I am writing to strongly…

I am writing to strongly object to the proposed exemptions from the Ontario Heritage Act, that seeks to avoid accountability for archaeological preservation and research.

It shouldn’t have to be said or be given as reminder: We are on treaty land. We are treaty people. We, as settlers, have a responsibility to maintain correct order, especially when it’s in the interest of developing lands. The knowledge that lives beneath our feet, in our provinces earth, is so valuable. To eliminate due process of archaeological requirements is to disrespect the treaties and the indigenous peoples that invited our ancestors to these lands in the first place.

There are cemeteries and burial grounds all over the province. It’s a really interesting part of our history to see when you’re driving through small country road highways, exploring our rural cities or viewing protected spaces in our bigger cities. A sobering thought however, is nearly all of these cemeteries are documented for settlers., however indigenous ones are not. We know in this province, that indigenous cemetery and archaeological sites are very often found in places that go through the assessment province, uncovering valuable artifacts and stories. To seek exemption from the Heritage Ontario Act is to explicitly say you are ignoring and disrespecting the very real fact we are treaty people on treaty lands. To not get the explicit consent of the nations that preside over governing policies is a careless act that will ultimately hurt First Nations peoples rights, wellbeing, and the environment that is ancestral to them.

Of course the proposed idea of increasing the speed on mining and land development operations sounds exciting, but in juxtaposition to the types and weight of harm it gives, it’s simply not worth it. Our government needs to be more creative in speeding these processes up (increased funding to archaeological preservation and interest comes to mind! More people employed, at better rates and with strong benefits doing this hard work means the work can be done faster and better).

I want my children, my friends children, really everyone’s children and the generations to come to be able to enjoy the beautiful rolling hills and lands that Ontario has to offer. I want a society where we work with the people we signed a treaty with, whose hospitality that was taken advantage of that allowed us to be here even having these conversations in the first place. I want a province that unites treaty people instead of furthering this government’s historical harm unto Indigenous populations. I want to see a change of mind.