DANIEL NOLAN
Kitchner Record
Sept 12, 2007
The Six Nations traditional government has created what could be described as its own municipal planning department to deal with development on the land it claims along the Grand River.
The Six Nations' "green plan" outlines development potential and environmentally sensitive areas of lands in Brantford, Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph and communities all along the Grand.
The move comes in the wake of the various protests and complaints from some developers that confederacy representatives have given them mixed messages on the future of their projects.
The land was given to the Six Nations in 1784 by the British Crown after the American War of Independence, but Ottawa says more than 90 per cent was surrendered or sold before 1850.
Yesterday, the Ontario government said developers have to find their own solutions if Six Nations residents occupy or stop their projects along the Grand River because of a land claim dispute. This admission comes more than a year after the province bailed out a Caledonia developer when his project was occupied by natives.
The province paid the Henning brothers $16 million for their property.
The admission also comes after a summer of escalating land claim protests in Haldimand, Brant and Brantford.
Lars Eedy of the Ontario Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs says the province stands behind its land title system that allows for development in the Haldimand Tract along the Grand River, which Six Nations claims.
He says Ontario is committed to resolving those land claim disputes at the negotiation table set up with Ottawa and Six Nations representatives to resolve the Caledonia dispute.Eedy said developers facing heat from natives for building on disputed land "should proceed" with their projects. Asked what happens when there's a confrontation, he said, "That's between the developers, it's their property. . ."
Between the developers and who?
"The Six Nations."
Asked if the province shouldn't be doing more, Eedy said, "The province feels negotiations are critical to resolving the grievances and firmly supports that."