A Six Nations band councillor says Canada and Ontario will not return to the negotiating table to resolve the Caledonia dispute unless Chief Dave General is allowed to attend.
Councillor Glenda Porter made that comment last night as the elected council talked about an incident in which the council head was accosted and barred from entering the negotiations last Wednesday by five young men who voiced support for the Confederacy, the traditional government.
Band council also talked about the fallout from a community meeting held Saturday on the altercation and the strained relationship between the council and Confederacy. Some councillors and members of the audience said the two sides have to put aside their differences.
"There's a lot of concern about this infighting going on," said Councillor Ava Hill. "We need to sit down and work together for future generations."
Some believe General was the creator of his own misfortune -- because of comments he is alleged to have made about the talks -- and they would like to see him banned from attending. General, who says he supports the talks but not the occupation of a Caledonia housing site, was not at last night's meeting.
Canada and Ontario sent a letter to the Six Nations' negotiating team, lead by the Confederacy, saying it won't return to the talks until Six Nations resolves its internal differences, but have agreed to March 21 and 22 meetings.
The comment about General is in the letter. The Confederacy denies it told anyone to bar General from the talks.
Porter said the Confederacy, which was handed the lead in negotiations by the band council, should be able to handle General and can rule him out of order if it wants.
"I'm hoping we can get back together and move forward," she said.
Another meeting on the future of Six Nations governance will be March 24.
Porter said Ontario negotiator Jane Stewart was stunned by the affront to General, especially after Six Nations had outlined its peaceful beliefs under The Great Law. "Her voice was just shaking. She was so upset."