Mainstream Media October 2006

October, 2006

Tuesday, October 3^rd: Gary and Christine McHale of Richmond Hill, co-organizers of the controversial “March for Freedom,” scheduled for Oct. 15, announced Monday that the rally will be held at the Caledonia fairgrounds instead of being directed toward the occupied Douglas Creek Estates. Six Nations spokesperson Janie Jamieson called Mr. and Mrs. McHale instigators rather than people looking for an amicable resolution to the current dispute (Marissa Nelson: HS A7; CP: LFP B3).

Letter writer Damien Ciotti, Hamilton: It is unfair to expect Caledonia citizens to put up with intimidation and fear while Aboriginal protesters continue to flout the law in front of police. The government has bought the land from the developers to compensate them for their millions in losses, but what about those who were not involved but were affected? For their losses, the government should help the town and people of Caledonia (HS A14).

Saturday, October 7^th: A number of non-Aboriginal citizens living near the site of the Six Nations occupation in Caledonia have erected U.S. flags in protest of the ongoing dispute. According to Ken Hewitt, a member of the Caledonia Citizens Alliance, people are fed up because their federal government has not supported them (Marissa Nelson: HS A14, KWR A3).

Wednesday, October 11^th: Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty has condemned a rally, dubbed the “March for Freedom,” scheduled for this weekend in Caledonia. However, Ontario Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Ramsay, despite sharing Mr. McGuinty’s opinion that the rally is a bad idea, has said he will not seek an injunction to halt the rally. Rally organizer Gary McHale said he is expecting 20,000 Ontarians to take part in the Sunday rally (Antonella Artuso: TSun 25, OSun 12; Chinta Puxley: HS A11, LFP B4; WStar B1; April Lindgren: VProv A16, Ctz A4, NP A9; CP: KWR A3).

Thursday, October 12^th: Haldimand County Mayor Marie Trainer said she is prepared to declare a state of emergency in Caledonia this weekend after the Ontario government said it will not stop a potentially dangerous rally and is counting on police to prevent bloodshed. Mayor Trainer said she will be on standby and hopes rain might deter people from participating in the rally. The rally has been organized to protest the ongoing Aboriginal occupation and is to include a march on the disputed land. The Six Nations occupiers have asked supporters to pressure the government to block the rally for fear it could spark more violent clashes, but Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Ramsay said the government has done everything it can. He said the province has asked rally organizers to stay away from the site (Marissa Nelson: HS A11; CP: WFP A8, WSun 20, HDN 9, Gaz A12, HCH A11, KWR A3).

Premier Dalton McGuinty encouraged organizers of the Caledonia rally to protest on the front lawn of Queen’s Park rather than at the site. Rally organizer Gary McHale turned down the invitation, saying “Politicians won’t pay attention unless we go to Caledonia. That’s the only reason they’re talking about it.” Meanwhile, Minister Ramsay said few people will want to attend an event where there is such potential for violence (Antonella Artuso: TSun 10, LFP A10).

Kingston Whig-Standard editorial: Holding a rally against the occupation makes about as much sense as flicking a lit cigarette into a bone-dry forest during the heat of summer. There has been a peaceful lull recently on and around the disputed land, as negotiations continue. To bring in a protest, organized by people outside the community, would only serve to rekindle hostilities (KWS 4).

Friday, October 13^th: New OPP commissioner Julian Fantino said Thursday he needs time to educate himself on the issues surrounding the Caledonia occupation. He accepted that officers’ morale has declined because of the dispute. OPPA president Karl Walsh said morale has declined because officers feel they are not being allowed to enforce the law because of fears the protest might turn violent (Antonella Artuso: TSun 4; Murray Campbell: G&M A10; April Lindgren: NP A11 and WStar C1; Betsy Powell: TStar A4; CP: HS A3).

Ontario Minister of Aboriginal Affairs David Ramsay said people who participate in the rally in Caledonia Sunday are “putting their lives at risk.” Mr. Ramsay called march organizer Gary McHale and offered the grounds of Queen’s Park as a venue for the protest. Mr. McHale declined the offer, saying it would be useless to march there. Mr. McHale also met with the OPP Thursday to discuss different options. Mr. Ramsay stressed that the people on the land have a sincere belief that the land is theirs as part of the unresolved Plank Road land claim. Six Nations spokeswoman Janie Jamieson said they expect their own supporters to be at the site on Sunday. Haldimand Mayor Marie Trainer expressed her concern that marching to the former Douglas Creek Estates would be “asking for a fight.” Mayor Trainer said she agrees with Mr. McHale’s stance that there's a “two-tier” justice system but still does not want him going near the site (Marissa Nelson: HS A12).

Rally organizer Gary McHale said he hopes to draw further attention to the Caledonia issue by leading 20,000 people onto the site, a move he expects the OPP to attempt to repel. That, he said, will prove Aboriginals are permitted to gather on the disputed land, while non-Aboriginals are not (Kelly Patrick: NP A6).

A Hamilton Spectator poll asked: Should protest rallies be allowed to take place on or near the occupied Douglas Creek Estates property in Caledonia? Sixty-nine percent voted yes, 31 percent voted no (HS A15).

Toronto Star editorial: Effective, progressive OPP leadership is vital, especially now. The OPP patrols vast areas of this province, including districts where the population is largely poor and Aboriginal. That is a huge challenge. The force is under much pressure over its handling of the ongoing standoff in Caledonia. The choice of Julian Fantino is a troubling one. Premier McGuinty must do better in explaining why the person he approved to take command of the OPP is the same man who was no longer deemed the best choice for Toronto (TStar A22).

Columnist Lorne Gunter: As has been the case with so much else in the Caledonia dispute, the government of Premier Dalton McGuinty does not have the backbone to seek an injunction against this weekend’s rally, even though they believe it will almost certainly lead to bodily injury and property damage. For months now, the Ontario government has done everything it can to ignore court orders calling for the occupiers to leave the site, so it cannot very well now ask for a court order to keep non-Aboriginals away, even if it is certain their presence will provoke violence. All along, this dispute has been about the rule of law. By not defending that rule when it had the chance, the Ontario government is left to hope this weekend that Caledonia will not descend into mob rule (NP A16).

Columnist Lee Prokaska: Purposely creating a situation with such potential to degenerate into violence is simply irresponsible. Tension is already thick in Caledonia. Exacerbating that tension is ill-conceived and counter-productive. It is all too easy to poke with a sharp stick if Caledonia is not your home, if you do not have to live with the outcomes on an ongoing basis, if you can drive away to a peaceful town after setting off the fireworks. Local people must live with the aftermath, and local people have a choice. Getting involved in such a patently provocative plan makes no sense at all. Boycotting this event, refusing to legitimize it by participating - that is the wise way to go (HS A14).

Columnist Gerald Owen warned that diversity can be divisive, citing the situation in Caledonia as an example (NP A19).

Letters to the editor concerning this weekend’s rally: (HS A14).

Saturday, October 14^th: Residents of Caledonia were getting ready for a potentially violent showdown Sunday amid plans for a march on the Six Nations occupation site by a group of non-Aboriginal people. The proposed rally, organized for this weekend by Richmond Hill residents Gary and Christine McHale, has resulted in the cancellation of sporting events, the closure of the town’s arena, and has left many business owners contemplating closing their doors on Sunday. Six Nations occupiers have indicated that they will host a “potluck for peace” at the occupation site at the same time as the rally. Occupiers have also indicated their intention to “secure” their site boundaries (Chinta Puxley: CH A15).

A spokesperson for the OPP said Friday that the police force will act to prevent those taking part in the proposed rally from entering the Six Nations occupied site (John Miner: LFP A1).

Even local organizations opposed to the Six Nations occupation in Caledonia have voiced their opposition to the proposed rally. Ken Hewitt, the representative of a local citizens group, criticized the organizers of the event, stating that the execution of it will be “questionable at best” (Marissa Nelson: HS A9).

Phil Fontaine, AFN National Chief: The Assembly of First Nations has great confidence in the ongoing negotiations between Six Nations and representatives of the federal and provincial governments in regards to disputed land at Caledonia, Ont. As for the protest march planned for Sunday, we hope the media, the public and the government pay as little attention as possible. Instead, we commend the people of Six Nations for organizing a Potluck for Peace Picnic on the same day (NP A17).

Letter writer Lisa W. Parent stated Premier Dalton McGuinty should be ashamed for subjecting Caledonia to the OPP who clearly put the Aboriginal occupiers ahead of the taxpaying citizens of the town. She added: “I guess we are not important to him in his re-election” (HS A20).

Letter writer Denise Dicy: In the name of peace, community and humanity, instead of stirring the pot this weekend, support the Six Nations Confederacy’s call to the Canadian government to provide responsible and accountable governance (HS A20).

