Lawsuit for Treaty Rights

PRESS CONFERENCE - 2 p.m. Thursday November 27, 2003

TREATY RIGHTS LAWSUIT TO STOP RED HILL VALLEY EXPRESSWAY

HAMILTON, Ont.: Lawyers representing a Six Nations man are commencing legal action against the City of Hamilton to prevent construction of the proposed expressway though the environmentally significant Red Hill Valley in Hamilton.

Lawyers Murray Klippenstein and Andrew Orkin are representing one of the Iroquois Firepeople who lit the Ancestors' Sacred Fire in the Red Hill Valley in early August 2003. The expressway will violate and destroy Iroquois rights pursuant to a major Treaty between the Five Iroquois Nations and the British Crown of 1701.
The $100 million lawsuit will be announced at a PRESS CONFERENCE at the Worker's Arts and Heritage Centre, 2nd Floor, 51 Stuart Street (immediately east of Bay St.), Hamilton, Ontario at 2 p.m. Thursday November 27, 2003.

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this media release is presented here for information purposes, Hamilton Action for Social Change is not a party to the lawsuit (although we are certainly happy to see more people stand up to the city for First Nation's rights!)

TAKING IT TO QUEEN'S PARK

Walk the walk from the Valley to Queen's Park

BUSES TO QUEEN'S PARK - MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24 - departing from Centre Mall (near Burger King); assemble at 9:00 a.m. - return to Hamilton by 4:00 p.m. (estimate)

Red Hill Valley Roadshow!
WALK THE WALK FROM THE VALLEY TO QUEEN'S PARK

A group of Hamilton residents will complete a five-day-trek from Red Hill Valley to Queen's Park, Monday, November 24.

The group and their supporters are expected to arrive at the Provincial Legislature at 11:00 a.m. Monday
At Queen's Park they are hoping to give a cheque of $122 million to Ontario's new cash-strapped Premier, Dalton McGuinty. $120 million is the amount the provincial government has committed to an expressway that will go through Canada's largest urban park - the Red Hill Valley.

The walk began Thursday, November 20 at Hamilton's threatened Red Hill Valley where construction of the Red Hill Creek expressway is set to blast the largest hole ever contemplated (80-metres wide, 15-metres deep and nearly half a kilometre long) in the Niagara Escarpment, a designated World Biosphere reserve.
The Niagara to Tobermory Bruce Trail in Hamilton is currently blocked and guarded by private security at Mount Albion road and Mud Street where the clear-cutting of Carolinian forest has begun in preparation for winter blasting.

The group hopes that Mr. McGuinty and the Environment Minister will take back their $122 million funding for the expressway, and instead reinvest in measures for Hamilton that would curb further urban sprawl, support mass transit and reduce reliance on single occupancy vehicles. Alternatively, Mr. McGuinty might want to take half back and spend the remaining $60 million to cover an alternative highway design that preserves the valley, and expands the existing Highway 20.

Along the route, which took the walkers through Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, Mississauga and Toronto, public events were held to show The Red Hill Road Show, a multi-media presentation on the ongoing struggle to save the Red Hill Valley featuring videos from the valley struggle, music and discussion.

At Queen's Park the walkers will request that Mr. McGuinty take back the money for the project and sign a pledge that would see the money applied wisely, in the interest of the health of future generations and the planet.