http://www.newsatniagara.com Oct. 27, 2006 Volume 37, Issue 1 See pg. 16 The Best Way To Connect With Niagara See pg. 16 Caledonia protest This one, mommy! ends peacefully By RYAN MCLEAN and to the limits. The major reason I’m MICHAELA LUDWIG here is because I’m so fed up with Staff Writers [Premier] Dalton McGuinty. I’m Although tempers have flared in here in support of the citizens (of the past, the mood was relatively Caledonia).” calm at the rally in Caledonia on “It’s like buying a house and Oct. 15. then selling the house, and then Gary McHale, 44, of Richmond you come back and say you want Hill, organized the March of the house back,” Steve Polar, 29, Freedom to protest what he calls of Hamilton, said of the Natives an illegal occupation by Natives occupying the Douglas Creek on the Douglas Creek Estates Estates. in Caledonia. The march also “Caledonia has every right to be protested the lack of equality and treated fairly, and they’re not. The action on the part of the provincial residents did not ask for this.” government and the Ontario “It’s a little bit of the Provincial Police (OPP), calling it government’s fault. They should a “two-tiered justice system.” have stepped in ahead of time, not While McHale and other speakers let it go on like this,” said Rose, a were making their pitches behind Hamilton resident who wished to the Caledonia Lions Club to over be anonymous. 500 demonstrators, the supporters “I think it’s all a big farce,” started to disperse and began lining Brantford resident Ruth White up in the parking lots of Canadian said of the occupation. “It should Tire and the Tim Hortons on Argyle have been stopped the day they Street. While the crowd seemed (the Natives) set foot there. The to be anticipating an event-filled government officials have got to protest, the Natives could be heard get off their ass. We’re suffering.” chanting from their potluck picnic Marsha Hood, 54, of Caledonia, on the occupation site. had a completely different opinion “I’m waiting to see the when it came to the occupation and Richmond Hill protestors,” said the situation at hand. an anti-occupation supporter who “I would say that half of the Seven-month-old Mia Mastroianni, of Welland, inspects the pumpkins during her first visit to the wished to be anonymous. “I’m people [here] are not even from Bry-Anne Farms Great Pumpkin Patch in Pelham on Oct. 14. waiting to see the issue of double- Caledonia.” Photo by Shawn Taylor standard laws — laws for the Natives and laws for us — pushed Continued on page 2 Douglas Creek Estates Timeline Local family gets new home • Six Nations and Henco Industries are involved in a land dispute over a 40-hectare piece of land in Caledonia. By KRISTEN COUGHLAR Davis says students will be Natasha, 12, and Christin, 18, are • 1784: Six Nations was allowed to take possession of and settle Staff Writer involved in all aspects of the expected to receive the keys to land 20 kilometres wide along the Grand River, totalling 385,000 Niagara College is breaking project, starting with the home’s their new home some time in April. hectares. Henco Industries says this Haldimand Grant was merely ground in a partnership with design. As well as providing a Asked how the family felt about a license to occupy the lands, with the legal title in the name of Habitat for Humanity. family in need with a new home, the situation, Leslie said, “Well, the Crown. On Sept. 21, members of the Davis says that the partnership without dancing? It’s wonderful. • 1841: Six Nations council agrees to surrender for sale all lands Niagara College’s Construction “further encourages and promotes I never thought we would actually outside those set aside for a reserve, on the agreement the Techniques program and Construc- the development of the skills and reach this point. I’ve always government would sell the land and invest the money for them. A tion Engineering — Architecture passion of the trades.” wanted a house since I was a kid, faction of Six Nations citizens say the chiefs were deceived and program gathered at 58 Sixth St. Ryan Cesarin, 24, a student in the so it’s a dream come true.” intimidated. Six Nations challenges this claim in a 1995 lawsuit, in Welland, along with representa- Construction Techniques program, In addition to paying the and it is part of the basis for the current protest. tives from Habitat for Humanity, says, “I’ve always wanted to do mortgage payments, the Trask • 1992: Henco Industries purchases a company that owned 40 the Niagara Home Builders’ Asso- Habitat for Humanity. It’s always family will put in 