Outrage over Far North Act

News — 28 September 2010

Despite no shortage of regional opposition, the province of Ontario passed Bill 191, the Far North Act on Sept. 23.

Focused on northern land development, the Act has been passed in Ontario legislature despite the resistance of many First Nations leaders and other political parties.

The Liberal legislation is perceived to protect at least 225,000 square kilometres of boreal forest from development, up to 20 per cent of Ontario’s land mass.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) has made their position quite clear, and have publicly voiced that they will not recognize the Far North Act, and feels the Ontario government does not care about the concerns of the First Nations people of the north.

Shibogama First Nations Council are also expressing their distaste for the Far North Act, and have stated that their concerns are not addressed or reflected in Bill 191, and support the NAN opposition to the Act.

“Our First Nations will not recognize Bill 191 which Ontario holds in high esteem,” says Chief Rod Winnipetonga of Wunnumin Lake. “We will continue to exercise our authority and jurisdiction on our lands and waterways. Any canoeists and developers coming into our territory including waterways without our consent will be evicted under our laws.”

The Ontario NDP voted against the bill, and according to Howard Hampton, MPP for the Rainy River district, says his party regards the Far North Act as a seriously wrong-headed piece of legislation.

“People need to understand what the government is really doing here,”says Hampton. “They think a few bureaucrats in Toronto, and a few Toronto environmentalists should have the capacity to sit down and draw circles on the map of northern Ontario, north of the 51st parallel and make unilateral decisions about where you can mine, where you can log, and where you can’t and no one else should ever have a say in it.”

Hampton feels the passing of this act is the wrong way to approach northern Ontario and is seriously wrong in terms of building good relations with the First Nations.

Not only are the First Nations and provincial politicians opposing the bill, but other associations are stepping up to the plate to make their distaste in the bill known.

Anne Krassilowsky, Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association President says, “NOMA is extremely concerned about The Far North Act and its potential negative impact on our region. The legislation, which will remove 50 per cent of the land mass of the Far North from future economic development opportunities, sets prescribed limits that are not based on science and was developed with limited consultation with northerners.”

“This bill is a travesty. Dalton McGuinty has told Northerners that he knows better than them what they should be doing on their land,” said Randy Hillier, PC Party Critic for Northern Development, Mines and Forestry. “This government has ignored opposition from all Northerners, just to appease their southern Ontario special-interest friends.”

By Ally Dunham

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