Six Nations, ON – The legal battle over land claims in Northeastern Ontario is becoming a battle of words. The lawyer for the Taykwa Tagamou Nation calls the claims by the Quebec Cree “ludicrous” and that the move by the Quebec Cree Grand Chief show a “clear lack of respect”.
“The Quebec Cree Grand Chief Dr. Matthew Coon Come has essentially ignored the Chief and Council of Taykwa Tagamou Nation leading up to their ludicrous land claim in Ontario and he needs to understand that Taykwa Tagamou Nation (TTN) has occupied the lands in Northeastern Ontario since time immemorial. Clearly, there has been, not only a lack of foresight on the part of the Quebec Cree, but a clear lack of respect for the TTN Chief and Council,” Detlor stated. Detlor said the first order of business is to demand an apology from Grand Chief Dr. Coon Come on behalf of his clients.
Aaron Detlor will be representing the Chief and Council of Taykwa Tagamou Nation in their fight against the legal action by the Quebec-based Cree Nation of Eeyou Istchee claiming Aboriginal rights and title to lands in Ontario.
On March 7, 2016 the Quebec Cree announced legal action in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice against the governments of Canada and Ontario seeking Aboriginal rights and title over approximately 48,000 square kilometres of land in the traditional territory of several First Nations, including Taykwa Tagamou Nation, along the southwestern shore of James Bay and the Ontario-Quebec border.
Detlor went on to explain that the lack of action on the part of both the Provincial and Federal Governments is unacceptable. “The Quebec Cree have initiated proceedings claiming an interest in TTN lands which are protected by way of solemn and sacred promises made to Taykwa Tagamou Nation in Treaty 9. We are demanding a meeting with both levels of Government to determine how and when Premiere Kathleen Wynne and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be protecting the sacred and solemn promises made under Treaty 9,” Detlor added.
Taykwa Tagamou Nation signed Treaty #9 and is a small Ojibwa and Cree community located east of Cochrane, Ontario, less than an hour from the Quebec border. Aaron Detlor is a Mohawk lawyer who represented the Haudenosaunee Traditional Chiefs in their successful fight to stop real estate development in Caledonia, Ontario, on lands claimed by Six Nations.
