Blackbear

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FROM: THE OTTAWA CITIZEN NEWSPAPER WEBSITE
_http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/story.html?id=34ad518c-52a3-4d96-89c5-88f
264a47b7c&k=33884_
(http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/...a47b7c&k=33884)
McGuinty Calls For End To Aboriginal Occupation

(http://ad.ca.doubleclick.net/N3081/j...;ord=63528016?)

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Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty. (CPimages/Tom Hanson)

Canadian Press

Published: Thursday, June 22, 2006

TORONTO -- It's time for the long-running aboriginal occupation of a southern
Ontario housing development to come to an end because it poses a potential
danger to the public, Premier Dalton McGuinty said Thursday.
McGuinty also disclosed for the first time that the province has agreed to
pay $12.3 million to the developer behind the Douglas Creek Estates property in
Caledonia, Ont., south of Hamilton, where aboriginal occupiers have been
camped since late February.
It's the first time McGuinty has asked Six Nations protesters to abandon
their occupation, which has been marked by a number of violent clashes with both
police and local residents.
"The continuing occupation is just not helpful, and it really constitutes the
remaining potential for danger,'' McGuinty said before a Liberal cabinet
meeting.
"The community has our attention -- boy, did they get our attention -- and
we're prepared to stay there and get this done.''
McGuinty said the province has done what it could "to take the land out of
the equation'' by negotiating to buy the occupied property from the developer
so it can be placed in trust while the bigger land claim issue is resolved.
And after insisting for two days that the developer had requested the
purchase price remain private for competitive reasons, McGuinty told the
legislature Thursday he was free to disclose how much taxpayers are paying for the
property.
In addition to the $12.3 million, an additional amount to be paid for the
loss of future profits "remains the subject of ongoing negotiations,'' McGuinty
said.
It would be "very helpful'' for those negotiations if the occupation ended
and all aboriginal protest lines and blockades in the Caledonia area were
abandoned, he added.
Opposition Leader John Tory said it's high time McGuinty called for the
occupation to end, and he accused the premier of weak leadership in handling the
dispute.
"The occupation started more than 100 days ago . . .and now he's saying it's
time for the occupation to come to an end,'' Tory said.
"Where has he been? This is the weak leadership I'm talking about.''
Meanwhile, an Ontario Superior Court judge has ordered key players in the
land dispute -- including the Ontario and federal governments -- to return to
court June 29.
Justice David Marshall wants to know why police still haven't enforced his
three-month-old order to evict the aboriginals from the occupied housing
development in Caledonia, southwest of Hamilton.
© Canadian Press 2006

__________________
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Blackbear

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FROM: THE TORONTO STAR NEWSPAPER WEBSITE

_http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Articl
e_Type1&c=Article&pubid=968163964505&cid=1150974513098&col=968705899037&call_p
age=TS_News&call_pageid=968332188492&call_pagepath=News/News_
(http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Con...Type1&c=Articl
e&pubid=968163964505&cid=1150974513098&col=968705899037&call_page=TS_News&call
_pageid=968332188492&call_pagepath=News/News)

CN Seeks Injunction Over Indian Blockades

Jun. 22, 2006. 01:42 PM
CANADIAN PRESS

WINNIPEG - Canadian National Railway (TSX: _CNR_
(http://www.financials.com/custom/tor...=CNR&type=tick) ) applied Thursday for a
court order to prevent Manitoba First Nations protesters from blocking its
rail lines to protest the Canadian government's handling of aboriginal land
claims negotiations.
Last week, Chief Terry Nelson of the Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation
said CN and Canadian Pacific Railway (TSX: _CP_
(http://www.financials.com/custom/tor...m=CP&type=tick) ) tracks would be affected by
the blockades, which he said would start at 4 p.m. on June 29 and last for 24
hours.
The protest has the support of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, while First
Nations from other provinces might also get involved, Nelson said.
CN said Thursday it had filed an action in the Manitoba Court of Queen's
Bench seeking an injunction to prevent a blockade of its rail lines.
"CN has no authority to resolve First Nations' land claims disputes with the
federal government, and said rail blockades would be unsafe and unfairly
harm CN, its customers and their employees, and the national economy," CN said
in a release.
The Montreal-based company, Canada's biggest railway, said it had also asked
First Nations to reconsider their blockade plan and urged them to pursue
alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms with the government.
Canadian National shares traded Thursday afternoon at $47.54, down 21 cents,
and Canadian Pacific shares were down 45 cents at $55.07 at the Toronto
Stock Exchange.

