It is not that I did not expect this to happen. It has been apparent for some time that Men's Fire (developed out of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council HCCC) have not been "getting along" with some of the more outspoken agencies which also claim the support of the HCCC. The Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) claims to speak for all of Six Nations, but draws its support from the HCCC (or, as it is now clear, parts of the Hereditary Council).
What would prompt this fracture line? It would be no surprise if it was money and power.
There are so many constantly shifting alliances at Six Nations, moving like a school of sardines, then breaking off into tight knit groups, sometimes merging back into the school, sometimes taking an independent route. Everything is fluid, in dynamic motion.
At some point recently, Men's Fire and the HDI came to view each other less as allies in the same cause, than competitors for the "conservative following" at Six Nations. So then the ultimate question is, who does the HCCC support? Since there are splits within the ranks here, who knows - today this, tomorrow that.
An article in the 20 August 2014 issue of "Two Row Times" online, seen here, is entitled, Meeting with "the people" must start somewhere. Here we learn of the thoughts and words of Bill Monture, one of the leaders of Men's Fire.
Bill Monture, a well-known local activist and traditionalist, built a meeting place on his Chiefswood Road property as a neutral space and has begun a process by which he hopes to find the future for Six Nations in the past.
Recently, he hosted a meeting at the converted barn, which was attended by a room full of unlikely participants, including Mark Clearwater and Randy Reed representing the provincial government, Haldimand County Mayor Ken Hewitt, and about 30 rank-and-file Six Nations citizens to openly and frankly discuss matters of interest to Six Nations as a people and the future of co-existence of the traditional wisdom of the ancestors and the reality of the 21st century, and to do so without the presence of the media.
He and the group known to the Six Nations community as the “Men’s Fire” are trying to refocus the attention of all parties currently vying for the power to speak on behalf of the people of Six Nations, and at the same time, educate settler governments and corporations on how to rightly deal with Six Nations.
Basically, he is attempting to become THE focus of power at Six Nations, leaving the Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC), and the Haudenosaunee Development Institute in the dustbin of history. While the first named is no surprise, the following very direct statements show how Men's Fire now view the HDI. Continuing from the above quote,
To that end, invitations went out to the Elected Band Council, the Confederacy Chiefs, the Haudenosaunee Development Institute, Clan Mothers and members of the general public to attend the meeting with Hewitt and the Province.
The message was, if you are going to deal with Six Nations, you must deal with the people of Six Nations and not the Band Council system set up by the Indian Act, or the Haudenosaunee Development Institute, which Monture does not accept as being established by the people of Six Nations to represent them.
This is the clearest statement to date of a spit between Men's Fire and the HDI, who at one time were very cozy. More from the article,
He [Monture] believes that any consultation should be done with the people at large through the clans or through the Chiefs Council directly, and without the HDI. Furthermore, "We should not be going to the HDI or to Band Council and making deals on the side. That is not the process and it’s not our Great Law.” Ouch. This must be a major topic of discussion within HDI circles as they press their case as being the one true party with which government and corporations must negotiate with. This is a major fissured, and the damage it will cause is unclear at present.
In addition, Monture claims that both the Elected Band Council and the HDI are keeping the people in the dark over details surrounding deals being made with outside interests by both organizations regarding community owned lands and resources. To remedy this situation, he would like to see “the people” more involved in the decision-making, as was the case before the Elected Council was forced upon Six Nations almost 90 years ago.
In relation to the recent meeting, “We made it very clear at that last meeting a couple of weeks ago, who they need to talk to, and that is the Confederacy Council and not the HDI, not [Elected] Band Council, and not Ken Hewitt. Those Treaties were made with our Confederacy Chiefs. Not with Band Council or Ken Hewitt or any other municipality." In fact this statement is in error, the Chiefs of the Grand River never made any treaties with any level of government. There were agreements, there were surrenders, but treaties - absolutely not.
It should be noted that Monture is basically saying that Six Nations should return to days of old. A time when they were governed by a system that was established in the Stone Age for Stone Age people. The hereditary system may have served Six Nations well back in the day, but it also permitted the complete genocide of the Huron / Wendat, Attiwandaronk, Petun, Wenro, Erie and other peoples who were "in their way" in the sense of being able to control the fur trade without "competition". So, considering that the system was deemed dysfunctional when it was abolished with the assistance of the Six Nations Warrior's Association, and that anthropological studies since that date (the 1949 Noon study using Council Minutes from the time just before the change in 1924; the 1961 Shimony study) confirm that this form of governance was in serious trouble even with the most mundane and local issues - to suggest that all step backwards to an idealized time may be romantic, but it is irrational.
However Monture's next statement is borne out by the facts, and questions in front of the media as that posed by Elder Jan Longboat and reported on here earlier. Monture said,
“The people want to know what is happening,” he said. “Why isn’t that money they are getting from these deals filtering into the community? It is the people’s inherent rights they are using to sign these agreements, but there is nothing coming back into the people’s pockets. It’s all going to them.”
Monture touches on an issue that has been creating increasing levels of frustration and anger at Six Nations. When the Director was asked about where the money from land development and "green energy" corporate deals was, her reply was that anyone interested needs to go to their clan mother and their chief and make inquiries from that direction. Considering that perhaps one in four (that is being very very generous) people at Six Nations know their clan, let alone have any involvement with the chief that is supposedly representing them, this response did not sit well with a very large number of Six Nations members.
So another fault line appears to ensure that Six Nations will never be unified to the point where it will, as a community, be in a position to negotiate with anyone over anything without some other side stepping forward and saying that they were not included so the deal or whatever is not valid.
DeYo.
Thursday 21 August 2014
Appearance of the Canadian Forces in the Niagara Peninsula Frightens Six Nations
I have proposed that since the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have been remiss in carrying out their duties to serve and protect those of us in Haldimand County and vicinity, that an alternative solution is required.
The OPP have been unwilling or unable to carry out (execute) a Court Injunction issued by the Superior Court in Cayuga dating back to 2006. When they tried to do so on 28 April 2006, they were unprepared for the sheer numbers of Six Nations members who funneled down Stirling Street (before they set this bridge on fire), and 5th Line as well as 6th Line - all with direct easy access to the Douglas Creek Estates site. The OPP were soon outnumbered, and it was a case of either take aggressive action, or retreat. They chose the latter, and DCE has been in the hands of activists since then - and the effects of their boldness is now felt across not only Haldimand County, but also the length and breadth of Southwestern Ontario via a new interpretation of an old fraudulent document.
Over time those who emerged to control the land, and what happens there, have been members of the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) which is a "child" of the DCE "reclamation", and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council who are responsible for spawning the HDI. Band Council (Six Nations Elected Council - SNEC) have basically washed their hands of the matter and turned things over to the HDI. Unfortunately while SNEC are reasonable and willing to negotiate, HDI are largely irrational, emotion driven, idealistic but not realistic, and believe that now is the time for the Hereditary Council to return to power and "dethrone" the Elected Council. They have used DCE as a power base and, and with the help of "Turtle Island News", have employed a propaganda war with everyone who challenges them.
At present the focus of the HCCC / HDI is on the Province of Ontario who they know hold title to the DCE property. Their advisors have surely informed the HDI that there is no legal way to "reclaim" DCE - it was surrendered in 1844, 170 years ago, and the Federal Government is willing to stand firm with the research supporting this fact. The only hope if for HDI to twist the arm of Ontario hard enough for it to say "uncle", and give in to HDI demands and "return" (actually simply give) the DCE property to them so that they can create a land registry unaffiliated with the one operated by SNEC. They see this as step one in the "return" of multiple properties such as the Burtch Correctional Centre and lands in South Cayuga owned by Ontario (bought in the 1980s for an anticipated residential complex), and leased to local farmers (after initially expropriating the land). They also claim rights under the fraudulent Nanfan Treaty of 1701 to strong arm land developers, and corporations such as Samsung working in the "green energy" business, building industrial wind turbines and solar "farms". They have extorted monies from all of these groups, except those who have successfully obtained Court Injunctions, enforced by the OPP, which keeps trespassers off private property (in Cayuga, Hagersville and Brantford). Corporations such as Samsung are largely paying both SNEC and HCCC / HDI for the "right" to develop land in Southwestern Ontario. It is a scam, but all these Six Nations factions are getting away with it. If no one challenges them in Court, they are laughing all the way to the bank.
Meanwhile, the radicals are entrenched at DCE, and these "land protectors" are only a phone call via their phone tree from being able to pull in 100 or more thugs willing to challenge any form of "authority". They have established a lawless state at the south end of Caledonia, and at present there is no hope whatsoever that things will change. They will still continue to erect a fence on Provincially owned land, stop Hydro One from stringing the wires on the huge towers from Niagara Falls that have been idle since 2006, and place contraband cigarette shacks anywhere they want in the area to the south of the Grand River - including the illegally placed shacks on Hydro One land that are tolerated because no one at any governmental level seems to want confrontation and would rather trade disrespect of the law for the illusion of peace.
My point is that there are many in and around Caledonia who have had it with the two tiered law system of law where those labelled "Native" are pretty well allowed to do as they please - as is plainly in evidence as you see the fence go up at DCE. If they want to build a chain link fence on Provincial land, no problem. If say Caledonia merchants decided to place a fence along say Surrey Street on DCE, I can guarantee you that they would be swarmed by the Six Nations activists and any Canadian flags will be destroyed to allow Confederacy and Mohawk Warrior flags to fly anywhere on DCE, and any attempt to remove them would be labelled disrespectful and racist - two sets of rules, only one set of flags (those representing the illegal "owners") are tolerated.
It is a crazy topsy turvy world at the DCE barricade - now being fashioned into some sort of Haudenosaunee themed display panel to compliment the "Welcome to Six Nations" sign that stands by the barricade. That sign should come down, it is not and never will be "Six Nations land". They are setting the stage for "resistance" once they (HDI) cross a certain line. Militia groups will form to protect ourselves from anarchy. Confederacy and Mohawk Warrior flags will come down, and Canadian and Ontario flags will go up. The trespassers will be firmly ejected. How this comes off will be entirely a function of how the HDI and supporters cooperate with a copy of the 2006 Court Injunction. They will be sent packing - how, I don't know, and can only guess.
It is safe to assume that the HDI will not honour any Injunction calling on them to leave the DCE premises, and so the "activists", laughing all the way, just flaunt the law - and is it any wonder since to date all government and law enforcement agencies have acted as enablers. So if the OPP are powerless, one option is to call in the "army" who are in a position to use the only type of action that the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) enforcers and other militants including those from Reserves in the United States, understand. These affiliated groups often belong to the "Mohawk Warriors", who possess AK47 and AR7 and AR8 military assault rifles and other weapons. Gun battles are a way of life there, where for example gaming and anti - gaming factions will resort to violence to settle disputes. However they know that they will lose in any contest with the Canadian Forces, in cooperation with agencies in the U.S.A. This will trigger a series of events that will lead to "one law, one country" and via the domino effect, will result in the dissolution of all Reserves in Canada. The anger across Canada among taxpayers is at the breaking point. Some people may be tricked into thinking that Canadians are supportive of the status quo re First Nations based on the very vocal minority of Anarchists, Black Bloc, Communists, Unions and others who speak loudly, but represent only a minority of largely urban residents who are largely under 30 years of age. One can guess that key corporations will be highly supportive in an attempt to bring common sense and rationality back to Canada and address the power that First Nations communities wield.
Should Canada decide that having its citizens enact comprehensive citizen arrests and the danger that this sort of action entails is unacceptable, then the military needs to be sent in. We need Canadian Forces to bring back law and order to this part of Ontario. The Government of Canada knows as well as we locals know, that if this matter in Caledonia is not contained, Canada will be a punching bag to First Nations Bands across Canada. So nip it in the bud now. Makes excellent sense.
Do Six Nations have any concerns about Canadian Forces becoming involved? Are they aware that persons such as myself have contacted Ministers begging and pleading for help - that we are in distress and that if they don't want us to take matters into our own hands, please "send in the army". The Government knows that myself and others will attest to the fact that we pleaded for our Government to come to our rescue. All they did was answer our distress call. As a resident I will accept responsibility for having "boots on the ground" on the south side of the Grand River.