Sunday, October 15^th: Despite opposition from the OPP and the government of Ontario, rally organizer Gary McHale has remained adamant that the rally will proceed as planned (Natalie Pona: TSun 16).

Monday, October 16^th: Police arrested three men involved in the rally held Sunday in Caledonia, and managed to prevent anyone taking part in the rally from crossing onto the Six Nations occupied site. Approximately 500 people were reported to have taken part in the rally, which was organized in protest of what organizers called a “two-tier” justice system currently being employed in the Caledonia dispute (John Miner: LFP A1, TSun 3; Gregory Bonnell: G&M A8; Kelly Patrick: NP A4, WStar B1, CH A6; Rob Faulkner: HS A1; Sharon Boase & Rob Faulkner: HS A9; CP: Gaz A13, ESun 7, OSun 12, VTC A8, HDN 9, CSun 17).

The Hamilton Spectator published an account of various happenings around Caledonia in relation to the Sunday rally (HS A9).

Tuesday, October 17^th: Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty praised the work of OPP officers who stood guard on Sunday at the disputed land site in Caledonia while opponents of the Six Nations occupation held a rally. Mr. McGuinty said that, while he understands the frustration of Caledonian residents, the Six Nations land claim has been 150 years in the making and will not be resolved in a matter of months. Ontario PC leader John Tory was critical of the Premier for failing to impose reasonable conditions on the Six Nations occupiers (Antonella Artuso: TSun 9).

National Post editorial: The rally in Caledonia this weekend highlighted the iniquitous way in which the law is being applied in this standoff. While police were keeping non-Aboriginal marchers away from the housing development site, Aboriginal squatters and their supporters held a potluck picnic there, despite three judicial injunctions ordering them off. As has been the case since this dispute turned violent last April, the OPP have been called on to make sure non-Aboriginal People obey the law, while simultaneously being politically hamstrung from ensuring Aboriginal People do the same (NP A14).

Ottawa Sun editorial: We worry that all hell will break loose before the dispute in Caledonia is resolved. And when it does, we wonder how Ontario Premier McGuinty and his buddies at Queen's Park will be able to look in the mirror. The simple fact that we are now eight months into the standoff tells us all we need to know about the leadership abilities of the current provincial government. Instead of insisting that the law be applied equally and evenly to all Ontario residents last February, when Aboriginal People illegally occupied the housing development site, the government stood meekly aside (OSun 14).

Columnist Lee Prosaka: Most Caledonia residents showed good sense in ignoring Sunday's rally in Caledonia. There is no doubt Caledonia residents are upset about the continued occupation of the disputed land. Caledonia residents need to feel someone in authority cares about what is happening to them (HS A14).

Wednesday, October 18^th: Premier Dalton McGuinty turned down an offer to stay in a Caledonia home to experience the Six Nations occupation first hand, telling reporters Tuesday, “I have not chosen to go to Caledonia to this point in time because I do not think it would be of any value when it comes to accelerating the resolution of this in a peaceful manner.” On the weekend, Caledonia resident AnneMarie VanSickle, whose home backs on to the protest site, invited Mr. McGuinty to spend the night in her home. Ontario PC leader John Tory, who has visited Caledonia half a dozen times, said it is high time Mr. McGuinty went there (Kerry Gillespie: TStar A20).

Health Canada launched an investigation into cigarette billboards advertising Six Nations tobacco products and stores along Highway 6 near Caledonia. However, the investigation has provoked response from Six Nations spokespersons, who have accused the federal government of engaging in ploy tactics to divert attention from land claims in the region (Marissa Nelson: HS A13; CP: HCH A5, LH A9).

Friday, October 20^th: The OPP Association warned the prolonged dispute in Caledonia is forcing many OPP officers to work "excessive" overtime and threatening the level of policing elsewhere in Ontario. The Association will release a poll today that suggests most Ontarians want to see the RCMP brought in to help keep the situation under control (Alan Cairns: TSun 7; Anthony Reinhart: G&M A14; Tom Blackwell: NP A6; Sun Media: OSun 14; CW: WFP A19, WStar C1).

Haldimand Mayor Marie Trainer says she is pleased controversial tobacco signs along Highway 6 have been taken away, though she was not sure who took them down. Six Nations spokeswoman Janie Jamieson said she was also not sure who had taken the sign (Marissa Nelson: HS A13).

