Barriere Lake Algonquin affirm opposition to mine during Montreal company meeting: threat of mining on their land exposes failure of Quebec’s Mining Act

~ solidarity

[français ci-dessous]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, May 20, 2011

Barriere Lake Algonquin affirm opposition to mine during Montreal company meeting: threat of mining on their land exposes failure of Quebec’s Mining Act

Montreal /– Today, community members from the Algonquin First Nation of Barriere Lake traveled to Montreal to attend the annual general meeting of Val-D’Or-based Cartier Resources Inc., where they affirmed that the overwhelming majority of their First Nation is opposed to the company’s Rivière Doré copper mining project moving forward on their traditional territory. A solidarity demonstration will happen outside of the shareholders meeting at 11:30 am at Dorchester Square, the corner of Peel and Rene-Levesque.

“The Charest government’s planned amendments to Quebec’s Mining Act do nothing to address the basic human rights violation at its core: the fact that no communities, including First Nations, have the right to give their free, prior and informed consent to a mining project,” said Norman Matchewan, a community spokesperson for Barriere Lake.

The right to free, prior and informed consent to any development is enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which has been endorsed by the Canadian government.

In March, Barriere Lake community members discovered copper exploration activities on their traditional territory, south-east of Val D’Or, Quebec. The land has never been ceded by the Algonquins of Barriere Lake, who hold constitutionally-protected Aboriginal title and rights at the site of the potential mine.

The land is also already covered by an agreement signed between Quebec and Canada and the First Nation in 1991. This Trilateral Agreement – a sustainable development plan for 10,000 square kilometres of Barriere Lake’s traditional territory – has been praised by the United Nations, but both Quebec and Canada have refused to implement it.

The Elders Council of Barriere Lake issued a letter to the Quebec Minister of Natural Resources and Wildlife on May 2 declaring that the community will not allow any resource extraction like mining on their traditional territory until the Trilateral Agreement is implemented.

“Charest’s claim that the Mining Act amendments fit the ‘principles of sustainable development’ is totally hollow,” said Matchewan.”If the Quebec government were concerned about sustainable development, they would not allow a mining company to explore and open a mine against the wishes of a community, to engage in activities that will have negative impacts on the land, water, animals and plants that we depend on. We will not allow this mine to be built.”

The mineral exploration activities have currently stopped, after community members went to the potential mine site to request that the workers leave. The workers respected the community’s wishes.

– 30 –

Media contacts:

Norm Matchewan, community spokesperson: 514-578-7109

For more information: www.barrierelakesolidarity.org

barrierelakesolidarity@gmail.com

POUR PUBLICATION IMMÉDIATE

Vendredi le 20 mai 2011

La communauté algonquine du Lac Barrière s’oppose à un projet minier lors d’une réunion de cette compagnie à Montréal : la menace minière sur leurs terres expose l’échec de la Loi sur les mines québécoise.

Montréal/ – Aujourd’hui, des membres de la communauté autochtone algonquine du Lac Barrière se déplacent à Montréal afin de prendre part à l’assemblée générale annuelle de Cartier Resources Inc., où ils veulent exprimer l’opposition, par la grande majorité de leur communauté, au projet Rivière Doré, projet d’exploration puis d’exploitation possible de cuivre, sur leur territoire ancestral. Une manifestation de solidarité aura lieu au Carré Dorchester, au coin de Peel et René-Lévesque pendant la réunion des actionnaires de Cartier Resources Inc.

« Le gouvernement Charest planifie des amendements à la Loi sur les mines qui ne changeront en rien la violation des droits humains de base au cœur de cette loi : le fait qu’aucune communauté, incluant les Premières Nations, n’ait le droit de donner leur libre consentement préalable et éclairé à un projet» dit Norman Matchewan, a porte-parole de la communauté du Lac Barrière.

Le droit du libre consentement préalable et éclairé à tout projet de développement est au cœur de la Déclaration des Nations Unies sur les droits des peuples autochtones, qui a été avalisée par le gouvernement du Canada.

En mars, les membres de la communauté du Lac Barrière se sont rendus compte que des activités d’exploration de cuivre avaient lieu sur leur territoire ancestral, au sud-est de Val D’Or. Cette terre n’a jamais été cédée par les Algonquins du Lac Barrière, qui possèdent le titre aborigène, protégé par la Constitution, du site minier potentiel.

