Words may come back to haunt

If you announce it, it will come was one way of interpreting last March’s declaration that an oft-discussed and long-delayed four-lane Highway 7 from Guelph to Kitchener had finally been given the green light.

“This Highway will be built,” crowed Transportation Minister Donna Cansfield, stating she doesn’t expect a lot of opposition considering the current highway is usually as congested as a Canadian’s schnoz in February. And, oh yes, the province has successfully consulted with First Nations on land claims issues, she said.

Well, it turns out, not so much. Six Nations representatives say there is no formal application in their hands from the province to permit this 18-kilometre freeway to proceed. And there should be, considering the band council has among other things claims on the Grand River, which would be spanned by the highway.

We’re well aware of the potentially explosive nature of land claims disputes, as evidenced by the ongoing one in Caledonia. Others have been resolved more peacefully, but not without causing disruption. A notable example is a new bridge across the Grand River that will link Kitchener’s Fairway Road and Kossuth Road in Cambridge.

That $28-million project, expected to be constructed in 2009 and 2010, got back on the rails in April after a year-long delay while Waterloo Regional councillors consulted with the Six Nations over their claim to the river.

The planning for the Highway 7 project itself was stalled for a year during a consultation period with another Brantford-area band, the Mississaugas of the New Credit, two years back.

Read the full story here

No new deal between Six Nations, developers

The Hamilton Spectator
Oct 1, 2007

There are no plans to hammer out a new deal after a potential agreement between the Six Nations traditional government and two Caledonia developers fell through.

Last week, a draft agreement between the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council and the two developers of the Stirling Woods subdivision fell through over a condition that required the council be given jurisdiction over the land.

“That was the major issue,” said developer John Kragten. “Really, in fact, was probably the only issue why it fell apart.”

Native protesters occupied the site last month, claiming the new housing development was being built on Six Nations land. A potential agreement was reached shortly after.

The initial draft, sent by council lawyer Aaron Detlor, sets out 10 terms, including the jurisdiction item, to be agreed to by the developers.

The terms include ensuring that Venture Homes Ltd. does not construct a bridge for automobile traffic at the end of Stirling Street over the railway but that they do take all “reasonable steps” to provide for the construction of a bridge for pedestrian traffic.

(Edit: They wanted Venture to rebuild the bridge that they burnt down in 2006 during a terrorist attack on Caledonia?)

Read the full story here

Land permits will avoid conflicts

Originally published by the Brantford Expositor.

As one who initially helped conceive the Six Nations’ land development protocol, I would like to speak to its merits and the thoughts behind the idea in the light of recent criticism from developers, mostly, about the protocol and the fees proposed. (Edit: Extortion)

The idea came as we saw the enormous cost, (Edit: Potential for Extortion) for all concerned, of reclaiming (Edit: Illegally occupying) a relatively small piece of land in Caledonia. Not only the financial cost but also hours of lost time with our families, (Edit: Go home and stop illegally occupying DCE then) lost hours of employment income, fines, jail time and criminal records and loss of personal and friendly relations with the Caledonia folk and the animosity now ingrained. (Edit: Terrorizing the citizens of the town may have something to do with the loss of friendly relations with them)

So why not devise a way to circumvent future conflict by creating a permit process whereby the Six Nations Confederacy would have an opportunity to (Edit: Extort money from developers) comment on development of land (Edit: Issue threats) whose true ownership has yet to be resolved in a fair and equitable resolution process?

This permit process would serve many useful purposes. Developers would be made fully aware of (Edit: Things that are not their concern and that they have no legal duty to consult on) the nature of the history of the land in question and whether Six Nations, not being completely against development, has any concerns regarding archeological, environmental or culturally significant concerns. (Edit: Wants money)

The permit fee, just as a fee to any municipality, (Edit: Which are governments unlike the group of organized criminals extorting builders) would be an administrative fee to conduct the required research of the concerns mentioned above. Now Six Nations can act in a proactive manner rather than reacting with all its potential for misunderstanding and conflict. (Edit: Make even more money on their illegal occupation of DCE by threatening to attack developments that don’t pay up)

Read the full unedited story here

Fugitive faces charges in Caledonia hijacking

The Hamilton Spectator
CAYUGA (Sep 29, 2007)

A 31-year-old fugitive who was arrested on a traffic warrant near Morrisburg Thursday is facing dozens of criminal charges, including attempted murder, in connection with the hijacking of a U.S. border patrol vehicle in Caledonia last year.

During the June 9, 2006 incident, a group of native protesters from Douglas Creek Estates swarmed the unmarked vehicle and threw out the three occupants, two OPP officers and a U.S. border agent, then drove it away. Witnesses say one of the hijackers attempted to drive over an OPP officer who had fallen down beside the vehicle.

