09) SOLIDARITY TRUMPS RACISM AT KANONHSTATON RALLY

By Rick Gunderman

     On April 28, some 400 people marched through the small town of Caledonia, Ontario to demand justice for the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory.

     A grand coalition of people from all backgrounds and walks of life came to express solidarity with Six Nations. Many came from other parts of the province, with a significant presence from Toronto and Hamilton. Members of the Six Nations as well as non-Native residents of Caledonia and the surrounding area counted themselves among the demonstrators.

     The demonstration was peaceful, positive and vibrant. Participants gathered in Edinburgh Square, on the north side of the Grand River. There, officers from the Ontario Provincial Police walked through the crowd with video cameras, recording participants from the pro‑Six Nations side. When one officer came across two comrades from Hamilton's Communist Party and Young Communist League, he stopped and stood recording for several minutes.

     Afterward, a fellow demonstrator confronted the officer. A small crowd had gathered around the man, who put his hand in front of the officer's video camera, and most started taking pictures or recording. The situation was defused and no further problems resulted.

     Shortly after, youth from the Six Nations used a megaphone to recite a Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) prayer. Following this, the demonstration proceeded down Argyle Street, over the iconic Caledonia Bridge and through the south side of the town.

     The march generally proceeded smoothly, with the some minor exceptions. A local storeowner slung a baseball bat over his shoulder as he watched the demonstration pass his business. Many demonstrators understood this to be an intimidation tactic.

     Before the march, local residents had gathered on the side of the streets. While most were simply watching with curiosity, a handful had come out to oppose the solidarity demonstration. The demonstrators either politely acknowledged or simply ignored the hecklers.

     As we drew nearer to the land occupied by Six Nations - or Kanonhstaton, "the Protected Place", as it has been renamed ‑ a small crowd of opponents had gathered. Several were recognized as supporters of Gary McHale and Mark Vandermaas, well‑known instigators who run the groups Canadian Advocates for Charter Equality (CANACE), Caledonia Victims Project and Voice of Canada.

     This group heckled the demonstrators, accusing them of being uninformed outsiders who only came to the town to cause trouble. However, among the solidarity marchers were non‑Native residents of Caledonia and the surrounding area, and many marchers testified that they had connections in Caledonia through family or friends.

     The marchers returned the curses and pejoratives with peace signs, raised fists and waves of the hand.

     The solidarity crowd proceeded a short distance to Kanonhstaton. There, four Six Nations members stood upon a steel structure at the entrance, holding up flags and welcoming their supporters.

     At Kanonhstaton, a bouncy castle had been set up, food was distributed, and rock band from Caledonia came out to perform, including songs by Rise Against and Sublime.

     In the aftermath, Vandermaas accused demonstrators of "terrorizing" the town, taking no responsibility for reopening old wounds. He even acknowledged the communist presence: "Just seeing the communist flag and banner fly was a great victory for us."

     In fact, no flag was present. Most participants in the demonstration warmly welcomed the banner, and only a handful of residents outwardly opposed the communist presence.

     True to form, Vandermaas ignored what the solidarity demonstration was about, i.e. unity between Six Nations and non‑Native residents of the area, in favour of scaremongering and red‑baiting.

     Townspeople talked to the media that day, and several locals said they are supportive of Six Nations. Schools in Caledonia and in most towns in the area adjacent to the Grand River Territory have both Native and non‑Native students. Six Nations members regularly shop in the surrounding towns, and many non‑Native Canadians make regular visits to the reserve.

     Like any town, Caledonia is not ideologically homogeneous. There are those who believe in harmony, peace and respect among all people, and others who wish to deny Canada's colonial past and present and hold onto racist, uninformed views of First Nations people.

     The lines have been drawn in Caledonia. Not on April 28 - rather, they have existed since the area was settled. The abuses that the federal and provincial governments have inflicted upon the Six Nations only led to a sharpening of the lines. It led to a radicalization of the racists, and to the mobilization of all those who believe in justice and equality.

     The Communists know which side they are on, and few other than the extreme right seem to have a problem with it.

(The above article is from the June 1-15, 2012, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)