By jim knisley
The Sachem
The developers of a new subdivision in
The development, which would have 55 houses in
The land is subject to a land claim by the Six Nations and is in the area being dealt with at the negotiating table by the federal and provincial governments and the Six Nations.
While the developer had worked with
Elliott said that it is the Confederacy that is at the table with the federal and provincial governments negotiating land and compensation issues. The lands and resources staff work under the elected council, which Elliott said is not recognized by the Confederacy.
“It is the Confederacy Council you have to talk to,” he said.
Speaking to Haldimand County Council Elliott said: “We are tired of being slapped in the face by this council.”
He said
“Communications is what we need,” he said.
Elliott said he had been instructed by Chief General “to object to this development 100 per cent.”
“You have the ability to resolve this,” Elliott said. “The developer should come to the Confederacy Council.”
He said he came to county council “not in anger, but to raise the concerns we have.”
Councillor Craig Grice said under existing legislation the county is told to deal with the band council. It also sounds like the proponent of the development did everything he could to do things properly.
“The county is now asked to go into a federal matter. The county has no power,” he said.
He said the county has a viable plan in front of it that meets all the requirements of the Municipal and Planning Acts and cannot oppose it. “We’re not trying to insult anyone,” he said.
Chair of the planning committee Tony Dalimonte said: “Our responsibility is to deal with the Planning Act.”
Councillor Lorne Boyko said the county is caught in a box. It is obliged to operate under rules that may no longer fit the situation.
There is a side table to the ongoing negotiations between the federal and provincial governments and the Six Nations that is dealing with process and procedures, but the county hasn’t been told of any changes in the rules.
“Right now the rules tell us to deal with the elected band council.”
If that has changed the federal or provincial governments should tell the county, he said.
“Just tell us who we have to talk to and what the process is. Just tell us what we have to do,” Boyko said.
Following the session before council, Michael Corado met with Elliott and said the developers were willing to meet with the Confederacy Council or its development committee.
He said the developers had done everything they thought they had to including giving the band council’s lands and resources staff an extra 30 days to evaluate the development and to ensure all the issues were dealt with.
“From an outsider’s point of view, the Six Nations was represented,” he said.
Now, there is another group we have to talk with, he said.
But if everyone is reasonable we’ll work something out, he said.