Michael-Allan Marion
Sept. 13, 2007
Brantford Expositor
An Aboriginal Affairs Ministry official should not have made comments to the effect that developers caught in the middle of a land claim dispute will have to fend for themselves, says Brant Liberal candidate Dave Levac.
Ministry spokesman Lars Eddy told a Hamilton Spectator reporter on Tuesday that developers facing heat from natives for building on disputed land "should proceed" with their projects.
When asked what happens in the event of a confrontation with Six Nations residents, Eddy was quoted as saying: "That's between the developers, it's their property ... and the Six Nations."
Word of the remarks reached an irate developer Mike Quattrociocchi who is caught in a dispute with the Confederacy over his housing development on Grand River Avenue. It spread quickly through local political ranks and into the provincial election campaign in Brant riding.
'unfortunate comment'
Levac heard about the remarks from Quattrociocchi.
"I disagree with what was said," he said over his cellphone while he was at a regular negotiating round in Caledonia on Wednesday.
"I think it's an unfortunate comment, and does not reflect what I believe we are trying to do to resolve the situation."
Levac said he has talked with Quattrociocchi and arranged for the deputy minister to contact him to discuss the situation.
"Mike and I have been in constant touch throughout the ordeal," said Levac.
"I'll say again, as I've said many times, that he is the victim caught in a predicament, an unfortunate target in the natives' bigger strategy to gain recognition of their claims. He doesn't deserve what's happening to him and I'm going out of my way to give him whatever assistance I can."
Mayor Mike Hancock said Quattrociocchi's anger and frustration are deserved.
"For the government to tell developers they're on their own is frankly shameful," he said. "To get solutions we have to be in this together - the province, the feds, Six Nations and developers. To tell one group 'Sorry guys, we can't help you on this" is disgraceful."
Other candidates were also quick to jump on the remarks.
election issue
Dan McCreary, a Progressive Conservative candidate, said the bureaucrat's comments are revealing in more ways than intended.
"It's a pretty accurate summation of four years of the McGuinty government. Everybody's on their own,' he said.
McCreary said the do-little approach is a consequence of the government's failure to enforce the rule of law.
"That's one reason Mr. Quattrociocchi is in the situation he's in. The province has set the tone by ignoring lawlessness."
McCreary said he encountered seniors who said they were afraid of the dispute while he was campaigning in Eagle Place.
"There are a lot of development projects either planned or begun in that area. People are worried about whether there's going to be something happening on any of those sites."
McCreary is also encountering growing anger. "I'm afraid if it keeps up there's going to be violence, because there's no rule of law."
New Democrat Brian Van Tilborg said the government should be better prepared to handle disputes between Six Nations and developers. He said the province has had many warning signs before in native occupations and protests that have spread from Caledonia throughout Haldimand, Brant and Brantford.
"The Caledonia situation set the tone, but I don't think the McGuinty government has done much really since then to work with these situations."