For Immediate Release
May 7, 2007
News Release
Ontario Appoints New Principal Representative to Six Nations (Caledonia) Negotiations
Change Reflects Province's Evolving Role In Support of Expanded Federal Mandate
QUEEN’S PARK — The McGuinty government has appointed Murray Coolican as the new provincial Principal Representative to the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations-Canada-Ontario negotiations, Minister Responsible for Aboriginal Affairs David Ramsay announced today. Mr. Coolican will take over from Principal Representative Jane Stewart, effective May 14, 2007.
“On behalf of the Ontario government, I would like to thank Ms. Stewart for her commitment and leadership during this critical period,” said Minister Ramsay. “Ms. Stewart has been instrumental and played a key role in bringing the parties together to set the stage for moving forward.”
Ms. Stewart’s role as Ontario’s Principal Representative has concluded now that negotiations are moving into a new phase.
The appointment of Mr. Coolican reflects the province’s evolving role at the negotiation table to a more technical support role to the federal government in resolving Six Nations’ grievances.
“Ontario remains committed to the ongoing negotiations between the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations, Canada and Ontario,” said Ramsay. “Negotiations are now heading into a new phase in which the federal government’s expanded mandate will move Six Nations’ claims forward.”
Mr. Coolican’s background and experience are well suited to this phase of the negotiations. Between 1992 and 1994, Mr. Coolican was Deputy Minister of the Ontario Native Affairs Secretariat (now the Ontario Secretariat for Aboriginal Affairs). Prior to this, he held positions as the Executive Director of the Canadian Arctic Resources Committee and Chair of a federal task force on Comprehensive Aboriginal Land Claims Policy.
Related Information
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Contacts:
Lars Eedy
Communications
416-327-9631
Ginette Albert
Minister’s Office
416-314-2212
