Mathias Colomb Cree Nation Chief Arlen Dumas
The Canadian Press reports, “A legal battle has erupted between HudBay Minerals Inc. and a northern Manitoba First Nation over two Idle No More rallies (on January 28 and March 5) this winter. HudBay is suing the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation over the rallies it says blocked the entrance to where the company’s gold, zinc and copper mine is being developed. Mathias Colomb chief Arlen Dumas says his members did not prevent access to the site near Lalor Lake, but simply held a peaceful demonstration.”
The article notes, “Dumas also says HudBay and the Manitoba government should have obtained consent from area aboriginals before going ahead with development. The chief says the band never surrendered its rights to the land and resources.”
The Thompson Citizen adds that the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation issued a ‘stop work order’ to HudBay on January 28 and March 5 for the Lalor Mine at Snow Lake. “MCCN says it represents the ‘sovereign Nation of Missinippi Nehethowak’, which extensive ancestral territory that includes the area where the Lalor Mine is located and that Hudbay has failed to obtain MCCN’s consent to operate the mine on MCCN territory and extract MCCN resources.” And Chief Dumas has stated, “The province has failed in its duty to obtain the free, informed and prior consent of MCCN for activities taking place on our territories as required by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.”
As well, “MCCN and the Wilderness Committee’s Manitoba Field Office announced March 5 that they had begun working together to object to Hudbay’s proposed Reed Mine project which is currently in the advanced exploration stage just south of highway 39 in Grass River Provincial Park about 80 kilometres southwest of Snow Lake. ‘The Reed Lake mine proposed by Hudbay is within the unceded traditional territories of Mathias Colomb Cree Nation,’ said Dumas in a Wilderness Committee press release announcing the cooperative effort. ‘This proposed mine raises serious concerns in relation to caribou populations, water quality, and carbon emissions.'”
The Canadian Press notes, “A court hearing on the lawsuit, as well as a request for an injunction against further rallies, is scheduled for Wednesday (March 20).”
For more, please read:
NEWS: Manitoba allows Hudbay to mine within provincial park
NEWS: Lawsuit against HudBay to be heard in Canada!
Council of Canadians committed to support challenge against Hudbay mining company
