I want to highlight two very relevant instances from the past decade, that Ottawa city council and Mayor Jim Watson should look at their own reconciliation for, before Watson whips the vote on Wednesday for the "Algonquins of Ontario" Tewin development. #ottcity #ottnews

Thread:

The instances are:

1) The 2011 commencement of KNL (Urbandale/Richcraft) development at Beaver Pond Forest in Kanata, part of the South March Highlands;

2) The #ottcity council decisions 2014+ for Windmill Development Group's Zibi development at the sacred Chaudière Falls site.

Beaver Pond Forest in Kanata

A site both environmentally- and culturally-significant, where development counter to Ottawa's official plan was permitted to go ahead despite objections from status + non-status Algonquins, local residents + environmentalists
http://www.dominionpaper.ca/articles/3887 

Similar to the current situation with Tewin, the city only consulted with the "Algonquins of Ontario" corporation

Along with the nine status communities based in Quebec & Wahgoshig FN, there are also non-status Algonquins in Ontario who aren't part of the AOO land claim business

As mentioned in that^ screenshot, even revered Algonquin elder William Commanda's advocacy to #ottcity council, in his final year of life, was dismissed without concern

He was known for his positivity + forgiveness, but in this video from BPF, not so much

The second instance:
Zibi development at Chaudière Falls

William Commanda had for a long time raised public awareness about the sacred nature of the waterfalls site, and brought people together in support of the Asinabka vision for the site

But he passed away in August 2011...

In 2013 the Windmill Group developers announced they'd made an agreement to purchase and develop the land there, on 2 islands (Ottawa side) and shoreline in Gatineau, dependent on government approval

Which a year later they received

My article from then: https://ricochet.media/en/101/ottawa-city-council-approves-rezoning-sacred-algonquin-site

Most relevant to the current #ottcity Tewin situation, is that Gilbert Whiteduck, then-chief of Kitigan Zibi, requested that Ottawa city council and mayor Watson delay the decision, to have discussion first

They ignored the request

Hear his response here https://EquitableEducation.ca/2014/chaudiere-islands-article-interviews

And it was the "Algonquins of Ontario", and Pikwakanagan (part of AOO), who signed benefits agreements to legitimize the Zibi development

The nine status Algonquin communities based in Quebec, unified to unsuccessfully demand Zibi be stopped, and for #LandBack of the sacred site

Jim Watson was Ottawa mayor for both of these past decisions: ignoring Algonquin input and requests on matters of importance to the Algonquin Nation.

And by my count, 10 current #ottcity councilors as well.

So when they talk of #Reconciliation this week...
What will they *do*?

You can hopefully connect how those two instances reflect on the recent renaming of the bridge and road to honour William Commanda, along with what this week's #ottcity vote will be.

Draw your own conclusions and all that

My previous thread on AOO/Tewin: https://twitter.com/GregEqEd/status/1357080984471166977