Robert Armes' letter of March 24, "Police need to be held liable," exposes a basic lack of knowledge or understandi
ng of what the issues behind the protests are all about. I am not a lawyer but I am pretty well learned on the subject.
While he is waiting for a lawyer to weigh in on this matter, I hope to offer Mr. Armes some understanding in the interim.
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada talks about the heavy-handed approach some like Mr. Armes would prefer in dealing with these issues.
It declares Canada's past practice in dealing with First Nations was wrong and that a new understanding is needed. See it for yourself online at : ma i n c . i n f o / a p / p u b s / r p t / r p t - eng. asp#chp2.
As far as Kingspan is concerned, the company sued Brantford for nondisclosure.
They did not sue Six Nations for protesting. The nondisclosure involved misinformation, coverups and denial on the part of Brantford in the Kingspan transaction. That is why Kingspan pulled out and left a $10-million dollar lawsuit in its wake.
Mr. Armes says that "... and it's not our problem anyway?"
On Tuesday at the Brantford court house, the province declared that, as a creature of the province, this city has the responsibility and duty to consult and accommodate with Six Nations before disputed land is transferred and well before a shovel goes in the ground.
Like it or not, Mr. Armes, it is our problem.
The fact that city hall refuses to accept this responsibility is why things are where they are today. So who are the lawbreakers?
Contact me and I would gladly send you a copy of a report read into the court in the injunction case, that is the accumulative understanding of three lawyers. One representing the city, one representing Six Nations and one independent law firm in Toronto.
Jim Windle Brantford