The Tribal Council of the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation is contemplating taking legal action against the City of Ottawa, alleging a lack of proper consultation with First Nations, particularly concerning the upcoming Tewin development project. This potential challenge is highlighted in a motion put forward by Coun. Theresa Kavanagh scheduled for discussion at the city’s planning and housing committee meeting on October 15.
Kavanagh is urging her colleagues to remove 445 hectares of developable land in Ottawa’s rural southeast from the official plan, effectively reversing a contentious decision made by the previous city council four years ago under former Mayor Jim Watson. Grand Chief Savanna McGregor, representing seven federally recognized Algonquin communities, has been a vocal opponent of the Tewin project, a collaboration between the Algonquins of Ontario (AOO) and developer Taggart Group, since its initial proposal in 2021.
For McGregor, the Tewin development is part of a broader conflict over the legitimate negotiation and consultation rights concerning unceded Algonquin territory in the National Capital Region and beyond. The AOO, established two decades ago to negotiate a modern treaty, comprises ten Ontario communities, with only the First Nation of Pikwakanagan being a federally recognized band. Recent years have seen nearly a quarter of AOO members removed from the voter list due to disputes over Algonquin ancestry.
The Tribal Council, in collaboration with legal expert Amir Attaran from the University of Ottawa, asserts that the AOO lacks Aboriginal rights under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, unlike First Nations. Despite this, Jim Meness, the executive director of the AOO, maintains that the group does possess section 35 rights, pointing to ongoing land claim negotiations with federal and provincial authorities.
Attaran criticizes the City of Ottawa for failing to conduct meaningful consultations with Algonquin First Nations in both Ontario and Quebec, emphasizing that the Algonquins’ claim predates the establishment of Canada and its provinces. The planning and housing committee is set to deliberate on Kavanagh’s motion next Wednesday, with potential implications for the future of the Tewin project.
While some council members believe it is too late to reverse course on Tewin, McGregor and other Algonquin leaders remain committed to safeguarding their unceded territory. The outcome of the upcoming debate will play a crucial role in determining the city’s stance on this contentious issue.
