"Haldimand Mayor puts threat to take out 'barricade' on hold after private weekend meeting"

By Donna Duric and Lynda Powless, Writers

There are no immediate plans to remove the security barrier at the front entrance of Kanonhstaton after a secret meeting on Sunday with Haldimand Mayor Ken Hewitt, the Six Nations Men's Fire, OPP and a handful of elected councillors.

Hewitt told the Turtle Island News on Monday that he walked away from the meeting with more understanding of the "emotional attachment" Six Nations people have to the land at the former Douglas Creek Estates housing development on Argyle Street in Caledonia.

"I believe it was a very good start for me to appreciate and understand a lot of the dealings and the sentiments of the people...who are pretty emotionally attached to the property," said Hewitt.

"At the same time, it was an opportunity for me to express to them where we're coming from. It was an opportunity for people to learn more about each other."

Haldimand County had voted last week to try and forcefully remove a safety barrier, including old hydro towers on the site and concrete blocks, put in place after a Six Nations man suffered numerous bruises and injuries when police arrested him after an altercation with Binbrook activist Gary McHale.

A week ago a second incident erupted when a Caledonia man was involved in a confrontation on the site with a non-native man from Hamilton that sparked a crowd of Six Nations people responding to the incident along with OPP.

Haldimand County Council said a paved driveway that bisects the land is a public road and they needed to open it up to allow emergency services to get through.

The Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council (HCCC) issued a statement saying they were in discussions with Ontario about the county motion.

Haudenosaunee Development Institute director Hazel Hill said "Haldimand County Council are fully aware that the lands have been part of a negotiation process between the HCCC and Ontario."

"Ontario is obligated to look out for their interest so any concerns they have should be directed to Ontario rather than attempting to hijack what are very serious and established treaty rights and turn it into their own poltical platforms in a campaign stunt."

Haldimand County heads to the polls in October.

The Ontario Aboriginal Affairs Ministry says it is working with Haldimand County and Six Nations to deescalate tensions around Kanonhstaton.

The ministry is not saying how exactly they plan to do that at the site of the former Douglas Creek Estates housing development reclaimed by Six Nations people in 2006.

"We wish to work with all parties, including Haldimand County, to resolve this issue in a spirit of unity and mutual respect." said Flavia Mussio, spokesperson for the Ontario Aboriginal Affairs Ministry. "It is only by working collaboratively that we can resolve many of the complex issues around the Six Nations land claims and related issues. Ontario has worked, and continues to work towards de-escalating tensions that exist around Douglas Creek Estates."

Mussio said Ontario agrees that the driveway that bisects the site is owned by Haldimand County.

The County also said the roads needs to be open for emergency services to get through. The County has never maintained the road since Six Nations reclaimed the land in 2006.

The province bought the land from housing development company Henco Industries in 2006, but that doesn't include the road, also known as Surrey Street.

Historic land rights talks emerged from the reclamation, with the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council in the lead, until Six Nations Band Council walked away from the talks in 2010.

Mussio said Ontario is urging the federal government to return to the table and it can't act on land rights issues without them. "The participation of the federal government is necessary to resolve the underlying issues surrounding the Six Nations land claims. We continue to urge the federal government to return to the table."

"Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) has been made aware of Haldimand County Council's decision to remove what they term "illegal blockades" from the former Douglas Creek Estates lands," band council wrote in a press release last Wednesday. "Six Nations Elected Council does not support the County Council's decision to do so and urgently calls on the County Council to reconsider its proposed actions."

The statement continues "Mayor Hewitt's statement about 'working with its neighbours' and 'moving forward in a unified fashion' is contradictory to Haldimand County's resolution to remove the 'illegal blockades' without first consulting with its neighbours in Six Nations. Actions speak louder than words and Haldimand County's decision and proposed actions. if carried through, will only deepen the divide on all sides as opposed to creating unity."

The band's letter called on "Haldimand County to refocus their efforts by working with Six Nations Elected Council to end the provincial government's inaction."

Sources said Hewitt was warned at the meeting if the county tried to force fully remove the barrier, there would be a flare-up in the town "worse than what happened in 2006" when Six Nations reclaimed the land from developers.

Hewitt confirmed he was warned. "When the meeting started, that was certainly the feeling of many," said Hewitt. "They felt that if (Haldimand) council is not willing to work with people from Six Nations then certainly it's going to be adversarial. As the meeting progressed, we discussed more and more about how we could possibly work together to accomplish local goals to maintain a sense of calm and harmony between the two nations. There were people there willing to pursue that."

Hewitt would not say if his council will rescind the motion to remove the barriers, and he's not sure what the next steps will be since his council is on its summer break and won't reconvene until early August.

"How we left it (the meeting) was we would all go back to our various councils and look for guidance and the hope is that we can reconvene and have some further dialogue on how to manage the situation.

As mayor, I only speak for council. I can't simply remove a resolution that was passed. (I said) I would give council an update on the meeting and encouragement that there was opportunity to discuss ways to assist each other in achieving our goals."

He said the county still needs access.

"Currently, the road is registered to Haldimand County. Whether it's ours or not is not the question. The fact is today, it's registered to us. We have an obligation to manage that road as we would any other road. Our intent is we have to find a solution that's going to work for Six Nations and that's going to work for Haldimand County."

Hewitt added, "We truly want to be allies and we want to work together but we need the help of leaders on Six Nations to be able to accomplish that. My hope is we get back together much sooner than later. I think it's an issue we all want to put to rest."

Sources said, Hewitt was told when a Six Nations man was "roughed up by OPP a few weeks ago the roads almost got blocked then."

The meeting, with about 32 in attendance, was closed to the media. It was organized by Men's Fire member Bill Monture at his office on Chiefswood Road and guarded by security.

Elected Chief Ava Hill was not at the meeting. She is away. But councillors Melba Thomas, Bob Johnson and Terry General did attend but did not return calls by press time.

OPP liaison Mark Hill was also at the meeting.