Treaty reminder

Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief reminded Prince Charles on Tuesday of the treaty obligations the British government signed with First Nations people.

Beardy met briefly with the visiting prince in Toronto, part of the latest royal visit to Canada. Beardy used the occasion to hand Prince Charles a copy of Treaty No. 9 – Making the Agreement to Share the Land in Far Northern Ontario in 1905.

The heir to the British throne looked through the book, and responded he is well aware of the treaty responsibilities and was looking forward to meeting with other First Nations leaders during the rest of his Canadian visit in celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s diamond jubilee.

“It is very important that we strengthen the treaty relations between the people of Treaties 9 and 5 and the Crown,” Beardy said in a release issued by NAN. “It is because of treaty relations that allows third parties access to our natural resources.”

Several First Nations in Northern Ontario are up in arms about Cliffs Natural Resources’ decision to locate its planned ferrochrome processing plant near Sudbury instead of Thunder Bay or the Greenston area.