500 hours of hectares of what it would later call the Douglas Creek Estates ciation and the City of Welland to nice to give back to someone. You “sweat equity” in the building of lands. begin work on a home for a family can never give too much.” their home. • 1995: Six Nations sues the provincial and federal governments in need. On Sept. 19, the family chosen Davis says, “It’s a common over the land. Alastair Davis, chief executive to receive the home was notified. misconception that we give away • July 2005: The subdivision plan for Douglas Creek Estates is officer of Habitat for Humanity “It’s a very, very emotional the house. The magic is that we registered with title to the property guaranteed by the Province Niagara, says its collaboration experience, finding out you are give the family the opportunity to of Ontario. with Niagara College and Niagara getting a home. It’s a dream come buy their home. We refer to it as a • Feb. 28, 2006: A group of Six Nations members takes over the Home Builders’ Association is a true,” says Davis. hand up, not a hand out.” housing project, erecting tents, a teepee and a wooden building. “win, win, win, win partnership,” Paul and Leslie Trask, along with Key dates from CBC Online the big winner being the family. their three children, John-Paul, 10, See related photo on page 5 Page 2, news@niagara, Oct. 27, 2006 Caledonia woman arrested for scaling building Continued from page 1 “The day worked out nice,” said won’t happen again.” “I’ve lived in Caledonia all my Kevin Henhawk, 48, of Six Nations. Rektor went on to say there were life, and it’s a very nice place to “I think it was handled properly.” a sufficient number of officers on live. It’s the new people that are When asked how he felt about the scene to handle the situation. coming in that can’t accept the the government’s handling of the Although the protest was Indian ways. I think they [Natives] dispute, he said, “We haven’t really relatively peaceful, there were deserve their land. It was supposed decided yet. We’re willing to stay five arrests made during the day, to be theirs. as long as it takes to settle this.” including the arrest of a woman “I would like to see a more “For the peaceful protestors, our who scaled the Six Nations sign peaceful way of dealing with hats are off to them,” said OPP Sgt. and tore down the Mohawk this, and I would like to see the Dave Rektor. “They have every Warriors Society flag. government get on it and stop right to protest peacefully.” “The government is going to putting it on the backburner. Sgt. Rektor continues adding, wait for someone to get shot or This is just causing problems in “We were relieved that everything hurt,” said White’s husband, Bill, Caledonia.” was peaceful, and hopefully this “and then they’ll step in.” A woman had climbed up onto the Six Nations’ sign and torn down the Mohawk Warriors Society Flag. Another woman also was arrested during the altercation and charges are pending. A woman is detained and arrested by OPP officers after she tore down the Six Nations Mohawk Warriors Society flag in defiance. Photos by Ryan McLean Deputy minister ‘spearheading’ tour By RYAN MCLEAN colleges, said Niagara College more in Niagara College.” Staff Writer President Dan Patterson. The college wants to expand He wants to see the challenges “Niagara College is considered the number of teaching and non- firsthand. The deputy minister a classic mid-size college. teaching full-time hires to invest of training, colleges and Under the funding formula, the in quality. universities is on the road concerns were not addressed.” The current allocation falls measuring funding Ontario short of the college’s needs, said colleges need. Patterson, although adding the Be Prepared…Get Informed Dr. Philip Steenkamp toured message was presented clearly: Niagara College’s new Niagara- “The college is well managed ATTEND THESE FREE WORKSHOPS! on-the-Lake (NOTL) campus and has a top-notch staff.” and the Welland campus’s aging Steenkamp said he would How to Complete a Degree! Mackenzie building Sept. 22. be conveying to the college’s The Mackenize building houses board of directors that he was University Prep. Workshop the gymnasium and community “impressed” with what he has • Monday October 30 . • 12:30 - 1:30 pm service programs like Police seen so far. • Welland Campus . • Room S205 Foundations. The NOTL campus is Steenkamp says he is physically an “incredibly • Monday November 6 . • 1:30 - 2:30 pm “spearheading” the tour. beautiful campus,” said • NOTL Campus . • Room E310 The message Steenkamp has Steenkamp.