Who am I ?
The simple answer is that I’m a Canadian citizen who’s had enough of sitting by while Terrorists use their race as an excuse to attack us, and the government refuses to protect us for fear of offending a minority.
Updated May 2009
This post is basically one I wrote in 2007 about how and why I became part of the group that later became CANACE. I think it’s quite fitting for this page because quite frankly I don’t think such information as my hobbies or life experiences outside of the battle to end race based policing and the victimization of innocent people by the OPP and Native Mafia is either relevant to any of my readers nor particularly interesting. A great deal of my time is spent working behind the scenes or behind a camera but it’s far from boring.
With this site having an average of 5000 readers per month, over 150,000 unique views, and over 700 comments, I would like to say thank you very much to each and every one of you as I started out with the attitude that I would be happy to one day reach a few hundred.
Now onward to the original post from 2007.
How I came to be part of the Caledonia Wakeup Call family is something most can probably relate to. I heard that some guy from Richmond Hill was going to hold a March in Caledonia on October 15th 2006, and I was intrigued. I found his website and I read that he intended to march onto DCE and I knew I had to be there.
I attended the March for Freedom because I was angry. I had been reading and hearing stories all spring and summer about impossible things happening in this quiet Ontario town, and I lost hydro for 2 days because of an attack on a Hydro station by these criminals who had invaded DCE. It seemed like every day there was a new story about something obscene happening in Caledonia and yet there was never any report about the OPP stopping them. The media predicted nobody would show up, and the politicians clearly wanted nobody to show up, so I had to be there!
I emailed Gary the night before the March to ask him about Marching onto DCE. Are we really going to do this? His response was “If you come in peace, you are welcome. If you’re coming to fight stay home ”
I stood as just another face in a crowd of 1500+ and listened as Toby Barrett spoke. I listened as Mary Lou Lapratte from Ipperwash and Ann Marie Vansickle of Caledonia spoke about the horror their lives had become at the hands of the Native Terrorists and the OPP who refuse to touch them, and I was infuriated. At that moment I knew I had to do something about this. I was very ready for the march onto DCE.
Then Gary McHale took to the podium, and spoke about how the only way we could make a real difference was through peaceful, lawful protest. If we behave as the criminals do, we accomplish nothing. It’s a tough message to get into an angry mind, but something about the way Gary said it just made sense to me.
We marched through Caledonia, and naturally the OPP were out by the hundreds to keep us far down the street from DCE. After Gary left, I decided to explore a bit as I had never been anywhere past Argyle Street in Caledonia. From the Notre Dame School yard I could see the large wooden barrier that had been built by the Natives to keep people out and I wanted to get a better look at this. 3 OPP officers ran over to stop me at the exit from Notre Dame. I was told I would be arrested if I stepped one foot closer. They stared at me like mannequins when I asked what the crime would be, but they were clearly intent on keeping the public off of a public street so I left and went to see what all the commotion was about on Argyle Street.
The scene was nothing like what was portrayed in the media that day. A “no go zone” of 100 feet had been established by the Government, but the OPP were lined up in massive numbers to keep the public hundreds of meters away from DCE. The atmosphere was unlike anything I had ever experienced as the OPP kept their backs turned to what we knew were violent criminals on DCE, and focused on keeping the hundreds of us who dared to want to see what was happening away. They stood shoulder to shoulder doing their best to block even the view of what was happening down the road, and you could clearly see a Riot squad not far from this line prepared to attack if we did manage to get past the front line officers. Meanwhile Natives were gathered at the entrance to the property they had stolen waving and taunting us and in the background even from so far away you could clearly head the beat of Native drums.
With Gary’s words still ringing in my head, I decided to leave. I had learned a lot that day about the serious problems in Caledonia, and every major news network was there taping so surely the entire Country was about to learn all of this too right? I watched every major news outlet that night and the papers the next day, and not a single one of them spoke about what really happened at the March for Freedom. The focus was the people who challenged the OPP after the event was over, and the numbers were reported to be anywhere from 200 to 500 in attendance at the actual event. It was completely slanted to look like a small group of people came to town to cause trouble and absolutely none of the important facts we learned that day were broadcast. It was like the entire Country wanted to ignore what was happening and hope it simply went away.
I knew I had seen history in the making and I had to become a part of this group. To do so would require me to fully embrace the concept of peaceful protest and not allow myself to be controlled by the anger in me. That’s not the easiest thing for a young Irish hothead to do, but I figured out how. Consider for a moment how much energy it takes to be angry. Not just irritated or frustrated but totally enraged. If you run around for an entire day full of rage, you’re going to be completely drained by the time it’s over. The trick is to harness that energy and focus it on doing something to make a difference instead of using it to scream and rant and try to start fights.
Using that same energy that had fueled my rage, I set to work on finding a way to become part of Caledonia Wakeup Call. I spent countless hours scouring Gary’s site, Voice of Canada, and the few articles I could find online that could teach me more about what we were up against. I soaked in every article, news report, video, and editorial about this struggle and started to eat, sleep and breathe learning everything I possibly could. I also emailed Gary a ridiculous number of times trying to get his attention, but talk is cheap and I knew I had to take action to really get the message across of how dedicated to this fight I was becoming.
When the announcement of a second March for Freedom to protest the illegal arrest of a Caledonia citizen who tried to place a Canadian flag on a hydro poll on a public road came, I showed up with 25 Canadian flags. On December 16th I took my first real action and I made a ripple on the radar screen. Those 25 flags didn’t last long as most people had shown up without one, but when I had handed out all but 2, I saw an opportunity. The OPP had their typical human barricade set up to keep us from exercising our constitutional right to hang a flag, there was plenty of media present and they were interviewing Gary McHale who was of course within feet of the ridiculous police line. I told a few citizens what I was about to do knowing they were likely to make some noise about it, and I marched toward that OPP line with my last 2 flags in hand. They did a beautiful job of getting the attention of the media to “watch this guy. OVER HERE OVER HERE” as I walked up to the OPP and stuck Canadian flags in their faces.
Someone in the media later tried to say I attempted to force my flags on the OPP, but all I really did was walk up to them, extend my flags to them, and ask them ” would you like a Canadian flag? ” They are Canadians after all. Of course they each either said no, or refused to speak to me but the media was watching and that moment later made it onto almost every major newscast. I turned around to find a flurry of microphones and cameras in my face which honestly I had not expected (and to this day I apologize to Gary as I did interrupt his interview) and questions were hurled at me by at least 10 different reporters. CTV, CBC, CFRB, CHTV, A-Channel News, the Hamilton Spectator, the Brantford Expositor, the Sachem, the Simcoe Reformer, the London Free Press, they all wanted to know why did I do that, what do I hope to accomplish, why am I here, what was the significance of what I just did, who am I, where am I from, what am I going to do next, etc. I honestly didn’t expect this and what I did was spur of the moment, so my answers were not all grade A quality and much of it did not make the news that night, but the image of what I did, and at least one statement I made was broadcast on most of those channels.