An article in "Turtle Island News" (p.3), is entitled, Military exercise could stir up memories of Oka.
To see how "twitchy" Six Nations members are about the fact that they have pushed the limits to the breaking point, this article gives a hint. It states,
Six Nations Band Council warned Canadian Armed Forces representatives on Tuesday that a current military exercise around the Niagara Peninsula could stir up memories of the Oka Crisis if people aren't sufficiently warned. Representatives from the Canadian Armed Forces came to band council informed the community of the upcoming exercise, saying Six Nations people should not panic.
If they see gun - toting soldiers deployed around the Niagara Peninsula during a massive, simulated, large scale training exercise from Aug. 16 to Aug. 24. Commander of the 31 Canadian Brigade, Colonel Brock Millman, and Chief Warrant Officer Dave Ellyat told Six Nations Band Council last week that about 2,000 Canadian Army soldiers from regular and reserve units across Ontario will be training in the communities of the Niagara Peninsula as part of exercise Stalwart Guardian 14.
The public will see military vehicles, buses, and personnel conducting a variety of activities as they practice and test their skills. The officers said caution should be used when passing military vehicles parked on road shoulders as there may be soldiers on foot in the vicinity.
--------------------------
This "exercise" is precisely what will be needed if and when the Canadian Forces are called in to rescue fellow citizens from the clutches of terrorists.
To Six Nations, I want members to know that I well remember the "Oka Crisis". While I supported the rationale for the action, in other words the concern that the expansion of a golf course would put a burial ground at risk - I was lost somewhere along the way. When the more militant group at Kahnesatake accepted criminals, armed to the teeth, from Akwesasne as allies, then myself and others withdrew our support. That was a very ugly conflict.
Most people know that Dudley George was shot by the OPP at Ipperwash, setting into motion the changes in practice that have hobbled the OPP from doing anything proactive if it is a "Native issue" - and directly impacting what has happened at Caledonia over the past 8 years. It was tragic that George lost his life in the matter, no matter what the specific circumstances. However, how many recall that at Oka the same element of tragedy was also in the picture? How many recall Corporal Marcel Lemay of Surete du Quebec, who was shot dead by a Native activist (see here)? Why was there no extended inquiry? Why was the perpetrator never brought to justice? Why were Native activists not "declawed"?
Some to many to most Canadians would welcome the involvement of the Canadian Forces to restore order and to divest our land of parasites who would bleed the Canadian taxpayer dry and hold us locals to ransom with no fear of any consequences. The army will be welcomed, and if us locals can be of any assistance, such as acting in the role of guides and advisors, especially those of us with military experience, all you have to do is ask.
Now, this may be largely an imaginary scenario, but in all seriousness, the way things are progressing (or rather have not been progressing), one never knows when the fantasy may become reality. One thing that I have learned in life is that everyone has their breaking point, and for some, that critical juncture is a lot closer than it is for others.
One thing does stand out above political correctness and all else. Please remember Corporal Marcel Lemay - a Canadian hero who died in the line of duty while defending us from the lawlessness that had overtaken Oka.
DeYo.
The OPP have been unwilling or unable to carry out (execute) a Court Injunction issued by the Superior Court in Cayuga dating back to 2006. When they tried to do so on 28 April 2006, they were unprepared for the sheer numbers of Six Nations members who funneled down Stirling Street (before they set this bridge on fire), and 5th Line as well as 6th Line - all with direct easy access to the Douglas Creek Estates site. The OPP were soon outnumbered, and it was a case of either take aggressive action, or retreat. They chose the latter, and DCE has been in the hands of activists since then - and the effects of their boldness is now felt across not only Haldimand County, but also the length and breadth of Southwestern Ontario via a new interpretation of an old fraudulent document.
Over time those who emerged to control the land, and what happens there, have been members of the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) which is a "child" of the DCE "reclamation", and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council who are responsible for spawning the HDI. Band Council (Six Nations Elected Council - SNEC) have basically washed their hands of the matter and turned things over to the HDI. Unfortunately while SNEC are reasonable and willing to negotiate, HDI are largely irrational, emotion driven, idealistic but not realistic, and believe that now is the time for the Hereditary Council to return to power and "dethrone" the Elected Council. They have used DCE as a power base and, and with the help of "Turtle Island News", have employed a propaganda war with everyone who challenges them.
At present the focus of the HCCC / HDI is on the Province of Ontario who they know hold title to the DCE property. Their advisors have surely informed the HDI that there is no legal way to "reclaim" DCE - it was surrendered in 1844, 170 years ago, and the Federal Government is willing to stand firm with the research supporting this fact. The only hope if for HDI to twist the arm of Ontario hard enough for it to say "uncle", and give in to HDI demands and "return" (actually simply give) the DCE property to them so that they can create a land registry unaffiliated with the one operated by SNEC. They see this as step one in the "return" of multiple properties such as the Burtch Correctional Centre and lands in South Cayuga owned by Ontario (bought in the 1980s for an anticipated residential complex), and leased to local farmers (after initially expropriating the land). They also claim rights under the fraudulent Nanfan Treaty of 1701 to strong arm land developers, and corporations such as Samsung working in the "green energy" business, building industrial wind turbines and solar "farms". They have extorted monies from all of these groups, except those who have successfully obtained Court Injunctions, enforced by the OPP, which keeps trespassers off private property (in Cayuga, Hagersville and Brantford). Corporations such as Samsung are largely paying both SNEC and HCCC / HDI for the "right" to develop land in Southwestern Ontario. It is a scam, but all these Six Nations factions are getting away with it. If no one challenges them in Court, they are laughing all the way to the bank.
Meanwhile, the radicals are entrenched at DCE, and these "land protectors" are only a phone call via their phone tree from being able to pull in 100 or more thugs willing to challenge any form of "authority". They have established a lawless state at the south end of Caledonia, and at present there is no hope whatsoever that things will change. They will still continue to erect a fence on Provincially owned land, stop Hydro One from stringing the wires on the huge towers from Niagara Falls that have been idle since 2006, and place contraband cigarette shacks anywhere they want in the area to the south of the Grand River - including the illegally placed shacks on Hydro One land that are tolerated because no one at any governmental level seems to want confrontation and would rather trade disrespect of the law for the illusion of peace.
My point is that there are many in and around Caledonia who have had it with the two tiered law system of law where those labelled "Native" are pretty well allowed to do as they please - as is plainly in evidence as you see the fence go up at DCE. If they want to build a chain link fence on Provincial land, no problem. If say Caledonia merchants decided to place a fence along say Surrey Street on DCE, I can guarantee you that they would be swarmed by the Six Nations activists and any Canadian flags will be destroyed to allow Confederacy and Mohawk Warrior flags to fly anywhere on DCE, and any attempt to remove them would be labelled disrespectful and racist - two sets of rules, only one set of flags (those representing the illegal "owners") are tolerated.
It is a crazy topsy turvy world at the DCE barricade - now being fashioned into some sort of Haudenosaunee themed display panel to compliment the "Welcome to Six Nations" sign that stands by the barricade. That sign should come down, it is not and never will be "Six Nations land". They are setting the stage for "resistance" once they (HDI) cross a certain line. Militia groups will form to protect ourselves from anarchy. Confederacy and Mohawk Warrior flags will come down, and Canadian and Ontario flags will go up. The trespassers will be firmly ejected. How this comes off will be entirely a function of how the HDI and supporters cooperate with a copy of the 2006 Court Injunction. They will be sent packing - how, I don't know, and can only guess.
It is safe to assume that the HDI will not honour any Injunction calling on them to leave the DCE premises, and so the "activists", laughing all the way, just flaunt the law - and is it any wonder since to date all government and law enforcement agencies have acted as enablers. So if the OPP are powerless, one option is to call in the "army" who are in a position to use the only type of action that the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) enforcers and other militants including those from Reserves in the United States, understand. These affiliated groups often belong to the "Mohawk Warriors", who possess AK47 and AR7 and AR8 military assault rifles and other weapons. Gun battles are a way of life there, where for example gaming and anti - gaming factions will resort to violence to settle disputes. However they know that they will lose in any contest with the Canadian Forces, in cooperation with agencies in the U.S.A. This will trigger a series of events that will lead to "one law, one country" and via the domino effect, will result in the dissolution of all Reserves in Canada. The anger across Canada among taxpayers is at the breaking point. Some people may be tricked into thinking that Canadians are supportive of the status quo re First Nations based on the very vocal minority of Anarchists, Black Bloc, Communists, Unions and others who speak loudly, but represent only a minority of largely urban residents who are largely under 30 years of age. One can guess that key corporations will be highly supportive in an attempt to bring common sense and rationality back to Canada and address the power that First Nations communities wield.
Should Canada decide that having its citizens enact comprehensive citizen arrests and the danger that this sort of action entails is unacceptable, then the military needs to be sent in. We need Canadian Forces to bring back law and order to this part of Ontario. The Government of Canada knows as well as we locals know, that if this matter in Caledonia is not contained, Canada will be a punching bag to First Nations Bands across Canada. So nip it in the bud now. Makes excellent sense.
Do Six Nations have any concerns about Canadian Forces becoming involved? Are they aware that persons such as myself have contacted Ministers begging and pleading for help - that we are in distress and that if they don't want us to take matters into our own hands, please "send in the army". The Government knows that myself and others will attest to the fact that we pleaded for our Government to come to our rescue. All they did was answer our distress call. As a resident I will accept responsibility for having "boots on the ground" on the south side of the Grand River.
An article in "Turtle Island News" (p.3), is entitled, Military exercise could stir up memories of Oka.
To see how "twitchy" Six Nations members are about the fact that they have pushed the limits to the breaking point, this article gives a hint. It states,
Six Nations Band Council warned Canadian Armed Forces representatives on Tuesday that a current military exercise around the Niagara Peninsula could stir up memories of the Oka Crisis if people aren't sufficiently warned. Representatives from the Canadian Armed Forces came to band council informed the community of the upcoming exercise, saying Six Nations people should not panic.
If they see gun - toting soldiers deployed around the Niagara Peninsula during a massive, simulated, large scale training exercise from Aug. 16 to Aug. 24. Commander of the 31 Canadian Brigade, Colonel Brock Millman, and Chief Warrant Officer Dave Ellyat told Six Nations Band Council last week that about 2,000 Canadian Army soldiers from regular and reserve units across Ontario will be training in the communities of the Niagara Peninsula as part of exercise Stalwart Guardian 14.
The public will see military vehicles, buses, and personnel conducting a variety of activities as they practice and test their skills. The officers said caution should be used when passing military vehicles parked on road shoulders as there may be soldiers on foot in the vicinity.
--------------------------
This "exercise" is precisely what will be needed if and when the Canadian Forces are called in to rescue fellow citizens from the clutches of terrorists.
To Six Nations, I want members to know that I well remember the "Oka Crisis". While I supported the rationale for the action, in other words the concern that the expansion of a golf course would put a burial ground at risk - I was lost somewhere along the way. When the more militant group at Kahnesatake accepted criminals, armed to the teeth, from Akwesasne as allies, then myself and others withdrew our support. That was a very ugly conflict.
Most people know that Dudley George was shot by the OPP at Ipperwash, setting into motion the changes in practice that have hobbled the OPP from doing anything proactive if it is a "Native issue" - and directly impacting what has happened at Caledonia over the past 8 years. It was tragic that George lost his life in the matter, no matter what the specific circumstances. However, how many recall that at Oka the same element of tragedy was also in the picture? How many recall Corporal Marcel Lemay of Surete du Quebec, who was shot dead by a Native activist (see here)? Why was there no extended inquiry? Why was the perpetrator never brought to justice? Why were Native activists not "declawed"?
Some to many to most Canadians would welcome the involvement of the Canadian Forces to restore order and to divest our land of parasites who would bleed the Canadian taxpayer dry and hold us locals to ransom with no fear of any consequences. The army will be welcomed, and if us locals can be of any assistance, such as acting in the role of guides and advisors, especially those of us with military experience, all you have to do is ask.
Now, this may be largely an imaginary scenario, but in all seriousness, the way things are progressing (or rather have not been progressing), one never knows when the fantasy may become reality. One thing that I have learned in life is that everyone has their breaking point, and for some, that critical juncture is a lot closer than it is for others.
One thing does stand out above political correctness and all else. Please remember Corporal Marcel Lemay - a Canadian hero who died in the line of duty while defending us from the lawlessness that had overtaken Oka.
DeYo.
Wednesday 20 August 2014
Barricade Across Surrey Street is Being Given a "More Aesthetically Pleasing" Look
In the 20 August 2014 online issue of "Two Row Times" is an article entitled, The Kanonhstaton barricade is gone ............... kinda as seen here.
The barricade is getting a face lift -
What has happened is that,
The barricade in front of the former Douglas Creek Estates site near Caledonia, has been removed … kinda. Maybe the better word would be that it has been repurposed.
“We took the old hydro tower apart piece by piece and gave it to Bear Iron Welding, of Six Nations, and they have refitted that material into the new front gate,” said Six Nations land protector Jeff Henhawk.
The up-rights for the new gate were installed Monday and the front gates will be fitted soon. From the uprights at edge or the roadway into the site, more chain-link fencing will be going in along Argyle Street as soon as the front gate is completed, according to the Six Nations welder, who did not want his name published.
So, basically, the HDI are playing games, knowing that the barricade is a "barrier" in many sense of the word. It has become a sore point not only between the "land protectors" (HDI terrorists) and the citizens of Caledonia. The former have spent weeks with one or more vehicles near a wood fire at the entrance was to Surrey Street on the west side of the gnarled and twisted remnants of the Hydro One tower which was stolen and dragged to that spot - to guard against the County of Haldimand following through on its plans to remove the barricade. It seems that the whole matter may become a "non - issue" now that the ugly old eyesore will be gone. However in its place will be a "artistically rendered" version of the same thing. So in a brilliant move by HDI, they have managed to deflect some criticism away from them - although they are still thieves occupying stolen land, which can only be changed by their forcible removal.
We do know the name of the firm of iron workers who are welding up the new apparition, and hopefully Caledonia residents and those from far and wide will be looking and thinking - "do we really want to give our business to those who are part and parcel of the pain that this whole situation has caused?" Note though that the "Six Nations welder" did not want his name published - clearly he was aware that there was potential for repercussions.
Errors and possible lies -
Then we find the usual array of "errors" of fact, that give the spin that the activists would have you believe on faith. For example the author, in reviewing the history of the property states, land the developers knew was under registered land claim and was never surrendered for sale. That is untrue since the developers, Henco, owned the land via a title deed registered in the Ontario Land Registry at Cayuga, and they knew that on 18 December 1844, 47 Six Nations Chiefs in Council surrendered this property to the Crown.
There are more factual errors that permeate this particular article, which is grossly insulting to those of us who live here and know what the true facts are (in my case also via 35 years of researching Indian Affairs RG10 Series records at the Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa).
For example, in describing the situation at the "front lines" in 2006, the author states, Caledonia citizens set up their own blockade after Six Nations had removed theirs from the highway on the Victoria Day weekend. An incident resulted in one of the leaders on the Six Nations side was punched in the face by a Caledonia citizen, which prompted the tower to be dragged across the street again as tempers flared into a near riot. Perchance is the writer speaking of the well known picture of Gary McHale, the bane of the existence of those "land protectors", who was supporting the Caledonia side and for his troubles was punched in the face and left with a very bloodied head. I don't recall any Six Nations person receiving wounds during this fracas. Interesting twist on things though.
Another absolutely ridiculous and untrue assertion in relation to those early days is, But other provocations by certain Caledonia residents backed up by high profile white supremacists who were invited to Caledonia by agitator Gary McHale, caused Six Nations to keep the hydro tower close by just in case it might be needed again. I am familiar with the situation, I live there, and I have never seen any "high profile white supremacists" or any white supremacists of any description. Unless the author can back up this unsupported claim it must be seen for what it is, a bald faced lie. Gary McHale was later accused of being a "white supremacist" and when it was shown that the opposite was the case, his accuser was forced to offer a written apology for the lies he had spoken. So the same lies are still being recycled for political gain.
The author ends by trying to paint the Hereditary Chiefs (who may be learning this for the first time in the newspaper article) as kindly concerned members of the community whose only desire is for peace. Specifically it is stated that, The Chiefs also authorized the removal of the hydro tower, but it was to be replaced with the installation of a gate across the entrance to the site. Someone came up with the idea of repurposing the hydro tower to continue to serve as a protective barrier, but in a new, more aesthetically pleasing reincarnation.
"Turtle Island News" includes a similar article of 20 August 2014 (p.4), entitled, Kanonhstaton is changing: New gate being designed. The same take on things is expressed, but there are some statements that warrant closer scrutiny. After describing how the two large Hydro One towers are being employed because, "People didn't want the hydro towers to go so we decided to use them to build the gate", according to J.H. the security and project manager overseeing the installations for the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council. Well it is of course all well and dandy to use stolen property to construct a gate which will remind those of us in Caledonia of the pain at the hands of these self - described "land defenders" aka terrorist thugs. So will Ontario step forward to claim the stolen property, and charge the people involved in both the theft and the "repurposing"?
Some articles are so warped and distorted that they make someone who is aware of the facts of the matter want to toss their cookies - this is one of those articles.
The future -
Since the article notes that there will be chain link fence joining the barricade to the fence along Thistlemore Drive, thus paralleling Argyle Street. It is a set up for confrontation since the Province of Ontario stated that it wants no unilateral action (without consultation with the County of Haldimand and the Elected Council - the only legitimate governing body at Six Nations) in terms of constructing a fence. The HDI and Confederacy Chiefs continue to defy the Province and the question becomes - what will the Provincial Government do, since they own the land (which was surrendered 170 years ago this 18 December)? The ball is in their court.
DeYo.
The barricade is getting a face lift -
What has happened is that,
The barricade in front of the former Douglas Creek Estates site near Caledonia, has been removed … kinda. Maybe the better word would be that it has been repurposed.
“We took the old hydro tower apart piece by piece and gave it to Bear Iron Welding, of Six Nations, and they have refitted that material into the new front gate,” said Six Nations land protector Jeff Henhawk.
The up-rights for the new gate were installed Monday and the front gates will be fitted soon. From the uprights at edge or the roadway into the site, more chain-link fencing will be going in along Argyle Street as soon as the front gate is completed, according to the Six Nations welder, who did not want his name published.
So, basically, the HDI are playing games, knowing that the barricade is a "barrier" in many sense of the word. It has become a sore point not only between the "land protectors" (HDI terrorists) and the citizens of Caledonia. The former have spent weeks with one or more vehicles near a wood fire at the entrance was to Surrey Street on the west side of the gnarled and twisted remnants of the Hydro One tower which was stolen and dragged to that spot - to guard against the County of Haldimand following through on its plans to remove the barricade. It seems that the whole matter may become a "non - issue" now that the ugly old eyesore will be gone. However in its place will be a "artistically rendered" version of the same thing. So in a brilliant move by HDI, they have managed to deflect some criticism away from them - although they are still thieves occupying stolen land, which can only be changed by their forcible removal.
We do know the name of the firm of iron workers who are welding up the new apparition, and hopefully Caledonia residents and those from far and wide will be looking and thinking - "do we really want to give our business to those who are part and parcel of the pain that this whole situation has caused?" Note though that the "Six Nations welder" did not want his name published - clearly he was aware that there was potential for repercussions.
Errors and possible lies -
Then we find the usual array of "errors" of fact, that give the spin that the activists would have you believe on faith. For example the author, in reviewing the history of the property states, land the developers knew was under registered land claim and was never surrendered for sale. That is untrue since the developers, Henco, owned the land via a title deed registered in the Ontario Land Registry at Cayuga, and they knew that on 18 December 1844, 47 Six Nations Chiefs in Council surrendered this property to the Crown.
There are more factual errors that permeate this particular article, which is grossly insulting to those of us who live here and know what the true facts are (in my case also via 35 years of researching Indian Affairs RG10 Series records at the Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa).
For example, in describing the situation at the "front lines" in 2006, the author states, Caledonia citizens set up their own blockade after Six Nations had removed theirs from the highway on the Victoria Day weekend. An incident resulted in one of the leaders on the Six Nations side was punched in the face by a Caledonia citizen, which prompted the tower to be dragged across the street again as tempers flared into a near riot. Perchance is the writer speaking of the well known picture of Gary McHale, the bane of the existence of those "land protectors", who was supporting the Caledonia side and for his troubles was punched in the face and left with a very bloodied head. I don't recall any Six Nations person receiving wounds during this fracas. Interesting twist on things though.
Another absolutely ridiculous and untrue assertion in relation to those early days is, But other provocations by certain Caledonia residents backed up by high profile white supremacists who were invited to Caledonia by agitator Gary McHale, caused Six Nations to keep the hydro tower close by just in case it might be needed again. I am familiar with the situation, I live there, and I have never seen any "high profile white supremacists" or any white supremacists of any description. Unless the author can back up this unsupported claim it must be seen for what it is, a bald faced lie. Gary McHale was later accused of being a "white supremacist" and when it was shown that the opposite was the case, his accuser was forced to offer a written apology for the lies he had spoken. So the same lies are still being recycled for political gain.
The author ends by trying to paint the Hereditary Chiefs (who may be learning this for the first time in the newspaper article) as kindly concerned members of the community whose only desire is for peace. Specifically it is stated that, The Chiefs also authorized the removal of the hydro tower, but it was to be replaced with the installation of a gate across the entrance to the site. Someone came up with the idea of repurposing the hydro tower to continue to serve as a protective barrier, but in a new, more aesthetically pleasing reincarnation.
"Turtle Island News" includes a similar article of 20 August 2014 (p.4), entitled, Kanonhstaton is changing: New gate being designed. The same take on things is expressed, but there are some statements that warrant closer scrutiny. After describing how the two large Hydro One towers are being employed because, "People didn't want the hydro towers to go so we decided to use them to build the gate", according to J.H. the security and project manager overseeing the installations for the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council. Well it is of course all well and dandy to use stolen property to construct a gate which will remind those of us in Caledonia of the pain at the hands of these self - described "land defenders" aka terrorist thugs. So will Ontario step forward to claim the stolen property, and charge the people involved in both the theft and the "repurposing"?
Some articles are so warped and distorted that they make someone who is aware of the facts of the matter want to toss their cookies - this is one of those articles.
The future -
Since the article notes that there will be chain link fence joining the barricade to the fence along Thistlemore Drive, thus paralleling Argyle Street. It is a set up for confrontation since the Province of Ontario stated that it wants no unilateral action (without consultation with the County of Haldimand and the Elected Council - the only legitimate governing body at Six Nations) in terms of constructing a fence. The HDI and Confederacy Chiefs continue to defy the Province and the question becomes - what will the Provincial Government do, since they own the land (which was surrendered 170 years ago this 18 December)? The ball is in their court.
DeYo.
More Evidence that Children were NOT Murdered and Tossed into Mass Graves at Residential Schools
It seems that Kevin Annett has trouble with conceptualizing and addressing "the truth", when he has become so invested in "the story" he has concocted and succeeded in dragging into his bizarre world an assorted mélange who are his "supporters". This process has been seen Canada - wide, and includes Six Nations. The particular antic which will be addressed here is his effort to convince First Nations groups across Canada that the Residential Schools murdered little children and disposed of their bodies in mass graves. This is a somewhat typical "conspiracy theory", a complete hoax for which there is not a shred of evidence, but that has not stopped concerned people across Canada from rallying to his cause. He has duped even the Hereditary Chiefs (whether all or not I don't know) who believed his version of unsupported reality.
