Addington Highlands Council - Sep 3/13

Jeff Green | Sep 04, 2013

Letter from Weslemkoon Association re land claim

Council received for information a letter from the Weslemkoon Association, which asserts that the Canada and Ontario negotiating teams have failed to consult with non-Algonquin residents regarding the Algonquin land claim.

The letter also asserts that the land claim provides unlimited fishing and unlimited hunting on Crown Land for Algonquins. This position is countered by land claim negotiators who state that fishing and hunting are inherent rights for Aboriginals and are not subject to the land claim negotiations.

The Weslemkoon Association asked that the federal and provincial governments commit to the appointment of an independent negotiator whose “responsibility will be to represent the interest of non-Algonquins, including members of the [Weslemkoon Association] affected by the land claim.”

Telcom phone service 

Council has agreed to contract phone service from Telcom, a re-seller out of Barrie. Telcom says it can save 36% off the current cost for phone service for the township in the coming year, a savings of over $7,000. For their efforts, Telcom will receive 50% of the “verified monthly savings” for a term of 18 months.

He said what? 

Deputy Mayor Bill Cox made reference to an article in the Frontenac News (August 15, 2013), which quoted North Frontenac Mayor Bud Clayton saying, “We are being held hostage for fire protection by another council, whom I might add we are subsidizing."

The statement was in reference to a decision by Addington Highlands Council not to send out warning letters to residents who defy burn bans. The decision affects North Frontenac because the two townships have joint responsibility for the Barrie/Kaladar Fire Department.

“If we are being subsidized I'd like to know how much,” said Cox, “and then I'd like to tell him that I appreciate it.”

Tanglewood Marina 

Because of contaminated recycled bins (i.e. containing non-recyclable items) the township is gong to refuse to accept waste in large bins they gave to Tanglewood Marina on Weslemkoon Lake years go. They are asking for the return of the 96 litre bins and will provide Tanglewood with 12 small blue box bins instead in the hopes this will alleviate the problem. The township is billed $200 by its recycling contractor when the recycling stream is contaminated with garbage.