From June 15 of CNEWS at http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2006/06/15/1634849-cp.html

Aboriginal congress blames 'witch hunt' audit - By SUE BAILEY

OTTAWA (CP) - Federal funding to the only native group that endorsed the Conservatives has been frozen amid concerns about how public cash was spent.

But Patrick Brazeau, head of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, accuses bureaucrats of punishing his group for its support of the Tories.

He confirmed that $127,310 must be repaid as the result of an audit that led to a full-blown spending review.

About $5 million from eight departments has been on hold since at least mid-March while auditors continue their work, he said.

Brazeau doesn't dispute that money was misallocated, but he blames an administrative error and said his organization has not been accused of fraud.

"It's an accounting issue," he said.

Cash that should have been spent in 2004-05 - to help Metis groups after Canada's top court confirmed certain rights - was mistakenly carried over and used for related research and a general meeting the next fiscal year, Brazeau said.

He cited what he suspects is a kind of bureaucratic payback for his group's high-profile nod to the Tories during the last election.

"We feel that the officials are punishing CAP for having supported the Conservative party - an audit that takes four and a half months is simply unacceptable.

"We are dealing with peoples' livelihoods. It's just beyond the scope of imagination how federal officials can do this to an organization."

An Indian Affairs official had little to say about how much cash is being assessed and whether legal action has been taken.

"The audit is still underway, so it is too early to provide specific details to that question," said spokeswoman Margot Geduld.

"We understand that (Brazeau) has already introduced changes to the organization's management practices and has co-operated fully with the auditors."

The congress officially endorsed the Tories after receiving assurances the party would work to better serve off-reserve residents represented by the group.

The congress has long been at odds with the Assembly of First Nations and the Metis National Council which claim some of the same constituents.

Rumours of financial troubles swirled when Dwight Dorey, former head of the congress, suddenly resigned in late February.

Dorey vigorously denied then and now that his surprise departure had anything to do with money troubles.

"When I left, as far as I understood, there were no financial difficulties at CAP," he said this week.

Dorey said he didn't oversee the programs that were initially reviewed and didn't hear about the wider audit until after he left to pursue a consulting career.

Brazeau accused "political enemies" of spreading innuendo about the congress that he believes spurred federal auditors.

"In my opinion it was a witch hunt to try and verify that those rumours were indeed true, which they found out were indeed not.

"I strongly feel we're being punished for being accountable, and perhaps they're punishing us for not having found anything to corroborate the rumours."

The Conservatives have made clean government a clarion call since their campaign and ascension to power.

A letter dated March 14 to Brazeau from Fred Caron, assistant deputy minister responsible for Metis and non-Status Indians, said the wider audits would be wrapped up "within approximately three weeks."

Before funding is restored, "we must be in a position to give our minister the highest level of assurance with respect to the accountability of your organization," Caron said in the letter released under Access to Information.

Brazeau noted that Caron offered to work with the congress "should the time it takes to complete our work present CAP with untenable financial pressures."

So far, the only federal cash flowing to the group totals about $473,000 from Health Canada, Brazeau said.

The Congress employs 12 full-time staff and disburses funding to several affiliate groups - work that is threatened as the spending review continues, he added.

"We're basically down to the wire here."

From http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/06/14/manitoba-rail-blockade-wed.html

First Nations to blockade railways on Manitoba reserves - June 14, 2006

First Nations leaders in Manitoba are planning to blockade rail lines this summer to pressure the federal government to settle outstanding land claims.

During a general assembly of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, 50 representatives of First Nations voted unanimously in favour of blocking rail traffic on reserves this summer, executive director Lorne Cochrane told CBC Manitoba's Radio Noon on Wednesday.

The bands involved plan to block the rail lines for 24 hours later in June.

At least seven of the province's 64 reserves have expressed interest in taking part in the protest, although details on which bands or rail lines will be involved have not yet been finalized, Cochrane said.

The group has not discussed their plans with the rail companies, but said they expected to give advance notice of their final strategies.

"We're not out to put anybody's lives in danger or to jeopardize anything that's going to hurt any one individual, or organization or First Nation," Cochrane said.

First Nations need 'a seat at the table'

He acknowledged the rail companies do not have the power to deal with land claims, but said the proposed protest is also seen as an opportunity to inform the public.

"Our objective is to inform the general public of the First Nations issues and that we want to become meaningful partners in developing this province, this country. We're tired of being left out," he said.

