September, 2006
Friday, September 1st: Ontario Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Ramsay and federal Minister of Indian Affairs Jim Prentice told Six Nations Confederacy Chief Allen MacNaughton in a joint letter that continued disturbance on the Douglas Creek Estates site jeopardizes the land claims negotiations. Mr. Ramsay said Mr. MacNaughton had not responded to the letter Thursday, but the Minister added he had spoken with the Chief after the letter was sent. Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty endorsed the letter and said peace needs to be restored in Caledonia (John Burman: HS A3; Keith Leslie: TStar A7, CBWS 7, KWS 32; CP: CBP A7, HDN 10, ESun 36, WSun 8, LFP B4, KWR A4).
The cost to Ontario taxpayers of purchasing Douglas Creek Estates has climbed by another $8.6 million to $20.9 million. Ontario Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Ramsay said that Ontarians who might question the cost of purchasing the land need to realize that there are “millions of dollars of outstanding liability on unsettled land claims (throughout Ontario)” (April Lindgren: Ctz A5, WStar A9, Gaz A12, NP A4; Antonella Artuso: TSun 10).
Haldimand Mayor Marie Trainer told Premier Dalton McGuinty’s chief of staff Thursday that neighbours of occupied Douglas Creek Estates are so “disheartened” by the occupation that they want the province to buy them out as well (Marissa Nelson and Daniel Nolan: HS A1).
Columnist Lee Prokaska: Perhaps the Aboriginal occupiers simply do not care what message is sent by what happens at Douglas Creek Estates. That attitude risks the erosion of whatever goodwill currently exists toward them in the non-Aboriginal community. Those occupying the site have nothing to lose by vacating the land, and so much to gain (HS A15).
Saturday, September 2nd: There will be extra police on the streets over the long weekend in Caledonia, where concerns linger about violence erupting between residents and Six Nations protesters (KWR A3).
According to a spokesman for a local residents’ group that calls itself “Caledonia Resistance,” many residents are hunting enthusiasts who have considered turning their guns on the occupiers during tense situations (Alex Dobrota: G&M A10).
The residential area that borders the disputed land in Caledonia has decreased substantially in value. According to Caledonia real estate broker Bruce MacDonald, the only option for those next to the subdivision is to wait, as any house bordering the occupied land would sell at decreased price (Marissa Nelson: HS A5).
The Catholic School Board has reaffirmed a plan to build an eight-foot high privacy fence behind Notre Dame School to shield students from the Aboriginal occupation of the Douglas Creek housing development (Daniel Nolan: HS A5).
Letter writer Joe Galasso, Caledonia: Re: ‘Three hurt in fire on occupied land site’ (Aug. 31): Enough! People are now hurt and all through this stupid and unnecessary occupation, many have said that sooner rather than later someone will be hurt or worse (HS A19).
Letter writer Chris Robertson, Hamilton: Jane Stewart is being paid $1,300 per day to be the provincial negotiator. Would it not be better to pay her a flat $10,000 to resolve the entire crisis? Thirteen hundred dollars a day would seem to me like an incentive for a negotiator to let the crisis go on and on (HS A19).
Wednesday, September 6th: During a “back-to-class” visit Tuesday at Notre Dame Catholic School in Caledonia, Ont., Premier Dalton McGuinty expressed disappointment over the fact that a wood fence that was supposed to separate the elementary school from the Six Nations occupation taking place next door had not been finished (Antonella Artuso: TSun 8; Lauren LaRose: G&M A5; CP: Gaz A9, VProv A21, LFP B2; KWS 9).
A dozen OPP officers were on hand Tuesday at Notre Dame Catholic School in Caledonia to keep an eye on the Six Nations occupation (Deirdre Healey: HS A1 & A7).
Kingston Whig-Standard editorial: There is no shortage of critics of the provincial government on how it is dealing with the Caledonia land dispute issue. It appears as if this government is trying to handle the matter with kid gloves after the Ipperwash fiasco a decade ago. Today in Caledonia, the province now owns the disputed land, holds it in trust, and lets the Aboriginal People continue to occupy it. That needs to be followed by swift negotiations and responsible actions on both sides of the barricades. A swift solution is in everyone’s interests, and violence and confrontations will only slow the process (KWS 4).
