I am writing because I stand…

I am writing because I stand with the comments made by the Ontario Archaeological Society, Chippewa of the Thames First Nation, and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation regarding the proposed “streamlined “ process of development in Ontario. This, in combination with the Ontario government’s insistence on building on the Greenbelt, reveals an attitude of “development above all else” which I do not support. To quote COTTFN:

“In July 2020, the Ontario legislature passed the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020, including substantive amendments to the Environmental Assessment Act. These changes - many of which were unrelated to COVID-19 recovery - were made at the height of the pandemic, at a time when First Nations were scrambling to understand the risks of the pandemic and support their citizens. At COTTFN, offices were closed, staff were redeployed to essential areas, and access to the community was restricted. In this context, Ontario quickly moved forward with changes to the EA regime. While the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) offered webinars to review the proposals, webinars alone do not constitute meaningful engagement. In addition, many staff members working from home in the community were struggling with poor internet access, which is very common for rural First Nations dealing with decades of underfunding for infrastructure.”

I grew up in this area and can attest to the lack of infrastructure and internet access issues. Too often, Indigenous consultation is treated as a box to tick with the minimal effort possible. In a time of environmental concerns (that the federal carbon tax isn’t helping), and what is supposed to be the era of truth and reconciliation, responsible development is paramount. These changes would not just be a step in the wrong direction, but a major misstep. To move forward with them would be to repeat Canada’s early developmental mistakes and Indigenous erasure seen by the building of railways and roads.

I am concerned about archaeological consultation and ancestral burials, First Nations consultation and rights, and the long term environmental impacts of lowered standards. I share my concern as a mother, as a Mohawk, and as an archaeology student. Ontario needs to commit to responsible development, which cannot be done without adequate involvement of First Nations communities and archaeologists.