…whether he was tredging through mosquito-infested marshes knee high in water and muck, or confronting the bitter sub-zero temperatures on the wind-swept barren lakes of northern Ontario, Neil learnt that he must become deeply involved with the First Nations’ Community, for they are the caretakers of these vast, richly mineralized, and for the most part uninhabited expanses of land that many junior mining companies are ready and itching to sink their bits into, and as some already have… I’m confident that Neil in his numerous consultations with Nishnawbe-Aski Grand Chief Stan Beardy of the First Nations Community has cemented and maintained a very trusting and lasting friendship that will bode well for both parites in the future.

…all must be negotiated in good faith before those bits gain the courtesy of drilling into sacred land… otherwise, expect the unexpected (below)….. my hand goes out to Mr. Neil Novak and to Grand Chief Stan Beardy, thank-you for moving the McFauld’s projects forward, Good Luck to All, see ya Monday, best … kelsee

http://www.chroniclejournal.com/stor...

KI councillor not worried about jail

By JIM KELLY

Saturday, March 15, 2008

The prospect of going to jail doesn‘t worry Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) Coun. Sam McKay.

“I‘m at peace because I believe in what I‘m doing,” he said Friday from KI First Nation.

Superior Court Justice Patrick Smith is expected to sentence McKay and five other KI First Nation leaders on Monday.

They were held in contempt of a court injunction which prohibited them from interfering with exploration work by Platinex Inc. on KI‘s territory.

The others are Chief Donny Morris, Deputy Chief Jack McKay, Head Coun. Cecilia Begg, Coun. Darryl Sainnawap and committee member Bruce Sakakeep.

“We‘re prepared to go to jail because of our firm belief that what we‘re doing is right as far as First Nations are concerned,” Sam McKay said.

The legal fight between KI and Platinex is over the junior exploration company‘s plan to explore a potentially large platinum deposit about 40 kilometres south of the KI reserve, which is about 600 km north of Thunder Bay.

Sam McKay said he and the others will have a lot of moral support as he estimates up to 200 people will demonstrate outside the Camelot Street courthouse. That doesn‘t include those who are expected to fill the courtroom.

“From the number of calls I‘ve been receiving the past couple of weeks, there will be a considerable number of people,” McKay added.

“The last time the court was packed.”

He said the dispute with Platinex is unresolved. “Everything is on hold where it was.”

He said there were some discussions with provincial Minister of Aboriginal Affairs Michael Bryant “at least one time, but nothing has really come of it.”

Sam McKay said that what Bryant has proposed does not directly address the Platinex issue.

“We‘ve been steadfast in our position that we don‘t want anything happening here,” he said.

“It‘s not so much to do with Platinex, which is more or less caught in between.”

“The province of Ontario is the one that issued the exploration permit to Platinex without consulting us, never mind accommodating our needs.”

Sam McKay claimed that during the course of discussions over the past two years with the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, officials with the ministry acknowledged that they failed to consult with KI First Nation and that they had a legal obligation to do that.

A ministry spokeswoman said the province, from the beginning, was committed to meeting its duty to consult (with KI).

“The justice in his ruling found the effort put forward by the Crown indicated the Crown had met its duty to consult,” Kathy Nosich said from Toronto.

“But this is an ongoing duty that we‘re still working on and committed to fulfilling.

“The judge also said there is a reciprocal onus on the First Nation to engage as well,” she said.

Sam McKay said this dispute is not about keeping Platinex out of KI.

“It‘s time for a change in how the government and mining industry do business with First Nation communities.”

Nishnawbe-Aski Grand Chief Stan Beardy said the government has failed its legal obligation to consult and accommodate KI First Nation.

“We agreed to share the benefits when we signed our treaties, but that is not happening,” said Beardy, who will attend the sentencing hearing.

“That‘s what is being questioned today.”

Beardy said it was the Ontario government that authorized third parties to intrude on First Nation lands.

“The whole reason why we have the Indian Act is to put us out of the way so outside interests can continue to explore our natural resources."

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