This is in response to Tim Philp's City Beat column Monday, "Public squabbling won't solve land claims issue."
Most of the land claims in this area are based on the fact that these parcels of land were supposed to be used as short-term leases only, and only for agriculture. If you allow the development to continue, there will be no more land left within these areas.
The only issues of credibility here are the statements made by people like Philp, and others, who lump all of the citizens of Brantford together as getting tired of the native protesters.
I don't understand why it would be noted in Philp's column that "Calnan would rather negotiate than make war." Who said anything about war? There is no war here, well, maybe a war of racism, that has been going on toward the native people for many generations.
Why would anyone think that anyone is "giving away everything the other side asks for" when it isn't theirs to begin with?
It is the city's responsibility to stand up for its neighbours and, if that includes getting involved with negotiations, then so be it.
Philp was right in one statement that "public squabbling about this will not change anything," but getting all the facts and presenting them just may help some people to understand what this is all about.