Why Brian Mulroney has been quiet about the details of the $300,000 payment from Karlheinz Schreiber

Brian Mulroney has refused to explain the details behind the $300,000 payment he received from Karlheinz Schreiber that is now the centre of a growing political firestorm in Ottawa.

Brian Mulroney is not being evasive for the sake of being evasive. Remember that this $300,000 payment is the subject of a lawsuit filed by Schreiber against Mulroney. Brian Mulroney can't really talk much about it right now.

It might be nice to remember that once in a while, instead of making it seem like a reason to be immediately suspicious of Brian Mulroney.

Will Stephane Dion repudiate the conspiracy-spinning World Sikh Organization?

One of the stories that came out of the Liberal leadership convention that saw Gerard Kennedy and Stephane Dion work together to beat front runners Michael Ignatieff and Bob Rae was the role of the Sikh vote, and especially the role of World Sikh Organization. Indeed the WSO had a relationship with the Liberal Party before the leadership convention, and since. More than once the relationship has been newsworthy because of the violence that seems to often be part of the story.

News came out today that the WSO was refused the opportunity to present in front of the Air India Inquiry. After the costliest investigation in Canadian history resulted in the acquittal of the accused in 2005, Paul Martin asked Bob Rae to prepare a report to recommend what actions to take next with regards to the 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182, which was blown up over the Atlantic, killing 329 people, including 280 Canadians. Bob Rae recommended an inquiry into how the case was investigated and prosecuted. Prime Minister Stephen Harper acted on that report and appointed John C Major to head that inquiry. The inquiry is hearing from witnesses.

The WSO had announced in July that it had important information to share. John C Major is not interested. The information? The WSO, close friends with the Liberal Party and one of the major power blocs, wanted the Air India Inquiry to consider the what the WSO believes could be true -- that Sikhs were not responsible for the terrorist act, but instead were victims of a plot by the Indian government, aided by CSIS and the RCMP, to destroy the Air India jet and so cast blame on peace-loving Sikhs.

Right. And the CIA blew up the Twin Towers with the help of the Jews.

Stephane Dion needs to make a decision. He can let this stand, or he can tell the WSO that the Liberal Party does not believe for a moment that the RCMP and CSIS had anything to do with this horrific criminal act. Given the key role the WSO had in putting Stephane Dion at the head of the Liberal Party, I'm not optimistic that we're going to hear anything soon.

Cigarette advertising and Dalton McGuinty's priorities

An illegal land occupation by Natives from the Six Nations Reserve and the subsequent economic destruction of the town of Caledonia is no reason for Dalton McGuinty's Liberal government in Ontario to get excited. Instead, the occupation goes on for months and months while the businesses in Caledonia are reduced to depending on government handouts to stay afloat. On the other hand, the Natives put up a billboard advertising a smoke shop, and the Feds are called in, threats are made, and the message is sent out that no one is above the law.

I swear, when it comes to cigarettes, everyone just loses their minds.

A scary native leader

This native leader is truly dangerous.

Six Nations leadership still fractured

The latest missive from the spokesperson for the Six Nations longhouse calls the band council illegal. Nothing new here, really, except with the importance of negotiations growing as winter gets closer, you would think the natives would have tried to come to some sort of temporary truce, a coalition government of sorts.

Mohawk gambling profits at risk

US authorities have arrested major figures in the internet gambling world. The resulting fallout has hit the Mohawks hard, which is a shame, given the amount of native tradition and culture bound up in maintaining computer servers for running internet poker halls.

The Twin Legacies of Caledonia: The Present and the Future of Chatham-Kent

The Caldwell First Nation is unique in southern Ontario. It is the only federally recognized aboriginal band without a reserve land of its own. Back in 1998, the federal government came up with a plan to resolve that issue. There has been nothing but trouble ever since. Thanks to the native occupation in Caledonia, it will likely be trouble for the future too.

Caledonia: Teaching kids the dark facts of life

A fence is going up around the Notre Dame Catholic School in Caledonia. The school propery borders on the Douglas Creek Estates site occupied by Native protesters from the Six Nations and their Mohawk Warrior allies. Children aren't stupid -- they will get the message behind the fence, loud and clear.

Caledonia: Shadows of Indian County

A report from the New York Times that I think is so relevant to what we know is happening in Caledonia, and what we suspect could be happening there, that I've included the entire text for your conderation.

Meth on the Rez

Half-built homes with windows masked with black bag. Mysterious flashes of light, then a large fire. Six Nations police being told to stay away by Mohawk Warriors.

And now for something completely different, a report on the proliferation of crystal meth on native reserves.

One native to another: Get off my land!

A bizarre story concerning last night's fire in Caledonia. It is alleged that it was set on purpose, by an angry native being told by another native that he had to move out.

You reap what you sow.

Caledonia: A toughly worded letter

A letter, descibed as "stern", has been sent to the Six Nations demanding a drawdown of the native presence at the site. It was signed by both provincial and federal ministers. Credibility is being put on the line.

Caledonia: What it used to be like

The damage done by the occupation of the Douglas Creek Estates in Caledonia, especially by meddlers like the Mohawk Warriors and their militant followers, is going to take a long time to heal, assuming it ever does.

UNCONFIRMED: Fire in Caledonia -- Explosion-- Injuries reported

By email:

As of 7:40 Wed night - one home on the DCE [Douglas Creek Estates, the land occupied by natives from the Six Nations Reserve] land is currently on fire.

Natives are on the roof - cropping away to the roof.

More to come.

If true, this could be bad. A fire started by natives using open fires to stay warm? Worse yet, a fire set purposely by someone. In any case, all those exposed wooden frames, no fire retardant covering, containers containing vehicle fuel and cooking fuel...

And if emergency vehicles refuse to go on the occupied land...some people would call it poetic justice.

Stay tuned.

Weather conditions: The Weather Channel reports that the temperature in Caledonia is 16°C, with a low overnight of 13°C. Cool enough to fire up one of those wood or camping fuel burning stoves to fight off the chill.

More information at Wake Up Call:

8:50: I back on to DCE and yes there was in fact a fire. I have just heard that there was an explosion in one of the homes and 3 are wounded and 2 are down. I saw there were a ton of Oshweken firetrucks, and two ambulances.

Let's see what information gets out of the Estates. The protesters are just as likely to clam up.

Update: Sounds like silence is the rule. Reports that no police -- neither the OPP nor the reserve police -- were allowed to enter the disputed land to investigate. Just what were the Mohawk Warriors up to?

Last update for tonight, from Wake Up Call: 10:50 Confirmed through police source that 6 native were hurt - 4 taking away to hospital.

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.

Caledonia: Doing business with friends

The Bank of Montreal is helping out the protesters. It's not the bank's role to be involved, of course, and all the bank is doing is hosting a bank account.

It's just business.

Just like it's just business to decide where to do your banking.

Caledonia appeal turns on a word

According to an email being sent around, Ontario's Liberal government under Dalton McGuinty cannot appeal Justice David Marshall's order to suspend the negotiations with the natives occupying disputed land in Caledonia. That's because, if I understand this correctly, Justice Marshall worded his ruling as advice as opposed to a point of law. And this might have implications for the future.

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.

Six Nations is expanding their claim to include the wind

The Six Nations Reserve has been protesting to get control of land near Caledonia. Now they are demanding control of the wind too.

The monopoly on violence -- again

My very first post on the situation in Caledonia was a philosophical piece on the monopoly of violence. Things have come full circle.

Another example of how the white man steals from the native peoples

I always thought that stealing from the native peoples was a sin committed by rapacious corporate interests. Enlightened members of the left, with their anti-globalization mind set, know better than to take what is not theirs.

Shows you what I know.

Just how supportive are the Mohawk Warriors of the Palestinians?

The Palestinian flag flies with the the flag of Mohawk Warriors in Caledonia.

A gesture of solidarity between peoples who see themselves as oppressed?

Or a chance to peek behind the curtain at a dark secret?

If it walks like a terrorist and talks like a terrorist...

A group fighting for their identity as a people is upset that they've been labeled terrorists.

Palestinians? Chechens? Tamils?

No. I'm talking about the Natives in Caledonia. Sad, really.

But what's really sad is that they've earned the label of terrorist. How? By terrorizing people, of course.

Could Caledonia become a constitutional crisis for Canada?

The occupation of the Douglas Creek Estates has been going on for months -- since February, in fact. In the first days of the trouble, Justice David Marshall ordered the protesters removed.

They're still there. Meanwhile the provincial government has been negotiating to end the stand-off, while refusing to enforce the judge's orders.

Today, Justice David Marshall has weighed in. Now he is ordering the negotiations to end until his orders are executed and the protesters removed. Will the province listen? If the province refuses again and continues to negotiate, can an argument be made that the federal government has a constitutional obligation to get involved?

