Article as published in the ‘Moose Call’, newsletter of the Prince Albert Indian & Métis Service Council (Treaty 6 Territory, Saskatchewan), edited by Malcolm Norris (Métis Nation)
IROQUOIS LAND,
Caughnawaga [Kahnawá:ke], “Que.”
Monday, July 5th, 1965.
To the Government of Canada,
Parliament Building,
Ottawa, Ontario.
Dear Sirs:
RE: THE INDIAN CLAIMS COMMISSION
Time: Tuesday, June 22, 1965 at 6:10 p.m.
Place: Railroad Committee Room, Parliament Building, Ottawa, Ont.
The noble Red Man, represented by Chief Jos. Logan of Ohsweken, Ont., himself, a most respected and honorable man, placed a sacred Treaty Wampum, the TREATY OF LAW, also known as the The TWO ROW WAMPUM TREATY, on the table of the Government of Canada, represented on this occasion by Honorable J. Nicholson, M.P., Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.
The revered Chief asked if the Government of Canada still recognizes and respects the TREATIES made by Great Britain and the Six Nation “Iroquois” Confederacy. The said representative of the Canadian Government replied that “the Canadian Government recognizes and respects any Treaty made by the Queen and her predecessors.” A few minutes later, he was to deny that he ever said these words. Twice more he was asked if the Iroquois Treaties were still in effect. The answers were in innuendos.
With the Treaty of Law right in front of him, the Honorable Minister said, “As your superintendent…” thus violating the said Treaty which provided that the British shall not legislate laws to the Confederacy and vice versa; at the same time denying the Treaty of Alliance. One does not become a superintendent of one’s allies!
It is plain that the system of government represented by the Honorable Minister lacks honor and integrity. Said he, “Canada is a nation with a Constitution…” Let’s take up the matter of the Constitution first. A nation draws up it’s own Constitution or it isn’t a nation but a colony. The B. N. A. [British North America] Act was devised by England. The “nation” among the white people is a recent concept. The U.S.A. was the first white nation as all the other countries were kingdoms… “and in a Kingdom, only the monarch is sovereign.” (Tom Paine) Everything and everybody belonged to the King. Canada is part of the Queendom and cannot truly call herself as a “nation.” Honorable Nicholson admitted: “I’m one of her ministers.” When she opened a Parliament of Canada, the Queen said “Where is my Minister?” This denies sovereignty to any country in the Queendom.
The first ‘king’ in every instance, was a bandit chief, who with his followers, terrorized an area of land. They kept in subjection the people of their respective areas. These early criminals evolved into the institutions known as Kings, Queens, and Kingdoms. The “kingdom” is unjust, unnatural and criminal. The much snubbed, denied and abused SIX NATIONS “IROQUOIS” CONFEDERACY was the first true nation! And the first to draw up its Constitution, hundreds of years before its U.S. counterpart! The Chiefs, all equal in power are the voice and will of the people; unlike the outlaw Canadian, U. S. and other governments where the voice and will of the people may be accepted or rejected, determined on the whims of the elected.
Time: 6:50 p.m: Honorable J. Nicholson, M. P., Minister Of Citizenship and Immigration runs out of the meeting, leaving his aides, his “special advisor” and his frustrated guests, the SIX NATIONS CONFEDERACY.
The Indian Claims Commission is illegal, unjust and criminal for the following reasons:
1. It violates two Iroquois Treaties, the Treaty of Alliance and the Treaty of Alliance and the Treaty of Law (Two Row Wampum Treaty).
2. The Indian Claims Commission is a forced sale of Indian Lands. The Indians will not get the lands back. They will be ‘paid’ in money.
3. The money accrued from any Claims Court award will go into the “Indian Trust Fund” and go the way of Indian Money; into the politicians pockets. The Government will take the money out of one pocket and put in in another. The Indians will never see a cent of it. Indians have no right to sell the land and no one has the right to buy it and the land will not be wrested away.
4. The very people who are grabbing the land will sit in judgment on the cases. “Sure thing” paleface justice. There is talk of Indian renegades on the panel to give it a “just” flavor. These renegades have joined the ravenous white society (vote in Federal elections) and have deserted their own people, who with their backs to the wall are fighting for national survival. There is also talk of foreigners in the panel, friendly, of course, to the host government.
5. The crux of this letter is to remind Her Majesty’s Governor General that Canada’s Provisional Government is due to the Treaties between the “Iroquois” Confederacy and its allies, the British; he has no legal right to give Royal Assent on the so-called Indian Claims Commission known as Bill 123 without dishonoring the British Justice and its Commonwealth relations at large.
As you well know, we of the “Iroquois” Confederacy have never entered and negotiated treaties with the said Canadian Parliament. Ours were made some two centuries prior to the Canadian Confederation of 1867, and if you will look and study Article 139 of the British North America Act under which you are subjugated you will realize that our treaties are now in existence as if the Union had never been made. As title holder of our “Iroquois” lands we flatly refuse to accept Canada’s “Indian” Act and it’s puppet unbeknown’s Elective Councilors as having jurisdiction over us and our reserved lands.
IT IS THEREFORE, RECOMMENDED in the name of JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS, that the Government of Canada reaffirm the SIX NATIONS TREATIES; that further judicial massacres of the Native Aborigines be stopped; that the said Government of Canada make restitutions and restorations, making unnecessary the inhuman Indian Act, the illegal “Indian Band” Council and the unjust Indian Claims Commission, to name a few of the injustices suffered so patiently by the Red Man.
Given under our hand, our seal on this 26th day of June, 1965, for the Chiefs of the Caughnawaga Branch of the Confederacy, in conjunction with the Chiefs of the entire Confederacy.
Signed: Louis Hall [Karoniaktajeh]
Secretary of the Caughnawaga Branch
SIX NATION “Iroquois” CONFEDERACY
CHIEFS: Ayonwatha (F. Goodleaf)
Rastewensereronthah (P. Diome)
Ren re gowah (J. Phillips)
…
July 12th, 1965
Sir,
Perhaps this open letter will interest you and you may publish it in your next issue. Please send me the news letter and you can bill me for a year’s subscription, and will send you the money by return mail.
Signed: Yours respectfully,
Chief Rastewensereronthah
Malcolm Norris hanging nets, ca. 1934 (Glenbow Collection)
Also
Oka Crisis: The legacy of the warrior flag, by Jessica Deer / CBC (2020)
We Do Take Exception to This Term “Rebellion”, by Malcolm Norris (1962)
Malcolm Frederick Norris (Canadian Encyclopedia)
Art by Karoniaktajeh (Louis Hall)