Lynda Powless, Editor
Six Nations is about to become home to its first provincial court sitting.
The show that will unfold is a challenge of the Six Nations Elected Council’s much anticipated multi-billion-dollar land suit demanding the federal and provincial governments explain what happen to Six Nations lands and money.
When the country that would become Canada decided to form itself on stolen land, it laid claim to not only lands the Haudenosaunee and other First Nations had interests in, but it took control of Six Nations money’s and decided to spend it as they saw fit.
They used the money to build the country that would become Canada.
The story of how that all happened is expected to unfold in court hopefully sooner rather than later.
It had been scheduled to start this year but interventions by three outside bodies, the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Haudenosaunee Development Institute, a loosely formed “Men’s Fire” have delayed that and instead now community resources are being on hold while their various arguments will be heard by a provincial court and one at will be held at Six Nations, with the Six Nations Elected Council’s approval.
It is the first time a provincial court will be held in the community.
And for good reason.
Over the years both the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council and previous elected chiefs and councils all refused any attempt by the province to seek jurisdiction at Six Nations in any form including the attempts to establish courts here.
That argument seems to have gone out the window under the guise of allowing local residents a chance to attend the hearing, a chance they would have no matter where its location.
But what the elected council hasn’t answered is why allow a court here now when previous council’s raised concerns over jurisdiction and why with this particular case?
SNEC might do well to understand the whole point of the HCCC’s intervention is the HCCC does not recognize the authority of the crown’s jurisdiction on Haudenosaunee lands
Perhaps we should be asking why does the Six Nations Elected Council?