Using children to start fights

One of the basic rules in human conflict is to shield children from the fighting. I'm not just talking about "women and children first". I mean trying to keep them out of the politics and away from the propoganda. Why? Because conflicts inevitably end, and the hope is always for a lasting peace, or at least a stable co-existance. If children are taught an early age to demean and ridicule the enemy, then how will they "unlearn" those lessons? How can they understand that the "bad" people can become "good" people, though nothing much seems to have changed. They still look the same and talk the same and live in the same place. The subtleties of realpolitick will be lost on them.

You might think I'm talking about the children caught up in the violence in the Middle East, a place where one day Israelis and Palestinians will have to figure out how to live together.

I'm not. I'm talking about events here at home, in Caledonia.

Irish media reporting on Gwen Boniface's troubles in Caledonia

Gwen Boniface's handling of the Caledonia land dispute has made front page news in Ireland.

Provincial Liberals plan to establish a casino in Caledonia?

Is the secret plan developed by Dalton McGuinty's Liberal government to resolve the Caledonia land dispute now out in the open? What does it say about the true motives of the people occupying the land? What does it say about Dalton McGuinty, the police, and how future issues like this one are likely to be handled? Are we in for more of the same? You decide.

Ken Hill has tried to set up a casino before

In my postings about Ken Hill, the Six Nations businessman charged with assault in connection to violence at the Caledonia land dispute, I have suggested that Hill's actions might have been motivated by his interest in gambling. Indeed, gambling interests might have been playing a major, if uncredited, role in the whole land dispute from the very start.

Now I have found evidence that Ken Hill was actively pursuing construction of a bricks-and-mortar casino a mere five years ago, and that the technique of reclaiming "long-lost native land" was part of that strategy. At the time, he pursued the claim legally, and was thwarted by both non-native officials and his own band leadership. Maybe this time he is trying do pull the same trick, just with a few subtle changes to the plan.

Caledonia from another point of view

While I've been focusing on OPP Commissioner Gwen Boniface, Kate at small dead animals has a lively discussion on whether Justice David Marshall, the judge whose court orders and injunctions have been so airily ignored, has done all he could to call the OPP and others to account.

The discussion veers off at the end to other news, but it's worth taking the time to read.

Gwen Boniface has already left the country

As many of you now know, OPP Commissioner Gwen Boniface has stepped down from her position in order to become a member of the Garda Inspectorate in Ireland, a group that oversees the national police force. Most people believe she quit or was pressured to resign over her poor performance during the Caledonia land dispute.

Curiously, she seems to have already started her new job well ahead of schedule.

Hope for the OPP?

The official word on finding a replacement for OPP Commissioner Gwen Boniface is that a search will begin:

An extensive, Canada-wide search will begin shortly to fill the position.

Boniface has been feeling the heat over the handling of the Caledonia land dispute. Now a new hand will be at the wheel.

Strangely, though, I have heard that this "search" is for the benefit of the media, and for proles like you and me.

The frontrunner is Jay Hope, the deputy commissioner of the OPP.

Is he the best hope for the OPP? Or a false hope?

Head of the OPP shuffled out the door

With all the criticism leveled at the Ontario Provincial Police over their handling of the Caledonia land dispute, it is hard to interpret the news of OPP Commissioner Gwen Boniface taking on a new job overseas as anything but a poorly disguised firing.

Is the Ontario government dumping an embarrassing problem on Ireland?

Ken Hill's bail conditions

Ken Hill has made an appearance in court.

Did Big Brother blink?

The story of the blocked web site is just getting weirder.

Recall this in this posting, word came that the Ontario Provincial Police had blocked access to a web site highly critical of the force's performance during the Caledonia land dispute. A comment from another reader implied that access to the website was not barred only for police computers, but for all Ontario government employees.

Then I get another email from yet another government employee that says that he has no problems seeing the site.

One more twist, and this story might form the script for the next M. Night Shyamalan movie.

Well, get the popcorn ready, because I received that next twist via email from an employee at another Ontario government ministry:

I work for the Ontario Ministry of Finance.

Up until yesterday (July 24) access to the Caledonia Wake Up Call website was blocked.

As of today (July 25) access to the Caledonia Wake Up Call website was no longer blocked.

An interesting coincidence.

Did Big Brother blink?

Is the fabric of democracy unravelling in Ontario? [More updates]

After my musings on the disturbing story about how a website critical of the performance of the Ontario Provincial Police during the land dispute in Caledonia was blocked, an even more disturbing comment was posted:

Steve

I am an OPP officer who regularily surfs your site (from home). I know for a fact that the OPP has blocked the Caledonia web site from being viewed from any computer on the Ontario Government network.

The original story alleged that the site was made inaccessible to police computers only. But this comment indicates that all provincial government computers are subject to the restriction.

I'm hoping for more confirmation from other people who work for the Ontario government, in particular those who do not work for the Ontario Provincial Police.

The comment says it clearly. No one who works for the Ontario government -- from the Ministry of Health to the Ministry of Education to the Ontario Provincial Police -- can access Caledonia Wake Up Call.

Consider this carefully. A website keeps a careful record of the actions (or lack of action) of the OPP, and the OPP somehow removes the ability to access this site from all government employees. Just when did Premier Dalton McGuinty decide to hand the power to make decisions concerning the flow of information over to the OPP?

As far as I know, the Ministry of Health has not blocked access to the Freedom Party webpage that advocates private health insurance. Maybe it's just a matter of time.

Back to the OPP-related website though. Let's consider one very specific, immediate, and practical implication of this. Put aside the unsettling philosophical question of how a police force stung by criticism can dictate internet policy to the government as a whole. Recall that the questions being posed about the OPP are quite valid, and are the subject of court proceedings:

An Ontario judge is again demanding to know why his orders to police to end the aboriginal land dispute in Caledonia haven't been carried out.

Justice David Marshall today called into court representatives from provincial police, the Ministry of the Attorney General, and the aboriginal occupiers.

Marshall is hearing legal arguments about why the protesters remain at the housing development.

"This is a matter at the very heart of the administration of justice," Marshall said in court.

"If court orders can be disregarded the whole fabric of democracy falls to pieces."

Here's the practical question I want you to consider. Justice Marshall and his clerks will be considering the actions of the OPP (actions that have already deeply frustrated the court) and part of their research might include scouring the web for reports of the events in Caledonia, web surfing that will be done from Ontario government computers installed in these provincial court offices.

What if the court decides to follow a link to Caledonia Wake Up Call, then finds out the site can't be reached from the provincial government computer by order of the OPP?

I wonder how Justice Marshall will react.

I bet he won't be too happy. And maybe just a bit more worried about the fabric of democracy.

Update: Maybe it is just the OPP computers after all:

Hi Steve, I work for the Government of Ontario, in a Ministry head office. I'm not sure where "mapleleaf4ever" got his information from, but I can access the Caledonia Wake-Up Call website just fine. As a matter of fact, I'm looking at it right now from my work computer (latest updates are "Jul 24 - Internet Polls" and "Jul 25 - Four Males Arrested in Caledonia Disturbance"), which is directly hooked up to the government network, behind the Ministry's firewall and everything.

Interesting. So there is some confusion about just what is being blocked and where. I'd like to hear from more people about whether the site is indeed blocked, and whether the ability to reach the site has changed over the last few days.

Update (again): Now an email from another government employee. Before today, access was blocked. Today, access is available. Did Big Brother blink?

The OPP follows a poor example

The Ontatio Provincial Police have been taking a public relations beating over their handling of the protests in Caledonia, where Native activists have occupied the Douglas Creek Estates housing development claiming the land as their own. The OPP has refused to execute court injunctions, have been accused of ignoring violence being committed in their presence, ignoring acts of intimidation, and generally letting the Natives run rampant.

Fingers have pointed to the top echelons of the OPP. Claims have been made that OPP officers on the scene have been directed from the highest levels to take little or no action.

A website, Caledonia Wake Up Call, that has been highly critical of the OPP reports receiving this email:

We received this quote from a confirmed source:

From XXX (An off-duty OPP Constable who has not been to Caledonia)

"I read your website at home and off-duty. I have never been to Caledonia but before it is over I might get sent there. I have learned a lot from your website about what happened there and I am surprised that native criminal activity has been overlooked apparently. The other day while at my detachment I wanted to see what was new on your web pages, but the OPP has blocked your website so none of us can read what is really happening in Caledonia except at home. No matter, we can all read it at home. And we all do."

Let's assume that this is true, that OPP staff can no longer access Caledonia Wake Up Call from OPP computers. I have to say I struggled with this.