__________________
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Blackbear

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FROM: THE GLOBE AND MAIL NEWSPAPER
_http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060622.wxcaledoniasb22/B
NStory/National/home_
(http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl.../National/home)
Price of Caledonia Land Deal Not Secret, Lawyer Says

KAREN HOWLETT
From Thursday's Globe and Mail

The owners of a housing development adjoining a Six Nations Reserve in
Caledonia have not asked that the purchase price of their property be kept
confidential, says their lawyer -- a stand that contradicts assertions made by
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty.
Michael Bruder, a lawyer for Douglas Creek Estates, said yesterday that
brothers Don and John Henning have an agreement in principle to sell the
development to the government at fair market value. He said the selling price has not
yet been determined because the parties are still drafting a final
agreement.
"The purchase price has not been agreed upon," he said in an interview.

Mr. Bruder also said he does not know at this stage whether the Henning
brothers will ask that the price be kept confidential.
"I don't know what we're going to be asking for at the end of the day because
we haven't exchanged the final agreement," he said.
David Ramsay, the minister responsible for aboriginal affairs, said last
night that the government does plan to reveal the selling price after the deal
is finalized. The proposed agreement consists of two parts: fair market value
for the land itself and an amount for damages.
"It's not going to stay confidential for long," he said.
Mr. McGuinty has come under pressure all week from the opposition to disclose
how much taxpayers' money is involved in buying the land, which protesters
have occupied since the end of February.
Mr. McGuinty said in Question Period that the owners of the property are not
prepared to disclose the selling price. "We have, in fact, reached an
agreement with the local developer to purchase the disputed lands," he said
yesterday.
Mr. Bruder said the sale of the 600 lots in the subdivision would generate
revenue of $45-million. But he said that figure does not equate to the
development's fair market value. Mr. McGuinty met face-to-face for the first time
yesterday with three residents of Caledonia after dozens travelled to Toronto
to protest outside a conference centre where he was speaking.
Mr. McGuinty told reporters he did not make any promises to the residents.
But he said he gained a better understanding of their concerns, including the
impact of the standoff on the local economy and residents' personal safety
concerns.
Also yesterday, 47-year-old Ken Hill of Ohsweken, Ont., was arrested and
charged with two counts of assault in connection with a confrontation between
aboriginals and other Caledonia residents on June 4.


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9. Ontario Faces Fresh Native-Rights Storm
Posted by: "Miketben@aol.com" mailto:Miketben@aol.com?Subject=Re: Ontario Faces Fresh Native-Rights Storm miketben1
Thu Jun 22, 2006 5:09 pm (PST)



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FROM: THE GLOBE AND MAIL NEWSPAPER
_http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060622.TROUT22/TPStory/TPN
ational/Ontario/_
(http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...ional/Ontario/)
Ontario Faces Fresh Native-Rights Storm
Mining company and protesters set to square off over property claim

JAMES RUSK
With a report from Kate Harries

Just when the Ontario government appears to be bringing the standoff with
native protesters at Caledonia under control, another land-use issue involving
natives is coming to the fore.
As Caledonia started with developers asking for an injunction to get
protesters off their property, this morning in Thunder Bay, Platinex Inc., a
Toronto-based mining exploration company, is seeking a court order to keep
protesters away from a mining claim it wants to drill on.
If granted, the application would prevent residents of the Kitchenuhmaykoosib
Inninuwug (commonly called KI) reserve at Big Trout Lake from interfering
with drilling on a platinum deposit that the company has staked near the
reserve, 600 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay.
The natives have applied for a counter-injunction that would stop Platinex
from continuing its exploration of the platinum deposit, which the company says
is potentially the largest in North America.

