St. Catharines council supports negotiations over police action at 1492 Land Back Lane (St. Catharines Standard)

(https://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/news/council/2020/10/19/st-catharines-council-supports-negotiations-over-police-action-at-1492-land-back-lane.html) 

City weighs into neighbouring county’s Indigenous land dispute

By Karena WalterStandard Reporter

Tue., Oct. 20, 2020

St. Catharines city council is asking that police not be used to escalate the conflict at 1492 Land Back Lane, south of Caledonia, at the recommendation of its anti-racism advisory committee.

The parcel of land slated for a residential development in Niagara’s neighbour, Haldimand County, has been occupied by Indigenous land defenders since July.

The anti-racism committee passed a resolution Oct. 7 recommending St. Catharines council send a message to its government neighbours asking them to choose negotiations with land defenders over police action.

“What I’m asking us to do is support our anti-racism advisory committee who feel it’s important for the city to show leadership and support of the Indigenous community and First Nations communities, not just in St. Catharines but throughout Ontario and throughout Canada,” said Merritton Coun. Greg Miller, who brought the motion to send a message forward before council Monday night.

Councillors waived the notice of motion requirement so they could deal with the anti-racism committee’s recommendation immediately.

Miller said the issue is complex but there was an urgency because the committee felt council should weigh in on the matter before an Oct. 22 injunction hearing, at which time it’s believed Ontario Provincial Police may move in to remove people occupying the site.

Council unanimously voted to support sending a message to the Ontario and Haldimand County governments and the Haldimand County police services board requesting police not be used to escalate the conflict and instead, use nation-to-nation negotiations and meaningful consultations to settle all claims.

Saleh Waziruddin, chair of the anti-racism committee, told members during the Oct. 7 meeting there is an escalating situation in a neighbouring community where the mayor, council and police services board have advocated police action.

He noted that can be a dangerous escalation when looking at history and the Ipperwash crisis, during which Indigenous protester Dudley George was shot and killed by police 25 years ago.

Waziruddin said there is a local connection to Land Back Lane with the arrest of Indigenous journalist Karl Dockstader, who was covering the land dispute.

But he said it goes beyond that.

“It’s not just about the St. Catharines connection — the mayor has already made a statement in support of that journalist — but it’s also about St. Catharines’ role as a municipality with a dangerous situation next door and not doing anything about it,” Waziruddin said.

Dockstader, co-host of One Dish, One Mic on St. Catharines CKTB 610AM, was charged with criminal mischief in September after reporting from a camp at the land dispute. The arrest was strongly condemned by the Canadian Association of Journalists and Canadian Journalists for Free Expression.

While the motion had the full support of all councillors, a couple questioned whether the anti-racism committee was overstepping its mandate by dealing with issues taking place outside of the city and region.

City clerk Bonnie Nistico-Dunk said that was a question she would be looking at when she does a review of council committees and meets with their chairs.

The anti-racism committee also recommended city council request Niagara Region council and the Niagara Regional Police services board support the recommendation. That was struck from the motion Monday night because those bodies are not meeting before Oct. 22.

Karena Walter is a St. Catharines-based reporter, primarily covering cityhHall for the Standard. Reach her via email: karena.walter@niagaradailies.com