Geoff Nixon
Negotiations over the future of Eastern Ontario lands marked for uranium mining by a private corporation have fallen apart, leaving those involved ready "to secure our territory," says a spokesman for one of the two aboriginal groups involved in the debate.
Since September, mediated talks have been ongoing between the province and two aboriginal groups, the Ardoch Algonquin and Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nations communities, which oppose a plan by Frontenac Ventures Corporation to mine for uranium in the Sharbot Lake area.
Robert Lovelace, a retired chief who is acting as a negotiator for the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation, told the Citizen yesterday that the talks ended earlier this week after the sides could not come to a resolution.
"The mediator called an end to the negotiations," he said.
He said there are no immediate plans to resume the talks.
Since Monday, Mr. Lovelace said his people have been asking Frontenac Ventures employees not to enter their site while the mediations are not ongoing.
"We're left in a situation where we simply have to secure our territory," said Mr. Lovelace, who noted that both groups have people watching over the site.
He and other mining opponents will approach Ottawa City Council this morning to ask for support for a total ban on uranium mining and pros-pecting in Eastern Ontario.
The dispute over the future of the 5,000-hectare property near Clarendon Station started last summer when Frontenac Ventures began conducting surveys of the land.
In June of last year, members of the Ardoch Algonquin and Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nations communities formed a "tent city" and blockade at an access point to the property on the side of Highway 509, about 12 kilometres north of Highway 7.
They stayed at the entrance of the site until the mediated negotiations began last fall.
Chief Doreen Davis, who is representing the Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nations community in the negotiations, could not immediately be reached for comment yesterday.
Prior to the end of the mediation process with the province, Chief Davis had told the Citizen she believed slow, but steady progress had been made during the talks.
"I think we've progressed from the very beginning," she said last week. "We've got a long, long way to go, but I think I'm not surprised at where we are. It's about where I thought we'd be after 10-12 weeks."
Chief Davis also said that Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nations people would block access to the site should the company attempt to begin drilling.
Kathy Nosich, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines -- the branch of the provincial government that had been handling the talks -- said the government was "disappointed" the two sides could not come to a resolution.
"We were very disappointed that the mediation wasn't successful," Ms. Nosich said.
"For our part, Ontario did engage in good faith in that process. And we funded that entire process, including the cost of the mediator and the legal counsel for the Shabots and the Ardochs."
Frontenac Ventures president and chief executive officer George White could not be reached for comment yesterday. His company had not been involved in the negotiations, but had been kept up to date on their progress.
In a recent interview with the Citizen, Mr. White said his company had not attended the mediation process because it was too costly to take part.
In addition to the end of the mediation process, there are two other ongoing legal battles that have been initiated by those involved in the dispute.
Frontenac Ventures has initiated civil contempt proceedings against a number of individuals who allegedly obstructed access to the Clarendon Station site last summer.
Those accused of contempt are scheduled to appear in court later this month.
And in December, a group of North Frontenac families and Ottawa residents served the province of Ontario with notice of their intention to challenge the Attorney General of Ontario on the constitutionality of the Ontario Mining Act.
Ottawa lawyer Mike Swinwood, who is representing the residents, known as the Mississippi River Watershed Settlers, said in a recent interview that the province had not yet responded to the notice it had been served on Dec. 11, 2007.
The province has 60 days to respond from the date it received the notice, after which the Mississippi River Watershed Settlers are "eligible to commence action," he said.
Mr. Swinwood said the purpose of the notice was to "afford the Crown the opportunity of speaking to people to determine ... whether there was any way of avoiding litigation.
Brendan Crawley, a spokesman for the Ministry of the Attorney General, confirmed that the province had been served with a notice of intent on Dec. 11.
The province will respond once a statement of claim is filed, he said.