The author has repeatedly spoken about the unconscionable actions of the Hereditary Chiefs Confederacy Council (HCCC) in relation to Hydro One's Niagara Reinforcement Line (NRL) which would connect power from Niagara Falls to the grid.
The project came to a complete halt in 2006 during the take over of the Douglas Creek Estates housing development project south of Caledonia. The towers were completed, and ran just south of the Douglas Creek property, it only remained to string the lines. During the anarchy that followed, one of the towers was cut down and, until 2018, used as a barricade that every so often would be dragged out across Argyle Street South to stop all traffic. This "severed tower", and Hydro One's unwillingness to act in order to recover (or replace) its property, brought the NRL project to a complete halt.
As noted in the posting here and previous ones, Hydro One came to an agreement with the Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC), which is the sole legal governing body at Six Nations, and with promises of sums of money and a 45% stake in the revenue from the completed NRL project and jobs for Six Nations people (AECON 6 Nations - A6N) - the stringing of lines commenced in the fall of 2018, but was soon brought to a halt by HCCC and their enforcers the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) who blocked the work site and threatened to bring throngs of people streaming down from the Rez (as happened in 2006). A hollow threat perhaps, but none the less effective. The bottom line was the the HDI and their White advisers, including ANTIFA members known from 2006 and subsequent events, demanded a quarter of a million dollars and be cut in on the action. Of course this is nothing more than extortion, which has been used more times by HDI than the present author can count in local land development and green energy projects. The HDI and HCCC have never opened the books, and while claiming to be the sole representatives of the people, refuse to let anyone see where this blood money has gone (lining the pockets of key players is of course one suspicion).
Hydro One is used to capitulating (it has for 13 years on this one project, and on illegal smoke shacks being set up on their property), but since they were now partnered with the elected officials at Six Nations, who were none too happy with this action which deprived the community of much needed resources, they eventually did what they should have done many years ago. They applied for a Court Injunction (which worked splendidly in 2009 with the ruling of Justice Arrell in Brantford Supreme Court in a land development work stoppage).
Both the Brantford Expositor (BE) of 11 July 2019 in an article entitled Hydro One gets temporary injunction (see here); and the Two Row Times (TRT1) of 10 July 2019 in an article entitled, HCCC & HDI and 16 others being sued for injunction on Niagara Reinforcement Project (see here); and TRT2 11 July 2019 in and article entitled Judge approves injunction for completion of Niagara Reinforcement Project (see here) have addressed this matter.
As indicated in the latter article, the HCCC, NDI and 16 named individuals were brought to Court to answer claims by Hydro One about work stoppages and threats, including that of the "New Mohawk benchwarmer" who had demanded $40 million in "compensation" paid to HCCC in order to allow the A6N workers to resume their work. It was the mysterious A.D. who once again represented the HCCC in these proceedings but only as a "Senior Advisor" not lawyer (which begs the question, "has he been disbarred?"). 15 of the 16 named individuals were Six Nations members, the 16th was a very well known White activist (ANTIFA, Marxist, anarchist) who was at one time a graduate student from York University, and involved as a "supporter" of Six Nations since 2006.
Hydro One was seeking an order barring the above named or others from using any means to deter work at the site or intimidating anyone involved in the project. Hydro One was also seeking damages, costs or any other relief deemed appropriate by the Court for "irreparable harm". Some parties denied being served a summons, despite evidence to the contrary. None wished to participate - leaving it to A.D. to act on their behalf. One party did speak, calling the fact that Hydro One seeking an injunction, "an outrage, and a sneaky disgusting move". (BE) Hydro One added that they had on numerous occasions attempted to get HCCC to participate in discussions, but to no avail - except the assertion that any talks would be on condition that Hydro One pay HCCC $250,000. The HCCC, in its statement, said that is has always been committed to partnering with Indigenous leaders and provincial entities, including Hydro One. (BE) Anyone with even a passing familiarity with the HCCC could easily assess the accuracy of that statement. To dig in even deeper into the depths of what are lies and what is the truth, the statement by the HCCC representative that, "Hydro One is proceeding in a manner that is condescending, colonist and patriarchal” speaks volumes.
