For Immediate Release
March 10, 2009
Province reiterates land disputes are federal,
but intervenes in County’s Official Plan
Queen’s Park – According to Ontario’s Aboriginal Affairs Minister, Brad Duguid, the Caledonia land dispute is a federal issue.
Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett questioned the validity of this sentiment by posing a question to Ontario’s Minister of Municipal Affairs with respect to his intervention into Haldimand County’s Official Plan.
“Back in November, you told Haldimand County you would approve its official plan if it removed two properties from its urban boundary; properties that were included by the County in its 2006,” Barrett explained. “One of those properties is at Argyle Street and Sixth Line…you’ve removed this parcel of land because it’s adjacent to Douglas Creek Estates. Minister, which way is it? Do native land disputes fall under provincial jurisdiction or federal jurisdiction?”
In response to Barrett, Municipal Housing Minister Jim Watson said that there’s nothing new about the Ministry having the legal and legislative right to approve official plans.
“If the member has a specific concern, I would be happy if he would address that, either through me or specifically ask the folks at the county to bring it to our official’s attention at our regional office, because we work very cooperatively and we want to ensure that these official plans are approved as quickly as possible,” Watson said.
“Minister, the concern is you have gotten involved in the native land dispute. This is cold comfort for the hard-working builders, they’re losing their investment through no fault of their own,” Barrett said.
Barrett’s questions were prompted by information that the 61-acre property at Sixth Line and Argyle is on the verge of power of sale because the lender won’t renew the mortgage.
“Minister, your inability to manage the native land dispute is costing these local builders, plus the Toronto commercial developer, close to $2.6 million. If you aren’t prepared to put this property back into Haldimand’s official plan, please explain to the House and please explain to these people what kind of compensation you will put in place,” Barrett asked. “Will you provide compensation or will you purchase this land, as you did the Douglas Creek Estates subdivision?”
Aboriginal land dispute
Mr. Toby Barrett: My question is for the Minister of Municipal Affairs. Back in November, you told Haldimand county you would approve its official plan if it removed two properties from its urban boundary; properties that were included by the county in its 2006 plan. One of those properties is at Argyle Street and Sixth Line, it’s adjacent to Douglas Creek Estates in Caledonia. Including this land in the official plan would have been the fiscally responsible thing to do, it would be much better for the people of Caledonia, it would help create jobs and a development like this would boost the economy. Minister, you’ve stuck your nose into Haldimand county’s official plan. You’ve removed this parcel of land because it’s adjacent to Douglas Creek Estates. Minister, which way is it? Do native land disputes fall under provincial jurisdiction or federal jurisdiction?
Hon. Jim Watson: As the honourable member knows, the Minister and Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing does have the legal and legislative authority to approve official plans. There’s nothing new about that, it happened while he was a member of a governing party. So there’s nothing out of the norm. We want to ensure that all official plans conform to growth plans, the provincial policy statements and we work in concert and cooperation with the upper-tier government, in this case Haldimand county. If the member has a specific concern, I would be happy if he would address that, either through me or specifically ask the folks at the county to bring it to our official’s attention at our regional office, because we work very cooperatively and we want to ensure that these official plans are approved as quickly as possible.
The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary?
Mr. Toby Barrett: Minister, the concern is you have gotten involved in the native land dispute. This is cold comfort for the hard-working builders, they’re losing their investment through no fault of their own. Yesterday, I learned this property is on the verge of power of sale because the lender won’t renew the mortgage on ...
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(Mr. Toby Barrett)
... hard-working builders; they’re losing their investments through no fault of their own. Yesterday, I learned this property is on the verge of power of sale because the lender won’t renew the mortgage. It’s a 61-acre parcel of prime land. I will add that these lands were purchased well before the native land dispute.
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Minister, your inability to manage the native land dispute is costing these local builders, plus the Toronto commercial developer, close to $2.6 million. If you aren’t prepared to put this property back into Haldimand’s official plan, please explain to the House and please explain to these people what kind of compensation you will put in place. Will you provide compensation or will you purchase this land, as you did the Douglas Creek Estates subdivision?
Hon. Jim Watson: To the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs.
Hon. Brad Duguid: I thank the member for the question.
I guess what I would say is, I welcome the member to join us in working to try to bring members of his community and members of the Haudenosaunee Six Nations together. We’ve been working very hard as a province to facilitate this coming together. The parties are at a table right now discussing how we can move forward to create greater stability working together.
No more of the divisive approach. We need to bring parties together, and we need to recognize the root cause of these challenges, and that’s a 200-year-old federal land claim. So I invite the member to join us in asking and urging the federal government to redouble their efforts to resolve this federal land claim, because that’s the root cause of the challenges that we face.
The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): New question. |
