James Thom — Wawatay News
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Chiefs of the Matawa First Nations continue to express dismay over a lack of inclusion in planning and development in the Ring of Fire area.

During a recent emergency meeting to address the lack of government and industry consultation with First Nations, chiefs continued to question why they have not been involved.

An area potentially worth billions in minerals including the world’s largest chromite deposit, the.

Sonny Gagnon, chief of Aroland First Nation, said municipalit Ring of Fire is found in the traditional territories of Marten Falls and Webequieies from Thunder Bay to Sudbury have been competing for the site of a smelter facility. This could lead to the construction of a transportation route that goes through Aroland’s traditional territory, something that perturbs Gagnon.

“First Nations who actually live in the Ring of Fire, have not yet been invited to the table to even initiate discussions over community impacts,” he said.

Rather than waiting for an invitation, Aroland has invited itself into the discussions for a smelter site.

The community is lobbying to have the smelter built near the First Nation, signing a memorandum of understanding with Greenstone.

“It only makes sense to build a smelter near our community and to benefit the immediate region from where the minerals are being taken out of,” Gagnon said. “It is viable to generate electricity to run this mining facility in the area, but we need the government’s support to make it a reality.”

But before ground is broken and long before a smelter is built, the concerns of First Nations must be addressed, said Webequie Chief Cornelius Wabasse.

He said the Matawa First Nations have been raising concerns for a number of years about the impacts of exploration and mining on their communities.

Those concerns are based on a wide range of issues including socio-economic impacts, environmental impacts such as water quality, clear cutting and impacts to wildlife populations.

More recently, the concerns have also focused on potential benefits such as employment, new business and training opportunities for local people.

These issues must be spoken to in a respectful manner, Wabasse said.

“Consultation means coming to our communities to talk to local people – youth, Elders, trappers – about how a mining development or railway could affect our ways of life or community,” he said.

Instead, Wabasse said community members learn about activities in the area through the media or when they are out on the land. He said people want to know how they will be accommodated or benefit from these developments.

“We as leaders do not have the resources and funding to get the answers and this lack of community engagement by the government and the mining industry is simply insulting,” Wabasse said.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation Deputy Grand Chief Les Louttit finds that unacceptable.

“In the NAN territory, governments and industry must obtain the free, prior and informed consent from NAN First Nations before any significant steps are taken pertaining to developments in their traditional territory,” Louttit said.

Communities are not against resource development, he said. However there has to be agreements in place to ensure First Nations also benefit from development, such as the potential seen in the Ring of Fire area.

“We will no longer accept any external decisions that exclude NAN First Nations from participating equally in all development activities in our territory,” Louttit said.

Ring of Fire development must be done right: Gravelle

Matawa Chiefs are demanding exploration agreements be negotiated with each impacted First Nation. That could be done individually or collectively and the process must be properly funded by the government and industry.

Michael Gravelle, minister of Northern Development Mines and Forestry, said changes do need to happen. He said relationships between the province, industry and the First Nations must be built on respect and trust.

He said the province wants to create a new position – Aboriginal Relations Stakeholder – to help address the types of issues raised by the Matawa communities. Gravelle would like that position filled as soon as possible.

“There is a great deal of excitement around the Ring of Fire,” Gravelle said. “But it is important that we do it right.”

The concerns raised by Matawa chiefs could also be dealt with through a newly formed Ring of Fire Advisory Council.

“We want to have a small group of people available to provide advice,” Gravelle said. “These would be people who have been through the whole process of exploration to mine development … and understand the concerns of all parties.”

But before any development proceeds the agreements must be in place, Gagnon said.

“This activity in the Ring of Fire cannot continue to move forward without First Nations consent and meaningful participation,” Gagnon said. “We all want to benefit from these potential mining developments and negotiate employment and business opportunities for our people. I am not willing to let history repeat itself by watching this train leave the station without us and have my grandchildren ask me in 20 years why we were left behind with nothing while everyone else got rich.”

Gravelle agrees.

“(Industry must) recognize (development) won’t go forward unless there are clear benefits to the First Nations,” Gravelle said.