"Island Occupiers Claim Victory"

Supporters of the Six Nations confederacy are claiming victory in the city's removal of an aquadam on the Grand River.

Removing the dam will force a further delay in the construction of a controversial sewer line across the river.

"We see this as a victory of common sense over stupidity," Alex Jamieson, a supporter of the traditional Confederacy and opponent of the city's trunk sewer line project across the Grand, said Wednesday.

He said the removal of the dam late Tuesday afternoon "has allowed us to get back to our regular lives."

The island and the riverbed are subject to a land claim by Six Nations.

Both the elected band council and the traditional confederacy council have objected to any work without Six Nations' permission, which the city didn't obtain before the bulldozers drove on the site in early January.

They stopped the occupation about a week ago, but will conduct daily checks to make sure work doesn't resume.

Mr. Jamieson said he is confident that "that line will never go across the river, now that the truth is known.

"It's been a good educational experience for our people and for people living in Brantford too," he added.

"We feel vindicated."