Category Archives: Land Claim Industry

‘Violence Against Aboriginal Women’ author agrees w/Six Nations Councillor Helen Miller re futility of blaming colonization & residential schools

Posted on June 11, 2011 | 1 comment

Since initially publishing Six Nations Councillor Helen Miller: ‘Stop blaming colonization & residential schools‘ VoiceofCanada has been made aware of an excellent article about violence against native women by a woman – whom I have met personally – with a 30-year connection to aboriginal communities and, as she says, “great respect for the indigenous way of life.”

She wrote to tell me how pleased she was to have read Helen Miller’s observations about the futility of constantly blaming colonization and residential schools since she had written nearly identical words in her own article – before having read Miller’s letter.

Violence Against Aboriginal Women

CounterPoise.ca, May 27, 2011

On March 25, 2011, the Canadian House of Commons all-party Standing Committee on the Status of Women tabled Interim Report: Call Into the Night: An Overview of Violence Against Aboriginal Women (the final report should be ready by the fall of 2011). Hedy Fry (Liberal, B.C.) is the chair of this committee, and Irene Mathyssen (NDP, Ontario) and Tilly O’Neill-Gordon (Conservative, New Brunswick) are the vice-chairs. The committee traversed the country between April 2010 and February 2011, meeting with reserve, rural and urban stakeholders. More than 150 witnesses provided testimony. In her press release regarding the interim report, Fry said the problem was getting worse.

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Posted in Aboriginal policy, Helen Miller, Land Claim Industry, Leadership, Native Protests - Caledonia, Native Protests - Six Nations, Reaching out to native people, Six Nations

Tagged Counterpoise.ca; violence against aboriginal women

JOINT NEWS RELEASE re High Park, Toronto protest Saturday, May 28th

Posted on May 23, 2011 | 3 comments

PROTEST COVERAGE UPDATE: [LINK] [LINK]
——————

(references following)

– Joint News Release by CANACE and the Caledonia Victims Project –

City of Toronto approves racially segregated park land

CANACE, founded by Gary McHale, and the Caledonia Victims Project, founded by Mark Vandermaas, are holding an Information Rally in High Park in Toronto on May 28, 2011 in order to inform the public about the dangers to public safety regarding the ongoing illegal occupation of High Park by Native protesters. The illegal occupation in High Park is being conducted under the banner of Six Nations and Mohawk warriors.

The City of Toronto has already decided to fence off the park land where Native protesters have stated they will continue to use the land at will. There is little doubt non-Natives will be banned from the area in order to appease the protesters.

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Posted in Aboriginal policy, Events, Land Claim Industry, Mohawk Warriors, MUST SEE, Native Lawlessness, Native Protests - Toronto, Native Racism, One Law for All!, Planet Earth calling, Racial Profiling

Tagged High Park, High Park protest, Mohawk Warriors, Red Power United

Haldimand Tract land claim myth should provide sober second thought re aboriginal sovereignty negotiations with anarchist proxies

Posted on March 3, 2011 | 1 comment

Since sending my notes about last Sunday’s Truth & Reconciliation Rally (Feb 27/11) to Natasha at MooseandSquirrel.ca who did an outstanding job in getting them up when I was so pressed for time, a great thing happened after she posted Sunday’s notes under the title, ‘Caledonia: The front line struggle against the anti-capitalist, anarchist, Marxist agenda‘ (link below).

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Posted in Anarchists & Unions in Caledonia, Caledonia - Haldimand Land Claim, Caledonia Myths, Crimes Against Democracy, How low can they go?, Key Evidence, Land Claim Industry, Legal actions & rulings, MUST SEE, Native Protests - Brantford, Native Protests - Caledonia, Native Protests - Cayuga, Natives Have Valid Claim, Planet Earth calling, Six Nations

Tagged Dan Keller; Truth & Reconciliation March

Campaign against Vandermaas & McHale produces positive outcome

Posted on April 29, 2010 | 4 comments

A storm of controversy that was ignited by an internet petition aimed at intimidating Mount Royal University into revoking the invitation to speak has now, unexpectedly, brought about some very positive results for the people of Caledonia and Six Nations, and the future of debate in Canada:

1. The petition was voluntarily taken down by the Australian host due to libelous statements against Mark Vandermaas & Gary McHale.

