1  2  3  4  Next

Should blockading and/or interfering with private business-- business considered legal at the time of the protest-- be a legal form of protest?

Everyone knows what the Mohawk did near Caledonia, and it did get the goevernment's attention fast. They also agreed to take down the blockades once the government agreed to continue negotiations. '

Say the case turns out that the Mohawk are right, is it possible that the negotiations would have taken place without the blockades?

I have no clear opinion on this topic, but my cousin Ovide Mercredi is a strong believer in legal and peaceful methods of dealing with problems with the government, so I will take his side in this, for the beginning, in the interest of family trust.

   

[web]http://static.flickr.com/52/132437168_99f5b9d913.jpg?v=0[/web]

   

Yup. Proud first nations selling cheap no tax smokes.
That's one hell of a sad picture.

   

Caledonia: It cuts both ways

By Robert Sorrell, Caledonia
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jun 12, 2006)
Re: 'Native rights upheld in law' (June 7)

Regardless of the validity of native claims on the Douglas Creek development in Caledonia, or the disregard of legal responsibilities shown by our elected leaders and those designated as our police and protectors, it is the myopic sanctimony espoused by the natives themselves and their supporters that infuriates me the most.

As a status-eligible Metis whose European roots date to a French fur trader granted land on the shore of Lake Superior 200 years ago, this situation has divided my feelings.

I have lived in Caledonia for over 15 years and until a few months ago was proud of my native and Canadian roots and the success of what is considered one of the most prosperous native communities in Canada.

But since the start, this protest, occupation or "reclamation" has had a more vindictive taste than Oka or Ipperwash. This was never a struggle over an impersonal golf course or a public park, but has been a direct assault on politically blameless parties.

First the developers, who bought the land in good faith. They sold lots and began building houses for families who took out mortgages on their future homes.

Then, the town's citizens were dragged into it when both through-roads were blockaded and south-end residents were subjected to intimidation, from burning tires, vehicles and bridges to rampaging ATVs and masked "warriors" in the Tim Hortons.

Native spokespeople, wrapped in the robes of the peaceable, sage native cliche, insisted on talking only to the "representative of the Queen."

But listening to the recalcitrance of many natives, I am reminded of a child whose chant, "I want, I want, I want," escalates every time a realistic solution threatens to deny complete capitulation.

If the natives are truly seeking more land for their families, as claimed, not monetary compensation, why keep fighting for this land while dismissing the offer of lands to the south? Why keep upping the ante on the scope of the claims?

It is too easy for natives to tar any citizen's reaction as racist while ignoring the fact the counter-blockade merely mirrored for a few days what natives had inflicted on the town for over a month.

The main exceptions? No native vehicles were destroyed and no native property was stolen, vandalized or occupied. Nor was any native dragged from a vehicle, held captive or charged for creating a disturbance.

Perhaps most importantly, no non-native tried to drive through the other's blockade, especially not a human wall like that first set up by the Clan Mothers and repeated by the Caledonia citizens.

If the natives had remained at their own barricade, the citizens' barricade would likely have stayed as peaceable as the one the non-natives had to accept. But with confused logic, a milder version of native strategy, turned against the natives, became intolerable, racist.

The natives and their supporters must realize that if someone holds an innocent bystander hostage to force demands, it's not racist for that person to retaliate. It's self-preservation.

I think the natives would find more power in trying to enlist the citizens' frustration against the intractability of all levels of government, rather than making everyone their enemy and, in doing so, showing themselves to be as racist as they accuse others of being.


http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp ... 2876262536

   

I say the days of COWBOYS and INDIANS are over.Dialogue is the way to go, i guess.

   

You make it sound that as if every bodys in on it.every NDN.I dont smoke,But where I am.Im in a City, theres lotta dealin goin on . ill give you 10 bux, use ur status card. buy me 3 big cans. The whiteys over here love it. its happenin accros Canada..Ur good and were bad?????Dont kid urself

   

Ridenrain..Do you kinow how much smokes are today?Lotsa money. I actually see PPL picking cigarette butts. I see that all the time.There is a seller and you know what ,,there is also a BUYER.a BUYER .And lotta them are ur PPL buying,Its ok,nothing surprises me anymore.See the whole picture,B4 you start dissing ur ,one sided BS

   

perfect example of why the military should be used instead of negotiations.

Negotiations end when communties are held hostage and criminal (closer to terrorist) groups declare areas off limits to the police.

Did you hear about the opp officer who was ticketed for tresspassing by Six Nations police after getting lost and driving onto the reserve?

I would have sent the opp escorcted by the military into oshweeken just to make the point the police can go where they want on public property.

   

You related to Tommy "rolling butts" Diamond?

Maybe your the dude picking the butts.
With some clever thinking you can work yourself up to the next level.......The "Butt retailer"........then you can make some real cash eh?

Keep em coming bug eyes,life must be rough for a whitey that thinks he's an NDN.

   

I wouldnt say the military, unless natives commited more acts of terrorism such as at Caledonia. But the best first step to help natives is to completely shut down the DNIA, end tax breaks , end payments and use the non-withstanding clause to to put an end to the extortion of Taxpayers. Encourage natives to enter the economy and learn about personal reponsibiity

   

Hyper pshyco...Just get a lawyer then...LAwyers wouldnt even touch what ur rambling on...theres gotta be some at the nut house..take some from there...seriously

   

lawyers won't touch because the current system makes money

   

I hope not,Im not morally considered and adult until I've gone on the warpath. I guess a year from now it'sll be Afghanistan for me.

As for using the military, at least I'd wear some scalps on my belt.

However, I do disagree with the tresspassing ordeal. If my cousins want an end to racsisme than they should not be racsist themselves. I have always found racsists in my area that are aboriginal to be very uncommon. I wonder however, if this is just because they are of lower population than the Mohawk and live amongst several races.

The old land divisions between tribes was primarily for hunting rights, and since sharing is a huge part of Indian culture I don't see why the Mohawk need to keep the Whites off their land unless they're are sttlers or something and Mohawk culture or dominance in the area is threatened.

Now I do have to point something out regarding this debate, I am unsure whether the Six Nations as a Nation still exists. So when someone in this room refers to the S"Six Nations" it should be assumed that they are speaking of people from the Ontario Mohawk reserve called "Six Nations" and are not refering to all of the Iroquois people, since it doesn't seem to me that the Seneca and who else have had anything to do with the blockades.

   

No the OPP can't. It is Federal land and Six Nations police territory.

   

It ain't legal, but it is the only thing that gets the government to the table.
That is Canada's problem ... not theirs!

Canada is so stinking far behind in land claims ... intentionally of course ... they want to suck all the resources out first!!!

It will be up to Canada to implement a REAL land claims process (instead of a lets-pretend-we-have-one process) if they want to avoid future blockades ... because it's only just beginning!

   

1  2  3  4  Next