Ontario bands step closer to resolving logging dispute

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It took a hunger strike, a road blockade, a province-wide solidarity caravan, plus the direct intervention of the Treaty 9 grand chief, but two First Nations in northeastern Ontario finally may see the end of a logging dispute that has been escalating for weeks.

As a result of their very public stance on treaty rights, Wahgoshig and New Post First Nations got a mediator this month to help settle logging concerns.

The bands complain that Abitibi Consolidated Inc. is clear-cutting near burial grounds and traplines on their traditional territories. They also contend Abitibi has been stalling their attempts to develop a "co-operative partnership framework agreement" with the company.

The bands say they are not opposed to environmentally sound tree harvesting, so long as Abitibi respects their treaty rights and guarantees them some of the economic spin-off. Nevertheless Nishnawbe-Aski Nation, the umbrella organization of 50 northern Ontario bands, released a statement May 30 reporting that Abitibi walked away from the negotiating table May 23.

"The forestry industry needs to understand that although First Nations are willing to enter into partnerships with the private sector to promote economic self-sufficiency for First Nations and surrounding communities, logging practices must respect First Nation land values associated with cultural and traditional gathering activities," said Nishnawbe-Aski Nation Grand Chief Charles Fox.

As a result, the two bands opted to continue protesting, "until the company has accepted to resolve these issues in a fair and equitable manner," said Wahgoshig's Chief Paul McKenzie. As well as speeches and blockading roads, the protest included alternating days of fasting among four of the six caravan participants and some of their people at home.

Abitibi isn't saying anything about the protests, and treaty rights do not seem to be under consideration by the company.

Its position is that the First Nations had already been consulted in the provincially mandated 27-month-long forest management planning process, according to Woodlands Manager Dave Chown.

Chown, as Abitibi's designated spokesman, is responsible for "the management of the forest and the supply of appropriate species and quality of wood to various mills in the area," he said.

In Chown's view the two issues at stake are the "economic one" (resource sharing), which he says Abitibi has taken steps over the past five years to remedy, and the provincial forest management process, which he said has to be dealt with by government. He said his firm has had logging contracts with New Post for five years and has been involved in "cultural projects" with Wahgoshig for the past two years. Relations between Abitibi and the two bands has been good until the past couple of months, he said.

Asked what had caused the present conflict and the strong efforts by the First Nations to publicize it, Chown replied, "I don't know."

He said the company is surprised that new areas of concern arise now.

"We had a meeting about two weeks ago with the chiefs," Chown said June 8. "We arranged to look at one of the sites in the field to review each others' concerns. . . . It's an area that was approved in our five-year management plan and went through the whole consultation process. However, we're not saying that maybe for some reason or other something may have been missed."

Chown said Abitibi also met with the two First Nations on three separate occasions during the consultation period and "at that time nothing specific came up." In addition, he said, "fairly extensive archeological reviews of the area had taken place, and the areas of concern that were identified were excluded from the harvesting plan."

According to New Post Chief RoseAnne Archibald though, only the unions showed up at the last meeting, while Abitibi decision-makers stayed away.

Chown said the most recent site visit with about 12 members of the two communities and representatives fom the Ministry of Natural Resources occurred May 25 at Hospital Point on the north shore of Abitibi Lake, at Eades. That's a Wahgoshig burial ground and ceremonial site.

"Subsequent to that, we felt that all the parties had an understanding of what could take place, and I sent our understanding of the results of that meeting to the chiefs . . . however I haven't heard from them whether we had the common understanding," said Chown.

Chown also said June 8 that it was his understanding that as of the previous day a mediator-Paul Emond and Associates-had been agreed upon. Emond is a law professor at Osgoode Hall with a background in dispute resolution.

Chown said as a result of the current disagreement, Abitibi is proposing that a steering committee be developed to hold monthly meetings among the parties to avert further problems. He indicated Abitibi was talking about expanding the First Nations' role in harvesting operations. Jobs and training opportunities are also on the table he said.