I did not see Gary’s reaction, and I have never heard anything about that specific incident from him, but I have no doubt he noticed it and if I had to guess I would wager there was a smirk on his face.
Shortly after that, I witnessed a man I’d had little knowledge of until then give an excellent speech to the crowd. His name is Mark Vandermaas and he runs VoiceofCanada.ca He got a massive ovation from the crowd for calling out the media and the OPP on their absolute failures to uphold the law, and to report the real facts about Caledonia. I knew right away this was someone I had to talk to later. Not long after his speech, we got around the OPP barrier by simply walking across the street and through a field toward the sacred hydro poll the OPP so desperately wanted to keep us away from. It was incredibly amusing to watch the OPP running down the street trying to find a spot to set up to stop us and in the end they had to climb into a ditch around the poll to form a new line. Although neither Gary nor Mark attempted to cross this line or to hang their flags on the poll, they were both illegally arrested and taken away to Cayuga to be illegally detained against their will by the OPP. The rest of us stuck around and held our ground against the OPP for the better part of an hour after that, but they refused to allow us our right to freedom of expression and continued to stand in the ditch guarding that hydro poll from us. The same poll I might add that had a Mohawk Warrior flag hanging from it.
Most of the media left assuming that nothing more would happen with Gary and Mark gone, but CFRB stuck around and came to interview me again in light of what had just happened. I had a solid 10 minute conversation with the reporter and I don’t know if my comments were ever aired, but it proved to me yet again that I was making progress. Naturally later that day the media reported that Gary had trespassed onto the publicly owned DCE to try to hang his flag which was as far from the truth as you can get, but some good stories about the absurdity of those arrests were printed the next day.
I had some excellent conversations with residents of Caledonia that day, and one more thing happened that really made me understand I had accomplished something and was very inspiring. I stopped at Tim Hortons to get a coffee on my way back to the car and while I was waiting in line, an elderly woman who required the assistance of a walker got out of her seat, came up to me and said in the most sincere tone ” Thank you for coming here today “. Some very attractive young ladies also thanked me for what I had done or gave me a big thumbs up on my way out, but it was that simple extremely heartfelt thank you from the lady with the walker that made an impression on me which I will never forget.
I focused my efforts in the days that followed on contacting Mark Vandermass which at the time was a very difficult thing to do. There was no contact information for him listed anywhere. He and I had some excellent conversations and he quickly grew to be someone I am very proud to call a friend. I owe him a great deal as he gave me my first opportunity to work with the group. Shortly after this I attended a public meeting in Caledonia and met Gary McHale face to face for the first time.
On January 20 2007 we returned to Caledonia and had the most extraordinary day. The media once again failed miserably to cover any of the real events of the day, but it has been covered extensively by both Gary and Mark so I won’t rehash all of the details. I will gladly share my personal highlights though!
The OPP made an extreme effort leading up to that day to brag to the public that they were completely ready for us, that there was no chance we would get around them again as we had on December 16, and that anyone who tried to do so would be arrested and criminally charged. We made them look like the complete fools they are many times over that day. The first and perhaps best was by finding a way around them which put us all very legally within 15′ of the DCE criminals in a way that they had no control over. For roughly an hour we stood face to face with these thugs who spewed the most racist and vile comments at us they could muster (and believe me it was filthy) and we simply looked at them and peacefully waved Canadian flags. They literally burned themselves out screaming at us and walked away.
We confronted Julian Fantino at the Unity Rd OPP detachment in Caledonia where he cowered inside and peeked out a window at us, shortly after this I had the honor of going on a “flag run” with Gary McHale where he actually did manage to hang his Canadian flag near that hydro poll they so desperately wanted to protect from us, and I came very close to getting to hang mine as well but a bus full of OPP officers showed up to put a stop to that. I discovered that his flag had been stolen some 20 minutes later and accompanied him as he forced the OPP to admit that they had illegally removed his flag “to prevent a breach of the peace” which the officer was unable to explain, Mark and I confronted a large group of Natives from DCE who were harassing a woman and a young child with more of that X rated language, and at the end of the day I was privileged enough to have dinner with some of the core members of the team.
Since that time, I have attended every event and meeting that Caledonia Wakeup Call has held and I have used the energy that used to be rage each and every time to dive into anything I could do to help. I have gotten to know Gary McHale who I am very proud to call a friend and I’ve become part of the most dedicated and fearless group of human beings I have ever met.
I’m sure that sounds like a lot of work to the average person who wants to get involved but isn’t sure how to do it. If that’s what you’re thinking right now, you are absolutely correct! I have basically put my life on hold and made this fight for our freedom my mission in life. This way of doing things is certainly not for everyone, and involves a great deal of personal sacrifice and investment in time, energy, money and potentially our own personal safety as we are not fighting a group of friendly teddy bears here. Hard work, constant education about everything that’s happening not only in Caledonia but across Canada as we stand at the crossroads, constant ridicule from those who refuse to understand or accept what is really happening to our Country, and being shunned by even friends and family who choose to continue to believe the propaganda that this is some kind of battle against Natives are facts of every day life for me now, but I wouldn’t give it up for anything in the world.
Jeff Parkinson
Canadian Advocates for Charter Equality Caledonia Wakeup Call Jeff@caledoniawakeupcall.com
JeffParkinson.ca 
There is only one Gary McHale!! I suport Gary fully: I am not a follower of Gary’s but a man who knows where to get his news from!! Gary reminds other ‘s how cowardly and lost they are: yes they don’t know how to handle this!When our goverment is lost: so are the sheep!!Gary is smart and NO coward: I am also proad to have him as a friend!!!
Jim Smith
Caledonia
I would post what I really think but you are not brave enough to publish it here. You claim your campaign is about 2 Tier justice and then on another page you state its about terrorism because of race. No you havent been charged (YET) but you have been arrested and I personally have heard you use racial slurs while in Caledonia.
Haul out the proof and I’ll publish it. You can’t do it because it has never happened.
I have never been charged OR arrested for anything in Caledonia, and I most certainly have never used a racial slur toward anyone.
The campaign is about 2 tiered justice where one of those tiers allows criminals and yes Terrorists to walk free because of their race, and it will be about Terrorism as long as people continue to use what are defined as Terrorist tactics against Canadian citizens to further their political agenda.
Jeff
In BC there is recall legislation. It is possible to recall a sitting Member of the Legislative Assembly (including the Premier, Gordon Campbell).
Last week there was a 500-person protest at the Provincial Government giving a golf club to the Musqueam Indian Band–and getting nothing in return. I am not nearly as well-connected as you are, so I request you get in touch with the organizers of this protest and suggest they organize a recall campaign against Gordon Campbell. A recall campaing is just about the only thing that can derail the erosion of the rights of ordinary Canadian citizens here in BC.
