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Wednesday, June 5, 2013
TEKAWENNAKE
EDITOR/PUBLISHER – G. Scott Smith EDITOR – James Windle ADVERTISING MANAGER – Marshall Lank P.O. Box 130, Ohsweken, Ontario N0A 1M0 Phone: 519-753-0077 • Fax: 519-753-0011 email: teka@tekanews.com NO PORTIONS OF THIS NEWSPAPER INCLUDING ADVERTISEMENTS, PICTURES OR EDITORIAL CONTENT MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT PERMISSION
Seeking a new way One thing that came out of the Mohawk meeting at Kanata was the fact that something needs to change if Six Nations as a community is ever going to move forward as Haudenosaunee people. The government has been applying the thumbscrews on Native people across the country but they are no longer getting away with it scott-free. But they are getting away with it nonetheless. So, good on ya to anyone creative and clever enough to cause the government at any and all levels to review the legality of things done in years gone by, make some kind of restitution for it and change the rules moving ahead into a new and more equal partnership between historical neighbours. In a nine page letter by Ohrerekowa, Principal Chief of the Wolf Clan - Ka-nyengeh-ha-kah (Mohawks) of Grand River sent to the City of Brantford with copies to: Bernard Valcourt, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development; Carolyn Bennett, Critic for Aboriginal Affairs & Northern Development; Jean Crowder, Critic for Aboriginal Affairs & Northern Development: Paula Dill, Provincial Development Facilitator - Ministry of Infrastructure; Dave Levac, M.P.P. – Brant: James Anaya, U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; John Oddi, President, Brantford Regional Real Estate Association; Phil Dorner, President, Ontario Real Estate Association, and Richard Payne, Morrison and Payne Barristers and Solicitors, Ohrerekowa, (aka Ted Squire) traces the history of the Haldimand Tract and cites several unlawful conveyances through the years especially in and around what is called Brantford. One in particular jumps out after reading the front page of the Brantford Expositor Tuesday where the City is jumping for joy over a new deal they struck with Ontario Lottery and Gaming which will see Brantford’s portion of the proceeds from the Brantford Casino increase by as much as 50% payable to Brantford for “hosting fees”. This could total as much as $5.2 Million annually. Meanwhile, Six Nations, who have a legitimate claim to the land the Casino sits on, gets no increase at all on their zero percent of the revenues generated on Haudenosaunee land. In the letter sent by the Mohawks, Chief Squire traces the Nathan Gage Tract land claim through the years. The well documented declaration shows frauds at pretty well every step of the way towards somehow claiming that Brants Crossing land is their own - fair and square. Squire says; “To be clear, neither the purported surrender in respect of the Brantford Town Plot on April 19th, 1830, nor indeed the January 28th, 1842 purported general surrender in respect of other Ka-nyen-geh-ha-ka Grand River territory conformed to the Governor’s Instructions of May 1st 1812. Further, said purported “surrenders” bear neither my title’s endorsement, nor indeed the endorsement of any recognized Ka-nyen-geh-ha-kah Principle Chiefs of the Five Nations.” But hurray for Brantford anyway! Once again they cash in on Six Nations’ land without having to look sideways at their neighbours who are now asking, where’s ours? Meanwhile, the city fathers are now looking at selling off two parcels of Mohawk and Six Nations land in the city for tax arrears. Ridiculous isn’t it. We hope someone finds a way to break through this wall of lies, frauds and arrogance. Maybe it will take a small knock in the right place to cause it all to come crashing dow2n. Here’s hoping.
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Tekawennake welcomes letters, comments and other submissions to these pages. However, we must reserve the right to edit them on the basis of length, clarity, and freedom from libel. Care will be taken to preserve the essential viewpoint of each letter. All published letters must be hand signed and accompanied by an address and telephone number for verification.
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From the horse’s mouth During the second world war, the Canadian Government was going to build an airport on our reserve. Some of our people were to be bought out and move to Georgian Bay. A Mohawk Worker (and Chief) named James Squire Hill (Born 1887) took it upon himself to stop the building of an airport on the reservation. After much talk & shoeleather, he was able to get enough people to sign a petition resulting the airport being built alternatively at Burtch. 1948 brought the forming of the United Nations in San Francisco. Some of the Mohawk Workers felt our people should have some sort of representation at the United Nations. Again, James S. Hill rose to the occasion and was sent. Once in San Francisco, much static was received from Canada. With the help of the Ambassador from India, he finally managed to get an audience to address the assembly. We of course were turned down as being recognized as a nation because we had no peace keeping force. Now, we move to 1966 when rumors surfaced that we were supposed to be a tax-free people. Several attempts are made by different people to contact the treasury department, but with no success. Mohawk Workers decide we must give it a try, as it will be good for the people. Mohawk Worker, Melvin Squire Hill (son of James) writes a letter to the Treasury and receives and invitation to travel to Ottawa to meet. After a series of meetings, we were declared to be a tax-free people. So next time you save a few dollars on a major purchase stop by Kanata now home of the Mohawk Workers and make a much needed donation. Yes it was the Mohawk Workers that achieved tax-free status. In 1969 Mel Squire & the famous Tuscarora, “Mad Bear” set out to the U.N. in New York City. With the help of Dr. Omar Z. Ghobashi, an Egyptian lawyer, they were making some headway. Canada stopped the court action by declaring to the United Nations a land claims commission had been set up and these matters would be taken care of immediately. Of course we came to find out that this was only a stalling tactic; no Mohawk – or for that matter – any “Six Nation” land has ever been settled. Continued on page 7
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