At first, I was sympathetic with the OPP. Most organizations have rules to limit access to certain types of websites. Generally those are broad categories, of course. Adult sites, warez sites, that sort of thing.

But limiting access to one specific website?

There is the question of morale, I suppose. But as the email suggested, every OPP officer will read up on the latest at home.

So what is the point? None really.

But then leaders are not always known to act rationally. Faced with criticism, the natural reaction would be to keep the information away from the troops. Why? Because the more hapless the leadership appears to be, the danger that the troops will ignore orders increases.

And when I realized that, it struck me what had really been bothering me about this. It was the historical comparison that was on the edge of my consciousness.

It is a comparison with the crackdown on the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy student demonstrators by the Chinese Communist dictatorship in 1989.

We all know that the army was sent in and probably thousands were killed. But what is often forgotten is that the units used were brought in from remote areas of China because the local Beijing units were considered unreliable. The local units had heard a great deal of criticism leveled by the demonstrators at their leaders. It could not be helped. But in Communist China, where information flow is tightly controlled, remote army units knew very little of what was happening in Beijing except that anti-revolutionary elements were agitating. Deliberately kept in the dark by a leadership extermely sensitive to criticism, these units killed hundreds, if not thousands of demonstrators (and bystanders) without compunction, having no reason to have doubts about the infallibility of their leaders.

Before anyone else says anything, I am not for a moment suggesting that the OPP is like the PLA, that Liberal government at Queen's Park is the equivalent of the Chinese Politburo, or any other literal parallel you care to draw from this.

But I am pointing out that when the senior commanders attempt to clamp down on information flow to their troops, information that is critical of those commanders, you have to wonder. Are they not confident in the quality of the leadership they provide to trust the troops to listen to the criticisms and then dismiss them? Or are they concerned that the criticisms hit too close to home? Are they concerned that the troops will start to question whether the leadership deserves their loyalty?

Do they have reason to worry?

Ironically, this ham-handed move to block the website is likely to be seen as desperate by the OPP rank-and-file. Unlike Communist China in 1989, where this sort of information control worked very well, in Ontario in 2006, it is likely to make a bad situation worse for the leadership already under pressure from within and without.

Ken Hill fails to appear for his court date [Major Update]

From June 22:

(Caledonia, ONT.) On June 21, 2006, the Ontario Provincial Police made an arrest related to an incident, which occurred in Caledonia on June 4, 2006 at approximately 9:45pm.

Charged with two counts of Assault is Ken Hill, age 47 of Ohsweken, Ontario.

The charges relate to an incident involving an alleged confrontation between the “occupiers” and Caledonia citizens near a barricade at the end of Braemar Ave. An investigation followed resulting in an arrest warrant being issued for Ken Hill. The accused was arrested at approximately 7:05am in Cayuga, Haldimand County without incident.

Ken Hill will appear in Cayuga court on July 16, 2006 to answer to the charges.

In a subsequent report, the court date was reported to July 19. n It is not clear if the earlier report was in error or if the court date was changed.

As I've estabished in earlier posts, Ken Hill owns a major international cigarette manufacturing concern as well as having a deep interest in seeing gambling (either online or a real casino or both) on the Six Nations Reserve. I've speculated on whether his business interests, especially his gambling interests, played a role in his violent participation in the Caledonia land dispute.

What is clear is that he had a date with the court. What is also clear is that on June 29, he was in Germany, participating in the opening of a cigarette factory, despite facing charges for assault.

Did Ken Hill return?

Today we have this report:

CALEDONIA (AM900 CHML) - A Cayuga judge has issued a warrant for the arrest of a Six Nations man.

The judge took the action after the man failed to appear in court this morning (Wednesday), on charges relating to an assault on two CH-TV cameramen in early June.

He [sic] accused also stands to lose a 15-hundred dollar deposit which he left previously, when he was released on bail.

One of the CH cameramen needed stitches to close a head wound as a result of last month's attack.

Though the report does not name him, it is clearly Ken Hill (same charges, same date). So Ken Hill is now wanted for failure to appear. [[Actually, the news report has confused two different defendants -- see the update below. Note that I'm leaving the next sentence unchanged.]] My questions is whether the police are going to find him being sheltered by his friends and allies on the Reserve somewhere, or if we will find Ken Hill in Germany, enjoying a bratwurst and preparing an asylum request.

Major Update: The original radio report has now been replaced by an expanded newspaper story:

Frank Burning, 37, from Ohsweken, who wasn't identified until today, was supposed to be in a Cayuga courtroom yesterday morning but didn't show up. He is charged with assaulting CH cameraman Nick Garbutt.

Burning was arrested in Brantford last month and released on bail June 28 after giving the court $1,500 in cash and after his mother, Alberta Katherine Mounture, pledged $10,000 in equity she has in a Brantford property to help secure his release.

Justice of the Peace Catherine Woron issued a bench warrant for Burning's arrest and ordered that a special hearing be held to determine how much of the $10,000 his mother will have to hand over since Burning didn't show up for court as ordered.

Woron was told Burning's mother applied to be relieved of her duty as a surety, but that application only came yesterday -- the same day her son didn't show up.

So it looks like I got Burning and Hill mixed up based on the first radio report, which seemed to atrribute Hill's charges (two counts of assault) to the Burning (the man subject of the bench warrant).

So does that means the Ken Hill made his court appearance?

Uh, no.

Prominent Six Nations businessman Ken Hill had his case come up briefly in court yesterday.

Hill didn't appear, but was represented by a lawyer.

He is charged with assaulting Steve Tong and Quinton Chausse on June 4 and has hired high-profile Hamilton lawyer Dean Paquette.

Hill will be back in court on July 26, when he's expected to apply to have the terms of his release altered -- an application that requires him to be there in person.

So no arrest warrant for Ken Hill -- sorry about that. But you can see how CHML News could have gotten confused -- Ken Hill also did not show up for court.

So we still don't know where Ken Hill is. To give him the benefit of the doubt, we can assume he returned from Germany. But he did not appear in court, and it will be a week before we know for sure.

Ken Hill skips the country?

Recall that Ken Hill, successful entrepeneur on the Six Nations Reserve, owner of the Grand River Enterprises cigarette manufacturing company, was arrested on two charges of assault following a violent confrontation at the Caledonia barricade on June 4. He was picked up on June 22.

I have wondered why a successful businessman is rioting at a barricade over some land. I have pointed out that Ken Hill and his associates have longstanding interests in bringing gambling into the reserve (under their control). Could there be links, especially with the interests the Mohawk Warriors have in gambling?

In any case, Hill was released on bail, and was told to appear in court on July 19.

On a serious charge of assault, with access to large amounts of funds, and with the political implications of the Caledonia land claim, do you think it would be much to ask of Ken Hill to stay close to home, and not to leave the jurisdiction of the courts until the charges were resolved?

Perhaps...oh, I don't know...put off any trips to Germany?

Germany?!

The article is dated July 5, and says the opening ceremony was on the previous Thursday. That would have made it June 29, a week after he was arrested and released.

Is Ken Hill making the trip back home? For all I know, he has already come back, and there is nothing to worry about. But if he intended to avoid coming back to Canada for a spell, Hill's partner Jerry Montour explains why Germany might be the place to be:

Germany opened its arms to us. Your government worked with us to make this happen. For our first venture into Europe we couldn't have picked a more friendly or progressive place. [emphasis added]

Now if I was an aboriginal and wanted to claim asylum in a comfortable country, I could do worse than pick Germany. Bring up Canada's "genocidal" treatment of First Nations people, and you are sure to strike a chord with Germans. Germans are understandably sensitive to accusations of genocide. Throw in some "green" references (pretty easy for an aboriginal who knows a thing or two about public relations), and in no time you'd have a crowd of German political figures willing to stand behind you at a podium, each eager to take turns demanding that the German government protect you from the evil pro-Bush Conservatives in Ottawa (even though the federal government has nothing to do with this directly).

I'm just saying expecting people awaiting court dates on serious charges to stay in the country seems like a pretty reasonable restriction.

And what about border controls? Doesn't a serious criminal charge cause you to get flagged when you present your passport at a ticket counter at the airline? Does this mean that if the 17 men currently in jail on terrorism charges had been let out on bail, and then decided to take a trip to Syria, no one would stop them?

Perhaps Ken Hill got permission to go on this trip. Mighty generous, given that GRE seemed to be well represented already. It's not like asking for permission to attend your mother's funeral. If he was given permission, I'd like to know who signed off on it.

Yo quiero Caledonia?

So this is the ad campaign that $210,000 in taxpayers money buys you.

Remember that these ads are supposed to drum up business in Caledonia, so that local businesses can start to recover.

