After the City of Ottawa Planning Committee unanimously recommended approval of a rezoning application for the two islands directly adjacent to the Chaudière Falls, Kitigan Zibi Algonquin Chief Gilbert Whiteduck submitted the following letter to Ottawa City Council in advance of their full council meeting of Wednesday October 8, 2014, where the rezoning proposal is up for consideration.
The site of the Chaudière Falls & the group of islands there, situated on the Ottawa or Kitchissippi River directly between Ottawa and Gatineau, is considered sacred by the Algonquin and all Anishinabe peoples, and the rezoning application is to allow for Windmill Development Group's planned condominiums, retail and office space on two of the islands.
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From: Gilbert Whiteduck
Sent: Friday, October 03, 2014 2:06 PM
To: Zwierzchowski, Christopher [Planning Committee Coordinator]
Subject: Chaudierre and Albert Islands
Good afternoon,
Let me begin by thanking you for taking [my] call in regards to the zoning issue related to the Chaudierre and Albert Islands.
I am asking that you table with the Ottawa City Council that the Chaudierre and Albert Islands like Victoria Island are lands that are considered as title lands by the Kitigan Zibi Algonquins. We have never ceded nor have we entered into treaty for these lands. I am therefore requesting that the the City of Ottawa elected Council immediately enter into a formal dialogue with the Kitigan Zibi Ansihinabeg leadership before making any decision related to zoning for the requested area. We believe that dialoguing with Kitigan Zibi is a required due diligence on the part of the city and would demonstrate the City's respect for our rights.
This issue is most important and therefore requires a careful and robust approach in order to ensure that there is a meaningful and balanced outcome.
We are prepared to engage in a positive manner but will not allow that we be excluded from direct input into this matter. We are not an interest group, we are a First Nation community which is part of the Algonquin Anishinabe nation.
Thank you for agreeing to bring this full message to the Council table.
Chief Gilbert W. Whiteduck
Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg
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For further information on this issue, please see:
