Mainstream Media December 2006

December, 2006

Monday, December 4^th: Over the weekend, the OPP prevented a group of non-Aboriginal people from mounting a number of Canadian flags outside the Douglas Creek Estates, telling the group that such an act could jeopardize the fragile peace in the area (Dana Brown: HS A9, KWR A4).

Wednesday, December 6^th: In a telephone interview, OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino made no apologies for OPP handling of the volatile standoff at Douglas Creek Estates, despite a $25 million policing bill and suggestions his officers are using a double standard. He also stood up for the way his officers handled the latest skirmish between the occupiers and towns people, which occurred on the weekend when local citizens tried to display Canadian flags and yellow ribbons near the protested lands. The OPP ordered them to remove the flags, even though residents said they were on public lands (Paul Legall: HS A1).

Sunday, December 10^th: A number of Aboriginal leaders have said Canadian should expect increased displays of Aboriginal defiance in the upcoming year. Leaders suggested that the dispute in Caledonia, Ont., may be the tipping point for decades of simmering Aboriginal anger. Ontario regional chief Angus Toulouse pointed out that there are 1,000 outstanding land claims across Canada which could trigger a reaction similar to that of the Six Nations in Caledonia (Chinta Puxley: EJ A7).

Monday, December 11^th: A peaceful demonstration was conducted Saturday by supporters of Trevor Miller, a Six Nations man arrested in connection with violent incidents near the former Douglas Creek Estates. Approximately 30 demonstrators gathered outside the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre where they called for the release of Mr. Miller from the facility (HS A9).

Thursday, December 14^th: Haldimand County Mayor Marie Trainer pleaded with Gary McHale to cancel another planned march in Caledonia this Saturday near the site of the Six Nations occupation. Mr. McHale dismissed Ms. Trainer's comments and said he is not advocating trouble. He said he wants to demonstrate his belief Aboriginal people are being treated differently from non-Aboriginals by the OPP and new commissioner Julian Fantino. Meanwhile, negotiations are set to resume today between the federal and Ontario governments and the Six Nations Confederacy to try to resolve the occupation (Daniel Nolan: HS A14).

Mayor Trainer is anxiously awaiting a crucial ruling by the Ontario Court of Appeal that could have a critical impact on the occupation. The court will issue a decision this morning on the legality of a ruling by Justice T. David Marshall of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice that found that the continued occupation of the site is illegal and ordered it cleared. Ms. Trainer said she hoped “they will rule in Judge Marshall's favour.” In the legislature yesterday, when Conservative Leader John Tory asked Mr. McGuinty if he would keep his word and end the occupation by Christmas, the Premier accused him of being “eager to pour gasoline on the situation” (James Rusk: G&M A19).

Friday, December 15^th: The Ontario Court of Appeal ruled in favour of allowing Six Nations protestors to continue occupying the disputed site in Caledonia. The decision was criticized by Haldimand County Mayor Marie Trainer, who said the decision shows Aboriginals are above the law. She added that she had hoped the appeals court would uphold the lower court order to halt negotiations until the occupiers cleared off the land. The appeal court ruled Thursday that Justice David Marshall "erred" when he said the Aboriginals had made a mockery of the rule of law by refusing to vacate the site and suggested negotiations should be suspended. The court found that the occupiers are no longer on the land illegally because the province bought it and does not object to the occupation. Ontario Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Ramsay said the ruling is a vindication of the province's approach to the occupation. He added Aboriginal people should be treated differently (Chinta Puxley: TSun 12 and WStar C1; Jessica Leeder: TStar A11; Kirk Makin: G&M A17; Marissa Nelson: HS A9; CP: CG A9 and Gaz A17, VTC A6, LFP B12, MT&T C1).

Now that the continued occupation has been found to be legal by the Ontario Court of Appeal, both sides in the dispute said negotiators must step up their efforts to resolve central issues. Mayor Trainer said she hoped “that the couple of claims that no one is disputing get resolved, and that will, hopefully, prove to the Natives that everyone is serious about resolving all the claims.” If that were to happen, the mayor is hopeful that the occupation would end. Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said his government is now waiting for the federal government to bring a “substantive proposal to the table” regarding the land claim (James Rusk and Mary Gazze: G&M A17).

The federal Department of Justice is still reviewing a Six Nations claim that it never surrendered the land on the disputed Douglas Creek Estates. The Six Nations Confederacy presented federal officials last month with an 80-page report on its claim for the site. It was expected Ottawa would file a response Thursday as talks at the main negotiation table resumed, but federal officials have promised to present Six Nations with a formal written response before the next meeting on January 11 (HS A9).

OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino strongly criticized plans for a weekend protest at Douglas Creek Estates. Commissioner Fantino said the planned event, ostensibly billed as a “support our troops” rally, is nothing more than a clever way for organizers to set up a mood for disorder. He said the plan is intended to make police look like they are playing favourites, are against the troops and are not being constitutional (Joe Warmington: TSun 12).

