Six Nations (Caledonia) Negotiations
"What's New" Archive
June 20, 2008
The Archaeology and Appearance Sidetable met on June 10.
Representatives of the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations, Canada and Ontario met at the Lands Resolution Sidetable on June 11 and the Main Negotiation Table on June 12. Representatives of the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations requested an adjournment in the negotiations until August.
Technical work including archaeological protection and work to reduce erosion on the Douglas Creek Estates property in Caledonia will continue throughout the summer.
Public consultation on an environmental assessment for the former Burtch correctional facility lands in Brant County, is also continuing. A public information session about the demolition of buildings and other site decommissioning activities at the former Burtch correctional facility will be held on Thursday, June 26 at the Mount Pleasant Community Centre, 711 Mount Pleasant Road, RR1 Mount Pleasant, between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., and 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
The federal government Indian and Northern Affairs Canada now has a toll free number (1-866-553-6671) to answer questions about Caledonia and the negotiations with Six Nations.
June 3 2008
The Archaeology and Appearance Sidetable met on May 27.
Federal government community liaison Mr. Douglas Forbes attended the May 27 meeting of the Community Advisory Group.
Representatives of the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations, Canada and Ontario met at the Lands Resolution Sidetable on May 28 and the Main Negotiation Table on May 29.
Provincial and federal negotiators reconfirmed their desire for a timely settlement on the Welland Canal flooding claim. Negotiators for all parties also agreed to work towards a tentative September date for Six Nations community acceptance of a settlement offer.
March 2008
Minister Bryant joins Six Nations, community leaders at MPP Summit
On Monday, March 10, Aboriginal Affairs Minister Michael Bryant joined business and other community leaders from Brantford, Brant County and Six Nations in a summit hosted by Brant MPP Dave Levac.
Planning for the Burtch Transfer
Discussions continue on the transfer of the Burtch Lands.
Discussing the Welland Canal offer
The federal government and the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations continue discussions on the Welland Canal offer.
Public Awareness and Education Side Table meets
The Public Awareness and Education Side Table met Monday, March 17, to discuss plans for the upcoming year.
Updated for the week of February 25-29, 2008
Minister Bryant meets Haldimand mayor and councillors
Michael Bryant, Ontario Aboriginal Affairs Minister, met with Mayor Marie Trainer and council members on Tuesday, February 26 to discuss ongoing areas of concern.
Minister Bryant visits Caledonia, posts clips on YouTube
Michael Bryant talks about Caledonia in five clips he taped in Caledonia and broadcast on YouTube. View the video clips.
Community Government Liaison Table meets
Options for economic development and rebuilding in Haldimand were discussed on Wednesday, February 27. Dave Levac, MPP for Brant, invited committee members to be observers at a community summit planned for March 10, from 1:00-4:00 pm at the Best Western in Brantford.
Public Awareness and Education Side Table holds forum at McMaster University
Haudenosaunee/Six Nations community leaders, committee members and the public took part in a forum on Thursday, February 28 to discuss First Nations issues and culture. An excerpt from ‘The Dish with One Spoon’ a new documentary detailing issues related to the ongoing land claim with the federal government was screened.
Minister Bryant visits Six Nations
Michael Bryant visited the Six Nations Reserve on Friday, February 29. He toured educational, medical, cultural and sports facilities and had a positive meeting with Chief Bill Montour and the elected Council.
Information provided by the Government of Ontario. Additional information is available by calling the Caledonia Public Information Line at 905-765-1897 (local), 1-866-876-7672 (toll free), or 1-800-387-5559 (TTY).
For more information on the status of the Haldimand Tract land claim negotiations between the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations and the federal government, please visit Indian and Northern Affairs Canada at www.ainc-inac.gc.ca
Updated: June 28, 2007
Archaeology Work on the Douglas Creek Estates Lands
Beginning Wednesday, June 20th archaeology fieldwork will re-commence on the Douglas Creek
site, including the “No-Go Zone” (buffer zone) on the north end of the Douglas
Creek lands.
