Temagami Land Claim

Letter from Chief Provincial Negotiator, May 2006

May 24, 2006

I am writing to give you a brief update on the progress of the Temagami land claim negotiations.

As you may be aware, the Temagami Anishnabeg community (formerly the Temagami Aboriginal community) took time to reorganize their negotiating office last summer. In the fall of 2005, the Temagami First Nation and the Tema-Augama Anishnabai jointly appointed a new negotiation team. The team is comprised of Ian Johnson, Negotiator; Victoria Grant, Assistant Negotiator and Office Manager; Deb Charyna, Communications Officer and, Betty Ann Turner, Administrative Assistant.

In December, Ontario, Canada and the Temagami Aboriginal community resumed formal discussions. The parties are reviewing the elements of the proposed settlement agreement. This is time consuming and detailed work that is essential to ensure that the agreements reached during negotiations are understood by all the parties and reflected in the legally binding language of a final settlement agreement.

We have targeted December 2006 to finalize the drafting of a proposed settlement agreement. Then the Temagami Aboriginal community will ratify the agreement, followed by Ontario and Canada.

The key main elements negotiated remain the creation of a reserve comprising of up to 130 square miles of land; the creation of a waterway park on most of the mainland shoreline of Lake Temagami; a community site planning process; the provision of $20 million financial compensation; and an economic development package worth about $4 million. These key components of a settlement remain intact. There has been no significant change to the proposed settlement agreement.

While work progresses towards a settlement agreement you can keep informed on the Temagami land claim in a number of ways. The Ontario Secretariat for Aboriginal Affairs website (www.aboriginalaffairs.osaa.gov.on.ca) has a complete set of materials about the Temagami claim and is updated as required.

There is also a toll free line (1-888-456-3430) where you can leave a message and a member of the provincial negotiating team will respond to your call.

And if you wish to talk with me directly, I can be contacted at (416) 326-4741 or by e-mail at Doug.Carr@osaa.gov.on.ca

Wishing you a great summer.

Doug Carr
Chief Negotiator

c.c.  Chief Alex Paul Sr. Temagami First Nation
        Chief John McKenzie, Tema-Augama Anishnabai
        Linda MacWilliams, Negotiator, Canada
        Municipality of Temagami