Ford government scuttles First Nations’ conservation plans – National Observer
October 20th 2023
The peatlands that wrap around Hudson Bay and James Bay are at risk from a warming climate and development. Now members of some First Nations who have lived in the region since time immemorial want to be employed to protect their land.
The Mushkegowuk Council, which represents eight First Nations in the region, is developing an estimated 300,000-square-kilometre conservation zone to protect the peatlands and create long-term conservation jobs and revenue.
But while the federal government is on board to fund the project, negotiations with Ontario have come to a standstill, said Lawrence Martin, interim director of lands and resources for the Mushkegowuk Council.
