OPP Dismantles Barricade at Caledonia Bypass

Well, will wonders never cease.  In a nutshell, late last night the OPP moved in with about 50 officers and a "tactical unit" (70 officers in all) at about 11 p.m. and took away most of the debris blocking the Caledonia bypass, citing as the reason, "public safety".  The protesters dispersed and no one was arrested.  The action was taken with the assistance of the Six Nations Police.

Pictures taken on scene by a freelance photographer, as well as details of how the operation unfolded, can be found in the CBC article, "Police dismantling blockade on Highway 6 in Caledonia", 5 September 2017 - click here.

Photo:  David Richie

"In an updated press release, Ontario Provincial Police said both roads have been reopened to through traffic as of 2:20 p.m. Tuesday". 

See here for a local perspective, and the view of Councillor Grice of Caledonia in "OPP dismantle Caledonia blockade", The Sachem, 5 September 2017.

An excellent video of the events can be found at CTV Kitchener, click here.  One item of note is the OPP officer indicating that while to date no arrests have been made, there is an ongoing investigation into any criminal activity that has taken place.

Assessment of Role of OPP:  The one word that comes to mind is, "finally".  I will congratulate the OPP on a job well done.  The "protesters" did not seem to understand that they crossed the line when they blocked the railway, and then Highway 6 - neither of those acts can be tolerated.  Furthermore the OPP correctly "made their move" after dark.  This tactical decision, along with blocking Sixth Line all the way to the Rez ensured that reinforcements could / would not come pouring in as happened in 2006.  The telephone tree and social media would not be able to muster much help under these circumstances.  Of course this time things were very different in that most Six Nations wanted the barricade gone, and to say the least there was tepid enthusiasm for helping to keep it afloat.  Kudos to all.

Impact of These Events on the HCCC:  This did not end well for the HCCC and supporters (the "protesters").  As a matter of fact they may have "lost face" (the image they wish to convey in the eyes of Six Nations and Government authorities).  It ended with the "protesters" or "land protectors" scurrying away in defeat.

If history teaches us anything, it is that there is no ability of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council (HCCC) and their sympathizers to come up with creative, novel solutions.  They appear unable to see or understand the wider effects of their actions.  Also it is abundantly clear that there is nary a whisker of empathy for the residents of Caledonia - there never has been any.  How will this then play out in the long run?  Probably at some point soon they will swing into action again, likely using the same old tactics that have "worked" before - blockading Argyle Street South.  Like rats in a Skinner box (Psychology 101), they have been rewarded for acting at this one "magical" spot - so this rewarded behaviour is likely to occur again.

My dream is that the HCCC has now lost most of its credibility on Six Nations, and will have no choice but to become a ceremonial group dedicated to reminding the people of their proud past, and will work closely and cooperatively with the Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) in putting forward their agenda.  However I know full well that the HCCC is rife with factionalism, and will never give in to reality and acknowledge the legal role of SNEC.  Many HCCC chiefships are currently vacant, or occupied by a "chief" not only of the wrong Nation, but the wrong clan.  Meetings are frequently cancelled due to a lack of a quorum, or meetings end abruptly when the Head Chief walks out in a huff.  How could they possibly take over the efficient day to day operation of a community of 23,000.  It is a shame really, because both groups working together would offer strength and continuity.  It is not possible to return to 1924 (let alone 1492), and until HCCC realizes this they will continue to engage in ultimately self destructive actions which only tear the community further apart.

Severe Lack of Understanding of  19th Century History:  Much of what we have seen can be distilled to immense ignorance - on the part of many to most - even the Provincial Government.  I can say this on the basis of having searched all of the Six Nations "Indian Affairs Papers" in the Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa, and the relevant documents housed in the Archives of Ontario in Toronto, as well as all the documents at the Woodland Indian Cultural Educational Center (old Mohawk Institute), over the past many years in my quest to learn more about my own family.  I believe that only myself and P.M., the SNEC Land Researcher, can make a claim to having completed such an extensive search of all relevant documents.

What is vitally important to note is that as shown in the original documents which I have posted to this blog, the original 2006 "reclamation" of the Douglas Creek Estates (DCE) property in Caledonia by Six Nations has no justification except in belief and wishful thinking, and was therefore an act of theft.  This parcel and surrounding land was surrendered by 47 Chiefs in Council in 1844.  Thus that occupation of the property was unconscionable, as was the original blockade, let alone the explosion of violence and vandalism that followed.  Therefore the lands at DCE were obtained by fraud, and the barricade was there as a result of a criminal act.  Thus there was no need for the Ontario Government to agree to hand over the Burtch lands in Brant County to any group within Six Nations in order to remove the blockade - this was blatant extortion.  So it follows that there was no valid rationale for establishing the 2017 blockade of Argyle Street South; and so the OPP had the responsibility to remove it immediately.  The events of 10 August to 5 September 2017 should never have happened, let alone the antecedent actions.

