Caledonia: Will the cold change things?
The natives are girding for a winter occupation in Caledonia. Premier Dalton McGuinty is not pleased, but then he's shown everyone that he can tolerate months of lawlessness, so why would this be any different? Still, leaving our ineffective premier aside, the winter has the potential of altering the balance in Caledonia.
Reported on 680News:
Premier Dalton McGuinty says he doesn't want to see aboriginal protesters settling in for the winter at the former housing development they've been occupying in Caledonia, Ont., since February.
McGuinty said Wednesday he was not pleased to hear Six Nations protesters were asking their supporters for donations of food and building supplies to help maintain their occupation through the winter.
The protesters staying in Douglas Creek Estates "in some kind of permanent way, through the winter for example - that is not acceptable to us," McGuinty said.
"Any occupation of that land, any future use of that land, is a subject of negotiations."
I hate to break it to the premier, but there are no negotiations. There have never been any negotiations. Everything was a delaying tactic, designed to establish a de facto presence on the land. With each passing weak and month, it becomes more difficult for the government to force the protesters off the land. Not only in practical terms, with the time spent entrenching their positions, but also legally, with the difficult questions of why now and not earlier.
Have we reached the point of no return? Maybe, but clearly the protesters think not. Remember too that if they leave or dramatically reduce their presence because of winter weather, hotheads from Caledonia might be tempted a counter occupation, or at least some acts of vandalism. Besides the bad feelings and possible violence that would result, such acts would put into question the issue of native control. If such questions are raised, then we might have real negotiations, with real issues to resolve, instead of the expensive time-wasting that has been serving native interests all this time.
Of course, it could also be argued that while drawn out negotiations tend to help the natives, there is a limit, and they are reaching it. Now the delays are working against them. If the issue has not been resolved before winter, and the natives are forces to abandon their positions, then the facts on the ground might change. I don't think it'll play out this way, but then the natives are asking for help for a winter occupation, so maybe they know that the occupation is not near being concluded. We might be talking about a very different situation in Caledonia when the cold weather starts in few months.
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Comments
Don't be surprised that the Liberals give them the means to last out the winter. By this I mean
various aid agencies delivery food, fuel, and shelter to the protesters
Posted by: at August 30, 2006 08:41 PM
This disease needs to be cauterized in a big way..
These idiots in Caledonia are terrorists, pure and simple. If there was a burnoose in the crowd they wouldn't have to worry about burning down a house or two to keep warm, the glow of laser aimfinders on their foreheads would take care of that.
When faced with the razor logic of "you sold X", the Indians trot out the mouldy chestnut of "we were here first". Unproved and irrelevant. The fact is that a deal is a deal. If their past leadership was too stupid or gullible to see the long term implications of their actions - so sad, too bad. Ever wonder how the term "Indian giver" entered the lexicon?
Then we have the myth of "oral history", something that Liberal judges view as God's Own Truth. Bullshit I say. Oral history is as prone to spin as any other person-to-person communications. Do you think that a story of how Billy Big Smoke's after-the-fact realization that his deal wasn't that super is going to get passed from generation to generation? I think not. Spin wheel, spin. When it gets to the court be assured that legal counsel will make sure the downtrodden Indians have the bootmarks still fresh, even if they're magic marker'd on.
I for one would stun the lot and dump them on Baffin Island.
The only possible silver lining of this whole debacle is the Ontario voter *may* see the sheep coming home to roost. Lying and thieving disn't work last year, maybe this does. Liberal policies of revisionism and social engineering are a recipe for long term pain and discord.
The Canadian government should move towards policies that make all Canadians participants and beneficiaries. Giving one group perks that don't directly lead to integration are bad for everyone.
Posted by: John Bigboote at August 30, 2006 09:17 PM
Mr. Bigboote you talk a pretty tough game for a computer geek take it down to the site and spew your shit my guess is you will get a john bigboote busted off in your ass. Unproved and irrelevant maybe where your colonial minded policies and objectives are concerned I especially like preemptive right to settle, what a bunch of horseshit what about terra nullius, irrelevant and unproven you say? Research your history right back to your neo-con I mean nazi past instead of trying to pass of your ignorant red neck rants based on salvage anthropology and ethnohistory. Face it your ancestors were unwanted and faced possible persecution in Europe so why did they bring that shit over here, f**king peon brainwashed with the facade of a people who settled a nation who could not even settle their own f**king nation of originality. So next time you start talking shit think about how your ilk and parasites share the same characteristics. Guess where the term bald faced liar originated.
Posted by: The Truth Will Come at August 31, 2006 12:07 AM
Wow. I know you don't delete posts, Steve, but you might want to reconsider that policy.
Posted by: Mac at August 31, 2006 01:54 AM
Sorry there are many of us who agree with John Bigboote. You cannot prove that you were on this continent first and there is evidence that you were not. I too am sick to death with the Indians idea that they have more rights than the rest of us. It is time to take control of the situation in Calidonia but I am sure nothing will be done as long as you continue to vote in wimps like Mcguilty. I fear that this kind of lawlessness will start to spread to other provinces. It is time for the "white man" to make war against the Indians again. This time lets make a better job of it. I will respect the Indian when he decides to become a member of this society that we all live in. It is time to give up the old grievance schtick. Time to come into the 21st century and become repected taxpayers and pull your own weight. You like all the social services and all the cash ,well then come and earn them like the rest of this country does.
Posted by: eliza at August 31, 2006 01:03 PM
Don't apologize eliza just try and educate yourself on the prehistory of Canada and you will find a lot of evidence that First Nations were here first, though I don't blame you for your ignorance as it seems to be the norm as evidenced by the comments read. They are so off the mark that one can only hope they are the spawn of ignorance otherwise hillbilly Canada is in big trouble if the blind keep leading the blind. It would be interesting to see your evidence of salvage anthropology. No doubt some spin or manipulation conducted from "a credible scientific group" until you look at where their funding source is supplied from and realize it is another low ball attempt to discredit the hundreds of previous documented evidence that clearly shows the opposite. But I would not put it past you guys and your mastery of manipulation I mean this practice that you have developed to an exact science has allowed you to dispossess others and build a country. As for it being time for the white man to make war on the indians shows your claims to civility as being the facade that they are, but hey if you want I'll put the word out it's going to happen sooner or later seeing as how the two sides have never understood the other's point of view. Perhaps that was the reason a vast body of water separated you.
Posted by: The Truth Will Come at August 31, 2006 07:27 PM
The truth may come but I doubt much of it will come from you, TTWC.
Posted by: Mac at September 1, 2006 01:06 AM
Ditto mac Ditto again as history can attest.
Posted by: The Truth Will Come at September 1, 2006 01:38 AM
The Truth Will Come: The truth is here and you are a very low class, foul mouthed individual and typical of what we have been putting up with for far too many moons. Caledonia is an example of why Indians can no longer be allowed to live on reserves and suckle from the taxpayers of Canada. We've had enough of your ilk, you don't know the meaning of civility. People can take down their own cultures from within, that is what's happening with the Natives. Respect commands respect, it's a two-way street.
Posted by: Biddy at September 2, 2006 09:08 PM
 
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