In March, The Webequie First Nation and Juno Corp. announced a new cooperation agreement to foster economic participation opportunities and advance exploration and potential mining partnerships in the Ring of Fire.
In Monday’s release, the First Nations said they declared the moratorium in accordance with Indigenous Laws, Inherent Rights and Treaty No. 9 between the Attawapiskat, Fort Albany, and Neskantaga Nations and the Crown.
The Nations also cite international laws including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and its requirements for free, prior and informed consent, the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and customary laws that protect their right to self-determination, require environmental due diligence, and prohibit destruction of the ability to survive in their environments.
“Canadian domestic laws that adopted and intend to implement UNDRIP (such as Bill C-15); the federal Impact Assessment Act (IAA); Canada’s Constitution including section 35 affirming our Aboriginal and Treaty Rights, and the Charter section 7 being the right to life, liberty and security of the person,” the media release reads.
The Attawapiskat, Fort Albany, and Neskantaga First Nations declared from this date (April 1) the moratorium “shall stand intact unless and until Canada and Ontario act in accordance with their obligations under law, in respect of the Ring of Fire, and agree to a Regional Impact Assessment (RIA) that is by regulation under IAA (section 114) or by agreement, led by an “Indigenous governing body” composed of First Nations and interested others who stand to be affected by Ring of Fire development and must be completed prior to the issuance of any Crown permission for any development in or that facilitates access to the Ring of Fire, including roads.”