Effect on Caledonia 2017:  Boiling it all down, we  suffered in Caledonia because of "internal strife" (factionalism) at Six Nations, as well as wider ignorance of the facts.  We were the victims (again) of the incorrect rationale of the HCCC who are always quick to point the finger of blame at the Federal or Ontario Governments, both of whom are factually blameless in this whole debacle.  However we in Caledonia are more "accessible" than either of the Governments in Ottawa or Toronto, so we are the ones who get sucker punched.

The financial losses suffered by Caledonia (and Six Nations) businesses is significant, and is a matter of which we will learn more shortly.  Residents of Caledonia can confirm that it is a shame that after all we have been through since 2006, the blockade of Argyle Street South was allowed to remain for almost a month - and who knows for how much longer if Six Nations people were not pressuring them to move.  Again kicked in the teeth.  If others ever want to know what it feels like to be a sacrificial lamb offered up to political correctness run amuck, Government inaction, and police hesitancy to act against Indians, come live on the south side of Caledonia.  Our only allies were (are) the Mayor of Haldimand and Council.

Every day those at the southern end of town are forced to look upon the derelict, tick infested, moonscape that is the present Douglas Creek Estates site, which was once again the hub of the militant acts.  The illegal "occupiers" have destroyed everything on site but left trash and debris within the fence they chose to construct.  It is a horrid reminder of all that has happened.  For some, particularly those residing nearest to DCE, this is in the category of "post traumatic stress".  The stress factor cannot be quantified.

In Sum:  So, knowing what has happened, and that the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour, I ask the question, "what is next", and "when will it happen"?  This time it was all about who at Six Nations has control of a field of soy beans in Brant County, tomorrow and the day after .................

I will end this posting on a somewhat upbeat note, garnished with the cruel reality we must endure.  The most recent article in The Sachem, 6 September 2017, is entitled, "Caledonia roads open, but police remain on scene at DCE" - click here.  One quote is from the optimistic side of things:  "It was a refreshing sight for Caledonia residents on Wednesday morning as all roads in and around Caledonia are open for the first time in over a month".  On a more sobering note: "a police presence of two cars remains outside the fenced gate of the Douglas Creek Estates property".

So while all is well for the moment, the OPP are well aware that at any minute the "protesters" are likely to drag that pathetic purloined piece of Hydro One property across the road and once again trigger the whole blockade process.

This is all part of the "background" to life and living hereabouts.  We live in Caledonia, an idyllic town situated along the historic and beautiful Grand River, but the prototypical example in Ontario of a community distressed due to recurrent extended periods of lawlessness.  It is really very hard to live this way - with the "sword of Damocles" hanging over our heads - "when will it drop next?"

Addendum:  The most comprehensive coverage of the matter, particularly the details of the removal of the Highway 6 bypass blockade, can be found on the CHCH News in Hamilton of 5 September 2017 (but posted 6 September), entitled "Caledonia Blockade cleared" and can be found here. Note at the end of the clip, the ominous statement from the "protesters" ensconced behind the fence gates at DCE (where once again the old tower was dragged - this artifact is fast becoming a museum piece with its own story to tell).

Sometimes we wonder whether any outside Caledonia, say media people, really understand what is truly percolating under the surface.  There is a very good article, "Scott Thompson:  Caledonia gets town back, for now" in CHML (audio and blog) of 6 September 2017 - click here.  Clearly Mr. Thompson can see to the root of the problem and how Caledonia is merely a pawn in other peoples games.

I get the sense that the media in general does understand that this present situation has nothing to do with land claims, and everything to do with internal politics at Six Nations, and that Caledonia is being victimized by those who would hold the town hostage to meet their own arcane goals.  Clearly a step forward.

DY

The Caledonia Argyle Street Barricade Has Moved to the Caledonia Bypass!

This whole situation gets more and more bizarre.   I expect that the "protesters" are yielding to those on Six Nations (the majority) who want the current barrier on Argyle Street South in Caledonia dismantled.  For over two weeks it has blocked the southern entrance to Caledonia at the old Douglas Creek Estates (DCE) site, the area of so much conflict since 2006.  Word has it that certain business owners on the Sixth (6th) Line on the Six Nations Reserve have threatened the "activists" as the former see their bottom line sink further and further into the red.

Perhaps the photo below, credit to Tamra Botting, will explain the present situation - at least to locals:

The Caledonia Bypass (Highway 6) where it crosses Sixth Line

In an update of an article published earlier today, entitled, "Clairmont:  Rumors swirl around Caledonia blockade", The Hamilton Spectator, 4 September 2017 (click here) we learn of a significant new development.  Here is the "add on" information from the article:

"It's hard to know what's going on at the Indigenous protest barricade in Caledonia, never mind what it all means.

