Page 47 - Six Nations Community Plan 2019

Measuring Progress

• More land recovered • A plan in place for how we maintain a responsible
relationship with the land in our care
• More agreements to share resources and have input into
their sustainable use in the Haldimand and Nanfan territory

Key Challenges And Concerns

• The borders of our reserve are not sufficient for our needs of housing, services, facilities and environment as our community
grows, and the cost of land is becoming unaffordable
• Neighbouring municipalities are encroaching on our territory with development
• We are not using the land we have responsibly— clearing forests and wetlands for houses and industry
• Without plan to use our land sustainably, development is uncoordinated, adjacent land uses are in conflict
• Building more densely can help us reduce our footprint, we do not want to simply replicate urbanization
• Currently, 94% of the land is under Certificate of Possession, landowners reject being told how to use their land. Further more,
‘possession’ does not reflect our relationship with mother earth based on responsibility
• As land is being bought up to grow the tobacco industry, price of land for housing, growing food, is going up
• We need clarity in how collective business opportunities relate to our land rights
• Disputes are arising between landowners about property lines, fences, septic placement, etc.

Discussion

With respect to the specific goal of Land the community members voiced that we need more of it, but also that it is our
responsibility as Haudenosaunee people to use what we have to the highest standard. Some particular recommended actions
that emerged from the Community Plan conversation that will help us move toward the goal of Land are:
• Push for greater recognition of rights in economic development outside the reserve
• Create a strategy for denser building of houses and facilities that reflects our community and culture, instead of
just the standards of a municipality, so our development can have a lower footprint on the land
• Advocate with external governments for agreements based on our original treaties to share the land and use
resources sustainably. We need to share our understanding of a healthy relationship with Mother Earth
• Advocate for land through consultation and accommodation agreements
• Develop our own land care plan and tenure system outside the Indian Act based on responsibility, not possession.
Incorporate traditional understanding of land such as matrilineal responsibility, limit personal amounts to
avoid monopolizing
• Continue to develop land-based programming for health and education, which requires advocacy and land
agreements to secure available land

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