You are just another no mind mis or under educated white guy who has no idea of the real history of Canada.
Canada has committed genocide, stolen lands, resources, and been in charge of the brutal rape and murder of Aboringal children.
Ask yourself where canada has acquired its sovereignty? The SCC has said it is assumed. First Nations people have been terrorized by the Canadian state since day one. For God’s sake Arparthied was based on the Indian Act; get your facts and history straight. You and people like you are the reason that this country can not move forward. You should be embarassed to call yourself a human.
Assumption to base sovereignty of a country? Get a grip you dream weary stay puff marsh mellow addict. Canada is a foreign country occupying First Nations lands and stealing their resources. Why do you think that Aboriginal rights are entrenched in your constitution? it is because there is no source of legitimate occupation of First Nations’ lands, not even the Treaties.
Have a look at why the SCC mandated the Gladue principles in sentencing, yet the jails in the west are anywhere between 65-85% Aboriginal peoples and yet only comprise 10% of the population. It is called racism, which you are advocating. Come to think of it your page may actually be contrevening the CC of Canada by advocating hate.
It makes sad to know that people like yourself keep me employed and extremly highly paid to win cases and file class actions because of the ignorance of individuals like yourself. You can argue your white is right rhetoric all you want, but the law, histroy and jsutice are not on your side.
I sincerely doubt that you are a lawyer although you intimate that you may be to make yourself sound important. Also worth noting is that if you were a lawyer, you would not be so foolish as to claim my site may violate the criminal code of Canada as you would know better. No matter how much you may hate reality, it takes more than you saying so for something to be a hate crime.
You’re a perfect example of why people like me need to keep doing my job of keeping the public informed.
If by “move forward” you mean bow down at the feet of demands from people like yourself, then you’re right. I and the people I work with are the reason our politicians can’t just cut some backroom deal to appease you and of that I am proud 🙂 Your effort to dehumanize me to justify your racist hatred toward me is dually noted.
If you want to talk about who needs to educate themselves, how about finding a quote or some shred of proof before trying to put words in my mouth such as “white is right” and your very weak statement that I am advocating racism. You didn’t bring any proof because it doesn’t exist.
Thank you for demonstrating once again for my viewers the kind of racist ignorance I have to deal with on a daily basis.
I live in the vicinity of the proposed uranium mine the natives took over at robertsville if the public only knew half of what is going on. the papers refuse to write the whole story they only tell the native side . while all the opp do is watch.
thw whig in kingston writes that there was a mine there in the 80’s everyboby that worked there died from cancer, never was a mine there, the mine the natives took over mines tremelight , but that doesn’t sell papers
Andrew,
Please inform me, and this board, what information you have of the “whole story”.
Sincerely,
Brett
I don’t pretend to understand all of the controversy surrounding the Native disputes and land claims, but what I do know is that I do not believe the Natives are entitled to anything more than any other Canadian citizen – whether it’s taxes, paying for your own education, or being held accountable for your actions like any other person. I am sick and tired of hearing about these claims and how land was taken away from them. What about the African Americans!? What about Women!? Where is our retribution?? Bottom line is that life is not fair and the Natives are not the only people that history hasn’t treated kindly, but time keeps going. MOVE ON!
I am from a younger generation where I can honestly say I don’t think the same racist attitudes and gender biases exist that once did – but I read these stories, I watch the news – I talk to family friends who live in Caledonia —- I see these family’s who have worked hard to earn a good home or business for their families – and then I see them threatened and protested and I have a hard time not forming an attitude. I feel sorry for those Natives who live honest, good, and contributing lives because people will not see that. Are they doing anything to help stop this though?
Is there an easy answer – NO there is never an easy answer to a difficult problem. For once, all of these political parties need to hold hands on an issue that is threatening people and make decisions and take action. Stop using this as a political platform and get this figured out! If I could wave a magic wand and fix this problem – I would give a deadline to the Native Reserves – I would say by the year 2020 the reserves will no longer exist. You will be given the opportunity to purchase the land you are on, or rent from the government that will now own it. You will be treated like all other Canadian Citizens. You will contribute to society, you will pay taxes, you will pay for your own education, you will be encouraged to have your own beliefs, religious views and culture.
We keep blaming the Government for not getting this fixed, but We are the Government – stand up and make your voice heard…oh wait that’s right, we’re all afraid to stand up and be heard for fear of getting beat up, having our house broken into, or our family’s threatened.
Signed
Disgusted
It saddens me to read the posts on both sides in this case. It seems to me as though each side is equally ignorant of the history leading to the disputes and tensions that exist today. Anyone who believes that Aboriginal peoples in Canada are treated equally under the law needs only to review the Indian Act to see that this is not the case. Indeed, they are the only group in our society who is governed inherrently by a body of legislation. An example of the differential treatment is the fact that the Indian Act regime restricts the alienation of land without government consent. What this means is that Aboriginal peoples are not entitled to sell, lease, or deal with their own land without the Canadian Government consenting. The paternalistic notion behind the Indian Act is that Aboriginal peoples are incapable of managing their own affairs. This is the first notion that must be dispelled if our societies are to ever have a chance at reconciliation. To draw an analogy, take the situation in Caledonia, imagine what the developers reactions would be if you told them that in order to sell the homes they had built to prospective buyers, they first had to sell the land to the Government and trust that the Government would seek market value for the properties and pay them the proceeds. Based on this promise and actually, to be more accurate, requirement mandated by the Indian Act, the developers sell the property to the Government as required on the premise that the Government is merely acting as a not-for-profit middle man to ensure everything is “kosher”. But, instead of selling the properties at market value and delivering the proceeds to the developers as promised, the Government sells the properties at drastically reduced rates and keeps the proceeds of the sale. The developers would be just as infuriated as the Aboriginal peoples in Canada are today. To correct a misimpression, please do not assume that these stories took place centuries ago. The Indian Act still governs Aboriginal peoples today, the situation at Oka is a prime example of the analogy I just drew, only it was a golf course and not a housing development. The problems faced by Aboriginal peoples are not centuries old, there are countless examples of atrocities that have taken place over the last few decades, that nobody in Canada would ever want to experience first hand. The known mercury contamination of the Grassy Narrows first nation, where the government chose a reserve site that was remote, but completely contaminated with mercury, the abuse suffered by countless Aboriginal people at the hands of the residential school system, and by the way, the last residential school didn’t close until I was 13 years old, in 1986. Meaning anyone in their thirties, if born on a reserve could have been the victim of extreme sexual and physical abuse simply because the government again in its paternalistic misguided idealism felt that it was better suited to raise Aboriginal children than were Aboriginal peoples themselves.