To learn about this character, where one can see probably the most detailed and comprehensive view of his life story, and all the damage he has done by perpetuating hoaxes of one sort or another, see here. I have always thought that those who have become his supporters, are probably those who would believe in alien visitations, ghostly apparitions, and are susceptible to becoming drawn into a cult. Basically Annett has a cult following who, despite the mounting evidence of his hoax involving a mass conspiracy to cover up murders at the Mohawk Institute. The Mohawk Institute is the Residential School associated with Six Nations - known to some as the "Mush Hole" - but is actually on the Six Nations Reserve unlike Residential Schools in other parts of Canada. Annett claims that there are untold numbers of bodies of small children which were consigned to bone pits after their murder. To a scientist such as myself, red flags go up all over the place. I know the Mohawk Institute as it exists today (Woodland Cultural Center) since I have been there many times for a variety of functions. Its history and its affiliation with the Anglican Church is well established. Only one whose mind wanders towards conspiracy theories would believe any such allegations.
The belief in the "evidence" and "theories" of Annett has created quite a fuss with members of the Six Nations Reserve. The assumption was that the same things which happened at say a Residential School in Alberta must have happened at this "institution". So therefore, according to this perspective, Aboriginal children were forcibly taken away from their parents, had their hair cut, were forced to speak English only, and were indoctrinated in the ways of the White world as a process of acculturation and of course the word "genocide" comes into the picture as it does in multiple ways at Six Nations.
In fact, the Mohawk Institute was built upon the property of the Six Nations Reserve, in a setting where there was enough land to teach agricultural practices (and in the Annett world, hide a mass grave or two). Due to this geographical situation, children could literally walk home for weekends, or their parents could pick them up in a wagon or car (it didn't close as a school until 1970). Also, until recently, most of the teachers at Six Nations were former pupils at the Mohawk Institute. This makes it a rather unlikely candidate for the scenario that Annett would have you believe.
As to the supposedly harsh and cruel practices, I have mentioned before that those who attended the school at Six Nations call the whole matter "controversial", and some are vehemently against the picture that is being painted. I have also noted that on one occasion when there was a meeting for some purpose a few years back, two young women attended this meeting, one was a White woman from Toronto, and the other a woman with some Six Nations heritage who also lives in Toronto. The former cited an interview she had with an elderly woman from (I think) Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory who said that there were children of a certain surname who came to the Mohawk Institute and were never heard from again. No one here had heard that surname associated with Six Nations or this area. The women provoked some irritation in those Elders who had attended the Mohawk Institute as children. They recalled a much more benign climate than what the two women were describing. In the words of one Elder, "At home we were beaten, starved, and learned nothing. At school we were beaten, got three meals a day, and learned something". That seemed to signal to the women that their presence and their message was not greatly appreciated.
Still, in the past few years, once Annett got involved, there were searches for the "mass grave" and someone came up with bone material (later shown to be animal), and the group of supporters who believed faithfully in Annett's stories stuck by him through thick and thin. Even when ground penetrating radar failed for find any graves, this deterred no one. It reminds me of the adherents to doomsday cults where, when the "big day" comes where the world is supposed to end, and it doesn't, there is some excuse and a new scenario is painted and everyone is back onboard.
When it comes to Six Nations, new evidence found by a relative of mine, and sent to me yesterday, pretty well demolishes Annett's little hoax. Some burial records of Her Majesty's Chapel of the Mohawks, across the road from the Mohawk Institute, were saved from a fire of 1903 which burned most of the burial records, although both the baptismal and marriage records from 1827 were saved. The surviving records of Burials in the Mohawk Chapel Burying Ground show that some local White people from the Brantford area, some Six Nations members, and children from the Mohawk Institute were buried here.
What follows is the records for, Mohawk Chapel, Burial Records at the Mohawk Chapel 1829 - 1947, Brant County Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society, Brantford, Ontario. The records are a compilation of primarily tombstone transcriptions, along with scanty information from surviving burial register records, largely from visiting Anglican ministers. As the compiler, Alma Luard, stated, "The records from 1841-1878 were lost in a fire in 1903". I have seen a selection burial records for Six Nations members dating from 1828 to 1878 recorded by Rev. (later Archdeacon) Abram Nelles in 1879 and sent to correspondents interested in the history of the Church,. It is clear that all of the early books that make up the "Indian Burial Register" is now lost, and only the most recent records, and the entries kept by itinerant ministers, appear to have survived for earlier years. Effectively, the only complete burial records are those from after 1900. I looked through the records for entries pertaining to the students from the Mohawk Institute, since records that the children who died while attending the Mohawk Institute would pretty well expose the "Annett hoax". Now we have a conclusive answer, and hopefully it will stop the futile searches of properties around the Mohawk Institute for non-existent bone pits.
Here is the list of students who died at the Mohawk Institute and were buried at the Mohawk Chapel. The records are from the surviving registers dating from 1879. I have no records of the probably much larger number of students who died at the Mohawk Institute and were taken home to the Reserve at nearby Tuscarora Township for burial. I would guess that the school records, if fully searched, would include information as important as a death at school.
Here follows the available list of burials,
ASKEWE, Solomon, pupil at the Mohawk Inst. from Cape Croker died June 1902
Thus the evidence suggests that any child who died while attending the Mohawk Institute, and whose body was not recovered by their parents or guardian, were given decent burials in the Anglican Burying Ground of the Mohawk Chapel. No doubt that the children who died before 1891 were given similar burials, but the records are lost.
Hopefully the craziness that caught on like an infection at Six Nations, but which has lately suffered from some "setbacks" as seen here, will completely fade away. I would like to see Annett charged with some crime - but am not clear on what criminal offence he has perpetrated, other than playing on peoples gullibility. At least his "Mohawk name" was revoked after suspicions became overwhelming as seen here.
DeYo.
To learn about this character, where one can see probably the most detailed and comprehensive view of his life story, and all the damage he has done by perpetuating hoaxes of one sort or another, see here. I have always thought that those who have become his supporters, are probably those who would believe in alien visitations, ghostly apparitions, and are susceptible to becoming drawn into a cult. Basically Annett has a cult following who, despite the mounting evidence of his hoax involving a mass conspiracy to cover up murders at the Mohawk Institute. The Mohawk Institute is the Residential School associated with Six Nations - known to some as the "Mush Hole" - but is actually on the Six Nations Reserve unlike Residential Schools in other parts of Canada. Annett claims that there are untold numbers of bodies of small children which were consigned to bone pits after their murder. To a scientist such as myself, red flags go up all over the place. I know the Mohawk Institute as it exists today (Woodland Cultural Center) since I have been there many times for a variety of functions. Its history and its affiliation with the Anglican Church is well established. Only one whose mind wanders towards conspiracy theories would believe any such allegations.
The belief in the "evidence" and "theories" of Annett has created quite a fuss with members of the Six Nations Reserve. The assumption was that the same things which happened at say a Residential School in Alberta must have happened at this "institution". So therefore, according to this perspective, Aboriginal children were forcibly taken away from their parents, had their hair cut, were forced to speak English only, and were indoctrinated in the ways of the White world as a process of acculturation and of course the word "genocide" comes into the picture as it does in multiple ways at Six Nations.
In fact, the Mohawk Institute was built upon the property of the Six Nations Reserve, in a setting where there was enough land to teach agricultural practices (and in the Annett world, hide a mass grave or two). Due to this geographical situation, children could literally walk home for weekends, or their parents could pick them up in a wagon or car (it didn't close as a school until 1970). Also, until recently, most of the teachers at Six Nations were former pupils at the Mohawk Institute. This makes it a rather unlikely candidate for the scenario that Annett would have you believe.
As to the supposedly harsh and cruel practices, I have mentioned before that those who attended the school at Six Nations call the whole matter "controversial", and some are vehemently against the picture that is being painted. I have also noted that on one occasion when there was a meeting for some purpose a few years back, two young women attended this meeting, one was a White woman from Toronto, and the other a woman with some Six Nations heritage who also lives in Toronto. The former cited an interview she had with an elderly woman from (I think) Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory who said that there were children of a certain surname who came to the Mohawk Institute and were never heard from again. No one here had heard that surname associated with Six Nations or this area. The women provoked some irritation in those Elders who had attended the Mohawk Institute as children. They recalled a much more benign climate than what the two women were describing. In the words of one Elder, "At home we were beaten, starved, and learned nothing. At school we were beaten, got three meals a day, and learned something". That seemed to signal to the women that their presence and their message was not greatly appreciated.
Still, in the past few years, once Annett got involved, there were searches for the "mass grave" and someone came up with bone material (later shown to be animal), and the group of supporters who believed faithfully in Annett's stories stuck by him through thick and thin. Even when ground penetrating radar failed for find any graves, this deterred no one. It reminds me of the adherents to doomsday cults where, when the "big day" comes where the world is supposed to end, and it doesn't, there is some excuse and a new scenario is painted and everyone is back onboard.
When it comes to Six Nations, new evidence found by a relative of mine, and sent to me yesterday, pretty well demolishes Annett's little hoax. Some burial records of Her Majesty's Chapel of the Mohawks, across the road from the Mohawk Institute, were saved from a fire of 1903 which burned most of the burial records, although both the baptismal and marriage records from 1827 were saved. The surviving records of Burials in the Mohawk Chapel Burying Ground show that some local White people from the Brantford area, some Six Nations members, and children from the Mohawk Institute were buried here.
What follows is the records for, Mohawk Chapel, Burial Records at the Mohawk Chapel 1829 - 1947, Brant County Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society, Brantford, Ontario. The records are a compilation of primarily tombstone transcriptions, along with scanty information from surviving burial register records, largely from visiting Anglican ministers. As the compiler, Alma Luard, stated, "The records from 1841-1878 were lost in a fire in 1903". I have seen a selection burial records for Six Nations members dating from 1828 to 1878 recorded by Rev. (later Archdeacon) Abram Nelles in 1879 and sent to correspondents interested in the history of the Church,. It is clear that all of the early books that make up the "Indian Burial Register" is now lost, and only the most recent records, and the entries kept by itinerant ministers, appear to have survived for earlier years. Effectively, the only complete burial records are those from after 1900. I looked through the records for entries pertaining to the students from the Mohawk Institute, since records that the children who died while attending the Mohawk Institute would pretty well expose the "Annett hoax". Now we have a conclusive answer, and hopefully it will stop the futile searches of properties around the Mohawk Institute for non-existent bone pits.
Here is the list of students who died at the Mohawk Institute and were buried at the Mohawk Chapel. The records are from the surviving registers dating from 1879. I have no records of the probably much larger number of students who died at the Mohawk Institute and were taken home to the Reserve at nearby Tuscarora Township for burial. I would guess that the school records, if fully searched, would include information as important as a death at school.
Here follows the available list of burials,
ASKEWE, Solomon, pupil at the Mohawk Inst. from Cape Croker died June 1902
CUSICK,
Jesse 10 years Mohawk Inst. Feb. 10 1907
GIBSON,
Robert, 10 Mohawk Inst. June 5 1917
LACOUR,
Theresa, 10 Caughnawaga, Aug 9 1891 Indian pupil at the Mohawk Institute
MARACLE,
Jenny, 16 Mohawk Inst. Aug 16, 1900
MARACLE,
Margaret 14 Mohawk Inst. June 16, 1901
WALKER,
Mabel, 11, Cape Croker, Pupil at the Mohawk Inst. Aug 8 1902
WILSON,
Inez, 11, Tuscarora, Pupil at the Mohawk Inst. Apr. 6 1900
Confederacy Chiefs Demand to Meet with Premier Wynne
The online edition of "The Sachem" includes an article entitled, Six Nations Chiefs Want Meeting With Premier, 18 August 2014 as seen here.
On 15 August 2014, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council (HCCC) called for a meeting with Premier Kathleen Wynne about the fence that crosses Thistlemoor Drive, and most particularly to try to strong arm her into accepting the temporary (it has expired) "protocol" which they had negotiated with her when she was Aboriginal Affairs Minister (but under vastly different circumstances). The article states as follows, with a review of recent events provided by the reporter,
The province did not support construction of the fence – labeling it unilateral action – and invited the Confederacy to be part of talks with Haldimand County and the Six Nations elected-band council to find “long term sustainable” solutions for the Argyle Street South property. Confederacy chiefs met with Zimmer in Ohsweken Tuesday, August 12.
