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INTRODUCTION
The Lands and Resources Program provides strategic and policy
advice regarding the conservation, protection and management
of the natural resources within the Mushkegowuk traditional
territory to the Grand Chief, and to the Chiefs and Councils
of Mushkegowuk First Nations. The program also provides support
to the First Nations of Mushkegowuk regarding the potential
development of those resources.
It
is the intention of the Lands and Resources Program to support
the aspirations of the First Nations of Mushkegowuk to be
an integral part of any resource development occurring on
their traditional territories both in decision making and
economic participation.
Mushkegowuk
First Nations are facing a large range of new development
projects and policy changes that will have a lasting impact
on the entire region.
Some of these include:
- The
development of Ontario’s first diamond mine near Attawapiskat
First Nation by DeBeers, the multinational diamond mining
company
- Increasing
levels of mineral exploration throughout our territories
- Pressure
to develop new forestry areas north of the current licenses
- Changes
to forestry planning and management practices
- Pressure
to develop new hydro-electric dams to meet Provincial energy
needs
CURRENT
PROJECTS
The
Lands and Resources Program was begun in October of 2002 and
is currently undertaking the following initiatives:
Research:
Research initiatives are being led by Elisa “Bunny”
Sutherland. Bunny comes to us from Moose Factory where she
previously worked with Moose Cree First Nation Lands &
Resources. She is currently in the process of creating a resource
library to house all data pertaining to Mushkegowuk Territory.
She is also in the process of cataloguing various data such
as reports, publications, maps and other resource material
into a database which she has created to be easily accessible.
Her other duties include gathering data from various academic
facilities as well as other projects which already have information
pertaining to the First Nations of Mushkegowuk.
Internship:
A Youth internship has recently been posted for the position
of Research Assistant. The posting has just closed and we
are currently in the process of selection and interviewing.
The internship will be filled by the end of January 2007.
The funding for this initiative was provided by FedNor. The
duties of this internship include visiting the First Nation
Communities of Mushkegowuk to provide information sessions
in regards to the Resource Development Protocol.
Cleanup
of Abandoned Military Sites: The Mid-Canada Line
Radar Sites consist of 17 abandoned military sites that were
built in the 1950s and abandoned a decade later by the Department
of National Defence. In the late 1980s members of Mushkegowuk
Council brought health and safety concerns regarding the abandoned
sites to the government with the hope that these sites would
be cleaned up. Since then numerous studies and reports have
been completed on the 17 sites, and one of the main issues
is the presence of PCBs and DDT. There are on-going concerns
by Mushkegowuk First Nations that these contaminants are entering
the food chain and possibly impacting human health. Currently
the site at Fort Albany First Nation is the only site that
has been cleaned up. Mushkegowuk Council is once again pressuring
the Provincial and Federal Governments to have the radar sites
cleaned up with a significant portion of First Nation involvement.
Jon Schmidt, a voluntary intern from the University of Waterloo,
is researching the history of the Mid-Canada Line Radar Sites
for Mushkegowuk Council.
Resource
Development Protocol: Together with Wakenagun
Community Futures, the Lands and Resources Program is hoping
to facilitate the development of a Resource Development Protocol
between the First Nations of Mushkegowuk Council. This protocol
would address the priorities of the First Nations in future
development of the region’s significant natural resources
as well as provide a template for inter-community cooperation.
Mushkegowuk
Environmental and Resources Capacity: The Lands and
Resources Program is exploring opportunities to provide First
Nations led expertise in the management and development of
the region’s natural resources. Possibilities could
include:
- A
Lands and Resources Secretariat to provide technical expertise
to regional First Nations
- Partnering
with established organizations or businesses in the resource
development sector.
Mushkegowuk
Environmental Research Center
In May 2005, Mushkegowuk Council supported the establishment
of Mushkegowuk Environmental Research Centre (MERC) which
is a First Nation owned independent agency that undertakes
and coordinates research relating to the environmental and
natural resources with a focus on the Western James Bay basin
in Ontario. MERC supports the seven First Nations that belong
to the Mushkegowuk Council including Attawapiskat, Fort Albany,
Kashechewan, Moose Cree, Taykwa Tagamou, Chapleau Cree, and
Missanabie Cree.
Click
here to visit MERC’s website.
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CURRENT
ISSUES
Some
of the issues we are responding to include:
We
are developing a response to the Provincial Government on
the development of a policy for new hydro-electric sites.
We
are also developing models of co-planning for future resource
development in the Mushkegowuk Region. (Resource Development
Protocol)
We
are currently engaged in discussions Moose Cree First Nation
& Ontario Power Generation in regards to the re
We
have submitted a response to the Draft Federal Guidelines
for the conduct of the Environmental Assessment of the Victor
Diamond Mine near Attawapiskat.
We
intervened in the development of the Montcalm Nickel Project
by Falconbridge near the Groundhog River.
We
responded to the Ontario Environmental Assessment on Timber
Management.
We
are currently in the strategic planning process for Lands
& Resources. Our strategic plan has been reviewed and
forwarded to the Executive Department for final review.
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CONTACT
INFORMATION
Lands
& Resources Coordinator
Job Mollins Koene
Email: land@mushkegowuk.ca
Land Use Planner
Samuel Wahab
Email: samuelwahab@mushkegowuk.ca
GIS Mapping Trainee
Terrence Sutherland
Email: terrencesutherland@mushkegowuk.ca
Lands
& Resources
Mushkegowuk Council – Timmins Office
36 Birch Street South
Timmins, Ontario P4N 2A5
Phone:
(705) 268-3594
Fax: (705) 268-3282
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Mushkegowuk
Council
P.O. Box 370, 12 Centre Road, Moose Factory, ON, P0L 1W0
Phone: 705-658-4222 • Fax: 705-658-4250 |