I read on this post “we are the government”. I disagree, this is not a democracy that we live in. The voting system does not stand for equal representation across the board. Our political system is not, one person, one vote. We live in what is called a representative democracy, where politicians are elected on a skewed voter registration system. For example our government collects taxes from permanent residents, and allows them a permanent stay in our country yet our constitution denies permanent residents of the right to vote. Similarly, prisoners, who despite whether or not they are wrongly imprisoned, or whether they pleaded guilty to avoid the press associated with their situation, who happen to be among the most vulnerable population in society to political decision making are also denied the right to vote. Essentially, I disagree that “we are the government”. Our government is selected by an elite few on behalf of everyone living in this country. I refuse to be grouped in with the acts of our government when our government is willing to ignore the problems it has created.
You raise some valid points that I certainly don’t dispute “Saddened”
As time passes, I am learning more about things like the Indian act which I see as inherently racist, residential schools which was an atrocity the media chose to ignore until there was no choice but to cover the story (not unlike some aspects of Caledonia) and I have never seen our government as anything near perfect.
I have and will continue to express my belief that the Indian Act should be abolished, and I do not pretend to dispute or be able to fully grasp the horror that was the residential school system. I agree strongly with the decision of our government to compensate it’s victims and I believe legitimate treaties signed between the British Crown and the First Nations should be honored.
What I do not believe and never will is that the horrifying tactics which have been used against the residents of Caledonia can be justified by any level of oppression, past or present.
You will never find a quote from me stating that “we are the government” as I am not part of any level of our government. Freedom and equality are not things that anyone anywhere in Canada should ever have to fight for as they are our guaranteed rights, but that is not the case for anyone during a land dispute by Natives and that sad fact is something that must be stopped.
Thank you for your comments. I truly appreciate the perspective that so many of you bring to this site.
Jeff
Jeff,
Just a quick clarification, the comment regarding “we are the government” was in response to the “Not a chance” post; at the very end he/she indicates that we are the government and with that I disagree.
As for your reply, I agree, nobody should have to fight for freedom and equality. Part of the problem is that the provincial government does not register disputed lands in the Land Titles system. Thus, where a land claim is being argued between Aboriginal groups and the government, the public is kept unaware. The land claims settlement process was designed to speed up the process. A process that was stalled for decades in the courts. Unfortunately it still takes decades to resolve a land claim and all the while, the government continues to issue permits on the very land that is under dispute. I agree, the situation shouldn’t have to come to confrontations outside the court room, but in order for there to be any peaceful resolution the government has to begin recording the disputed areas in a place where everyone has access to the information upon purchasing the property. The buyer beware philosophy is an antiquated policy that should not be used, as it is by the provincial government today, to shield them from liability for the lack of transparency in the system they have designed and implemented.
My humble suggestion is that if you truly wish to make a splash, lobby the government to create a transparent registration system that includes description of the lands that are currently under dispute with Aboriginal groups that must be searched by your real estate lawyer at the time the purchase is underway. That way, nobody is caught in the dark. For example, had a system such as this existed at the time Mr. Quattrociocchi gone to purchase the property, he may have reconsidered his purchase, or abated the offer to account for the fact that a legal battle may await him over the validity of his title to the lands.
Regards,
Saddened
PS – the defence used in court to defend the end buyer is “good faith purchaser for value, without notice”. The “without notice” part of this defence is the problem as the Provincial government does not record the land claims disputes in any system that would allow for notice. The problem has been created by a lack of transparency and the fix requires that the government divulge the interests on title, all of the interests on title, not just those it created unilaterally.
First time I browsed your personal info post Jeff… great smokin do do balls! Even here there is libelous racist trash spewed at you from the “rednecks”.
I can always count on this blog smoking the FN racists, native supremists and historic revisionists out of the tobacco patch ;-D …rock on Jeff!
BTW: Just luv the delusional twinkie who fancies himself a constitutional expert….frick the holding cells are full of instant lawyers like that…truly amusing…this native sophistry is always good for a deep belly laugh.
Thanks Bill.
It’s funny how much crap is spewed at me by rednecks considering I was labelled as one by the radicals and their supporters early in the game.
Funnier is that I never intended this page to be much as is obvious by the serious lack of info in my first post here. The readers from both sides have made it an interesting page and I hope they will continue to do so.
I’m glad you enjoy the site and I do hope to get back to posting new content soon, but I’m still trying to beat some of the effects of a head injury sustained at the December 1st smoke shack protest.
Perhaps my first post back will be the emails and comments willing me to never recover or simply to die and taking great joy in the injuries I suffered Dec 1st.
Jeff
It’s a sick frikkin world Jeff and some of the sickest freaks I’ve ever seen in it are concentrated on the DCE site. It’s a virtual crime in progress and all residents should consider those on it as career criminals.
Bottom line. If “Natives” try to claim any land I own, knowing what I know today I will shoot first and ask questions later. I say if you want the land your going to need to fight for it. I too was born here, and work to make my community a good place to live and raise my children, my life will not be disrupted over bullshit land disputes, and I will gladly go to prison for my beliefs, and any trying to take my home will go to their graves. period.
PS. government trained marksmen. At least something the government did well.
Hi Mike,
I’m afraid I don’t get your reference to government trained marksmen, but I echo your statement about those of us who were born in Canada being equally as Native to it as anyone from First Nations.
One fact that Six Nations and their “warriors” don’t want us to know is that they’re no more from Canada than the supposed “European colonists” they would refer to us as. Six Nations immigrated to Canada from New York State and are not indigenous to this land, but somehow that fact has been ommited from their speeches.
I understand your frustrations Mike, but violence is never going to be the solution to violence. The simple concept of protecting your private property if the OPP refuse to do so is a great one, but killing people would solve nothing.
In fact if you listen to the dillusional rantings of their leader Shawn Brant, he makes it clear that he hopes Natives are killed so that they can have more martyrs like terrorist Dudley George, and if you believe that history would remember you for defending yourself if you killed someone, just look at the persecution of the sniper who shot George in self defence.
To who posted on September 17th. I’m sure I won’t be able to literate exactly what I feel about you or what should be done with people like you, but I will put it extremely politely and say that people like you are a perfect example of why I’ve come to almost hate a country that I once loved. I emmigrated to Canada from England six years ago. Lived on a rez all that time. Why should reserves be taken away? That’s implying that the INHERENT RIGHTS of natives don’t matter because they are in the minority and their opponents are more heavily armed.
To Mike on January 21 – IF and ONLY IF, it turned out that the ‘land that you own’ was built on an aboriginal gravesite, or sacred land or was taken in contravention of a treaty I would happily take it away from you and there’d be nothing you’d be able to do.
The rest of this post has been edited due to the level of extreme filth this person feels the need to subject my readers to
Ah the poster child for hatred Mr. Ryan Paul has returned. Tempting as it is to simply stuff you in the spam filter Mr. Paul, I thought it would be more interesting to allow you to express an opinion.
