Renewed Six Nations blockade pushing residents to the brink: Caledonia mayor

A renewed Six Nations blockade of a southern Ontario highway is pushing residents to the brink and is paving the way for a repeat of violent clashes between protesters and town residents, the mayor of the beleaguered town said Monday.   

As the Opposition calls for the Ontario government to immediately break off all talks with Six Nations until the roadblock comes down, Haldimand County Mayor Marie Trainer said some Caledonia, Ont., residents have already talked about taking the law into their own hands.   

The frustration comes after Six Nations protesters closed the town's highway bypass to show support for fellow aboriginals in eastern Ontario.   

After more than two years of living with the Six Nations occupation of a former housing development in the town, Trainer said people have had enough.   

"This shouldn't be allowed," Trainer said in an interview. "Enough is enough. Something has to happen. This nonsense can't continue."

In eastern Ontario, provincial police removed a roadblock Monday set up by aboriginal protesters on a rural road near the town of Deseronto.

The protest west of Kingston escalated on the weekend when police arrested Mohawk leader Shawn Brant at a traffic stop. Two officers were injured and a cruiser window was smashed after Brant's supporters rushed to the scene and clashed with police.

On Monday, the Highway 6 bypass around Caledonia remained blocked by Six Nations protesters in a show of solidarity and said they won't remove the blockade until police back down around Deseronto.

In 2006, the bypass, the town's main road, and the rail line were all blockaded after police raided the occupation site. The weeks that followed saw a number of clashes, some violent, between Six Nations protesters and Caledonia residents.

The renewed blockade is forcing motorists to go through Caledonia, straining a heritage bridge which is up for repairs in a few weeks, Trainer said.

It's putting even more strain on residents, some of whom have gathered near the occupation site to discuss taking action on their own, she said. The blockade was enforced by more than 100 people, along with fires on either side of the road, Trainer added.

 "I don't know what to do," she said. "I'd have a sit-in in front of the prime minister's office or the premier's office if it would help. I don't know what to do anymore."

Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory said the Liberal government has allowed the situation to escalate by tolerating law-breakers in Caledonia. The province should suspend talks with Six Nations and send a message through the courts that blockades aren't tolerated, he said.

"The government can send every signal that it possibly can — we're not going to put up with lawless behaviour and we're not going to sit at negotiating tables with people who break the law," Tory said. "They have encouraged this sort of thing to spread."

Six Nation protesters have been occupying the former housing development site in Caledonia for more than two years, saying the land was wrongfully taken from them by the Crown two centuries ago.

The province, federal government and Six Nations are trying to negotiate an end to the occupation and resolve the land claim. Six Nations recently rejected a $26-million federal offer to settle the flooding of aboriginal land along the Grand River 179 years ago during the building of the Welland Canal.