Ontario residents eye 'militia' as aboriginal dispute drags on
By Jorge Barrera, Canwest News ServiceJune
A group from a southern Ontario town is trying to organize an unarmed citizens' "militia" to enforce laws they say the Ontario Provincial Police have failed to uphold since their community turned into ground zero of a land-claim battle between an Iroquois community and the federal government.
Some residents from Caledonia, Ont., about 75 kilometres southwest of Toronto, have long complained they feel forsaken by the OPP since Six Nations' 200-year-old land-claim battle with the federal government burst to national attention in 2006 with images of burning tires and blockades. Now, some locals are planning to take matters into their own hands, beginning with a citizens' group that would intervene when called in situations where it appears the OPP have no plans to act.
"Enough is enough," said Doug Fleming, a local entrepreneur, who's organizing the Caledonia Militia. "(The OPP) have failed miserably to protect law-abiding citizens."
In the winter of 2006, a small group from Six Nations staked their claim to Douglas Creek Estates, a Caledonia residential development, in an attempt to kick-start negotiations on a land claim that dates back to Canada's first prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald. A botched OPP raid to clear the protesters triggered blockades, tire fires and clashes with non-native residents. The provincial government eventually bought out the land's developer, and negotiations continue to this day, while tensions remain.
The idea of the Caledonia Militia is not new, but the recent erection of a cigarette shack on the property of a local resident gave it life, said Fleming.
Fleming said an information meeting on the fledgling organization is planned for next Tuesday. He said he could think of no other term besides "militia" to dub the group, but he plans to screen out troublemakers.
"There are times when diplomacy and appeasement don't work, and we have a situation right now in Caledonia where appeasement doesn't work," said Fleming, in a telephone interview from the house of Dave Brown and Dana Chatwell, who live next to the reclaimed land.
Brown said he plans to join after living through three years of what he calls lawless harassment from the Douglas Creek site.
"It gets to the point where you don't even bother calling the police," said Brown, adding he's received a dozen phone calls from locals interested in the militia.
Full article
Keep off our lawn, pair tells fledgling Caledonia 'militia'
Jun 19, 2009 04:30 AM
Peter Edwards
Staff Reporter
CALEDONIA-Ernie Palmer says he's smoking mad at locals who want to set up a "Caledonia Militia" in part to protect him from natives running a discount smoke shop on his front lawn.
"We have the OPP if there is lawlessness," the retiree said yesterday in an interview on his 19-hectare property on Highway 6.
However, he doesn't foresee any need for anyone to protect him from Oshweken resident Stephen (Boots) Powless, 44, one of the smoke shack's proprietors.
"I have found (Powless) a very nice man," said Palmer, who came to Canada from Hungary in 1957. "We have drunk so much coffee we're swimming. ... I have a good dialogue with Boots."
While he didn't invite Powless to set up on his land, Palmer said he respects the attempt to reinforce the assertion that native land claims can't be extinguished.
At one point in an interview on Palmer's lawn, Powless joined in and aimed a squirt gun at the property owner as if taking him hostage, which caused Palmer to burst out laughing.
Powless calls Palmer a friend, but said the area could have a long, hot summer of racial tension if the militia idea catches on.
"I have never run from anyone," he said. "If they come here looking for a fight, they'll get one.
"Hopefully, things remain peaceful," he added.
He said he was willing to leave Palmer's property until he read on the Internet of the plans to set up a local militia.
Organizers stated their right to remove "illegal trespassers" from local properties.
"Trespassers will be arrested and turned over to the OPP," the Internet announcement said.
As for the militia, "hotheads need not apply," the announcement said.
One of the organizers, Doug Fleming, also feels local racial tensions could come to a boil this summer.
"I think people are less resilient," said the 47-year-old, who installs pools and cuts firewood seasonally.
Full article
It doesn't make it clear but one of the "projects" that this miltian (OP) is working on is getting Boots off of Ernie's land (article in the first post). I will look for links.
edited to add link from a few days before article in post #1 - A Caledonia farmer upset that some natives have erected a smoke shack in his front yard is now furious that townsfolk have proposed a miltia to protcet him
Well, I would call them what they are vigilantes drunk on their own sense of white privilege and entitlements.
