Circling part two.

I've had some comments on my previous blog (some posted, some not) that made me want to take another shot to see if I can get my point across because I'm really not unsympathetic and I'm really not uninformed. At least if we assume the publications where I get my information are in any way accurate.

So let me start with the history.

Land was granted to Joseph Brant for his help in the American Revolution (he sided with the British) in what became known as the Haldimand Proclamation in 1784. Joseph Brant was ceded land six miles on either side of the Grand River from Lake Erie to what is now Dundalk (almost Owen Sound). This was somewhere is the neighborhood of 950,000 acres.

Lt. Governor John Simcoe downgraded this to 275,000 acres in 1795. Most of the rest of the land was either taken by the crown or sold back to the crown in 1848. I say either because one native leader says "Taken" while another is quoted as saying that the Indians weren't "properly compensated" which leads to believe a deal was struck. If that's the case, then at the time it must have seemed like a good enough deal.

In 1924 due mostly to the federal government, the concept of Band Councils came to fruition. I'm not completely up to date on the history of the band council, but as of today, they are elected positions. Not appointed by the government.

In 1987 the Plank Road Tract (which is now Hgwy 6 South) was registered as a land claim, and the specific area in question in Caledonia was registered in 1995 as a land claim. It is my understanding that there exists land claims filed in Ottawa to the tune of some 400 Billion dollars worth.

Before Henco broke ground they had to get approval to do so. Part of this process is notification of the elected band council. I have not seen the paperwork involved but I think it's fair to assume that approvals were given to start the project.

Now that Henco has put in more than 6 million dollars into the project, the natives protest and everyone starts thinking about Oka and Ipperwash. So that's the history. Or a good chunk of it anyway.

It's my understanding that the native leadership is divided. There is the elected Band Council, the hereditary Chiefs and Clan Mothers (who I understand have more of an advisory role). Most natives recognize the elected council and/or the chiefs depending on the situation. It is also my understanding the government deals almost exclusively with the Band Council. It doesn't seem like the natives can decide who their actual leaders are. If some want to follow the council, and some want to follow the chiefs, why not elect the chiefs to the council? Wouldn't that make sense? It is an elected body. Speaking of elections, why aren't there more (or any) natives in parliament? Interesting question I think.

Everybody who can read or listen to the news knows the natives are unhappy. Do they have a right to be? I don't know. I don't know how they were treated in the 18th, 19th and early 20th century because I wasn't there. The native account seems to frequently differ from what is called the "official" record.

The natives have said they want to deal with the Queen, the Governor General, or the Attorney General on a "nation to nation basis". If they truly wanted that, they would have looked at any fifth grade textbook to see who actually governs the nation.

What they are doing is this: one side is using the laws to try and gain what they believe they have lost while the other side is flagrantly breaking those very laws; and for the latter, it's going to be to no good end. I'm no lawyer but I'm not a fool. The kind of claims they're talking about don't get settled in a day, a month, or even a year. Sometimes they take decades. It may be slow, but hopefully it will be at the least thoroughly done.

If the natives stay where they are this won't end well for them. Either the police will enforce the law (which is my vote) or the public will lose interest. If the public doesn't care, neither will the government.

To conclude I will say that I'm more informed than many would think and I know that I don't know enough. Right now I do not in any way support these protesters. They are criminals and they should be locked up. Those leaders who have filed claims and are trying to do it the right way, they should absolutely be heard and given every chance to prove what they say. I support their efforts completely.

There are many implications of what is going on in Caledonia; anyone can see that. But in my heart of heart I believe that this protest is wrong. They made their point, they got their free press, no further good will come of their lawlessness.

There can always be a "Nuff said", but there should never be a "Nuff listen".