September 3, 2011
Hamilton Spectator
OHSWEKEN A group of youths has decided to stay put in front of a former Six Nations police station, even though a court order to have them evicted passed its deadline earlier this week.
On Aug. 19, an Ontario Superior Court of Justice judge granted Six Nations band council’s request for an injunction against the group, which is looking to “reclaim” the area in front of the vacant building and have the facility turned over to them and the Haudenosaunee Six Nations Confederacy so they can use it as a youth centre.
The protesters say the plot of land near Fourth Line and Chiefswood Road, which is adjacent to the former confederacy council house, belongs to the hereditary group of leaders.
While Six Nations police have not been on scene to remove anyone, the band council had not contacted the group to negotiate as of Thursday, said Missy Elliott, one of the young people named in the injunction application.
The judge at the injunction hearing in Brantford last month suspended the eviction until Aug. 30 in hopes band council and the youths would resolve the issue.
“It’s a hard decision because we’re here making a safe space but we’re also here about standing up for what we believe in and raising our voices and making a stand,” Elliott, 21, said Thursday. “And so we were advised to stay, and we decided to stay to stand firm in what we believe in.”
They were scheduled to appear before the confederacy council this month but that was pushed back because of a death in the community, Elliott said, adding the youth have been consulting with local elders about the eviction.
A sacred fire burning since they took up the area May 22 was covered up prior to the Aug. 19 injunction hearing as a sign of “goodwill,” but it was started up again on the day of the court order, said Elliott’s father, Wes.
Wes Elliott said that a larger issue — similar to other land claim clashes between Six Nations and municipalities, but internal — was brewing beneath the youth centre debate.
The confederacy has created its own land registry and if it decides to place the controversial plot of land within it, there will be a “big conflict” between confederacy council and elected band council, he said: “It is not only a youth issue, but a land issue. And this land issue is very important because it’s putting confederacy council and band council right head-to-head.”
Band council Chief Bill Montour declined to comment Thursday. His office issued a release the day of the injunction hearing, indicating council wanted to meet with the youths and describing the conflict as an “internal issue.”
The lawyer representing the band council, Gerry Smits, said Thursday there was “no news” about the injunction and that they were “hoping for a consensual solution.”
The band council has formed an ad hoc committee to plan for a new adult and youth centre as part of its existing community centre.
But the youth protesters don’t want a “top-down,” band council-run organization, Elliott said. They are “desperate” for a building in the village and are looking for alternative venues in Ohsweken.
Asked whether the youths will leave the site if another building becomes available, Elliott said that was a decision they would make as a group.
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Six Nations youth numbers
As of Dec. 31, 2010, more than 46 per cent of the population of Six Nations members on reserves was under the age of 30.
The largest age group (divided by five-year intervals) on reserves was in the 15-to-19 category.
There were 1,084 people in that age range, out of 11,865 — about 9 per cent of the population.
From Six Nations Council website