THUNDER BAY – MINING – Marten Falls First Nation has announced their withdrawal from the Matawa Tribal Council led Judicial Review of the Cliffs Chromite Project federal Comprehensive Study Environmental Assessment (EA) process.
As of August 27, 2013, Marten Falls First Nation officially withdrew from the Matawa led Judicial Review.
The Ring of Fire could be a tremendous future opportunity for First Nations communities.
“The Ring of Fire development has the potential to bring regional economic benefits similar to those in the Athabasca region from the oil sands. With these great benefits comes the responsibility to ensure environmental effects are minimized. The muskeg region of Northern Ontario is a very important carbon sink and pristine fresh water source,” stated Eli Moonias, Chief of Marten Falls First Nation.
Marten Falls is committed to the development of a sound and complete community-based environmental assessment process that will safeguard traditional lands and the environment to the highest standards. “Our community is proud to be taking the lead on an assessment that will ensure that the Ring of Fire builds a legacy of which generations of Marten Falls youth can be proud of,” added Moonias.
Community participation is a cornerstone of the EA process. The community is looking forward to working directly with Cliffs to develop a community-based EA participation model. Marten Falls is also interested in working with other First Nation communities in the region to strengthen the EA process further.
Chief Moonias stated, in 2010, “Marten Falls views the development in its territory known as Ring of Fire as an opportunity to work towards the implementation of Treaty No. 9. ‘After being assured nothing but good was intended they signed’ is the actual treaty entry from July 1905. Obviously, our ancestors knew the $4.00 annuity was symbolic of the intended good, enacted annually in commemoration. Needless to say, the environment has no price tag, therefore development will proceed only if the environmental assessment process is thorough and with the full participation of Marten Falls First Nation”.
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