Albert Douglas, of Ohsweken, who was arrested on a warrant issued last year, made a brief appearance before justice of the peace Janice Jukes yesterday. He was remanded in custody until his bail hearing on Monday.

He stood quietly in the prisoner’s box as the clerk read out the 30 charges he now faces in connection with the June 9 incident and a separate incident at Douglas Creek Estates on April 20, 2006, when he was charged with assaulting police.

The charges include counts of forcible confinement, assault, robbery, attempted murder, theft of a vehicle, theft with violence, theft of a vehicle with violence, dangerous driving, failing to comply with recognizance, leaving the scene of an accident and failing to attend court.

Some protesters have turned the Maple Leaf on its head to get their message out. The only message being received is one of disrespect

Toronto Sun

The Canadian flag is flying upside down.

They may have had some good points to make on why uranium should not be mined there, but I could not get past the deplorable act.

“It’s not meant to be an insult but a distress call,” activist and protester David Bate said at the occupied would-be mining location in Sharbot Lake — just off Hwy. 7, an hour and 15 minutes east of Peterborough.

He and other native protesters have taken over an old mining site and say they won’t allow further testing to see how much uranium is there and whether it could sustain a mine.

They seem like nice enough fellas and are certainly raising important issues of pollution, etc.

It’s all worth examining — but this business of flying the Canadian flag upside down disgusts me.

BEYOND THE PALE

This country doesn’t deserve that. You see the flag-draped coffin of a Canadian soldier and it makes you realize there are people who would die for this country. And lots have.

Disrespecting the flag like that over something like this is beyond the pale.

“A lot of settlers support us,” one of the protesters said.

These so-called settlers pay more than $8 billion in taxpayers’ money a year to the department that handles native issues, and while there are problems to talk about, respecting our flag costs nothing.

Read the full story here

Native teen protester released on $5,000 bail

Hamilton Spectator
Sept 28, 2007

A 15-year-old native protester was released on $5,000 bail yesterday for his role in an incident that landed a Caledonia house builder in the hospital with a fractured skull and other serious injuries.

He is charged with assault, break and enter and uttering threats.

Justice of the Peace Janice Jukes expressed concern for public safety after hearing the allegations against the teenager and two other protesters who were alleged to be involved in the attack on 52-year-old Sam Gualtieri at the Stirling Woods building site in Caledonia on Sept. 13.

Gualtieri, who was allegedly attacked with a club, suffered facial injuries, a broken scapula and two fractures to the skull.

He spent five days in hospital, including three days in intensive care at Hamilton General Hospital.

“The accused is a very young person,” Jukes noted before imposing a number of strict bail conditions on the tall lanky teenager, who had also participated in the native occupation of Douglas Creek Estates.

The teenager, who can’t be identified, had surrendered to Haldimand OPP the previous day and was wearing a dark hoodie with a picture of a Mohawk warrior emblazoned on the front as he stood quietly in the prisoner’s box during his bail hearing in Cayuga court.

During the hearing, Crown prosecutor Shane Hickingbottom provided the first detailed police version of the attack, which has been mired in controversy and conflicting stories from the start.

He said the incident started at about 4 p.m. when Gualtieri and three of his workers went to check a house he was building for his daughter and her fiancée.

He was concerned because the site had become the subject of a land claims dispute and he had seen a protester hoisting a Six Nations flag by the house earlier in the day.

Inside the partially constructed building, Hickingbottom said, Gualtieri and his workers were confronted by three young intruders who refused to leave, swore at them and challenged the builder to a fight.

During the ensuing melee, the prosecutor alleged, the 15-year-old put a headlock on one of the workers and applied so much pressure he had difficulty breathing.

He eventually let him go but later allegedly said, “I should have broken your neck while I had the chance.”

Read the full story here

Algonquins canoe to Ottawa to demand uranium moratorium

A group of Algonquin protesters arrived in Ottawa by canoe and kayak Friday, then portaged to Parliament Hill to demand a moratorium on uranium mining.

Protesters from the Ardoch and Shabot Obaadjiwan Algonquin First Nations have been blocking access since June to a site near Sharbot Lake, Ont., where an Ontario mining company wants to test drill for uranium. A court injunction has ordered the protesters arrested, but as of Friday, no arrests had been made.

Paula Sherman, co-chief of the Ardoch First Nation, was among the Algonquins who made the journey to Ottawa this week by canoe to deliver a call for a moratorium on uranium mining to Conservative MP Scott Reid, who represents their riding of Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington.

“Ontario issued mining claims … for Frontenac Venure on our lands, which are under comprehensive claim and weren’t supposed to be being used at all. So we consider those claims invalid,” said Sherman after the arrival of the canoes at Victoria Island following a six-day journey from Ardoch, about 113 kilometres southwest of Ottawa. “Uranium mining’s not safe. Neither is exploration.”