Part of the work in the “No-Go Zone” (buffer zone) will involve plowing a strip approximately 5 meters wide, immediately adjacent to the northern boundary of the property.
For clarity, this will include the land adjacent to properties on Thistlemore Drive and the one home on the south end of Braemar Avenue. The ploughed strip of land will extend along the Douglas Creek side of the Notre Dame School fence.
It is expected that the fieldwork will last approximately three weeks. During this period, the ploughed land and other areas of the property will undergo archaeology work by the firm Timmins Martelle.
Archaeology staff will be wearing identifying safety vests.
The archaeological study is being carried out to fulfill a commitment made to the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations by Ontario in the spring of 2006.
Updated: May 14, 2007
Ontario Appoints New Principal Representative to Six Nations (Caledonia) Negotiations
Ontario has appointed Murray Coolican as the new provincial Principal Representative to the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations-Canada-Ontario negotiations. Mr. Coolican will take over from Principal Representative Jane Stewart, effective May 14, 2007.
Ms. Stewart brought experience and skills to the negotiations that enabled her to connect with community residents, municipal leaders and staff, and representatives of the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations in a difficult and challenging environment. Her efforts helped to achieve progress in addressing issues related to the Douglas Creek Estates property. Ms. Stewart played a key role in bringing the parties together and has been instrumental in setting the stage for moving forward. The Ontario government thanks Ms. Stewart for her commitment and leadership during this critical period.
The appointment of Mr. Coolican reflects the province’s evolving role at the negotiation table to a more technical support role to the federal government in resolving Six Nations’ grievances.
Mr. Coolican’s background and experience are well suited to this phase of the negotiations. Between 1992 and 1994, Mr. Coolican was Deputy Minister of the Ontario Native Affairs Secretariat (now the Ontario Secretariat for Aboriginal Affairs). Prior to this, he held positions as the Executive Director of the Canadian Arctic Resources Committee and Chair of a federal task force on Comprehensive Aboriginal Land Claims Policy.
For more information, see news release announcing Mr. Coolican’s appointment and his biography.
Updated: April 19, 2007
Federal Government Announcement
On March 29, 2007 the federal government announced an expanded negotiations mandate to allow more flexibility in moving Six Nations’ claims forward. The expanded mandate is part of the federal government’s efforts to advance negotiations with the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations.
Ontario is pleased to see the federal government confirming its leadership in these negotiations. Ontario believes that an expanded mandate will allow the parties to move closer to a peaceful resolution to the situation in Caledonia.
The Ontario government is committed to supporting Canada in discussions with the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations to achieve a peaceful negotiated settlement of outstanding grievances.
For more information about the federal government’s announcement, see:
www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/nr/iss/iss2006_e.html
Updated: January 19, 2007
Reports that the province has offered to create a 6.4 kilometre agricultural belt around the Six Nations Reserve are not accurate.
The province has never made an offer to create an agricultural belt of 6.4 kilometres.
There were discussions in April 2006 about maintaining agricultural zoning in Haldimand County, between the Douglas Creek Estates property and the current reserve boundary.
No new proposal on this subject has been discussed since then.
The province will continue to work with local municipalities and stakeholders in numerous ways to address concerns related to the protest at Douglas Creek Estates.
Ontario has made and continues to make efforts to resolve this situation in a peaceful manner.
Updated: January 3, 2007
Community Advisory Group
The Community Advisory Group (CAG) updates and informs nearby residents and municipal officials about the work of the Archaeology and Appearance Side Table. The group receives community feedback and suggestions for provincial and federal negotiators to take back to the side table. The CAG is composed of residents and homeowners who live in close proximity to the Douglas Creek Estates property, Haldimand County elected municipal leaders, and representatives of the Caledonia Baptist Church and Notre Dame School. While the CAG advises and communicates with the province, the federal government and the community, the group also hopes to initiate dialogue with the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations about site related matters of mutual concern. As a group, they have also expressed a desire to learn more about Haudenosaunee/Six Nations land claims, history, traditions and culture and to communicate same to the rest of the community.