I suspect the OPP will intervene if the "militia" does get going. This "militia" idea is crazy.
Well, it is amazing that they can somehow believe they are the "foresaken" ones, in the face of the reality that it has been a 200 year fight for the 6 Nations for rights to their legal land claims. The white privilege of it all is actually mind boggling, not amazing.
Agreed
thanks for this info.
i heard on CBC the other day that some white hothead was marching around intimidating a Six Nations woman and her two-year old.
all of us need to strongly denounce this militia and demand the government address the rights of First Nations, Inuit, Metis, and Indigenous community groups immediately. this is another situation of scapegoating the vulnerable in difficult economic times. McGuinty and Harper need to deal with this Now.
A call for a peaceful protest against the formation of an anti-native
"militia" in Caledonia - Tuesday, June 23rd at 6pm Outside the Lion's
Club in Cayuga, Ontario.
Dear Friends,
As you may have heard in the mainstream media already, things are
escalating again in Caledonia. Doug Fleming (an associate of
anti-native sovereignty activist Gary McHale) has announced that he is
now forming a "militia" to directly confront "native lawlessness" in
Caledonia. According to Fleming, the militia would patrol areas in
Caledonia by car and by foot wearing uniforms and communicating with
radio equipment. If alerted to an instance of "native lawlessness" the
militia would then use "reasonable force" to effect a citizen's arrest
and would hold the native person until such time as the OPP arrived to
take the "prisoner" to jail.
Needless to say, this represents a major escalation in regard to the
conflict at Six Nations. In addition to the OPP having already laid
over 120 charges against Six Nations activists, the formation of this
militia -- with a primary target of removing "illegal" native "smoke
shacks" near Caledonia -- points directly to the increasing of the
possibility of violent conflict between natives and non-natives.
Fleming has called for a public meeting for founding of the militia to
happen on June 23, at 7 p.m., at the Lion's Hall in Cayuga. The
announcement of the formation of the militia has received widespread
publicity in the mainstream media. (Links to the coverage can be found
below).
Although Gary McHale and his supporters have avoided making public
racist comments towards natives, there is no doubt that the formation
of the militia will draw explicitly racist individuals who have long
wanted to physically confront native protesters into activity.
Neo-Nazi groups have long participated in McHale's various protests
since at least the fall of 2006, and there is every likelihood that
they will be drawn to this meeting if they are not already involved in
organizing it.
Put simply, this meeting cannot be allowed to happen unopposed. As
non-natives who have long supported indigenous struggles in general
and the Six Nations struggle in particular, we are issuing a call for
all who are opposed to escalation and violence inherent in Flemming's
call for a "Caledonia Militia" to peacefully protest the holding of
this meeting.
Transportation to the protest will be organized by activists in
Toronto, Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph. Please contact
3903fnswg@gmail.com for more information, to endorse the protest, or
to reserve a space on the buses. Buses will be leaving from Toronto at
4:30pm sharp and should return by 10pm that night at the latest. You
must contact us over email to reserve a space on the bus. Please
reserve a spot immediately so we can get a sense of how many people
require transport. There is a suggested donation to help cover the
cost of transport is $10 although no-one will be turned away for lack
of funds.
In solidarity,
The CUPE 3903 First Nations Solidarity Working Group.
****
Sources on the formation of the "Caledonia militia"
http://numberswatchdog.com/caledonia%20audio%20and%20video/Live%20at%205...
http://www.marchforfreedom.com/smf/index.php?topic=466.0
This is a discussion board run by Gary McHale where the event was
first announced.
http://www.westernstandard.blogs.com/shotgun/2009/06/caledonia-militia-l...
This right-wing magazine ran a story on the issue. The comments
section is quite informative.
http://voiceofcanada.wordpress.com
This is the website of Mark Vandermas an associate of McHale's.
http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/652121
This is a Toronto Star article on the issue. If you look at the
comments, you'll see that almost 90 of the 100 are strongly in support
of the forming of the militia.
http://caledoniawakeupcall.wordpress.com/2009/06/17/caledonia-militia-dr...