I have to say that I'm underwhelmed. Unless you run a store that sells fishing equipment, antiques, or bikes, you might wonder how these ads are going to help you. But more importantly, why would I go to Caledonia? The ads might inspire me to take the day to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, but I am just as likely to go to Peterborough or the Muskokas.

Actually more likely, since I might be worried about the troubles in Caledonia.

How about a picture of a town landmark? I mean, these ads have pictures that could be of anyone anywhere. Very likely are.

For $210,000, why not get a celebrity to pose in front of the town hall with some quote about how great Caledonia really is, and how he's glad he came to visit. Throw in a sly wink at the land issues, since everyone is going to wonder if the ad is current. I hear Rick Mercer is free since the Conservatives killed that lame One Tonne Challenge thing. So hurry over to Caledonia. I mean that. Really. You better leave now.

I'm not an ad man (obviously), but I do know that a successful ad has to remain in your head, and has to be unambiguously linked to a specific product. The chihuahua campaign for Taco Bell was such an ad. Everyone remembers "Yo quiero Taco Bell!", and the name of the product is right inside that memorable slogan. On the other hand, the "Where's the beef?" campaign was memorable, but the question of what restaurant it was for has almost reached the status of a trivia question (answer: Wendy's).

Do these ads make me want to go to Caledonia? Not really. I guess $210,000 doesn't get you as much as it once did.

[But then you could spend nothing and end up with what Stephen Taylor has come up with!]

Interesting advertising connections in Caledonia

Liberal Party.

Advertising contracts.

Anyone else getting nervous?

Guilt-Induced Displacement

This is not something I want to pay for with my taxes:

Citizens Of Caledonia have confirmed today in a meeting of town's poeple that Homes on Argyle St. And Sixth Line are being purchased by McGuinty. People must move out by the end of October. People are being offered above market value for their homes.

This from the Caledonia Wakeup Call website.

I've been thinking about what to call these people:

Development-induced displacement is the forcing of communities and individuals out of their homes, often also their homelands, for the purposes of economic development. It is a subset of forced migration. It has been historically associated with the construction of dams for hydroelectric power and irrigation purposes but also appears due to many other activities, such as mining. The most well-known example of development-induced displacement is a result of the construction of the Three Gorges Dam in China.

Of course, this isn't quite right, since the area was already developed.

Perhaps the correct term is "guilt-induced displacement". Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty, more concerned about some sort of collective guilt over the treatment of aboriginals, coupled with an unwillingness to use the powers of the state to enforce law and order, has decided to toss the people out.

The "white people", that is, who have not defied any court order.

It is not clear if anyone is refusing the offer. It is also not clear what punishment the provincial government will level against those who refuse to leave.

I can tell you this though. Whereas the Ontario Provincial Police has been essentially bystanders in the face of aboriginal defiance of court orders, I have no doubt that they will immediately force homeowners out of their homes for the crime of not entering into a real estate transaction with the government.

It will be interesting to see if any resolute homeowners put my prediction to the test. That would be quite the sight -- OPP officers pulling a sobbing woman out of the home in which she raised a family. Of course, she's not riding around in a pickup, brandishing weapons and setting fire to electrical substations, so for the police, she presents a far less threatening target.

On the other hand, faced with holding on to a home that has literally no resale value because of the criminal acts of the rioters, and having someone hand you more than the original sales price for your now worthless piece of land, who would blame these people for taking the money and starting a new life as far away from a native reserve as you can get?

Because I doubt many of these people are going to stay in Haldimand County.

I certainly wouldn't want to stay. It must be especially creepy if native protesters are wandering up and down the street, sizing up homes, deciding which ones to claim for their own. Or maybe the Council will decide. Or the Mohawk Warriors.

Or maybe they'll just fight over it. Or raze the area and build a cultural centre. And a casino.

For Liberal McGuinty, this is a twofer. On the one hand, he uses my money to spend his way out of a problem he helped create, and on the other, he depopulates a riding that voted for the federal Conservatives by a margin of nearly 8,000 votes (48% of the popular vote), and for a provincial Tory by a margin of 5,000 votes (51% of the popular vote).

An Open Skies observation mission of the Six Nations Reserve? [Update]

Was there indeed a spy flight over the Six Nations Reseve?

Update [12:45pm on June 30]

I just got off the phone with LCol Reid McBride, responsible for Open Skies working in the Arms Control Verification Directorate of the Strategic Joint Staff in National Defence in Ottawa. With his permission, he is letting me use his name. He assures me with, with 100% certainty, that no Open Skies missions have been conducted in Canada over the last several months. We chatted about some of the finer points of the treaty, including some elements of particular relevance to Caledonia. For example, the treaty puts a limit on resolution for imagery, no better than 30cm. At that resolutuion, you can tell a tank from a truck, but you would find it impossible to evaluate a bunker, for example.

So what flew over the area? He says it could have been a cargo plane in a holding pattern waiting to go to Hamilton. Lots of cargo planes for smaller haulers are flying old DC-8s and 707s.

In other words, in the words of this professional, this was certainly an innocent coincidence.

More rumours of impending Canada Day violence [and ongoing updates]

I have yet another email, also difficult to substantiate, from someone close to the events in Caledonia. As before, I am posting it with a warning that none of the content is confirmed.

This time, the focus is on plans for a violent Canada Day long weekend in Caledonia:

Subject: Friday Night

Just got off the phone with my contact who lives on Thistlemore. Person visited yesterday by a rep. from the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs. Their purpose is to assess the amount of damage and costs incurred by the residents during this "Event". There were 5 questions. The rep took the questions with her but left an overview. My contact is photo copying this and bringing it over tomorrow [ed. I'd like to see it too, if I can].

There is increased activity at DCE. After the removal of the barricades, there were 2 out houses. Yesterday they brought in 5 more. They have been hauling in wood all day yesterday and today. They are stacking them in huge pyres.

Scanners are picking up on-going communication from the Warriors saying that they are going to help the Caledonians celebrate Canada Day festivities. No mention of specifics just continuous excitement over this coming weekend. My uneducated guess is that if they do show up at the dance, they will just stand and watch. Intimidate by presence. They hope that the Caledonians, fuelled with fire water will start the fight. They, the poor, peaceful natives, who only wanted to be part of the celebration will be forced to fight back to protect their women and children. Racist, violent Caledonia will be portrayed as just that.

Sunday night, the Baptist church had organized a church supper and entertainment. They had invited a Native Christian Band to provide the entertainment and felt it would be a sign of open hearts to invite the Mohawk Warriors. They did arrive in full camouflage with scarves. They sat and by the end of the entertainment seemed to be relaxed. After most of the congregation had left and there were only a few stragglers remaining, a warrior went up to the minister and told him what a great evening they had and what a lovely building the church was. He then told the minister that if there was anything that he felt emotionally attached to he should take it because they were going to take over the Church. He then saluted and left. The scanners are also picking up on communications that tells of a plan to immediately take over Notre Dame as soon as it closes. They feel that with most of the Canadian Army being deployed in Afghanistan, the most the army can come up with is 1500. They can beat that number with 1 hand tied behind their back. Also, that idiot, Monty Kwinter [ed. Monte Kwinter is Ontario's Minister of Public Safety and Security in Dalton McGuinty's Liberal government; Kwinter has a degree in fine arts], announcing that all was back to normal in Caledonia not only enraged us, but also enraged the warriors. Almost like a challenge. That's about it. Stay safe.

Stay tuned through this weekend.

Updates:

As I had hoped, I'm starting to get emails from others who are close to the events to help clarify the situation.

A person who attended the concert at the Baptist church has contacted me after contacting the pastor, and tells me that the pastor denies that a threat of a takeover was ever made.

Note that the church is behind the barricade on Argyle Street. Services have been held as worshippers have been let through the barricade.

So this party of the story could be relegated to the fevered imagination pile for now...

That still leaves the question of Notre Dame. The original email expects that people know these names. The Baptist Church is on Argyle Street at the intersection of Braemar Avenue. Notre Dame refers to the Catholic high school on Braemar, just 800 feet west of the Baptist Church.

That would put the school behind the Argyle Street barricade as well.

Today or tomorrow will be the last day of school. I guess we'll see if the takeover of the high school is a real plan.

More updates as I receive them.

Updates:

The church was behind the barricade, but is no longer. The Douglas Creek Estates development was immediately adjacent to the church, to the south and to the east.

The school is also not behind the barricade, but the development borders the school property on the south, and the access road to the development runs along the west side of the school. All the activity, the barricades, the Warrior flags -- everything can be seen from the school. Not good for the children, but perhaps a nice location to control, tactically speaking.

In any case, let's hope the intensity level drops over the next little while.