Ryan Paul ladies and gentlemen was the first person to loudly wish me death for failing to agree with his pro terrorist point of view.
I would have to disagree with you Mr. Paul and suggest that reserves should in fact be abolished as should the Indian act as both are inherently racist. You may agree with cramming people onto small patches of land like cattle, but I can not.
What are your thoughts on the fact that the Six Nations extremists you love to call “aboriginals” are in fact Immigrants from New York and no more Native to Canada than you or I? Canada was kind enough to offer them sanctuary here when the US was slaughtering them, and this is how their offsping show us their appreciation.
Reserves are a modern day fix to the problem your kind have created. Enough has been taken from natives, and reserves are there to stop EVERYTHING being taken from natives. What you are purposely choosing to ignore is that natives ARE different to us, with different cultural, and political needs. They have different rights than us which are inherent rights. Fact is your kind had no right to murder their ancestors, and those inherent rights enshrined in the Indian Act are there to protect those rights.
As for Six Nations being from New York… you’re missing the point. This entire continent is their home. They’ve more right to be ANYWHERE on this continent than you or I will ever have. That’s the way it always was, that’s the way it will always be.
In some respects I can fully understand why a lot of people from the East despise and hate us in the West – your comment about Canada offering them sanctuary proves that. Canada comes in guns blazing, murdering people in their own homeland, and then stands on the border with those guns acting like they’re saving people’s lives? If your lot hadn’t of been here, then those natives in question would have come up this way ANYWAY! So don’t act as if Canada was doing anyone any favours.
I applaud you for managing to post a comment that doesn’t contain threats or wishes for death from a slow painful illness Mr. Paul. Have you by chance recently switched to decaf?
You state that the Indian Act is there to protect their rights, but what about the deplorable lack of rights for Native women that our government has been unable to do anything about thus far because of the Indian Act? Should we just chalk that up to a cultural difference that a group of people living in our Country are in your opinion entitled to?
Before you get too excited about me saying “our Country” allow me to be perfectly clear. Canada is a Country which is home to people from all over the world with different beliefs and traditions and no one group owns it. We are all nothing more than human and entitled to nothing less than equality.
As for the fact that Six Nations are immigrants from New York, I am not missing your point. You believe that their rights exceed mine or yours, and I believe we are all equal. You believe that a small group of people who claim to have been here before anyone else in history own the entire continent, and I do not.
Likewise you seem to believe that Canada should be hated for granting sanctuary to a group of people who were being slaughtered and I do not. Had our ancestors not been here to save their ancestors lives, Six Nations would not exist today.
Why am I not surprised that you erased yet another comment of mine?
Why am I not suprised that allowing you to speak once has left you with the belief that you are now free to ramble at will about the many reasons you hate this Country?
If you should ever have anything productive to say Mr. Paul, then perhaps I will post it. As all you’re doing is making me yawn at the moment, your hate speeches will be scrapped not published.
In your latest unpublished diatribe against Canada you whined some more about how you hate it and will never love it as you do your home Country, so why are you here sir?
I’m here for a number of reasons – children obviously being one. One of the others? To try and make this country a place everyone can be proud of.
I have stated it once before but this is perhaps the most prudent place to put it.
It is all very simple. The law is the law, and inside town boundaries, the law states what they (the natives) are doing is illegal. The OPP need to enforce the law regardless of whom is breaking it. That may require tasers, it may require verbal warnings: that is up to the law breakers to decide.
I live on the east edge of the Deseronto protest, in protests i can see the opp roadblocks redirecting the public away from the protests from the kitchen window. I see the opp driving past my house now, heading towards the protest area several times an hour, not to mention that 2 injured opp were taken past my ouse to the hospital just days ago!!! When will the terrorism stop!!!!
When the race based policing policy of the McGuinty Liberals and their lapdog Julian Fantino have been obliterated and the law is enforced equally, the terrorism will stop.
When will people wake up to the truth. Read this article out of Thunder Bay
Jail term handed down for Ontario Works fraud
By JIM KELLY, The Chronicle-Journal
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Email this article
Send a Letter to the Editor
Printer friendly page
Shirley Mae Allan smiles and waves after leaving the Superior Court House under the escort of Thunder Bay Police officers. Allan faces a jail term of three years, less 10 months, after co-operating with authorities. (Sandi Krasowski/The Chronicle-Journal)
As the “central architect” in a large-scale “premeditated and sophisticated” fraud scheme, Fort William First Nation Ontario Works program administrator Shirley Mae Allan received a penitentiary term of three years, less 10 months for co-operating with authorities.
“This was a well organized scheme,” Superior Court Justice Patrick Smith said Wednesday in sentencing Allan.
“There is no doubt that these charges involved extensive planning and premeditation,” he said.
Allan, 47, a member of the Nicickousemenecaning First Nation near Fort Frances, earlier pleaded guilty to fraud over $5,000, possession of stolen property under $5,000 and breach of trust by a public officer of falsifying records and “issuing fraudulent or forged benefit cheques and receiving monies as a result of these falsehoods.”
Last week, a three-month preliminary hearing for 10 men and women, also charged in connection with the Ontario Works fraud, concluded.
Whether some or all of the accused will be committed to trial in Superior Court may be determined on June 2 when a pre-trial conference is held between lawyers representing the accused and the Ontario Court judge who presided over the preliminary hearing.
Smith said the total estimated financial loss due to the fraudulent activity from Jan. 1, 2000 to Dec. 31, 2002 was approximately $1.285 million.
He said the scheme frequently overdrafted the FWFN‘s bank account, resulting in overdraft charges of about $17,000.
No restitution has been made, but Smith ordered Allan to pay back $6,000 which she testified was her share of the take.
One of the investigators estimated it was closer to $42,600.
Smith said it wasn‘t clear how much she benefited, but said there was no dispute her family received $338,164.80.
Smith described the elaborate plan conceived to fraudulently obtain more than $1 million from the Ontario Works program.
False client files were created. Some applications for benefits misrepresented the residency of individuals as being on the FWFN, or misrepresented the financial status of claimants.
Others contained applications endorsed with forged signatures, or were unsigned altogether.
In some instances, former legitimate files that had been deactivated when the recipient no longer required social assistance were fraudulently reactivated.
In other cases, fraudulent files were created for people who apparently do not exist.
Tanya Viner, who was not involved in the scheme, was cut off social assistance in Winnipeg because cheques were being issued in her name on FWFN.
Joshua Charlie, a single parent, couldn‘t obtain a special assistance cheque because, unbeknownst to him, one had already been issued in his name.
Smith said the police investigation began on Jan. 13, 2003 when Walter Bannon initiated a complaint with the Ontario Provincial Police.
