Spat between Ontario and Canada hampers Native land claims
This article is from today's (June 24) issue of the Hamilton Spectator, about a confidential government report written by the federal government's "fact finder" who was sent to Caledonia in March. In this report, Michael Coyle contends that the spat between the provincial and federal governments as to who should pay for the land claims is hampering resolution of the Six Nations crisis:
Government spat hampers land claims
By Marissa Nelson
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jun 24, 2006)
A confidential government report says the spat between Ontario and Canada over who should pay for native land claim settlements is preventing the resolution of the Caledonia crisis.
The report was written by the federal government's "fact finder" who was sent to Caledonia in March.
"Each takes the position that it is confident that if the Crown is liable for wrongdoing in relation to Six Nations' land claims, it is the other government that is legally responsible," Michael Coyle, an assistant professor at University of Western Ontario's faculty of law, writes in his 27-page report.
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Read rest of this article here.
Tags for this entry: Six Nations, Caledonia, land claims.
posted by Annamarie at
11:41 PM
5 comment(s):
good gawd! can the mainstream not see (if they did their research) that this is the canadian government's responsibility??? Seems no one wants to delve into canadian law!
that law clearly states there must be a thid, outisde body (like the u.n.) to partake in all negotiations. this has never been honoured.
six nations may have to settle for land outside populated areas? what the???? traditional land is traditional land......what is the big deal if residents have to pay lease to six nations? six nations is not interested in governing non-natives.
setltle land claims, grant sovereignty and lease payments will seem like nothing compared to all the savings eliminating federal and provincial bureaucracies eating up the tax payers dollars.
as for six nation internal conflict.....the governments should recognize that the clan mothers have the say. those in dissaccordance are the government pay-roll chiefs ready to co-opt in a flash to ensure their paycheques continue.
it's all so clear but the media, despite the spectator's attempts, just can't seem to birng themselves to proper research. oye vai!
By
scout, at
10:42 AM
This kind of jurisdictional squabbling has been an important tool in the settler state avoiding actually doing anything about land claims since Confederation. There was a federal-provincial conference in 1913 or so, supposedly to sort out all such wrangling with respect to First Nations issues, and most of the issues on the agenda for that event remain unresolved today.
Now what makes me think they're not really trying?
By
Scott Neigh, at
4:17 PM
Scout, I agree that the an independent, outside body like the UN should be involved in the negotiations. And I have no problem with having a part of my taxes go to the Six Nations if I were living on their land.. (Actually, all this land called Canada is rightfully the land of the First Nations People, so they should have been properly compensated all along.)
BTW, I just caught a little bit on late-night news a while ago, where someplace up North, the De Beers diamond company is proposing (or already doing this?) mining diamonds on Native land, where the People are living in poverty, and they hope that now with this venture, they will be able to have clean drinking water and better housing, etc... Have you heard anything about this? It was too late and I'm tired, so can't remember full details...
Scott, it is obvious that they are not really trying... Perhaps now with all the attention and world focus (UN & Amnesty International are closely watching too) our governments will finally realise that this issue can no longer be shuffled under the rug, and they will have to face these land claims issues of our First Nations and settle them in a just manner. No more double-dealings, broken promises, back-room negotiations. A great number of our First Nations people live on reservations with substandard housing, undrinkable water, toxic dumps or petro-chemical poisoning of water & land as the Ojibwa reserve near Sarnia, and so on... This is deplorable!
The settler state can no longer use jurisdictional squabbling as a tool and excuse for inaction. The wrongs must be righted and the situation ameliorated, otherwise standoffs and blockades such as at Six Nations will be replicated with more dire and costly consequences.
I urge everyone with a conscience to send letters to Harper about the:
"Draft UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Please state your concern after reading reports of Canada's intention not to support the Draft UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples currently being negotiated at the United Nations. This document has been under negotiation for more than 20 years and until recently was supported by Canada. Recently, the Canadian Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs passed a motion calling on Canada to support the Draft Declaration...."
(Scout, I will forward you the email I received about the urgent need to send this letter along with more info..
Scott, if you send me an email, I can forward you the same...)
By
Annamarie, at
1:22 AM
sent the letter to ALL mp's, the senate, blah blah blah. got two responses back so far (other then automated). one from hte ndp's bill siksay which contained a 'right on' letter to peter mackay.
the other was from the con's rod bruinooge (a metis), he outlined his reasoning. i replied, counter pointing his reasoning.....after all, if they are opposed to something is only 95% (as he puts it), then why are the cons going for stockwell day's gun legislation which is FAR from 95%.
he said he would think about things. uh huh. i'll forward the email if you llike.
By
scout, at
4:20 PM
Thanks, Scout, I received your email regarding this. Can you believe this crap?
All I got back, so far, are a couple of automated responses. Sheesh! :(
By
Annamarie, at
1:47 AM
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