First Nation Suffers Defeat in Court, Vows to Continue Fight for Land

The Grassy Narrows First Nation suffered a defeat on Friday when the Supreme Court of Canada upheld a lower court ruling that the provincial government of Ontario has the right to issue logging licenses on their traditional lands.

While Friday's ruling was in reference to the 141-year-old treaty, known as Treaty 3, between the Crown and Ojibway Indians, it will likely influence how Canadian courts and natural resource companies approach lands under treaty nationwide.

"I agree with the Ontario Court of Appeal that Ontario and only Ontario has the power to take up lands under Treaty 3," Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin wrote in the unanimous decision.

The Grassy Narrows' appeal of the lower court's ruling argued that because the treaty was made with the federal Crown the provincial government should be forced to receive federal approval before issuing licenses for land use like logging and mining.

More at http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/07/11-4 .