This is another blog by the McHale supporter in Caledonia.
http://www.stormfront.org/forum/showthread.php?t=604501
This is the world's most popular English-language neo-Nazi website.
Here is a discussion thread that is discussing McHale's various
activities and protests in Caledonia and provides some information
about neo-Nazi participation in them.
http://www.caledoniawakeupcall.com/election/ElectionResults.pdf
And in case you thought that McHale was simply an irrelevant
right-wing agitator, here is a link to the federal election results
from last year when he ran as an independent candidate in Haldimand
Norfolk. As the results indicate, he polled 10% of the riding's votes,
nearly getting 5000 votes (neck and neck with the NDP, and double the
Green party votes). He won most of the polls in the non-native
communities near to Six Nations, indicating that he has a significant
base of anti-native support there.
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, CUPE! WTG
Let's just call these white pricks what they are - terrorists - and be done with it. My god how these people think is appaulling.
I miss the panthers...
That actually is a better term than vigilantes actually, as they are terrorists.
that's really great on the Tuesday action. 6 pm Cayuga. i'm going to see if i can get to that. that militia is as abysmal as it gets.
Bravo to C.U.P.E. for organizing this, I wish I could be there.
http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1626509
"Inside the hall, about 30 people in a group that was holding a first organizational meeting of the Caledonia Peacekeepers. A couple of weeks ago the group started by calling itself the Caledonia Militia.
"Outside the hall and across the street, about 100 demonstrators had bused in from various southern Ontario communities to condemn the new group in speeches, signs and literature as racist neo-Nazis, or people who "definitely" had leanings and connections to more prominent organizations of the same ilk...they carried signs reading "Canadians Don't Want Anti-Native Vigilantes,"
"I'm not saying that Gary McHale and Doug Fleming are neo-Nazi," but their motives are questionable, one spokesman, Davin Charney, insisted to the media, while police were moving the protesters across the street as they descended from the bus."
There was more than one hundred, I would put it at two hundred who showed up yesterday. They had to deal with 2 bus cancellations in Toronto but I hear that Tom did a wonderful job of making sure everyone got there. We outnumbered those that showed up about 20 to one (keep in mind some of the estimated 30 attendees of the meeting were people who were there to speak against the miltia and to hear what had to be said in the meeting).
I think it was a true show of what most non natives (and the FN people who also came) think about these self described "Caledonia Peacekeepers".
So what was the outcome of the meeting, and are people there going to start a anti-militia militia?
I wasn't one of the ones inside but from what I was told it was said this was an information only meeting and they were not passing around a sign up sheet but they plan to hold more meetings to talk about it's formation.
Hopefully it's just a lot of hot air and the balloon has wizzed around the room and is now laying on the ground, dead.
Bravo to C.U.P.E. for organizing this, I wish I could be there.
Me too, but I was out-of-town due to a family matter.
As always, I didn't hear about this until far too late. It seems to be a consistant problem, notices not going out until the day before. Most people need at least a week or so to make arrangements - I do, and my time is very flexible compared to most.
they unarmed wtf they gonna do
who Rex is unarmed? the militiaman apparently had some kind of gun with him, as i recall from the news when the woman felt threatened. i could be wrong, but its not like arms are hard to get hold of in this country in any case.
[came in to edit out 'wasp' militiaman- was that racist? m tired, back out ot put gbge out
lol, it might seem so, as less than 30 "out raged" citizens, wanting to form a racily biased terrorist militia, does not really equal a movement.
who Rex is unarmed? the militiaman apparently had some kind of gun with him, as i recall from the news when the woman felt threatened. i could be wrong, but its not like arms are hard to get hold of in this country in any case.
[came in to edit out 'wasp' militiaman- was that racist? m tired, back out ot put gbge out
how is it racist? it the opposite of the media which tryz to make white look like the norm and which only describes race when it the "other".
lol, it might seem so, as less than 30 "out raged" citizens, wanting to form a racily biased terrorist militia, does not really equal a movement.
This could be the starting point of terrorist militia movement, given the current beliefs of people in the region. I believe it is wrong to underestimate this movement.
lol, it might seem so, as less than 30 "out raged" citizens, wanting to form a racily biased terrorist militia, does not really equal a movement.
