s entry into Confederation 115 years ago, Premier Jason Kenny acknowledged that “Alberta’s history of human habitation dates back more than 10,000 years when the first Indigenous people migrated to Alberta to find a land rich in bounty. Albertans have celebrated years of growth and economic prosperity despite the...
September 7, 2020
Bill 197 (COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2019) violates Treaty Rights
Law Times – Environmental groups and First Nations are challenging the Ontario Government’s changes to environmental legislation contained in Bill 197 The COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act. The amendments are a violation of s. 35 of the Charter, which recognizes and affirms existing Aboriginal and Treaty rights....
August 28, 2020
Bill 197 (COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2019) violates Treaty Rights
The Matawa Chiefs Council – who represent 9 First Nations, issued this statement today rejecting the Ontario Crown’s tactics to unlawfully access the wealth of the north. The Ontario government has used the cover of COVID-19 to make legislative, regulatory and policy changes that attempt to diminish the obligations of Ontario to honour the constitutionally-protected Inherent...
August 10, 2020
Bill 197 (COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2019) violates Treaty Rights
The Timmins Daily Press – Mushkegowuk Council is calling on the province to honour the treaty it signed 115 years ago. Treaty 9 was signed between First Nations leaders and Canadian political figures to establish guidelines around resources and projects on First Nations land. Grand Chief Jonathan Solomon called Bill 197 a “major step back”...
July 24, 2020
Bill 197 (COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2019) violates Treaty Rights
NationTalk – Bill 197 (COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2019), an omnibus bill introduced on July 8 and passed just 13 days later on July 23 with little legislative debate and no Standing Committee consideration, and without public consultation on the changes to the Environmental Assessment Act (EAA) despite warnings from Ontario’s Auditor General that this...
July 20, 2020
Omnibus Bill 22 and Honour of the Crown
Fort McKay First Nation – This omnibus Bill 22 includes amendments that would make the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) the sole judge of the public interest for all Albertans, allowing the elected government to cut itself out of the decision-making process. This means the AER will be the final decision maker about impacts to Treaty...
July 8, 2020
Robinson-Huron and Superior Treaties, 1850
Manitoulin Expositor – Since the Ontario Government launched their appeal of the Dec. 24, 2018 decision, the Superior Court has sided with the Anishinabek Nation in two of three challenges: Phase 1: Established that the original treaty created a ‘sui generis fiduciary relationship’ (meaning the colonial government was required to manage the lands and act...
March 26, 2020
Site C Dam and COVID-19
Open Letter from Union of BC Indian Chiefs to Premier John Horgan and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health – to halt construction of Site C Dam due to concerns around COVID-19. Through UBCIC Resolution 2011-25, UBCIC highlighted the environmental dangers of the Site C Dam and pointed to the devastating effects it will have on...
May 24, 2019
Heitsuk Nation arguments ignored by Appeal Court
Heiltsuk Nation – the B.C. Court of Appeal handed down a decision that reduces the power of provinces to protect lands and waters from inter-provincial infrastructural projects and that fails to recognize the role of Indigenous peoples in protecting the environment. Heiltsuk and Haida made arguments related to their inherent Indigenous title and rights and...
January 22, 2019
Robinson-Huron and Superior Treaties, 1850
The Government of Ontario appealed the Robinson-Huron and Robinson Superior Treaties Superior Court decision around Annuities claims while at the same time negotiating with the 21 First Nations making up the Anishinabek people in northern Ontario. In her December ruling, Justice Patricia Hennessy wrote the annuities described in the treaties — which hadn’t been raised...
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