Cochrane said poverty and a lack of economic opportunities have held back aboriginal people, adding that they want "a seat at the table" to determine their own futures.

"It gives Canada an opportunity to come forth with a plan of action on how we move forward in addressing the concerns of First Nations," he said.

The assembly did not say whether the proposed blockade had anything to do with the uncertain status of the Kelowna agreement.

Former prime minister Paul Martin agreed to the five-year, $5-billion plan to improve health, education, housing and economic development for aboriginals three days before his minority Liberal government fell in November 2005.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper didn't mention the agreement in his May 2 budget. He has said his Conservative government "supports the principles and objectives" of the Kelowna agreement, but won't be bound by the price tag negotiated by the Liberals.

ASSEMBLY OF FIRST NATIONS - SIX NATIONS CONFEDERACY HAUDENOSAUNEE Press Release - June 13, 2006

Last barricades removed

            OTTAWA, June 13 /CNW Telbec/ - Six Nations Grand River Territory: The Chiefs and Clan Mothers of the Haudenosaunee/Six Nations Confederacy recognize that public safety is a significant concern and that continued tensions over barricades is not conducive to negotiations with Canada and the Province of Ontario. They are adamant that these negotiations towards resolution to outstanding matters, including Haudenosaunee/Six Nations land rights and the recognition and reconciliation of Haudenosaunee/Six Nations governance must continue. These matters have been unresolved for way too long.

            Early this morning, at the request of the Chiefs and Clan Mothers, the last barricades have been removed from public roads surrounding the disputed lands at Douglas Creek.

            Mohawk Chief Allen McNaughton has said, "We have a mutual concern that the rule of law has been threatened by a few individuals on both sides of the barricades - our law constituted by the Great Law of Peace as well as the laws of the Province of Ontario have not been upheld. Violence by any individuals will not help us to achieve our mutual goals. We hope that the removal of the last barricades will reduce the possibilities of future incidents."

            The Haudenosaunee has legally binding treaties with the Crown. The Two Row Wampum belt and the Silver Covenant Chain affirm the nation to nation relationship between the Haudenosaunee and the Crown. These treaties acknowledge Haudenosaunee Sovereignty and recognize that each of our respective governments will continue to operate under its own laws and will not interfere with the affairs of each other's governments.

            The Silver Covenant Chain speaks of a relationship between two governments based upon Respect, Peace and Friendship. There needs to be a commitment by all to exercise "Kanikonriio" (having a "Good Mind") which means ensuring equality, justice, and the commitment to help each other in times of need.

            The issue of barricades are no longer an issue to contend with. Cayuga Sub-Chief Leroy Hill states that, "We look forward to continued negotiations to address the deeper and underlying issues of Six Nations land rights, and our relations with the Crown. With good will, innovation and pragmatic thinking, we are confident we can make that progress."

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From CBC online at http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/06/12/fire-ontario.html

Fire forces 300 from Ontario reserve - June12, 2006
 
About 300 people fled a remote northern Ontario reserve Sunday as a forest fire advanced to within eight kilometres of the community.

Helicopters carried mostly young and elderly people from the Eabametoong reserve, which used to be known as Fort Hope. They're being housed in a sports complex in a nearby community.

The fire, which started Friday, is moving at about six kilometres per hour and is about 10 square kilometres in size.

Firefighters are using water bombers and helicopters to tackle the blaze.

Officials are preparing for larger-scale evacuations of the community of 1,100 should the fire get closer.

A remote First Nation on Eabamet Lake, Eabametoong is about 300 kilometres north of Thunder Bay and is accessible by air and winter road.

Ontario premier McGuinty is blaming Six Nations protesters who might just be innocent victims of media harassment, police interference and nosey intruders. Using these incidents as a rationale to "talk tough" and try to force the protesters to do what he wants is only going to escalate the conflict to another difficult level. See the two stories below ...

http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20060612/mcguinty_caledonia_060612/20060612/?hub=TorontoHome

McGuinty losing patience with Caledonia dispute
Canadian Press

TORONTO — Ontario's premier says he's running out of patience with an increasingly violent native land claims demonstration near Hamilton, calling on protesters to remove a barricade at the disputed site or face uncertain consequences.

"We have just about exhausted our goodwill and our patience," Dalton McGuinty said Monday as police continued to search for seven men in connection with recent skirmishes at Caledonia, Ont., southwest of Hamilton.