The Judge concluded that this was all about the money, and "who's going to take a cut". The disruptive "history" of the defendants was then read (e.g., causing public disruption). It also emerged that HCCC wanted Hydro One to cancel their agreement with Six Nations and Mississaugas of New Credit, "and instead sign an exclusive agreement with HDI, its own development corporation". Furthermore HCCC threatened to bring in members of other Bands across Ontario (for muscle), and also that, "they may not be able to control their behaviour and there is a risk of towers coming down". Clearly these tactics of threats, intimidation, and extortion are borrowed straight from the Mafia and other criminal organizations. So therefore, ...............
Hydro One maintained that it needs to be operational by 1 September based on Provincial mandate.
The above all happened on Monday. On Tuesday evening the Judge granted the injunction. On Wednesday parties arrived at the site and attempted to disrupt work and were handed a copy of the injunction by the Ontario Provincial Police. On the same day Hydro One issued a statement relative to the injunction, including, "if this project is not completed, another solution, and further investment, would be needed to ensure that need is met. These additional and unnecessary costs are likely to result in higher electricity charges for the people of Ontario." (TRT2) In fact this whole process since 2006 has likely cost the Ontario taxpayer billions of dollars and resulted in higher costs already. Who is going to pony up for these "damages"?
Update: The stringing of the wires of the NRL has now been completed - with no fanfare. All that this author can say is that at some point between 17 July 2019 (when the permanent injunction was issued) and 11 September 2019 when an article in Turtle Island News stated that the line was finished, and that the "Six Nations community" may be on the hook for $200,000 in legal costs. Good luck in finding more information in any media or other source. Guessing that Hydro One, the Provincial Government, and the Six Nations Elected Council wanted to keep a low profile on the end of this whole debacle which has cost Ontario and Canadian taxpayers many millions if not billions of dollars for no other reason than fear of Six Nations militancy.
DY.
Friday, 12 July 2019
A Community in Crisis: Lives and Property in Serious Jeopardy Due to Actions of Hereditary Council
In but another chapter of a never ending saga, the actions of the representatives of the Hereditary Chiefs Confederacy Council (HCCC) continue to initiate chaos within the Six Nations community. However in the most recent example their behaviours not only cause substantial financial damage to the community (but not to themselves), but now matters have escalated to the point where they are putting the lives and property of community members in immanent danger.
As noted time and again in this Blog, the Hereditary Council is a historical entity removed from power for incompetence in 1924 that has not only fossilized, failing to adapt to the times, but also today of questionable authority since there are major inconsistencies in individual lineage (e.g., Chiefs being assigned to represent a clan and family to which they do not belong), and the claim to be the group representing the 49 Haudenosaunee Chiefs spoken of in the Kayenkiragowa (The Great Law) that does not hold up to scrutiny. With respect to the latter the historical facts do not line up with the claims of legitimacy by the HCCC. When the Revolutionary War broke out the Council Fire of the Six Nations at Onondaga (near Syracuse, NY) was extinguished. What was reestablished in 1785 upon the move from what is today Upstate New York to the Haldimand Tract of the Grand River bore only a partial resemblance to the original Council. Most of the Senecas (the largest of the Six Nations groups) remained within the United States and had their own Councils. The Grand River community was composed of Mohawks from all 3 Clans and 9 Families (Ohwashira), but most of the other Nations / Tribes were "incomplete". In addition there were many Delawares, Tuteloes, Nanticokes and other Anishinabe people who were represented by their own Chiefs at the Council established at the Mohawk Village in 1785, and at Onondaga (near Middleport) from 1805. There never was a coherent hereditary council at Six Nations which was linked to the pre historical Deganawida and Hayenwagtha era which established the traditional Five (later Six) Nations Council - although there was indeed a group of Chiefs with inherited titles who represented the Community until 1924 when agitation by progressives at Six Nations (largely Mohawk) resulted in the establishment of an elected council to replace the increasingly dysfunctional "hereditary" group. Since then there has been a group who claim to be lineal descendants of the Chiefs of the Kayenkiragowa and hence the only legitimate group to represent the people of Six Nations, but their legitimacy to play this role is not recognized by many at Six Nations and certainly not the Ontario (Little Crown) or Canadian (Big Crown) Governments. Thus there are two major factions today - supporters of the HCCC and supporters of the Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC). The former have continued to create problems at Six Nations and more widely in surrounding communities (e.g., the anarchy of 2006 in Caledonia) as they try to undermine the SNEC at every turn.
