Report on negotiations

Onkwawenna Kentyohkwa
http://www.reclamationinfo.com
May 6, 2006

On May 5th, the federal and provincial governments were notified in writing that the "Principal Representative" for the Haudenosaunee in the negotiations over the Douglas Creek lands will be Tekarihoken (Kanyen'kehaka Royaner Allan McNaughton).

Earlier in the week, the federal government named ex-Mulroney cabinet minister Barbara McDougall as its principal representative and the provincial government named ex-Brantford Member of Parliament and ex-Indian Affairs Minister Jane Stewart as its principal representative.

On Saturday, May 6th, Tekarihoken reported to the Haudenosdaunee (the Confederacy chiefs), on the status of the negotiations. He said the province and the Haudenosaunee reached a four-point agreement (but didn't sign) on how the negotiations should take place:

1. It is understood by all the parties that Douglas Creek land rights are urgent and the immediate priority for the negotiators;
2. There will be a 90 day moratorium on development on all Douglas Creek lands;
3. The negotiations will commence on the week of May 8, 2006, on the land rights on Douglas Creek;
4. If the negotiators do not have a resolution to the Douglas Creek land rights matter in 90 days, the negotiators will agree on an arbitration or other peaceful resolution process to address the land rights at Douglas Creek.

The first thing to be discussed on Tuesday's session, he said, will be determining the exact negotiating mandate of each of the government representatives.

He said later that the provincial facilitator (and ex-premier) David Peterson preferred to talk about quick fix solutions like a shared swimming pool rather than the underlying issue -- the land. (audio clip, 57 sec.)