2. Christie Blatchford was drawn into the firestorm when a Mount Royal professor announced he planned to sign the petition, and then suggested that she be invited to speak instead Vandermaas & McHale.

Blatchford sent forum organizer Dr. Widdowson a lengthy email explaining that she was too busy to come because she was writing a book about Caledonia, and that the allegations against the two – based on her personal knowledge – were untrue.

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Posted in 1. VoC's MOST IMPORTANT POST, 2. VoC's Favorite Post, Aboriginal policy, Caledonia Players, Christie Blatchford, CUPE, CUPE 3903, Defending academic freedom, Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry, Frances Widdowson, Haudenosaunee Mens's Fire, Land Claim Industry, Leadership, MUST SEE, Native Protests - Caledonia, Racial Policing, Reaching out to native people, Six Nations, Tom Keefer, VoC News, VoC speeches, Wes Elliott

Caledonia Players: Tom Keefer & CUPE 3903

Posted on March 25, 2010 | 4 comments

UPDATED July 27/10 — Links to key references can be found at the bottom. More source docs will be uploaded as time allows. In the meantime, bonafide journalists can contact Mark Vandermaas for supporting docs: info@voiceofcanada.ca.

CUPE 3903 leader Tom Keefer first became known to CANACE due to his June 23/09 attempt to orchestrate a vicious smear campaign, with help from numerous other groups, to falsely link CANACE founders and Doug Fleming to neo-nazis and white supremacists. We subsequently learned, from his own words videotaped at a Cayuga protest, that he and CUPE and 0ther groups have been supporting the DCE occupation ever since the April 20/06 failed OPP raid.

Tom Keefer in Caledonia , Brantford and Concordia University

These are the key facts which have been verified thus far. Information came from Keefer’s own oral and written statements (including a key Nov 15/09 report he wrote for CUPE 3903), media reports of OPP testimony at the Brown-Chatwell trial, internet pages, court documents and newsletters published by Concordia University, and extensive email interaction with Mr. Keefer himself:

Tom Keefer & CUPE in Caledonia

1. SUPPORTING ORGANIZED CRIME – Mohawk Warriors: Keefer and his associates have been supporting native militants in Caledonia ever since shortly after the failed OPP raid of April 20/06 on the occupied Douglas Creek Estates – when police were attacked with weapons that included axes, clubs, socks filled with rocks and a chainsaw when they tried to enforce a court order to remove the occupiers.

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Posted in 1. VoC's MOST IMPORTANT POST, Aboriginal policy, Anarchists & Unions in Caledonia, Caledonia Players, CANACE, Christian Peacemaker Teams, CUPE, CUPE 3903, Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry, Doug Fleming, Haudenosaunee Mens's Fire, How low can they go?, Land Claim Industry, Mohawk Warriors, MUST SEE, Native Protests - Caledonia, Native Racism, One Law for All!, Planet Earth calling, Racial Justice, Racial Policing, Racial Profiling, Six Nations, Tom Keefer

Some “historical context” about imaginary Caledonia land claims and treaty rights

Posted on March 19, 2010 | 1 comment

UPDATED — Does Six Nations actually own the Haldimand Tract and the Douglas Creek Estates as native protesters allege? Do native people have the right to break the law during a land claim dispute?

This post was inspired by a comment I received from a reader who objected to my article about the upcoming Anti-Racism Rally organized by Merlyn Kinrade & CANACE scheduled for this coming Sunday March 21/10 at 2pm at the Caledonia Lions Hall.

Here is his comment and my response:

michael jacko// March 19, 2010 at 3:56 pm

there’s no historical context in this article e.g. treaty histories

VoC REPLY:

1. Six Nations has no treaties with Canada that allow native thugs to attack and intimidate Canadian citizens as an alternative to using the courts to settle their grievances.