Despite the HCCC and its enforcement wing the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) often saying that they are willing to meet with SNEC to hammer out solutions to various problems, time and time again when the meeting date approaches HCCC members do not appear, or walk out of the meeting (e.g., recently because a string of wampum falling from a bench was seen as a bad omen). So the groups are still as far apart as ever - the HCCC demands to be recognized by Six Nations and the Government as the only group with legitimate authority to represent the people of the Six Nations of the Grand River. This brings us to the latest problem (in addition to the work stoppages at SNEC supported projects in conjunction with Hydro One). This one has danger written all over it - FIRE.
The following information is found in an article entitled, Six Nations Fire Chief Sounds Alarm After "Unprecedented" String of Fires, in The Sachem of 11 July 2019 (page 3). See here where it is reported that there has been an unprescedented number of house fires at Six Nations recently - a rash of five house fires over 10 days, according to Six Nations Fire Chief Miller. Normally 10 to 20 firefighters would be sent to a blaze, but of late only 4 firefighters have been sent, all of whom are exhausted having had no time to recover from previous blazes. Why so few firefighters when it would normally only take a phone call to neighbouring municipalities such as Haldimand, Norfolk, Brant, Brantford, or Hamilton and reinforcements would be on the way. So what is different now? According to Chief Miller, "Unfortunately this time around, they have concerns about safety for their firefighters as a result of the protest that's going on next door". Thus while the groups from the local communities will still send assets to fight a fire that has erupted, they won't send staff to assist in the Ohsweken office out of concern for the safety of individuals from off Reserve. This situation adds significantly to the response time. "Miller doesn't blame the other fire services - if he was in that situation, he would share the same concerns". Further Chief Miller said, "The honest truth is, if the protest wasn't happening, we would have firefighters from neighbouring municipalities that could be servicing the community and allowing us time to rest".
So what is the protest that is creating such a danger for Six Nations residents? For months now the HCCC has basically locked the members of SNEC out of their offices by maintaining a presence at the Administration building (across the road from the fire hall), and through intimidation ensured that none of the legitimate Councillors are able to do their work. They are demanding that SNEC, "signs a letter stating the Haudenosaunee Chiefs Confederacy Council - the traditional government - is the governing body of Six Nations". So the bottom line is that the HCCC would put people's property and lives at risk to, for the umpteenth time, demand recognition as the only legitimate governing body at Six Nations. This will never happen (it hasn't in the last 100 years), but that does not stop this faction from asserting their highly questionable claims - at any price.
DeYo.
