ANISHINABEK NATION HEAD OFFICE (December 20, 2024) – Greater recognition and respect of all minerals that lie within the Great Lakes Region being ancestral lands and traditional territories of Anishinabek First Nations and other First Nations is required by Ontario, Canada, and the United States governments. As stewards of this land, the Anishinabek First Nations have an inherent right to be consulted and to give consent regarding any activities that may impact their territories; however, reconciliation partners are misleading inhabitants of these lands and beyond the Medicine Line.

“It is crucial to address the troubling actions of the leadership of the Province of Ontario, which has misled stakeholders, including the United States, regarding the status of these minerals. This misinformation undermines the rights of the Anishinabek First Nations and disregards the importance of their voices in resource management decisions,” states Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige.

“Ontario Premier Doug Ford has been conducting media interviews, both in Canadian and American broadcasting networks, claiming falsities and misleading citizens of this province, and disregarding Court rulings of critical minerals needed by the US that are available in his backyard. These minerals are not in his backyard, they are in the Anishinabek’s backyards and in the care of the Anishinabek and First Nations people as we were tasked with the honour and responsibility of being stewards of this land by the Creator. We cannot overstate that the revenues generated from our territories are not taxpayers’ dollars or tariffs and should not be viewed in that way. They are the wealth of the Anishinabek that was agreed to be shared with those who came to our lands when the Crown entered into Treaties with our ancestors.”

The Anishinabek Nation Leadership Council noted that the latest Supreme Court ruling of July 26, 2024, was in favour of the Anishinabek plaintiffs.  The courts have said that the Crown has a mandatory and reviewable obligation to increase the Treaties’ annuities when the economic circumstances warrant. The economic circumstances will trigger an increase in the annuities if the net Crown resource-based revenues permit the Crown to increase the annuities without incurring a loss. The principle of the honour of the Crown and the doctrine of fiduciary duty impose on the Crown the obligation to diligently implement the Treaties’ promise to achieve their purpose (i.e., reflecting the value of the territories in the annuities) and other related justiciable duties.

All stakeholders, including Ontario, Canada, and the United States, must acknowledge and respect the rights of the Anishinabek First Nations, ensuring that our voices are heard and valued, and our interests are prioritized in decisions regarding mineral exploration and extraction. The preservation of our heritage and protection of our lands must be at the forefront of any discussions surrounding resource management. These lands bear significance beyond geographical areas; they are integral to the cultural, spiritual, and physical and economic well-being of the Anishinabek people.

“Ontario needs to seat itself at the negotiation tables with the Robinson Huron and Robinson Superior Regions to ensure that the Crown holds up to its obligations within the treaties and ensure that the spirit and intent are lived up to,” states Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige. “Ontario needs to do better as a reconciliation partner that it agreed to be.”

Quick Facts

As of December 10, 2024, at 9:51 am, Ontario has 227,420 mining claims, along with

• 918 Active Early Exploration Plans;
• 791 Active Early Exploration Permits;
• 18 Circulated Early Exploration Plans; and
• 88 Circulated Early Exploration Permits

Within the Great Lakes Region, there are 90,456 total mining claims, along with

• 918 Active Early Exploration Plans;
• 791 Active Early Exploration Permits;
• 18 Circulated Early Exploration Plans; and
• 87 Circulated Early Exploration Permits