More Caledonia connections
Recall that one of the people wanted by the OPP on charges related to violence at the Six Nations stand-off in Caledonia, Ontario is Ken Hill. Hill is a major business presence on the reserve, involved in cigarettes and probably gambling.
His partner is Jerry Montour. a Mohawk from Wahta, as was revealed in this post. The Wahta reserve is made up of people who were relocated in 1881 from Kanesatake, and strong links have been maintained between the two communities.
Kanesatake is famous, of course, for the 78-day stand-off between Mohawk Warriors and Quebec police (and later Canadian troops) in 1990 in the nearby town of Oka over land.
In the aftermath, a gambling operation was started:
A few years after the crisis, the Mohawks of Kahnawake established the Kahnawake Gaming Commission and started issuing "licences" to gambling operators who host their Internet gaming websites on their reserve. Both the Canadian and Quebec governments dispute the legality of this operation, but have not risked taking further action. The websites hosted by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission are the only gambling sites that have operated in North America without legal action being taken against them.
The Warriors are not involved only in land disputes and gambling, but drugs too:
The Warriors are up to their necks in narcotics, but sometimes seem anxious to appear to be clean. After the 40-kilo find of cocaine in New York in September 1993 was publicized, Art Montour, the Warrior leader from Akwesasne, gratuitously emerged to publicly disavow Warrior participation in the cocaine industry. This was before New York State Police had even mentioned to apparent connection between the Warriors and the cocaine shipment. Art Montour did tell Dan D’Ambrosio, a feature writer for Gentlemen’s Quarterly that both of his sons use drugs.
Montour’s disavowals ring hollow in the law enforcement community. In May 1990, as police forces flooded onto Akwesasne in the aftermath of the coup attempt, 21 arrests were made in connection with a major cocaine smuggling ring centred on Akwesasne. Kanesatake, despite the small Warrior presence before May/June 1990, was the site of a methamphetamine laboratory. An RCMP raid in April of 1988 scooped up the lab and 3 kilos of 70% pure product. The lab could produce 2 kilos a day with a street value of $200,000.
Notice the name?
Art Montour.
Besides drugs, cigarette smuggling is another lucrative business for Art:
Art Montour, the leader of the Warrior’s Society in Akwesasne, insists smuggling is an expression of native sovereignty and gave the "Fifth Estate" a modest estimate of the profits of the cigarette trade as being "probably in the high tens of millions." An RCMP officer in Cornwall estimates that $1.1 billion in contraband tobacco passed through Akwesasne in 1992. The smuggler’s share of contraband usually runs to about 15% of cost, or $165 million for Montour’s colleagues. In 1993, over $1.8 billion in cigarettes filtered through the smugglers of Akwesasne.
Jake Thomas, a traditional Cayuga chief on the Six Nations Reserve, is cited in a September 1st, 1993 Globe and Mail article: "money is what makes the power of the Warrior Society. They are just using sovereignty and the Confederacy name. But at the same time, they don’t want to listen to the Confederacy. Some native people say they are smuggling just because of sovereignty. I don’t believe its right to use sovereignty for their own welfare."
Recall that Jerry Montour and Ken Hill own Grand River Enterprises, the largest company on the Six Nations Reserve. GRE makes cigarettes. The address of GRE is also the address provided for two on-reserve "gambling commissions".
Is Art Monrour related to Jerry Montour? I believe they are. Both Jerry and Art (and partner Ken Hill) made a joint donation of $21,200 to the Cruz Bustamante campaign during the California gubernatorial election in 2003:
*****
CRUZ BUSTAMANTE
*$21,200 from AT&T.
*$21,200 from Diamond Contribution Package/Arthur Montour, Jerry Montour, Kenneth Hill.
*$21,000 from Menendez for Congress of New Jersey.
(Note: Why would they be interested in Cruz Bustamante winning? I don't know. But I bet there is a story there, too. Makes me wonder if understanding the link would help explain the interest the US Border Patrol has in this.)
How could they not be related?
Art was at Oka in 1990. The violent fight was allegedly about a grave site threatened with desecration by the expansion of a golf course. The result was a major gambling operation being started.
Jerry and partner Ken Hill are involved in gambling interests in the Six Nations reserve. Jerry's relative Art is a Mohawk Warrior leader. The Mohawk Warriors are leading the violent fight in a land dispute. Hill is wanted on charges, so we know he is directly involved.
Did Jerry call on Art to come lend a hand? If so, why? Art might be concerned about land claims, but he is also concerned about profit from cigarettes, gambling, and drugs.