Bannon brought Allan‘s name forward to investigators and also turned over documentary evidence of fraudulent activity.
Bannon subsequently pleaded guilty to fraud and received a two-year conditional sentence.
Smith said Bannon encouraged Allan to contact police, which she did on Jan. 14, 2003.
She provided six videotaped statements in which she revealed her role and how the scheme developed.
Smith said provincial taxpayers were also victims as well as the FWFN band and a number of individuals who weren‘t able to access welfare because their identities had been wrongfully used as part of the fraud.
He said the reputation of the FWFN band has been damaged and has lessened the confidence of residents on the reserve in the FWFN administration.
While Allan did co-operate with police and entered guilty pleas, Smith said she breached the trust placed in her.
“She defrauded the government for her own financial gain and for the financial benefit of her family,” he said.
Smith said Allan has not shown genuine remorse for her crimes, portraying herself as a victim “citing she had no choice but to participate in the fraud until her resignation in December of 2002.”
Defence counsel Leon Nicol said he‘s received no instructions from Allan about an appeal.
“She was prepared for this,” he said. “She‘s not shocked by the sentence and will accept her fate.”
Why do Native people have to make this about race? I have some great friends on Six Nations, and I spend a lot of time there. I also spend quite a bit of money on Six Nations. I have no problem with them as a race. However, the few of them that choose to cause serious problems for hard working people in the city of Brantford…those people I hate. It wouldn’t matter if they were white, black, Asian, European, or Native. I lost a great job that I was going to get, because the company decided not to build in Brantford after all, thanks to protests on their building site. I wouldn’t care what race someone was, if they take away an opportunity for someone’s personal growth, they deserve to be hated.
As for the issue of the Indian Act…I agree with Jeff. Get rid of it. The reserves? Get rid of them. Spend some time out there, or even in parts of Eagle place in Brantford. You’ll see poverty you didn’t know existed in this country. You’ll see living conditions equal to a third world country. I have always said, First Nations people should be integrated into local communities. They would not have to give up their Native status, they could be given government assistance to relocate from the reserves. They could keep their native schools. The land on reserves would still belong to them. But they could have the same things that we take for granted. For example…water. On most reserves clean water is scarce. Six Nations is no exception. The majority of residents there cannot drink the water that comes into their homes. There are residents on Six Nations who could easily afford to help their own people by supplying money for water systems, but that will never happen, unfortunately.
I’m not saying First Nations people should give up any of their heritage. But they’re only suffering by staying on the reserves. Now of course, some of them will blame Canada for putting them there. I don’t know enough about the history of that, but I know that Aboriginal peoples have always been warriors. Their relationship with the British Crown was due largely to the fact that they fought with British armies. I find it highly unlikely that they were forced to move onto reserves years ago, and never once fought the idea. And obviously, they are not forced to live on reserves now, as many don’t.
But that’s really off topic here. What’s important right now, is innocent Canadians are being forced to suffer for something they had absolutely no control over. I didn’t take anyone’s land. And yet I lost a job because of protests. Builders in the city didn’t take anyone’s land. They have followed the laws of their province, as they were required to do, and are being penalized, financially, for doing so. As things stand right now, the Canadian government does not recognize native ownership of disputed lands. I’m not saying it’s right or wrong. I’m saying let innocent Canadians go about their lives. You can keep fighting for what you believe in, but leave us out of it. It’s so simple to understand: We, the current citizens of Brantford, did nothing to Six Nations people. You may have a problem with past city councils, past provincial or federal governments, or whoever, but you have no reason to cause problems for the current citizens of Brantford, or even Caledonia. Doing so is terrorism. Punishing innocent people for something someone else did, is terrorism. There’s no other way to put it.
“Why do native people have to make this about race”
It’s not only native people Steve so don’t center them out like they’re the ones racist.
Why would they have to integrate into other towns yet keep their reserves. You said the government could pay for their move. Why can’t the government pay for them to stay there and improve the reserves?
How do you feel about Immigrants coming into this country and getting more money then we will receive upon retirement from the government. I work my ass off and people come into this country and are given monetary handouts like candy and not work a day in their lives in Canada.
How do you feel about the Tamils blocking traffic and wanting Canada to fight their fight. Why are they not home fighting their own fight? Our Men, Women and Childred fight wars for others every day while they seek refuge here. Does that seem fair to you?
Well, before I get started I’d like to thank you for appointing your ideals and such well governed and well said argument. Extremely potent in distaste sure, mainly because I’ve only skipped through the last couple post as I’ve had enough capacity to read through the first several complaints and accusations without punching the computer in front of me (It’s a school computer you see). Now getting that aside, I don’t agree with you. Though I am very young and have the expectancy of about thirty years to live in such a shithole of a land let me lay a few things on you from the deep Native American side, not the very assimilated Six Nations who are more vigorous yet have spent way too much time dealing with the Whites than bearable. Racist? Yes a little bit. But not against all Whites, as that as how I would describe an entire race in the simplest form and in a way our Ancestors always have addressed the Caucasian ethnicity. No, I’m only racist against Whites that discriminate against Natives or other races that are through blind hatred. Not that I’m hinting something as I think you are not racist, oh yeah, the first Native to see past another form of blind hatred. I think you bleakly contribute information to your Caledonian peers maybe in a hasty provoking way that might actually mark you for the Six Nations to hate you to the point of your health’s compromise. And I would be expecting this as I am about to walk you through briefly, please note again it’s not a threat from myself or any persons related or referred by my well being.
Moving onto the point, for like the fifth time, I am a Mohawk Native American only a few hours from the actual Six Nations land and I have thought often of rebelling with my Redskin brethren… Mainly, the land you seem to be frustrated and hassled to contradict for is the very lands that our, the Native Americans, would have gladly shared with the Whites. Even some of the Whites promised to share this. What they didn’t know was that the Whites were actually talking about buying the land and not just using it, so that aside they learned from their mistakes and started to make new deals until finally we couldn’t take the shit no more. Not only does this new compromise rob the very land in which they were willing to just share in the first place but it left them stuck to bargain for their children’s land but at the same time it would against their way of life, which used to be mine. The same thing is happening today, land concept is no longer of our Ancestors but of Whites, till this day there is not a full 100% Onkwehonwe (Native American) because of the assimilation and murder and rape that been conducted in early years. Bare with my jumpy topics as I am rushing through periods here. Anyway, the deep impact of new land plans to place golf courses over ancestral burial grounds, or the fall of Dudley George because of simple “accidents” could have been easily avoided by relieving our land. All the frustration your people have been put through is due to the government’s inability to rightfully endow the Natives what is just fully ours.