For days, rumours were swirling on social media and some news sites that the Argyle Street barrier would be moved to the Hwy. 6 overpass. 

That eventually did happen on Monday afternoon, offering some relief to frustrated business and homeowners.

But for much of the long weekend, determining what exactly was happening with the Caledonia blockade was a challenge". 

Apparently the "protesters" have moved to the Caledonia Bypass, but as we will see later, this will likely set the stage for even more anger emanating from Six Nations businesses on Sixth Line.

The Sachem has now published an updated article on the subject, "Caledonia blockade moved to highway 6 bypass", 4 September 2017 (click here) including information from the OPP as to which areas they have blocked off (the entire Caledonia Bypass from Argyle Street South, across the Grand River, to Green Road:

From OPP Twitter

Here follows quotes from the article:

"There is also a police presence at the intersection of Argyle Street at 6th Line preventing traffic from continuing through.

The move of the barricade comes two days after a press release from the protestors stating that they would not be moving the barricade due to the “threat of mass police arrests.”

In the statement on Saturday, the protestors said they wanted to move the barricade because they were “sensitive to the impact” of the barricade on “Caledonia and Six Nations business owners and residents.”

The blockade on Argyle Street, which was first set up on Aug. 10, was taken down Monday as the new blockade on the bypass was set up. By late afternoon, traffic was flowing on Argyle Street – but was quite heavy due to the blocked bypass. OPP officers were directing traffic at major intersections in Caledonia.

Visible from the 7th Line bridge over the Highway 6 bypass were groups of protestors to both the north and south. They had pulled a small tree across the bypass near where it crosses the Grand River".

Areas Noted Above

So, based on the last statement, it appears that the local worthies (thugs) are setting up for a deja vu 2006.  It should be noted that 7th Line (shown as River Range on the OPP map) is also known as Stirling Street.  It ends at the railway tracks since the bridge that joined 7th Line to Stirling Street was torched (arson) by Six Nations criminals in 2006.

Something resembling a rationale for the move was given in an article, "Six Nations activists move blockade to Highway 6 and Sixth Line in Caledonia"  in The Sachem (same date as above), who added the following:

"On Monday afternoon Six Nations protesters moved their demonstration and blockade from Argyle Street South in Caledonia to Highway 6 and Sixth Line in Caledonia.

At approximately 1:30 p.m. Monday afternoon, OPP responded to reports that a group of individuals were blocking Highway 6".

CBC reports also point to a blockade of Highway 6 and Sixth Line in, "Six Nations activists move blockade to Highway 6 and Sixth Line in Caledonia" (click here) stating, 

"On Monday afternoon Six Nations protesters moved their demonstration and blockade from Argyle Street South in Caledonia to Highway 6 and Sixth Line in Caledonia".  

And furthermore that, "Police say in the interest of public safety, OPP have closed Highway 6 between Argyle Street North and Greens Road, and Sixth Line between Argyle Street South and Oneida Road.

Detour traffic routes are being put in place for Highway 6 traffic.

At approximately 1:30 p.m. Monday afternoon, OPP responded to reports that a group of individuals were blocking Highway 6".

An article in Turtle Island News, "Caledonia barricade down, blockade on Highway 6 bypass goes up" (click here) seems to confirm that the actual barricade is on the bypass as shown in the picture above.

Furthermore,

"On Monday afternoon, Kanonhstaton Six Nations released a statement about the relocation.

'We the people of Kanonhstaton have successfully removed the barricade on Argyle Street in an effort to unify the people of Six Nations and relieve pressure on our people and the residents of Caledonia."

"We have also erected a barricade on Highway 6 bypass in an effort to apply pressure on Canada to return to the negotiation table in accordance with the silver covenant chain and two row wampum. We will continue to occupy the road and call on all of our brothers and sisters for support.'"

CTV has an excellent video (click here) in an article entitled, "Caledonia demonstrators move blockade", providing a fine overview and status of the problem to today.  Also CHCH TV in Hamilton has an informative video entitled, "Caledonia blockade moved to Highway 6" - click here.  What is odd is that there is a view from the River and a protester blockade is seen on the south side with Confederacy (no, not the "Stars and Bars") flags.

Clearly the main Six Nations barricade is on the Highway 6 bypass where it crosses Sixth Line; and the OPP have closed the entire Caledonia bypass, as well as Sixth Line from Argyle Street South to Oneida Road (the Reserve).

