I had to return to this thread, since a local paper did a land claim summary for the Native Day of Protest next Friday. Here is the recent land claims and money grabs by surrounding reserves;
1. Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation-
Members claim the partial surrender of the Kettle Point reserve in 1927 and its subsequent sale was illegal, and the surrender and sale of 377 acres of the Stoney Point Reserve was invalid. Native protesters occupied the Ipperwash Provincial Park, claiming it held an ancestral burial ground, and demanded the return of Camp Ipperwash, a semi-defunct military base. Members of these 2 groups, stormed the base, because they felt the land claim wasn't being dealt with fast enough. Subsequent claims have included the beaches at Grand Bend, and Lakeshore property North to the Goderich area.
2. Oneida Nation of the Thames, Munsee Delaware First Nation, and Chippewas of the Thames First Nation -
All 3 bands live near the Green Lane landfill, now owned by the City of Toronto, for a landfill site. The bands objected to the $200-million sale, claiming a) 5,120 acres of the Big Bear Creek Reserve was sold by the Crown in the 1830s without proper surrender by members, b) the mega-dump would pollute their land, air and water, and c) this would hamper expansion of their reserves. All 3 have since struck compensation deals, that eased their environmental concerns.
3. Walpole Island First Nation -
Outstanding land claims include the Canadian portions of Lake Huron, south of Goderich; Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair and Detroit rivers and the western part of Lake Ontario. Other claims include the Chenail Ecarte, Sombra Township, a portion of the former Chatham Township and Boblo Island. They want all rights to shipping and fishing in the area, as well as compensation for usage and pollution.
4. Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation -
The band and Saugeen First Nation have claimed water beginning 18 kilometres south of Goderich (the 4th band to claim this area), west to the U.S. border, north around the tip of the Bruce Peninsula, east to the middle of Georgian Bay and south to Nottawasaga Bay. The two bands also want 50,000 acres in the peninsula returned, plus money for treaty violations.
5. Caldwell First Nation-
The natives claim Point Pelee and Pelee Island, which they say they never surrendered in a 1790 treaty, and they claim was promised to them in 1812, for fighting with the British. This land is rich in farmland and vineyards.
6. Chippewas of Sarnia (Aamjiwnaang First Nation)-
Band members have blocked roads in protest against new industry. The natives also claim 2,450 acres of their land (large chunk of Sarnia) was sold by the Crown in 1840 without their permission. Their goal is financial compensation (taxation), for use of their land, and for an unusual birth pattern (two girls born for every boy).
This is just a small portion of the province, and different bands are claiming the same lands as their own.
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