"Natives Threatened With Court Action Unless Blockade Ends"

THUNDER BAY, Ont. (CP) - The province's natural resources minister has threatened a group of north-western Ontario natives with legal action unless a blockade stalling power dam construction is dismantled.

"If it isn't (dismantled) then the government is considering other remedies and that could include court action," Bud Wildman said at a news conference Monday.

The road blockade by the Poplar Point Ojibwa nation must be removed by today to allow construction to resume on the High Falls hydro-electric dam 150 kilometres north-east of Thunder Bay, Wildman said.

But the Indian band has no intention of obeying any court injunctions ordering an end to the blockade, band lawyer Chris Reid said Monday.

"People have told me they have no intention to move until they get an agreement to protect the river," he said.

The blockade - the second on a highway near the Sturgeon River in a month - was set up Thursday by natives claiming the project will cause flooding and pollution that will damage rivers feeding into Lake Nipigon near their tiny community.

The Ojibwa have accused the province of violating an agreement not to allow a construction company to resume work on the dam until last Saturday to allow natives time for a powwow ceremony to say farewell to the river.

They are also concerned about possible mercury contamination of drinking water.