I am writing to urge the province of Ontario to end its complicity in the theft and plunder of First Nations land. Specifically, I ask that the province stop providing licenses for resource extraction from lands currently in the federal land claims negotiation process.

Recent proposed changes to the Federal Specific Claims land claim process have been proposed and may expedite negotiations on some claims. The large majority of claims, however, will not qualify for the "fast track." While claims languish for years -- sometimes decades -- at federal negotiating tables, provincial licenses continue to be issued for the very land and resources that are under discussion.

In 1995, the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte near Belleville, Ontario, filed a specific claim over land known as the Culbertson Land Tract. In 2003, the federal government acknowledged that the Culbertson Tract had never been surrendered and was in fact Mohawk Land. It was not until late 2006 that negotiations for the return of these lands to Mohawk control began in earnest. Despite acknowledgment by the federal government that the Mohawks are the rightful owners of the Culbertson Tract lands, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources continues to renew the provincial license of an Ontario company called Thurlow Aggregates, allowing Thurlow to operate a quarry and remove 100,000 tons of gravel annually - or roughly 300 truckloads a month.

Despite the Mohawks repeated requests that Thurlow's license be revoked since negotiations are underway, the province continues to maintain that it has no jurisdiction to consider the fact that the Aggregate is on land currently under specific claim negotiations.

Conveniently, the federal government maintains that it cannot deal with ongoing resource extraction because licensing is a provincial issue.

The positioning of the federal government and the province on the Culbertson Tract Aggregate is emblematic of a deceitful and shameful game of "hot potato" being repeatedly played over First Nations land and resources throughout Canada.

If a homeowner suffered a home break-in and robbery, we would not expect him to allow the rest of his belongings to be removed while, for the next decade, the value of the stolen items is being determined. Why, then, are such scenarios permitted in the land claims process?

Not only does it indicate bad faith in land claims negotiations, it is a needless instigator of conflict and confrontation. When negotiations allow for such fundamental injustice, it should come as no surprise when First Nations communities create physical impediments to halt resource extraction, as demonstrated by the Tyendinaga Mohawks? ongoing occupation of the Culbertson Tract Aggregate.

I implore the provincial government to revoke the quarry license on the Culbertson Land Tract, commit to negotiating land claims in good faith, and practice honest governance for all Ontarians.

I also strongly encourage the federal and provincial governments to end the exploitation of First Nation lands and resources. It?s time to end this 21st century perpetuation of a dismal history of policy that has done great injury to First Nations people and communities.