Ken Hill is on the run, and other rumours

I've received an interesting email from someone who in turn cannot vouch for the accuracy of the email, other than to say he trusts the source.

Keep that in mind.

We're talking here about events in Caledonia, where native protesters have taken control of a land development. I have written extensively about a potential alternative explanation of why this is happening, something beyond merely a land claim.

I'm posting this email with this warning about accuracy because I can't think of a way to confirm any of the allegations, other than to put it out there and see if I get any response from potential witnesses to these alleged events who are also readers of this blog.

So here goes:

Subject: Trouble At DCE [ed. "DCE" stands for the "Douglas Creek Estates"]

I was at a group discussion this a.m. and I can attest to the reliability of my source, as reliable as one can be without having been actually present at the events I will relate.

Apparently Kenny Hill's HumV was torched and he and his Russian mistress are on the run. "Hill On The Run" to be sung to the tune of "Man On The Run". This can only mean 1 thing. Kenny was funding the DCE from day 1. If he's been torched, it could only have been the Mohawk Warriors. To piss them off, he must have refused further funding.

Drugs, booze and guns are now openly used at DCE. There has been 1 confirmed rape and 3 unconfirmed rapes. There are daily fights. Most recently a huge native woman, perhaps in her 40's, was bitch slapping a younger man and screaming at him to get the "fuck" out of her house. They're fighting over the homes! I love it!

Did any of you notice yesterday a large aircraft, approximately the size of a passenger jet, flying straight over town? That was a USA spy plane specially equipped to take pictures of bunkers, ammunition holdings, well you get the picture. This was not a jet that had taken off or was landing at Mt. Hope [ed. Mount Hope is the location of Hamilton’s international airport]. It made several passes over DCE and then shot up into the sky! It would only be here with permission and permission would only be given if our politicians didn't acknowledge this is not just a warm and fuzzy, peaceful protest by moccasin wearing, bead stringing natives! This is war!

There's a lot there to process. First, the idea that Ken Hill has had a falling out with some violent faction in the reserve. If true, it is speculation about whether it was about further funding, or if some other motive is involved.

That chaos rules behind the barricades does not surprise me, if true. The protest has been about lawlessness in the face of a Liberal government unwilling to impose law and order. I'm not sure what other outcome could be expected.

Spy planes? Well, I have to wonder, if only because there are smaller reconnaissance aircraft that could be used instead of something the size of a passenger jet. But then the person who wrote the email is probably not a trained observer. Still, seems like a bit of a stretch...at least I hope so. The implications are quite scary.

And talking about scary, I received a compliment from my correspondent:

I especially like your Blog, as it doesn't bow to the gods of political correctness, like our mainstream media. Having lived in this area my entire life, I admire you for taking on the likes of Ken Hill, as people around here (and on Six Nations) have not done so in fear of their safety.

In fear of their safety?! Should I be nervous?

Gambling profits and paramilitary parades

From the Hamilton Spectator (June 8):

First Nations chiefs from across Ontario pledged their support to Caledonia protesters yesterday, and warned governments to expect more occupations if native land claims aren't settled.

The 100 chiefs arrived at Douglas Creek Estates on the eve of today's 100th day of the occupation.

They were bused in to provide moral support to protesters and to urge the federal and provincial governments to exercise caution.

Chiefs took turns issuing veiled threats of violence. However, the presence of the Chiefs was a coincidence:

The Caledonia dispute wasn't on the chiefs' agenda, but their hosts invited the delegates to visit the site. They were driven there in two large passenger buses.

With a colour party of flag bearers in military fatigues, the Ontario chiefs were led across the survey to the entrance of Douglas Creek Estates, for the impromptu press conference.

So what were the Chiefs doing on this reserve at this time if it was not to take part in paramilitary parades?

The Ontario chiefs had been attending a two-day conference at the Six Nations reserve, where they discussed the distribution of proceeds from Casino Rama.

Casino Rama is the Native-owned and -operated commercial casino near Orillia, Ontario.

The distribution of the proceeds to First Nations people is managed by the Ontario First Nations Limited Partnership. I saw a familiar name on the list of directors of the OFNLP:

Steve Williams --- Independent Director, Vice President

Steve Williams is also the name of the former chief of the Six Nations. That Steve Williams was also a member the Six Nations Council Gaming Commission, until he was fired for help business partners Ken Hill, Jerry Montour, and Art Montour set up an internet gaming licensing enterprise running out of the offices of their cigarette firm, Grand River Enterprises, behind the back of the Council firmly in opposition of the legally questionable operation.

I can't be sure it is the same Steve Williams, but my gut tells me it is. So on June 8, the chiefs come to discuss splitting up gambling profits. Coincidently they take a tour of the land the Ontario government is about to buy for the Six Nations as a response to violent protests and barricades. The vice president of the partnership in charge of managing those profits the chiefs were discussing just happens to be one of the main backers of having gambling on the Six Nations reserve. His business partner, also part of the same pro-gambling team, is on the barricades and gets arrested for assault, defending the land claim that was the subject of the chiefs' military parade.

But maybe it's all just a coincidence.

Just one more thing. The Ontario First Nations Limited Partnership has its address in Hagersville, Ontario. You might think they would be located near Casino Rama, near Orillia. But Orillia is almost three hours away. Find Hagersville on the map, and you find yet another amazing coincidence. Both Caledonia and Hagersville are on the borders of the Six Nations Reserve. It's about a 15 minute drive Route 6 to Caledonia from Hagersville -- a mere 10 miles apart. Hagersville butts up the southern corner of the reserve, while Caledonia butts up against the north-east corner. That's why I think we're dealing with the same Steve Williams. And that's another reason to wonder just how much gambling interests are connected to the events in and around the Six Nations reserve.

The Six Nations Gambling Fight

The more I delve into the history of gambling on the Six Nations Reserve in Caledonia, the more I think there are issues behind the Caledonia land dispute that have nothing to do with land.

Imagine this scenario. You are a successful businessman. You want to expand into gambling, but you are being harassed by a local council that is worried about laws that you don't think apply. You try to do an end run around them, they fight back, you persist -- and in all of this, you are wondering just how can you get these troubling people out of the way. You know that gambling is not popular with the voters. If you can somehow swing the voters to your side, you can cut the council off at the legs and get what you want. You are the largest employer in the area, but that doesn't seem to be enough. You are respected, but the people aren't going to give you a blank cheque just because you run a local factory. You need to be a hero! What better way than to put it all on the line, take on forces larger than yourself in a classic David-vs-Goliath battle, and if you're lucky, get yourself roughed up, just a little. Now the people don't just respect you, they adore you. Those cowards on the local council know you have the people behind you, and realize that they will need to pay a price to keep their jobs. That price is to give what you wanted in the first place -- the sole right to managed a lucrative gambling interest without interference or resistance.

Is this Ken Hill's plan?

A white man's worst nightmare

From a reader who calls himself awhitemansworstnightmare (aka "Six Nations Resident, and Pround as hell to be native"), who posted this comment on June 24, 2006 at 3:46 PM:

I read alot of the stuff you creeps have on this website. Is this a KKK website? Of all the artcles and comments i read, not one had nething good to say about natives.

First things first. Thanks for coming by. I'm glad I'm being read by both sides in this conflict. I hope you keep coming back, and that you participate in the discussions.

Moving on, I'm not sure why you think you are the "white man's worst nightmare". As a man with children, my worst nightmare is probably very similar to the worst nightmare of all fathers regardless of their race or creed. If you are thinking of some lesser nightmare that is somehow a function of my skin colour, I suppose the worst nightmare of the white man is the same as the worst nightmare of the black man or the red man (I'm keeping with the colour motif, even though "redskin" has falling out of favour in modern parlance, and thankfully so). That is to be punished for something he can't help -- the colour of his skin.

Is that who you are? A person who seeks out and hurts white people just for being white? I suppose that would make you a white man's worst nightmare. Must keep you pretty busy, though. So many white men, women, and children out there...but then you said "white man's nightmare", so perhaps you have limits. Or maybe you just thought "white person's nightmare" sounded clumsy and therefore not as threatening (and you'd be right).

But back to the question of punishment. I don't mind being punished for something I have done. I would like to the see the protesters punished for the things they have done. But I don't want anyone punished just because they are white, or aboriginal.

And the same goes in the other direction. I don't want anyone to avoid punishment just because they are white, or aboriginal.

As for whether this is a Klan site, I can assure you the Klan would not have me. As a Polish Catholic, I would be no more welcome in their ranks than you, anti-Catholicism being a founding principle of the Klan.

But I suppose when you want to make a critical point, it always helps to toss out the accusation of racism. Trying to get the other guy to start apologizing and backtracking just to avoid the label, eh?