Presently,
The hereditary government of Six Nations is calling for a meeting with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne following what it says was a disappointing meeting with Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Zimmer over the issue of a fence being built on land subject to a land claims dispute.
The meeting did not "go well" because Minister Zimmer had the audacity to request that all interested parties be present (Elected Council, and County of Haldimand). HCCC, through their enforcement wing the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI), insist that they will only meet with Ontario if no one else is present. To them, having the Elected Council present would be tantamount to admitting that the latter, the legally constituted authority since 1924 for acting on behalf of the Six Nations Band Members, had any authority. The HCCC are inflexible, in their mind's eye, despite reality, they are the only legitimate governing body on the Reserve. As the article states,
The Confederacy, which has been working on a resurgence of the traditional system, is most upset the province let a communications protocol between it and Ontario lapse after two years. The statement said Zimmer would not discuss renewal of the protocol, which was made when Wynne was Aboriginal Affairs minister.
The author of the article also gives a summary of the dispute over the Douglas Creek Estates (DCE) since 2006, saying,
Members of Six Nations occupied the site in 2006, claiming it was unsurrendered land. Ottawa says the land was surrendered in 1844. Talks between Ottawa, Queen’s Park and Six Nations broke off in 2009 and the situation has settled into a peaceful stalemate. The province bought the land off the developers in 2006 for $15.8 million.
It is interesting that the author, Daniel Nolan, is among the few to actually acknowledge the fact that Ottawa has consistently stated that the land was surrendered in 1844 - few in the media have ever been willing / able to state what is a correct fact about land ownership in relation to this matter. I am impressed.
As is typical, the spokesperson for the HCCC provides the standard response which reflects the HDI demands, as follows,
Confederacy spokesperson Hazel Hill said in the statement that Zimmer indicated “he might be prepared” to renew the protocol if the Confederacy took part in the talks with the county and band council and only if the discussions “resulted in a positive outcome.”
“The protocol was a good faith attempt to build a relationship between (the Confederacy) and Ontario and now it appears Ontario was simply using the Communications Protocol as a means to exercise control over the Haudenosaunee,” Hill said.
The Confederacy wants the meeting with Wynne to “repair the damage that has been done to our relationship” and establish a relationship that respects the treaty relationship between the Haudenosaunee and the Crown.
Unless the HDI get their "demands" met in toto, no negotiations, then, as we have learned from their earlier statements, there will be "grave consequences". If the Government gives into threats of this nature, then they will be used as a doormat for all times - until the Indian Act is revoked and the Reserves are dissolved - which is ultimately the only viable solution to a problem for which there is no other viable solution.
To get a sense of what the HCCC perspective is on the matter, from their publishing wing on Reserve, we can turn to the article in "Turtle Island News" of 20 August 2014 (p.2), entitled, Confederacy calls on Ontario premier Wynne to "rebuild trust". Apparently after the meeting with Minister Zimmer last Tuesday, which sparked a heated stalemate, ...... the Haudenosaunee Chiefs and clanmothers said they were "disappointed in the direction Ontario appears to be taking, in refusing to renew the two year old Communications Protocol between the Confederacy and Ontario".
Lets pause here and reflect on what is being said. Basically it is the same statement we have heard for some time now. Paraphrasing, the HCCC / HDI are saying we want to meet with Ontario only, no one else present, and under "our rules of engagement." The sheer gall and arrogance is mind boggling.
Much of the rest of the article is either a repetition of what we have heard recently, or what is included in "The Sachem". Some new words are entered into the mix, such as the HCCC, calling on Wynne to "help restore the 'fair and honest' communication process ............ ", but Ontario is insisting on, multi-party discussions to find long - term, sustainable solutions with regards to the DCE land. Well fancy that, and they are standing their ground too. Then "yawn" more of the same old same old. So lets turn to the inevitable Editorial which will reinforce the Six Nations (sorry, Haudenosaunee) position.
The Editorial (p.6) is entitled, Wynne hasn't kept her promise ..... and now she's too busy. I am not sure what "promise" the then Aboriginal Affairs Minister made. There was an ad hoc agreement, but "promise"?
Supposedly Premier Wynne said, two years ago, upon signing the document, that, "This communications framework represents building stronger and more sustainable relationships. I believe that the Confederacy can be a partner to help find a long-term solution for everyone. I wonder if the HCCC, the HDI, and the Editor have forgotten the word "partner", meaning one of many, not one - to - one. Therein lies the sticking point. Ontario refuses to see any viable solution coming from a unilateral meeting with just one faction - and that is what the HCCC / HDI is a faction. They don't speak for Six Nations, officially that is the role of the Six Nations Elected Council - but the HCCC / HDI are making a grab for power. If Ontario meets their "protocol" it will like saying, "we recognize you are the legitimate authority at Six Nations. That will never happen.
Apparently the agreement also included atavistic phrases from history which I know and understand, but with all due respect, I fail to see that someone who has not spent years studying Six Nations history and culture could appreciate the meaning of a phrase such as the wish to be, guided by the principals of peace, friendship and respect as embodied in the Two - Row Wampum and Silver Covenant Chain. So in all probability these words to an Ontario Minister are mere platitudes that have something to do with being good friends and honouring previous agreements.
In the view of the Editor, For the first time in its history, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs extended its nationhood security to include a new partner ..... Ontario.
Kathleen Wynne brought that air of trust with her. And the Chiefs agreed to trust. But where is she now? After a heated meeting with her Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, a clear about face on the idea of communications protocol has hit home.
So everything was all fine and dandy until the new Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Zimmer blundering in carrying a dose of reality. So Kathleen Wynne is now aware of what it really means to sign an agreement with the Confederacy without other parties in the matter being present - an acknowledgement of their sovereign rights to represent the Six Nations people. And now that the green energy park is underway, and the Confederacy is no longer needed, Now Ontario wants the Confederacy to know its place. And its place is to jump when Ontario's Minister of Aboriginal Affairs calls a meeting; they are to show up along with the band and council and county. That seems to be a pretty accurate assessment. However, The Confederacy is calling on Wynne to broker the peace that they feel Zimmer has broken. Good luck with that! Apparently the Chiefs are upset that Premier Wynne is "standing beside" Zimmer. What did they expect? Well I know, but I have my feet solidly placed on the ground of reality.
DeYo.
On 15 August 2014, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council (HCCC) called for a meeting with Premier Kathleen Wynne about the fence that crosses Thistlemoor Drive, and most particularly to try to strong arm her into accepting the temporary (it has expired) "protocol" which they had negotiated with her when she was Aboriginal Affairs Minister (but under vastly different circumstances). The article states as follows, with a review of recent events provided by the reporter,
The province did not support construction of the fence – labeling it unilateral action – and invited the Confederacy to be part of talks with Haldimand County and the Six Nations elected-band council to find “long term sustainable” solutions for the Argyle Street South property. Confederacy chiefs met with Zimmer in Ohsweken Tuesday, August 12.
Presently,
The hereditary government of Six Nations is calling for a meeting with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne following what it says was a disappointing meeting with Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Zimmer over the issue of a fence being built on land subject to a land claims dispute.
The meeting did not "go well" because Minister Zimmer had the audacity to request that all interested parties be present (Elected Council, and County of Haldimand). HCCC, through their enforcement wing the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI), insist that they will only meet with Ontario if no one else is present. To them, having the Elected Council present would be tantamount to admitting that the latter, the legally constituted authority since 1924 for acting on behalf of the Six Nations Band Members, had any authority. The HCCC are inflexible, in their mind's eye, despite reality, they are the only legitimate governing body on the Reserve. As the article states,
The Confederacy, which has been working on a resurgence of the traditional system, is most upset the province let a communications protocol between it and Ontario lapse after two years. The statement said Zimmer would not discuss renewal of the protocol, which was made when Wynne was Aboriginal Affairs minister.
The author of the article also gives a summary of the dispute over the Douglas Creek Estates (DCE) since 2006, saying,
Members of Six Nations occupied the site in 2006, claiming it was unsurrendered land. Ottawa says the land was surrendered in 1844. Talks between Ottawa, Queen’s Park and Six Nations broke off in 2009 and the situation has settled into a peaceful stalemate. The province bought the land off the developers in 2006 for $15.8 million.
It is interesting that the author, Daniel Nolan, is among the few to actually acknowledge the fact that Ottawa has consistently stated that the land was surrendered in 1844 - few in the media have ever been willing / able to state what is a correct fact about land ownership in relation to this matter. I am impressed.
As is typical, the spokesperson for the HCCC provides the standard response which reflects the HDI demands, as follows,
Confederacy spokesperson Hazel Hill said in the statement that Zimmer indicated “he might be prepared” to renew the protocol if the Confederacy took part in the talks with the county and band council and only if the discussions “resulted in a positive outcome.”
“The protocol was a good faith attempt to build a relationship between (the Confederacy) and Ontario and now it appears Ontario was simply using the Communications Protocol as a means to exercise control over the Haudenosaunee,” Hill said.
The Confederacy wants the meeting with Wynne to “repair the damage that has been done to our relationship” and establish a relationship that respects the treaty relationship between the Haudenosaunee and the Crown.
Unless the HDI get their "demands" met in toto, no negotiations, then, as we have learned from their earlier statements, there will be "grave consequences". If the Government gives into threats of this nature, then they will be used as a doormat for all times - until the Indian Act is revoked and the Reserves are dissolved - which is ultimately the only viable solution to a problem for which there is no other viable solution.
To get a sense of what the HCCC perspective is on the matter, from their publishing wing on Reserve, we can turn to the article in "Turtle Island News" of 20 August 2014 (p.2), entitled, Confederacy calls on Ontario premier Wynne to "rebuild trust". Apparently after the meeting with Minister Zimmer last Tuesday, which sparked a heated stalemate, ...... the Haudenosaunee Chiefs and clanmothers said they were "disappointed in the direction Ontario appears to be taking, in refusing to renew the two year old Communications Protocol between the Confederacy and Ontario".
Lets pause here and reflect on what is being said. Basically it is the same statement we have heard for some time now. Paraphrasing, the HCCC / HDI are saying we want to meet with Ontario only, no one else present, and under "our rules of engagement." The sheer gall and arrogance is mind boggling.
Much of the rest of the article is either a repetition of what we have heard recently, or what is included in "The Sachem". Some new words are entered into the mix, such as the HCCC, calling on Wynne to "help restore the 'fair and honest' communication process ............ ", but Ontario is insisting on, multi-party discussions to find long - term, sustainable solutions with regards to the DCE land. Well fancy that, and they are standing their ground too. Then "yawn" more of the same old same old. So lets turn to the inevitable Editorial which will reinforce the Six Nations (sorry, Haudenosaunee) position.
The Editorial (p.6) is entitled, Wynne hasn't kept her promise ..... and now she's too busy. I am not sure what "promise" the then Aboriginal Affairs Minister made. There was an ad hoc agreement, but "promise"?
Supposedly Premier Wynne said, two years ago, upon signing the document, that, "This communications framework represents building stronger and more sustainable relationships. I believe that the Confederacy can be a partner to help find a long-term solution for everyone. I wonder if the HCCC, the HDI, and the Editor have forgotten the word "partner", meaning one of many, not one - to - one. Therein lies the sticking point. Ontario refuses to see any viable solution coming from a unilateral meeting with just one faction - and that is what the HCCC / HDI is a faction. They don't speak for Six Nations, officially that is the role of the Six Nations Elected Council - but the HCCC / HDI are making a grab for power. If Ontario meets their "protocol" it will like saying, "we recognize you are the legitimate authority at Six Nations. That will never happen.
Apparently the agreement also included atavistic phrases from history which I know and understand, but with all due respect, I fail to see that someone who has not spent years studying Six Nations history and culture could appreciate the meaning of a phrase such as the wish to be, guided by the principals of peace, friendship and respect as embodied in the Two - Row Wampum and Silver Covenant Chain. So in all probability these words to an Ontario Minister are mere platitudes that have something to do with being good friends and honouring previous agreements.
