Part of the article the other day about Chief Moonias saying can't discuss and whatever during an evacuation and pandemic.

What a load ...........

He's sitting in a Hotel in ThunderBay enjoying all the amenities and has use of a conference room. This is the time, no time better than while enjoying all the comforts being given to him.

Also not so impressed by some of the comments expressed by the so called Ring of Fire authority from the University of Toronto.

Just a Friday Afternoon rant.

Part of article is here:

On Nov. 12, the federal agency issued a notice of public engagement, "inviting the public, Indigenous communities, and organizations to provide input to support the planning of the Regional Assessment in the Ring of Fire Area," with the deadline to submit comments set on Jan. 21, 2021.

Taken by surprise that the agency would move forward with consultations amidst the pandemic and during an ongoing water crisis that forced the evacuation of Neskantaga First Nation, Chief Chris Moonias tweeted that "meaningful consultation will not be achieved during the pandemic and evacuation" and urged the agency to pause the regional assessment.

In response to a letter on Nov. 13 from Neskantaga, the federal agency wrote back saying they were "sorry to hear about the challenges that Neskantaga is experiencing," and reminding the First Nation that the assessment is in "the initial phase of engagement" and that "in the coming months, there will be more opportunities to shape the process."

But that didn't fit Chief Moonias' definition of meaningful consultation.

"You have consultation before you start your project. You have to get permission from the nation before you start the project, that's how we understand good faith consultation anyways … there'll be no development in our nation's territory unless we say so," he said.

Neskantaga First Nation Chief Chris Moonias says the actions of the federal impact assessment agency during the pandemic are not in line with his understanding of meaningful consultation. (Olivia Stefanovich/CBC)

Scott, who has worked on research projects with Neskantaga in recent years, said, "if communities without the capacity to participate right now are going to just be sidelined or excluded and the planning is all going to continue ahead, then it seems that the government just wants to continue with that usual sort of same old approach that non-Indigenous interests can drive the future of the far north."

The York professor added, "but it's a problem. It shows the audacity of both levels of government here that they think it's okay to just push these First Nations to the side and continue on with their planning for a region that's exclusively occupied by Indigenous people."

Group of northern Ontario First Nations demands more time

After that original response denying the request to extend consultation deadlines, Chief Moonias and leaders from Attawapiskat, Fort Albany, Kashechewan and Weenusk First Nations got together and wrote back to the federal agency in a letter obtained by CBC and dated Dec. 10, requesting deadlines for the initial comment period to be pushed back.

In a response from the federal agency dated Dec. 14, the agency relented, writing "given the challenges you outline in your letter, we agree with your request to extend the deadline for the initial funding applications to January 29, 2021."