(There are other lawsuits in the background: Platinex is suing the natives
for $10-billion, the expected value of the ore that they hope to find; the
natives are countersuing Platinex for $10-million, and told the province they
intend to challenge the constitutionality of the Ontario Mining Act; and the
reserve has made a land claim that includes the disputed area.)
"We are not prepared to entertain any mining in our territory at this time,"
KI resident Mark Anderson told a Queen's Park news conference through an
interpreter.
Mr. Anderson, who spoke in Oji-Cree, is one of four natives who walked for
six weeks to cover the 2,100 kilometres from Pickle Lake, 360 kilometres
northwest of Thunder Bay, to Toronto to protest against the exploration by
Platinex.
He said that as they arrived at Queen's Park his thoughts were "about the
older youths and children who do not want to lose the right to exercise our
hunting rights and to ensure that we protect our land as it provides for us
through our hunting."
But there is much more potentially at stake in the tussle over Platinex.
The case will be instrumental in determining how economic development
proceeds in an area of the province larger than France.
Higher prices for metals have sparked an interest in mineral exploration
across the North, an area where control of the land is shared between the
province and the native people under the terms of treaties that were signed 100
years ago or more.
Stan Beardy, the grand chief of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, which represents
the natives living in the two-thirds of Ontario's land mass covered by Treaty
9, told the news conference that the natives and the provincial government
have to find a way to go forward.
He said that a Supreme Court ruling last November found that the natives have
to be consulted on any development in the treaty area and to him that means
that no mining development can take place without the consent of the native
peoples.
But provincial sources said that, while the ruling says the natives must be
consulted, it does not give them a veto on development.
Platinex is caught in the middle of a larger fight, and is now facing "a huge
challenge that's something that's well beyond the purview of this small
exploratory company to deal with," said the company's lawyer, Neal Smitheman.

__________________
Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song.

Blackbear

_http://www.ontla.on.ca/hansard/house_debates/38_parl/Session2/L095.htm_
(http://www.ontla.on.ca/hansard/house...sion2/L095.htm)