Saturday, October 21^st: The federal government told Six Nations it does not have legal title to the Caledonia. A federal negotiator told a town meeting last night Ottawa could be wrong and wants to negotiate a way out of the occupation. Six Nations officials are to return to a Nov. 3 meeting with evidence to prove the Argyle Street South site was not surrendered in the 1840s. Ron Doering, a lawyer hired by the Conservative government to help deal with the land claim, said the federal government has documents from 1844 indicating the Douglas Creek Estates land was surrendered and sold (Daniel Nolan: HS A15).

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty told reporters in Niagara Falls that the federal government should pick up the tab for the Caledonia land-claims dispute because Aboriginal affairs are a federal responsibility. Mr. McGuinty’s remarks coincided with the release of an opinion poll commissioned by the Ontario Provincial Police Association suggesting 80% of Ontario residents think the federal government should take charge in the Caledonia standoff (Timothy Appleby: G&M A14).

A fed-up Premier Dalton McGuinty accused the federal government of dragging its feet on Caledonia and will be sending the federal government a bill for the millions of dollars the Aboriginal standoff has cost Ontario taxpayers. The comments marked an abrupt shift in the way Mr. McGuinty typically talks of working with the federal government to patiently and peacefully resolve the increasingly controversial occupation that began last February (Rob Ferguson: TStar A21).

The Ontario government does not know how much the Caledonia land dispute has cost its taxpayers, even as they press Ottawa to pick up part of the bill. For taxpayers to find out the total will be costly. The Hamilton Spectator has asked for detailed records of the Caledonia costs through various information laws. Bureaucrats have said it will take hundreds of hours and cost thousands of dollars to find, prepare and copy the records (HS A15).

Sunday, October 22^nd: Columnist Christina Blizzard stated that she had some sympathy for Premier Dalton McGuinty on Friday when he said he wants compensation from the federal government for the costs associated with the standoff with Aboriginal protesters at Caledonia. Finance Minister Greg Sorbara made it clear he thinks the feds are missing in action on a number of issues, not just the land claim issues and smoking ads. Mr. Sorbara said “We would like the federal government to show up one of these days” (TSun C7).

Monday, October 23^rd: Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty called on the federal government to provide funding to settle the Six Nations land claim in Caledonia. Mr. McGuinty was quoted as stating, “We intend to claim for compensation from the federal government and we would encourage the federal government to fully assume its proper responsibility and begin to bring some real vigour to the negotiations and to bring them to some conclusion.” Bill Rodgers, spokesperson for Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice, said the premier’s request came as a surprise to Minister Prentice, who was travelling and could not respond immediately (Chinta Puxley: LFP C5).

Columnist Christina Blizzard: Much as the province of Ontario has been active at Caledonia - buying out the developers of the disputed Douglas Creek Estates, for example - Aboriginal issues are essentially a federal issue. Yet Prime Minister Harper has been the Teflon man on this one, while Mr. McGuinty and his minister responsible for Aboriginal affairs, David Ramsay, have taken some big hits (LFP A6).

Maurice Switzer, Director of Communications, Union of Ontario Indians: The National Post’s April 22 editorial, “Hardly a ‘nation’” advised Six Nations’ citizens reclaiming their land at Caledonia to “give up the fantasy” that they are a sovereign nation. Presumably the Post’s writers do not accept any interpretation of the Royal Proclamation of 1763, by which Britain recognized the sovereignty of Indian nations, and decreed that they should “not be molested in their lands” (NP A12).

Tuesday, October 24^th: Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said Tuesday that the federal government needs to provide at least $25 million in funding to cover the costs of the ongoing Six Nations occupation in Caledonia. Mr. McGuinty said that David Ramsay, the provincial minister responsible for Aboriginal affairs, was to meet this week with his federal counterpart to discuss compensation. However, according to a spokesperson for Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice, no meeting has been scheduled, and Mr. Prentice will not respond to the Ontario government until he gets a formal request for funding (Chinta Puxley: LFP A11, KWS 14, RLP D6, LH A12, KWR A4; Daniel Nolan: HS A9; KWS 13).

Columnist Ian Urquhart: Prime Minister Harper is getting off scot-free on Caledonia issue, even though Indian land claims are constitutionally a federal responsibility. David Ramsay, the Ontario minister responsible for Aboriginal affairs, contacted Indian Affairs Minister Prentice last Sunday, pressing for a face-to-face meeting this week. However, Minister Prentice, apparently not sharing his sense of urgency, put him off until next week. Media inquiries to Minister Prentice’s office have also been brushed off. Ontario and Caledonia are apparently not on federal opposition parties’ radar screens. No wonder Mr. Harper was smiling during his visit to Niagara Falls last week (KWR A18).

