"Provincial decisions affect First Nations' rights, lands and environments, and FOI requests are one of the few mechanisms available to First Nations and the public to understand how those decisions were made. Having access to this information, particularly if it's a decision made by the premier or other cabinet ministers, or just understanding how those decisions came to be, is just part of good governance."
"If First Nations don't see that good governance is happening, that just exacerbates that issue of trust. Economic projects underway across Ontario including in the mineral-rich Ring of Fire area in the north, and a future high-speed rail project between Toronto and Ottawa have the potential to impact First Nation communities."
"The details of any decision that connects or intersects with Indigenous rights or treaty rights need to be available and accessible. Having access to this information is essential for First Nations to understand how provincial decisions affecting their communities are made."
Ontario's proposed freedom-of-information legislation would remove records of the premier, cabinet ministers, parliamentary assistants and their offices from FOI access. First Nations organizations, including the Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians representing 20,000 citizens, strongly oppose this change. They argue FOI requests are essential mechanisms for understanding how provincial decisions affecting Indigenous rights, lands, and environments are made. Major projects like the Ring of Fire mineral development and Toronto-Ottawa high-speed rail could significantly impact First Nations communities. Access to decision-making records is fundamental to good governance and maintaining public trust, particularly regarding matters intersecting with Indigenous and treaty rights.
#freedom-of-information #first-nations-rights #government-transparency #indigenous-governance #ontario-legislation
Read at www.cbc.ca
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