A First Nations political organization representing 39 member Anishinabek Nations in Ontario is congratulating Premier Doug Ford on his election win on Thursday while also laying out some of its expectations in dealing with the provincial government over the coming years.
Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige spelled out priorities for the coming term on matters related to taxation, resource extraction, and infrastructure development.
Her full letter follows:
The Anishinabek Nation welcomes working with this Provincial Government to resolve longstanding constitutional issues in a timely manner with the Crown. The decisions made at the provincial level impact issues from education and healthcare to housing and the environment.
The Anishinabek Nation is seeking to advance its relationship with the Government of Ontario and identify a set of shared priority areas that will focus on mutually beneficial successes to ensure the economic prosperity for all of our Anishinabek citizens.
These priorities take into consideration decisions and processes that will see the Anishinabek Nation advance its rights-based agenda while continuing to protect our collective rights, including those of our relatives in the Ring of Fire area, from external governments and governing bodies to safeguard prosperity for the next seven generations.
Collectively, as Anishinabek, in addition to priorities such as infrastructure development, transportation for new highways, nuclear, transmission lines, and expansions in land-use planning to accommodate the growing urban sprawl, at the forefront of our priorities is our right to a tax exemption for all Anishinabek Nation governments and citizens.
These exemptions are consistent with our collective Aboriginal and treaty rights. The tax exemption applies to all foreign governments who may try to impose tariffs (tax) on our resources extracted from any of our territories, and we reject all unilateral taxation imposed on us.
We take this opportunity to note that any increase in the price of any minerals or resources extracted in Robinson Huron or Robinson Superior Territories or in any unceded territory must be paid directly to the collective.
Any deviation from that is a direct violation of those treaties and unceded rights, and as such, we will ensure mining companies and the Crown are held accountable for those revenues owed to the Anishinabek in this age of Restoule.
It took over 150 years for the Crown to pay the past compensation owed to the Anishinabek, and we will ensure on a go-forward basis that we are compensated for our resources taken out of our backyard—not Ontario's or Canada's backyard, but our Anishinabek backyard.
In closing, we look forward to sharing our priorities that reflect the Anishinabek Nation's focus on self-determination, cultural preservation, and equitable access to resources and services for our people, with the emphasis being on our rights-based agenda.
In this uncertain time, we are reminding Ontario that we will stand united with you as allies of the Crown, as we did back in 1812.
The Anishinabek Nation extends its hand to Premier Doug Ford to work collectively as we look to protect our Anishinabek lands and resources.
In unity,
Linda Debassige
Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief