Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal

Amnesty International examines Grassy Narrows concerns

April 21, 2007 By BRYAN MEADOWS

Amnesty International is concerned about the protection and enjoyment of human rights on the Grassy Narrows First Nation.

A research team spent the past week investigating how provincial government decisions have impacted their traditional way of life, particularly how clear-cut logging has affected trapping, hunting and fishing on their traditional land north of Kenora.

Alex Neve, Canadian secretary general for Amnesty International, told the Chronicle-Journal Friday that “we are very concerned that there hasn’t been the level of consultation needed, nor obtaining consent as to what is going on in Grassy Narrows traditional land base” as should be respected and observed under international rights provisions.

“It’s all about who makes decisions on the land,” Neve said.

Those “observations” came following five days of meetings with Grassy Narrows residents, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Natural Resources and forest industry.

“We had a lengthy meeting (with MNR and industry officials) which was very helpful and provided us with a lot of information,” Neve said, noting that “the fundamental nature” of Grassy Narrows concerns can’t be solved at the local MNR level.

“Their concerns are a step before that — they must be solved at the senior levels of government.”

Citing a lack of consultation, Grassy Narrows leaders declared a moratorium in January on all industrial activity on their territory without their consent. The community also rebuked plans to increase clear-cut logging.

The community has maintained the longest running aboriginal logging blockade in Canadian history on Highway 671, which is now in its fifth year.

“This is the first time in a long time that the organization has sent a fact- finding team into an area,” Neve said, adding that the group felt that “really hearing from the people, and getting a sense of their concerns first hand” was important.

Amnesty International will be assessing its research over the next few weeks, including reviewing Supreme Court decisions and provisions within Treaty 3 regarding aboriginal trapping, hunting and fishing rights on traditional lands.

Neve said he “hoped a report would be ready in a couple of weeks” for submission to the affected parties, as well as the federal and provincial governments.

The group is also pressing for a meeting with Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty to discuss Grassy Narrows concerns.

As for consultations, MNR officials have maintained the community has been involved in forest management planning in the area.

And they say clear-cut logging is an acceptable forestry practice in Northern Ontario.

Anne-Marie Flanagan, spokeswoman for Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay, told the Canadian Press that clear-cutting is done in a way that mimics natural disasters like forest fires and strong winds.

“It is an acceptable practice,” Flanagan said.

Aboriginals are consulted about development in their traditional territory, and the government includes aboriginals in its forest management planning, she added.

“But the duty to consult does not mean that aboriginal communities have a veto,” Flanagan said.

Grassy Narrows is about 80 kilometres north of Kenora and the band’s traditional land covers about 6,500 square kilometres.

© Copyright by Chronicle journal.com