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Ardoch Algonquin First Nation Negotiations Report – January 8, 2008

Over the last three days negotiations have taken place in Kingston in regard to the ongoing dispute over uranium exploration at Robertsville.  The sessions began on Sunday night and concluded this afternoon.  There will be further discussions next week.

Sunday night’s session was disrupted by a group claiming to be representatives of the Mohawk Nation who had seated themselves at the negotiation table prior to the opening.  As this session was intended to be open to anyone wanting to observe the negotiations we asked these folks politely to move back from the table and allow the parties to take their place at the table.  These people refused and after asking three times I suspended the session.

The consequence of this situation was that the Provincial negotiators no longer would support the open concept for negotiations.  Sunday evening we had a closed meeting in a private room in order to get the process back on track. It was agreed that we would change the venue for the next morning to avoid continued disruption.  On Monday morning we were again disrupted at the new venue so the parties returned to the Hotel. At this point we contacted Mohawk Clan Mothers who asked these individuals to stop what they were doing. 

The afternoon session on Monday was closed.  It was agreed by all parties that for the present only the parties and members of Ardoch and Shabot First Nations could attend sessions.  Substantial discussions took place from Monday afternoon until Tuesday at 4pm.  While at times the issues sound complex at other times the answers seem so simple.  Certainly a major stumbling block is that the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines has never developed policies that respect or address the current legal interpretations of Aboriginal rights and title.  Without such policies they often seem at a loss on how to proceed with a solution.  The Mining Act has afforded some Canadians more privilege than others and it is hard for the province to recognize that Canadian values about land and development have changed.  Even more difficult for the provincial negotiators, is understanding the complexity of Algonquin thought and values.  These discussions are really hard “slugging”.

I am unable to report specifically in this public report on issues.  However, I want both our members and our allies to know that our position going into these negotiations was that there will be no drilling, exploration, or mining and our position coming out of these negotiations will be the same. My personal hope is that these negotiations will develop a lasting process that will anticipate community needs, respond to community concerns and put community interests above the short term gains of the profit motive.

Robert Lovelace

Chief Negotiator

Ardoch Algonquin First Nation

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