NDP Leader Howard Hampton slammed the McGuinty Liberals for allowing First Nations leaders to be jailed because of the government’s failure to properly consult and accommodate First Nations before recognizing mining claims.

“First Nation leaders were forced to spend more than two months in jail because the McGuinty Liberals failed to protect their traditional lands. All Ontarians should be dismayed with Dalton McGuinty, who has abdicated his responsibilities to First Nations communities across Ontario,” said Hampton, who has repeatedly raised the issue in the Legislature.

On the eve of National Aboriginal Day of Action, Hampton blasted McGuinty over his mishandling of the recent cases involving the KI 6 and Ardoch Algonquin First Nation leader Bob Lovelace.

“The people of KI and Ardoch are citizens of the Province of Ontario. For more than five years, the McGuinty government knew of the disputes in question, but refused to do anything about them. The government has constitutional responsibility to First Nations communities, but simply found it more convenient to let these First Nations leaders be dragged through the courts,” said Hampton

He pointed to Section 35 of the Mining Act, which clearly states that mining claims on disputed lands can be withdrawn from mineral-related activity by the Minister of Northern Development and Mines through a written request to the Mining Recorder.

“Sending a 58-year-old great-grandmother (KI Councillor Cecilia Begg) to jail could have been avoided if the McGuinty government had simply used Section 35 of the Mining Act. There’s no excuse for what happened to the KI 6 and continues to happen to Bob Lovelace. Dalton McGuinty has failed Ontario’s First Nations,” said Hampton.