Six Nations land dispute

A parcel of land near Six Nations is at the centre of a bitter dispute between two groups on the same reserve and a local farmer is caught in the crossfire.

Kris Hill has a five year lease to farm the Burtch lands but she’s now banned from the property. The government offered to hand over the 380 acres to Six Nations in 2006 in exchange for the re-opening of blockaded bridges during the heat of the Caledonia land dispute. Earlier this year, it honoured that 11-year-old promise and transferred the land to a corporation run by the Six Nations elected band council, trouble is band councils are the creation of the Federal Indian Act.

The Haudenosaunee confederacy honours hereditary leadership, they want this land to be independent from the Canadian government and has sent a letter to the provincial and federal governments.

“The transfer of lands to a Federal corporation is invalid and a breach of promises and commitments made by the crown to the Haudenosaunee.”

Hill has been farming the lands for the last 3 years on a lease issued by the Haudenosaunee confederacy Chiefs council which has been managing the lands since 2006 and overseeing the cleanup of the property. The Six Nation band council has now taken her to court for trespassing on their land.

The province responded by saying it honoured the commitment earlier this year by transferring the land to a corporation but refused to comment on the current issue before the courts.