The Six Nations Elected Band Council released a statement earlier today asserting they will do whatever it takes to prevent the federal government from transferring land within the Plank Road land claim to expand the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation.
Ottawa is taking action to transfer a 42.8 acre parcel of land belonging over to “Her Majesty in Right of Canada” and then order Privy Council to grant that back land to the MNCFN. These acres are along Highway 6 beside the Don Hyde Marine in Hagersville and is within the Hamilton-Port Dover Plank Road Land Claim.
Six Nations Elected Band Council says that they were not consulted about the land transfer and that they are prepared to take action to prevent this transfer from going through until the consent of Six Nations is first obtained.
Representatives from the MNCFN were unavailable for comment at press time. We will update as that information becomes available.
Here is the SNEC statement in it’s entirety:
Six Nations prepared to prevent addition to New Credit reserve
In letters dated March 20, 2014 and December 19, 2014 the Federal Government outlined its intention to make an Order-In- Council declaring that 42.8 acres of land, within the Hamilton-Port Dover Plank Road Claim, is to become part of the New Credit Reserve. From what is known this land is presently in the name of Trustees who are holding it on behalf of the Mississaugas of the New Credit. The land is located on the west side of Highway 6 just south of the business known as Don Hyde Marine in Hagersville, Ontario. The Trustees will eventually transfer the land to Her Majesty in Right of Canada (the Federal Crown) following which Privy Council (the Conservative Cabinet) will make an Order-In-Council declaring it to be part of the New Credit Reserve.
Research conducted by Six Nations revealed that the Mississaugas of the New Credit were only granted a licence to locate on the 5 concession blocks that presently compromise the New Credit Reserve. Underlying title to those blocks is still with Six Nations, not the Mississaugas.
In November of 2011 the Six Nations Elected Council notified the Council of the Mississaugas of New Credit and the Federal Government that it was opposed to the addition because Six Nations had not been consulted and its express consent had not been obtained. The 42.8 acres of land is part of the Hamilton-Port Dover plank Road Claim. The claim comprises the road itself and one-half mile width of land along each side of the road. This land was only ever intended to be leased by Six Nations. The Douglas Creek Estates land in Caledonia is also part of the Plank Road Claim which spawned the dispute in February of 2006 and still remains unresolved. These lands are also encompassed in the 1995 litigation Six Nations has against Canada and Ontario seeking a resolution.
The Six Nations Elected Council is prepared to use all legal means available to prevent the Federal Government from declaring the land as part of New Credit until the express consent of Six Nations is first obtained.
