Six Nations protesters marched along a highway in
At a morning news conference held by the Six Nations Haudenosaunee Confederacy, chiefs expressed disappointment that federal negotiators have not found a resolution to the land dispute.
"We know it's been a challenging year and frustrating because we are dealing with someone who can't substantiate their claim," said Chief Leroy Hill.
The chiefs asserted they have documents proving the Six Nations never sanctioned the sale of the land and say the federal government has not produced proof otherwise.
Wednesday marks one year since the land row erupted between housing developers and native protesters in the town about an hour southwest of
Premier Dalton McGuinty deflected questions about resolving the dispute, saying it's the federal government's responsibility.
"Until the federal government comes to the table in earnest with a solid proposal and a determination to resolve this — that situation will continue," he told reporters.
All the province can do, McGuinty said, is continue to keep the peace and try to minimize the dispute's impact on the nearby community.
Federal negotiators remained optimistic about ongoing talks.
"We have made progress, we have established trust, and we are working together on some of the side issues," Barbara McDougall told CBC Newsworld.
"This is a historic opportunity for the Six Nations and the federal government and the province," she said, reasoning the talks are the first time the federal government has dealt directly with the traditional council of the Six Nations.
Although some government and Six Nations negotiators have expressed dismay about the lack of a quick resolution, McDougall said pressures to reach a breakthrough by a certain date would not necessarily be the best course.
"Putting deadlines on things is not helpful because it just makes people defensive and they want to get their point out there further," she said.
Federal negotiations will return to talks March 7.
While the ongoing discussions have lifted roadblocks and pacified the early days of violent clashes, federal negotiator Ron Doering said he does not foresee a settlement soon.
"I have personally seen since April that much of the frustration has gone to anger and in some [cases] worse," he said. "It's really sad that it's come to this."
Not far from the unfinished houses where Six Nations protesters settled in for the winter,
"We're still in the same situation we were in a year ago," she said.
Like many other townsfolk, Neill is fed up with the 12-month standoff and she's angry with the lack of government action.
"We don't want there to be an occupation in this town — there will be no peace as long as people occupy the land," she said.
Protesters attempted to stop construction on the land by Henco Industries in February 2006 and blocked a main road into the town, frustrating town residents and leading to an intense standoff that escalated into a spate of violent clashes and arrests.
The provincial government later paid $15.8 million to Henco to buy the land and put it into trust until the dispute is resolved.
The Six Nations filed a land claims suit over the area in 1999.