Cette terre fait aussi l’objet d’une entente tripartite signée par la communauté et les gouvernements du Québec et du Canada en 1991. Cette Entente trilatérale – un plan de développement durable couvrant les 10 000 km carrés du territoire ancestral du Lac Barrière – a été louangée par les Nations Unies. Toutefois, tant les gouvernements canadien que québécois ont refusé de la mettre en application.

Le conseil des Aînés du Lac Barrières ont écrit une lettre au Ministre des Ressources Naturelles et de la Faune du Québec le 2 mai déclarant que la communauté n’autoriserait aucune exploitation de ressources telle qu’un projet minier sur leur territoire ancestral tant et aussi longtemps que l’Entente trilatérale ne sera pas mise en application.

« L’affirmation de Charest, selon laquelle les amendements à la Loi sur les minutes suivent les ‘principes du développement durable’ est complètement fausse, » dit Matchewan. « Si le gouvernement du Québec était préoccupé par le développement durable, il ne permettrait pas à une compagnie minière d’explorer et d’ouvrir une mine contre la volonté d’une communauté, de se livrer à des activités qui auront un impact négatif sur la terre, l’eau, les animaux et les plantes dont nous dépendons. Nous ne permettrons pas la construction de cette mine. »

Les activités d’exploration minière sont présentement suspendues : les membres de la communauté ont demandé aux employés de quitter le site minier potentiel. Ceux-ci ont respecté la volonté de la communauté.

La manifestation de solidarité se rendra aussi en bas des bureaux de Windermere Capital et de la Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec, deux investisseurs importants de Cartier Resources Inc, afin d’encourager le désinvestissement du projet minier.

– 30 –

Contact pour les médias:

Norm Matchewan, porte-parole de la communauté: 514-578-7109

www.barrierelakesolidarity.org

barrierelakesolidarity@gmail.com

Resources for Introduction to Human Rights Course

~ Tim K ~ Leave a comment

RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS:

ALGONQUINS OF BARRIERE LAKE:

FIRST NATIONS CHILD WELFARE  AND EDUCATION:

TREATIES & AGREEMENTS:

INDIGENOUS SOVEREIGNTY WEEK:

PRINT MATERIALS:

Shannen’s Dream Day of Action

~ solidarity ~ Leave a comment

On behalf of Lady Evelyn Alternative School & Heartspeak, we would like to invite you to join us to deliver letters on Parliament Hill on April 27, 2011 to make Shannen’s Dream come true!!

On Wednesday April 27th at 12 noon, the Lady Evelyn School Community invites everyone to meet on Parliament Hill to deliver letters in support of Shannen’s Dream. We ask you to rally behind the principle of equitable education rights for First Nation children and youth.

For more information on Shannen’s Dream and to join the 4057 Shannen’s supporters, please visit http://www.fncaringsociety.com/shannensdream.

Schedule on the Day of Action – April 27th:

12:00 p.m. Arrive at Parliament Hill

12:00 – 12:30 p.m. Students line up starting at the base of the steps of the Centre Block Parliament buildings and deliver letters in support of Shannen’s Dream

12:30 – 1:00 p.m. Presentation to include youth, Andrew Koostachin (Shannen’s father), & guests, Youth sing Diamonds in the Snow

1:15 p.m. Students return to school(s)

For more information, visit the following websites:http://www.shannensdream.ca and http://www.heartspeak.ca

Let’s Make Shannen’s Dream a Reality!!

Yours in Equal Education,
Lady Evelyn Alternative School and Heartspeak

Watch this inspiring video – Heartspeak about Shannen’s Dream!

Families of Sisters in Spirit: CALL FOR ARTISTS & PERFORMERS IN THE OTTAWA AREA!

~ solidarity

Families of Sisters in Spirit, a grassroots non-profit led by families of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls is seeking artists and performers who can donate their talents for the 1st Annual Families of Sisters in Spirit Fundraiser. If you would like to donate your talents please e-mail us at familiesofsistersinspirit@gmail.com,  Thank you so much in advance for your support!!

The fundraiser is on Friday April 29th, 2011 at 8 p.m. at Montgomery Legion, 359 Kent Street. Join us!

We will be serving food, raising awareness, auctioning off art, and celebrating the talents and gifts of our communities.