Updated: December 19, 2006
Archaeology Study Update
The archaeology team has completed its field work for the season.
Ontario's agreement to fund an archaeological re-assessment of the Douglas Creek Estates property was one of the commitments made by former provincial negotiator David Peterson to the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations. An earlier archaeological assessment of the Douglas Creek Estates property was completed by another consultant on behalf of Henco Industries.
This fall, a crew of field directors and field assistants from Timmins Martelle Heritage Consultants along with archaeological monitors and field assistants from Six Nations re-surveyed a portion of the property. The archaeological survey involved walking the plowed, ungraded portion of the property to look for artifacts on the surface. Artifacts that were found were marked and mapped and a sample of these was collected.
The crew also assessed top soil piles on the property to look for artifacts and conducted a detailed examination of the area that was graded fronting on to Argyle Street, including mapping the area and determining whether top soil was removed.
Test excavations were also conducted on two small campsites in the northwest corner of the Douglas Creek Estates property that were investigated during the previous archaeological work and date to approximately 3,000 to 4,000 years ago and 5,000 to 6,000 years ago.
Artifacts unearthed at the site are currently being catalogued and stored in a laboratory established at Six Nations.
No evidence of human burials has been found to date. More work is to be completed in the spring.
Updated: November 29, 2006
House Demolition
Representatives of the Archaeology and Appearance Side Table reached an agreement to remove some of the partially constructed homes and fill-in unused foundations on Douglas Creek Estates lands. One house has been removed and work is currently underway to crush and remove the cement from the basement foundations. Residents are assured that the work being carried out will occur during daylight hours. Representatives from the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations, Canada and Ontario will continue to discuss the appearance of the site.
Updated: November 29, 2006
Straw Bales
Members of the community might have observed trucks delivering bales of straw to the Douglas Creek Estates property on November 20. The straw will be used as part of a temporary control measure to prevent silt from entering the drainage system on the Douglas Creek Estates site. More work will be required in the future.
Updated: October 26, 2006
Archaeology study message update
Area residents may notice the presence of an ATV or four-wheeler on the Douglas Creek Estates lands during the next few weeks.
The four-wheeler is driven by a member of the archaeology team while mapping the site.
Farm machinery will also be operating on the Douglas Creek Estates lands possibly into the early evening as part of the archaeology team's work.
Brush removal and turning the soil over to uncover artifacts by plowing is a normal part of archaeology work.
Posted: October 10, 2006
House and basement demolition on Douglas Creek
On Tuesday, October 3, representatives at the Archaeology and Appearance Side Table reached an agreement to remove one house and dismantle and fill in three basement foundations on the Douglas Creek Estates lands / property.
The Archaeology and Appearance Side Table agreed that this work should be carried out for safety reasons.
Staff of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal will coordinate obtaining permits from Haldimand County and placing a dumpster on site.
Residents will observe the presence of a dumpster on site that will be used for discarding materials from the house and pulverized cement from the basement foundations.
Residents are assured that the work being carried out will occur during daylight hours.
Representatives from the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations, Canada and Ontario will continue to discuss the appearance of the site.
Posted: October 3, 2006
Archaeology Study
The Ontario Realty Corporation, with agreement from the Haudenosaunee / Six Nations and Canada, has hired the archaeology firm of Timmins Martel Heritage Consulting Inc. to conduct a survey for possible burials on the Douglas Creek Estates land / property.
The archaeology team (nine to 12 people) will be present on the Douglas Creek Estates land / property beginning October 2nd. Archaeology teams will begin their work along the north side of Douglas Creek in the buffer zone, a 100 foot (30.48 metre) wide area running the length of the north side of Douglas Creek between the property and the residential area.
To begin the process the area will be mowed and the ground lightly turned. Archaeologists will then begin to examine the ground looking for signs of Aboriginal burials. Subsequently, other areas of the Douglas Creek Estates land / property will be surveyed. The work is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
The Ontario Provincial Police has been advised of the archaeological work to be done and the necessary presence of the individuals involved in the work.
Residents are assured that the work being carried out by the archaeology team will occur during daylight hours.
