ASSEMBLY OF MANITOBA CHIEFS WANTS SOLUTIONS ON RESOURCE EQUITY IN MINING, NOT ANOTHER PROCESS UNDER PROVINCES MINING ADVISORY

COUNCIL
Winnipeg, Mani !"a # N!$e%"e& '', '()* In light of recent media announcements from the province of Manitoba on the development of its Mining Advisory Council (MAC) the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) today is declaring that it does not need more status quo processes, but has offered ne solutions that recogni!es and affirms the equity of Manitoba "irst #ation communities in their ancestral lands$ %"or many years the province has attempted to bring a mining table together that ould affirm provincial &urisdiction over the ealth (equity) of our ancestral lands by revising its provincial Mines Act, thereby denying the implementation of treaty in the province$ 'his is to the great detriment of our people in our communities$ "or many years, e have brought ne solutions and ne thin(ing on the best ay to brea( the inter)generational chain of poverty and dependency on government programs by ay of meaningful participation in the responsible development of our vast equity in our ancestral lands$ 'he province has ignored our solutions and instead funds status quo processes li(e the Mining Advisory council*, stated +rand Chief ,ere( #epina($ In a media release on #ovember -th, ./01, entitled, New Mining Advisory Council to Ensure First Nations Benefit From Resource Development, the province declared that the ne council ould ensure a (ey role for "irst #ations leadership$ "urther, they ould create training opportunities, good &obs, revenue sharing and a share of social and economic benefits for "irst #ations communities*$ 'he AMC finds that much of the content of the MAC agenda fails to recogni!e that programs for ne training and &ob creation have been evolving and in place for many years already$ 2esultantly, the AMC asserts that the table is much less about creating economic opportunity for "irst #ations people in Manitoba and more about creating an image of legitimacy by ay of consulting a small number of communities to ards amending the provincial Mines Act$ %"or many generations Manitoba "irst #ations people have been denied equitable participation in resource development and forced to rely on federal government minimum services$ 'his has resulted in severe poverty in our communities and compromised our ater and land$ Mean hile, a handful of people at the top of the mining industry have generated great ealth for themselves and their closest friends$ 3y funding the MAC, the government of Manitoba is putting its resources to ards the continuing empo erment of that economic reality* further stated +rand Chief #epina($

"or more information please contact4 5heila #orth 6ilson ./7)-/8)098: snorth ilson;manitobachiefs$com