"We're asking the leadership of the First Nations community involved to please remove those barricades as evidence of goodwill on their part."

Asked what he'll do if the barricade doesn't come down soon, McGuinty simply answered: "We'll see."

Warrants were issued after an elderly couple's car was swarmed and two news cameramen from a Hamilton television station were assaulted.

"I'm very pleased that warrants have been issued . . . I was angered and deeply disappointed that these particular individuals did what they did," McGuinty said.

The Six Nations started their occupation of the Caledonia housing development in February. The aboriginals claim that parcel of land belongs to their ancestors.

Attempts to end the dispute through peaceful negotiation haven't succeeded and tensions have been mounting among protesters, local residents and police.

The issue of how governments, and police, should resolve aboriginal protests falls under the shadow of the deadly 1995 Ipperwash crisis.

A police shooting resulted in the death of native protester Dudley George and an ongoing inquiry into that incident is investigating what role government played in directing police.

The opposition Conservatives have accused the McGuinty Liberals of failing to show enough leadership to help resolve the issue.

McGuinty recently countered that the preference of the Conservatives would be a show of police force - an apparent reference to how the previous Conservative government under former premier Mike Harris has been accused of handling the Ipperwash dispute.

Lawyers for Harris recently warned McGuinty that he's risking legal action if he makes statements that allege Harris issued direct orders to police at Ipperwash.

At the Ipperwash inquiry, Harris testified that at no time did he direct police actions.

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Ontario's premier calls off talks in Caledonia over violent skirmishes - ANGELA PACIENZA

TORONTO (CP) - Ontario's premier has called off negotiations with aboriginals protesting at a development site near Hamilton, saying the group's increasingly violent actions make it impossible to work together.

"A condition of our being at the table was that public safety would not be compromised. In fact, last Friday it was - without a doubt - compromised," Dalton McGuinty said in the legislature.

"We are no longer prepared to continue negotiations."

McGuinty said the province would only return to the table when the barricades at the disputed site come down and if aboriginals help with the police search for seven people in connection with recent skirmishes at the standoff in Caledonia, Ont., southwest of Hamilton.

Earlier Monday, McGuinty said the violence by the Six Nations people at the standoff has tried his patience.

"We have just about exhausted our goodwill and our patience," McGuinty said.

Asked what he'll do if the barricade doesn't come down soon, McGuinty simply answered: "We'll see."

Warrants were issued after an elderly couple's car was swarmed and two news cameramen from a Hamilton television station were assaulted on Friday.

"I'm very pleased that warrants have been issued . . . I was angered and deeply disappointed that these particular individuals did what they did," McGuinty said.

The Six Nations started their occupation of the Caledonia housing development in February. The aboriginals claim that parcel of land belongs to their ancestors.

Attempts to end the dispute through peaceful negotiation haven't succeeded and tensions have been mounting among protesters, local residents and police.

The issue of how governments, and police, should resolve aboriginal protests falls under the shadow of the deadly 1995 Ipperwash crisis.

A police shooting resulted in the death of native protester Dudley George and an ongoing inquiry into that incident is investigating what role government played in directing police.

The opposition Conservatives have accused the McGuinty Liberals of failing to show enough leadership to help resolve the issue.

McGuinty recently countered that the preference of the Conservatives would be a show of police force - an apparent reference to how the previous Conservative government under former premier Mike Harris has been accused of handling the Ipperwash dispute.

Lawyers for Harris recently warned McGuinty that he's risking legal action if he makes statements that allege Harris issued direct orders to police at Ipperwash.

At the Ipperwash inquiry, Harris testified that at no time did he direct police actions.

© The Canadian Press, 2006

At 9:30pm, last night INAC and the provincial Aboriginal Affairs Minister issued a joint press release asking that all the barricades at Six Nations be removed. Non-native people in Caledonia as well as the MP for that region, HRSDC cabinet minister Diane Finley are demanding that the police remove these barricades.

Joint Statement by Minister Jim Prentice and Minister David Ramsay

OTTAWA AND TORONTO, June 11 /CNW Telbec/ - The following statement was released by  the Honourable  Jim Prentice, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Metis and Non-Status Indians, and the Honourable David Ramsay, Ontario Minister Responsible for Aboriginal Affairs:

     "Events over the past months in Caledonia Ontario have caused great strain within that community and neighbouring Six Nations.  While the vast majority have demonstrated a great deal of restraint, perseverance, determination and goodwill, there are some who have not.