Thursday, October 26^th: A confidential provincial report says land offered to Six Nations to help resolve the Caledonia standoff contains an unregistered landfill, asbestos and may also have burial grounds. Provincial staff also expect the decommissioning of the mothballed Burtch Correctional Centre will cost at least $1 million. A briefing report prepared by the Ontario Realty Corporation says there may be Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal people buried on the 153 hectare site. Aboriginal affairs spokesperson Anne-Marie Flanagan said the province is now studying the property to determine if there are any burial sites present (Marissa Nelson: HS A1).

In a letter to the editor, Bob Thibeau argued the OPP do not deserve praise over the Caledonia dispute (HS A16).

Friday, October 27^th: Opposition MPPs criticized Aaron Lazarus, director of issues management for Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, after he referred to a letter from MP Diane Finley, pleading for help for Caledonia, as “a joke.” Associate press secretary Jane Almeida said it appears Mr. Lazarus was expressing his frustration that Ms. Finley sent the letter four months after the occupation began (Marissa Nelson: HS A1).

Saturday, October 28^th: Prime Minister Harper, in response to questioning from reporters about the Six Nations occupation in Caledonia, said that the dispute is a provincial policing matter (San Grewal: TStar A15).

Lynda Powless, owner/editor of The Turtle Island News: Six Nations actions have always been in defence of the land. The Caledonia Reclamation is no different. Our history has been written by many, and as a result, the perspective has always been one tainted with defence of the encroachments of Euro-Canadian settlers onto Six Nations lands. The simple fact happens to be that the Grand River lands belong to the Six Nations. Land leases and sales occurred over the years, some of them “legal” and the majority illegal. The fact that Canada has failed to live up to its obligations could, in fact, deem even those legal sales questionable (KWR A19).

Monday, October 30^th: Ken Coates, professor of history and dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Waterloo: As much as federal and provincial politicians would wish otherwise, the standoff at Caledonia simply will not go away. While the details of the Caledonia situation are well understood, the dispute’s broader legal and political context is not as familiar to the public. The Indian Claims Commission was set up in 1991 to provide Aboriginal groups with a means of appealing initial land claims decisions by the government and to resolve smaller claims. Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice once served on the commission. There are a number of claims in preparation or at the preliminary discussion stages. In other instances, Aboriginal groups have removed their claim from the government’s process and have gone directly to court, seeking a faster and more precise resolution of their case. It is imperative that a new system be adopted, arm’s length from government, with the power to collect evidence, review arguments and render judgments relating to Aboriginal claims (KWR A7).

Tuesday, October 31^st: OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino said his force will keep the peace in Caledonia but it is not the role of the police to resolve the occupation. The commissioner agreed the occupation is the single biggest issue facing him in his new post. He said one of his first priorities is to review whether a large contingent of officers needs to remain in Caledonia. Meanwhile, officials from the provincial and federal governments are negotiating with Six Nations representatives. Ginette Albert, spokesperson for Ontario Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Ramsay, said Mr. Ramsay and INAC Minister Jim Prentice were scheduled to meet today in Ottawa to talk about ways "to speed things up" (Richard Brennan: TStar A15; Gregory Bonnell: HCH A6, WStar A8, KWS 11; Jack Boland: TSun 9; CP: HS A3, LFP B10, G&M A9, KWR A3).

PC MPP Bob Runciman: Premier McGuinty wants Prime Minister Harper to foot the bill for policing in Caledonia, the $22-million cost of the land, the $1.5-million compensation package for local businesses and who knows what else. Perhaps he will add the cost of compensation promised to local homeowners on June 16 of this year, or better yet, he will ask the PM to keep this promise for him. Should Mr. Harper be expected to pay for things he had no say in approving? The federal government does not have jurisdiction over the title to the occupied land. Furthermore, regulations around land use, construction and development are the province's responsibility, as are public safety of the site and local highways. Every day that Premier McGuinty continues to mismanage the Caledonia file, and fails to uphold the rule of law, is another day that the costs of the occupation will be driven upward. Trying to pass the buck to the federal government merely proves that Mr. McGuinty has lost faith in his own ability to end the occupation (NP A16).