Predictions:  If anything, this blockade will create a worse problem due to the large transport trucks which cannot cross the Grand River on Argyle Street, but must use the Caledonia bypass.  As to the impact on Six Nations, 6th Line is blocked by the OPP at the junction of Oneida Road (Reserve boundary) so local Six Nation businesses will see their trade dry up even more.

The problem with heavy vehicles will only come to fruition tomorrow (since today is Labour Day).  It is inconceivable that the OPP would allow this to continue - surely they will now act ............................. and do their duty ....................  If the OPP does go ahead, I strongly suggest that they block 7th Line (River Range, Stirling Street) at the Rez since this will be an access point to the site (Caledonia bypass) - although it will not stop ATVs.

It will be a blessing when I can, in a few days, make personal visits to the sites and hopefully offer unique photos.  Of course this will also mean factual, but perhaps disconcerting (to some) viewpoints, such as why Six Nations are not "aboriginal" nor are they "Native" here.  Thousands of us in Haldimand have equal personal claims to those terms and resent the "special" treatment given to those who happen to reside west of Caledonia.

Stay tuned, updates will be added below.

DY

Attempt to Move Barricade to the Railway Tracks

The subject here will be events relating to the railway tracks situated behind the Douglas Creek Estates (DCE), seen below as a diagonal line between River Range Gas Bar (on the Rez) and Argyle Street South (in Caledonia).  The Caledonia Bypass loops over the tracks as seen in the map below (click to increase size).

Railway Tracks Behind DCE - Shown as Diagonal Line Between Bypass Label  and #6 Sign

Feeling the heat from their own people, the intelligentsia of the thugs blockading Argyle Street South have come up with a plan B.  It is reported in an article, "Incident in Caledonia" found in the Brantford Expositor of 3 September 2017.  To view the whole article click here.

I will quote some parts of the above with "annotations":

"Plans to move a blockade from Argyle Street South in Caledonia to nearby train tracks was thwarted by the threat of mass arrest, say a group of Indigenous demonstrators. [So why have the OPP not threatened mass arrests if the criminals don't remove the blockade on Argyle Street South?]

 The demonstrators issued a statement saying they had decided to move the barricade from Argyle Street (also known as Plank Road), to the train tracks.

“However, the threat of mass police arrests prevented us from taking down the barricade,” the statement said.

The OPP meanwhile, issued their own statement, saying that observed a group of people walking westbound on Sixth Line and as police officers travelled toward the railway tracks they notice wooden pallets on the track that had been set on fire. [Arsonists should be arrested on the spot]

Six Nations Fire attended the scene and put out the fire. [The tracks are not on the Reserve but between the Rez and Argyle Street South. This begs the question, what is the role of Six Nations Police here?] There were no injuries but OPP say they are now investigating the fire as mischief.

Const. Rod LeClair of the Haldimand County OPP, had no response to the comment concerning the 'threat of mass arrests' by police.  [So much for being honest and open]

“Our role remains to preserve the peace and maintain the safety of the public and officers,” LeClair said." [In other words, "don't rock the boat, and whatever you do don't upset the Natives]

.

.

.

And further, “This will affect all Onkwehonwe [means "the real people" and is racist] nations across Turtle island where traditional Onkwehonwe governments are ignored [because they are antiquated and dysfunctional and can't even muster a quorum], treaties such as the Two Row Wampum [this 1613 item is a trade agreement between two Dutchmen and a half a dozen unidentified Native people] are broken and Onkwehonwe sovereignty over our land is denied,” they said in their statement. “This issue is particularly relevant and urgent with the announcement by the Trudeau government to separate the INAC (Indigenous affairs) offices in an attempt to mend nation-to-nation relationships [there is no such relationship, the Indian Act prevails and the Crown rules] with Indigenous communities.” 

Two recent newspaper articles which address this topic are "Clairmont:  Rumors swirl around Caledonia blockade", Hamilton Spectator, 4 September 2017 - click here;  "'Threat of mass police arrests' prevents Caledonia barrier relocation", the Sachem, 4 September 2017 - click here.

So the brave warriors and women who have come up with this novel brilliant plan of blocking the same road as before failed in their attempt to effect any change.  So Plan B, shift gears and instead block the railway line that brings oil, steel and wall board from the area between Nanticoke on Lake Erie to the gypsum plant along 3rd Line and then on to Toronto.  Guess they did not know that blocking a railway is going to result in serious consequences, whereas if you are "Native" you can block access to a quaint Ontario town of 10,000 people indefinitely, and with impunity.

I am sure that many wonder, "don't these people have jobs?".  Who can take two weeks from their schedule to sit in a tent and "protest"?  Does some of the money come from the millions of dollars that the HCCC extorted, on the basis of false assertions, from the green energy companies since 2006?  Good questions, and relevant to understanding who we are dealing with.