     We remain deeply concerned about the tensions and join the condemnation of the recent acts of violence in Caledonia.   These acts of aggression and intimidation on the part of a small few, are aimed at disrupting the significant progress that has been made by the governments of Canada, Six Nations and Ontario.

     Six Nations leadership has joined us and local council in speaking out clearly against this behaviour and have called for peace and reconciliation by pledging to work with various authorities to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

     We find the recent acts of violence particularly discouraging because many of the issues at the root of these tensions have been resolved.  For example, since the federal-provincial joint offer was presented to Six Nations leaders on April 17, 2006:

• Barbara McDougall and Jane Stewart have been appointed to work with Six Nations negotiators on land grievances and this table has been active, with progress being made.
• There is now a moratorium on development at the Douglas Creek Estates with its ownership and use to be determined at the negotiating table.
• Provincially owned lands in the Haldimand tract have been identified for consideration as part of the land grievance process.
• Real progress has been made and there has been a commitment throughout that these talks will accelerate further as peace returns to the community.

     The remaining blockades have had a severe impact on the surrounding community and continue to disrupt community activities, social life, the local economy and pose a continued threat to public safety.

     We are asking that these blockades be removed as a matter of urgency in order that the source of tensions in the communities be eliminated.  This will mean that all involved can focus their resources and efforts to the task of resolving the outstanding issues at the table.

     Just as importantly, removal of the blockades will give everyone in the Caledonia community and Six Nations the opportunity to re-establish and further develop healthy community relationships which they have developed together over many years of living side-by-side as friends and neighbours. This is what all responsible community members want and what they deserve to have.

     Common to all of us who live in this wonderful country and province are the underlying and important values of peace and justice.  We cannot and will not be intimidated by the activities of the violent few who will sometimes seek to disrupt these cherished human values."

-30-

/For further information: INAC media relations, (819) 953-1160, Anne-Marie Flanagan, Press Secretary to Minister Ramsay, (416) 268-3690/

Tempers flared again in Six Nations as Native protesters become the latest targets of intimidation tactics and curiousity seekers. Once again non-native protesters rallied against the Six Nations occupation of their traditional territory resulting in an arrest. Conservative cabinet minister for HRSDC and local MP Diane Finley wants the police to simply remove the protesters. See the two Hamilton Spectator stories below ...

From the CBC online stories at http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/06/10/caledonia.html

OPP officer hurt, U.S. Border Patrol swarmed in Caledonia clash - Last Updated Sat, 10 Jun 2006

Ontario Provincial Police plan to arrest seven more people after an OPP officer was hurt and a U.S. Border Patrol car was swarmed in Caledonia, a police official said Saturday.

Tension between native protesters, townspeople and police continued through the night. (CBC)

"The OPP investigated three violent altercations that took place within an hour of each other in the south end of Caledonia," OPP Deputy Commissioner Maurice Pilon told reporters.

He said the first confrontation was just before noon on Friday and involved an elderly couple visiting from Simcoe.

Two camera operators from Hamilton-based CH Television said native protesters attacked them and demanded their video footage as they tried talking to the couple in front of a Canadian Tire store.

Incident involves auto theft

"One [camera operator] was swarmed, assaulted and had his camera stolen," Pilon said.

"The third incident involved the theft of a motor vehicle, which was swarmed, its occupants forcibly removed and [the] vehicle taken. An OPP officer [was] deliberately driven at by the stolen vehicle. Other officers at the scene, fortunately, pulled him to safety," Pilon said.

That vehicle was later identified as belonging to the U.S. Border Patrol. Members of that group were visiting the area to observe how provincial police were handling the standoff.

The officer was treated and released. The stolen border patrol vehicle was later recovered.

Three people were arrested Friday night on charges of breaching the peace, but police hope to make more arrests on charges that include attempted murder, robbery, intimidation and assault causing bodily harm.

Debbie Walker, a managing producer at CH Television, said one of the camera operators was taken to hospital Friday with cuts and bruises to his head. A second camera operator also suffered minor injuries after he was kicked and punched.

Nick Garbutt needed a couple of stitches to close a head wound. His colleague, Ken MacKay, accompanied him to hospital, but did not require treatment.

MacKay alleged that he asked for protection from OPP officers standing nearby but they did nothing to help.

