The Manitoulin Expositor

NORTHEAST TOWN-With less than a month to go before Northland Power holds its final public consultation session for the proposed McLean's Mountain Wind Farm project, the nearby Sheguiandah First Nation has voiced its opposition to the project.

In a letter addressed to the Northeast Town council, the community makes a brief, but unequivocal, statement that suggests the project should be halted until proper consultation is done with First Nations.

The letter is "a response to the proposed wind farm at McLean's Mountain," and advises the Northeast Town "that Sheguiandah First Nation supports a wind turbine moratorium at this time, and further, Sheguiandah First Nation opposes the use of unopened road allowances by Northland Power until the matter of ownership is settled (1990 Land Claims), and we ask that this moratorium stay in place until there is meaningful consultation with Northland Power, the government of Ontario and local First Nations."

LITTLE CURRENT-Following meetings with Aboriginal Affairs Minister Chris Bentley in Toronto last week, Island municipal leaders are now expecting provincial representatives to attend a special meeting of the Manitoulin Municipal Association (MMA) to address concerns regarding the implementation of the 1990 Manitoulin Land Claim Settlement Agreement.

Jim Stringer, Northeast Town mayor and chair of the MMA, indicated this meeting will be held tonight (Wednesday) in Little Current, with the Ontario lands negotiator as well as a federal counterpart scheduled to be on hand. "We may also have someone from (the office of Minister Bentley) there, and will probably invite (MPP) Mike Brown as well," he said.