CALL TO ACTION FOLLOWS MAIN MESSAGE: On Wednesday October 8th (meeting starts at 10:00am), Ottawa City Council will make their final decision on the rezoning application for Chaudiere and Albert Islands, giving the go ahead for condos, retail and office space to be built there by Windmill Development Group. This follows the City Planning Committee meeting of October 2nd, where they heard from citizens who were overwhelmingly opposed to such a decision, who spoke of the sacredness of this to the Algonquin and other Anishinaabe peoples, and in support of Grandfather William Commandas vision for these islands, yet the committee unanimously went ahead and recommended the rezoning. There will be no public input at Wednesdays full council meeting, but you can contact your city councilor as well as the mayor in the lead-up to the meeting to voice your concerns. As well, you can contact Domtar, who currently holds the land in question, and urge them facilitate its return to ensure the manifestation of the legacy vision of its rightful heir, late Alqonquin spiritual elder and leader Grandfather William Commanda. The islands in question are envisioned to be public space, turned into parkland accessible to all, fitting with the sacred nature of the Chaudiere Falls / Asinabka site. This is part of William Commanda’s larger vision for the Chaudiere Falls and all the islands there. Please consider voicing your support for Grandfather William Commandas vision, both to Ottawa City Council and to Domtar. We note the historic and ongoing sacredness of this site for the Algonquin people, and all Anishinaabe peoples. It has been used for thousands of years as a place of prayer, and of coming together of peoples from many parts of this continent. Now that the industry that has been built upon this site over the past 200 years is finished, why not return the site to its traditional spiritual use, honouring the ways of the First Peoples of this land? Instead they are looking to give the go-ahead to private and commercial development at this site - is this truly the best way forward? FOUR URGENT ACTIONS: 1) Contact your Ottawa City Councilor and the Mayor: ottawa.ca/en/city-council 2) Contact Domtar (President & CEO, Mr John D. Williams): information@domtar 3) Public Consultation / workshop / site visit Tuesday October 7, between 4:30-8:00pm *Note: This is for other islands at Chaudiere Falls, not the two immediately under consideration for rezoning ncc-ccn.gc.ca/capital-planning/public-meetings/calendar-events/site-visit-public-consultation-bronson-pulp-mill 4) Invite your friends to this Facebook event to spread the word. Also share / email it, or the post at the following link: ipsmo.wordpress/2014/10/06/urgent-action-contact-ottawa-city-council-chaudiere-islands/ ALSO: if you would like to attend the Ottawa City Council meeting, it takes place Wednesday October 8th, starting at 10:00am, in Andrew S Haydon Hall at Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Ave W. BACKGROUND INFO / RESOURCES: Recent letter to Domtar (2pg letter & 51pg background info) from Romola V Thumbadoo, Coordinator, Circle of All Nations asinabka/Archives/2014-09-23_Asinabka_Heritage_Note.pdf Asinabka website: asinabka/ June 2014 update on the vision: ipsmo.wordpress/2014/06/22/william-commandas-vision-chaudiere/ City of Ottawa official document for the current rezoning proposal: ipsmo.files.wordpress/2014/09/official-plan-and-zoning-3-and-4-booth-street-hieu-nguyen-letter.pdf VIDEO – Architect Douglas Cardinal explaining things (10min): https://youtube/watch?v=UeFqbRBU5mk MEDIA COVERAGE FROM THE PLANNING COMMITTEE HEARING: Ottawa committee approves rezoning on sacred aboriginal site cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-committee-approves-rezoning-on-sacred-aboriginal-site-1.2785746 CBC TV News segment - starts at 5m:25s in cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/Ottawa/ID/2539902760/ - or, CBC TV News segment for mobile: cbc.ca/m/touch/video/clips/ys_2539967240.html?st=myregion&ln=canada-ottawa&pid=2539967240 Planning committee approves Chaudière, Albert islands rezoning despite objections ottawacitizen/news/local-news/1003-windmill Critics take aim at development plan for old Domtar lands ottawasun/2014/10/02/critics-take-aim-at-development-plan-for-old-domtar-lands Planning committee recommends city approve Windmills Domtar lands rezoning application obj.ca/Local/City-Hall/2014-10-02/article-3890322/Planning-committee-recommends-city-approve-Windmills-Domtar-lands-rezoning-application/1 Des autochtones mécontents du projet Windmill sur les îles Chaudière et Albert gatineau.radionrj.ca/info-gatineau-ottawa/2014/10/02/des-autochtones-mecontents-du-projet-windmill-sur-les-iles-chaudiere-et-albert Fulfill Commandas Vision at Chaudiere - Opinion, by Peter Raaymakers ottawacitizen/news/local-news/raaymakers-fulfill-commandas-vision-at-chaudiere
Posted on: Mon, 06 Oct 2014 20:04:30 +0000
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