This may not be what we want as according to our culture but as a struggling nation with fewer and fewer acres to house our way of life, our grandchildren to live, and so on it’s a damn good place to start. As opposed to some free health benefits, tax exempt on merchandise, free dental, and free college funding… Not only do I not see people rarely attending college from any reservation I see less even finishing their High School diploma, arguably the other stuff is alright for an icing to a shit brewed cake. It’s going to take a lot more than a few benefits and a sorry for completely destroying culture, burial grounds, false deals to steal land, lies to steal more land, raping of our mothers and sisters, and the murder of our fathers and brothers, the complete upholstery of a white civilization that has deliberately destroyed Mother Earth, trees, water, everything. And as we watch this all in our border pieces of land, to which the only we have left to our name, we know that the people will get greedy. As the planet gets more populated and more populated this will be a bigger and bigger problem to attain land to which rightfully belongs to us. Then where we find ourselves? Do your really think a Nation that had relentlessly perceived oppressors to be a target both politically and physically. No, we will not make first strike, we will not be the terrorists you fully describe until you make us that way. The Native people will do what they have always done against your Canadian government, shutdown, lockdown and wait for the showdown. Oh yes we can taunt and dance and sing with joy but make no mistake it was always your beloved government that had reigned “accidents”. Even your country that denies the very rights globally known to be ours. I do see the fault in us though, we our savages. But savages with a cause. And yes, I do see your frustration, your family’s fright about the Natives escape from your laws and our ways around it. Our practice of criminal, as you’ve delicately bolded and underlined in your previous statements. The illegal activity you have bolded and underlined in your previous statement. But a terrorist; a violent, vigorous, tantalizing, raging, demented, darkened, cruel assistance to prevail in any means of advancement, of progress is what your method of ‘justice’ of your government’s explicably, unlawful, and inevitably going to produce. So as a savage, as a terrorist, as a criminal who saw the frustration of a White you must see the anger, in which had been engulfed like a flame, of a Native.
Wow….
I have no words to express how your statement made me feel. I have found out through an elder that my Great Grandmother appears to be native. My grandmother would never answer my mother when she was asked if there was “indian” in the family. I have an extensive family tree here that my father put together. It’s very strange, well not strange as of late, knowing what I know now, that I can’t find anything on my Great grandmother dated past her. Most likely for the fact that any records were burned to cover up their native roots for fear of being hurt in some of the ways mentioned above. I have always had a desire to find and read about “native” people since I was a kid.
Thank you for your letter.
Many thanks to all of you who continue to make this perhaps the most interesting page on the site.
To Oteriho’kte I would especially like to thank you for taking the time to share your perspective as to be very blunt, most of the Native people who read this site and disagree with me (and there are some who entirely agree with me) can’t seem to stop threatening or swearing at me long enough to share the details of their perspective, and their reasoning with us.
While we’re not likely to agree on many things, I have a basic understanding of your reasoning which is a big step in the right direction.
As for being a target to the detriment of my health, I’ve been threatened, attacked, and hospitalized in the course of trying to bring law and order back to Caledonia, so I appreciate the heads up, but please believe me when I tell you I am well aware of the risks in doing what I do.
Jeff
you guys are idiots …
The only ones promoting racism and truly starting to make it a reality, big time, are the aboriginal people bullying everyone within 5000 miles of a friggin puddle. When people threatin MY lands and my way of life, surely you don’t expect ME to remain impartial and NOT develop certain racist feelings.
YOU are creating racism and YES, all of you barracade, development disrupting tax-free smoke shop owners turned weekend warriors are TERRORISTS. If it was me tearing up county roads with heavy equipment, stopping progress at someones place of business and hurting business (therefore putting peoples families at risk) and causing endless disturbances on a daily basis, I would be in jail in 5 minutes, you however get to bend the law at will and get support from the Police too boot.
So who exactly is being treated with discrimination here? Someone needs to open up another can of woop-ass again so we can all have another 20 years of peace. maybe you should join Quebec and leech off them for awhile when they break free from the rest od Canada. It’s not our fault your ancestor’s sold their souls for a rifle and we don’t force you to buy the latest cadillac escalade with 24″ wheels and live in a shed? Maybe you should take over the entire country and run things yourselves.
Maybe I can be supported, save some tax, get paid to send my kids to school and take my turn laying seige to your neighbourhood? Sounds good to me, take my deed as logn as I get to live there tax free. Show up at my door and frig with my family or home and you will have serious shit to clean up afterwards, I gaurantee you. You piss enough “white” people off and evetually you will realize just how much we can push back.
your a idiot
“your a idiot”
This from a guy who can’t spell his own insult properly? I believe you meant to say “You’re an idiot” Jerry
I believe Karma is a bitch, even if it takes centuries to play out! Im proud to be Native and proud of those that stand up for our people. Just like any other race, there’s the good and the bad but like most only focus on the negative. Why no work with em instead of against em. From a people that has been stripped of their culture and language, don’t blame us for being so hostile. We were given the tools, they were not taken.
Hello Serena,
I too believe that Karma will likely prevail, and when it does it will be a bitch for those who have terrorized the good people of Caledonia to further their own selfish, greedy ends.
When that time comes, I’m hopeful that everyone involved including the many Non Native people who have supported this garbage will get theirs.
I’m not going to sit back and put all of my hopes in what really amounts to superstition though. I will continue to fight this lawlessness and those who support it and can only hope that one day those like yourself who actually believe this has something to do with Native pride will attempt to get an education on the matter.
Jeff
The OPP and Ontario Government should be sued at every opportunity possible
Very thought-invoking post – raises some interesting points for debate. I just stumbled upon your blog this morning and wanted to say that I have really liked browsing some of the posts. Anyways, I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope to read more very soon!
caledoniawakeupcall and CANACE just another closet bunch of racists. Quit with all your terrorist rhetoric and ask “Why has this happened?” It has happened because your governments have refused to address Native people concerns and claims regarding land and the way it is being used. Our First Nations people have tried to play the white game ( Ippwerwash Army Base , 65 years and counting) on and on until civil disobediance is the only answer. Scare a few white tax paying people and they finally take notice. Oka , Ipperwash , Gustafsen Lake all never needed to happen had the government , federal , provincial maybe even the local town council , took time to sit down and listen to the Native claims and try to find common ground. Instead it’s call the police and let them handle it. Well you know something , the police know that the natives are right most of the time and since the first thing they tell you in Police College is ” Cover your Ass.” They’re not going to take action unless it’s the right action. Next time when you see that the Natives are restless don’t run to the local MP or MPP and cry foul. Ask them ” What have you been doing about their claims?” Since you know damn well the government knows the whole story but , if it isn’t bothering Joe Taxpayer , ignore it. It’s also a way to muzzle the closet racists (Gary McHale , Mark Vandermaas, Jeff Parkinson, MaryLou Lapratte) who sadly run around and trumpet their stories of social injustice ( MaryLou Lapratte … LOL) done to them from the terrorists.
