MUSHKEGOWUK HOMELANDS – The Mushkegowuk Council has announced they will coordinate the development of their business case in support of a Ring of Fire rail, sea port, fibre-optic, and energy transportation corridor through an Aboriginal-led-alliance. “We now have the experience, people, credibility and knowledge to take an active role in leading the development of infrastructure corridors. We have learned from our mistakes and we have the confidence from our successes” said Deputy Grand Chief Leo Friday.
Deputy Grand Chief Leo Friday, on behalf of Mushkegowuk Council, announced to the Matawa Council of Chiefs at their annual general meeting on July 31st, 2014 that Mushkegowuk is fully supportive of Matawa’s interests in the Ring of Fire.
Mushkegowuk Seeks Matawa Agreement
In the spirit of our joint declaration between Matawa and Mushkegowuk Chiefs, Mushkegowuk Council offered the Matawa Council of Chiefs to jointly develop sustainable infrastructure opportunities to unlock the economic potential of the Ring of Fire while safeguard ing the historic rivers of the Matawa and Mushkegowuk homelands.
For example; Mushkegowuk’s Moose Cree First Nation and Taykwa Tagamou Nation have negotiated equity partnerships in power generation stations.
Mushkegowuk’s member communities of Attawapiskat , Fort Albany and Kashechewan own Five Nations Energy which in turn, owns an established transmission corridor, roughly 100 kilometres from the easterly limits of the Ring of Fire.
Mushkegowuk homelands are ideally located across the Bay from one of the world’s most inexpensive sources of electric power.
Furthermore, Mushkegowuk owns Western James Bay Telecom that has an existing fibre-optic line to Attawapiskat from Moosonee.
Past studies have shown that James Bay could be considered a prospect for a seasonal seaport. If a rail option were to be developed from the eastern corridor of the Ring of Fire to a seasonal seaport, this could bring investment certainty and positive economic benefits to many resource related projects in northern Ontario.
The Deputy Grand Chief, Council of Chiefs with the support of the technical staff, professionals of the Mushkegowuk Council and professional public infrastructure advisers now have the task of developing and implementing action and work plans in support of the business case and a possible alliance with Matawa Council of Chiefs.