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO
Thursday 22 June 2006
NATIVE LAND DISPUTE
Mr. Garfield Dunlop (Simcoe North): On Tuesday, I visited the beautiful
community of Caledonia, and what I heard can best be summed up from a Toronto Sun
article of the other day. I'll read parts of it.
"Frightened politicians make lousy negotiators -- especially when they're
representing us. Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty is apparently so freaked out
by the native protesters in Caledonia, that he's now making major concessions
to them -- with taxpayers' money -- without getting anything in return....
"One of the big concerns the Six Nations negotiators had was that if the
disputed land was developed while they were waiting for their case to be heard,
it would effectively negate their chances of keeping the land. In other
words, it's reasonable to think a court would be reluctant to order the
demolishing of an established subdivision years down the road, even if the natives won
their case. The tendency would be to try to compensate the natives with
something other than land.
"By agreeing to buy the land and hold it in trust, McGuinty has removed that
concern, but apparently got nothing in return -- unless there's now a deal
or understanding between the two sides we aren't being told about.
"The protestors say they'll continue to occupy the development until they
win title to the land. Perhaps, sensing weakness from the province, they're
upping the ante and pushing to get the entire issue settled now, rather than
years from now.
"And why not? A few days ago, McGuinty said he wouldn't continue
negotiations with the natives until they took down all their barricades and co-operated
with an OPP investigation that led to charges against seven native protestors
last weekend.
"Subsequently, the native protestors took down some of the barricades, but
not the main one. And as of yesterday, only one of the seven protestors sought
by police was in custody.
"And yet, here's McGuinty not only negotiating but offering a big
concession. Someone should tell the Premier that there's not much point" --
The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): Thank you.
ORAL QUESTIONS
NATIVE LAND DISPUTE
Mr. John Tory (Leader of the Opposition): My question is to the Premier.
Premier, we asked you day after day to come forward with the cost of your land
purchase deal in Caledonia -- or the lack thereof -- and day after day you
gave us the same answer. You stood up and you told the entire Legislature that
the single reason for not being transparent and accountable when it came to
millions of dollars of taxpayers' money being spent in Caledonia was that the
landowners, the people selling the land, had requested that it remain
completely secret.
Premier, can you please explain to us why the lawyer managing negotiations
for the landowner, for the seller, is now saying that this is not and never
has been the case? Perhaps you can explain yourself to this House.
Hon. Dalton McGuinty (Premier, Minister of Research and Innovation): I'm
delighted to have the opportunity to shed a bit more light on what has been
happening in this regard. In April, we hired a special adviser, Rob Chadwick, to
begin negotiations for the purchase of Douglas Creek Estates. The reason we
did that was to ensure that the two local brothers who have sunk virtually
their whole life savings into this land do not face financial ruin because of
circumstances over which they had no control.
Throughout this entire process we have respected the confidentiality of the
discussions. Last week we were able to reach an agreement to purchase the
land so that it is removed from the debate and placed in trust.
Today our special adviser, Rob Chadwick, was able to receive the consent of
the local developers to release information about the agreement. In the
context of supplementary, I'll provide that information.
Mr. Tory: The fact of the matter is, when you were here the other day you
told us without qualification that it was the seller that you've talked about
today -- and we all sympathize with the plight they're in, which, by the way,
has been made worse and dragged out much longer because of your inaction and
weak leadership.
Having said that, the owners of this land -- their lawyers have indicated
publicly in the newspaper today that they have not, prior to now, asked that
that information remain confidential. You're the one who said it should remain
confidential.
When is this documentation going to be made available to the people of
Ontario, to us and to the media? Why did you stand up in your place when it's the
lawyer for the developers who said it was not their wish to have this kept
confidential before today?
Hon. Mr. McGuinty: Again, to repeat, our adviser today obtained the consent
of the developers to release information about the agreement. The Ontario
government, on behalf of the people of Ontario, has agreed to purchase Douglas
Creek Estates for the amount of $12.3 million; plus, there will be an
additional amount which remains the subject of ongoing negotiations.
Again, the reason we are doing this and proceeding with the purchase of this
land is because we feel it is only fair and proper that we help out a couple
of local brothers who assumed responsibility to develop these lands and,
through no fault of their own, were caught up in circumstances. We feel a sense
of responsibility to help them out.
Mr. Tory: You certainly should feel a very big sense of responsibility for
that and a lot of other things. It's just unfortunate you didn't accept the
responsibility a lot earlier than is the case here.
I've reminded you and your government on a daily basis that it is not your
money; it belongs to the taxpayers. The government has to be -- as you would
have argued in opposition, as you even would argue in government -- open,
transparent and accountable when it comes to spending millions of taxpayers'
dollars, not just on the purchase of land but all of the other costs associated
with this fiasco that has taken place on your watch.
I have written to the Auditor General today -- I'd ask the pages if they
could bring a copy of this letter over to you -- and I've requested that he
immediately review all government expenditures that have to do with this entire
fiasco, including the land deal.
I would ask you, will you be fully co-operative with the Auditor General and
take the initiative to work with him, starting right now, to turn over all
information about all expenditures on this Caledonia matter so he can have an
independent look at exactly what has gone on here with the taxpayers' money?
Will you do that?
Hon. Mr. McGuinty: We would be more than pleased to co-operate with the
Auditor General in any way.
Interjection: And any time.
Hon. Mr. McGuinty: And any time. But let me say that obviously I can't agree
with the leader of the official opposition's ongoing characterization of
developments in Caledonia. He's just not prepared to accept that we are in fact
making progress, whether it's a matter of getting the barricades down or
providing financial support to the community, whether it's to the municipality
itself or to business persons. He doesn't like the fact that we've set up a
community liaison table. He doesn't like the fact that we've set up ongoing
meetings to work with the community. He doesn't like the fact that we've set up a
central table, working with the federal government, so that we can bring to
heel these issues, which have over 200 years of history connected with them.
He doesn't like all of those things. Apparently he has some special plan of
his own that he's not prepared to share with us, but it would be interesting
to get that at some point, to know exactly what he would have us do at this
point in time.
The Speaker (Hon. Michael A. Brown): New question.
Mr. Tim Hudak (Erie-Lincoln): A question to the Minister of Community Safety
and Correctional Services. Today is day 115 in the crisis in Caledonia.
Dalton McGuinty's weak and indecisive leadership has led to a major crisis of
public confidence in our front-line Ontario Provincial Police officers.
Yesterday's Toronto Star said, "There were physical assaults taking place in front of
you and you can't do anything about it. The OPP is a joke in terms of
Caledonia. It has tarnished our name." That's from a front-line OPP officer.

to be cont...

