The MNO | Métis Voyageur News

LOCAL NEWS - A group of Algoma loggers seeking access to Crown land says an illegal harvest planned for Monday is "in limbo" following word of a possible opportunity from the Ministry of Natural Resources.

"The MNR has put us into a position where we really have to consider what we're doing," said Brent McHale, president and CEO of Algoma Metis Loggers Inc.

The group, now a corporation, was formed three years ago as a co-op with the goal of securing access to timber on Crown land in the Algoma Forest.
McHale said he couldn't elaborate on the MNR's offer until details are worked out, but said an illegal harvest planned for Monday in the Searchmont area is now up in the air.

He said Wednesday's meeting with the MNR was "very positive."

"We're not going to jeopardize all the hard work we've done if the MNR and Clergue (Forest Management) are willing to work with us," said McHale.
He said the loggers' board has held off on making a final decision on whether to go ahead with the protest as one member is currently facing a family emergency.

Meanwhile, the president of the Metis Nation of Ontario, who has strongly opposed the illegal action, says the time is right for his group to begin separate talks with government and industry about Metis forestry issues.
Tony Belcourt and other MNO officials were in Sault Ste. Marie on Thursday to meet with both the MNR and Clergue Forest Management, a joint entity made up of several forest industry companies that controls access to the Algoma Forest through a sustainable forest license.
An MNO meeting was also to be held Thursday night to gauge the community's stance on Metis forest issues.

"The community may turn around and say they want a license of their own," said Belcourt.

He said those meetings were separate from the efforts by McHale's group, though he said recent attention around Metis forest issues has contributed to making the timing right to pursue discussions.

"People who have (private) companies, they deal with the MNR or the sustainable forest license, that's up to them, we're not going to interfere," Belcourt said. "We want to talk with the Ministry of Natural Resources about economic development opportunities in the resource industry for our people."

McHale, who is also this region's provincial councillor for the MNO, has denied his loggers' group is attempting to assert aboriginal rights or trigger a lawsuit.

However, Belcourt said the situation appears otherwise.
He said the MNO fears that a legal battle on forestry issues, if not defended properly by such a corporation, could set precedents "that are going to harm the Metis community and the Metis people."

The MNO does not oppose the loggers' efforts to secure access to Crown land, Belcourt said.

He said the MNO had been holding off on tackling forestry rights itself until lingering legal issues involving hunting and fishing rights had been settled.
"We're in an adversarial relationship (with the MNR); you don't have discussions when you're in an adversarial relationship," said Belcourt.
However, he said key court cases are nearing their ends and MNR officials appear more open to discussion.

Gary Lipinski, the MNO's chair, said the timing may also be good for discussions in the wake of a recent Supreme Court decision that allowed First Nations in New Brunswick to harvest wood for personal use, and a recommendation in Canada's five-year forestry strategy for a parallel process for Metis similar to what First Nations have. "We want to make sure the Metis community here is being dealt with in a way that is non-adversarial, that we go through proper negotiations," said Lipinski.

Belcourt said he has also talked with members of the Anishinabek Nation about harvesting licenses held by First Nations people and possibilities of Metis people gaining employment that way.

Belcourt declined to name the specific First Nation involved.