By Katie Dawson
Haldimand Sachem
Six Nations Chiefs gathered at the confederacy council house on the one year anniversary of the Haudenosaunee land reclamation to hold a media presentation.
They gathered to mark the one year anniversary of the reclamation, which began on
At the meeting on Wednesday, McHaughton says he remains optimistic that negotiations will bring a solution to the land claim.
Some solutions that Chief McNaughton says he would like to see brought to the table is having Six Nations paid back all of the rent money that has been owing on the land for the past 200 years, as well as Canada surrendering the Haudenosaunee land to Six Nations as an act of good will.
"The
McNaughton added that "the environmental impact that the proposed plans will have on your children, grandchildren, and their grandchildren as well as ours, is deeply concerning."
At the meeting, sub-chief Leroy Hill said that the crown representatives of the day were actively encouraging squatters to occupy the Plank Road itself in exchange for the first right of purchase of said lands.
"we also find proof in the Canadian archives that much land was sold long before they came to the December 1884 Council meetings to ask permission to change from the sanctioned leasing system to the selling of the lands."
When asked why this material was not part of the 80 page presentation made at the negotiation table, Hill responded with "Ask your government that one."
Chief McNaughton says that Confederacy is now beyond the point of waiting for proof that doesn't exist.
He ways the absurd reports from the Department of Justice saying that the land claim would not win in court, is simply a smear campaign by the government.
For
His point is that the confederacy stopped 600 homes from being built which would add an environmental burden to the Grand River Watershed.
There was also talk about the barricades at the meeting.
Hazel Hill, a spokeswoman for the Haudenosaunee Reclamation, says, "the barricades served a purpose. It was because of an attack on our people by the OPP that they went up. And having them up got us to the negotiating table."
Hill adds that it would not be good to have barricades go back up.
"We do have rights over that land.
Leroy Hill says that in historical documents it is written that if Six Nations was paid the rent money on the lands it hold, then it would be an extremely wealthy nation.
"This past year has been a case of history repeating itself," sayls Mohawk Chief Allen McNaughton.
"From massive subdivisions to nuclear power plants,