Caledonia residents welcome judge's ruling

By Cheryl Bauslaugh
The Expositor - Wednesday, August 09, 2006 @ 01:00

Caledonia residents are applauding a judges ruling calling for a suspension of land claim talks until native protesters end their occupation of a housing development.

But they fear Tuesdays decision by Superior Court Justice David Marshall may result in roads being barricaded again.

Were waiting for the other shoe to drop, said Christy Acciaccaferro, whose backyard backs onto the contested land. Im anticipating that the barricades will be going up tomorrow.

Acciaccaferro moved her three children to her mothers house for safety after an ugly confrontation early Monday that saw residents and native occupiers throwing golf balls and rocks at each other. She believes the court ruling will add fuel to the fire.

Everything is very volatile right now.

Dana Chatwell, whose home on Argyle Street was caught in the middle of native roadblocks for months, said shes not waiting around to let it happen again. She and her husband moved out Tuesday.

I think its going to get even nastier.

Although no signs of a barricade were visible Tuesday afternoon, Chatwell said shes observed trucks filled with gravel and tires going into the Douglas Creek Estates site.

Theyre getting prepared.

Both Acciaccaferro and Chatwell support Marshalls decision.

They need to get them out of there and then start negotiating, Chatwell said.

Native spokeswoman Hazel Hill called the judges ruling unfortunate.

But she said it won't impede negotiations to settle the land dispute.

"As far as we're concerned, the negotiation process is still in place," she said, following a 2-1/2-hour meeting Tuesday night to discuss the ruling.

Hill said federal and provincial negotiators are trying to determine what authority Marshall has over the negotiations. In the meantime, native representatives plan to be at the table when land talks resume Aug. 23.

"We're going to give the process a chance. We're committed to peace."

Earlier in the day, she noted that native barricades were removed in May, in response to a request by Crown representatives for a peaceful resolution to the land claim.

We have to question what Marshall is saying, she said. If the negotiations are stopped, does he want the peace stopped?

But Tuesday evening, Hill said there are no plans to block Highway 6, although concrete barriers have been placed at the entrance to the site "because of outside threats.

"It's a security thing."

Acciaccaferro said residents are tired of living in fear and may start taking matters into their own hands.

Were not protected by the OPP. We have to protect ourselves.

She insists theres no reason for neighbours to be afraid.

Weve been trying to maintain the peace. We dont even bother with them.

Hill said shes heard rumours that residents are going to start holding rallies again.

I would question why Caledonia adults are afraid of a few kids.

I think theyre trying to incite trouble so they can justify calling in the army or the OPP.

Lonnie Johnson, who has been at the protest site since February, said theres a lot of non-native support for the land claim. Many of the drivers going past the site honk their horns or give protesters a thumbs up sign. But Johnson said he also gets the finger from motorists. And some Caledonia merchants are refusing to serve native customers.

We never used to have problems like that, he said.Its busted us back 200 years. Its like were blacks in Alabama in the 1960s. Theyre liberated but were still living under oppression.

Johnson said natives had to take a stand to preserve their lands for future generations.

If we let this happen, were saying our treaties aint worth nothing and our kids aint worth nothing.