So, what is next?  I doubt that even the "protesters" know at this point.

DY

Proof that the Douglas Creek Estates Property Had Been Surrendered by the Six Nations Chiefs in Council in 1844 - Thus the Rationale for Erecting Barricades and Demanding the "Return" of the Burtch Lands Stands on No Foundation Whatsoever

I have never before re posted anything written in this blog.  However the barricades sitting on Argyle Street South in Caledonia exist because of a false belief, and chain of events involving fraud and extortion (which are still illegal in Canada to the best of my knowledge).  This warrants my posting the evidence that "delegitimizes" the entire proceedings from 2006 to today, including:

1)  The first "occupation" (trespass, theft) of the Douglas Creek Estate (DCE) property while homes were under construction in 2006 and obtaining said lands from the legitimate owners by fraud.

2)  The extortion committed against the people of Ontario resulting in handing over the Burtch Correctional lands in Brant County to the Six Nations occupiers as a bribe to get them to remove the first Argyle Street barricade (in 2006).

3)  The illegal erection of another barricade (using the same stolen Ontario One hydro tower) across Argyle Street South in Caledonia in 2017 as a result of an internal dispute between the Hereditary Council (no legal status on Six Nations) and Elected Council (the legal representatives of Six Nations).

So for those who wish to be enlightened on how false beliefs on Six Nations; combined with police failure to enforce the law (Ontario Provincial Police), and Government impotency (Federal and Provincial) can result in sanctioned illegal acts, foster an extraordinary travesty of justice, and ensure that the lives of those who reside in Caledonia will be a living hell, please read the following earlier posting in full.  Since 1844 there has never been any basis for a claim that the DCE lands were unsurrendered - the root cause of all the troubles since 2006:

Documentary Evidence of the Surrender of the Land Where Douglas Creek Estates (Kanonhstaton) is Situated: Signed by 47 Chiefs in the Year 1844

There are numerous posts in this blog and in the media across the country which profile the 2006 take over and occupation of the land where Henco Construction had begun the development that was to be known as Douglas Creek Estates (DCE), perpetrated by activists from the nearby Six Nations Reserve.  Those who took it upon themselves to re-write history claimed that the land was never surrendered and still belonged to the Six Nations and should be incorporated into their land base.  This despite the fact that since 1847 the properties along the Plank Road (where the DCE is located) have been entered into the Ontario Land Registry System.

As noted previously, Six Nations land claims researchers agree that there is no legitimate claim to land that has been surrendered (170 years ago), however there are outstanding claims relating to the use (possible misuse) of the money that, after the land was sold, was placed in trust for the benefit of Six Nations.  I argued that were it not for any sort of reasonable interpretation of "statute of limitations", it would be prudent to provide a cost accounting of the trust fund monies including the monies deployed in the investments in the Grand River Navigation Company.

None the less, many activists at Six Nations and their supporters, clearly have not read the original documents that demonstrate the lead up to the formation of the present day Reserve.  The Reserve of today includes Tuscarora Township and part of Onondaga Township in Brant County; and a strip of land on the western boundary of Oneida Township.  The Chiefs also asked to reserve a 200 acre plot of land around the Mohawk Institute in the City of Brantford.  This mutually acceptable agreement was signed, sealed and delivered by a series of surrenders by the Chiefs in Council culminating in the report of Lord Elgin in 1850 which received Crown ascent.  Since then, there have been recent purchases to add to the Six Nations land base, including lands acquired via the highly questionable agreement between the Ontario Government and Six Nations representatives in 2006.  The latter agreed to remove the barricades blocking Argyll Street, if Six Nations was granted the land where the former Burtch Correctional facility (between the Reserve and the City of Brantford) was situated.  This sounds a lot like extortion.  However the core Reserve has, since 1847 been only the land noted above involving Tuscarora Township and parts of Onondaga and Oneida Township, as well as a 200 acre parcel in the City of Brantford.

To this day, the former DCE is occupied by Six Nations members, and a fence has been erected around the perimeter of the property, and a gate was installed crossing Surrey Street, which is owned by the County of Haldimand.

