TORONTO: Bob Lovelace and the KI 6 freed

On 28 May 2008, following a day of hearings at the Court of Appeal for Ontario, a three-judge panel granted Bob Lovelace and the “KI Six” unconditional release, stayed their heavy fines, and limited their sentence to time served. The court still has to issue a written, final opinion, a process Lovelace described as “complicated.” Following their release, all seven were honoured guests at the Gathering of Mother Earth Protectors’ campsite at Queen’s Park, the site of the Ontario Provincial Parliament.

Lovelace, of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation, and Donny Morris, Sam McKay, Jack McKay, Cecelia Begg, Darryl Sainnawap and Bruce Sakakeep, of the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI), known as the “KI Six,” had been jailed for failing to honour court injunctions that would have permitted mining companies unlimited access to their traditional lands.

Lovelace stated, “One day we will have our own jurisdiction over our own land, and it will not take away from anyone else’s jurisdiction.” He also said, “Please be sure to express my thanks to CPT, for all they have done.”

CPT wishes to thank everyone who wrote, called, or otherwise expressed their support of our call for the release of Bob Lovelace and the KI 6. (See “ROBERTSVILLE/ALGONQUIN ACTION ALERT: Ontario: Consult with the Algonquin people; free leader Bob Lovelace,” https://cpt.org/node/6905 and “ONTARIO: Letter to Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty—Overhaul Ontario’s mining laws and policies,” https://cpt.org/node/6956.)