By Cecilia Nasmith
Representatives of Northumberland County should be meeting with Alderville First Nation representatives in the near future regarding the Land Code and Individual Agreement.
The letter before the May meeting of county council's Corporate Services Standing Committee explained that the agreement – ratified by Alderville First Nation on March 18 – removes Alderville First Nation from the land provisions of the Indian Act and restores First Nation jurisdiction over the management, protection, development, conservation, possession and control of First Nation land.
“Any third-party interest in Alderville First Nation land will continue to apply, according to their terms and conditions until they expire, under the authority of Alderville First Nation. At which point, discussions, negotiations or arrangements for new agreements will be made directly with the Alderville First Nation,” Chief Dave Mowat's letter said.
The committee's recommendation to county council was to arrange a meeting with Alderville representatives for further discussion.
Committee member Mandy Martin, who holds the County Warden position, expressed a wish for more information and her intention to reach out quietly to Mowat for a better understanding of what the new arrangement might mean specifically.