Rory Leishman: The McGuinty government’s decision to continue negotiating with Six Nations occupiers in Caledonia has left Ontario PC leader John Tory justifiably scandalized. Mr. Tory has argued that the Premier should only agree to negotiate with those who respect the rule of law. Mr. Tory is right, in this instance, but he should be more consistent. If he sincerely believes the rule of law should apply “in downtown Toronto or anywhere else,” he should press the attorney general to bring charges against all the men who routinely violate the Criminal Code, by parading naked through the streets of Toronto in that city’s annual gay pride parade (LFP A9).
Friday, September 8th: Columnist Marion Rice: “why is the Canadian taxpayer responsible for all the costs incurred during this occupation by Aboriginal protesters? Maybe we should start withholding our tax dollars. How long would it take for the governments to respond then? This whole situation in Caledonia is a slap in the face to every law-abiding citizen in Canada” (LFP A10).
Sunday, September 10th: Brant Bardy, Program Manager, Aboriginal Media, First Nations Technical Institute: Caledonia residents need not worry about their elementary school-aged children being harmed by the Six Nations occupiers. The Six Nations People also have children whom they care for and love. It may be a bit ironic to note that many Six Nations children were taken from their parents by government force and placed in state- and church-sponsored residential schools where they suffered from acculturation and abuse. If anyone can empathize with the need for protecting children, it is Six Nations and other Indigenous Nations of Canada (HS A23).
Monday, September 11th: Letter writer Garry Horsnell, Brantford: Why don’t the Six Nations’ occupiers and the people of Caledonia get together, occupy public land in front of the parliament buildings in Ottawa and vent their anger at the federal government instead of at each other? (HS A14).
Denis Perreault, Kitchener: I find it interesting that to Premier Dalton McGuinty it is not acceptable that the First Nations occupiers in Caledonia occupy the disputed lands through the winter; however, it seems to be totally acceptable that they occupy the land all spring, summer and autumn. What is Mr. McGuinty’s criteria for acceptability - the weather? (KWR A8).
Wednesday, September 20th: The province of Ontario is holding consultations with Six Nations officials in an effort to extend Highway 7 across the Grand River (Jeff Outhit: KWR B1).
Saturday, September 23rd: Six Nations protesters are calling on the province to stop a rally they say could spark a “volatile situation” on the former housing development Aboriginals have occupied in Caledonia, Ont., since February. A couple from Richmond Hill, Ont., who founded the group Caledonia Wake Up Call, has organized a rally for Oct. 15 on the disputed land saying the public has a right to use government property (RLP D12).
Columnist Kelly Patrick: Despite appearances, things have indeed changed for the 11,000 Aboriginal Peoples living on Six Nations, just as they have for the people of neighbouring Caledonia. A wide, nasty rift has opened between the two communities. The Cold War in Caledonia could easily turn hot again, especially if conflict becomes stirred up by outsiders with no connection to Caledonia or the reserve (NP A8).
Letter writer Jeff Outhit: There has been a complex understanding of the entire history of the land surrounding Caledonia, and its claim by the Six Nations. Aboriginal leaders have said they are looking not to displace people. Rather, they seek recognition, consultation and compensation (KWR A1).
Sunday, September 24th: Halifax Chronicle-Herald editorial: Canada’s much vaunted reputation for tolerance took a step back this summer in Caledonia. Is the new Conservative government ready to change decades of failed policies? Early signs are mixed. As a one-time member of a federal claims commission, Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice has wide experience of Aboriginal affairs. He has already pledged to slash the backlog of claims and to do more for off-reserve Aboriginals. The government has also agreed to honour the promise of $2.2 billion by the previous government to compensate the victims of abuse in Aboriginal residential schools. But other moves seem less promising: Mr. Prentice has declined to intervene in Caledonia, refused to support a UN declaration on indigenous rights and reneged on the last government’s pledge of an extra $5 billion Canadian dollars for social schemes (HCH S6).