Ain't going to happen here. I know I'm not a racist. Just harshly critical of criminal behaviour, especially when it appears to be institutionalized.

Don't confuse harshly critical with racism. When you equate the two, you shut down criticism. Shutting down criticism is the mark of the Fascist.

[And some friendly advice. Drop the "creeps". It doesn't bother me -- name-calling rarely does -- which makes it a wasted effort on your part. It also makes you look petty, which means that should you decide to contribute something substantive to the discussion, people might ignore you, and that would be a shame. But hey, if that's your style and it works for you, carry on.]

The Humiliation of Caledonia

The latest from Caledonia has the police leaving residents to the tender mercies of criminals:

Amid concerns over lack of police action in Caledonia, the Ontario Provincial Police have turned over part of their policing responsibility on the outskirts of the town to Six Nations officers, the force confirmed yesterday.

OPP officers will no longer respond to calls from non-native home and property owners who live on the 6th Line, a county road running along the southwest border of a housing development occupied by native protesters — a move that has some residents feeling helpless and sick with worry.

"Residents are fully aware. We went door-to-door," OPP spokesman Const. Dennis Harwood told the Toronto Star yesterday.

This is just the latest twist involving the OPP that has many people — including a former OPP officer — questioning what the provincial force is doing. "They can't do that. People pay their taxes for policing by the OPP," said the former senior officer, who asked not to be identified.

People didn't just pay taxes. The County paid extra for a contract:

[Haldimand County Police Service] consist of several components. First is the actual delivery of policing which has been contracted out to the Ontario Provincial Police, second is Haldimand County Community Policing and thirdly is the Haldimand County Police Services Board. All detachments are required by provincial legislation to have a Police Services Board. The traditional policing functions are carried out under the auspices of a contract between the O.P.P and Haldimand County.

How much money was squandered on the OPP?

Protections to Persons & Property:
2005 YTD Actuals: $8,141,546

The people of Haldimand people spend $8 million for police protection, and when it really mattered, they got nothing. On the other hand, the protesters are virtually ignored by the police despite threats, robberies, and assaults, and they are rewarded with land bought at twice the amount the people of Haldimand County paid for the privilege of living under the rule of law:

Meanwhile, the developer who currently owns the land will get $12.3 million in an "interim agreement" with the province to cover the market value of the subdivision land "as is," with more money to come later, said Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay.

That land bought at $12 million (and probably much more) will be handed to the protesters sooner or later.

And it was paid for in part by the taxpayers of Haldimand County who have just wasted $8 million on nonexistent policing.

You know, fear fades with time. One day, when these events have receded into the past and daily life has settled into a new pattern, the people of Haldimand Country will wake up and they won't be afraid any more. But I bet they will feel humiliated by all this. And the thing about humiliation is that, unlike fear, the sting of it has a way of being felt as keenly as when it was fresh. You never quite shake humiliation -- it stays with you for the rest of your life.

Ken Hill, Entrepeneur: Confirmed

The major media has finally reported Ken Hill's identity, weeks after the arrest warrant was issued:

Prominent Six Nations businessman Ken Hill has been arrested and charged with two counts of assault in connection with a fracas on a Caledonia street June 4.

Hill, 47, senior supply and marketing officer and 10 per cent shareholder in Ohsweken-based cigarette manufacturer Grand River Enterprises Six Nations Ltd., was arrested by the OPP in Cayuga yesterday morning without incident.

He will appear in Cayuga court July 19.

Hill is one of six people named in a batch of warrants issued for various charges by the OPP following three violent incidents around the native-occupied Douglas Creek Estates June 9.

An OPP spokesman said yesterday the charges against Hill relate to a pushing and shoving incident on Braemar Avenue between native protesters and Caledonia residents the night of June 4. There were no injuries.

The altercation at the barricade was sparked when an OPP vehicle which made a wrong turn onto the Sixth Line -- an agreed upon no-go zone for police -- was surrounded by natives and the officers inside were ticketed for trespassing.

Caledonia residents rushed to their side of the barricades and an altercation followed.

OPP spokesman Constable Dennis Harwood said Hill was arrested "at a Cayuga business" just after 7 a.m.

The report says Hill was arrested at a business location, while I was told it was a wedding. I doubt it matters much which.

Curious what business is open at 7am, though. Maybe he was picking up a pack of GRE smokes at the local 24-hour convenience store.

Ken Hill has been arrested

On the topic of Ken Hill, there has been quite a bit of discussion. There is a Ken Hill in the Six Nations reserve who, with Jerry and Art Montour, runs Grand River Enterprises, a cigarette concern. They seem to run "the gambling commission" on the reserve (internet gambling via the Six Nations Network) out of the GRE offices. Art Montour is also a leader of the Mohawk Warriors.

One question has centered on the identity of the Ken Hill wanted by the OPP on two counts of assault. I've been fielding a lot of emails from people who think I have different Ken Hills confused.

They point out that it seems unlikely that a major businessman, even one involved in less than wholesome businesses such as smoking and gambling, would be rioting at a barricade.

I voice the same doubts. But at the same time, I pointed out that if the real motive behind the Caledonia protest is to get their hands on partially developed land (at the expense of the Ontario taxpayer) to use as a site for a real bricks-and-mortar casino, then it seems reasonable to assume that Ken Hill might very well be on-site to protect his investment.

The link to Mohawk Warrior Art Montour via business partner Jerry Montour (all three made a joint donation to the Cruz Bustamante election campaign in California in 2003) helped bolster that theory. The Mohawk Warriors are known to be deeply involved in gambling interests (as well as the drug trade and cigarette smuggling), and are of course driving the protest.

I've been in touch with several people who assure me that this is indeed the same Ken Hill. One is based on a family link, the other via a recreational association. For now, I am happy to proceed with my original reasoning.

With that in mind, we have news of Ken Hill's arrest:

(Caledonia, ONT.) On June 21, 2006, the Ontario Provincial Police made an arrest related to an incident, which occurred in Caledonia on June 4, 2006 at approximately 9:45pm.

Charged with two counts of Assault is Ken Hill, age 47 of Ohsweken, Ontario.

The charges relate to an incident involving an alleged confrontation between the “occupiers” and Caledonia citizens near a barricade at the end of Braemar Ave. An investigation followed resulting in an arrest warrant being issued for Ken Hill. The accused was arrested at approximately 7:05am in Cayuga, Haldimand County without incident.

Ken Hill will appear in Cayuga court on July 16, 2006 to answer to the charges.

My sources tell me he was attending a wedding when he was picked up. Apparently, he was in the presence of members of the Six Nations Police, but the OPP came to execute the arrest warrant. It is not clear if the Six Nations Police helped or hindered justice in this case. They may indeed have brokered a deal to allow Hill to be picked up.

That deal might have included his subsequent release from custody. There is no report of a bond being posted. It might be that he is seen as an upstanding citizen who poses little flight risk.

That would surprise me. He is a member of the Six Nations Reserve and can cross the Canada-US border at will (the reserve spans the border), and so exit the reserve into US territory.

My mistake. The reserve does not span the border. I had a map of the Quebec reserves that figured in the news a fews back in my head. Sorry about that.

On the other hand, he might want to stay close to the site to oversee the archaeological dig.

Archaeological dig?

Another email to me says that large construction equipment has been moved onto the disputed land by the protesters. Apparently, it is for an archaeological dig.

Maybe they expect to uncover a casino!

Rolling up the troublemakers

Remember Audra Ann Taillefer, the woman from Victoria, BC, an exp-prostitute, whose goal in life was to be a positive role model for aboriginal youth?

She had decided that inducing heart attacks in elederly white males constituted a positive example.

She was one of the seven people wanted in relation to the violence in Caledonia. Well, she was picked up:

(Caledonia, ONT.) On Friday, June 16, 2006, Six Nations Police acting on an arrest warrant has made an arrest relating to a June 9th incident. The Six Nations Police transferred custody of the accused to the Haldimand County OPP Detachment.

Charged with Intimidation and Robbery is Audra Ann Taillefer, age 45 of Victoria, British Columbia.

The charges are in relation to an incident that took place before noon involving an elderly couple from Simcoe who were visiting the Caledonia area. An altercation occurred between themselves and the “occupiers” resulting in an elderly male victim being taken to West Haldimand General Hospital in Hagersville as a precaution.

Audra Ann Taillefer will appear in Cayuga Court to answer to her charges.

No word on whether she was spotted by police, she turned herself in, or if someone ratted her out.

