2 minute read

Demonstrators heckle Ford, Freeland at green energy announcement

Next Article
ATTN:

ATTN:

Ontario Premier Doug Ford and his team got a chilly reception from about two dozen community members when he and his entourage made a surprise visit to Six Nations last Friday to announce their partnership in a battery storage project with Six Nations.

The facility was previously approved by Six Nations and is located in Haldimand County just outside Jarvis, about 20 km south of the Six Nations of the Grand River.

A group of community members who disagreed with the federal and provincial partnership with Six Nations on the project at the exclusion of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council — travelled to the Gathering Place to demonstrate and oppose the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Six Nations territory.

Demonstrators said they objected to the project proceeding on Haudenosaunee land without consulting hereditary leaders.

Colin Martin, who is a Six Nations man deeply involved with the HCCC, spoke to reporters outside The Gathering Place on Friday around noon after he and other community members were locked out of the building during Ford’s announcement.

“Unfortunately, there’s been no talks with the Confederacy at this time about this,” said Martin, adding he was angry upon learning they were locked out of the building. “Why are you locking out the voices of the Haudenosaunee people? Band council decided to move ahead and have discussions about something that they don’t have the sanction, the authority or permission from the Confederacy Council to be talking about. We were here to voice our opinion and our thoughts on that and unfortunately, they locked the doors on us.”

The locking of the doors was done at the direction of security officials for the Premier and Deputy Prime Minister. The press conference was organized by

Ontario’s communications team and was an invitation only event. Only provincially-accredited media were permitted inside during the announcement. Six Nations of the Grand River Elected Council, Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation and the corporate leaders involved in the project along with Ford and Freeland were inside to make the historic announcement.

Martin said their biggest concern is the environment because “that’s what we stand for as Haudenosaunee. We don’t know what effects this deal is going to have (on the land).”

Martin stated, “The band council is not a government. They are an elected entity that is put there to administer federal funding and it’s as simple as that. It’s the Confederacy Council that the treaties are made with and um,” he said, tearing up, “We’re just tired of it.”

Ford was met around the back of the Gathering Place by demonstrators as he exited the building — met with heckles by people who told him he was not welcome on the territory.

“We’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, is what it is,” Martin told a media scrum in the parking lot during the closed door meeting. “We’re going to continually fight to have our voices heard because they’re being ignored.”

He expressed dismay at Ford’s push for development along green spaces in Ontario and along the Haldimand Tract.

“We wouldn’t be here if band council didn’t have these secret meetings and didn’t involve the Confederacy Council in the talks. We’re not going to sit back and keep our mouth shut anymore.”

This article is from: