Rift_develops

Jeff Green | Feb 15, 2007

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Rift develops over North Frontenac Council's role at Pine Lakeby Jeff Green

North Frontenac Councillor Wayne Cole presented a brief to council last week on the situation at Pine Lake , where the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation (AAFNA) has been developing two sites for use as a Pow Wow grounds, a band office and a parking lot.

Accompanying his brief, which Mayor Maguire described as being “painful to read, it was so full of inaccuracies”, Cole proposed a resolution instructing “the Mayor to arrange a meeting as soon as possible with INAC [Indian and Northern Affairs Canada], MNR [the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources] and all members of North Frontenac Council, to resolve this challenge”.

Maguire immediately said that the federal government “will not get involved in this, I can tell you that for certain.”

Cole’s proposed resolution led to an extraordinary two-way debate between himself and the mayor. Wayne Cole explained the intention of his resolution, asserting that the township should remove themselves from the matter, saying “this is not a North Frontenac Issue, it has been passed over from the MNR, and we should send it right back to them.”

“These people,” he added, pointing to the crowd of 20 or so people in attendance, “are wondering who you are working for. Are you working for AAFNA or are you working for North Frontenac?” Cole then went further, saying of AAFNA “These people are squatters. They are breaking the law.”

“The law was broken by Canada when this area of Canada was developed prior to a treaty being signed,” Maguire answered. “What I have been doing is in the interest of the municipality. Do you prefer confrontation?”

“I’m not afraid of confrontation,“ Cole said.

“What you are proposing is not in the best interest of the municipality,” Maguire said, “it will put an end to something that is designed to ensure that the environment and the building code are respected, and that aboriginal rights are respected. If this goes to a vote, I won’t support it. It would be far better to come to an amenable agreement between AAFNA and the MNR. They are a legitimate community.”

Wayne Cole then referred to a meeting that took place on New Year’s Eve between himself, Ron Maguire, and David Rose, the President of the Pine Lake Property Owners’ Association. The association, which opposes the AAFNA project at Pine Lake , has been seeking a response from Ron Maguire to a letter they sent to the township outlining their concerns.

“You promised you would get a response to him,” Wayne Cole said to Ron Maguire, before reiterating one of his main themes, “Are you representing NF, or are you representing AAFNA?”

“You’re getting way out of line here,” Maguire angrily responded.

“There is the electorate to consider,” Cole concluded.

The motion was passed, with Mayor Maguire and Councillor Fred Perry casting the only dissenting votes. Councillor Wayne Good was not in attendance.

Councillor Perry explained to council and the public that he had opposed Wayne Cole’s motion because he felt it undermined a process that was the best way he knows of to bring this to an acceptable conclusion for all involved, including the Pine Lake residents.