The goal of the present posting is to provide photographic copies of the original documents proving that DCE (Kanonhstaton) was surrendered prior to 18 December 1844.  After reading the entire series of documents pertaining to the surrender of the various parcels of Grand River land , the present author has been led to an inevitable conclusion.  That is to say, the common belief that the commissioner and superintendent were enacting "colonialist" and "paternalistic" policies which were meant to ensure "cultural genocide" could not be further from the truth.  These dedicated civil servants, David Thorburn and James Winniett, were attempting to ensure the survival of the Six Nations as a people.  At the time the population of about 2,000 was scattered throughout the Grand River Territory from about Dunnville to Brantford, and they were selling their improvements to White settlers then moving somewhere else.  At the time of the surrender of 1844 there were about 2,000 non-Native residents living on the land belonging to the Crown, but held by the Six Nations under right of occupancy.  Clearly the trend for Six Nations people to move west to the Ohio country, or elsewhere, was escalating and soon the Six Nations people would be scattered to the four winds.  Their own lands were dotted with White settlers ("squatters") who generally held title by virtue of a land sale from a Six Nations member.  To save the Six Nations from extinction as a people ("cultural genocide"), the government officials came up with a plan to consolidate the Six Nations settlement to a compact area where they would be a community, and would be safe from encroachments by those wanting the very land on which they lived.  The government made it very clear that no Six Nations person would be required to sell their property and move to the new Reserve, but if at a later date they did wish to sell their property and move to the Reserve, they would have the right to reside there amongst their own people.  Hence the old chestnut of finger pointing at the Government officials, accusing them of trying to destroy the Six Nations as a people is wrong - it was these officials who had the best interests of the Six Nations in mind when they recommended a consolidated Reserve, with the sale of other properties to be placed in a trust fund.  There would be compensation for the "squatters" who had built homes and cleared land which would then be used by incoming Six Nations people, and that money would come from the trust fund.  Hence the understandable confusion about what was placed into, and removed from, the trust fund account.

Here follows the individual pages of one small part of the entire series of Council meetings and surrenders between 1841 and 1849.  The focus here is on the part where the Chiefs gave up their initial idea to lease lands along the Plank Road, and instead reserved only the lands on the west side of the "tier of lots" along the Plank Road.  In other words they reserved only the far western strip of Oneida Township, which is today part of the Six Nations Reserve.

However, I must ask the question:  "Why has it taken so long for these key records to see the light of day?  Why has the Federal Government not released them to show all interested parties why they consider the surrender of 1841, which was capped off by Lord Elgin's report in 1850, valid?  Six Nations must come to the realization that to continue going down the same path, under the delusion that there is a legal basis upon which they could recover lands within the Grand River Tract, is folly.  It would seem incumbent on the Government to "show their cards" so that the Ontario Provincial Police will see the evidence which refutes any claim to "unsurrendered" land.  Furthermore, residents of Caledonia and other communities impacted by Six Nations illegal take over of lands will realize that, for example, the occupants of DCE do not have a leg to stand on.  The Province of Ontario needs to stand firm in the assertion that their Land Titles System (e.g., the deeds registered on title in the Land Registry Office in Cayuga) is valid, legal and secure.  Also the citizens of Ontario whose land is being eyed by those who would take steps to acquire it outside the land registry system, need to stand up for their legal rights without being intimidated by false claims backed up by militancy - bullies and thugs.

The evidence is arranged as follows:  First the handwritten Minutes of Council Meetings and associated documents.  Second a transcript of the handwritten documents.  Third, a map showing the boundaries of the Six Nations Reserve in 1842 in relation to the "tier of lots" west of the Plank Road.  At one point the Chiefs had wished to reserve the lots on the west side of the Plank Road for leasing purposes, however they later "receded from" this temporary position, as seen in the documents below, and unanimously agreed to maintain the eastern boundary along the present line in Oneida Township.

1)  Handwritten Documents Relating to the Surrender of the Lands West of the Plank Road:

(LAC, RG10, Volume 144, pp. 286-300 [83269-83287]).





2)  Transcripts of the Above Documents Added for Clarity:

Since the above handwriting leaves something to be desired, a transcript of the key parts of these documents are included below, from a transcript made by Garry Horsnell and published in his online, "A Short History of the Six Nations", in 2008.  Click on image to enlarge:

3)  Map of the Six Nations Reserve and Oneida Township Showing the "Tier of Lots" West of the Plank Road:

Note that this map dated 1842 was received by the Department of Indian Affairs in 1896.  As the marginal note on the right indicates, the Indian Reserve as agreed upon in various Council Meetings was the line running between B and E.  The Plank Road is shown as a red line running diagonally north - south.  The "tier of lots" noted in the above documentation refers to the lots situated between the Plank Road on the west side, and running west to the line marking the eastern boundary of I.R. 40, the Six Nations Reserve.  In effect this is the wedge shaped area bounded by D to C (along the Plank Road), and B to E (present day boundary of Six Nations Reserve)  (LAC, RG10M 78903/78, Plan of part of the township of Oneida, date 1842 [1896], Online MIKAN no. 3669668).  The DCE property is within the Lot  labelled C along Plank Road south of Caledonia where Sixth (6th) Line joins the Plank Road.