Monday, September 25th: Gary McHale, co-organizer of the “March For Freedom” in Caledonia, took issue with comments made by former Ontario premier David Peterson, in which Mr. Peterson said Friday that he doubts anyone will take the rally seriously. Mr. Peterson stated of the planned event, “There are a lot of wackos in society. It is important not to give them too much credibility.” Mr. McHale, who is also co-organizer of the group “Caledonia Wake Up Call,” called the former premier’s comments offensive. Mr. McHale pointed out that the planned rally is not intended to protest the Six Nations occupation of land in the region, but is meant to highlight the “two-tier justice” that is being dealt out in Caledonia by the OPP (Lauren La Rose: TSun 29, WSun 15).
Tuesday, September 26th: Ontario Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Ramsay told reporters Monday that his department will not try to stop the controversial rally led by a non-Aboriginal group on land occupied by the Six Nations in Caledonia, Ont. According to Mr. Ramsay, all sides in the dispute have agreed to a 30-metre “no-go” zone, which will be patrolled by the OPP (Chinta Puxley: WStar B7, KWS 11, TSun 27; Marissa Nelson: HS A3; CP: RLP A4, LFP B4; AP: KWR A3; EJ A5).
In a daylong onslaught aimed at Justice T. David Marshall of the Ontario Superior Court, lawyers for the province, the OPP and Six Nations said Monday that the judge was completely off base when he ordered parties in the dispute to report back to him as if he were their supervisor (Kirk Makin: G&M A10; Jessica Leeder: TStar A16).
Wednesday, September 27th: Ontario Conservative leader John Tory said Tuesday that he estimates the cost to taxpayers of the Six Nations occupation in Caledonia has been approximately $55-million. Ontario Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Ramsay said Tuesday night he had no idea if Mr. Tory’s estimate was correct, but said that his government would tabulate and release to the public the total cost of the occupation (Daniel Nolan: HS A1; CP: RLP E6, OSun 12, TSun 38; WFP A9).
Superior Court Justice David Marshall was criticized by a number of lawyers during an Ontario Court of Appeal panel Tuesday (Peter Van Harten: HS A5).
David Byers, the lawyer representing Caledonia residents, told an Ontario Appeal Court Tuesday that Justice Marshall should not be criticized for allegedly acting improperly, as the judge has kept “an eye on the community interest” (James Rusk: G&M A12; CP: LFP A5).
Ottawa Sun editorial: The new 30-metre “no-go zone” in Caledonia will come as little comfort to local residents who would have preferred a real solution to an occupation that has been allowed to continue for far too long (OSun 14).
Columnist Lee Prosaka: The decision to widen the “no-go zone” around the Six Nations occupation site in Caledonia should be good for people on both sides of the situation, especially if a Richmond Hill couple goes ahead with an extremely ill-conceived “March For Freedom” planned for Oct. 15 on the disputed land. Certainly, rally organizer Gary McHale has the right to express an opinion about the way the Caledonia situation has been handled by police. But having the right to do something does not make it the right thing to do (HS A17).
Thursday, September 28th: Conservative MPP Bob Runciman accused the Ontario government of weakness for paying for hydro and water into the Caledonia housing site occupied by members of the Six Nations. His accusation came after Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Ramsay confirmed the government has been paying the power bill for the homes since the province bought the site off the developers. Mr. Runciman noted Premier Dalton McGuinty recently spoke out against the occupiers staying on the site during the winter. Mr. Ramsay said he was proud of the government’s handling of the occupation, which has not lead to any loss of life (Daniel Nolan: HS A5).
Despite tensions, Six Nations people plan to return to Edinburgh Square, near the Caledonia fair, to run parking and make sure people understand that the square is on disputed land. Spokeswoman Janie Jamieson said the square will be run the same way as every other year, even if attitudes have changed because of the dispute. Asked whether she was concerned that there might be problems, she said they could only deal with realities as they arise. An OPP spokeswoman confirmed trouble is not expected, though there will be an increased police presence (G&M A12, KWR A3; Marissa Nelson: HS A5).
Susan Clairmont wrote a commentary on Ontario Superior Court Justice David Marshall’s rulings on the Caledonia dispute (HS A2).
Friday, September 29th: Several letters to the editor dealt with issues concerning the Caledonia occupation (HS A15).
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