In the view of the Editor, For the first time in its history, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs extended its nationhood security to include a new partner ..... Ontario.
Kathleen Wynne brought that air of trust with her. And the Chiefs agreed to trust. But where is she now? After a heated meeting with her Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, a clear about face on the idea of communications protocol has hit home.
So everything was all fine and dandy until the new Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Zimmer blundering in carrying a dose of reality. So Kathleen Wynne is now aware of what it really means to sign an agreement with the Confederacy without other parties in the matter being present - an acknowledgement of their sovereign rights to represent the Six Nations people. And now that the green energy park is underway, and the Confederacy is no longer needed, Now Ontario wants the Confederacy to know its place. And its place is to jump when Ontario's Minister of Aboriginal Affairs calls a meeting; they are to show up along with the band and council and county. That seems to be a pretty accurate assessment. However, The Confederacy is calling on Wynne to broker the peace that they feel Zimmer has broken. Good luck with that! Apparently the Chiefs are upset that Premier Wynne is "standing beside" Zimmer. What did they expect? Well I know, but I have my feet solidly placed on the ground of reality.
DeYo.
Saturday 16 August 2014
Haudenosaunee Leading the Way as Guardians of the Land - Spin Versus Reality
In the 13 August 2014 issue of "Turtle Island News" is a Letter to the Editor by W.E. entitled, Peoples Social Forum: help for attendees. The author notes that for those "Haudenosaunee" who can attend an upcoming "Social Forum", there is some gas money available.
The person: Now we get to the part that concerns me. I quote,
The convergence of allies includes students, unions, environmentalists, activists and thousands of ordinary individuals. We expect over 10,000 to attend. It's time to seize the future with Ongwehonweh leading the way. We seek to unite with all people on Turtle Island and to have our voices heard in directing change.
Translation, the "Social Forum", whose content can be see here, will include diverse topics as follows,
And the participants will doubtless include the usual Communist, Anarchist, Black Bloc, Unions, Solidarity with Six Nations, radical environmentalists, radical this and that, and a host of troublemakers - but "The Real People" (Canada's First Nations), involving groups from across Canada, will be leading the charge. As is typical, I would ask where the money is coming from - but one way or the other, it will be taxpayer funded (even if the HDI chip in, it will be with money extracted from taxpayers of Canada).
It should be noted that W.E. is in some respects a controversial figure. By chance yesterday I came across a blog posting which featured him and a number of his confreres. The information from this source maintains that W.E. is an activist that has been involved in a number of highly controversial "projects" such as shutting down Line 9, Enbridge's pipeline that will eventually bring domestic oil from Alberta to Eastern Canadian markets. Without this source, we would be dependent on highly unpredictable foreign producers such as those in Africa and the Middle East. To see what W.E. has been up to, based on this blog source, see here. As but one example, as a member of HDI and Men's Fire, W.E. allegedly said, in relation to the pressure put on Samsung to comply with the HDI "protocol",
“We issued a cease and desist order…. They refused to discuss with us. That night, word went out to our allies. With ten hours notice we had at least a hundred people [on the disputed site], some of whom are in this room. Samsung then negotiated with our Confederacy.”
W.E. appears to be proud of his role in extorting money from Samsung - surely the parallel with what occurs in Naples and Palermo is not unreasonable in this instance.
I have not looked up further activities of W.E. found on the Internet. My goal is not to focus on the person, but on the message.
The Message: Next comes the wishful thinking, fantasy driven, politically correct perspective as reflected in the content of the Letter to the Editor. The specific wording is,
We have lived on Turtle Island since time immemorial and we kept the land clean and free of destruction for centuries before contact.
In fact the aboriginal groups who practiced agriculture used a slash and burn approach and used so much wood, and exhausted the soil, to the point where every 10 to 20 years the village had to be moved. In addition, anyone who has been involved in archaeology (as I have) is well aware of the gigantic garbage middens associated with each village. The only reason that there was not more environmental damage was that the number of "Ongwehonweh" were relatively low. So "clean and free of destruction", that would be a fantasy.
Continuing with the content of the letter as follows,
We know this land intimately because we are people of the land and we are the land. We are guardians of the cycles of the land. If the land dies, we die.
That appears to be somewhat arrogant and skewed. The Six Nations - Haudenosaunee came to the Grand River in 1785, and the European Loyalists coming from the same area in what is today Upstate New York arrived in 1784. So how is it that the Six Nations possess some sort of connection with the land that is different from that of the descendants of the European-American Loyalists? In truth, there is little difference, however if one looks into the matter a little more carefully, the Haudenosaunee do not come out smelling of roses - they are often up to their ankles in garbage.
Present issues on the Reserve include the overflow of landfill sites and the lack of places to create new ones. This has caused the people to seek questionable alternatives such as the unproven technology of a Nova Scotia company who claims to be able to "disintegrate" waste material. Test runs of the unit installed on the Reserve have caused a lot of friction - and I have seen huge black clouds of smoke coming from that area which surely is not "environmentally friendly". In addition, at present there is virtually no recycling done at Six Nations - everything heads to landfill. In addition, the reality on Reserve is that there are old rusty cars and parts of stripped cars all over the Reserve. There are garbage piles on virtually every lot, usually at the woodlot line (as is the case with Euro-Canadian rural lots). Recently one member was chastised for allowing those working in construction to use his lot as a place to dump waste, including roofing material with nails. It was suggested by neighbours that he cease and desist - I don't know if that happened.
So in reality the Reserve is much like any rural Canadian area with material dumped haphazardly, but with some individuals being scrupulous in keeping their property clean. Thus I would ask those who chose to call themselves "land protectors", and asserting that they are the ones to act as leaders in this capacity across Canada, to look to your own backyard first. What you will see is disgusting - and you have the effrontery to lecture others on despoiling the land!
So is there any evidence on the ground that the Ongwehonweh are any different from other Canadians, in other words that they have a special link to land stewardship and spiritual aspects of their role? Apparently not, except in terms of perception. Many residents of Caledonia are light years ahead of many at Six Nations in the respect and care of the land. However, the facts don't generally stand in the way of a good story based on wishful thinking.
DeYo.
The person: Now we get to the part that concerns me. I quote,
The convergence of allies includes students, unions, environmentalists, activists and thousands of ordinary individuals. We expect over 10,000 to attend. It's time to seize the future with Ongwehonweh leading the way. We seek to unite with all people on Turtle Island and to have our voices heard in directing change.
Translation, the "Social Forum", whose content can be see here, will include diverse topics as follows,
- Climate: justice - responsibility - action
- Communication: media - language - arts
- Community: race - access - place
- Control: criminalization - surveillance - prisons
- Earth: land - air - water
- Economy: capitalism - crises - alternatives
- Food: sovereignty - access - production
- Gender: sexuality - patriarchy - socialization
- Governance & Democracy: representation - organization - decolonization
- Impoverishment: austerity - cuts - privatization
- International: solidarity - peace - justice
- Knowledge: education - access - alternatives
- Migration: mobility - borders - displacement
- Movements: intersectionality - alliances - solidarity
- Public services: quality - universality - access
- Spirit: ceremony - traditions - identity
- Work: precarity - deindustrialization - scarcity
And the participants will doubtless include the usual Communist, Anarchist, Black Bloc, Unions, Solidarity with Six Nations, radical environmentalists, radical this and that, and a host of troublemakers - but "The Real People" (Canada's First Nations), involving groups from across Canada, will be leading the charge. As is typical, I would ask where the money is coming from - but one way or the other, it will be taxpayer funded (even if the HDI chip in, it will be with money extracted from taxpayers of Canada).
It should be noted that W.E. is in some respects a controversial figure. By chance yesterday I came across a blog posting which featured him and a number of his confreres. The information from this source maintains that W.E. is an activist that has been involved in a number of highly controversial "projects" such as shutting down Line 9, Enbridge's pipeline that will eventually bring domestic oil from Alberta to Eastern Canadian markets. Without this source, we would be dependent on highly unpredictable foreign producers such as those in Africa and the Middle East. To see what W.E. has been up to, based on this blog source, see here. As but one example, as a member of HDI and Men's Fire, W.E. allegedly said, in relation to the pressure put on Samsung to comply with the HDI "protocol",
“We issued a cease and desist order…. They refused to discuss with us. That night, word went out to our allies. With ten hours notice we had at least a hundred people [on the disputed site], some of whom are in this room. Samsung then negotiated with our Confederacy.”
W.E. appears to be proud of his role in extorting money from Samsung - surely the parallel with what occurs in Naples and Palermo is not unreasonable in this instance.
I have not looked up further activities of W.E. found on the Internet. My goal is not to focus on the person, but on the message.
The Message: Next comes the wishful thinking, fantasy driven, politically correct perspective as reflected in the content of the Letter to the Editor. The specific wording is,
We have lived on Turtle Island since time immemorial and we kept the land clean and free of destruction for centuries before contact.
In fact the aboriginal groups who practiced agriculture used a slash and burn approach and used so much wood, and exhausted the soil, to the point where every 10 to 20 years the village had to be moved. In addition, anyone who has been involved in archaeology (as I have) is well aware of the gigantic garbage middens associated with each village. The only reason that there was not more environmental damage was that the number of "Ongwehonweh" were relatively low. So "clean and free of destruction", that would be a fantasy.
Continuing with the content of the letter as follows,
We know this land intimately because we are people of the land and we are the land. We are guardians of the cycles of the land. If the land dies, we die.
That appears to be somewhat arrogant and skewed. The Six Nations - Haudenosaunee came to the Grand River in 1785, and the European Loyalists coming from the same area in what is today Upstate New York arrived in 1784. So how is it that the Six Nations possess some sort of connection with the land that is different from that of the descendants of the European-American Loyalists? In truth, there is little difference, however if one looks into the matter a little more carefully, the Haudenosaunee do not come out smelling of roses - they are often up to their ankles in garbage.
Present issues on the Reserve include the overflow of landfill sites and the lack of places to create new ones. This has caused the people to seek questionable alternatives such as the unproven technology of a Nova Scotia company who claims to be able to "disintegrate" waste material. Test runs of the unit installed on the Reserve have caused a lot of friction - and I have seen huge black clouds of smoke coming from that area which surely is not "environmentally friendly". In addition, at present there is virtually no recycling done at Six Nations - everything heads to landfill. In addition, the reality on Reserve is that there are old rusty cars and parts of stripped cars all over the Reserve. There are garbage piles on virtually every lot, usually at the woodlot line (as is the case with Euro-Canadian rural lots). Recently one member was chastised for allowing those working in construction to use his lot as a place to dump waste, including roofing material with nails. It was suggested by neighbours that he cease and desist - I don't know if that happened.
So in reality the Reserve is much like any rural Canadian area with material dumped haphazardly, but with some individuals being scrupulous in keeping their property clean. Thus I would ask those who chose to call themselves "land protectors", and asserting that they are the ones to act as leaders in this capacity across Canada, to look to your own backyard first. What you will see is disgusting - and you have the effrontery to lecture others on despoiling the land!
So is there any evidence on the ground that the Ongwehonweh are any different from other Canadians, in other words that they have a special link to land stewardship and spiritual aspects of their role? Apparently not, except in terms of perception. Many residents of Caledonia are light years ahead of many at Six Nations in the respect and care of the land. However, the facts don't generally stand in the way of a good story based on wishful thinking.
DeYo.
Thursday 14 August 2014
Ontario Aboriginal Affairs Minister is Insulted and Lectured by the HDI / HCCC and their non-Native Legal Counsel
While it is far from a surprise, in but another of a series of arrogant and demanding episodes where the philosophy and the version of history that the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council (HCCC), and their enforcement / extortion arm the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI), put forward their own concocted version of history and showed no aversion to lecturing and insulting a high ranking government official. Ironically this is the one person whose favour they desperately need if they are to meet their (unrealistic) goal of obtaining the deed to the former Douglas Creek Estates (DCE). Of course that will never happen, and perhaps they are getting that sense, but the HCCC et al. have certainly ensured that all the doors are closed and all of the bridges are figuratively burned (the Stirling Street Bridge was literally burned by HCCC supporters in 2006).
