Far North Vote A Snoozer at Queen’s Park?

QUEEN’S PARK – Dalton McGuinty didn’t show for the vote on his Far North Act. Critics are questioning the Premier over that decision. However McGuinty was not the only MPP that missed the vote.

There were only seventy-two MPPs who were in the Legislature who voted on the legislation. The Far North Act passed with 46 votes in favour and 26 votes against.

Thunder Bay Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro was one of those MPPs who missed the vote.

However the Premier didn’t just miss the vote enacting the legislation into law, he also deferred answering questions on the Far North Act in the Ontario Legislature on Thursday.

Opposition to the Far North Act from Northern Ontario groups and associations as not resonated in Queen’s Park. Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce President Harold Wilson stated, “Following my participation last week, it became clear that the misinformation about what the Far North Act means was gaining momentum. We were asked why we were against land use planning. Effective land use planning can continue without the Far North Act. This is about withdrawing 50% of the Far North (21% of all of Ontario) from possible development, and holding the rest of the area subject to an MNRled quagmire. I am working until the last minute to identify how this incredibly significant, harmful legislation will negatively impact our Northern economy and our business community. We need the Government to be aware of how business investment will be hindered and opportunities shelved.”

NDP MP Gilles Bisson was up during Question Period seeking an answer from the Premier on his Far North Act.

Here is the exchange from Question Period:

Mr. Gilles Bisson: My question is to the Premier; maybe we need to bring him to the Far North and find out just how much we need a government to help us.

My question to the Premier is as follows. Yesterday the Environmental Commissioner, in his press conference in regard to his annual report, was asked questions by the media in regard to First Nations who are offside with Bill 191, the Far North planning act, and how that would hamper development should the Far North nations not be on side. He said, “If these [disputes] aren’t resolved, then the whole thing will degrade into conflict. And we won’t get the jobs.”

My question to you is simply this: Why are you moving forward with Bill 191 when absolutely nobody in northern Ontario supports it, and we know it will add to conflict?

Hon. Dalton McGuinty: To the Minister of Natural Resources.

Hon. Linda Jeffrey: I’m really pleased to answer this question and to comment on what has been happening over the last few weeks.

Certainly, I was really pleased to have had the opportunity to visit the Far North this summer. I visited eight different communities and was able to talk with a number of chiefs and elders and young people.

I was disappointed when we got to clause-by-clause consideration, when the opposition failed to put any amendments on the table to improve the legislation. In fact, they walked out of the hearings. It would have been really helpful had they stayed at the table because this is about land use planning and protection of the Far North, and we need the opposition to participate in that conversation. It’s only healthy, because we believe in land use planning. We think it’s an important thing to do as well as protecting the Far North.

It’s important that we have all those parties come to the table and participate in that conversation. This is the beginning of the conversation. We want to continue to work with our First Nations communities.

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary?

Mr. Gilles Bisson: Well, the minister says she went to eight communities in the Far North. Let me ask you this: When there is going to be civil disobedience on the part of First Nations in places in the Ring of Fire, when there will be civil disobedience on behalf of First Nations because they will not allow their future generations to live the experience that they’ve had of living in poverty and being left out of the economic benefit that can come from the natural resources, will this government go to those First Nations and try to deal with trying to fix the damage that you’ve done under Bill 191, or are you going to be sending in the police—or will you send them to jail, as you did in the case of KI?

Hon. Linda Jeffrey: I think we all know that there are some unique opportunities in the north, and this is about working together. It’s about working with First Nations and northern Ontarians, about building on all that potential. Together, we’re going to create Ontario jobs and we’re going to support families in the north while we protect the boreal forest region.

Resource development in the Far North is one of the best economic opportunities to come across Ontario in a very long time. We want to lead it and we want our communities to be part of it. We put in legislation, which is on the table, that will allow First Nations to direct that land use planning, decide whether they’re going to do it and approve it.

This is historic legislation. We’ve never done business like this before, and it’s important to recognize that that conversation has happened over the summer. It will continue onwards. This is about working together with First Nations communities, and we appreciate that we have land use plans in place now. We will continue—

The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Thank you. New question.