While 2009 certainly wasn't the most dramatic year for native issues in Ontario (that title goes to 2006 with its violent events in Caledonia) it was certainly the year when the land issues came home to roost in Brantford.
Things started with a blast as native protesters stopped construction work on Conklin Road in January while the natives and representatives from Ontario and Canada were getting back to the bargaining table with a new negotiator, Tom Molloy.
At the end of January, the city was somewhat stunned when -for the first time -a company sued it for "misrepresenting" property it sold. Kingspan Insulated Products not only left the city and the land it had purchased, taking its predicted 200 jobs with it, but it sued for $10 million.
In February, the city returned to court to go for a second stage in the temporary injunction it had been granted against native protesters. The first stage of the injunction had been largely ignored by the natives and suddenly the city was accusing the new Haudenosaunee Development Institute of setting itself up as a "shadow municipality". The city's lawyer said the protesters were practising "jackboot diplomacy" and accused them of extortion.
In March, Justice Harrison Arrell ordered the governments of Ontario and Canada to sit down and talk with the natives about the protest problems.
In May, the parties returned to court after a solution couldn't be reached but the judge gave the groups another two months to talk. In July, they all agreed to keep talking.
In June, the elected band council announced a new land use consultation and accommodation policy to ensure all development in the entire 950,000- acre Haldimand Tract would eventually benefit Six Nations.
July 8, the OPP tried unsuccessfully to shut down an illegal smoke shack set up on private land on Highway 6 after the shack's owner, Steve (Boots) Powless sent out a text message for help and was surrounded by supporters.
He was later arrested and charged.
During the summer, the Hampton Inn and Suites hotel, which had been delayed and inconvenienced by protests at least as much as the Kingspan project, was completed and opened.
In September, the tenuous peace was broken when Floyd and Ruby Montour protested work being done on Erie Avenue. Everyone returned to court, bristling and loaded for bear but, after a 45-minute conference in the judge's chambers, the parties all agreed to get back to the discussions.
At the end of September, the Montours turned themselves in and were charged with violating the judge's order against protests.
In November, a rally of about 200 people was coordinated by major unions from Toronto. The group marched through the downtown area and made speeches in Victoria Park.
The year ended with a handful of land protesters forcing Six Nations to make alternate plans for the Olympic torch as it passed through the community.
The last year was unique for two situations that pitted native protesters against other natives.
In February, Six Nations police, in agreement with the band council and an opinion issued by the Confederacy council, tried to move an illegal smock shack off Highway 6 but were stopped by about 50 to 60 natives who took exception to the action.
While development protests were almost non-existent throughout the busy construction period of the summer, a group of Mohawk Nation protesters blockaded the Kanata Iroquois Village, which the De dwa da dehs neye Aboriginal Health Centre had leased.
The protesters eventually broke into the closed facility and made it their own and, with no complainant, the police didn't address the situation.
Both situations highlighted the problems with multiple voices claiming authority on Six Nations.