__________________
Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song.

Blackbear

Yesterday, Premier McGuinty simply dismissed this seemingly as a
fabrication. Surely, Minister, the one responsible for the Ontario Provincial Police is
going to stand up in the House today and tell us you're going to look into
this matter of who is giving direction to the Ontario Provincial Police and
move forward with the inquiry. Stand up for our Ontario Provincial Police
officers.
Hon. Monte Kwinter (Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services):
For the last few weeks, I've been listening to the opposition talk about
Caledonia. The only thing they have to bring to the table is the fact that
someone in their organization can read the newspapers, because, I'll tell you, all
of the information you get is in the newspapers and most of it is not
totally correct.
But I do want to quote from one particular newspaper that you might find
interesting, and that is Karl Walsh, president of the Ontario Provincial Police
Association: "All the same, Walsh says he appreciated the government's
hands-off approach to policing in Caledonia and says the opposition ... should stop
playing politics with the standoff."
So here we have a situation, and the question the member asks is, "Who is
directing the OPP?" The answer is, nobody is directing them. The OPP are
independent. They make their decisions and they act --
The Speaker: Thank you, Minister. Supplementary?
Mr. Hudak: I wonder what the minister's been doing. He accuses us of playing
politics. I don't know if you're playing golf, cribbage or shuffleboard, but
what you're not doing, Minister, is standing up for Ontario Provincial
Police and front-line officers in the Caledonia area or across the province of
Ontario.
1430
Let me remind you what's happening under your watch. As minister, you have
condoned something called a no-go zone for Ontario Provincial Police. You
didn't say a word when Ontario Provincial Police officers were taken out of their
car, their windows smashed -- they were arrested and humiliated. And now
we're seeing votes of confidence against the OPP commissioner and mockery of the
OPP front-line officers because of Dalton McGuinty's weak leadership.
Minister, if you're not going to stand up for OPP officers, maybe you should
consider stepping down and letting somebody else stand up for the OPP,
because you certainly are not.
Hon. Mr. Kwinter: I find it interesting that the member would make those
statements. I challenge him to bring forward one senior officer in the OPP, the
commissioner of the OPP or anyone else who will stand up and go on the record
and be critical of the way we have dealt with this situation as far as the
OPP are concerned. I challenge you to do that. Come up with one name. Don't
refer to unsubstantiated reports. Give me a name.
Mr. Hudak: Talk about gutless leadership. You wonder what this minister --
why aren't you talking to the front-line OPP officers? If I were the minister
and I saw that article in the Star yesterday, I'd be on the move and I'd be
looking into it right away.
Minister, with all due respect, you're a veteran of the Ontario Legislature,
and your voice should carry weight at the cabinet table. You should be
standing up and getting onside with Ontario's front-line provincial police
officers. You're more interested in bowing down before the leader than doing your
job as minister.
Minister, I have no choice. I have no choice because of your lack of
leadership and your lack of support for Ontario Provincial Police officers: Minster,
it's time for you to step down and let someone else fight for our Ontario
provincial police officers.
Hon. Mr. Kwinter: I don't want to give the member a history lesson, but the
history of this institution is loaded with Solicitors General who spoke to
police about a matter and had to resign. You should know that. You should know
that that has happened. To suggest that I should be directing the OPP, that I
should be talking to OPP officers about this issue, is totally, totally
irresponsible on your part and indicates that you have no idea what you're
talking about.
