6 nations protest in Ontario

[Che Guava]

I don't know if this made news anywhere outside of Canada, so here it is!

Native standoff continues in Caledonia

Last Updated Fri, 21 Apr 2006 08:31:06 EDT
CBC News

A standoff between native protesters and provincial police continues on Friday morning at a construction site in Southwestern Ontario, a day after a police raid failed to end the protest.

Talks to defuse the dispute in Caledonia, about 90 kilometres southwest of Toronto, are expected Friday morning.

In the pre-dawn hours on Thursday, Ontario Provincial Police moved in to remove native protesters from the disputed tract of land they had been occupying since late February.

They arrested 16, but by the end of the day, more than 200 other protesters moved in, setting up barricades of burning tires and overturning vehicles.

Demonstrators first occupied the site on Feb. 28 to stop construction by Henco Industries on land they say was stolen from the Six Nations more than 200 years ago.

The province says aboriginals gave up the land in 1841 to make way for a new highway, an agreement a Six Nations spokesperson said was only meant to be a lease.

Six Nations filed a land claims suit over the area in 1999.

Linda Powless, editor of a weekly aboriginal newspaper on the Six Nations reserve, said the dispute is a microcosm of a national problem.

"There isn't a First Nation in Canada that hasn't been ignored by the federal government in resolving its land claims," she said. "The process has kept people waiting for years. Six Nations has been waiting over 200 years for a settlement here."

There are plans to build 250 homes on the 40-hectare site.

The province was granted a court injunction in March to remove the protesters, but staged their raid on Thursday because they said "escalation activity" had given them reason to be concerned. Police said New York licence plates had been seen around the site.

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty was quick to say that his government had in no way influenced the police decision to remove the demonstrators. He said he would take as much time as needed to settle the dispute peacefully.

Thursday's events raised the spectre of the 1995 standoff in Ipperwash, Ont., which ended with a police raid and protester Dudley George shot dead.

George's death is the subject of an ongoing inquiry, which has heard testimony from former Ontario premier Mike Harris.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said on Thursday he was watching developments in Caledonia closely.

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine is also concerned the Caledonia protest could turn more ugly, and said blocking roads and occupying land is not the answer.

"We still believe that the most effective way achieving change is through negotiations," he said.

But Bradford Morse, who teaches aboriginal law at the University of Ottawa, said the media spotlight on a protest can help.

"The media has a huge influence in so many ways. Filing lawsuits is not always an effective way to proceed," he said.

Morse said some protests have led to the recognition of land rights, but the cost has been incarceration, injury and sometimes death.

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Some protesters interviewed this morning say that given the size of the protest, this has the potential to become another Oka or Ipperwash. I'm interested in hearing the take that other Canadians and non-Canadians have tho this latest native land protest

 

[AdrianE]

It appears to me that they sold the land in 1841. If that is correct, then the native protestors need to acknowledge that their ancestors made a tremendous mistake and learn to live with the consequences of that mistake.

If they don't have documented evidence of the lease claim they should withdraw. If they do have evidence then they should go through the courts.

 

[Raisin Bran]

don't know much of natives in ontario But here in quebec they protested yesterday!

not much opinion on the subject cuz I dont care about natives (or anybody else for that matter!)

 

[Joeb WK]

So this isn't anything to do with rugby....

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

Most land ownership is relatively arbitrary, so I figure a compromise can be reached.

don't know much of natives in ontario But here in quebec they protested yesterday!

I am pretty sure that was supposed to be in solidarity with these Six Nations' protesters.

 

[classical_hero]

So this isn't anything to do with rugby....

I don't think that Canadians know anything about Rugby.

 

[Che Guava]

If they don't have documented evidence of the lease claim they should withdraw. If they do have evidence then they should go through the courts.

According to the original treaty (1831), the land was only supposed to be leased to the goverment, not given. In addition to that, they are still owed 95% of the 100 000 ha promised to them (they only currently own 46,500) from the same treaty. Since they claim this land as part of thier traditional territory, you can make a legal argument that they have a stake on it too.

 

[Raisin Bran]

Most land ownership is relatively arbitrary, so I figure a compromise can be reached.



I am pretty sure that was supposed to be in solidarity with these Six Nations' protesters.

Might be true ... they blocked a bridge for 30 mins! Putting flags all over the bridge. I tried to get a news article but I could not find one !

 

[sysyphus]

I don't think that Canadians know anything about Rugby.

I managed to get the joke.

We Canucks certainly know alot more about rugby than the rest of the Commonwealth knows about hockey (the real kind that is, not the kind played by people wearing skirts).

 

[Israelite9191]

Americans and Canadians are far too derogatory in their opinions of the First Nations. These people have legal rights to the land if the treaty really was only a lease. Furthermore, their ancestors may not have realized what they were getting into. If I am correct if it can be proven that the signatory did not understand the papers than the contract could be ruled null. Then again, I'm not a legal expert by any means so wait for someone who has better knowledge of the subject. Back to the main topic I support these protestors and if the only way to get themselves noticed and to stop the process of development immediatly is to protest like they have, then by all means I support them.

