Three northwestern Ontario First Nations are joining forces on a common voice to prevent industry from pitting communities against one another on industrial development.
The First Nation communities of Aroland, Ginoogaming and Long Lake No. 58 signed a letter of intent, Sept. 7, to work together to develop processes on how they can jointly benefit from developments through consultation and consent.
“Currently companies and industry are approaching our First Nations individually and we don't have the resources,” said Chief Veronica Waboose of Long Lake No. 58. “Working together as three First Nations, we can assist each other and guarantee we are all in the know about projects happening within our traditional territories.”
The three communities are 350 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay and are close to the junction of a proposed railroad to the Ring of Fire chromite deposits in the James Bay lowlands.
Last July, the Matawa First Nations chiefs signed a unity declaration to stand together to protect natural resources and their traditional territories.
Aroland Chief Sonny Gagnon said their interconnected communities must do the same. “These are our shared territories. This isn't about divide and conquer.”
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