Grand River Enterprises and smuggling

Grand River Enterprises was caught up in a massive smuggling case:

Federal prosecutors quietly stayed all charges against nine alleged members of an organized cigarette-smuggling and distribution ring that operated in the Edmonton area. The RCMP bust of the smuggling ring made front-page headlines in 1996. Police seized more than 5,000 cartons of tax-free cigarettes allegedly smuggled into Alberta from an illegal tobacco plant on an Ontario Indian reserve. The charges were stayed Nov. 15, 1999, but the stay did not come to light until now.

This report is from July 2000. The nine people set free were from Alberta, and the reason they were let go was that too much time had passed since they were arrested, and the Crown was concerned that the case would be dismissed on that basis.

Of course, the fact that they wouldn't hire lawyers helped drag things out for three years.

The illegal cigarettes were manufactured by a native-owned company called Grand River Enterprises, located on the Six Nations reserve near Hamilton, Ont. The company had been denied a federal tobacco manufacturer's licence because it refused to pay excise taxes. Nine people from the reserve were eventually charged in the massive smuggling operation and, in a plea bargain, agreed to fines totalling $660,000 to avoid jail sentences. Peter Montour, the operation's ringleader, was fined $640,000. He immediately handed over a cheque for $500,000 when he was sentenced.

Peter Montour is Jerry Montour's father. Jerry and Art Montour made a significant donation to the Californa governor's race in 2003. The head of the Mohawk Warriors is also named Art Montour.

It's estimated the smuggling operation took in $25 million before it was shut down by police. The cigarettes were allegedly shipped from the Six Nations reserve to a warehouse in the Riel Industrial Park in St. Albert. Police believe the financier of the Alberta operation was bringing in about 40 cases of cigarettes each month from Ontario, making a tax-free profit of more than $20,000 a month. The cigarettes were resold to distributors for about $850 a case. Each case contained 50 cartons. And each carton was being sold for about $25, which works out to about $3 a package, roughly half the price of taxed cigarettes.

These guys were making some good money on the whole smoking thing. Maybe if someone had told anti-tobacco Premier Dalton McGuinty that the Six Nations protesters in Caledonia were smoking illegally purchased cigarettes while beating on journalists, he would have let the OPP go in and restore order.

Seriously, though, if the Montours are sitting on this sort of cash, and if they are involved in the protests, it might help explain just how the protesters are funding their protest for three months and counting.

California dreaming

In my post on Grand River Enterprises and what might be links to the events in Caledonia, I noted that in 2003 Ken Hill, Jerry Montour, and Arthur Montour had made a joint donation of over twenty thousand dollars to the gubernatorial campaign of Cruz Bustamante, who was seeking to replace recalled Governor Gray Davis. Arnold Schwarzenegger eventually won the race to be governor of California.

At the time, I wondered what possible reason the chief officers of Grand River Enterprises, a Canadian cigarette maker on a native reserve, would have to be donating money to an American political campaign in California. My post was focused on the links between GRE and gambling, and several people pointed out that Bustamante was linked to Indian gambling interests during the campaign.

GRE was not named specifically, though.

I found a more direct link, however, between GRE and California, though this link has to do with cigarettes:

"A judgment of default has been entered against defendant Grand River Enterprises/6 Nations, Ltd. by the Sacramento County Superior Court. The defendant has been ordered to comply with California's Nonparticipating Manufacturer (NPM) Reserve Fund Statute (Health & Safety Code, sections 104555-104557) and is prohibited from selling any of its cigarettes to consumers, either directly or through a distributor, retailer, or other intermediary, within the State of California. This ban takes effect immediately and remains in effect until the defendant establishes a qualified escrow fund, deposits $195,876.93 into the escrow fund, and provides proof of its compliance with the Reserve Fund Statute to the Attorney General. The ban extends to ALL brands manufactured by Grand River Enterprises/6 Nations, including but not limited to "Scenic 101" and "Capitol" brand cigarettes. To view a copy of the judgment, click here."

This judgment was entered against GRE in December 2004. The recall election was held on October 7, 2003. The Attorney General of California who brought the charges was Bill Lockyer. Lockyer, a Democrat, voted for Schwarzenegger, and described the list of Democratic choices as "crappy":

In comments to reporters after his speech, Lockyer had this to say about why he didn't vote for his fellow Democrat: "You know the people in your profession really well. You know who works hard and who doesn't. You know who is honest and who isn't. Cops know that about cops. Doctors know that about doctors. I know that about politicians. The common thing to all these professions is none of them say it. That's all I'm going to say."

I guess he didn't say Bustamante was dishonest directly. Bustamante is known for being pro-tobacco, at least mildly:

Bustamante took nearly $80,000 from tobacco companies during his five years in the state Assembly. During that time he voted against a smoking ban in restaurants and bars that voters later approved. He then unsuccessfully pushed for a delay in implementing the ban in bars.

Could the donations have been an attempt to avoid a judgment in one particular case by helping a sympathetic politician become governor?

Just something to ponder.

The monopoly on violence breaks down -- a new order emerges

Though several people thought I was too cynical or just some sort of fascist, it is as I said it would be -- when the monopoly on violence is broken, there is no government, and anarchy reigns.

Until, of course, a new government forms:

Angry residents living near the Douglas Creek Estates housing development occupied by aboriginal protesters say they'll protect their homes and families if the police won't.

Residents say the protesters are using tactics of aggression and intimidation along their backyards to bait Ontario Provincial Police into action, and so far the police response has been ineffectual.

A “resident response plan” has been circulated in the neighbourhood urging fearful homeowners to sound car alarms or horns “in the event a home or resident comes under attack.”

Residents would then gather and confront the protesters to force them back onto the territory they have claimed.

This community group is essentially forming a government. They even have borders:

The plan calls for residents to “repel the aggression by creation of a large presence and advance together as one unit peacefully, if possible, until the offending persons remove themselves from the property and back into their own area.”

David Hartless, author of the plan, said the intention is not to create vigilantes.

Residents would not pursue protesters past the “borderline” (yellow police tape), he said.

All they want is order and safety to be maintain in their area. If Premier Dalton McGuinty is unable or unwilling to maintain order, they'll do it themselves.

Of course, once they realize that they are providing for their own protection, these people might start to wonder just what exactly their taxes have been going towards.

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?

Caledonia and Gambling

Update: More links between the Caledonia protests and unsavoury criminal interests.

The OPP are looking for several people with regards to violence at the Caledonia stand-off involving the Six Nations Reserve.

One of those people is Ken Hill:

Ken Hill, 47, of Ohsweken, faces two counts of assault

Ken Hill is not just some two-bit hooligan. He's a two-bit hooligan with a business plan:

Ken Hill, a Mohawk from Six Nations, and Jerry Montour, a Mohawk from Wahta, are partners with others at Grand River Enterprises, which is located on the Six Nations Indian Reserve. GRE, which is a cigarette manufacturing plant, is the largest private business on the Six Nations Reserve, employing approximately 175 people. They have recently expanded operations to a plant located in Germany and are also looking at establishing a plant in South Africa. Ken and Jerry will talk about this exciting international project.

Besides smoking, Ken Hill is interested in gambling as well:

Preliminary Report On Six Nations Gaming Commission And Internet Gaming Activities On The Reserve

On May 13, 2003 Steve Williams, then Chair of the Gaming Commission, met with Harvey Filger, Director of Economic Development, to discuss a proposal he had worked on in his capacity as Chair of the Gaming Commission. He advised that a third party on the reserve wished to use a private facility consisting of 12 computers for internet gaming.

During the month of June Chief Roberta Jamieson, and Councillor Sid Henhawk attended a meeting at Grand River Enterprises (GRE). Gerry Montour, Ken Hill and Steve Williams attended the meeting. During this meeting, Mr. Montour and Mr. Hill stated their interest in operating a call center and becoming involved in on reserve internet gaming. Chief Roberta Jamieson requested a legal opinion and business plan on the proposed initiatives and Mr. Montour agreed to forward these documents to the Six Nations Economic Development Committee.

Now this planning for an internet gaming operation was hung up on legal matters. The Council was not satisfied that the reserve could host internet gambling without running afoul of Canadian law despite their status as a reserve. But that did not stop someone from moving forward with the idea.

First, there is the Six Nations Network, a server hosting company dedicated to bringing "your offshore hosting back to the main land." Most internet gaming interests maintain their servers on small islands in the Caribbean to avoid law enforcement entanglements in the US and Canada. Apparently, someone at Six Nations thinks being on a reserve amounts to the same thing, but affords the client the comfort of knowing the servers are close by (and not in the path of hurricanes). Interestingly, there is a link from the site to the Six Nations Gaming Commission, though the link dies.

Somebody then started up AbsolutePoker.com, and claimed it was being managed by that same Six Nations Gaming Commission:

A commercial internet gaming site www.absolutepoker.com currently hosting its website on the Six Nations reserve with a company or partnership called Six Nations Network (SixNet), www.sixnet.ca, which indicates that it has received a license to operate on Six Nations by the Six Nations Gaming Commission.

