KAREN BEST
Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 05:30
Dunnville Chronicle
Ontario's new aboriginal affairs minister wanted specific proposals and practical solutions to economic and social challenges arising out of issues related to First Nations land rights and impacts on Haldimand County.
On Monday in a room in the Caledonia arena and library building, minister Michael Bryant delivered his wish list to over a dozen members of the media after an hour long meeting with Haldimand County Mayor Marie Trainer and councillors Craig Grice and Lorne Boyko. County chief administrative officer Don Boyle also attended the meeting. He will arrange to meet soon with Six Nations leaders. This week, Bryant and county representatives discussed a revitalization plan that will be delivered to the minister in December. The plan will address economic development, tourism and infrastructure.
Vowing to do everything he can to affect some improvements, he felt it was urgent to achieve tangible progress while negotiations continued.
The need is dire as described by Caledonia business people. Joseph Hangyasi, who owns Trash and Treasures, said the minister must do something about downtown so he can survive. Businesses are losing thousands of dollars a day, noted Trainer, who said a program is coming to keep businesses viable and able to expand.
The economic issue has spread across the county, noted Boyle.
Once the county provides its plan in December, provincial officials will review costs, affordability and what will be federal and provincial shares, said Bryant. Timelines will be established and work will commence right away, he added.
With building permit and planning applications down and approved subdivision projects stalled, development was one of the key issues raised by the county. Trainer wanted to see approved projects go ahead.
Bryant was aware of the impact of the Haudenosaunee Development Institute and the stoppage of projects by Six Nations activists who say lands were not surrendered for sale. In the absence of a provincial or federal consultation proposal, the institute was established by the Confederacy Chiefs Council to address consultation and development projects.
Emphasizing that the province's land title system is sound, the minister said developers must follow municipal and provincial laws. "I encourage them not to participate in anything that sits outside the existing process for development in the province of Ontario," said Bryant noted this institute is not another layer of government to address on development.
When asked later about stalled projects, Bryant said council members asked him about finding away to address them. "It's obviously part of the challenges being faced economically," he added.
After meeting with a few people on Sunday while driving around Caledonia and after speaking to church and business leaders on Monday, Bryant became acutely aware of social impacts from the ongoing dispute.
"Obviously people are hurting here and obviously there's increasing bitterness and resentment but life is going on," he said. "There is a huge desire among a lot of people to resolve this. To all accounts that's people outside the (Six Nations) territory and those inside Six Nations...We want to get to the point where we can start turning things around."
Throwing $100 million at this will not fix what is most important, the emotional and human costs, said Grice. Once local First Nations and county residents realize they are together in this, it will get resolved, he continued.
Anger is on the rise, making things difficult for both communities, noted Trainer.
Living close to Douglas Creek Estates has spurred Maria Rauscher to entertain violent thoughts that she would not have considered before Six Nations activists moved onto the site. "My husband and I are not the same people," she said adding that their house is not selling.
Boyle looked ahead to restore more amicable relations. "We do want to rebuild a relationship to get back to where we were 20 months ago and move forward and we know there's lots of damage done," said Boyle. "We expect that the next generation of children both from Six Nations and Haldimand County will be affected by this and we are looking at projects, quite frankly, that may lead to joint leadership centres for the next generation...We want to build on those relationships both on their needs and our needs and see how they fit together."
Outside the arena, thirty people gathered to confront Bryant and to protest secret meetings and two tier justice. One person shouted, "What are you going to do for the people of Caledonia?"
Already booked for meetings through the day, the minister had an assistant collect names and addresses and vowed to get back to them. Prominent businessman and previous owner of Cayuga Speedway, Bob Slack wanted equal treatment for all and a stop to monetary support for Six Nations.
Donna Pitcher of South Cayuga came out due to the lack of information coming from the provincial governments. She said the county cannot bear the loss of $24 million in development charges due to lack of new construction.
Because the negotiations are shrouded in secrecy, it will be impossible for people to accept any solutions arising from them, warned Pat Wooley of Caledonia. Boyle said the county will improve communications and ask for a county representative at the main negotiating table.
Haldimand Norfolk Brant MPP Toby Barrett is launching a petition asking the Ontario government to hold hearings to gather recorded input from people in Brantford, Ohsweken, Caledonia and Dunnville.
Bryant cast the net wider than the county and Six Nations asking people across the country to send him any ideas for resolutions and specific proposals.
"I want to do everything I can to bring parties together to come to an agreement," he added. This will include funnelling suggestions to negotiators because there are "some creative ideas that you can only get from a local sources", he noted.
Meanwhile, based on recommendations in the Ipperwash Inquiry, removal of Six Nations people from DCE is not suitable and the only lasting solution is a negotiated settlement, he continued. "The approach (the inquiry commissioner) recommends is the approach the Ontario government and the OPP are taking,"confirmed Bryant who said no more than three people were on the site.
Trainer hoped this property will not be transferred to Six Nations and Boyle said the county has been assured that none of the provincial lands are on the negotiating table.
While the future of DCE is a concern for many Caledonia and county residents, Bryant looked at the tourism potential in the municipality. He hoped to encourage tourists including those from the Greater Toronto Area to come to historic Caledonia and Six Nations.
"I want them to know this is a great place to come. This is a great place to come right now," he said.
Bryant left Caledonia intent upon meeting with Six Nations leaders, elders and clans mothers and ready to convey his observations with federal Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Minister Chuck Strahl. Hoping to create momentum, Bryant wanted to collaborate with Strahl on what a solution would look like.