Government to blame for Caledonia mess, poll says

James Wallace
Queens Park - Wednesday, December 20, 2006
THE SARNIA OBSERVER

Just one in ten Ontarians blame the protracted Caledonia land dispute on Six Nations protestors occupying the site, a poll by SES Research/Osprey Media has found.

The largest group of voters, 40 per cent, blame either or both the provincial and federal governments for the nearly ten-month-long standoff while a third "basically say a pox on you all," said Nik Nanos, president of SES Research.

"There's lots of blame for everyone but I think it would be fair to say at this point that the people that Ontarians blame the least are the Six Nations band, compared to the federal and provincial governments," Nanos said.

The 71-lot subdivision has been the site both peaceful and violent conflict during the past year after Six Nations people moved onto the construction site on Feb. 28 and set up camp, erecting tents, a teepee and stringing a banner across the entrance proclaiming it to be "Six Nations Land."

It is a conflict based on an unresolved land dispute dating back 200 years, on the fact that land claims in general can take decades to resolve in this country and frustration on the part of First Nations people that disputed land is being developed while the claims process stagnates.

That frustration over the growing urbanization and development of land under claim also carries broader implications - that other First Nations will increasingly resort to protest and civil disobedience to press their case.

On the other side, the history and negotiations to resolve the dispute are enormously complex.

Many of the Six Nations claims are based on disagreements over land that was surrendered or sold in the past and
whether transactions were legitimate or not. Nanos said the poll findings reflect a public understanding about how complicated the issue is but also suggests the public isn't impressed with the government's attitude or capability to handle the issue.

"I think for the average Ontarian they think why can't the government just get their act in gear and do something on this," he said. The poll found nine per cent of Ontarians blame the federal government, seven per cent blame the province and 23 per cent blame both levels of government for the "mess" in Caledonia, numbers that carry political risk for both levels of government, Nanos suggests. "They have to be careful they don't start bearing more and more of the blame for this protracted dispute," he said.

Hazel Hill, a spokeswoman for the Six Nations, said while both native and non-native people are frustrated about the situation, there's growing recognition of the broader issues at stake. "Even though everyone may not understand the history of our people, they do recognize there's existing treaties," Hill said. "I think that they realize the past land claims process has not worked," she said.

Negotiations have resumed to resolve the land claim and dispute and Hill expressed optimism the occupation and dispute could be settled in the New Year.

"I have optimism because. I knew from the beginning that this was bigger than people anticipated and I also know that in order to have any kind of justice one has to be patient," she said. However, the dispute has also fractured relations between natives and non-natives in the community.

There have been occasional, even frequent confrontations between both groups at the construction site, police arrests and interventions and outside agitators from both sides.

"I think the biggest frustration comes mostly with the racism and what not that's being shown," Hill said. "That's really hard to deal with because we've been neighbours for a long time,' she said.

David Ramsay, the minister responsible for aboriginal affairs, wasn't surprised by the poll findings. "I don't disagree with the poll results," Ramsay said. "I have said what erupted in Caledonia and elsewhere is a long-standing frustration in the aboriginal community that governments have not dealt with the 1,000 outstanding land claims across the country." "I think the public is sensing that, that the aboriginals have a case to be made here because they're frustrated and want to be dealt with and that is our obligation," he said.

There is expectation that Ottawa will soon come up with a package - likely land, money or both - that could help negotiate a settlement with the Six Nations.

"We are waiting for the federal government to bring a proposal forward to the main table that we think could expedite negotiations there," Ramsay said. "We've discussed this with Minister (Jim) Prentice and his staff and we eagerly await that proposal coming forward," he said.

Meanwhile, the Ontario ministry is looking at work British Columbia has done to reform relations with its aboriginal people. That province began a process in 2005 "to develop new approaches for consultation and accommodation and a vision for a New Relationship to deal with Aboriginal concerns based on openness, transparency and collaboration - one that reduces uncertainty, litigation and conflict." Ontario officials are looking at the B.C. model and have begun "internal discussion" on a similar approach in this province. "It is about building a whole new relationship on many levels so we can resolve many of the issues in regards to working with Aboriginal people," Ramsay said. "I hope in the New Year to be able to make some movement on that."

The telephone poll of 500 Ontario voters was conducted between Nov. 25 and Nov. 27. It is considered accurate with 4.4 per cent, 19 times out of 20. Detailed poll results are available at www.sesresearch.com. James Wallace is the Queen's Park bureau chief for Osprey News Network.