Daniel Nolan
The Hamilton Spectator
(Oct 31, 2007)
Aboriginal Affairs Minister Michael Bryant says he will visit Caledonia to get a first-hand look at the native land claims dispute that has plagued his Liberal government for 20 months.
"I am looking forward to speaking with the negotiators as well as I look forward to going to Caledonia. Absolutely," the minister told The Spectator in an interview yesterday after the former attorney general was sworn into his new job by Premier Dalton McGuinty.
His move breaks with the government's past handling of the dispute, which saw McGuinty and former Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Ramsay stay away from the town after natives took over the housing project Douglas Creek Estates in February 2006, claiming it was on Six Nations land that was never surrendered.
Talks between Six Nations, Queen's Park and Ottawa are ongoing, but Ottawa says the land was surrendered in the 1840s. In the meantime, the Six Nations traditional government is attempting to reassert its sovereignty on land all along the Grand River, between Dundalk and Lake Erie, that was given to them in 1784 by the British Crown and is calling on developers to deal with them.
Bryant, whose stint as AG also included responsibility for native affairs and democratic renewal, couldn't say what form his visit to Caledonia will take. But he was going to touch base with people involved in the dispute. Haldimand Mayor Marie Trainer has already asked for a meeting.
"We want to make sure when I come we have an opportunity to meet people in the appropriate fashion. We're ready to do business."
He wouldn't say what message the premier and Ramsay's decision not to visit Caledonia sent to residents and Six Nations members, other than to say "different times called for different solutions."
"I know that the premier has certainly given me a lot of direction and responsibility. I have a particular approach that he knows that I bring to an issue and he knows me and expects me to continue, you know, straight talking, aggressive ambition, pragmatic tackling of issues."
Bryant said he was asked Monday evening by McGuinty to take on the job, plus that of Government House Leader, and was not surprised because he's long had an interest in and worked on aboriginal issues. He has already spoken to his federal counterpart Chuck Strahl. Bryant couldn't offer any immediate solutions to the Caledonia dispute, acknowledging land claims are a federal issue, but he hopes to move Ottawa toward a solution.
"We're interested in getting things done and we may have an opportunity for the federal and provincial governments to get some important and historic work done."
He wasn't worried he's taken on an impossible task. "I don't know a politician who doesn't relish tackling issues that involve challenges. I'm certainly one of those politicians."