Read the full story here

2 tiers 1 tier too many, says Tory

Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory says he’s not in favour of two-tier government — whether it be in health care, justice or religious school funding.

Tory laid out his vision for Ontario in a crucial speech yesterday before a crowd of movers and shakers at a combined luncheon of the Canadian Club and the Empire Club of Canada.

He acknowledged his religious schools policy has caused much controversy. In his speech, Tory also touched on two other PC policies that have generated debate: Permitting more private health clinics provided patients pay with OHIP cards and ending “illegal occupations” such as the Native protest on a housing site in Caledonia.

“As premier, I would stand up for the rule of law,” he said. “Just as I reject two-tier medicine and two-tier religious school funding, I also reject two-tier justice.”

Tory vowed to provide good public services by ensuring a strong economy through measures such as reducing business red tape.

The Liberals immediately dubbed the PC leader “John NegaTory” for his view that the province’s economy is not performing as well as it should.

And Premier Dalton McGuinty said yesterday that Tory wasn’t ready to play in the big leagues of provincial politics.

“He is constantly sort of trying to diminish what I have done as a person and whether I am ready or not to take on these responsibilities,” Tory replied. “I would match my record of leadership and actual proven results against his any day of the week and twice on Sunday.”

Read the full story here

McGuinty flip-flops on senior rebates

Toronto Star

Four years after describing a Progressive Conservative $480-a-year property tax rebate for seniors as “some gimmick or bogus promise,” Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty is now touting a $500 annual grant for elderly homeowners.

This morning, McGuinty visited Dante Mario Guevara, 72, and his wife, Maria Abruzese-Guevara, 56, in their 1,500 sq. ft. Woodbridge condominium to hail his scheme.

Emphasizing how important it is to help seniors remain in their homes, he said people older than 65 who own their own homes would qualify for the grant if their income is less than $50,000.

Those earning less than $35,000 would qualify for the maximum grant of $500.”Everything we do today is only possible because of what our seniors have done before us and for us,” said McGuinty, adding there’s a societal “shared responsibility” to help the elderly.

While that’s the Liberal policy for the Oct. 10 election, he was singing a different tune in the 2003 vote when he attacked then Tory premier Ernie Eves for his attempt to woo seniors.

“When it comes to our seniors, we’re not putting out some gimmick or bogus promise,” McGuinty said on Sept. 15, 2003, blasting Eves’ promise to rebate seniors the education portion of their property taxes – a move that meant about $480 annually and would have cost $400 million a year to implement.

The latest Liberal plan will cost the treasury $250 million a year.

Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory is promising a 5 per cent cap on annual assessment increases to protect homeowners.

NDP Leader Howard Hampton pledges to freeze assessments on primary residences until they’re sold.

Courtesy of www.CaledoniaWakeupCall.com

Candidates clash over Caledonia

Stoney Creek News

Niagara West-Glanbrook Progressive Conservative candidate Tim Hudak had the Liberal candidate Mike Lostracco on the defensive, attacking him on his party’s lack of action in Caledonia and refusal to state a position on the upcoming referendum question.

But he was cordial, even complimentary to NDP candidate Bonnie Bryan during the Cable 14 debate at the Stoney Creek municipal centre Sept. 25.

During the question and answer portion of the debate, Mike Lostracco blamed the federal government and people at the “local level” for the problems in the Caledonia standoff between Natives and non-Natives.

“It’s unfortunate what has happened in Caledonia,” said Mr. Lostracco, principal at Port Colborne’s Lakeshore Catholic High School.

Mr. Hudak, MPP for Erie-Lincoln, jumped on Mr. Lostracco’s answer during the open forum part of the debate.

“It’s more than unfortunate,” said Mr. Hudak. “It’s a tragedy.”

The veteran politician also pounced on Mr. Lostracco’s statement that local officials should be held accountable for the violent action that has recently taken place.

Mr. Lostracco backtracked, saying he wasn’t “blaming anyone” except the federal government for not properly administrating the native treaties. He then called the situation in Caledonia a “complete mess” that needs “collective bargaining” to settle the native and non-native issues.

The Liberal candidate shot back at Mr. Hudak invoking the former Tory government decision to use the OPP to clear out native protesters at Ipperwash.

“The previous government created this problem in Ipperwash,” said Mr. Lostracco.

(Edit: Oh PLEASE! How exactly did the previous government cause Terrorists to take over Ipperwash? If someone can find and send me the letter that Mike Harris must have sent out requesting that Natives steal a provincial park and terrorize the residents of the small town, it would be greatly appreciated.)

Read the full story here