The information here is just a continuation of previous postings about the refusal of the HCCC to meet with the Ontario Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs in the presence of the Chief of the Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC), and the Mayor of Haldimand County. The Ontario Government holds legal title to the DCE property, and the County holds legal title to the roads within DCE. The present issue revolves around the erection of a barrier across Surrey Street by HDI, and the illegal erection of a chain link fence along the northern side of the DCE property by HDI, blocking Thistlemore Street which is owned by Haldimand County.
An article in "Turtle Island News" (TIN) of 13 August 2014 (p.3), entitled, Minister Zimmer sparks testy statemate with Confederacy describes a very abrasive recent meeting between Ontario Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Zimmer and members of the HCCC. Things went from bad to worse and the Minister threatened to walk out (which I would have done had it been me). Here follow some of the specifics.
A) Meeting between the HCCC Chiefs, the HDI, and Minister Zimmer:
The headline illustrates the lack of objectivity shown by reporters and TIN. It reads,
Minister of Aboriginal Affairs David Zimmer, engaged in a finger pointing, shouting session that resulted in a testy statemate with the Confederacy Chiefs after a meeting between the two Tuesday.
The meeting was established to, discuss the controversial Kanonhstaton (former Douglas Creek Estates) fence that now stretches the entire northeast perimeter of the former housing development and a communications protocol that Zimmer's office has put on hold.
The meeting was held on Reserve, at the offices of the Grand River Employment and Training (GREAT) centre that houses among other offices the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chief's planning department the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (which to others is known as their enforcement and extortion department). Although the press was not allowed into this closed door meeting, it appears that TIN had precise and detailed information such that they could offer exact quotes. As I have noted before, TIN has shown itself to be the publishing wing of the HCCC, and thus their mouthpiece.
Apparently, The meeting, sources said, did not go well. The reason was of course the fact that Minister Zimmer was insisting that the HCCC / HDI, join the table with the Six Nations Band Council and Haldimand County Council. While this is a perfectly reasonable request, and would be gladly accepted by any group who was interested in negotiation, the HDI is only interested in dictating terms and does not consider the Elected Council to have any legitimacy at Six Nations, despite the fact that they are the only body recognized by the Federal Government as representing the Reserve community. While no one has ever suggested that the HCCC should not have input, the Government's position is that it should be via the Elected Council; while the HCCC believes that the Elected Council has no legitimacy and that only the HCCC has any authority to negotiate (or dictate terms) on behalf of the Six Nations Reserve.
The HCCC (hereditary Chiefs) did in fact have duties as the governing body at Six Nations until 1924 when, after multiple complaints from the more progressive members of the community over how dysfunctional this body was, the Federal Government "locked the doors to the Longhouse" and established an elected system. The Hereditary Chiefs and their supporters have to this day maintained that they are the only legitimate (based on the "Great Law" and the ancient traditions of the Six Nations - Haudenosaunee people) group to govern the Reserve. The obvious fact that they would drag the community back into the Stone Age if they were ever to replace the Elected Council is known to most, and obvious except to the HCCC and an unknown percent of the community who supports "the old order". It is not as simple as a division between the Longhouse faction and the better educated and acculturated Christian faction, but this is at least part of the complex web.
Those who wish to have a glimpse of what the circumstances were leading up to the dismantling of the Hereditary system by virtue of events from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, and the role of the "Warrior's Association" would be well advised to read the following book, which is based on exact transcripts from the Council Minutes and from information given by respected informants who were either Chiefs or strongly connected with these lineages:
John A. Noon, Law and Government of the Grand River Iroquois, Viking Fund Publications in Anthropology 12, New York, 1949
A second source indispensable to a study of the traditional - Longhouse faction and why the Hereditary system has not, and likely could not, become a viable governing unit based on work done in the 1950s and 60s, and again with a long list of respected Longhouse informants, is:
Annemarie A. Shimony, Conservatism Among the Iroquois at the Six Nations Reserve, Yale University Publications in Anthropology 65, New Haven, Conn., 1961.
Back to the substance of the recent meeting, sources said the minister threatened to leave and yelled and began pointing his finger at Confederacy legal advisor Aaron Detlor, who told the Minister forcing the Confederacy to the table with the band council and Haldimand County is "cultural genocide". Just as an indication as to where TIN is coming from, note that "Confederacy" is capitalized, whereas "band council" is not. It is important to note that the legal advisor is a non-Native who has orchestrated the legal maneuvering of the HDI since their emergence in 2006. One can only guess at his motives, but he is a member of the Upper Canada Law Society, in other words a lawyer licensed to practice law in Ontario, and subject to disbarment due to professional misconduct. He has been involved in a litany of actions which would call into question his standing within his profession, such as being charged for disobeying an Injunction from the Superior Court in Brantford in 2009 and 2010, and fined heavily - although whether the fine will ever be paid is questionable since it appears that the lawyer has transferred all his assets to the Reserve and hence the judicial system cannot go after anything on Reserve due to provisions of the Indian Act. However his lack of "Indian Status" could become problematic to him should someone chose to begin disbarment proceedings.
So it is more than a little odd to read that the lawyer, told the Minister "You are asking the Haudenosaunee to morally set aside who they are as a people to get into your discussions. That's cultural genocide". The Minister demanded he retract the statement. Detlor refused. Chief MacNaughton then told / reminded Minister Zimmer that, the purpose of the 2006 negotiating table was, to remove third party interests from Kanonhstaton (the former DCE). That statement is without any foundation whatsoever. The negotiations were about removing the barricade across Argyle Street and other issues related to the violent insurrection. Funny how a new truth can be concocted which simply reflects the thinking of the HCCC/HDI in 2014.
Then Chief MacNaughton gets down to the real matter of concern to the HCCC, acquiring full right and title to the DCE property without any involvement of the legal authority at the Six Nations Reserve, the Elected Band Council. He said, Ontario is in a position to revoke the application for a housing development and declare the road, a non-road. When Minister Zimmer said he was leaving the room to caucus Onondaga Chief Pete Skye told the Minister, "I am going to ask you to sit down". This unfathomable insult is so disrespectful, the Minister had every right to simply leave, with the awareness that nothing he said would be productive, and that if he stayed more insults were in store.
The rationale given by Skye for his statement was that, "Indian Agents have been trying since the 1800s to assimilate the Five Nations. I can tell you, they will never assimilate the Five Nations into a band system". First of all the "band system" has been the legal representative of the Six Nations community since 1924, but some have simply not accepted the reality and wish for the "good old days" (where they would have the power). Secondly, what happened to the Tuscaroras? There are Six Nations (since circa 1715) not Five Nations. Chief Skye does not know this - or did the reporter get it wrong?
Then, Onondaga clan mother Gloria Thomas asked Zimmer, "why would you ask us to go back to a process that doesn't work". The truth is that in 1924 the Hereditary Council was turfed out because it was by then dysfunctional and "didn't work".
Then Chief MacNaughton told Minister Zimmer that while he (Zimmer) was standing by the Ontario Land Registry system, they (the HCCC/HDI) were standing fast to their own land registry system, and, "We have registered Kanonhstaton under the Confederacy's land registry". The fact is that this land registry is without any legal footing, and it is doubtful that it actually exists except in the minds and hearts of the HCCC supporters. Cayuga Chief Blake Bomberry told the Minister "the Ontario land registry was built on theft, murder and coercion. Ontario stole the lands that's what the registry is made up of". Clearly someone has not done their homework. I have searched all of the records pertaining to the matter and nothing of the sort fits with reality, only with perception. So basically, people can make up a history which did not exist and likely there will be those who will believe it since actually searching the records is a tedious process and takes a vast amount of time - as I well know.
The Minister stuck to his guns and said that the HCCC is invited to the table with the Band Council and Haldimand County also participating; and the HCCC stuck to their guns and maintained that only if Ontario will, engage in the process we established can things move forward. This is how the matter was left - as if there was any other outcome expected in meeting with the HDI guided HCCC. At least Minister Zimmer can say that he did everything possible to enlist the cooperation of the HCCC. He tried, but was doomed to failure from the start.
As is often the case, the Editor of TIN feels compelled to add an Editorial which always (no exception I am aware of) supports the actions of the HCCC/HDI, and dismisses the position of any other party - particularly SNEC, the legally constituted governance body at the Reserve. Hence the Editorial on page 6 entitled, He came ..... he saw ..... he left ..... no answer. Here the Editor says that "finally" the Aboriginal Affairs Minister "came to town". "How nice of him". The Editor then reviews, in a very condescending way, the recent history involving the attempts by Ontario to address the fence situation and the efforts of Minister "Zimmerman" (his name is Zimmer). The attribution is that Minister Zimmer's efforts have been in an attempt to, divide Six Nations so Ontario would never have to see the power of a united Six Nations again, as it did in 2006. That is a really unique take on the facts of the matter.
The Editor alleges that, Zimmer has done everything he can to avoid meeting with the Confederacy Chiefs, cancelling meetings, demanding the fence around kanonhstaton come down, issuing warnings ... all over the fence and warning it was a security issues. The truth is that the Minister has bent over backward to try and get the HCCC to participate in the only type of meeting that anywhere in the world would be considered appropriate - one where all interested parties were present. So when the HCCC Chiefs refuse to attend this meeting, the Minister is accused of trying to do everything in his power to avoid them. The crux of the matter is that he had tried to follow normal protocol, not realizing that here there is a HDI protocol which must be adhered to despite the fact that it is arbitrary and not recognized as legal by anyone but themselves. The HCCC, and particularly the HDI, want Ontario to make an "executive decision", without consultation, and give the property to HCCC so it can be put in the HDI's fantasized land registry. This is entirely hypocritical since the HDI have a "consultation protocol" which is nothing more than a self - serving document to allow them total control of the proceedings. So when the Ontario Government wants "consultation" with all parties, they will see that the HCCC/HDI want no consultation, irrespective of what Ontario's "protocol" might be - as long as they get what they want which is DCE with no strings attached - and certainly no involvement of the legal authority at Six Nations, SNEC.
So the Minister eventually does meet with the HCCC and is then raked over the coals for doing so - his mistake, not simply handing over DCE to, not Six Nations, but the HDI so that it could be added to their land registry and so that they could benefit economically from the use of the land (someone has to pay for their non-Native attorney's expensive suits). I can be as snide and cynical as the Editor, but we take completely opposite sides in the matter. Since HDI will not negotiate, but will simply meet with Ontario as long as no other parties are present, and as long as the Minister agrees to give them the land free and clear of any encumbrances. Nothing else will do.
B) Update on the fence:
The Director of the HDI reported that the work at DCE would continue, via "instructions of our council". Who is leading whom in this scenario? Anyway, "the rehabilitation of the land" was continuing, with securing the property (which they don't own, but that is irrelevant), cutting the grass, clearing the weeds, planting trees and clearing an area of a pond. They will know that this effort to "improve" DCE ups their chances of laying a claim to it, and nothing but nothing will stop them. The rationale as to the fence is typical HDI - to help keep the peace since nasty Caledonians were exerting their right to walk on a County road. The fact is that HDI have already decided (well, it was decided back in 2006) that come what may, the property is theirs. There has been zero consultation with the general community at Six Nations, everything has been done arbitrarily based on their own concocted rationales.
The article ends with something of an out of place insertion about the OPP finding marijuana plants growing on a Thistlemore property abutting DCE, but that the person apparently has a license, but the license is set to expire in a few days - and a picture of one of the plants is added. Who knows why the focus on this irrelevant bit of trivia.
Welcome to the world of the HDI where arrogance, arbitrariness, and an attorney who is non-Native prevail and stand as a bulwark against any real progress. The only acceptable solution is to return to the facts. The land was legally ceded on 18 December 1844 by 47 Six Nations Chiefs in Council and never in their lifetime did they question the wisdom of what they had done. It takes the unwarranted actions of their descendants 170 years later to make false claims, and send our community into a tail spin. Enough. Time for action.