2. The issue of ownership of the Haldimand Tract was decided in 1974 by the Court of Appeal in the case of Isaac v. Davey, which decision was cited by two separate Superior Court judges in ordering injunctions to end Haldimand Tract occupations since 2006 — one in Cayuga and one in Hagersville:

1536412 Ontario Ltd. v. HCCC, HDI, Ruby & Floyd Montour, Hazel Hill
(Cayuga occupation, May-June 2008) [LINK]
John Voortman & Associates v. HMF
(Hagersville occupation, April 2009) [LINK]

a. Both judges said the two recognized bodies of Six Nations have made NO claim for ownership or possession of the Haldimand Tract, and even if they did, the claim would fail. The ONLY claim that Six Nations might have is for economic damages. Continue reading →

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Posted in 1. VoC's MOST IMPORTANT POST, Aboriginal policy, Caledonia - Haldimand Land Claim, CANACE, Land Claim Industry, Legal actions & rulings, MUST SEE, Native Protests - Caledonia, Native Protests - Cayuga, Native Protests - Hagersville, One Law for All!, Planet Earth calling, Racial Justice, Racial Policing, Racial Profiling, Six Nations

To ‘John’: About those thugs in Caledonia…

Posted on January 23, 2010 | 2 comments

UPDATE 1400 EST Jan 23/10: I received a gracious reply from ‘John’ promising to review the info I provided in this post. Posted at the bottom.

UPDATED 1144 EST Jan 23/10

Well, it’s started already folks…

Those opposed to a debate that includes an airing of the tragic lessons learned from the victims of native violence and intimidation in Caledonia and Ipperwash are throwing mud to (try) to smear those of us who believe that true healing and reconciliation can only come about when the rule of law and equality before that law is respected for all citizens – native and non.

Dr. Frances Widdowson, author of the groundbreaking work, ‘Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry,’ a 2008 Donner Book Prize finalist, recently invited Gary McHale and me to speak at her ‘New Directions in Aboriginal Policy’ forum that will be held in Calgary later this year. A self-described “Haudenosaunee citizen” I’ll call ‘John’ published an article that calls for the struggle by native people to remain peaceful and respectful.

Unfortunately, the article’s entire point was to make his readers believe that Ms. Widdowson and her forum shouldn’t be taken seriously because she invited a “thug” who is “inciting violence”:

“…Gary McHale is…a thug [who moved to Caledonia for the purpose] “of inciting violence.“

‘John,’ Jan 21/10:

I sent the comment below to the woefully misinformed ‘John’ and to Dr. Widdowson. Hopefully, he will have the good grace to be embarassed, apologize and reach out so we can build some bridges with a productive debate. NOTE: hyperlinks shown thusly [LINK] were not in my original comment:

———————————–

Dear ‘John’:

I apologize for the length, but you have made some statements that deserve to be addressed in a manner which enables readers to access evidence and judge for themselves if we are, as you say, acting in a manner which appeals to the best of us:

A. A THUG INCITING VIOLENCE?: As someone who has worked with Gary McHale on a daily basis for more than 3.5 years I really must take exception to your characterization of him:

“…Gary McHale is…a thug” [who moved to Caledonia for the purpose] “of inciting violence.”

[The comment I left on ‘John’s’ website included the complete offending paragraph from ‘John’s blog that I originally included in my comment. I have replaced it here with the shortened sentence which captures the essence of his attempt to smear Dr. Widdowson and her forum by attacking Gary McHale. I have also removed other minor content which might identify him or his site. I have no desire to assist the writer of such falsehoods in obtaining an audience for his website which, as of yesterday, had but two posts on it.]

These repugnant comments about Gary McHale have no grounding in fact. He/we and our organization Canadian Advocates for Charter Equality (www.CANACE.ca) have a track record of advocating peaceful protest against racial policing and the terrible native lawlessness that has victimized thousands in Caledonia and elsewhere – including native people.

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Posted in Aboriginal policy, CANACE, CANACE News, Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry, Frances Widdowson, How low can they go?, Land Claim Industry, Native Protests - Caledonia, One Law for All!, Planet Earth calling, Reaching out to native people

CANACE founders to participate in Aboriginal policy forum

Posted on December 23, 2009 | Comments Off

I am pleased to report that fellow CANACE co-founder Gary McHale and I have been invited to participate in an Aboriginal policy forum to be held in Calgary, Alberta in 2010.

The forum consists of three panels: one on economic development, one on governance and one on social policy. Gary and I will be on the governance panel. Other participants include political commentator/author Tom Flanagan as well as Frances Widdowson and Albert Howard, authors of ‘Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry.’

More details to follow in the new year.

An important milestone

This will be, to the best of our knowledge, the very first time that the specific issues and lessons of Caledonia will be represented in an aboriginal policy forum so we were very grateful and honoured to be invited to participate. This is an important milestone because it means that it will become much harder to keep non-native victims and their advocates away from the aboriginal policy table in the future.

Non-natives are, however, not the only victims of flawed policies in places like Caledonia and Ipperwash; CANACE has consistently spoken out on behalf of native people who have been abused by native extremism and racial policing, and I expect to raise those concerns in Calgary as well.

NOTE: I will be away from the computer until Jan 01/10. Merry Christmas to all!

Mark Vandermaas, Editor
VoiceofCanada.ca
Co-founder, Canadian Advocates for Charter Equality
www.canace.ca
info@voiceofcanada.ca

References

VoC, Dec 21/09: ‘Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry’ author comments on Caledonia, cites VoC
CANACE reference feature: Race-Based Policing
CANACE resume: Founding Advocates (click on ‘RESUME: PDF’ link)
VoC, April 29/09: Book Review: Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry

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Posted in 1. VoC's MOST IMPORTANT POST, 2. VoC's Favorite Post, Aboriginal policy, CANACE, CANACE News, Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry, Frances Widdowson, Land Claim Industry, MUST SEE, Native Protests - Caledonia, One Law for All!, VoC News

Anarchist groups & unions assist native militants to undermine rule of law

Posted on December 21, 2009 | 4 comments

June 05/10: ‘CUPE extremists supporting Muslim extremists supporting Native extremists.’

VoiceofCanada feature: Caledonia Players: Tom Keefer & CUPE 3903

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This is a reprint of the comment I left on Dr. Frances Widdowson’s blog in reply to her excellent article, ‘Caledonia: A glimpse of aboriginal self-government.’ Widdowson is co-author of ‘Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry,’ a finalist for the Donner Book Prize.

The comment deals with several issues, including the role of anarchists and unions in destabilizing Caledonia via support for native extremists.

========================================

Dear Ms. Widdowson:

Firstly, thank you so much for your ground-breaking book ‘Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry.’ Thank you also for letting me know about this post and your blog. All bring vital perspectives to the debate about native extremism and racial policing. Thank you also for inviting me to comment. I apologize in advance for the length of my remarks.

Three years ago I gave up my real estate career and exposed myself to bankruptcy, character assassinations, threats, assault and jail (for trying to raise a Canadian flag!) because I am a former soldier and UN peacekeeper who believes that the future of Canada as a peaceful, democratic country is at stake. As the editor of VoiceofCanada.ca and co-founder of CANACE (Canadian Advocates for Charter Equality), a group whose founders have a combined 20 years experience in opposing the victimization of innocents during land claim disputes in Ipperwash and Caledonia (you can see our ‘resume’ here: http://joincanace.wordpress.com/about-2/founding-members/) I would like to offer some comments regarding:

1. How native people themselves have been victimized by the Aboriginal sovereignty movement;
2. The role anarchist groups & unions have played in promoting native sovereignty and associated criminality;
3. The use of false accusations of racism against those of us who oppose native extremism; and
4. Why Christie Blatchford’s (excellent!) articles are just the tip of the iceberg.

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Posted in 1. VoC's MOST IMPORTANT POST, Anarchists & Unions in Caledonia, CANACE, CUPE, Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry, Frances Widdowson, Land Claim Industry, Mohawk Warriors, MUST SEE, Native Protests - Brantford, Native Protests - Caledonia, Native Racism, One Law for All!, Racial Policing, Racial Profiling, Tom Keefer

‘Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry’ author comments on Caledonia, cites VoC

Posted on December 21, 2009 | Comments Off

Frances Widdowson, one of the authors of the ground-breaking book, Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry, has published two articles about Caledonia.

The first takes a look at the issue of native sovereignty in relation to Christie Blatchford’s coverage of the Brown-Chatwell trial. Ms. Widdowson was kind enough to invite me to comment on this article which I did – at some length, and on several topics one of which was that native people themselves have been victimized by native extremism and racial policing. I also provided some information and evidence regarding the disturbing role of anarchists in supporting Six Nations extremists.

Offended by Offence, Frances Widdowson, Nov 23/09: Caledonia: A glimpse of aboriginal self-government

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Posted in 'Rethinking the Reserve', 2. VoC's Favorite Post, CUPE, Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry, Frances Widdowson, Land Claim Industry, Mohawk Warriors, MUST SEE, Native Protests - Caledonia, Native Racism, One Law for All!, Racial Policing, Tom Keefer

‘The Strength of a Woman’: Six Nations Councillor Helen Miller

Posted on July 14, 2009 | 3 comments

UPDATE – CWUC blog, July 17/09: Six Nations councillor speaks out against lawlessness

UPDATED 2101 EST JULY 14/09

A remarkable letter by Six Nations Councillor Helen Miller to the editor of the Brantford Expositor echoes the very message that CANACE founders have been trying to share with the media, the public, the police, government officials and the people of Six Nations for nearly three years:

The individuals and ad hoc groups who have committed crimes against the people of Haldimand and Brantford do NOT speak for the people of Six Nations, and do NOT have the support of the people of Six Nations.

As for who represents Six Nations let me put it this way: The Mohawk Workers, Women of the Mohawk Nation, the Men’s Fire or individuals like Steven “Boots” Powless or Ruby and Floyd Montour were not elected, appointed or authorized by the people of Six Nations to be their representatives or to speak on their behalf. Nor is the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) supported by the elected council or the community at large. However, it was authorized by the Confederacy council.

Brantford Expositor, letter to editor, Six Nations Councillor Helen Miller, July 14/09: Only elected council can speak for Six Nations PDF

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Book Review: Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry

Posted on April 29, 2009 | 2 comments

Dr. Frances Widdowson’s blog: Offended by Offence

UPDATE: Gary McHale (Canadian Advocates for Charter Equality) and Mark Vandermaas (VoC editor and founder of Caledonia Victims Project) have been invited to speak at a ‘New Directions in Aboriginal Policy’ forum at Mount Royal University in Calgary on May 05/10 by the author of Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry, Dr. Frances Widdowson. You can see the program and various writings from the speakers here:

Offended by Offence: New Directions in Aboriginal Policy Forums

UPDATE: Author Frances Widdowson cites VoC in ‘Pseudoleftist support for “Mohawk Warriors” in Caledonia, Dec 02/09.

UPDATE: Frances Widdowson, co-author of ‘Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry‘ comments on Caledonia and the Brown/Chatwell trial in ‘Caledonia: A glimpse of aboriginal self-government,’ Nov 23/09.

UPDATE: National Post book review of ‘Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry,’ July 02/09: Peter Foster: The chiefs have no clothes

UPDATE: Policy Options, March 2002: The Aboriginal Industry’s New Clothes PDF, by Widdowson & Howard

UPDATED 1311 EST June 21/09

Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry: The Deception Behind Indigenous Cultural Preservation

Frances Widdowson and Albert Howard
McGill-Queen’s University Press Format: Trade Paperback
Published: November 1, 2008
330 pages
ISBN – 10:0773534210
ISBN – 13:9780773534216

Available at Chapters: $32.99

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A delicious paradox…

For those seeking to understand the insanity of racial policing and the official tolerance of it by the McGuinty government (and others) ‘Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry: the Deception Behind Indigenous Cultural Preservation‘ tells it exactly like it is without ever talking about Caledonia or Ipperwash. That delicious paradox will be especially appreciated by readers who are familiar with the issues associated with land claim lawlessness in those locales.

The book’s importance was recognized early on when it was placed on the Short List as a finalist for the Donner Prize, awarded for the best book on Canadian public policy. The winner will be announced on Thursday, April 20/09.

Donner Book Prize: 2008/2009 Short List PDF

Toronto Star article by authors

The Toronto Star recently carried an article written by the authors that explains why the “self-serving industry” thrives on “the continuation of aboriginal dependency and social deprivation.”

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