This will advise all Six Nations members and the general public that this commercial activity has not been approved by the Six Nations Council. [October 2003]

The poker site is still active, and it still claims to be regulated in the Six Nations Internet Gambling Regulatory Body.

There is another gambling authority operating on the reserve called the Haldimand Mohocks and Allies Gaming Commission. They are also connected to the Six Nations Network. Two commissions? Not unless they share an office. Both are located at 2176-B Chiefswood Road on the reserve (see here and here).

Guess who else has an office exactly at 2176 Chiefswood Road. If you bet all your chips on the name Ken Hill, you would have won! In fact, the cigarette company Ken Hill owns, Grand River Enterprises, has their office there.

OK, I think it's fair to say that despite the protestations of the Six Nations Council, Ken Hill is deeply involved in internet gambling using the Six Nations Network as his "offshore" server farm.

Is Ken Hill still trying to make it into the lucrative world of reserve gaming, the bricks-and-mortar kind? Is he looking at the Douglas Creek Estates land as a potential site for a casino?

For a businessman with significant responsibilities, it seems strange for Ken Hill to be engaging in riots and assaulting people -- unless there was something in it for him.

Something big.

Violent ex-prostitute is an aboriginal role model?

Audra Ann Taillefer is wanted on charges of robbery and two counts of intimidation related to her violent actions at the Caledonia stand-off.

If this is the kind of role model young aboriginals have to look up to, no wonder things are so messed up:

Audra Taillefer is from the Mohawk Nation. She has spent 20 years in and out of the commercial sex trade. Audra had the privilage [sic] to work with Cherry Kinglsy [sic] and Melanie Mark on the Sacred Lives Project about sexually exploited Aboriginal Youth. After making contacts at a national level, Audra has travelled to help create programs that promote prevention. She has travelled to Ottawa and sat on the Youth Justice Policing Awards and even to Whitehorse for Community Development. Currenty she teams up with the RCMP Drug Awareness Campaign and does prevention workshops in the local schools. She has been featured on many radio stations and appeared in various newspapers. Audra is the Coordinator of the Indigenous Response Team working with Aboriginal People in the sex trade in the greater Victoria area. Audra's goal is to be a positive role model for Aboriginal Youth. [emphasis added]

I guess her new goal is to stay out of prison.

The likelihood of many more peaceful operations

Earlier today I wrote about the monopoly on violence, the State, and how the insurrection in Caledonia is undermining the legitimacy of the McGuinty government in Ontario:

The thing about the monopoly of violence is that you have to use violence to maintain it. Some monopolies form because prohibitive costs prevent other competitors from getting into the business. On the other hand, anyone can be violent. That means that the government can maintain its monopoly only by being more violent, forcing you to make the choice between the cost of defying the government versus the cost of submitting. [emphasis added]

Later, this article appeared in the Toronto Star, in which OPP officers are complaining that they can't do their job right because of political interference:

For instance, the highly trained and heavily armed members of the OPP tactical team have not been allowed to wear their tactical uniforms.

"It's okay to have an officer walking around in tactical uniform at Wasaga Beach on a long weekend, but it's not okay in Caledonia," [Ontario Provincial Police Association president Karl] Walsh said.

The standard practice for OPP officers dealing with an unruly crowd — as both the protesters and the townsfolk have sometimes been during the past months — is to dress in riot gear, with helmets, visors and shields.

Leave it to the Star to describe riot gear as some sort of turtle's shell. Besides the protection, a typical riot gear outfit includes a solid steel baton and a gas mask. The baton is displayed to make a very visible promise that anyone who starts causing trouble is going to get a serious beating. The gas mask reminds potential troublemakers that the severe burning in the eyes and nose and throat, the copious and uncontrollable nictitation, the nauseau, the vomiting, and the burning sensation wherever someone touches you -- all symtoms of exposure to 0-chlorobenzalmalononitrile, or tear gas -- are symptoms that are going to be enjoyed by the protesters only, and not by the police.

Notice that unruly crowds are rarely outfitted in riot gear.

That is what I mean by the State being "more violent". And the OPP understands that. It's the politicians in the Liberal government who do not:

"But these officers were ordered not to wear them for optical purposes," said Walsh. The OPP doesn't want to give the media, the protesters or residents the idea "there's an increased level of aggressiveness" in what they consistently have called a "peaceful" operation.

But that's the point. By not presenting a credible and seriously aggressive posture early on in the stand-off, the government ceded its role as the sole legitimate agents of violence to the protesters. Once that was done, it has been almost impossible for the government to recover.

Any bets on how many more of these "peaceful operations" are going to occur going forward? Any thoughts on how many fewer had this one been met with a serious and forceful response the moment the barricades went up?

The monopoly on violence

I have written before on the concept of the monopoly on violence as being the fundamental underpinning of government. It doesn't matter what kind -- democracy, dictatorship, all points in between -- a government is a government because it is recognized as the only entity within a defined area that can use violence to defend its position. Moreover , it is accepted by the people that violence is a legitimate means for that entity and only for that entity (acceptance can be compelled by that very violence, of course, in less enlightened forms of government).

Once that monopoly on violence is established, we have government and all that flows from that.

That monopoly is real, and it is exercised regularly. When someone is arrested and tossed in the back of a police car, that's a form of State violence. Only registered agents of the State can do this -- anyone else doing it would be guilty of kidnapping. Indeed, kidnapping is a crime in part because it represents a threat to the government monopoly.

When the monopoly is broken, we have anarchy. In Africa, we have Somalia. In Asia, the border regions of Pakistan. In North America, Caledonia:

Two news cameramen were assaulted by protesters today, prompting Premier Dalton McGuinty to condemn the latest violence at the site of an aboriginal occupation in Caledonia, Ont.

The CH TV camera operators, one of whom needed stitches to close a head wound, said Ontario Provincial Police did nothing despite their pleas for help.

"The police were right behind me and I asked for protection," said Ken MacKay, a CH TV camera operator.

"I said, `I'm being assaulted, I need protection, they're trying to steal my camera' and nothing happened.

For weeks, the anarchists in Caledonia have acted with impunity. They have established roadblocks, interfered with commerce, and threatened and assaulted journalists.

The thing about the monopoly on violence is that you have to use violence to maintain it. Some monopolies form because prohibitive costs prevent other competitors from getting into the business. On the other hand, anyone can be violent. That means that the government can maintain its monopoly only by being more violent, forcing you to make the choice between the cost of defying the government versus the cost of submitting.

Those who choose to defy are criminals, but that label really only means "not government". The government performs acts of violence on the criminals (arrest and incarceration) and so retains its legitimacy.

As long as the government stays on top of the situation (the criminal problem, that is), threats to the monopoly can be controlled for a reasonable cost.

In Caledonia, the monopoly has effectively been broken. The agents of the government stand by and do nothing. The government itself is paralyzed:

In Edmonton where he was meeting with the country's premiers, McGuinty expressed dismay at the attack.

"It was with great disappointment that I learned of the violent incidents in Caledonia," he said in a statement.

"I would like to express sympathy and concern for those injured."

McGuinty also condemned the violence "by an irresponsible few" and called it "a repugnant attempt to derail the important progress we are making."

Condemning the violence is not the answer. A government does not have the luxury of being passive, and certainly not pensive. Violence must be met with State violence, or the credible threat of imminent State violence. The alternative is chaos until a new order is established and a new monopoly formed.

This might sound almost primitive, and in a way it is primitive. But that's because we're talking about the most fundamental concepts that define how societies, all societies, work. The protesters understand that. That is why they are taking these actions. They know that if they establish themselves as the only force for order in the disputed area, they will have won the fight.

The government can only win by showing that the government are the only force for order -- and that means ejecting any competitors. That cannot be done with negotiation, because negotiation is done between governments, and the government cannot afford a rival government to form within its borders.

The real problem facing McGuinty is that he has waited too long. Early in the process, a few arrests might have been enough to re-establish a monopoly on violence for the Crown. As time goes by, the cost goes up. The truly frustrating thing is that a government that was unwilling to put a few protesters under arrest is hardly likely to approve of the sort of assault required now to dislodge the protesters.

What will happen? I'm not sure. One possiblity is that an OPP officer who understands the concepts I've been trying to explain and understands his role as an agent for the State, will take it on himself to do what the Liberal government is unwilling to do, or even threaten to do, and that is meet violence with even more violence.

When that happens, when agents of the State feel compelled to act on their own initiative to save the State unwilling to save itself, then the breakdown is complete.

Angry in the Great White North by Steve Janke is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Canada License. Based on a work at stevejanke.com.