The Speaker: New question.
Interjections.
NATIVE LAND DISPUTE
Mr. Tim Hudak (Erie-Lincoln): Back to the Minister of Community Safety and
Correctional Services: Let me read you some of the headlines in today's
newspapers. Brantford: "There's No Law in Caledonia." London Free Press: "Caving In
at Caledonia; Willing to Buy Peace At Any Price, the Province Gives Into
Thugs and Sets a Dangerous Precedent." Stratford: "Residents Demand Law and
Order." North Bay: "Caledonia Residents Demand Law and Order."
Clearly, Minister, under your watch, the rule of law has been suspended. The
Toronto Star reports, and I gave you this quote, "There were physical
assaults taking place in front of you and you couldn't do anything about it. The
OPP is a joke in terms of Caledonia. It has tarnished our name," said a
front-line OPP officer.
Minister, is the reason you're not acting because you think that the author,
Jessica Leeder, and the Toronto Star fabricated the story? Is that why
you're not acting?
Hon. Monte Kwinter (Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services):
The reason I'm not acting is because I have a responsibility not to
interfere with the operation of the OPP. It's too bad your seatmate isn't beside you,
because he was quoted just recently when he was interviewed about an event
that is taking place somewhere else in the province, and he said, "The
Solicitor General should not interfere with policing in Ontario." That is a basic
policy that every single Solicitor General not only does honour, but has to.
Otherwise, they have no choice but to resign.
Mr. Hudak: This assembly has had weeks and weeks -- in fact, 115 days -- of
excuses from Premier McGuinty; excuses from the Minister of Correctional
Services. The reason you're not acting is because you want to remain wilfully
deaf and blind to the crisis in Caledonia and the suspension of the rule of law.
The minister said earlier that if I gave him the name of a senior police
officer who says there's something going on down there, he would then
investigate. "Due to political pressures and optics involved with this, the OPP seems
to be bending their own rules while sacrificing officer safety." He cites
deviations from usual practices, such as telling the tactical team not to wear
riot gear on the site lest they provoke a native backlash. That's from Karl
Walsh, the president of the Ontario Province Police Association. Surely that
fits your definition of an important police officer. Minister, hearing this,
surely you'll look into the matter.
Hon. Mr. Kwinter: The member either doesn't listen or doesn't want to
listen. I quoted --
Interjection.
Hon. Mr. Kwinter: Okay, well, let me tell you what he also said. You had
your chance to speak. You had your chance --
Interjection.
Hon. Mr. Kwinter: I think it's important to understand -- this is what one
of his colleagues said about him. He said, "We have a minister who's
incapable, incompetent, in handling it, and that is Minister Hudak." Let me tell you
this and let me read this to you. This is your own colleague who said that
about you. Let me read this quote one more time. You quoted Karl Walsh, and Karl
Walsh said, "... he appreciates the government's hands-off approach to
policing in Caledonia and says the opposition should stop playing politics with
the standoff." That's Karl Walsh. He said that. He said you're playing politics
and that he --
The Speaker: Thank you.
PETITIONS
NATIVE LAND DISPUTE
Mr. Toby Barrett (Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant): A petition titled "We Demand
Leadership in Land Dispute." This relates to Six Nations in Caledonia.
"Whereas the McGuinty government was notified of this land issue over a year
ago; and
"Whereas the standoff has been ongoing since February 28, 2006; and
"Whereas there has been no leadership from senior levels of government;
"We, the undersigned, demand that the McGuinty Liberals start showing some
real, consistent and timely leadership in dealing with the current standoff in
Caledonia."
I agree with the sentiments and have affixed my signature, and I will be
asking our page Madeleine, from my riding, to deliver this to the Clerk's desk.

__________________
Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song.

Blackbear

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************************************************** ******************
FROM: THE TORONTO SUN NEWSPAPER

_http://www.torontosun.com/News/Columnists/Blizzard_Christina/2006/06/21/16444
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Christina Blizzard

Costs of Caledonia

Wed, June 21, 2006

By CHRISTINA BLIZZARD

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So, what price peace?
Well, in the case of the land purchased from developers in an attempt to buy
a truce in the native standoff in Caledonia, we may never know.
Last week, the province announced it would buy land currently owned by
developers, Henco Industries Ltd., that aboriginal protesters claim belongs to
them. The developers had planned to build as many as 600 homes on the land.
This raises a number of questions, not the least of which is this: If there
is a dispute over the ownership of this land, how can it be sold?
David Ramsay, the minister responsible for aboriginal affairs, refused to
disclose the amount of money the province paid for the land, citing "propri
etorial" reasons.
Henco doesn't want their competitors knowing how much their development was
worth.
So since when did the business concerns of a private company dictate to
taxpayers what they can know about how their government is spending their money?
Opposition leader John Tory said in the House yesterday that the price could
be as high as $50 million.
"I think the people of Ontario deserve to know how much this part of the
Caledonia episode will cost them," Tory said. "They deserve to know what the
price tag is. It is not your money, it is the public's money that we're dealing
with here. It belongs to them, and it is managed in trust by you and by your
ministers on their behalf," he said. Exactly.
An earlier figure of $45 million had been rumoured, but Ramsay scoffed at
the price and said it was the estimated value of the property, had all the
development gone forward. But he wouldn't put a dollar figure on the land.
"In this case, the seller has asked us to keep that confidential," Ramsay
said.
Too bad. The seller needs to learn that when you deal with government, the
primary concern is the need for taxpayers to have accountability for their tax
dollars. So much for the party that promised transparency in government. And
how can you sell land if there's a claim on it?
"That's why it is going into a neutral trust," Ramsay said.
The government will turn over the land to the trust. Once that's done, the
ownership will be decided through "historical research" and negotiations,
Ramsay said.
I think we can all figure out what that negotiation and "historical
research" will discover, can't we?
This is a total capitulation to a group who have used might to get their
way. Now they have prevailed, it is reasonable to expect a whole raft of claims
will be dealt with the same way.
Forget about the courts and the rule of law. Throw a hissy fit. Block a road
or two. Topple a hydro tower. Put on face masks and balaclavas and wave a
flag atop a barricade. Then, bingo! You hit the jackpot.
A little bit of "historical research," and the government caves in.
Hysterical research, more like it.
Ramsay said he doesn't believe this resolution will work for other land
claims. "This is a very particular circumstance here. Other land claims are very
unique and they are very different, so this is just one technique to use in
this particular one," he said.
Don't count on it. This opens up a can of worms. And we don't even know how
much it will cost.
* * *
Speaking of a can of worms, the actions of Toronto Mayor David Miller in
setting up a "blue-ribbon panel" to study councillors' salaries just goes to
prove that paying politicians more doesn't ensure quality representation. The
group, headed by former Newfoundland premier and federal cabinet minister Brian
Tobin, will look at hiking councillors' salaries 8.9% to $95,000 -- which is
more than the base salary for an MPP. Miller's salary would go to $160,000
-- more than the $147,919 Premier Dalton McGuinty made last year. Then again,
as a former federal MP, Tobin knows all about pay hikes. Do these guys have
no shame?

____________________________________

o You can call Christina Blizzard at (416) 325-3971 or e-mail at
_christina.blizzard@tor.sunpub.com_ (mailto:christina.blizzard@tor.sunpub.com)

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__________________
Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song.

Blackbear

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FROM: THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR NEWSPAPER
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Henco Gets $12.3m For Land

(http://ads.thestar.com/click.ng/site...&HChannel=news) McGuinty implores native
protesters to leave Douglas Creek Estates property
By John Burman
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jun 23, 2006)
Ontario will pay Henco Industries $12.3 million for the Douglas Creek
Estates property occupied by aboriginal protesters.
Premier Dalton McGuinty said yesterday the government will also compensate
developers Don and John Henning with an additional amount for the loss of
future profits. That amount is still under negotiation.
The money paid to Henco does not include six builders who own 25 lots in the
disputed site. The builders are negotiating a separate agreement with the
province and have chosen not to issue a statement at this time.
McGuinty also called on native protesters yesterday to leave the site. He
said there is no need to occupy the site and keep tensions high in Caledonia
now that the province has moved to buy the land and hold it in trust pending
the outcome of ongoing negotiations.
To leave the site would reduce the danger of another flare-up of the violent
clashes that have marred the occupation since it began Feb. 28, he said.
But spokespersons for the protesters have made it clear they have no
intention of leaving because they believe Ontario's decision to buy the land does
not address the underlying land claim issue.
Senior Haldimand County officials support McGuinty's request. They agree
with McGuinty that occupation of the site is unnecessary.
Deputy Mayor Tom Patterson told The Spectator's editorial board yesterday
that tensions in the town and the potential for violence would drop if native
occupiers left the subdivision while negotiations continue.
"If they were to leave, people in Caledonia would certainly feel less
anxious," he said.
It's the first t