Google map showing DCE property west of corner of Surrey Street and Argyle St S

In the modern Google map above Oneida Road is the line from E to B in the above 1842 map (the border of the Six Nations Reserve), Argyle Street South (Plank Road, Old Highway 6) is the line running from D on the Grand River beyond McKenzie Creek (the flooded area in the 1842 map) to letter C (where Hagersville is today).  The DCE property is on both sides of Surrey Street west of the forked creek (Douglas Creek).

Conclusion:  Evidence, data, facts, proof, no matter how persuasive; and the concept of "beyond a reasonable doubt" or even the law itself, simply do not override political correctness and the unsupported view of "Natives" (although Six Nations are 1784 refugees from what is now New York) as victims.  So with a police "force" and two levels of Government who would rather operate as a flock of ostrich with their heads in the sand than confront these aggressors with the facts as shown above - we in Caledonia are beat - and the concept of one law for all citizens becomes a travesty, a sad sick joke in Canada.

DY

Caledonia Barricade May Move to the Caledonia Bypass (Highway 6)

Every day millions of dollars of goods in 18 wheel transport trucks drive along what is known as the Caledonia bypass, crossing the Grand River through a rural area west (north) of the town of Caledonia.  They cannot drive through Caledonia since the 9 span concrete bridge can barely handle car traffic, and Argyle Street at that point is choked with vehicles at almost any time of the day.  The bridge over the Grand River on the Caledonia bypass was designed to handle heavy transport trucks and us locals always assumed that it would eventually link up with the present Highway 6 where it ends near White Church Road.  Yet to happen.

Caledonia Bypass and Present Barricade at Surrey Street

The DCE property where the present barricade is located at the junction of Argyle Street South and Surrey Street.  The junction of Argyle Street South and the Caledonia overpass can be seen in this map.

If perchance there was a major accident on the bypass, the regular vehicle traffic would be funneled down Argyle Street South which joins Highway 6 about a kilometer from the present barricade. However the problem is extreme for large tonnage vehicles. There is no other crossing point for transport trucks other than huge detours to north of Brantford (Highway 403), or to Cayuga (Highway 3).  Any local will tell you that this would at best be a nightmare; as would any increase in traffic along Argyle Street.

Why do I mention this?  It appears that the brilliant minds who brought you the Argyle Street blockade may uproot themselves on Saturday and instead block the Caledonia bypass.  Why would they do this?  For an answer we can refer to an article of 30 August 2017 entitled, "Ontario broken promise barricade may be moving" in Turtle Island News - click here.  Quoting from said source,

"The Ontario broken promise blockade across Highway 6 (Argyle Street) just outside Caledonia may be moving just as Haldimand Mayor Ken Hewitt says internal Six Nation support is waning.  Turtle Island News has learned the blockade may come down Saturday and move to the Caledonia bypass.  Sources said those at the barricade debated shutting it down after complaints were received from businesses along Sixth Line.  'We don't want to see people lose their businesses so we decided we will move the barricade Saturday', said one source.  Turtle Island News has not been able to confirm the reports received from two people at the site.  But the protesters did receive threats of removal last Thursday (Aug 17)."

So, it appears that there has been pressure by local (Six Nations) businesses to move the barricade.  The thought to just fold up the tents and go home does not seem to have occurred so, the closest option would be to move shop to the Caledonia bypass - guess that the debris field will be left on Argyle Street for Caledonia to clean up.  Once again, there is nary a whiff of concern for Caledonia businesses who are in some cases in dire straits - click here to see a report on this problem, the "protestors" are only concerned when their own people are impacted (some have probably threatened these "barricade managers").

The Caledonia bypass is part of Highway 6 (Argyle Street is known as "Old Highway 6") and extends from the lights at the junction between Argyle Street (which ends there) and Highway 6 northward.  Any potential blockade could be placed between this point, the bridge across the Grand River, all the way to Green Road which funnels into the extreme northern end of Caledonia at Argyle Street north (also known as Highway 6 and Upper James Street - old Highway 6 from Hamilton to Port Dover was once known as the Plank Road).

If this does come to fruition, there is an up side to this in that there would be significantly more pressure on the OPP to dismantle the barricade and arrest the "protesters".  This time the Province would be affected, and one effect is that the transport companies would be furious.  This would NOT in any way put pressure on Ontario to give the Burtch lands to those with whom they did not negotiate a deal (although the luminaries behind the "protest" don't understand this).  The only outcome would be arrests and hopefully stiff fines against those so callous as to disrupt the lives of thousands for no valid reason.

It is interesting that the editor and reporter of "Turtle" give a name to the blockade, namely "The Ontario broken promise blockade".  No other news outlet has done that, and I will leave it to the reader to ascertain the significance.  Also note that the "protesters" (aka thugs and criminals) don't mention any Caledonia businesses, only those on Six Nations.  So once again my point that they don't give a tinkers da*n about Caledonia's people is reinforced.