Saturday, December 16^th: A demonstration scheduled for Saturday morning only feet away from the Six Nations occupation in Caledonia has increased fears of a showdown between demonstrators who plan to hang Canadian flags near the disputed land and Six Nations occupiers. David Ramsay, Ontario’s minister responsible for Aboriginal affairs, stated: “This is most counterproductive and, in fact, potentially dangerous” (TSun 4).

Columnist Lee Prokaska: The impact of the Ontario appeal court’s action this week has not been totally negative. In effect, it legitimizes the Ontario government’s strategy in negotiating with Aboriginal representatives about the disputed land in Caledonia (Lee Prokaska: HS A22).

Sunday, December 17^th: The OPP arrested Gary McHale of Richmond Hill and Mark Vandermaas of London during a demonstration Saturday near the site of the Six Nations occupation in Caledonia (Alan Cairns: TSun 11; John Miner: LFP 1; Ctz A9).

Monday, December 18^th: Approximately 30 people protesting against the Six Nations occupation in Caledonia said Sunday that a local house has been trashed, with such graffiti as swear words and “Racist go home” scrawled on the walls. The OPP have indicated they are treating the incident as a break and enter (CP: WStar A10, Gaz A12, LFP C4, Ctz A5, CSun 10, KWR A4, HCH A3, SJT A5, VTC A5, KWS 9, EJ A5, MT&T B7, NBTJ A3; Sharon Boase: HS A1).

OPP detained a non-Aboriginal man on Sunday from taking down a Mohawk Warriors flag near the site of the Six Nations occupation. According to sources, the man was upset over alleged vandalism to a house in Caledonia (HS A10).

Tuesday, December 19^th: Following his release from jail, Mark Vandermaas told reporters that it is time for the creation of a new political party designed to deal with Aboriginal people. Mr. Vandermaas, who was arrested Saturday during a demonstration in Caledonia, accused the OPP of implementing two-tier justice in dealing with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people involved in the Caledonia dispute. Six Nations spokesperson Hazel Hill agreed that a two-tier justice system is being implemented in Caledonia - one that is slanted against Aboriginal people. Ms. Hill pointed out that when non-Aboriginal people have been arrested, they have been released unconditionally but that when Six Nations members have been arrested, they have been charged and bail has been set exceedingly high (John Miner: LFP B1).

Approximately 30 people took part in a demonstration outside the Ontario attorney-general’s office in Toronto to demand the release of Trevor Miller, who was jailed in August after being accused of assaulting two members of a television crew near the occupation site in Caledonia. Demonstrators described Mr. Miller as a “political prisoner” being kept behind bars to deter other Aboriginal People from standing up for their land rights (Chinta Puxley: TSun 31, Gaz A12, WStar C1, KWS 16).

Wednesday, December 20^th: Ontario Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Ramsay said Tuesday that compensation cheques are to be mailed out in the next few months to residents who have suffered while living with the Six Nations occupation in Caledonia (Chinta Puxley: G&M A17, TStar A8; Paul Legall: HS A12; CP: KWR A4, KWS 11).

A poll conducted by SES Research/Osprey Media has found that only one in ten citizens of Ontario blame the Caledonia land dispute on Six Nations occupiers. Rather, according to the polls, 40% of respondents blame either or both the provincial and federal governments for the standoff. Nik Nanos, president of SES Research, told reporters: “There is lots of blame for everyone, but I think it would be fair to say at this point that the people that Ontarians blame the least are the Six Nations band, compared to the federal and provincial governments” (James Wallace: KWS 8).

Thursday, December 21^st: Editorial taken from the St. Catherine’s Standard: Ontario's government was quite pleased with itself after last week's court ruling on the standoff in Caledonia. While land negotiations drag out in the backrooms, people on both sides of this dispute are living a different reality every day - a reality of tension teetering on the brink of violence. It is shameful that the province would be proud of this record, and feel vindicated that it is doing the right thing. The people of Caledonia - and Six Nations for that matter - have every right to expect to live their daily lives without fear of vandalism, assault or worse. The rule of law is paramount in Canada's society and must be upheld (TStar A28).

Wednesday, December 27^th: Lee Prokaska: The Spectator's editorial board has consistently advocated negotiation as the only way to achieve a lasting and peaceful solution to the standoff in Caledonia. There is no question the residents of Caledonia have been caught in the jaws of a historically complicated dispute between Aboriginals and government. There is no question that local people on both sides of this dispute hoped for a speedy resolution to reduce tensions in the community. Those at the bargaining table must move into 2007 determined to resolve this painful impasse. That is in everyone's best interest (HS A18).

Saturday, December 30^th: Brantford Expositor editorial: A recent poll has given a clear indication that it has come time for Canada’s federal and provincial governments to take a new look at how they handle First Nations land claims. According to the SES Research/Osprey Media survey, 40% of Ontarians blame either the federal or provincial government or both for the development dispute in Caledonia. The federal government must commit more effort to resolving these issues. There must be real, tangible moves made toward finding solutions to the many problems causing these disputes (BE A19).