CALEDONIA, ONT. — The lessons of Ipperwash and the legacy of Dudley George demand that Ontario resolve the ongoing aboriginal occupation in Caledonia with diplomacy, not force, Aboriginal Affairs Minister Michael Bryant said yesterday after his first visit to the beleaguered town.
Forcibly removing protesters from the former housing development, which has been occupied by Six Nations protesters since February, 2006, would do little to relieve the tension, Mr. Bryant said after he was greeted by a group of angry locals calling for a more aggressive approach.
"It's just a blind alley -- it will not lead us anywhere," Mr. Bryant said. "It may have some temporary logic, but it doesn't really help us in the here and now and it certainly doesn't help us for tomorrow."
The recent public inquiry into the shooting death of Mr. George - gunned down by police during the occupation of Ipperwash Provincial Park in 1995 - supported the idea that aboriginal land disputes can be resolved through negotiation, he added.
Mr. Bryant met behind closed doors with local politicians, business and spiritual leaders yesterday, but his efforts to meet with Six Nations protesters or their representatives were for naught.
One group of residents, denied an audience with the minister, protested outside one of his meetings, carrying placards reading "One Law for All" and "Frustrated, Forgotten, Fed Up."
Mr. Bryant said he actually slipped into town Sunday afternoon and talked to residents casually in the local Tim Hortons, although the Grey Cup likely kept many people home, he admitted.
Haldimand County Mayor Marie Trainer said the town wants to focus on restarting its economy, which has virtually ground to a halt since the occupation began. Although Caledonia was one of the fastest growing towns in Ontario, Ms. Trainer said virtually no building permits have been issued in the last two years.