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Press Release from UBCIC in Support of Six Nations

JUNE 12, 2006 - 15:20 ET

UBCIC Supports Six Nations

If Discussions Fail, UBCIC Supports Intervention of United Nations Special Rapporteur

Attention: Assignment Editor, Business/Financial Editor, News Editor, Government/Political Affairs Editor

VANCOUVER, BC, PRESS RELEASE--(CCNMatthews - June 12, 2006) -
UNION OF B.C. INDIAN CHIEFS
CHIEFS COUNCIL
JUNE 7TH - 8TH, 2006
VANCOUVER, B.C.
Resolution no. 2006-15

Re: Six Nations: Haldimand Tract Lands

WHEREAS the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island enjoy undiminished traditional, inherent, judicial and Constitutional rights to their Indigenous homelands and territories;

WHEREAS the Government of Canada has consistently refused over the course of history and deliberately refused to recognize and reconcile the unresolved land rights issues of the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island;

WHEREAS the outstanding issues associated with the conveyance of the Haldimand Tract Lands in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Haldimand Proclamation of 1850 need to be resolved to the satisfaction of the Six nations of the Grand River Territory;

WHEREAS the unresolved land rights issues of the Haldimand Tract Lands have resulted in a 100 day ongoing violent standoff in relation to a proposed commercial housing development known as the Douglas Creek Estates;

WHEREAS as tensions and frustrations escalate, the potential for violence continues to increase on a daily basis;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs fully supports the ongoing efforts of the Clan Mothers and Traditional Chiefs of the Iroquois Confederacy to achieve a peaceful resolution of the violent land rights dispute at the Douglas Creek estates subdivision site at Caledonia, Ontario; and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs call upon Prime Minister Steven Harper and Minister of Indian Affairs Jim Prentice to personally intervene in this violent land rights dispute and fully assume and immediately act upon the Government of Canada's constitutional, judicial and fiduciary responsibility to peacefully resolve this outstanding land rights issue and subsequent escalation of violence in Caledonia, Ontario.

THEREFORE BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED THAT in the event that the Government of Canada, through the Prime Minister Steven Harper fails to uphold its responsibility the UBCIC shall support the intervention of Rodolpho Stavenhagen in his role as the United Nations Special Rapporteur, Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous Peoples.

Moved: Chief Fred Sampson, Siska Indian Band
Seconded: Chief Archie Pootlass, Nuxalk Nation
Disposition: Carried
Date: June 8, 2006

/For further information: http://www.ubcic.bc.ca/

CONTACT INFORMATION

Chief Stewart Phillip, President, Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs
Primary Phone: 250-490-5314
Secondary Phone: 604-684-0231
E-mail: president@ubcic.bc.ca

posted by Annamarie at 2:12 AM