President's Message

National Day of Action is a call for change

May 29, 2008

Yesterday, the Ontario Court of Appeal reached a landmark decision in favour of Robert Lovelace and six members of the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation, known as the KI6.

Lovelace and the KI6 had been jailed for contempt of court after a protest related to unauthorized mining on First Nations land. In a vote at Convention, 2008, OPSEU expressed support for these aboriginal Ontarians in their fight for justice.

Today is the National Day of Action for Canada’s aboriginal people. In today’s Globe and Mail, Christie Blatchford said: “After yesterday, a national day of insurrection seems more in order.”

According to Ontario’s outdated Mining Act, companies can stake claims on anyone’s land without getting permission. However, this act is unconstitutional, violating the sovereignty of the First Nations.

With First Nations communities battling poverty, serious public health crises, reduced life expectancy, high suicide rates, and still fighting to have their land claims heard, its incredible to think that a mining company could literally take untold wealth from under their feet, without either permission or compensation.

On this National Day of Action, this one small victory is something to celebrate. But First Nations in this province have a long way to go to achieve fairness and justice.

In solidarity,

Warren (Smokey) Thomas

President