Justice Patrick Smith sentenced KI Chief Donny Morris, Deputy Chief Jack McKay, Head Coun. Cecilia Begg, councillors
Sam McKay and Darryl Sainnawap and band employee Bruce Sakakeep each to six months in jail for contempt of court March 17. http://www.wawataynews.ca/node/12802
My name is Darryl Sainnawap. My spirit name is Wichiitaso Muskwa. I am twenty-three
years of age. I am a member and Youth Councillor for the elected Chief and Council of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inniniwug.
I personally, and on behalf of the others incarcerated, would like to send
our utmost appreciation and gratitude to those who are present here today. Your support and encouragement in our struggle
gives us the strength and motivation to keep moving forward in our cause. To all supporters, Kitche-Meegwetch.
As you are aware, I, along with five other members of KI—Chief Donny Morris,
Deputy Chief Jack McKay, Head Councillor Cecilia Begg, Councillor Samuel McKay and Community Member Bruce Sakakeep—were
sentenced to six months of incarceration for not abiding by Justice Smith’s October 25th, 2007 Court Order
for Platinex’s unobstructed access to our traditional lands.
Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inniniwug have said No!
No! to the detrimental impacts of mining.
No! to the violation of our traditional laws and values.
No! to the infringement of our inherent and Aboriginal treaty rights.
No! to the Free Entry System embodied under Ontario’s
135-year-old Mining Act.
No activity will be conducted within KI homelands until such time as Ontario fulfills its constitutional duty to properly and adequately
consult and accommodate KI as per Supreme Court of Canada rulings. In our present case, Ontario
failed its duty.
It is the will of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inniniwug that our pristine lands be
preserved for the benefit of future generations. It is the vision of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inniniwug that future generations
will decide if and when our natural resources will be extracted. This is based on the premise that the present KI leadership
does not have the mandate to borrow from future generations.
Today is the 64th day of our incarceration and today we still stand
by the will and vision of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inniniwug.
Being in jail for upholding our law in the protection and preservation of
our lands and resources gives you, the Youth, and our peoples, more strength and determination to further uphold what is true
and right.
KI homelands are not for sale and will not be subjugated to environmental
degradation.
Thank you for your ongoing support and may the Creator bless you all. Meegwetch.
In civil contempt cases involving relations between private citizens, the intended victim of the act of contempt is usually
the party for whose benefit the ruling was implemented, rather than the court itself.
Kitchenuhmaykoosib, Ontario - We are saddened today that our leaders have been jailed for contempt and they’re
there for what they strongly believe – to protect Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) Homelands!
As a result of our
community assembly on March 18, 2008, the present Chief and Council notably, Chief Donny Morris, Deputy Chief Jack McKay,
Head Councillor Cecilia Begg, Councillors Samuel McKay and Darryl Sainnawap are still our leaders and are deemed equivalent
as leaders in exile as expressed by the people of Kitchenuhmaykoosib.One band
member, Bruce Sakakeep is also in jail for contempt as well.
The remaining Council
members Susan Nanokeesic, Kenny Martin and Angus McKay are still politically active at the community level with the assistance
of a working group members consisting of 18 community members.
With consultation
between the exiled Council members and the Council in Kitchenuhmaykoosib, we take strong stand on the following:
No Parliamentarian, be it federal or provincial member is allowed in the Homelands of Kitchenuhmaykoosib
Inninuwug;
No more free entry to Kitchenuhamaykoosib lands by Platinex or any other mining entity including
First Nation mining companies;
Ongoing blockade will be more protected and secured in order to protect our KI Homelands;
Assembly of First Nations must abandon the partnership agreements with the mining industry in
Canada;
All First Nation political territorial organizations in Ontario
do not speak directly for or on behalf of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, but their support on the issue is welcome;
Ontario must respond
to our proposal made with our brothers and sisters of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation, to establish a joint panel on mining
on First Nations lands.
There is suspicion
and fear on our part as a result of the court’s disposition on our leaders.There
is no more sense of safety and well being for all Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug to rely on the Canadian government’s
legal and statutory obligations on our people, especially the government of Ontario.The court document and its’ disposition gives us anxiety and terror for we are
all distressed enough with our present social and economic situation.
The court ruling is
a deliberate attack on the blood, bone and spirit of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug.It
referenced many cases and ancient views of “rule of law” that we don’t agree with it.The mention of “Magna Carta” is no exception.Ontario uses it to make a false disposition on our people.The remnants of Magna Carta did indeed killed off many Indigenous peoples in both South and North Americas.The principle of that no one is above the
law is hypocritical as displayed by the government of Ontario!
The Ontario emissary, Mr. Michael Bryant came to our community and offered no formal agenda
and plan for negotiations.There was no real substance for negotiations despite
what he said in a press release dated March 17, 2008.Unfortunately, this is
the day that our leaders were imprisonedThe Ontario emissary Mr. Bryant is indeed
speaking fork-tongued, repeated once again as Treaty Commissioners did back in 1929.He is not formally talking to anyone at KI as he professes to be!
KI Council along with
our brothers and sisters at Ardoch Algonquin First Nation who are facing similar situation jointly submitted a proposal to
Ontario outlining moratorium on exploration and mining in the disputed areas; a joint panel to consist three-party membership
to investigate exploration and mining issues; and to negotiate interim measures agreement.Mr. Bryant did not take our proposal seriously and he will not even mention any of the contents described.
We are very thankful
for those that supported us from the beginning and we still need your support more than ever.With your ongoing support, KI will prevail.
Contacts:
Jacob Ostaman, Spokesman, Kitchenuhmaykoosib
Inninuwug
KI Band Office (807) 537-2263
Chris Reid, Legal Counsel for Kitchenuhmaykoosib
Inninuwug
