DURHAM REGION TO ENTER INTO A GOVERNMENT-TO-GOVERNMENT COLLABORATION WITH SCUGOG FIRST NATIONS

DURHAM REGION TO ENTER INTO A GOVERNMENT-TO-GOVERNMENT COLLABORATION WITH SCUGOG FIRST NATIONS This week’s column will delve, briefly, into the complex realm of First Nations involvement in Canadian civic affairs, but first, I thought it best to provide some background as to the relationship between governments and Indigenous communities in Canada and within the province of Ontario before arriving at home base, being Durham Region. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT has tripled its annual Indigenous spending, from $11 billion to over $32 billion, since The Trudeau Liberals took office in 2015. During that time, Canadian taxpayers have been made to support several significant settlements between the federal government and First Nations, totaling well over $57 billion. The Province of Ontario has also settled claims with First Nations, paying out a total of $14.9 billion in compensation, and has reached 65 land claims and other agreements, settling for close to $11.1 billion up to March 2024. Significant funding has been committed to reforming First Nations Child and Family Services, including $8.5 billion in a landmark agreement to reform the program here in Ontario. With regard to ongoing treaty negotiations, a proposed $10 billion settlement was reached to compensate for unpaid past annuities, with the Ontario government contributing $5 billion. Additionally, the Province has committed over $3 billion for loans, grants, and scholarships to encourage Indigenous participation and ownership in the mining sector, and also funds various programs and initiatives through Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. That’s a lot to take in, and the dollars involved are nothing less than staggering. But it doesn’t end there. CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS have been filed, including a $1.1 billion suit by a northern Manitoba tribe, the Shamattawa First Nation, over access to clean drinking water which the federal government claims is the responsibility of the Indigenous communities. Another class action lawsuit against Canada has been filed by the St. Theresa Point First Nation in Manitoba and Sandy Lake First Nation in northwestern Ontario for failing to provide adequate housing on First Nations land. That class action is seeking $5 billion in damages. In 2023, an alliance of First Nations in northern Ontario argued they were owed upwards of $100 billion over certain aspects of a 173-year-old treaty. Future such actions on the part of Canada’s indigenous population seem highly likely. LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT AT COUNCILS AND ELSEWHERE have become the norm. The Region of Durham started incorporating land acknowledgments, which recognize the traditional territories of Indigenous peoples, in 2020, based on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report. Specifically, Pickering adopted a land acknowledgment statement in November 2020, and the Region of Durham began reading land acknowledgments at its meetings in January 2021. The City of Oshawa also began incorporating a land acknowledgment statement, which is now delivered at the start of every city council meeting, every standing and advisory committee meeting, and has been mandated for delivery at every City event with opening ceremonies, such as the Tribute Communities Centre when fans gather together for the purpose of watching a hockey game. The investments made by Canadians, both financial and ceremonial are beyond dispute, and are quite considerable. MEMBERS OF DURHAM REGIONAL COUNCIL will be meeting on May 28th to consider a report by the Region’s ‘Chief’ Administrative Officer in which a bilateral agreement has been proposed in an effort to establish a “Government-to-Government Collaboration” between the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation and the Region of Durham. Among the goals set out in the report is a plan for the Parties to meet quarterly, as well as the establishment of an ‘Indigenous advisory committee’ to ensure Indigenous input on a range of Regional initiatives. Further, there is a proposal to co-ordinate service delivery for what the report identifies as “investments in poverty prevention, housing solutions, and homelessness supports.” Finally, there are provisions to ensure an “accountable and transparent” decision-making process in order to serve community needs, while responsibly managing available resources. As justification for these measures, reference is made to the 1923 Williams Treaty, which the report says resulted in the denial of rights and a “lack of proper compensation and additional lands.” The area encompassed by the Treaty includes lands that stretch from Lake Ontario's northern shore all the way to Lake Simcoe. A 2018 Settlement Agreement with the Crown facilitates the addition of up to 11,000 acres to each of the seven First Nations in the area covered by the Williams Treaty. KAWARTHA FIRST NATION which identifies itself as Member 62 of the ‘Alliance of Indigenous Nations’ recently issued a press release in which they state their intention of “actively reclaiming 15,000 square kilometres of unceded land and waters – an area roughly the size of Georgian Bay.” They assert the territory and its resources include The City of Kawartha Lakes, Minden and all of Durham Region. GOVERNMENTS AT ALL LEVELS in this country appear ready to continue enacting policies with regard to ever-increasing claims for land, money, and oversight on the part of Canada’s indigenous population. I wrote in a previous column about Olivia Chow, the Mayor of Toronto, having formed the opinion that the affairs of her community may be better served by adding an unelected indigenous member to serve on city council. A motion was brought forward by the Mayor that would see Toronto’s City Manager look into opportunities to ‘deepen meaningful representation of the Indigenous community in City decision-making… including through advisory bodies and other mechanisms.’ Those ‘other mechanisms’ are seen by many Toronto councillors as an attempt to add one or more members of council who would be appointed based on their ancestry, without having been given a mandate by the electors. There is unquestionably plenty of evidence to show mistreatment of this country’s First Nations communities dating back to the arrival of the first Europeans, and there is certainly justification in expecting financial and other supports to continue up to and including the present day. To say otherwise is to deny history. At the same time, the sheer magnitude of the resources expected to be transferred in this ongoing effort is staggering, and in this columnist’s view, unsustainable. Readers must judge for themselves what may be deemed as necessary or otherwise unreasonable in terms of where this is all going, and what it means for our nation, our culture, and our economy. Is there a point at which one can say, enough is enough?