What you are about to see in the future are lawsuits against communities where First Nations people have rightful historical based claims. Historical documentation gleaned from your own archives in Toronto and Ottawa. Our younger generations now have the university degree’s to use the white man’s legal system to our advantage to procure what rightfully belongs to Canada’s First People. No more relying on an outsider to speak for them.
Why don’t you stop hiding behind the very tired argument that anyone who dares to believe in equality must be a racist Jon?
You’re afraid of the impact that our small group has had on the ability of the handful of morally bankrupt extremists to get away with deplorable crimes including but certainly not limited to acts of terrorism, and you hate the fact that we are beginning to make the general public understand that having a different skin color or ethnic background doesn’t make Natives any more special than anyone else.
There’s nothing racist, closet or otherwise about believing that we are all equal and nobody is buying your fictional outrage anymore. It’s people like yourself not us who are racists and everyone who matters knows it now.
Your side is losing. Get used to it.
Jeff
I’m an American who dabbles in activism I have to say, good job Jeff.
My experience has been that Canadian people seem to have the patience of saints with their governments and it’s refreshing to see someone taking a stand.
I’m not completely familiar yet with all of the facts of your cause but I know enough to say massive props are in order for you, for Mr. Kinrade (I’ve seen a few videos that you 2 made, and together you’re not only effective but comic genius), and to this McHale fellow as well.
I’ll definitely be taking some time to learn more about your cause, but if I might offer some words of advice, stay on the path you’re on now. Don’t let those who are desperate to maintain the status quo wear you down.
Always trust your instincts my friend.
Dave
I am a resident of Brantford and have watched the whole Caledonia nightmare and shake my head at the OPP and Government. I am also watching what is going on in my town and am starting to think about moving away, the following I cut from the Brantford Expositor I am nervous to see what is going to happen here.
Local NewsHome News Local News Six Nations responds to questions from March 16 meeting: letter Six Nations responds to questions from March 16 meeting: letter
Updated 5 hours ago
In response to the questions and comments from community members at the March 16, 2011 community meeting, we submit the following response to what the Elected Council had in mind when this Agreement was developed.
The Agreement with Brantford City Council was never intended to be a legal and binding agreement but instead it was more formal than the Grand River Notification Agreement (GRNA). In light of more recent Supreme Court Decisions and resulting rulings on the legal duty to consult and accommodate, the GRNA is silent. The Agreement is a way to implement the principles of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous peoples that require that state governments must seek free, prior and informed consent from indigenous people before using their traditional lands.
This Agreement will not jeopardize anything including the 1995 accountability lawsuit against Canada. If the Agreement goes ahead, the Elected Council’s lawsuit demanding Ontario and Brantford consult and accommodate Six Nations will be put aside. If either of the Councils, party to the agreement, wanted to pull out of the Agreement, the Consult and Accommodate lawsuit can be revived.
The whole intent of the Agreement was to create a vehicle for revenue sharing for Six Nations benefit from the use of Six Nations assets now under third party ownership or Ontario reality Corporation ownership throughout the Haldimand Tract. The intent was to start with Brantford and then go up and down the river to secure agreements with every municipality using our lands. We want to work with our neighbors to move our agenda forward, by taking action so our community can benefit from the use of Six Nations land in Brantford and all other Haldimand Tract municipalities.
Until we create the concern with the municipalities regarding development and financial investment, we can expect that Canada and Ontario will not stop development within the Haldimand Tract to appease us. Confrontation will continue and our people will continue to be criminalized and be arrested. By creating allies with our neighbors, we intend to pressure Canada and Ontario to address Six Nations Land Rights. Without the alliance with our neighbors, with whom we must live together at the local level, there is not much expectation or hope that negotiations to solve our Land Rights will ever see the light of day. The Council intends to travel to Ottawa with our neighbor municipalities to demand resolution of Six nations Land Rights so we all can plan for our common future. If a municipal government is under siege from protest, they will not support this alliance.
The Council would much rather prefer to reach a negotiated settlement of our Land Rights rather than a Supreme Court decision where there is a distinct chance of a less than beneficial outcome for Six Nations.
Prior to the development of the Agreement, the Six Nations Elected Council took the Global Solutions document to the community on August 18, 2010. Many of the issues and principles were explained to the people at that time. Those issues and principles were accepted with a positive sense from those in attendance. The general feeling from this meeting was that the Council was moving forward in a constructive manner pertaining to our land rights.
To address the concerns from the community, we have been asking Canada to address our land rights since the 1980’s and 1990’s to no avail. Twenty-eight (28) land Claims (Land Rights) have been submitted under Canada’s Specific Claims Policy. All of our Land Rights as counter researched by Canada have been validated by Canada for resolution. In 1995 Canada closed all files relating to our Land Rights as they chose no longer to address these injustices. To date Canada has given no indication that they are ready to reopen these negotiations.
In September of 2009 we wrote to the Prime Minister to ask him to review the mandate given to Canada’s negotiator and replace that mandate by giving the negotiator a clear direction to settle our Land Rights. The Prime Minister’s Office directed Six Nations Council to consider having our Land Rights addressed by Canada’s Specific Claims Tribunal. This Tribunal reported that they can only deal with Claims of one hundred and fifty million dollars ($150,000,000) or less and have no mandate to do otherwise. All of our Land Rights are worth far more than the limit imposed by this Tribunal.
We have lobbied the sitting Conservative members of Parliament who represent all the ridings in the Grand River Tract to seek their support. In the majority of cases, these people had no knowledge, understanding or in some cases, had NO interest in addressing Six Nations Land Rights.
We have taken our lobby efforts to the municipalities. Every municipal government in the Tract was contacted and asked for their support. That response has been overwhelming. It seems at the local levels, the confrontations on development of Six Nations lands have resonated in raising concern with the municipalities. Municipal governments can become our greatest allies in pressuring the federal and provincial governments to come to the table to address our Land Rights.
The Council’s lobby efforts have produced the opportunity to appear before the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs. This lobby effort was to secure a Cabinet approved mandate for federal negotiators. Six Nations asked for negotiations based on principles for the return of lands, non-extinguishment of our continued rights to land and for perpetual care and maintenance agreements to meet the needs of our community based on our standards. Those agreements will be protected by Canada’s Constitution and will provide us our vehicle out of the Indian Act.
Transcripts of the March 16, 2011 community meeting are available for distribution at the Council Administration reception desk for anyone who would like to read the questions and comments made by community members at the meeting.
Sincerely,
Chief William K. Montour
Six Nations of the Grand River
Advertisement
Excellent web site you have here.. It’s hard to find quality writing like yours these days. I truly appreciate people like you! Take care!!
Hi there to every single one, it’s really a nice for me to pay a visit this web site, it contains priceless Information.
Hey, I think your website might be having browser compatibility issues.
When I look at your website in Firefox, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer,
it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up!
Other then that, superb blog!