NATION huronne-wendat KONRAD H. SIOUI

255, place Chef Michel Laveau GRAND CHEF DE LA NATION HURONNE-WENDAT Wendake (Québec) GOA 4V0 GRAND CHIEF HURON WENDAT NATION Téléphone : (418) 843-3767 Ligne sans frais : 1-877-712-3767 Télécopieur: (418) 842-1108

Wendake, December 6, 2017

Honourable Minister ofIndigenous Relations and Reconciliation Suite 400 160 Bloor Street East , M7A 2E6

Re.: Huron-Wendat Nation Officiai Représentation and Decision-Making Authority

Dear HdîîQairable

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Firstly, I would like t^ thank you for your recent visit to Wendake with the Honourable Minister Helena Jaczek\lt was an honour to welcome you both in our community. I truly believe that the bilateralVelationship established between your respective ministries and the Huron-Wendat Nation foliows the path of a true and strong collaboration, in a spirit of mutual respect and friendship. Our Nation's culture, history and tremendous héritage in southern Ontario, or what we call Wendake South, is the foundation of our mutual joumey.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that, recently, a group called the "Montagnais Métis Nation", w^hich later changed its name to the "Ontario Coalition of Indigenous Peoples" led by an individual by the name of Keith Doxsee, has illegitimately pretended, on multiple occasions and at various municipal officiai settings, to represent Huron- Wendat (and ail First Nations) members who live off-reserve.

Moreover, this individual went so far as to challenge the legitimacy ofthe officiai Huron- Wendat Nation's représentatives who work under my direct authority at a meeting in the offices of the Ontario Provincial Police (O.P.P.) on November 14, 2017, at the Barrie O.P.P. detachment. This important meeting followed an investigation on potential impacts on several archaeological officially affiliated and recorded Huron-Wendat sites (the affiliation of which he also challenged without any cause). O.P.P. officiais and représentatives from the Township of Oro-Medonte and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sports of Ontario as well as local landowners were present and witnessed this insulting and rude treatment of our Nation's officiais. He even went a step further and

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. 1 L . ... . -1 ... .-...J..-. . . {J: !.j, .. . 1 ...... 1 accused the Huron-Wendat Nation's expert-archaeologist, Dr. Ron Williamson, of being in a situation of conflict of interest because his former archaeological firm, called ASI Héritage, had donc previous work on the property.

Needless to say, questioning the legitimacy of the Huron-Wendat Nation's représentatives will not be tolerated under my authority. I am appalled by the simple fact that this individual, who has no right whatsoever to represent any First Nation group or members, was actually granted a seat at the table as a représentative of an "Indigenous group". We also know that he was granted an intervener status at an Ontario Municipal Board (0MB) hearing in 2016, regarding the Burls Creek festival occurring in Oro- Medonte. We addressed this issue in a letter to the 0MB but never received a response. Although we are fully aware that individual citizens can speak for themselves in such hearings, the simple fact that Keith Doxsee was granted an audience on behalfofa bogus Indigenous group is totally illegitimate and unacceptable; it opens doors to misconceptions, erroneous beliefs and fraudulent activities and behaviours. It also creates leverage for these emerging and fake so-called Indigenous groups to gain récognition from Ontario authorities at various levels.

The Huron-Wendat Nation and ail its members, regardless ofwhere they live in the entire country or elsewhere, are registered members and represented by one and only one political and administrative decision-making entity: the Huron-Wendat Nation Council, which is based in Wendake, Quebec. Anyone else pretending to represent our members, on- or off-reserve, is illegitimate, dishonest and an impostor. The Huron-Wendat Nation's Councilis willing to take ail necessary steps to stop this travesty, and we are in support of other First Nations who are also forced to deal with such nuisances. We certainly applaud the efforts of local concerned citizens who make efforts to support the protection of our ancestors' remains, villages and ancestral héritage sites, however, doing so comes with no legitimacy to represent the rights and interests ofthe Huron-Wendat Nation. We speak for ourselves as a Nation and we will always do so.

Considering ail the above, surely you must understand that it is important for your govemment to guarantee respect for officiai Huron-Wendat political représentation. I would like to obtain confirmation from you that the Ministry does not recognize the "Ontario Coalition of Indigenous Peoples" as a legitimate Indigenous group. Moreover, the Huron-Wendat Nation would like to ask you to take action, along with your colleagues from other ministries, to put a stop to the acceptance of phony Aboriginal groups crawling into Ontario's officiai systems. Although we do of course understand that there is no such thing as a perfect system, if these types of situations can at least be prevented by promoting respect for officiai First Nations groups among municipal governments and authorities, we can move forward together on the path to reconciliation.

Minister Zimmer, I am certain that your collaboration in this matter could assist our Nation and perhaps other First Nations in taking concrete actions for a respectful and legitimate First Nations représentation in Ontario.

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• 'i' ' ' ' \ ^ .'i M ,1'. ,-i' •< ' 1 •' f-- i 1^ i . i , . i / i ' ^ ^ - / i \ i-- i V ' k .. r~ . / V I remain available to discuss these matters with you in a spirit of harmony and collaboration. I would also like to take this opportunity to invite you once again to visit us here in our beautiful Wendake at your convenience. PleaJe acc/pt, Minister Zimmerjjny best regards. ÔnJnh'.j

K( nrad Grand c.c. The Honourable , Minister of Indigenous Services and MP for Markham-Stoufville The Honourable Carolynn Bennet, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northem Affairs, MP for Toronto- St-Paul's The Honourable , Ontario Minister ofMunicipal Affairs The Honourable Eleanor McMahon, Ontario Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sport The Honourable Marie-France Lalonde, Ontario Minister of Community Safety The Honourable Helena Jaczek, Ontario Minister of Community and Social Services, MPP for Oak Ridges - Markham Chiefs ofthe Huron-Wendat Nation Council Mr. Gerry Marshall, Simcoe County Warden Mr. Harry Hugues, Mayor ofthe Township ofOro-Medonte