While I am sorry you had such a negative experience in Ontario I am not surprised. Progress is slow but change does come. I have grown old and cynical trying to work with what is essentially a gang of strokes. Simply put, they are impudent and only have whatever degree of power and control you, and other members of the public give to them. If you have difficulty working with them why bother? 90% of the people involved in underwater archaeology in the Province just want to do their own research and have little or no interest in this type of thing sorting out the good guys from the bad guys is a bit of a problem.
It has always kind of mystified me but in Ontario, it is easy to kick them right clean out of the pool or whatever Great Lake you are in. The courts have ruled that anyone who is getting paid to work underwater is a professional and comes under the Ministry of Labour regulations. As far as I know, I am the only archaeologist with an on the shelf surface supply capability Interesting, Scarlet is checked out on surface supply but I do not think she owns the gear.
The Government of Ontario has no field capability. During the Atlantic Shipwreck trial, they had to hire a commercial diver to make observations and give evidence. In a way it is not just a Dog in the manger situation, it is a dog unlawfully in the manger. If you or anyone else has personal or firsthand knowledge and hopefully evidentiary materials of an archaeologist who is not in compliance with Ministry of labour diving regulations as the responsible citizen that you are you should do the right thing and report the matter to the Ministry of Labour.
If they made a project out of it, sport divers can shut down every underwater archaeology project it the Province. It is their job to work with you and you are only complied to work with them as a courtesy. They have no money, no funding for anyone and they invent ludicrous totally unpragmatic legal remedies that have to date failed, or at least failed in part in court. In fact, the Court has admonished Ministry staff for not working with the public in a timely and professional manner.
They seek to control the site by controlling access by not releasing the site location. The risk is getting entrapped test litigation that usually costs a fortune even if you win. Instead of them intrapping you it may be time for you and others, to entrap them. I usually publish site locations like this it effectively neuters the bull. If Ministry archaeologists want to go to court, for the time being, you should accommodate them and lay charges. You will be surprised how accommodating they can be when it becomes apparent that the next time they see the inside of a dive mask they will be on vacation in Florida.