[IPSM] Kanesatake - Mirabel Lands

[Jaggi Singh]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2006 05:10:23 +0000
From: Josh Zucker <rdhc at hotmail.com>
To: six_nations_info at masses.tao.ca
Subject: [six_nations_info] Kanesatake - Mirabel Lands

Press Release from THE MOHAWK COUNCIL OF KANESATAKE.  canada.com article below.

Attention News Editors:
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is following in the 1969 Liberal government's 
footsteps by ignoring Kanesatake Mohawks' grievances

    KANESATAKE, Dec. 18 /CNW Telbec/ - The Kanesatake Mohawks are asking
Prime Minister Stephen Harper to respect their rights and to negotiate before
disposing of the Mirabel lands, which are part of the Seigneury of Lake of Two
Mountains. The Mohawk Council of Kanesatake wishes to notify the Prime
Minister that it will take every means at its disposal to ensure he respects
the rights of the Kanesatake Mohawks in the matter of the 11,000 acres
expropriated for Mirabel International Airport in 1969.
    Mr. Harper and Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon are fully aware of the
process involved. The legal analysis of the historical research on the
Seigneury of Lake of Two Mountains was tabled on November 15, 2006, to
representatives of the Government of Canada, including Helen Lynn, director of
special claims for Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, and Guy Dufort, chief
federal negotiator.
    On December 1, the Mohawk Council of Kanesatake notified Transport Canada
that the Government of Canada "had agreed to negotiations aimed at the
resolution of grievances of the Mohawks of Kanesatake related to the Seigneury
of the Lake of Two Mountains."
    Moreover, since Transport Canada has affirmed its role in the protection
of the federal property leased to airport authorities, it is clear to the
Mohawk Council of Kanesatake that such property protection requires Aboriginal
peoples to be properly consulted about the development of Crown lands,
including airports, as established by the Supreme Court of Canada's Taku-Haida
ruling.
    "Due to the quality of the historical research and its legal analysis,
Canada will have no other choice but to begin the negotiation process leading
to the recognition of our ownership of these lands and to compensation. It is
a matter of justice and equity to all Kanesatakero:non, one that Canada will
have to recognize," said Chief Clarence Simon. "Prime Minister Harper is no
different from his predecessor in the manner in which he is disposing of these
lands today. We're not going to sit back and let the federal government do
what it wants," he added.
    On behalf of the people of Kanesatake, the Council wishes to express its
solidarity with the expropriated farmers of Mirabel. Like our people, they
have always cherished and stood up for the land they harvested and cared for.
Regardless of the outcome of our negotiations over the Seigneury, we will
always show our appreciation and respect for their courage and the battle they
fought.

    Nia:wen/Thank you

    THE MOHAWK COUNCIL OF KANESATAKE

For further information: Chief Clarence Simon, (450) 479-8373 ext. 224


*****

Mirabel farmers have chance to get their land back

CanWest News Service, CanWest News Service
Published: Monday, December 18, 2006

MIRABEL, Que. — Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Monday announced 11,000 acres 
of farmland expropriated in 1969 for the construction of the ill-fated Mirabel 
airport will be put on the market.

"We are correcting a mistake of history and we are looking toward the future," 
Harper said to cheers from a crowd of local residents in a church hall.

Ottawa expropriated 97,000 acres of farmland in 1969 for what was supposed to 
be Quebec’s airport of the future, but the facility never lived up to its 
billing.

Passenger flights from the Mirabel airport were halted four years ago and the 
airport now handles only cargo traffic and private aircraft.

Most of the land — 80,000 acres — was sold back to local residents by the 
former Conservative government under Brian Mulroney after 1985, while 5,200 
acres is retained for airport use. The remainder was leased to area farmers who 
will now be able to own it outright.

A transition committee with representatives of the Quebec farmers union, 
current tenants, and the federal government will be established in coming weeks 
to draw up the details of the sales program, with priority to be given to those 
from whom the land was originally expropriated and those who are currently 
leasing it.

The farming community enthusiastically welcomed the announcement.

"It is the denouement of an issue that touched all our hearts,’ said Marcel 
Denis, head of the local farmers’ committee that lobbied for the sale. "It’s 
been years that we’ve been knocking on the government’s door without being 
heard."

© CanWest News Service