DeYo.
The information here is just a continuation of previous postings about the refusal of the HCCC to meet with the Ontario Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs in the presence of the Chief of the Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC), and the Mayor of Haldimand County. The Ontario Government holds legal title to the DCE property, and the County holds legal title to the roads within DCE. The present issue revolves around the erection of a barrier across Surrey Street by HDI, and the illegal erection of a chain link fence along the northern side of the DCE property by HDI, blocking Thistlemore Street which is owned by Haldimand County.
An article in "Turtle Island News" (TIN) of 13 August 2014 (p.3), entitled, Minister Zimmer sparks testy statemate with Confederacy describes a very abrasive recent meeting between Ontario Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Zimmer and members of the HCCC. Things went from bad to worse and the Minister threatened to walk out (which I would have done had it been me). Here follow some of the specifics.
A) Meeting between the HCCC Chiefs, the HDI, and Minister Zimmer:
The headline illustrates the lack of objectivity shown by reporters and TIN. It reads,
Minister of Aboriginal Affairs David Zimmer, engaged in a finger pointing, shouting session that resulted in a testy statemate with the Confederacy Chiefs after a meeting between the two Tuesday.
The meeting was established to, discuss the controversial Kanonhstaton (former Douglas Creek Estates) fence that now stretches the entire northeast perimeter of the former housing development and a communications protocol that Zimmer's office has put on hold.
The meeting was held on Reserve, at the offices of the Grand River Employment and Training (GREAT) centre that houses among other offices the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chief's planning department the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (which to others is known as their enforcement and extortion department). Although the press was not allowed into this closed door meeting, it appears that TIN had precise and detailed information such that they could offer exact quotes. As I have noted before, TIN has shown itself to be the publishing wing of the HCCC, and thus their mouthpiece.
Apparently, The meeting, sources said, did not go well. The reason was of course the fact that Minister Zimmer was insisting that the HCCC / HDI, join the table with the Six Nations Band Council and Haldimand County Council. While this is a perfectly reasonable request, and would be gladly accepted by any group who was interested in negotiation, the HDI is only interested in dictating terms and does not consider the Elected Council to have any legitimacy at Six Nations, despite the fact that they are the only body recognized by the Federal Government as representing the Reserve community. While no one has ever suggested that the HCCC should not have input, the Government's position is that it should be via the Elected Council; while the HCCC believes that the Elected Council has no legitimacy and that only the HCCC has any authority to negotiate (or dictate terms) on behalf of the Six Nations Reserve.
The HCCC (hereditary Chiefs) did in fact have duties as the governing body at Six Nations until 1924 when, after multiple complaints from the more progressive members of the community over how dysfunctional this body was, the Federal Government "locked the doors to the Longhouse" and established an elected system. The Hereditary Chiefs and their supporters have to this day maintained that they are the only legitimate (based on the "Great Law" and the ancient traditions of the Six Nations - Haudenosaunee people) group to govern the Reserve. The obvious fact that they would drag the community back into the Stone Age if they were ever to replace the Elected Council is known to most, and obvious except to the HCCC and an unknown percent of the community who supports "the old order". It is not as simple as a division between the Longhouse faction and the better educated and acculturated Christian faction, but this is at least part of the complex web.
Those who wish to have a glimpse of what the circumstances were leading up to the dismantling of the Hereditary system by virtue of events from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, and the role of the "Warrior's Association" would be well advised to read the following book, which is based on exact transcripts from the Council Minutes and from information given by respected informants who were either Chiefs or strongly connected with these lineages:
John A. Noon, Law and Government of the Grand River Iroquois, Viking Fund Publications in Anthropology 12, New York, 1949
A second source indispensable to a study of the traditional - Longhouse faction and why the Hereditary system has not, and likely could not, become a viable governing unit based on work done in the 1950s and 60s, and again with a long list of respected Longhouse informants, is:
Annemarie A. Shimony, Conservatism Among the Iroquois at the Six Nations Reserve, Yale University Publications in Anthropology 65, New Haven, Conn., 1961.
Back to the substance of the recent meeting, sources said the minister threatened to leave and yelled and began pointing his finger at Confederacy legal advisor Aaron Detlor, who told the Minister forcing the Confederacy to the table with the band council and Haldimand County is "cultural genocide". Just as an indication as to where TIN is coming from, note that "Confederacy" is capitalized, whereas "band council" is not. It is important to note that the legal advisor is a non-Native who has orchestrated the legal maneuvering of the HDI since their emergence in 2006. One can only guess at his motives, but he is a member of the Upper Canada Law Society, in other words a lawyer licensed to practice law in Ontario, and subject to disbarment due to professional misconduct. He has been involved in a litany of actions which would call into question his standing within his profession, such as being charged for disobeying an Injunction from the Superior Court in Brantford in 2009 and 2010, and fined heavily - although whether the fine will ever be paid is questionable since it appears that the lawyer has transferred all his assets to the Reserve and hence the judicial system cannot go after anything on Reserve due to provisions of the Indian Act. However his lack of "Indian Status" could become problematic to him should someone chose to begin disbarment proceedings.
So it is more than a little odd to read that the lawyer, told the Minister "You are asking the Haudenosaunee to morally set aside who they are as a people to get into your discussions. That's cultural genocide". The Minister demanded he retract the statement. Detlor refused. Chief MacNaughton then told / reminded Minister Zimmer that, the purpose of the 2006 negotiating table was, to remove third party interests from Kanonhstaton (the former DCE). That statement is without any foundation whatsoever. The negotiations were about removing the barricade across Argyle Street and other issues related to the violent insurrection. Funny how a new truth can be concocted which simply reflects the thinking of the HCCC/HDI in 2014.
Then Chief MacNaughton gets down to the real matter of concern to the HCCC, acquiring full right and title to the DCE property without any involvement of the legal authority at the Six Nations Reserve, the Elected Band Council. He said, Ontario is in a position to revoke the application for a housing development and declare the road, a non-road. When Minister Zimmer said he was leaving the room to caucus Onondaga Chief Pete Skye told the Minister, "I am going to ask you to sit down". This unfathomable insult is so disrespectful, the Minister had every right to simply leave, with the awareness that nothing he said would be productive, and that if he stayed more insults were in store.
The rationale given by Skye for his statement was that, "Indian Agents have been trying since the 1800s to assimilate the Five Nations. I can tell you, they will never assimilate the Five Nations into a band system". First of all the "band system" has been the legal representative of the Six Nations community since 1924, but some have simply not accepted the reality and wish for the "good old days" (where they would have the power). Secondly, what happened to the Tuscaroras? There are Six Nations (since circa 1715) not Five Nations. Chief Skye does not know this - or did the reporter get it wrong?
Then, Onondaga clan mother Gloria Thomas asked Zimmer, "why would you ask us to go back to a process that doesn't work". The truth is that in 1924 the Hereditary Council was turfed out because it was by then dysfunctional and "didn't work".
Then Chief MacNaughton told Minister Zimmer that while he (Zimmer) was standing by the Ontario Land Registry system, they (the HCCC/HDI) were standing fast to their own land registry system, and, "We have registered Kanonhstaton under the Confederacy's land registry". The fact is that this land registry is without any legal footing, and it is doubtful that it actually exists except in the minds and hearts of the HCCC supporters. Cayuga Chief Blake Bomberry told the Minister "the Ontario land registry was built on theft, murder and coercion. Ontario stole the lands that's what the registry is made up of". Clearly someone has not done their homework. I have searched all of the records pertaining to the matter and nothing of the sort fits with reality, only with perception. So basically, people can make up a history which did not exist and likely there will be those who will believe it since actually searching the records is a tedious process and takes a vast amount of time - as I well know.
The Minister stuck to his guns and said that the HCCC is invited to the table with the Band Council and Haldimand County also participating; and the HCCC stuck to their guns and maintained that only if Ontario will, engage in the process we established can things move forward. This is how the matter was left - as if there was any other outcome expected in meeting with the HDI guided HCCC. At least Minister Zimmer can say that he did everything possible to enlist the cooperation of the HCCC. He tried, but was doomed to failure from the start.
As is often the case, the Editor of TIN feels compelled to add an Editorial which always (no exception I am aware of) supports the actions of the HCCC/HDI, and dismisses the position of any other party - particularly SNEC, the legally constituted governance body at the Reserve. Hence the Editorial on page 6 entitled, He came ..... he saw ..... he left ..... no answer. Here the Editor says that "finally" the Aboriginal Affairs Minister "came to town". "How nice of him". The Editor then reviews, in a very condescending way, the recent history involving the attempts by Ontario to address the fence situation and the efforts of Minister "Zimmerman" (his name is Zimmer). The attribution is that Minister Zimmer's efforts have been in an attempt to, divide Six Nations so Ontario would never have to see the power of a united Six Nations again, as it did in 2006. That is a really unique take on the facts of the matter.
The Editor alleges that, Zimmer has done everything he can to avoid meeting with the Confederacy Chiefs, cancelling meetings, demanding the fence around kanonhstaton come down, issuing warnings ... all over the fence and warning it was a security issues. The truth is that the Minister has bent over backward to try and get the HCCC to participate in the only type of meeting that anywhere in the world would be considered appropriate - one where all interested parties were present. So when the HCCC Chiefs refuse to attend this meeting, the Minister is accused of trying to do everything in his power to avoid them. The crux of the matter is that he had tried to follow normal protocol, not realizing that here there is a HDI protocol which must be adhered to despite the fact that it is arbitrary and not recognized as legal by anyone but themselves. The HCCC, and particularly the HDI, want Ontario to make an "executive decision", without consultation, and give the property to HCCC so it can be put in the HDI's fantasized land registry. This is entirely hypocritical since the HDI have a "consultation protocol" which is nothing more than a self - serving document to allow them total control of the proceedings. So when the Ontario Government wants "consultation" with all parties, they will see that the HCCC/HDI want no consultation, irrespective of what Ontario's "protocol" might be - as long as they get what they want which is DCE with no strings attached - and certainly no involvement of the legal authority at Six Nations, SNEC.
So the Minister eventually does meet with the HCCC and is then raked over the coals for doing so - his mistake, not simply handing over DCE to, not Six Nations, but the HDI so that it could be added to their land registry and so that they could benefit economically from the use of the land (someone has to pay for their non-Native attorney's expensive suits). I can be as snide and cynical as the Editor, but we take completely opposite sides in the matter. Since HDI will not negotiate, but will simply meet with Ontario as long as no other parties are present, and as long as the Minister agrees to give them the land free and clear of any encumbrances. Nothing else will do.
B) Update on the fence:
The Director of the HDI reported that the work at DCE would continue, via "instructions of our council". Who is leading whom in this scenario? Anyway, "the rehabilitation of the land" was continuing, with securing the property (which they don't own, but that is irrelevant), cutting the grass, clearing the weeds, planting trees and clearing an area of a pond. They will know that this effort to "improve" DCE ups their chances of laying a claim to it, and nothing but nothing will stop them. The rationale as to the fence is typical HDI - to help keep the peace since nasty Caledonians were exerting their right to walk on a County road. The fact is that HDI have already decided (well, it was decided back in 2006) that come what may, the property is theirs. There has been zero consultation with the general community at Six Nations, everything has been done arbitrarily based on their own concocted rationales.
The article ends with something of an out of place insertion about the OPP finding marijuana plants growing on a Thistlemore property abutting DCE, but that the person apparently has a license, but the license is set to expire in a few days - and a picture of one of the plants is added. Who knows why the focus on this irrelevant bit of trivia.
Welcome to the world of the HDI where arrogance, arbitrariness, and an attorney who is non-Native prevail and stand as a bulwark against any real progress. The only acceptable solution is to return to the facts. The land was legally ceded on 18 December 1844 by 47 Six Nations Chiefs in Council and never in their lifetime did they question the wisdom of what they had done. It takes the unwarranted actions of their descendants 170 years later to make false claims, and send our community into a tail spin. Enough. Time for action.
DeYo.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)