July 16, 2007. In my time spent living in Kanekota and interacting with the people living here, I notice they have no concept of international law regarding encroachment of land. The consensus that exists among the majority of the residents about the encroachment just isn’t legal. Most of the people believe that the land was stolen legally and so we should just forget about it. You cant steal land legally, there was no war with us to take it and we never surrendered it. The only way they can truly hold legal title to their land is if they pay their land taxes to us.
Most of the politicians come from a legal background, so they are very aware of this fact of law. It has been a long year since this issue has been in everybody’s face, still no one from the government of Canada has ever mentioned this legal fact. If they were genuine about resolution, this is where they should be concentrating their direction. I am sure the people living on the Haldimand tract would like to have their land taxes directed to the proper sovereign so they can hold legal title to their property.
It is a common belief amongst the people here that they are existing on the oldest “reservation” in Canada. The Haldimand proclamation of 1784 is the first guarantee by the British government against encroachment of our land, so in a way they are right. We are all in this together now, the British subjects (Canadians) and the Iroquois, so let us move toward peaceful consensus on this issue. For the benefit of our posterity.
The strain on the environment is at a critical level now and it is time for us to do our duty as caretakers of the land. The biggest crime is being committed against mother earth. Still some out there wish to stick their heads in the sand on this issue. We just don’t have anymore time to waste arguing these points. The poisoning of the natural world is continuing and it is up to us all to get back to the natural laws governing this planet. Only then will we have harmony with each other and all the other species.
Instead of saying “we might” let us say “we will” and then we can do it.
With unity of mind through the natural law, comes great strength.
Thahoketoteh of Kanekota