"Confederacy Chiefs Drafting Position on Federal Bills"

By Lynda Powless and Chase Jarrett, Writers

Six Nations Confederacy Council is making its position clear on who has jurisdiction over Haudenosaunee lands in a position paper being drafted on the federal government's pending Bill C-10, and a series of other bills that will affect First Nations people.

Royanni said Saturday they would send a letter and their position paper reminding the federal government of their responsibilities under the Haudenosaunee's Two Row Wampum.

The chief's decision came after Turtle Island Trade and Commerce (TITAC), a Six Nations business group, gave a presentation of their organization and laid out concerns about the impending federal legislation that included Bill C-10, the Safe Streets and Communities Act, passed in April of 2012, but now an amendment to Bill C-10, the Tackling Contraband Tobacco Act is pending, that hasn't been passed yet. The other acts include the Lands Management Act, First Nations control of Education Act, and the Matrimonial Real Property Act.

TITAC founder Audrey Hill spoke on behalf of the business collective, "What came about from a mix of individual interests is a collective concern by our whole community," said Hill.

She told chiefs that TITAC began in 2009 as a group trying to understand the history of Haudenosaunee business. "The influence of the external governments has interfered with us, and they don't have the jurisdiction to interfere with us," she said.

"Terrylyn Brant invited the chiefs to weekly tax meetings hosted by TITAC. "People in the community we know right now are very much looking for the Confederacy Chief Council's leadership - some of our people are closing up shop because they are so afraid of what the Canadian government can do to them," Brant told the chiefs. She said at its core Haudenosaunee business is about taking care of family.

Brant said said "C-10, it can affect my small honey business.

"The overall impacts would not be restricted to the tobacco industry but all businesses so it is an overall Haudenosaunee issue," she said.

She told the chiefs the disunity that is surfacing in the community over Bill C-10 is disquieting.

"It could lead to violence," she said.

She said she has concerns for the community because the federal government will impose the acts through the band system.

"We are not all about capitalization. We help each other and our families and understand that trade is not just exclusive to us locally. We have the right to trade internationally as well."

TITAC now has over 3,000 signatures on a stop taxation petition. They hope to get over 5000 signatures to present to Confederacy Council.

TITAC also has concerns with the Band Council move to force businesses to register with them.

Hill said the effects of the outside interference is "Businesses are not prospering in every way because of interference from outside government."

Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) director Hazel Hill said "It was an important presentation and tied in the effects of what is happening with the coming bills."

"The chiefs were being very proactive with the business people that showed up."

Secretary Leroy Hill told the meeting the council appreciated the business people being at the council.

Council accepted the information and appointed three delegates, secretary Leroy Hill, Mohawk Chief Allen MacNaughton and Confederacy legal adviser Aaron Detlor to draft a position paper about the "Bills."

Hill said the TITAC position paper was instrumental in providing information to the chiefs since it outlined the historic trade and commerce of the Haudenosaunee.

"It provided a backdrop for the chiefs to gain information. It talks about the treaty, the Dish with One Spoon and how our nations all related to one another in a respectful and economic basis where we learned to rely on each other without taking everything from the earth."

A draft of the position letter on Bill C-10 and other incoming government legislation will be presented to council in April.