Any guess as to what the outcome is going to be in Caledonia if the land is ceded to the reserve?
Skew my story on Skewz.com
Rate political news for their bias, read related stories, and leave your own skewed commentary
Search for more opinions from Canadian bloggers on these related keywords
Sphere presents related news articles and blog posts
Sphere It!
Comments
Sure Steve. A casino, into which I shall never step foot. Nor should any other person who believes that the flaunting of the law and violent behavior should not be rewarded commercially.
McGuinty has no choice but to act, and the sooner, the smaller will be the confrontation. I don't expect Harper to step in, even though I wish he would, as it's premature - Dalton hasn't twisted in the wind long enough yet.
Posted by: Shaken at June 12, 2006 12:18 PM
NEW "We have just about exhausted our goodwill and our patience," Dalton McGuinty said
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2006/05/10/1573622-cp.html
Poor exhausted baby...what about the Caledonians?
Posted by: Rich at June 12, 2006 12:38 PM
"We have just about exhausted our goodwill and our patience," - Translates into, "I can no longer go to bed and hide under the covers. I must be seen to be doing something. But what??"
Posted by: Joanne C. at June 12, 2006 01:15 PM
Where is Stephen Harper while all of this is going on?
It takes leadership to stand up and say something.
The natives are going nuts, terrorizing everyone and no politician has said a peep.
I would love if Harper would even say one word about this, but I guess it would be hard, and why do something hard when you can take the easy way out.
They needed to call in the military long ago and round up every one of the protesters there, and perhaps occupy the reserve.
The natives want war with Canada so why not give them what they want?
Posted by: ND at June 12, 2006 01:32 PM
ND:
All Dalton has to do is pick up the phone and call Harper. This is a provincial not a Federal issue. Also, The simple rule of law could have taken care of this ages ago. This problem is all about politics and optics, on the provincial level not the federal level.
Posted by: Fergy at June 12, 2006 02:31 PM
""We have just about exhausted our goodwill and our patience..."
Yeah. Just about, eh? Not quite there yet, eh?
Typical Liberal. Don't actually do anything. Just stand around and talk about how you are looking into doing something.
Anybody want to take bets he's now going to do a poll? If he is anything like his federal Liberal cousins, that would be the next step.
And ND, Harper did say something about this. He said it is a Provincial land dispute between the natives, the property developers and the Province. Of course, word around the fire is the feds are doing a lot more behind the scenes than is being let on.
But I don't know why you say they should bring the military in. They have enough OPP officers there to settle this. Why should the military be called in if there is already a force ready to take action? Wouldn't that be the Federal government stepping on the Provincial governments jurisdiction (read: toes)?
Posted by: Surecure at June 12, 2006 02:32 PM
And BTW, Steve, as always your eye for detail is fantastic. Seriously, with a budget and the backing of a real newspaper, you could probably put a lot of investigative journalists in this country out of business.
Who would have thought that this could all be a smokescreen put up by somebody who wants to build a casino?
Posted by: Surecure at June 12, 2006 02:45 PM
The missing link between Bustamante and Native Gambling Casinos.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/09/14/MN205438.DTL
Posted by: TrustOnlyMulder at June 12, 2006 02:54 PM
Steve, that Bustamante connection is so weird I don't know what to make of it. All the files I have related to the Cali election are these:
-Bustamante Busted? MEChA ties, and more.--
-Total Recall- the Gray Davis Soap Opera--
Posted by: backhoe at June 12, 2006 03:04 PM
So Cruz Bustamente's brother Andrew is the general manager of the casino near Fresno owned by the Big Sandy Rancheria of Mono Indians?
Hmm... Protestors are picketing the Brantford casino? Hill and Montours have hopes for a casino? A Cruz Bustamente contribution by Hill and the Montours? Cruz's brother manages a casino?
Pattern anyone?
Posted by: Surecure at June 12, 2006 03:29 PM
It's a "broad strata" of protestors Surecure, nothing to see here. Oh, and everyone is racist for thinking otherwise. :/
It all sounds so typical. Natives ignore land near the reserve. Developer comes along and legally buys the land title, then starts building. Local natives aren't cut a piece of the action, so they dig through old treaties to find out if the land was ever part of their reserve. Regardless of the land's current legal status, they break out the rifles and bandannas, set up a barracade, then start bashing skulls.
Seen it before, will see it again.
Posted by: db at June 12, 2006 05:13 PM
McGuinty just called off negotiations til barricades are down & there is help to find those in the warrants.