 

[Raisin Bran]

Americans and Canadians are far too derogatory in their opinions of the First Nations. These people have legal rights to the land if the treaty really was only a lease. Furthermore, their ancestors may not have realized what they were getting into. If I am correct if it can be proven that the signatory did not understand the papers than the contract could be ruled null. Then again, I'm not a legal expert by any means so wait for someone who has better knowledge of the subject. Back to the main topic I support these protestors and if the only way to get themselves noticed and to stop the process of development immediatly is to protest like they have, then by all means I support them.

You make a good point !

But might I say something ....... My opinion on the natives ''might sound a bit harsh but ...'' Get with the program .... seriously ...... all we see about natives in Quebec is that they live in pauvrety in small isolated places playing all their money on video poker. Forget about territory ... its irrelevant, we call the world a BIG city, that means that the Worldification goes over our smaller needs ... we are all better to work as one that to separate in small groups! Natives should put this aside! We from quebec are putting aside our souverenty to work better with the rest of Canada and the world.

In conclusion ....... Minorities have the upper hand with the political correctness scam, Especially in canada! You have a problem ... find a minority that has the same problem and take Parliment hill hostage and manifest you will have a good chance of sucess because the canada governement is Weak at enforcing a Common sence in public opinion. Minorities get what they want because they play on the fact that they are opressed by the low numbers of their own kind !

End Rant !

P.S.: read the first line of my sig !

 

[Israelite9191]

What would that thing be?

 

[Che Guava]

In conclusion ....... Minorities have the upper hand with the political correctness scam, Especially in canada! You have a problem ... find a minority that has the same problem and take Parliment hill hostage and manifest you will have a good chance of sucess because the canada governement is Weak at enforcing a Common sence in public opinion. Minorities get what they want because they play on the fact that they are opressed by the low numbers of their own kind !

:

Escept that it doesn't seem to be working at all for this minority, at least. Aboriginal canadians occupy the lowest levels of poverty in the country, are less educated, have the fewest prospects of anyone. If they really did have a scam going, I don't think its panning out too well....

 

[Raisin Bran]

Escept that it doesn't seem to be working at all for this minority, at least. Aboriginal canadians occupy the lowest levels of poverty in the country, are less educated, have the fewest prospects of anyone. If they really did have a scam going, I don't think its panning out too well....

I'm not saying that it works all the time ... this is where they do it wrong, but usually it works, I think it dosent work because they already gave a lot to the natives in canada .... remember the agrement with the natives in BC. IMHO I think Canada is tired of giving away stuff to the natives and its less politically irritating to give less to natives that to give less to immigrants!

 

[Esckey]

I for one support them, to the point that if I was near the area I would go protest with them, though burning things isn't helping much. Canada has a sad history in regards to the treatment of Aboriginal Canandians

CBC News Articles

 

[Atropos]

IIRC, under common law, when a property relationship has been in existence for a certain length of time, it becomes legally binding irrespective of its original status.

Example: I send you 100 dollars a month for x years for no reason at all. After (a large number) of years, you have a right to receive that money.

 

[Israelite9191]

@Raisin- That is the one thing Canada has worse than the US, the living standards of its Natives. In Canada the First Nations inhabit the very bottom of the socio-economic scale with a HUGE majority having diabetes and other obesity related diseases as well as large percentage of alchohol, drugs, nicotene, etc. addicts. In the US, while Natives still have a lower position than other Americans, this is not the case. Native Americans have developed with some tribes even becoming properous. That is because the US has finally started to respect the rights of Native Americans. Canada needs to take a lesson from the US on this one. The First Nations are so impoverished not because of their own deeds but because of White (and other afluent immigrant) Canadians. It is the duty of White Canadians to do what they can to right past wrongs, just as it is the duty of White (and other afluent immigrant) Americans do the same.

 

[sysyphus]

Indeed you are right Israelite. Canadians are horribly hypocritical when shotuing blue murder about treatment of indigenous peoples elsewhere when we're one of the worst culprits ourselves.

We take great pride in our advanced multi-cultural society (which we should), but it's a terrible stain that the indigenous cultures (which have no homeland elsewhere unliek all others in this country) have been left behind.

 

[Taliesin]

IIRC, the South African government once sent a documentary team to Canada to study our treatment of native peoples, with a view to improving their implementation of apartheid.

 

[Raisin Bran]

No we dont support our natives enough. Americans do it better than us!
Wether they have the right to ask what they ask I still think they should try to stop being ''marginalised'' and become part of the canadian society as a simple canadian. Too much pressure groups exists ... the natives lobbying is not big enough to have an impact.
The problem is not that we dont support our natives the problem is that there are too many groups asking for whatever they want, I feel like Im starting to be a minority in canada (white male) cuz we dont have any pressure group and eevn if we had one they would see us as racists!