Grand River land dispute

The Caledonia occupation began on February 28, 2006 to bring to attention to First Nation land claims in Ontario.

The protestors claim the 200-year-old (1784) claim over 380,000-hectare Haldimand Tract was granted to the Six Nations of the Grand River was never made official. The current land was purchased by Henco Industries, developer of Douglas Creek Estates. Six Nations re-introduced the claim in 1999.

Ontario Provincial Police were dispatched to the scene, but no orders to arrest protesters were given by the province. The province has remained low-key and directed the need for Ottawa to take action to resolve the federal matter.

This conflict is often compared to the Ipperwash Crisis of 1995, where the provincial government of the time has been accused of intervening to encourage the OPP to force natives out of their occupation of Ipperwash Provincial Park, in which they killed protester Dudley George.

Caledonia, Ontario is located in Haldimand County, and is roughly 20 kilometres south of Hamilton.

Reference

• Native protesters expect police will evict them, cbc.ca, March 23, 2006