Marshall holds court on July 5

Karen Best
Dunville Chronicle
Local News - Wednesday, July 5, 2006 @ 05:00

[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.]

A day before Canada Day celebrations were to begin in Caledonia, Justice David Marshall adjourned a special hearing on the Six Nations land issue until July 5.

Over the previous weekend, Dennis Brown of the Ontario Attorney General's office contacted all parties who unanimously agreed to request the adjournment. Marshall agreed to setting the new date.

After the very brief hearing on July 29, Brown would not comment on whether the postponement was due to Canada Day in the town where some Six Nations residents began occupation of a subdivision on Feb. 28. He reiterated his statements to the judge and said he came forward to make the request for all parties.

An hour after the hearing concluded, the Ontario Provincial Police released a statement about a large police presence to keep the peace in Caledonia over the weekend.

On the evening of June 30, the Caledonia firefighters hosted the annual Black Top Hop.

On Canada Day, a pancake breakfast preceded the annual parade which was followed up by day long entertainment and then fireworks by the Grand River.

On June 21, Marshall, who is an Ontario Superior Court of Justice judge, decided to recall Henco Industries, Six Nations Confederacy council, Janie Jamieson and others who are on the Douglas Creek Estates property in contempt of his order for them to leave. He also required Southern Ontario Railway to attend. In early May, the company obtained an injunction requiring the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Six Nations council, Clyde Powless, Hazel Hill and other persons to remove a barricade on the rail line travelling behind DCE.

In his June 21, statement, Marshall said, "This court cannot indefinitely tolerate the contempt of the orders of the court that now prevails in Caledonia."

He was calling all parties together to have them report on their progress in reaching settlement. He also intended to make "any appropriate order" in the face of ongoing contempt, outstanding injunctions and outstanding arrests and warrants. The end result was to inform affected communities when contempt will come to an end.

All these matters were to be discussed at the July 5 hearing.