Province to buy occupied land

And compensate everyone

Lynda Hillman-Rapley
Lakeshore Advance
Wednesday, June 21, 2006

[SISIS note: The following mainstream news article is provided for reference only, as an example of how mainstream media treats indigenous resistance to genocide. Mainstream media often presents biased and distorted information, lacking pertinent facts and/or context. Inclusion of this article on our site should not be considered an endorsement by SISIS.]

The Ontario government has bought out the developer at the centre of an aboriginal occupation in Caledonia.

The move was announced in Ontario Superior Court today, where most of the key players in the land dispute in Caledonia were appearing.

Henco Industries, which was building a subdivision on the site, has been caught in the middle of the dispute since aboriginal protesters took over the land in February.

The Six Nations members argue the land was wrongly taken from them by the Crown in the 1840s.

However, the sale does not mean the province is giving the land back to the First Nations, and talks are continuing to end the occupation.

The Ontario minister responsible for aboriginal affairs, David Ramsay, wouldn't disclose the value of the deal, citing Henco's concerns about proprietary information.

The province also announced they will pay businesses in Caledonia, which already received about $750,000 in support, another $1 million to cover losses incurred during the blockade.

The province is also talking about compensating those residents who suffered during the blockade.