麻豆影视

Canada

    • Inside the 237-year-old treaty that's led to a standoff at a former Ontario golf course

    Share
    toronto -

    The ripple effects of a treaty signed 237 years ago have led to an occupation of a former municipal golf course in southern Ontario, where a developer hopes to build hundreds of new homes.

    The site of the Arrowdale Golf Course in Brantford, Ont. has been under occupation since Oct. 9, when Indigenous leaders and concerned residents began a peaceful takeover of the property.

    鈥淭his land is part of our hunting grounds,鈥 Trevor Bomberry of the Arrowdale Land Defenders, said in a recent phone interview. 鈥淚 have a direct connection to the land anyways. This land that I'm sitting on -- this golf course -- my people, the Oneidas, used to live here.鈥

    Branford city council sold most of the golf course in 2020 to Elite M.D. Developments to fund affordable housing projects in the city. The development , though the deal has not been finalized.

    The city plans to turn the remaining seven hectares into a community park.

    鈥淚'd like to see Brantford officials 鈥 in respects to the councillors and the mayor -- start working with the Confederacy Council -- the two governments -- and figure out how they're going to move forward from here on out because the mayor has the ability to handle the issues here,鈥 Bomberry said.

    Elite MD Developments did not respond to a request for comment.

    Brantford condemned the 鈥渦nlawful occupation of city-owned lands located at 282 Stanley Street, and of alleged criminal acts that transpired over the weekend on the property, including trespassing, breaking and entering and vandalism.鈥

    In a statement to CTVNews.ca on Oct. 21, Maria Visocchi, a spokesperson for the city, said 鈥渋t鈥檚 important to clarify that there are considerably more non-Indigenous individuals frequenting the site than those who identify as Indigenous.鈥

    鈥淚t is a serious and sensitive matter that requires significant input from our federal and provincial partners as well as the Indigenous community, and is not within the city鈥檚 jurisdiction to resolve,鈥 she added.

    鈥淲e are thoughtfully considering options guided by our primary objective to ensure the safety and well-being of all parties on site.鈥

    City council held a special in-camera meeting to address the issue on Oct. 21 and have since to 鈥渉elp lead the city鈥檚 efforts to strengthen relationships with First Nations as well as urban Indigenous residents.鈥

    In the meantime, Bomberry said he has no intentions of leaving the property and is prepared to stay through the winter, if needed.

    鈥淚t's going to be way longer than just the winter months,鈥 Bomberry said.  鈥Even if they shut the heat off, I was going to bring in a big diesel generator.鈥

    Bomberry and the other land defenders also have the support of some city councillors who want the deal halted. 

    鈥淚 will continue to be an advocate for investing in our green and open spaces to contribute to the quality of life our residents deserve,鈥 Cheryl Antoski, a Ward 4 councillor, told 麻豆影视 Kitchener last month.

    鈥淥nce it鈥檚 gone, it鈥檚 gone forever and before anyone accuses me of not caring about affordable housing, I don鈥檛 believe that is true of anyone on Council 鈥 and it is certainly not true of me. There is just a disagreement on how we get there and what the options are.鈥

    LOCAL TREATY LARGELY IGNORED

    This occupation is the latest in a series of tense situations in southern Ontario related to development of land along what is known at the 鈥淗aldimand Tract.鈥

    In 2006, protesters took control of a parcel of land destined for a subdivision in Caledonia, about 20 kilometres southwest of Hamilton. In 2020, land defenders occupied another planned subdivision in Caledonia and set up a blockade along a local highway in solidarity of the Wet鈥檚uwet鈥檈n hereditary chiefs.

    These disputes, including the one at the Arrowdale Golf Course, largely boil down to frustrations over a treaty signed in 1784 known as the Haldimand Proclamation and the federal government apparently ignoring the agreement it made with the local Indigenous people.

    In 1784, Sir Frederick Haldimand, the governor of Quebec at the time, granted a stretch of land six miles on either side of the Grand River to the Haudenosaunee people, also known as the Six Nations, for their help in the American Revolutionary War.

    The stretch of land gifted to the Six Nations was dubbed the Haldimand Tract, about 384,000 hectares of southern Ontario that covers almost the entirety of modern-day Brantford, Kitchener and Waterloo, among several other areas of southern Ontario. The Arrowdale Golf Course is about five kilometres from the Grand River.

    鈥淏rantford's got to understand that they just can't go ahead and it was rented out as a lease back in the day, well, nobody's been paying rent,鈥 Bomberry said. 鈥淣obody.鈥

    Rowland Robinson, a political science and Indigenous studies instructor at the University of Waterloo, told CTVNews.ca that throughout the years, the Canadian government did not abide by the Haldimand Proclamation, which led to development of the vast majority of the Haldimand Tract.

    鈥(The Haldimand Proclamation) was supposed to transfer sole ownership of the tract to the Six Nations in perpetuity. However, subsequently the vast majority of the tract -- around 95 per cent of it -- was sold off or otherwise -- as the Six Nations often argue -- transferred illegally to settlers by the Crown and subsequently by the Canadian government without the consent of the Six Nations,鈥 he said.

    鈥淭hat has resulted in only five per cent or so of the original tract actually remaining in the hands of the Six Nations themselves.鈥

    In April 2021, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council (HCCC) issued a moratorium on development along the Haldimand Tract, indicating that any current and future development projects within the tract would need approval from the Haudenosaunee.

    鈥淚t's not like they want to form their own separate state and break off from Canada,鈥 Robinson said. 鈥淎 lot of them just want to have their voice heard on what's done with their traditional territory because territory means something more to a lot of Indigenous people than just a relationship with property.鈥

    Robinson believes that in cases such as in Caledonia and at the Arrowdale Golf Course, Indigenous land defenders have a case to be heard, but maybe not a legal one.