The supposed action will take place tomorrow, so more then.  Later next week I will be in a position to gravitate to the front lines (if there are any at the time) and provide more pictures and an on site perspective.

DY

8 Steps to Resolve the Present Caledonia Crisis and Rectify Past Injustices

One of my professors used to say, "don't bring me problems, bring me solutions".  I try to live by these words.  Thus, what are my solutions to the present ongoing road blockade in Caledonia?  The following 8 items are not mutually exclusive, they can be combined for a more effective outcome.

1) A Court Order should be filed against those who set up and maintained the barricade.  The OPP knows who these people are and they need to be served immediate "cease and desist" papers.  Non - compliance, that is, if they don't completely remove all of the barricade within 3 days, means that they will be served a summons to appear in Court to answer changes of trespass and related charges.  Fines should be levied against individuals AND the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council (HCCC) who have bilked solar and wind energy companies out of millions of dollars by pretending that there is a valid Treaty and unsurrendered land and that they are the legal representatives of the Six Nations people.

2)  Irrespective of the outcome of number 1 above, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) should use their authority and enforce the law, removing the barricade and opening Argyle Street South within 5 days, and in the manner I suggested in the previous blog posting.  No muss, no fuss.

3)  Local merchants who advertise in the Rez newspapers should read the content of the last two issues and determine whether these media outlets have supported the HCCC barricade.  If these merchants have advertising in an "offending" newspaper it should be immediately removed, otherwise they are in effect being enablers to this situation.

4)  A boycott of all Six Nations businesses is NOT warranted.  There is a lot of disagreement about this blockade within Six Nations, but a survey taken by Two Row Times shows that over 85% of respondents want the barricade removed, and only 15% want it to stay.  There is a general recognition that we are all hurting.  Six Nations businesses are already suffering.  Many sensible people there, as off Rez, see the process as a futile and pathetic approach to problem solving.  Click here to see the survey results.  Please support Six Nations as well as Caledonia businesses - shop local.

5)  The Hydro One tower that was stolen and vandalized (its remnants presently part of the barricade) should be replaced and the wires strung that would link Niagara Falls and the Toronto grid.  Billions of dollars have been lost since 2006 when the project ground to a halt.  Legal action needs to be taken to recover at least some of the lost revenue.

6)  The illegal smoke shops surrounding Caledonia must be permanently removed - in addition to being an eyesore, they are a monument as to how Six Nations believe they can flaunt the law.  One law that applies to all people, nothing else is acceptable.

7)  All trespassers on the Douglas Creek Estates (DCE aka Kanonhstaton) property should be removed, and the land returned to the Haldimand County Ontario Land Registry system.  This property was obtained by fraud since the claim that it was unsurrendered land is patently false.  In a previous blog posting I included copies of the original documents signed by 49 Chiefs in Council in 1844 where they specifically surrendered that particular parcel of land.

8)  Since the Burtch property was obtained by extortion, it should be returned to the Province of Ontario and then re-established within the Brant County Ontario Land Registry system.

There is more, but all in good time.

DY

Legal Action Against the Ontario Provincial Police and the Six Nations of the Grand River

As frustration turns to anger, a class action suit against both the OPP and Six Nations would seem to be looming on the horizon.  

However, it would seem that the Six Nations Police have to bear some responsibility - apparently DCE is now "Kanonhstaton" and that 40 acre parcel of ill gotten gains beside the blockade is the location through which Six Nations takes refuge and orchestrates action.  What responsibility do they bear?  Six Nations considers this land to be part of their "territory", even though it was obtained only via extortion, since the land was legally surrendered in 1844 with the signatures of 49 Chiefs appended.  Will the Six Nations Police be immune?

We will see if a law suit against the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) for dereliction of duty resulting in the damages caused by Six Nations to for example local businesses, and as well the OPP overtime "necessitated", can be brought to fruition.  It may be easier to take the OPP to Court rather than Six Nations.  Clearly this is the route the Haldimand County Council appear to be exploring - click here.  

Court action can be taken against Six Nations (SNEC) and / or individual members.  This has been done in the past - successfully in large case tried in Brantford in 2009, and less punishing judgments tried in Cayuga in subsequent years.  However, if there was a Court Order to remove the barricade, this would add weight to the proceedings.  There are pictures and documentary evidence as to the identity of the "ringleaders" so the OPP know who can be arrested and successfully charged.

Pardon those of us who would take some delight knowing that Six Nations Elected Council will probably have to sell the Burtch property just to pay the legal fees for their wayward opponents who are members or supporters of HCCC.  Sweet irony.

DY