Posted by: Rich at June 12, 2006 05:52 PM
Be careful here. Hill is a common Six Nations name, and there are several Ken Hills. Given the political divide between supporters of the elected council (which Ken Hill was a member of) and the traditional Confederacy (which is in the lead on the occupation), it would be surprising if it were this Ken Hill that was at the occupation site.
Posted by: at June 12, 2006 09:24 PM
Steve,
Given your remarkable ability to dig up connections between people, have you ever considered a second career in CSIS?
Seriously.
Posted by: GM at June 12, 2006 09:50 PM
Steve, as to joining CSIS, don't bother, the pay sucks. ;)
Posted by: capt joe at June 13, 2006 08:49 AM
How is it possible that the new home of A&W in Caledonia is allowed to continue construction at a furious pace when only 2 blocks away a land claims dispute has all but put an end to development in that town? Any ideas?
Posted by: at June 13, 2006 09:08 AM
The one thing that supports Steve's digging here more than anything else is the behaviour of the Indians themselves. Many of these violent acts have been focused on people with cameras. That is not the normal behaviour of a "protester".
SOP for a protest is get out in front of as many cameras as you possibly can. Take Mother Sheehan for an example, often at one of her deals there will be almost nobody there -except- cameramen.
These guys are going to great lengths to prevent pictures, including wounding a news cameraman. What kind of people will beat you up to keep their picture off the TV?
Mobsters.
Posted by: The Phantom at June 13, 2006 12:50 PM
I was in California a few months ago and remember hearing that name Bustamante. I did a quick search on google and came up with this:
http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=3039
Posted by: wabbit at June 13, 2006 06:01 PM
It may not be clear to some in this country but everybody is equal before and under the law, however there are cases where some are more equal than others. The Indians are in the more equal category. Scratch McGuinty, he's useless. Where are the Chiefs in this quagmire? Surely it's their job to keep order in their bands. After a couple hundred years maybe all the hard working people who pay taxes to run the country can start laying some claims and demand equal treatment for thugs of all stripes.
Posted by: Old Biddy at June 13, 2006 06:50 PM
this is a federal issue, PMSH will sort it out in short order, to the chagrin of lefties worldwide
Posted by: kelly at June 13, 2006 10:10 PM
Steve:
I heard on the AM broadcast of CBC radio news that some of the Caladonia residents are organizing to protect themselves.
This could be BS as it came from CBC, but have you heard anything about this.
It caught my attention thats for sure, but not for the shack value CBC plans on. I'm interested in that if true, these residents are to the point now where they won't be dependant on the state.
That ain't liberal.
Posted by: gimbol at June 14, 2006 04:36 AM
Just a confirmation for the anonymous post above, that this is indeed the Ken Hill we're talking about, no doubt about it.
Ken Hill did spend time on the elected council, but this was before the residents of Six Nations woke up to the closed door meetings and replaced several members and Chief Staats with a more transparent and accountable council, first led by Roberta Jamieson and now Dave General.
Despite this, several members of Hill's circle remain in council and consistently try to undermine any progress by people with a good mind. In fact, these are the same council members who motioned to give way to the Confederacy in the land claim situation.
On another note, Hill continues to reside on a number of councils, committees, and commissions, one of which is the Six Nations Policing Commission. If not him, then people close to him have their hands in several places where personal (financial) interests can certainly supersede the public interest.
The plot thickens...
Posted by: Vera Fire at June 14, 2006 08:28 AM
Here Steve, if you haven't found it already.
Montour name is a good trail to follow.
http://www.marshallsokolyk.com/Kahnawake.pdf
Posted by: Shaken at June 14, 2006 08:42 AM
Vera, get in touch with me. Thanks.
Posted by: Steve Janke at June 14, 2006 09:07 AM
Thanks for delvong into this taboo subject. Anyone who smokes, gambles, uses drugs or wants a cheep handgun or select fire carbine knows a reserve contact he can get then from. It is widely known by authorities that the warrior society is a trans national smuggling and crime syndicate that hides on reserves and behind the tariff exemptions for natives.
Politicians won't touch this, The MSM is too chicken shit to expose it and traditional native authorities are intimidated into accepting it.
If someone wanted to really dig to find out where most of the smuggled guns in the hands of GTA's gang wars are coming from all they have to do is tap the US customs or RCMP files held on a lot of these guys.
The Warrior society is a lovely Orwellian alias for an international native mafia.
Posted by: wlyonmackenzie at June 14, 2006 09:50 AM
Need a link between Ken Hill, Art Montour and Jerry Montour?
http://www.state.gov/s/l/c11935.htm
Posted by: jake at June 15, 2006 07:26 PM
 
|
|
