Negotiations in Caledonia are pointless
The Globe and Mail provides ample reason to follow Justice David Marshall's orders and suspend negotiations with the Native protesters in the Caledonia land dispute.
There is no one for the government to negotiate with.
You might think negotiations should be suspended because you can't reward violence and lawlessness.
You might think negotiations should be suspended because the orders of the courts have to be respected.
You might think negotiations should be suspended because of the danger to the integrity of the State.
You might think negotiations should be suspended because you just don't like Aboriginals.
Or you can chuck philosophy (and racism, if that's your thing) over the side, and just admit that negotiations are pointless unless you have two parties who can speak with authority:
There is no hierarchical organization governing the occupiers, who form an amorphous mass that hails from reserves across North America.
Decisions are reached by consensus of whoever happens to be on the site that day. But consensus can be long in the making, and the porous nature of the native lines means decisions are often ephemeral.
To the non-native observer this can seem chaotic; to government negotiators, it is downright exasperating.
"There's a constant dynamic inside the place; it's like a swirling cauldron," said David Peterson, the former Ontario premier who negotiated the removal of the blockade of two main roads in Caledonia. "Nobody answers to anybody. They all answer to each other."
Where the Globe and Mail and others see chaos, I see an indicator. It indicates to me that the true leaders of the protest have not yet made themselves known, and so negotiations can't even address the real motives of the protest, since the Native negotiators aren't sure themselves.
I think that is deliberate, since if the real reason was understood, negotiations would be in jeopardy. Best to pretend this is about land, get the land, and then once it's all over, come out of the shadows, boot out the Native negotiators, and proceed with the real agenda.
Even if you think my interpretation is off the mark (and a bit paranoid), it is clear that these negotiators, whatever their legitimacy, have no authority:
The native decision-making process stems from the Great Peace brokered hundreds of years ago between five warring nations: the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga and Seneca. A sixth, the Tuscarora, joined that confederacy in the 18th century.
"No decisions are made until everybody more or less agrees," Mr. Peterson said. "So it's very, very, very frustrating by our standards."
Judging by the protesters' letters to the government, the occupation is carried out in the name of Six Nations clan mothers, who said the site had been wrongly taken from them by the Crown.
Traditionally, those 50 women -- the oldest ones in every clan of each band that makes up the Six Nations -- were the titleholders of the land. They also held the power to name and to demote chiefs.
That changed in 1924, when the federal government imposed an electoral system on the reserve. The influence of the traditional chiefs and of the clan mothers started to wane, as Canada wrote assistance cheques to the elected chief.
Now about a third of the Natives still use Clan Mothers, a third have embraced an electoral system, and third just do what they feel like. The government negotiators have chosen to deal with the Clan Mothers though, which undermines the elected Native officials, and may have implications for Native government long after this dispute is settled.
But those sideline elected Native officials are saying the Clan Mothers are not in control either:
"Some of the clan mothers are just saying the occupation has served its purpose," [elected Grand Chief David] General said. The protesters, he said, "are not listening to anybody."
"I told my clan mother the other night I'm not going to leave," Doreen Silversmith told reporters last week [when some of the Clan Mothers were reported to have decided that the occupation has served its purpose and should end]. "I said: 'I don't care if you tell us to go, nobody's going to leave.'
"We're not giving up without a fight," added Ms. Silversmith, clad in camouflage pants and wearing two feathers in her hair.
Then, she walked away from reporters. She returned after five minutes, accompanied by [occupation spokeswoman] Janie Jamieson, to retract her comments.
How much would you wager that once Jamieson left the scene, Silversmith reverted back to her militant stance?
All this means that negotiations have little chance of ending the violence. Whatever the negotiators hammer out, assuming negotiations resume, is not likely to satisfy everybody. But since the negotiators seem to have no authority, the agreement will not be seen as binding, and these factions will resume the violence at some time in the future in an attempt to fulfill their goals.
Since the whole point of the negotiations is to forestall future trouble, it seems to me that there is little point in going forward.
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Comments
UPDATE... http://hallsofmacadamia.blogspot.com/2006/08/six-nations-more-like-sixty.html
Ah, Doreen, you little rascal, no wonder the Six Nations sent you to Geneva to lay out the Caledonia situation for the UN. That was at the beginning of May this year, wasn't it?
Hope you didn't forget to tell them about somebody torching the local hydro substation, or about jumping the dumb ole' coppers & the US Border Patrol guy and then stealing their ride.
My personal favourite has to be when the natives dug a trench across the main street in town with a backhoe. You guys are such jokers! I bet Kofi and the boys couldn't stop laughing at that one.
Tell me again, Doreen, who was it paid the freight on that little jaunt? I have to confess, I'd be a little annoyed if I found out it was me, the taxpayer.
Posted by: neo at August 14, 2006 03:40 PM
This article on the front page of the Brantford Expositor Monday, Aug 14: "A small group of natives who moved a trailer and Mohawk flags on to a patch of land registered to the Grand River Conservation Authority say they are there to teach, not to fight."
The land the trailer has been moved onto is just inside the city boundary. They have posted no trespassing signs and claim the property under the Halidmand Treaty of 1784. They claim to be working independently of the Six Nations and thus I suppose not tied into the 'Caledonia thing'.
