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Giigidodaa (Let’s talk)Aaniin. Boozhoo. Welcome.
About Consultation with the Chippewas of Rama First Nation
First Nations have lived on Turtle Island since long before contact, calling this land home for millennia. Our connection to the land and waters predates both Confederation and the arrival of Europeans, and with that connection comes a responsibility. As First Nations peoples, we are the original stewards of the land, protectors of the water, and sustainers of life. Although treaties were signed and lands were often taken under false pretenses or broken promises, our duty to care for the land has never diminished.
It is within this context that the Chippewas of Rama First Nation created the Community Consultation Worker position. This role responds to the Crown’s legal “Duty to Consult,” a responsibility affirmed by the Supreme Court of Canada in 2004. The duty arises whenever governments or private sector proponents seek to act in ways that may affect our Aboriginal and Treaty rights. Consultation is not a formality; it is a legal and moral obligation that must be meaningful. Where consultation is lacking, development projects may be delayed or cancelled.
Working Towards Meaningful Consultation
Rama’s mandate is clear: we engage with governments and proponents to ensure that land and resource decisions respect our rights and responsibilities. We are not opposed to development, but as stewards of the land, we insist that projects within our traditional and treaty territories are carried out responsibly. Our ultimate goal is to protect lands, waters, and resources so that future generations inherit a healthy environment.
Acknowledging that you are a guest in our territory is an important step in this process. It signals respect for our traditional rights, recognition of the treaties, and an understanding that this land was taken from us. It affirms that you see us as partners in building Nation-to-Nation relationships, and that you know First Nations were here in the past, are here now, and will continue to be here in the future.
This website is one tool to support that process, helping to ensure that consultation is carried out in a way that honours our rights, our responsibilities, and our enduring connection to the land and waters of Turtle Island.
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