January 13, 2011

Ms. Jarvis,

Further to our New Year’s letter of offer below, we were disappointed that you did not convey firsthand your reply to us when we met with Kitchi Makwa/Big Bear to discuss the stone circle.  At our meeting, I remained silent about our offer to you in deference to Kitchi Makwa’s desire to focus discussion on the fate of the medicine wheel.  Although we do not consider it helpful to have read your response, “While they’re protesting, we’ll be cutting”, subsequently in the press, we will respect your preference to communicate via the media instead of directly.

In the event that you may not be aware of recent developments, we wish to advise you that the Chiefs of 5 Algonquin First Nations as well as the spiritual Elder have recently written to all levels of government requesting that KNL’s proposed tree clearing be halted pending the completion of meaningful consultations with all stakeholders.

Please appreciate the fact that these native leaders believe they have an un-extinguished right to, and therefore a legal interest in, all property within the South March Highlands because of the fact that it lies within unceded, unconquered, and unsurrendered Algonquin territory. 

We have been informed that they consider your planned destruction of the forest to be a violation of traditional Algonquin Law and, especially when viewed in that context, we think their request for meaningful consultation prior to further destruction of the forest is both reasonable and appropriate.

We would like to believe that Urbandale conducts its affairs responsibly, so we ask that you respect their request and voluntarily agree to suspend your plans so that you can participate in consultations also.  

Not only will proceeding unilaterally against their objections be viewed as disrespectful by the 14,500 members of public who support us,  it may unnecessarily escalate or inflame public opinion among both the native and non-native community who normally think that communication is preferable to confrontation.  We wish to observe that your moral, legal, and community posture can only be diminished by refusing to respect their request.

 Sincerely,

 Paul Renaud

South March Highlands – Carp River Conservation Inc.