It is private property belonging to the Grand River Conservation Authority and if there is a dispute concerning ownership, then by all means pursue rightful ownership through the proper legal channels BUT until that is done the Mohawk Nation has no right to put a trailer on that land.
Caledonia is a very short drive from Brantford.
Posted by: j j gildemeester at August 14, 2006 05:14 PM
Moving up the lazy river... Coming to a town near you.
Posted by: Joanne TB at August 14, 2006 06:49 PM
Negotiating with anarchist thugs is difficult - even with kisses from Dolton McLiar.
But there shouldn't have been any negotiations, not before, not now, and not in the future.
Thugs should be arrested by law enforcement officers. It's time to re-establish a Police Force in Ontario, a number of locally based police forces would seem to be the best solution for communities across Ontario - they need protection.
Homeowners in Ontario will probably not like the fact that the longer these thugs get their way - the less their home will be worth, regardless of where they live in the province.
If a developer wants a large tract of land cheap - he can get an Indian to say 'Land Claim'! So what if it's bogus...
Posted by: philanthropist at August 14, 2006 10:09 PM
You know, I have had enough of all this "ocupation"! I live in Caledonia, it this government we call ours is a discrase... working for the people, i dont think so. I would call my self a Conservative, but i dont know about that anymore, and to call myself Liberal.... well thats not any better. I dont even know where to start with the O.P.P. We have enough of this terrorism. Some may say that word shouldnt be used, but it should... if anyone can make a difference, its sad to say... we have to call on the good old U.S. of A!
Posted by: Mike at August 14, 2006 11:11 PM
Posted by: philanthropist I agree with him 100%.
He speaks for me. I also feel Harper is working with McGuinty, trying to keep his hands clean but they really dirty.Harper needs to be a man and get them off the land it is Canadian soil 100%.The land was proven our before the bypass was built. We do not want to give up Canadian soil what does this say about us, the world is watching. They must think we are chichen. The OPP have embarrassed us enough,breaking all their promises to us on their front web page.
Posted by: jim smith at August 15, 2006 08:28 PM
Jim,
The world does not think you are chicken. They think you are NUTS for threatening MINOR lacrosse players!!
Caledonia is an embarassment at the police line and other places the rabble gather to throw rocks and insults at Six Nations. GO HOME!!
... and Steve ... angry steve ... really stretching to make this look plausible aren't you??
Our governments have always been frustrated by participatory democracy ... because they persistently refuse to understand it.
"Decisions" are not reached by those present at the negotiating table. They are the messengers ... they carry the word of the people. Their agreement at the table means they agree that they will take that back for discussion. It's a consensus building process among all the people, and when it comes back to the table it may be carried by different people who can convey the decisions of the people. It does not lend itself to 'hard-nosed' negotiations. Bluffs etc. also go back for discussion. Like then government's parting bluff that they wouldn't negotiate a fair price, and instead would move out the industry and businesses and the people will follow.
Kinda bizarre. Huffing and puffing about abandoning people like that ... as if they'd get re-elected!
Shows they really don't respect the impact on them of negotiating with a participatory democracy where everyone knows everything and it is their responsibility to talk about it.
It is odd that they still just get frustrated instead of reading a one page summary of participatory democracy to understand.
What do we pay these guys for??!!
Posted by: saga at August 17, 2006 01:03 AM
I should add that the Grand River country is tory country top to bottom, pretty much. I think the government negotiators might moderate their stance a bit after they mellow out on the holidays.
That's when the documents go on the table.
Posted by: saga at August 17, 2006 01:08 AM
...AND
The only thugs operating in Caledonia are the fuelled up grunts who are threatening a Six Nations supporter in town with baseball bats, iron pipes, tried to roll her van, damaged it, threw things at her house ... and most recently tried to kick her door in late at night. The police are on this, of course. This is disgusting behaviour by a few of Caledonia's not-so-finest citizens. Charges pending. Make sure you remember to post them, eh Steve?
Posted by: saga at August 17, 2006 01:18 AM
Saga
you should learn to tell the truth. I had nothing to do with MINOR lacrosse players not playing; by the way my son-in-law is native and guess what he is a lacrosse player. This happen when you people were attacking our town; I under stand why they felt this way. YOU people brought the rocks a through them and the bear spray too. These rocks were real big showing me a picture with bulging pockets or some one carrying one, you wont. You are wrong. I was there I know, so don’t lie to me. You people are not friendly so my advices look in a mirror and see the real you. I am home my family has live in this country since 1780 thank you. My ancestor got along with your ancestor and said they were very friendly people. This happened in Prince Edward County where I grew up. You need to chill out and become our neighbors and share this great land. I have had native neighbors and we are still friends with to this date. My son-in-law, my daughter and my grand kids live in Brantford not on the reserve and do better now. My son-in-law respects me since I am the only one who really helps him; his family only cares about money. Not all natives agree with you either; some are proud to be Canadian that makes me proud of them. Know one wants to take away you heritage as a matter of a fact I was at you Pow Wow, enjoyed it and watch my grandson Dance. Going next year maybe see you.
Posted by: jim smith at August 21, 2006 08:15 AM
 
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