As noted time and again in this Blog, the Hereditary Council is a historical entity removed from power for incompetence in 1924 that has not only fossilized, failing to adapt to the times, but also today of questionable authority since there are major inconsistencies in individual lineage (e.g., Chiefs being assigned to represent a clan and family to which they do not belong), and the claim to be the group representing the 49 Haudenosaunee Chiefs spoken of in the Kayenkiragowa (The Great Law) that does not hold up to scrutiny. With respect to the latter the historical facts do not line up with the claims of legitimacy by the HCCC. When the Revolutionary War broke out the Council Fire of the Six Nations at Onondaga (near Syracuse, NY) was extinguished. What was reestablished in 1785 upon the move from what is today Upstate New York to the Haldimand Tract of the Grand River bore only a partial resemblance to the original Council. Most of the Senecas (the largest of the Six Nations groups) remained within the United States and had their own Councils. The Grand River community was composed of Mohawks from all 3 Clans and 9 Families (Ohwashira), but most of the other Nations / Tribes were "incomplete". In addition there were many Delawares, Tuteloes, Nanticokes and other Anishinabe people who were represented by their own Chiefs at the Council established at the Mohawk Village in 1785, and at Onondaga (near Middleport) from 1805. There never was a coherent hereditary council at Six Nations which was linked to the pre historical Deganawida and Hayenwagtha era which established the traditional Five (later Six) Nations Council - although there was indeed a group of Chiefs with inherited titles who represented the Community until 1924 when agitation by progressives at Six Nations (largely Mohawk) resulted in the establishment of an elected council to replace the increasingly dysfunctional "hereditary" group. Since then there has been a group who claim to be lineal descendants of the Chiefs of the Kayenkiragowa and hence the only legitimate group to represent the people of Six Nations, but their legitimacy to play this role is not recognized by many at Six Nations and certainly not the Ontario (Little Crown) or Canadian (Big Crown) Governments. Thus there are two major factions today - supporters of the HCCC and supporters of the Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC). The former have continued to create problems at Six Nations and more widely in surrounding communities (e.g., the anarchy of 2006 in Caledonia) as they try to undermine the SNEC at every turn.
Despite the HCCC and its enforcement wing the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) often saying that they are willing to meet with SNEC to hammer out solutions to various problems, time and time again when the meeting date approaches HCCC members do not appear, or walk out of the meeting (e.g., recently because a string of wampum falling from a bench was seen as a bad omen). So the groups are still as far apart as ever - the HCCC demands to be recognized by Six Nations and the Government as the only group with legitimate authority to represent the people of the Six Nations of the Grand River. This brings us to the latest problem (in addition to the work stoppages at SNEC supported projects in conjunction with Hydro One). This one has danger written all over it - FIRE.
The following information is found in an article entitled, Six Nations Fire Chief Sounds Alarm After "Unprecedented" String of Fires, in The Sachem of 11 July 2019 (page 3). See here where it is reported that there has been an unprescedented number of house fires at Six Nations recently - a rash of five house fires over 10 days, according to Six Nations Fire Chief Miller. Normally 10 to 20 firefighters would be sent to a blaze, but of late only 4 firefighters have been sent, all of whom are exhausted having had no time to recover from previous blazes. Why so few firefighters when it would normally only take a phone call to neighbouring municipalities such as Haldimand, Norfolk, Brant, Brantford, or Hamilton and reinforcements would be on the way. So what is different now? According to Chief Miller, "Unfortunately this time around, they have concerns about safety for their firefighters as a result of the protest that's going on next door". Thus while the groups from the local communities will still send assets to fight a fire that has erupted, they won't send staff to assist in the Ohsweken office out of concern for the safety of individuals from off Reserve. This situation adds significantly to the response time. "Miller doesn't blame the other fire services - if he was in that situation, he would share the same concerns". Further Chief Miller said, "The honest truth is, if the protest wasn't happening, we would have firefighters from neighbouring municipalities that could be servicing the community and allowing us time to rest".
So what is the protest that is creating such a danger for Six Nations residents? For months now the HCCC has basically locked the members of SNEC out of their offices by maintaining a presence at the Administration building (across the road from the fire hall), and through intimidation ensured that none of the legitimate Councillors are able to do their work. They are demanding that SNEC, "signs a letter stating the Haudenosaunee Chiefs Confederacy Council - the traditional government - is the governing body of Six Nations". So the bottom line is that the HCCC would put people's property and lives at risk to, for the umpteenth time, demand recognition as the only legitimate governing body at Six Nations. This will never happen (it hasn't in the last 100 years), but that does not stop this faction from asserting their highly questionable claims - at any price.
DeYo.
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