On Wednesday, April 29, Elected Chief Ava Hill pushed for Six Nations’ land rights to be upheld at the United Nations Fourteenth Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. The Chief touched on the fact that as the most populated Indigenous Nation in Canada, Six Nations is left with less than 5% of the land that was promised to them in the Haldimand Treaty of 1784.
“While the lack of resources for training, education and jobs are affecting our youth, Canada, the Province of Ontario and Municipalities collect in excess of $4 billion annually in taxes and revenues from our original Haldimand Treaty Lands of the Six Nations,” said Chief Hill. Canada has recognized Six Nations’ lands claims as valid and legal, yet they refuse to negotiate for just and equitable resolutions with Six Nations.
The problem seems to lie with the fact that Canada’s claims process can only address land claims worth less than 150 million dollars, and requires Six Nations to extinguish our children’s rights to the lands.
“Yet Canada stands before the world, professing to be honourable and practicing ‘In Good Faith Negotiations’ in resolving land disputes with the Indigenous Peoples of Canada,” said Chief Hill. “That is not true.”
Chief Hill noted that, “This is the 5th year the Six Nations Elected Council has been to the United Nations, pleading for justice for land rights issues – for the honouring of our Treaties and to call upon the United Nations to hold Canada accountable for imposing policies that extinguish Native Peoples Rights to their Aboriginal and Treaty Lands and compromises our Inherent Right to Self-Government.”
Chief Hill was accompanied to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues by Six Nations Councillor Darryl Hill and land rights consultant Phil Monture.
