Makominising Anishinawbeg (MKA)
(Temagami Land Claim )
The Family Heads in the Temagami area have decided to mount a
highway blockade to enforce their territorial land rights. The
blockade is located 8 miles north of River Valley on Highway #805.
(West of Sturgeon Falls).
The Family Heads appeal for support by your presence at their camp.
They also need traditional drums, camping gear, generators, 4-wheel
drive vehicles, two-way radios and sign making materials.
If you can't join the camp, please send donation cheques payable to
MKA c/o Alex Mathias, 39 Talon St., North Bay, Ontario, P1A 3P1
Phone/Fax (705) 497-9066. Alex is one of the Family Heads.
Since negotiations have broken off, the Ministry of Natural
Resources (MNR) has been issuing logging permits which the Family
Heads consider to be illegal.
Further court action in the Provincial Court at Haileybury is
expected Aug. 23-24. Please come to show your support.
More details may be found in the accompanying press release and
Native Court Order or by contacting Alex Mathias or Mary Carol Hill
- Family Heads.
This notice is posted by hkoehler@web.apc.org at the request of
Alex and Mary.
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Press Release
August 3rd, 1994
Makominising Anishinawbeg
c/o Alex Mathias
39 Talon St.
North Bay, Ont., P1A 3P1
Phone /Fax: (705) 497-9066
NATIVES BLOCKADE LOGGING
Family Heads in the Temagami area, which is part of the total land
claim area called n'Daki Menan, have witnessed evidence of
continuing logging for which the Ministry of Natural Resources is
still issuing timber management permits. The Family Heads will
blockade logging until appropriate action is taken. If they have
to, they may even set up their own tribal court.
The Family Heads gained Intervenor Status at the last caution
hearing on April 12, 1994 and believed that their land resources
were protected by the caution. However, Sheila McFeeters, the
district manager for the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) claims
to derive her authority to continue to issue permits from the Crown
Timber Act. She suggests that she asked for input for about two
years from the public, including from the Natives. During this
time the Makominising Anishinawbeg was forming as a group of Family
Heads who had been excluded from the negotiations with the province
by their own leadership, the former TAA, whom they ousted on Mar.
28, 1994. So, had they been asked themselves, their input would
have been quite different from the final outcome.
Their straightforward claim is to their rights over their own
lands, including the management of it. When the province asked
Natives for input, they believe there was an onus on the province
to be assured they were dealing with the rightful parties. Since
these lands have never been surrendered, they want the province to
be accountable for their misrepresentation and for the resources
they have depleted and continue to deplete. The Family Heads have
researched their title and can show how the colonists, the
predecessors of the present-day government, wrongfully assumed
their lands to be those of the crown.
The Family Heads believe that Acts and plans, no matter how good
they might or might not be are irrelevant in light of rights that
go with title to the land. They intend to stop the province or
their agents from any further logging action before it is too late
to protect their next generations.
They want protection, compensation for their losses and
appreciation for the balance of Nature according to their very own
culture. They believe that their land is sacred, a source of their
identity. They are asking for moral support from those who feel
strongly enough to join them at the blockade just north of River
Valley which is west of Sturgeon Falls and near the small town of
Field. They would also greatly appreciate financial support in the
way of donations as they have come a long way in bringing out the
truth on their own personal tight budgets. They envision people of
all nations who share similar values to come together in creating
balance in the world, a new order so to speak that reflects the
traditions and philosophy of their ancestors. What they expect
many peoples to see is the possibility for more peace and harmony
these ways than what the governments have been promoting at great
cost and with little effectiveness.
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M A K O M I N I S I N G A N I S H I N A W B E G
between: SHERWOOD BECKER, Family Head
Caya-Gwog-zi Family Hunting Grounds
LEO JAMES PAUL, Family Head
Cuma-Ckwie Family Hunting Grounds
and
PROVINCE OF ONTARIO
MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES
ALL LOGGING COMPANIES
ALL DRIVERS OF LOGGING TRUCKS
N A T I V E C O U R T O R D E R
Take notice that as of 12:01 a.m., Friday, August 5th, 1994, we,
the Family Heads of the Hunting Grounds noted above, hereby direct
all parties involved in any aspect of logging on our lands to
discontinue all activities related to timber harvest of our
resources.
We order you to stop issuing permits, and to cease all cutting,
hauling and processing of timber harvest from unsurrendered "Indian
Territories" within n'Daki Menan while the caution is on our Lands
and until the land dispute is resolved. This court order applies
to all of n'Daki Menan which is comprised of about 4,000 square
miles and recognized by the Province of Ontario as 110 townships.
Should any of you continue to participate, through logging
activities, in depleting the resources of our lands which we have
never surrendered, be prepared to face tribal justice. We are
shielded from extinction under the Constitution Act 1982 and the
Charter of Rights.
This Court Order is effective sine die. We shall bring justice to
ourselves and to all peoples by bringing to court anyone who
obstructs Native Justice on our lands over which we, alone, have
jurisdiction.
Signed this 4th of August, 1994.
Sherwood Becker Leo James Paul
Family Head Family Head
Caya-Gwog-zi Cuma-Ckwie
Family Hunting Grounds Family Hunting Grounds
Contact: Alex Mathias phone & fax
Mary Carol Hill (705)497-9066
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