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MEDIA RELEASE: Elders Demand Provincial Ministries to Immediately Stop All Aerial Spraying in the Robinson Huron Territory
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Elders Demand Provincial Ministries to Immediately Stop All Aerial Spraying in
the Robinson Huron Territory and Call Upon Both Canada And Ontario to Live
Up to Their Obligations Under The Robinson Huron Treaty of 1850.
Since August 2014 the TEK Elders have maintained a relentless battle against both the Federal and Provincial governments through writing letters, inviting Health Canada to the Ojibwe Territory, holding demonstrations on the highway, in Ottawa and on Queens Park only to be placated or ignored.
The Elders have exhausted their patience and have taken significant action by putting all responsible governments both the Federal and Provincial, on notice as of July 23, 2017. The registered letter states in part, we are writing to demand, both in good faith but in the clearest terms possible, that any MNRF approved aerial herbicide spray project, planned to commence throughout or in any portion
of the Robinson Huron Treaty territory in 2017, be immediately cancelled and stopped.
TEK Elders expect nothing less than the irrevocable ban on the use of all herbicides in forest management, roadside maintenance, vegetation control by Hydro One and all other licence holders for the application of these products within the Robinson Huron Treaty Territory.
Herbicides have been approved for use in forestry since 1974 by the Federal Government without free prior and informed consent of the First Nations Peoples.
Our records show this has been a long -standing issue the the First Nations of Ontario. (2005 – 2017).
The Government has been made aware of two key Resolutions, passed from Robinson Huron Treaty Chiefs, Grand Council Assembly and the Chiefs of Ontario“ fully supporting the TEK Elders in all of their efforts to stop destruction to the lands and waters”.
With the signing of the Robinson Huron Treaty on September 9, 1850, the Anishinabek agreed to share their lands and resources with the newcomers, approximately 35,700 square miles of territory, there was never a surrender of lands and title.
“It has always been the responsibility of the Elders to teach about our sacred responsibility to Mother Earth and to protect the lands, the waters, the medicines, the animals and the food for our future generations”. Elder Raymond Owl 2017
“The actions to this point are necessary steps to show the Governments and the Courts that we have been open to sit and meet to produce work that is satisfactory to our rights and interests. It becomes necessary to take the actions of using the Court to pursue Justice and to go onto the land to take care of our well-being.” Arthur Petahtegoose 2017
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