The 1st Annual Families of Sisters in Spirit Fundraiser will take place after a memorial vigil 6-7pm on Victoria Island, Ottawa. The vigil honours Terrie Ann Dauphinais a young Aboriginal mother of three who was murdered in her home in Calgary on April 29th, 2002.

No More Stolen Sisters: Safe Shelters, Safe Housing, Safe Services

~ solidarity

** Please forward and read below on three IMPORTANT ways you can support **

Over the past two months a growing group of women residents of the Downtown Eastside (DTES) in Vancouver as well as a coalition of DTES and women-serving organizations have been raising the urgent issue of women’s safety in shelters in the Downtown Eastside. This has come in response to a number of reported sexual assaults in DTES shelters.

We have been dismayed by the lack of response by all levels of government about the ongoing violence committed against women in the Downtown Eastside. We have been outraged that all four of our correspondences have been ignored. We have been shocked that our delegation to BC Housing in March 2011 was met with a heavy presence of police and we were shut out from any dialogue on this issue. All this suggests to us that BC Housing as well as city and provincial officials do not consider women’s safety a priority within their funded facilities.

Sexual assaults against women in this neighbourhood are normalized as we have seen with the ongoing tragedy of missing and murdered women. Women should not have to “choose” between the indignity of homelessness and being warehoused in shelters, and the high-risk of assault associated with both. We will not remain silent or complicit and are continuing a grassroots campaign based on three core demands that we believe can and should be met in a timely manner.

We are calling for:

1) A 24 hours low-barrier women-only (includes all self-identified women) drop-in space and shelter in the Downtown Eastside, ideally on Hastings Street between Main and Jackson. The establishment and operation of this service should be done through an accountable process including a transparent call for tenders and in consultation with community organizations and DTES resident women.

2) Housing for homeless women and children with at least 100 new units to be made available immediately.

3) Clear provincial standards for women’s safety in co-ed shelters to be implemented immediately in all existing and new shelters, including but not limited to:

• Women-only facilities in co-ed shelters with adequate women-only beds and services within those spaces.

• Women staff and training for all staff by women’s organizations experienced in issues of sexual and gender violence. Shelter contractors must demonstrate the ability to ensure safety and security for women shelter users and all staff must be able to demonstrate an understanding of gender inequalities that contribute to violence against women.

We are calling on allied groups, communities, and individuals to support us. Please get involved and spread the word!

For more information email project@dewc.ca or call 604 681 8480 x 234. Website:
http://womensmemorialmarch.wordpress.com/

HOW TO SUPPORT

1) PETITION: Please sign our online petition. We are hoping to gather 5000 signatures in two weeks and need your help to make this happen! Link to petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/DTESsafe/petition.html

2) ENDORSE: If you are a member of a women’s group, social justice collective, community centre, union, service organization, or campus group, we request that you please endorse our three demands by emailing hwalia8@gmail.com or calling 778-885-0040.

3) WRITE-IN: We are requesting that everyone to please send an email along the lines of the below to all of the following people in BC Housing, City Council, MLA’s and MP’s.

RE: Safe Housing and Safe Services for Women in the DTES

It has come to my attention that for the past two months a coalition has been raising the urgent issue of women’s safety in shelters in the Downtown Eastside. I have been dismayed by the lack of response by all levels of government about the ongoing violence committed against women in
the Downtown Eastside. Sexual assaults against women in this neighbourhood in particular are normalized and their safety is not considered of highest priority as we have seen with the ongoing tragedy of missing and murdered women. This would never be acceptable in any other part of town. I support the call for a 24 hours drop-in space and shelter for women in the Downtown Eastside, housing for homeless women and children, and clear protocols to be established within co-ed shelters.

