Haldimand "My account of May 23rd"

I found out through a phone conversation this morning at around 8:00am, that a group of natives were occupying a site in Hagersville. I decided to get my camera and witness this first hand as I did in Caledonia some time ago. The following is what I witnessed.

What I was expecting, was a very short seizing of land? I had expected to get there and find everyone gone. I had expected that the O.P.P. would have already put a stop to this occupation by the time I got there. I would then just enjoy my day and go to the Farmers Market in Hagersville and do some shopping.

Well I was wrong! I didn’t get to the Farmers Market! I didn’t do any shopping! I spent my day observing; watching and listening to the events unfold.

The site that the natives confiscated was where the old Northview School use to be on Main Street just a minute or two walk from downtown Hagersville, and is adjacent to Norcliff long term care facility. An Almas Construction trailer sits on the site, and obviously they are the contractors that are doing the sewer and piping work. My understanding is that a senior’s apartment or condo was to be built there.

What I witnessed was about 20 natives on the site, and about 7 O.P.P. officers standing in a line blocking the entrance to the site. There were a few O.P.P. officers parked on the side of the road and a few officers walking around. I am sure there were plenty more O.P.P. there, but we couldn’t see them. There were no news crews there when I arrived. Things seemed very peaceful.

The mood inside the site was one of joy and contentment. One native woman was playing a drum while others chanted. There were many vehicles driving by honking in support, so this had obviously been planned well in advance. There were just a few residents walking up and down the street, but I really don’t think that most people knew what was going on, or they did know and stayed away because they were fearful something might happen.

Haldimand County CEO Bill Pearce was already there when I arrived, and a short time later Councillors Dalimonte, Sloat and Ricker and M.P.P. Toby Barrett arrived. I observed Bill Pearce speaking to an O.P.P. officer a few times as he was on his cell phone. Councilor Dalimonte and Sloat were speaking to a few individuals and I could tell by their expressions that they were greatly distraught, as they can do nothing, only stand by and observe as I did.

Slowly the press started to arrive, and things started to happen. I observed two bulldozers feverishly filling in a huge hole that had been dug to maybe lay piping. Once the hole was filled other equipment started picking up concrete pipes, plastic pipes and moving this material to the back of the site. Once this material was moved, piece by piece the equipment was being moved and parked in what seemed to be a line at the back of the site. I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing, in a very short period of time the site was pretty well cleared except for a huge pile of stone that had a native flag flying at the top.

At one point when I was sitting in the shade across the road I witnessed a few O.P.P. officers that were standing in the front line move the barricades, stop the traffic, and let a small white car drive onto the site. I couldn’t believe my eyes! I can almost say for certainty that the occupants of that vehicle where not the owners of the land, but were the occupiers of the land. I did take a photo of this, but have not even looked at them yet. So maybe someone will correct me if I am wrong in what I have stated!

At one point there seemed to have been an altercation that took place between an individual on the street and the native occupiers. I learned later from the news that apparently there was a discrepancy of what band actually originally owned the land. I don’t know if this is factual or not.

I also heard in the news that a deal was made between I believe the owner of the land and the natives to clear the site of all the equipment and the occupation would end. And so it did!

When I left, I drove to the back of the site and low and behold I couldn’t get through. The road was barricaded, and there were three police cars at the back of the site. I wanted to get some pictures, but as a law-abiding citizen I didn’t cross the barricade.

What I witnessed today was far from a peaceful movement. In my opinion this was not a peaceful occupation, a peaceful rally, a peaceful takeover, a peaceful seizure, a peaceful confiscation of land or what ever you want to call it. This was an act of intimidation on the part of the occupiers, and the sad part of this is they got away with it!

What I witnessed today was a total breakdown in our system, the system that is suppose to protect us, the system that is suppose to ensure that we live in a peaceful and fear free community. I don’t blame the O.P.P. officers that were present today, as I witnessed a few of them constantly on their cell phones obviously speaking to their superior, who was giving them their orders.

What I witnessed today was a total breakdown in our Provincial Government that has turned a blind eye to the events that have happened in Haldimand County and to the events that are obviously going to keep happening. As today I witnessed a group of individuals that have been given a free ticket by the O.P.P. and the Provincial Government to do as they please, where they please, how they please and when they please!

I will be putting in a complaint of what I witnessed today, and I would hope that many others would do the same. I don’t have the answers, or a solution to the problem, but that isn’t my job, we have elected officials that took that responsibility on our behalf.

We have the right to DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY!