INDIGENOUS GROUPS ASK TO BE ADDED TO HALDIMAND TRACT SUIT

LAWSUIT FIRST FILED IN 1995

Three Indigenous groups have asked the courts to join a lawsuit against the governments of Canada and Ontario that is seeking acknowledgment of wrongdoing and compensation of lands that belonged to Six Nations of the Grand River.

The lawsuit, began by the Six Nations elected council in 1995, claims that the British Crown, and later the governments of Canada and Ontario, failed to honour the 1784 Haldimand Proclamation, which was a treaty that set aside about 384,451 hectares of lands along the Grand River, for Six Nations of the Grand River and their descendants.

The suit claims that not only were lands not set aside, but much of it was improperly sold to settlers, and the proceeds were mismanaged and used instead,

among other things, to build the then-new nation of Canada.

The three groups — the Haudenosaunee Institute, the Men's Fire of the Six

Nations Grand River Territory and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation — have now requested to join the suit, saying the case may affect their rights as well.

According to a new website detailing litigation, the Haudanosaunee Institute claims that rights granted by the proclamation belong to all Haudenosaunee people, and not just the registered members of the Six Nations of the Grand River Band. Men's Fire says that elected council does not properly represent, nor is it authorized to represent, all Haudenosaunee people.

Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation said it supports the Six Nations of the Grand River band's efforts to hold Canada and Ontario accountable for failures and broken promises relating to the Haldimand Proclamation lands. However, because those lands are located in what it says is its traditional and treaty territory, it wants to ensure its history, rights and relationship with that territory are accurately presented. It also said it was not seeking compensation nor intended to reduce compensation Canada and Ontario may owe.

The position of both the governments of Canada and Ontario is that the tract was made available to the Six Nations people who wished to settle there. According to both, the lands were not Six Nation treaty lands. Over the decades, the Six Nations people made a series of valid surrenders and land sales within the tract, with some lands being affected by canals and other infrastructure projects.

The court will hold a four-day hearing starting on May 8, where each group wanting to participate can make their arguments as to why they should be added to the case.

No claims have been proven in court.