I read this link with tears.

http://www.firstperspective.ca/releases/3216-no-joint-review-panel-environmental-assessment-no-ring-of-fire-development-say-matawa-chiefs-.html

When you put yourself into the shoes of the First Nations you have a different view.

This summer I made several people in my neighbourhood...suspicious. I could be seen early in the morning carrying bags of "something" into the park. I could be seen late in the day carrying more bags of "something" into the park.

I actually had a man following one day wondering what I was up to. I noticed him and felt I had to explain what I was doing.

I told him it hadn't rained for a long time. The summer had been horribly hot and very dry.

There were many thirsty birds,squirrels and rabbits, etc in the park with no source of water. I told him the vegatation was almost dead ...there was almost nothing for them. I showed him some trees whose roots had been attacked by the squirrels. A last resort for water.

I showed him my plastic containers that I saved from the mixed lettuce I bought at the store. Every morning and evening I put in fresh water.

I had caught on many occasions squirrels and rabbits and birds drinking from it. Seeing this made me happy. I also mentioned my house had containers in the front and back filled with fresh water.

The man was stunned.

He said, "you're right about how hot and dry it has been. I guess I just never thought about it.

I mentioned to him that a week prior I was in Whitby, Ontario waiting on a ramp trying to enter hwy 401.

A raccoon, mentally fatigued from the heat in broad daylight was trying to cross the ramp. I stopped my car and honked at him. I wanted the raccoon to turn around and go back into the bush where he came from. The poor thing was in search of water. The direction he was going in would bring him to several lanes of highway.

The guy behind me knew damn well why I wasn't moving and proceeded to shout at me. He wanted me to run him over and move on. I waited for the raccoon to turn around and head back into the bush. Once we got on the highway the driver , later saluted me with a honk and a middle finger in the air.

I mentioned to this man in the park that my neighours complain of the damage to their shrubs and trees by wildlife. I told him I have more squirrels and rabbits than anyone in my backyard..with no damage. I provide water and I grow parsley, basil, radish in containers for them. This is what they love. They get some apple pieces and some watermelon too. We share what we have.

The other non real food decoration plants they have no interest in since they are not desparately hungry.

They are happy, I love to watch them and they create absolutely no damage to my property. In the winter I buy bags of bird seed and peanuts, and apples for them.

This man and I spoke for quite some time and when we parted he mentioned to me that he was going to go home and also put out some water for the animals.

When my daughter was very little she asked me, "Mom, how do the animals outside know it's Christmas? Does Santa visit them too?"

At first, I didn't know how to answer. Then, I answered her this way. I told her Santa was old and it was up to his helpers like us to help with Christmas. It was that year that we started our pinecone tradition.

Christmas Eve, we gather pinecones and roll them in peanut butter and then birdseed and bring them to the park and also decorate our backyard with it. You should see the visitors!

I tell my daughter they were there...First.

I point to our backyard and explain to her that we took their property away and their source of food and shelter. We have to share. They have every right to live and prosper. The developers forgot about them...they were given nothing. No section for them at the end of the street to move to.

So, we have to share and help them.

I raised my daughter this way from the day she was born. I raised her to think and to feel. To put herself in the shoes of others.

"Pretend you are them...Kaitlin.. wear those shoes for a minute...what would you do different...how would you feel?" These are words I have said to her over and over again in her young life.

I think about these Aboriginal people in these remote villages and I think of how I would feel. These people know more about the environment than anyone else on the planet. These people take what is available from nature to survive and do not have the word waste in their vocabulary. If you were to give them a pile of cash I doubt very much you would see 40 pairs of Prada shoes purchased with it.

They take only what they need to live from nature. They respect nature. These people are the most knowledgeble on earth when it comes to the environment. How their opinion can be overlooked for an environmental assessment is just mind boggling?

It should not be a situation like..."this is what we decided ..sign here." These people deserve respect as we all do. Believe me ..if I had a question about the environment...I would go to these folks for their opinion first.

They live around it all day while we fight the daily traffic..and forget what else shares the planet with us.

A media conference started at 12:00 today

Matawa Chiefs will hold a media conference during the last day of their discussion with the CEAA. The media conference is scheduled to take place Friday October 21, 2011 at 12:00 pm in the boardroom of the Da Vinci Centre, 340 S. Waterloo St., Thunder Bay, ON. (Sports Bar Entrance, downstairs).
For more information contact: Anita Fraser Communications Officer, Matawa First Nations, or Jason Rasevych Internal Communications Officer, Matawa First Nations Tel (807) 344-4575, Fax (807) 344-2977.

I called the phone# you see above and gave Anita my support for a good media event. I told her I support the Matawa Chiefs in this cause and wish them success. I want the aboriginal people ..the true Environmental experts (the one's that "live the talk" ) involved in the environmental process.

As a shareholder, I want the MOST experienced with REAL life experience involved in the decision making.