    鈥淚f we were to break it down in the most simplistic sense, I believe that there is an ethical case that the Six Nations make, which should be heard and should be listened to,鈥 he said. 鈥淲hether or not that is a case that legally has any grounds in Canada is more up for debate because I think the Canadian legal system is essentially set up to disadvantage Indigenous people in these sorts of cases.鈥

    When it comes to how quickly issues like these can be resolved, Robinson was not optimistic that Bomberry and the others at Arrowdale will see movement on the issue any time soon.

    鈥Canada has had some variance of what people would now call the modern land claims process for a couple of decades now, and they are quite often something that takes forever to resolve,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hey can take decades to resolve.鈥

    Robinson added that some land back claims, such as one in the Ottawa Valley, have be going through the official channels for more than 30 years without a resolution.

    With files from 麻豆影视 Kitchener

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.

    The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    • Thousands of people are expected to gather in downtown Vancouver on Monday to observe the city鈥檚 100th Remembrance Day ceremony.

    • Weather watchers were treated to an exceptionally rare display on Friday evening as rare cloud formations filled Vancouver skies.

    • Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift鈥檚 upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada鈥檚 largest city for a six-show run later this month.

    • One man was transported to hospital early Monday morning after a stabbing in the northwest end of the city, Toronto police say.

    • Calgarians will be observing Remembrance Day at a number of different ceremonies across the city, including at the Hangar Flight Museum.

    • A home in the northeast Calgary community of Saddle Ridge was damaged in a fire on Sunday.

    • WEATHER

      WEATHER

      Conditions were warm early Monday and expected to remain that way for most of the day.

    • WATCH LIVE

      WATCH LIVE

      CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa.

    • After months of controversy surrounding a dog park in Ottawa's west end, a solution has been reached to divide the park in half.

    • With fewer interments and rising maintenance fees, the money for Canada's largest military cemetery will run out in three to four years.

    • The employers association at the Port of Montreal locked out nearly 1,200 longshore workers, bringing a halt to traffic at the port.

    • Though most businesses are expected to be open on Remembrance Day, there are some establishments that will be closed to commemorate the holiday.

    • LIVE @ 10:45 A.M. MT

      LIVE @ 10:45 A.M. MT

      Monday is Remembrance Day, a time to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty.

    • WEATHER

      WEATHER

      This is shaping up to be one of the warmest Remembrance Days in the past decade, at least, for temperatures.

    • Maritimers will stop Monday to remember those who have served, and continue to serve, in Canada's armed forces for Remembrance Day.

    • A Cape Breton senior recalls her life in German-occupied France, and her mother鈥檚 death, during the Second World War.

    • Thousand of people gathered at the Menin Gate in the Ypres, Belgium for Monday鈥檚 Remembrance Day Ceremony.

    • Remembrance Day is today, and a number of ceremonies are taking place around the province to honour those who gave their lives to serve our country.

    • A pillar in Canada鈥檚 history was honoured in Winnipeg Sunday afternoon, with thousands showing up to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late Murray Sinclair.

    • Winnipeg police have identified two men involved in a stabbing incident earlier this week.

    • There will be two ceremonies taking place in Regina for Remembrance Day, hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion.

    • Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book 鈥榃ar Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.鈥

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    • People across Canada will pause to reflect Monday at Remembrance Day Ceremonies across the country.

    • Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • The Regina Rams claimed the Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.

    • The events will start at 10:15 a.m. with a parade that forms up in front of the Delta London Armories, marches east on Dundas Street and turns north onto Waterloo Street to Dufferin Avenue, the west to the Cenotaph.

    • Emergency crews responded to the scene on Road 68/Highway 2 east of Thamesford around 7 p.m.

    • On Friday, the Sarnia Police Service (SPS) received a report of an alleged abduction in the area of Kathleen Avenue and Walnut Avenue.

    • Environment Canada issued a weather alert for Barrie, Collingwood and surrounding areas, alerting residents about the wicked winds that are expected to pick up to 80 kilometres per hour in the afternoon hours.

    • Barrie residents gathered on Monday to honour Canada鈥檚 veterans and pay tribute to those who served and sacrificed for the country.

    • A driver is facing multiple charges after a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 400 early Sunday morning.

    • WATCH LIVE

      WATCH LIVE

      Representatives of the Windsor Veterans Memorial Services Committee, military representatives, wreath bearers, government officials, and members of the public will attend the Cenotaph at City Hall Square for the outdoor service.

    • One person has been arrested after Chatham-Kent Police Service (CKPS) received multiple complaints about an alleged drunk driver.

    • More details have been released about a police investigation at the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ont. and Detroit, MI.

    • Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.

    • Six deer were struck by vehicles in six different locations in a six-hour period on B.C. highways on Saturday, according to the transportation ministry.

    • The union for locked-out port workers in British Columbia says the BC Maritime Employers Association cut off talks in less than an hour Saturday, refusing to budge on a final offer that the union has so far rejected.

    • The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.

    • Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.

    • More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.

    • The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year鈥檚 host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.

    • There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.

    • It was just days before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down when the Shaft Bottom Boys of Sudbury broke a world record for 'Deepest Concert Underground.' Now, more than four years later, a Timmins band is looking to take the title.

    • Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.

    • Mayors of the five largest cities in northern Ontario met in North Bay the last two days to discuss a range of critical issues impacting their cities and the region.

    N.L.

    Local Spotlight

    For the second year in a row, the 鈥楪ift-a-Family鈥 campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

    Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

    A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

    As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

    A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts 鈥 not for themselves, but for those in need.

    A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

    Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

    A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

    Politics

    • Murray Sinclair鈥檚 family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.

    • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale鈥擫angley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    Autos

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 麻豆影视. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 麻豆影视