This could be the starting point of terrorist militia movement, given the current beliefs of people in the region. I believe it is wrong to underestimate this movement.
Well I don't know about estimating, over estimating or under estimating but one thing I do know is that this is not a starting point. There is a long history with McHale, Flemming and the members of CANACE. This is only the latest stunt. For anyone interested in estimating it would be good to look at the full history in context.
AW@L radio will have coverage from Tuesday's rally and an interview with Steve "Boots" Powless on CKMS 100.3 Waterloo tomorrow thursday the 25th at 2pm. The Rabble Podcast version will be posted by Friday afternoon. You'll be able to hear the whole show archived at www.peaceculture.org/drupal/awal-radio by thursday evening.
"how is it racist? it the opposite of the media which tryz to make white look like the norm and which only describes race when it the "other"."
thanks Rex, that's what i generally understand.
somehow though i wonder, maybe a person doesn't want to be defined by 'white anglo-saxon', even when biologically that's the case. maybe they self-identify with some other racial designation.
now it's a different issue, but, as an example, if someone designates me with a gender category which isn't how i primarily identify, then i need to question why the labeller feels compelled to box me in to whatever category they're using. i'm not 'sexist' if i clarify my own self-designation. rather the labeller is 'sexist' for projecting their own assumptions and language.
but this is the discussion of other threads.
but I meant like if the person doin the label using the label the person self-identifyz with then it cool no? N really who the fucc they scaring? My Native niggas aint gonna bacc down cuz 30 something white dudes wanna try something they aint gonna do shit. Keep bangin on the beast Im here but yall know if I was there Id be causing a riot g.
"then it cool no?"
i think its an area that people need to be sensitized too, as one where words, as you've noted language is limited. and that's been noted too elsewhere.
here's another example, try editing out the term 'he' as a pronoun description for 'God.' G (capitalized) O (male suffix in some languages) d (consonant- male ending in some languages.) any pronoun is limited, though people spend a lot of time doing that work too. a possibility is to use other names for S/spirit, using metaphors themselves as the name. eg. Friend.
what i'm suggesting is that people find ways of saying what they need to with different descriptors, it might bring clearer meanings.
----
on the militia, i think it was great that non-Indigenous people took responsibility to ensure that in this country an illegal and unethical vigilante group couldn't materialize unopposed. the militia might not likely be effectual in any case in its attempts to intimidate Six Nations community members, but its our deal to say that we reject this kind of militia behaviour.
'Days of vigilantism long gone,' OPP warns Caledonia group
Lee Greenberg, Canwest News Service Published: Thursday, June 25, 2009
A group of Caledonia residents attempting to form a militia should be prepared to go to court, Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Julian Fantino says.
"The days of vigilantism are long gone in this country," Commissioner Fantino said yesterday. "That group had better seek good and adequate legal counsel because, if they exercise what they think is their right and their authority, they better be prepared to defend themselves, as we always have, and justify what they do."
A native occupation in Caledonia, a small town southwest of Toronto, has lasted nearly 3½ years, leaving many residents frustrated by what they see as a lack of government and police action.
Earlier this week, two men -- Doug Fleming and Gary McHale -- held a recruitment meeting to gauge interest in forming a citizen's group to patrol sections of Caledonia. Mr. Fleming, a self-employed lifelong Caledonia resident, said the militia would be unarmed, save for video cameras.
The group would focus its efforts on the Douglas Creek Estates, a subdivision still occupied by Mohawk protesters, which Mr. Fleming said has become a safe zone for native criminals because police refuse to patrol there. He believes OPP officers are failing citizens by not enforcing the law.
The militia's ultimate goal is to provoke a confrontation, thereby forcing the police to step in, he said.
"I'm not talking about a bunch of civilians marching out to look for a fight," Mr. Fleming said. Rather, he hopes militia members will catch a burglar stealing from one of the bordering properties, then issue a citizen's arrest.
"If [police] were to stand back and allow a group of unarmed civilians to basically go intervene in a crime scene, that would look very bad on them," he said. "And I think, from a legal standpoint, there would be repercussions for the OPP."