Pilon defended his officers and said: "Our members have been here for 102 days now. I think they have performed admirably under trying circumstances."

Insults thrown around

The conflict continued late into the night as dozens of natives and non-natives hurled insults at each other over a schoolyard fence. Townspeople also directed their anger at police, accusing them of being one-sided after finding out that two non-native residents were among those arrested.

The three-month standoff began Feb. 28 when a small group of Six Nations protesters from the Grand River Territory reserve moved on to a construction site in the town, southwest of Hamilton, claiming the land belongs to them.

Since then, there has been an abortive OPP raid to clear the site in April, a subsequent blockade of a major artery into town; strained relations between native and non-native protesters that led to a standoff down the road, and finally a period of calm after the protesters took down their blockade and moved back on to the construction site.

Native protesters still occupy that land.

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Angry residents clash with OPP - June 10, 2006 from the Hamilton Spectator at http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1149889812268&call_pageid=1020420665036&col=1014656511815

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from http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=1014656316146&c=Article&cid=1149803411359

Finley: Send cops to clear out natives - MP wants Caledonia returned to 'normalcy'

The human resources minister's comment is contained in a letter sent yesterday to a constituent about the three-month occupation of Douglas Creek Estates as talks resumed between federal, provincial and Six Nations officials on the land claim surrounding the Argyle Street site.

It also comes as a group of residents, upset with Finley's handling of the dispute, mounted a lawn sign campaign to embarrass her into more visible action.

The Haldimand-Norfolk Tory MP's comment is in a letter to Tom Bernard, a member of the Caledonia Citizens Alliance which helped organize the campaign featuring lawn signs that ask: "Has anyone seen Diane Finley? Leadership?"

The minister says talks between Ottawa, Queen's Park and Six Nations are important in the long-term resolution of land claims, but she continues to push for the "short-term resolution" for the protest site.

"I continue to strongly urge the provincial government, which is responsible for all matters relating to policing, to clear the protest site so that our community can return to normalcy," Finley said.

The OPP raided Douglas Creek Estates April 20 and arrested 16 protesters. A few hundred natives and their supporters rushed to the site and police left after only four hours. The raid led to native barricades being erected on two roads and a rail line -- the Argyle Street barricade was removed May 23 -- and fisticuffs between townspeople and their native neighbours.

Finley was unavailable for comment, but her spokesperson Colleen Cameron said the letter was just a regular update on Ottawa's actions surrounding the dispute.

"I'm not sure she's intending to elaborate on those letters, which are intended to go to constituents," Cameron said.

Bernard said he was amazed at the comment.

"That was incredible when I saw that. That is totally out of line . . . That's not the solution. It's past that now."

Haldimand County Mayor Marie Trainer didn't know if another OPP raid was "feasible" given the results of the first one. She said, however, she understands where Finley is coming from.

"Somehow we have to get back to the rule of law in Haldimand County, but I'm not too sure what the best way to do that is," said the mayor. "It's so upsetting to everyone. It just seems a disrespect for the laws and Canada."

Finley has been accused of being invisible in dealing with the standoff. She has countered that she talks every day with federal Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice and has been to Caledonia to talk to people affected or involved in trying to end the crisis.

Bernard, who has met with provincial negotiator David Peterson, said he has never met Finley or received a phone call.

He doesn't doubt she is working behind the scenes, but said, "The people of Caledonia don't see that, we don't feel it, we don't experience it. We don't see her doing anything ... Leadership in a vacuum of communication is not leadership."

In her letter, Finley said the best thing she can do is make, "my voice heard by the parties who are working to resolve it."

She said she has been to the protest site several times. "It was not to have my photo taken and/or attempt to persuade people that I am frustrated by what's going on ... I, too, wish I could march in there and remove the barricades myself. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way."

Bernard said organizers have printed 250 signs and are selling them at $7 apiece. He hopes the move will push Finley to become more visible and, "refocus the federal government's efforts on getting this thing resolved."

Bernard said organizers have had a great response and may expand the sign tactic to others, such as Premier Dalton McGuinty.

In other news, Haldimand lifted a state of emergency for Caledonia yesterday. It had been in place since Victoria Day after a blackout caused by a vandalism attack on two transformers.

Hydro One has told the county everything is back to normal.

Trainer said Ontario has given Haldimand an additional $160,000, on top of $50,000, to market Caledonia and help its business community.

dnolan@thespec.com - 905-526-3351