Proposal puts Ontario in…

Proposal puts Ontario in violation of UNDRIP (United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples)

I am very distressed in the way Aboriginal and/or treaty rights are dealt with in the proposed new regime.

First, only 30 days are allowed for review of the proponent's final report by interested persons, Indigenous communities and the public. The Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation previously noted that "public consultation is not the same as the consultation that is required under the constitutional Duty to Consult and Accommodate." This language is missing, should be added, and the timeline may need to be adjusted to accommodate this important process.

Secondly, as the Ontario Archaeological Society points out, municipalities generally do not have a full list of known archaeological sites at their disposal, and many do not have an archaeological management plan. The probability of damage to archaeological heritage and Ancestor burials is alarmingly high.

This is not a direction we should going in, given our nation's commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.

Please revise this flawed proposal.