Mississaugas reach financial settlement; airport lands are next.
Today's Globe and Mail has a story about a possible federal government settlement of the land claim of the Mississaugas of the New Credit. You can find the article at this address.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/band-offered-145-million-for-land-lost-in-1805/article1445505/
In 1787 and again in 1805 the British negotiated a deal with the Mississauga First Nations band for 101,528 hectares of land on the north shore of Lake Ontario. This was the land the Mississaugas called home, and the agreement drawn up at the time was called the "Toronto Purchase." In payment for the land the British gave the Mississaugas presents of "weapons, tools and other goods." Later a few shillings more were paid amounting to about $27 in today's money. Since then that land has become the most valuable property in Canada. It contains most of the City of Toronto from Lake Ontario stretching north almost to Lake Simcoe.
The Mississauga band, who now live on a reserve near Hagersville, south of Hamilton, always believed they were swindled. In 2003 the federal government accepted their claim that they did not receive fair compensation and negotiations got underway. Now the federal government is proposing a new purchase price of $145 million. The band has yet to accept the offer, but Chief Bryan LaForme, who leads the first nations band, described it in these words: "It's a good start for us and it prepares us for the future."
What is not mentioned in the newspaper article is that the Mississaugas have always had two objectives in their negotiations. They wanted a financial settlement, and they also want part of Toronto Islands. They claim, and there is documentation to support this, that the band never intended to give up Toronto Islands, and they want the Islands or some part of the Islands back for their own use. The negotiating tactic of the Mississaugas has been to settle the financial issues first, and then turn their attention to the issue of the Toronto Islands. That is exactly what we can expect to happen.
Chief LaForme has said that they want the Island because this is their traditional land, and they need a place in the city for their people. The Island is a spiritual place for them, a place of healing where their people would come to get well and grow strong again. He explains that it is a place where they root their identity. No amount of money can be offered to compensate them for this loss. They want the land back.
At the same time Chief LaForme is practical. Band members recognize that there is a community on the Island and they have no intention of displacing people from their homes. The Toronto Island Park is used by well over a million people every year and the Mississaugas do not want to take over the park.
What they want are the Iands of the Island Airport. The Chief has said that this is non-negotiable. The Island is their spiritual home and they intend to get it. Now that the financial side of the negotiations is drawing to a close, we can expect that the new negotiations will focus on the Island Airport lands.
The Toronto Port Authority may be facing a stronger and more determined adversary than any they have faced before.
Bill Freeman
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/band-offered-145-million-for-land-lost-in-1805/article1445505/
In 1787 and again in 1805 the British negotiated a deal with the Mississauga First Nations band for 101,528 hectares of land on the north shore of Lake Ontario. This was the land the Mississaugas called home, and the agreement drawn up at the time was called the "Toronto Purchase." In payment for the land the British gave the Mississaugas presents of "weapons, tools and other goods." Later a few shillings more were paid amounting to about $27 in today's money. Since then that land has become the most valuable property in Canada. It contains most of the City of Toronto from Lake Ontario stretching north almost to Lake Simcoe.
The Mississauga band, who now live on a reserve near Hagersville, south of Hamilton, always believed they were swindled. In 2003 the federal government accepted their claim that they did not receive fair compensation and negotiations got underway. Now the federal government is proposing a new purchase price of $145 million. The band has yet to accept the offer, but Chief Bryan LaForme, who leads the first nations band, described it in these words: "It's a good start for us and it prepares us for the future."
What is not mentioned in the newspaper article is that the Mississaugas have always had two objectives in their negotiations. They wanted a financial settlement, and they also want part of Toronto Islands. They claim, and there is documentation to support this, that the band never intended to give up Toronto Islands, and they want the Islands or some part of the Islands back for their own use. The negotiating tactic of the Mississaugas has been to settle the financial issues first, and then turn their attention to the issue of the Toronto Islands. That is exactly what we can expect to happen.
Chief LaForme has said that they want the Island because this is their traditional land, and they need a place in the city for their people. The Island is a spiritual place for them, a place of healing where their people would come to get well and grow strong again. He explains that it is a place where they root their identity. No amount of money can be offered to compensate them for this loss. They want the land back.
At the same time Chief LaForme is practical. Band members recognize that there is a community on the Island and they have no intention of displacing people from their homes. The Toronto Island Park is used by well over a million people every year and the Mississaugas do not want to take over the park.
What they want are the Iands of the Island Airport. The Chief has said that this is non-negotiable. The Island is their spiritual home and they intend to get it. Now that the financial side of the negotiations is drawing to a close, we can expect that the new negotiations will focus on the Island Airport lands.
The Toronto Port Authority may be facing a stronger and more determined adversary than any they have faced before.
Bill Freeman
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