Sincerely,
(NAME, ADDRESS, CONTACT INFO)

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Open Letter to Mayor Gregor Robertson “Women Respond to Sexual Assaults in Downtown Eastside Church Shelter While Shelter and City of Vancouver Ignore Reports”: http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/newsrelease/6390

Press Release “Women Respond to Comments by Reverend Ric Matthews of First United Church; Reiterate Calls for 24-hour Women’s Shelter and Safe Housing in DTES”: http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/newsrelease/6496

Press Release “Women’s Action in Downtown Eastside for Women’s Safety” and Open Letter to BC Housing: http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/newsrelease/6692

SELECTED MEDIA

Video of press conference: http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/video/press-conference-women-respond-sexual-assault-dtes-shelter/6484

Podcast of Vancouver DTES women’s groups shut out of B.C. Housing office: http://rabble.ca/podcasts/shows/pivot-legal-society/2011/03/vancouver-dtes-womens-groups-shut-out-bc-housing-office

Women rail against violence in shelters: http://www.theprovince.com/news/assault+protest/4488619/story.html

Safe Housing, Safe Shelters and Safe Services for Women: http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca/story/vancouver-politics-and-service-provision/6707

More emergency shelter spaces needed for women, Vancouver council hears: http://www.straight.com/article-382418/vancouver/more-emergency-shelter-spaces-needed-women-vancouver-council-hears

Women’s groups outraged over sexual assault comments: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/03/02/bc-first-united-church-sexual-assaults.html

This campaign has been endorsed by:

Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre, DTES Power of Women Group, WISH Drop-In Centre Society, Walk4Justice, Battered Women’s Support Services, Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood House, PACE Society, Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood Council, Vancouver Status of Women, Oxfam Canada, No One Is Illegal Vancouver, Vancouver Action, Council of Canadians, Association of Chinese Canadians for Equality and Solidarity Society, Aboriginal Women’s Action Network, West Coast Legal Education and Action Fund, Streams of Justice, Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement, Carnegie Community Action Project, Purple Thistle Centre, W2 Community Media Arts Society, Life Skills Centre , Ending Violence Association of BC, Portland Hotel Society, Pivot Legal Society, UBC Centre for Race Autobiography Gender and Age studies, Interfaith Institute for Justice, Peace and Social Movements, Women Against Violence Against Women, Aboriginal Front Door

SOLIDARITY UPDATE ON THE ALGONQUINS OF BARRIERE LAKE

~ solidarity

Dear friends and supporters of the Algonquins of Barriere Lake,

Since the great outpouring of support at the Ottawa demonstration in December (http://bit.ly/f7abMo) against the imposition of the Indian Act on their community, a great many of things have transpired on Barriere Lake’s territory. Stronger than ever, the community is ready to fight back and needs your help.

Please read the update posted below and stay tuned for ways to get involved. Contained herein are:

1. MINING ALERT ON ALGONQUIN TERRITORY
2. REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE INDIAN ACT BAND COUNCIL
3. REPORT ON SECTION 74 LETTER-WRITING CAMPAIGN

In sol,
Barriere Lake Solidarity
http://www.barrierelakesolidarity.org/
https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=30975284378&ref=ts

1. MINING ALERT ON ALGONQUIN TERRITORY

Barriere Lake Algonquins say “No” to mining exploration on their land, Cree workers agree to leave site

RAPID LAKE, QC – Last week, Barriere Lake community members discovered that Val D’ Or based Cartier Resources has begun line-cutting in preparation for mining exploration on their unceded Ab- original lands. According to their website, the mining company claims that their “100% owned” land base of 439 square kilometers boasts rich copper deposits ripe for exploitation.

The so-called “Rivière Doré Project” was undertaken without obtaining the community’s free, prior, and informed consent – the minimum standards set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP), which Canada has endorsed in words but not in action. The mining project also violates the community’s own environmental protection regime, the Trilateral Agreement, which was signed in 1991 by Barriere Lake, Quebec, and Canada and has yet to be honoured.

The workers on site, predominantly Crees from the Mistassini and Oujebougamou First Nations, agreed to leave when the Algonquins traveled to the proposed mine location and explained their opposition to the development. The larger battle with the Cartier Resources, however, looms ahead.

Barriere Lake community members will return to maintain a presence at the proposed mining site and stop all further developments. Please stay tuned for further developments and action call-outs.

2. REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE INDIAN ACT BAND COUNCIL

The community remains largely in the dark concerning the activities of the band council. Illegitimate in the eyes of most people in the community, this band council rose to power through the imposition of an Indian Act provision (Section 74) that gives the Minister of Indian Affairs discretion to overthrow Indigenous customary government systems.

One thing is clear, though: Barriere Lake is open for business now. Mining companies, logging companies, and costly Hydro electrification and reserve housing development have all been green-lighted by the band council.

While investments in reserve infrastructure are badly needed, they are coming at the price of burying the larger issue of land management of the whole territory.

3. REPORT ON SECTION 74 LETTER-WRITING CAMPAIGN
BARRIERE LAKE SOLIDARITY FORENSIC DECODER OF THE GOVERNMENT’S OFFICIAL STORY

Hundreds of letters have been sent through the Barriere Lake Solidarity website to Minister of Indian Affairs John Duncan in protest of the forced imposition of Section 74 on the Algonquins of Barriere Lake (see http://www.barrierelakesolidarity.org/2008/03/donations.html). The Department has recently sent out replies to these letters which are telling of Canada’s communications strategy to contain the threat of public awareness on the issue.

Responding to these letters is Pierre Nepton, the Director General of the Quebec Region of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC). Nepton outlines the “official” story in his response letter: INAC had no choice but to reluctantly impose Section 74 due to internal conflicts over governance, which the community failed to resolve themselves.

But it’s cool. Barriere Lake Solidarity has prepared a forensic decoder of the government’s official story. We’ve drawn up a chart for easy comparison.

Mar18-19: Forum on Police Violence, Incarceration and Alternatives

~ solidarity

Forum on Police Violence, Incarceration and Alternatives

LE FORUM SUR LA VIOLENCE POLICIÈRE, L’EMPRISONNEMENT ET LES ALTERNATIVES – OTTAWA 18 ET 19 MARS 2011

Schedule//horaire

FRIDAY MARCH 18th=====================

Opening Panel – 7pm

with Ashanti Alston, Bridget Tolley, Julie Matson, Jaggi Singh

MRT 205 (U of O campus)

In this opening panel the panelists will speak about their various
experiences with and analysis of the police, prisons and alternatives to
both.

Ashanti Alston:

is a former member of the Black Panther Party and ex-political prisoner.
He publishes the Zine Anarchist Panther and has been a guest lecturer at
the Institute for Social Ecology in Vermont, speaking on the Panthers and
the history of Black nationalist movements. He has spent time in Chiapas,
Mexico, studying the autonomous structure of Zapatista communities and
working on his memoirs. Ashanti resides in Rhode Island, where he is
presently the national co-chair of the Jericho Amnesty Movement, and an
active member of Estacion Libre, the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, and
Critical Resistance.

Bridget Tolley:

is a member of the Kitigan Zibi First Nation in Quebec. Her mother was
struck and killed by the Quebec Police on October 6th, 2001.She believes
that there was homicidal negligence on the part of Surete du Quebec
officers and is presently working on a complete review of the
investigation, arguing that homicide files were filled with inaccuries and
incongruent reports and that police procedures were not conducted
according to accepted practices.Bridget feels the dignity and respect of
the deceased and family members was greatly breached by all police
officers and the investigation team involved.

Julie Matson:

is the daughter of Ben Matson who was killed by Vancouver police in 2002.
She is an activist who opposes police violence and impunity. She says
investigations into police killings and brutality should be conducted by a
third party not connected to any police force. She says the way police
there handled the investigation into her father’s death is typical of what
happens across the country.

“I witnessed first hand cover-ups, lies, misinformation [and] conveniently
forgotten reports,” said Matson. “It’s not recognizing the real story
that’s happening there. It’s just recognizing what they want to see, and
that’s protecting themselves.”

Jaggi Singh:

is a long-time organizer and activist. He has been involved in many groups
and campaigns over the years, especially the anti-capitalist movement
(CLAC), anti-racism and migrant-justice (with No One Is Illegal –
Montreal), indigenous solidarity and anti-police brutality. He was also
targeted for arrest during the recent anti-g8/g20 protests in Toronto.

SATURDAY MARCH 19th==========================

Morisset rooms 219, 221, 250, 256 – U of O campus

More info and confirmed speakers to come soon

Confirmed Speakers:

Sara Falconer
Anne K. Abbot
Patrizia Gentile
Sunny Marriner
Karl Kersplebedeb
Ottawa Movement Defence
Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
Coalition Opposed to Police Brutality
Transvestite and Transsexual Health Action
Prostitutes of Ottawa: Work, Educate, Resist

The themes of the conference will be police violence, especially against
resistance movements, how to support prisoners, state violence against
indigenous communities, alternatives to prison, campaigns against state
repression and much more.

We hope that you will be inspired by the conference and that this
inspiration will translate into a renewal of local initiatives against
police violence, prisons and creating alternatives to both.

Les thèmes de la conférence seront la violence policière dans les
mouvements contestataires, comment supporter ceux présentement
emprisonnés, la violence d’état dans les communautés Autochtones, les
alternatives aux prisons, campagnes contre la répression et plusieurs
autres.

Nous espérons que vous serrez inspirés par la conférence et que cette
inspiration se traduira en un renouvellement d’initiatives locales contre
la violence policière!

More info: 613-230-3076 / opirgrc@gmail.com / http://policeforum.wordpress.com

IPSMO has endorsed this event.

Vigil for the 500+ missing & murdered Aboriginal women

~ solidarity

Help raise awareness about the violence and injustice suffered by Aboriginal women in Canada!

When: Friday, March 18th, 2pm
Where: Parliament Hill

* Click the images to download the posters

The McGill University Human Rights Working Group invites you take part in a vigil at Parliament Hill taking place Friday, March 18th at 2pm. The vigil will be the culmination of a two-week campaign in which McGill students, faculty and friends will strive to collect over 500 pairs of women’s shoes to be displayed on the steps of Parliament as a symbolic representation of the missing and murdered women. The shoes will be donated to women’s shelters in Ottawa and Montreal following the event.

Speakers at the vigil will include Kristen Gilchrist, Bridget Tolley and Lindsay Mossman. Those with personal stories or insight about the Stolen Sisters are welcome to come forward and share as well.

This event is part of a 13-day program honouring aboriginal women. The McGill Human Rights Working Group, in conjunction with McGill’s Aboriginal Law Students Association, the McGill Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, Missing Justice and the Aboriginal Health Group will be hosting a variety of events, beginning March 8th – International Women’s Day.

For more information about any of the events, including shoe donations and group transportation to Ottawa, please contact tiffany.boisvert@mail.mcgill.ca.

 

Algonquin Union hand-delivers urgent letter of appeal to stop clear-cutting of South March Highlands in Ottawa

~ solidarity

Update:

Open Message to Ottawa Mayor Watson and City Council
The letter being hand-delivered to Minister Chan today (Feb. 24, 2010)
Information on the archaeological artifacts found on South March Highlands

Note: Algonquin Firekeeper Daniel Bernard has been invited by NDP leader Andrea Horwath to speak in the Ontario legislature today.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, February 24, 2011

Algonquin Union hand-delivers urgent letter of appeal to stop clear-cutting of South March Highlands in Ottawa

(Toronto) Despite several respectful but failed attempts to schedule a meeting with Ontario’s Minister of Tourism and Culture Michael Chan, representatives of the Algonquin Union are hand-delivering a letter today to his office. The letter, to be delivered by Algonquin Firekeeper Daniel Bernard (Amikwabe), contains new archeological information that provides Minister Chan grounds to stop the clear-cutting of South March Highlands in the Ottawa suburb of Kanata.

Tree cutting and heavy construction equipment continue to devastate this urban forest, which has been repeatedly identified as a site of significant archeological heritage, in addition to being of major environmental and ceremonial importance. The entire area has the potential to be recognized as Provincially Significant Cultural Heritage in accordance with Ontario Regulation 10/06.

“It is very disturbing that during the United Nations’ Year of the Forest the city of Ottawa is permitting one of the most amazing old growth forests located in an urban setting anywhere in the world to be destroyed,” Bernard says.

Algonquin people from across the Ottawa River Watershed in both Ontario and Quebec have called for an immediate halt to the KNL housing project at the site, while an independent archeological review is carried out to determine the cultural significance of the land. KNL’s own archeological study was accepted by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture in 2004, despite being described as ‘fatally flawed’ by Dr. Robert McGhee, past president of the Canadian Archeological Association. Many other reviews and studies have concluded that the site is of high importance from a cultural standpoint.

South March Highlands is an old growth forest and one of the most bio-diverse areas remaining in urban Canada. It offers critical habitat to more than 675 species of life, including 240 species of wildlife, more than 135 nesting birds and 20 species at risk.

Contact:
Daniel Bernard, on behalf of the Algonquin Union: Cell: 416-876-3051   Email: dan_bernard@rogers.com
Paul Renaud  Cell: 613-277-5898    Email: paul@renaud.ca
Algonquin Union: http://www.union-algonquin-union.com