Rest of the article
You keep saying shit like that without a leg to stand on. Most FN's, I know, see immigrants as just that, those who are also trying to take their land and marginalize them further, it does not matter to them if they are white, yellow or black.
Moreover, if they wanted to cause a riot on their own part they would. Your lack of being there inciting riots on their behalf is a goood thing.
I meant I support their cause basically n na I never meant on their behalf I meant id ride with them.
That's what I got from R_P as well. In solidarity.
remind are u native?
edit- Ima share a story that I heard from wichita n yamasee ppl who orig were blacc (proof of this is their own admitance as well as the fact that slaves went and hid with them). Anyway im pretty sure that it in many other native cultures in the "new world".
A White eagle comes and loccs a red eagle in a cage all seems lost. BUt, a blacc eagle comes frees the red eagle and they send the white eagle bacc to its caves. I got the red eaglez bacc nuff said dont fucc wit the elders and their knowledge, wisdom, and prophecies which come true most of the time.
No, and neither are you, as your use of the word "native" denotes.
Sorry Stargazer, I do not see any solidarity in R_P's words, just BS.
No, and neither are you, as your use of the word "native" denotes.
Sorry Stargazer, I do not see any soldarity in R_P's words, just BS.
aint about my words so dont even worry about that u aint the one to comment on this or speak for nobody and what bs?
Who the fuck are you to tell me I "aint the one to comment on this"?
Who the fuck are you to tell me I "aint the one to comment on this"?
cuz u white n im not remember da story we workin together cuz
Piss off, actually R_P, you have no more right to comment on this than I do. Perhaps less even.
No, and neither are you, as your use of the word "native" denotes.
Sorry Stargazer, I do not see any soldarity in R_P's words, just BS.
aint about my words so dont even worry about that u aint the one to comment on this or speak for nobody and what bs?
If your talking about the ability of Remind to comment on the usage of the word native perhaps you should go back into this forum and find out for yourself how she is or isn't able to comment on the use of the word native. I am sure you will come up with a different answer about her being or not being the one to comment on the use of the word native.
In your posts you have talked about causing a riot, that it wouldn't be on behalf of them but with them. You then told a story about people who were originally black (but are native now? Not quite sure what you mean on that) and inferred that black is in many native cultures (not a big suprise since every race is equally in many native cultures).
First the Haudensaunee Mens Fire asked that it be a peaceful demonstration so the non natives respected that even going so far as to say no face coverings at the protest. We are also talking about the militia and peoples fears about it becoming aggressive and violent and people don't want to see violence and riots which is why they disagree with the militia in the first place. So if you want to talk about causing a riot with them please do not do it in this thread as this thread was about a peaceful protest and not about a violent reaction to the formation of said militia. In fact by talking about a violent reaction to the formation of a militia you are feeding right into what McHale and Flemming are saying the Haudensaunee are - violent and unlawful. My experience being at Kanonhstaton (the site in Caledonia) was exactly the oppisite. The only threat of riot was from the people involved with McHale, everyone on site had cool heads, followed procedure to protect the place and never went into riot mode. When the cops showed up when one group or another decidided to pull a stunt they faced the the group with McHale, and kept their backs to the Haudensaunee. They knew which way trouble would be coming if there was going to be trouble.
Second we are not talking about what races are a mixture with FN people in this tread, we are talking about solidarity with the Haudensaunee people against this militia from people who are non native. If you want to talk about the different mix of races within a family or community please do it elsewhere.
Who the fuck are you to tell me I "aint the one to comment on this"?
cuz u white n im not remember da story we workin together cuz
Gee that's funny, little old white me doesn't remember you being down at Kanonhstaton. What was your handle?
edited to add: the people I know from Kanonhstaton would likely be very offended that you are saying because you are black you are an automatic ally with them. When I went there everyone had to prove themselves, EVERYONE.
I wasnt even talking specifically about this but on a general tip
I wasnt even talking specifically about this but on a general tip
Well maybe you should start a new thread about general tips but this thread is about a specific thing - the militia, against a specific group - the Haudensaunee, and is the result of a specific history going back a few years in Caledonia. Please do not come onto the thread with general support including a specific response (a riot) that is completely innaprorpriate and then accuse other people of not being as able as you in commenting on FN issues because they are white.