King Arthur Movie Tristan

Six Nations chiefs in the Watrerloo area are, as of today, demanding that anyone building along the Grand River get a Six Nations building permit:

From The Star:

WATERLOO REGION - Traditional chiefs at Six Nations say anyone planning to build in this region now needs native approval.

Developers in the Grand River watershed have been told they must secure a permit, issued for a fee by a new planning department established under aboriginal law.

"We are saying specifically that you need to apply and be given a permit," Aaron Detlor, a spokesperson for the new planning agency, said yesterday.

"If you do not have a permit and you proceed, it's our position that you are doing so in an unlawful fashion."

He said there are no plans to send protesters here to challenge a development that has no permit. "That's not part of the process that we envision whatsoever," he said.

Also, "we're not going to rely on the Canadian court system."

"Ontario believes the place to resolve the (Six Nations) grievances is at the negotiating table, not on the backs of individual developments," said Lars Eedy, spokesperson for the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs.

So what happens if a developer builds without a native permit and is confronted by protesters?

"It would become a police matter," Eedy said.

Ken Seiling, chair of Waterloo regional government, worries the permit demand will provoke tensions...

From 570 News:

Developers may be dealing with a lot more red tape along the Grand River on lands claimed by the Six Nations.

Six Nations have formed their own municipal planning department under aboriginal law to deal with the development of land they say belongs to them along the Grand.

That native planning department says they now require all developers who build on land they claim in Waterloo Region, Guelph, and Brantford to get permission and a permit at a cost of between 5 and 7 thousand dollars. That would make developments along the watershed a lot more expensive.

The department is created under native law, but here is the catch: that permit is not required under Ontario law. So, if the developer is not legally responsible to get a Six Nations building permit, how will Six Nations enforce those permits? Could it spark further protests?

I have to go to work now, but thought I'd pass along these links. More later...