Johnny Hawke
81 Ogema Miikaan
Beausoleil First Nation
Christian Island, ON L9M 0A9
705 247 2120
Cynthia Wesley Esquimaux
Campaign Office
481 Hugel Ave
Midland, ON L4R 3Y7
Carolyn Bennett
40 Holly St, Suite 103
Toronto, Ontario
M4S 3C3
416 952 3990
Tuesday August, 24, 2021
Open Letter to Liberal Candidates regarding Outstanding Land Grievance in Simcoe North
Ahniin/Greetings
My name is Kaikaikons, Atik Clan of Gchimnissing Anishinaabek Territory also known as Johnny Hawke of the Anishinaabe Community of Gchimnissing located on so called Christian Island on Georgian Bay. I am writing today to inform you of an initiative I have been involved with this past summer and including the past several years and request that you attend a RoundDance event I am organizing in Tiny Township and see what dates you would be available to hear such concerns that involve the grassroots Indigneous and Settler Communities of Simcoe North.
In 1990 the Chippewa Tri Council- Beausoleil First Nation, Chippewas of Rama, Chippewas of Georgina Island filed a Claim to the Specific Claims Branch regarding 50,000 Acres in Simcoe County that were not to be included in the 1795 Penetanguishene purchase but was rejected by Canada. I have been in contact with Ceyda Turan of Turan Law Office who was influential in representing the Williams Treaties First Nations in our 2018 Settlement Agreement. She confirmed our communities position that there are in fact outstanding land grievances our First Nation’s need to pursue in specific area’s in PreConfederation Crown Treaties 5, 16 and 18. The Liberal Member of Parliament Candidate for Toronto- St.Paul’s, Carolyn Bennett currently has a cottage on such contested land and we would like to address some concerns in the Spirit of Nation to Nation at our gathering if you two attend and how you would help in such concerns if elected and reelected.
On July 25, 2021, I was charged with mischief for occupying a peaceful encampment on Wahnekening Beach, Concession 13, Tiny Township for allegedly being on private property where I was educating the public on our ties to the land in question and exercising the Human Right to Water. This is a total injustice while the Minister of Crown-Indigneous Relations enjoyed her summer and colonial privilege in the same contested lands at her cottage on unseeded Anishinaabe Territory while I was criminalized for exercising my inherit rights. This is an issue that may be of interest for you two to address at our event.
This summer I’ve also been working to unite Indigneous and Settler Communities of Simcoe North around this issue in a common effort and have gained huge support and alliances from the Settler Communities in regards to Beach Rights and advocates for the Alliston Aquifer as well as York University and Humber College in my efforts to create and build bridges between our communities.
Attached is letters of support of the work I’ve been doing including building bridges between Indigneous and Non Indigneous Communities in Simcoe North. Please respond on availability of dates that you can come and sit and hear our concerns from both the Indigneous and Settler Communities of Simcoe North concerned with our Rights to the Land and Water. If unable I am sure your colleagues from other Parties such as NDP or Conservatives would like to visit and speak on such issues.
In the Spirit of Truth and Reconciliation,
Kaikaikons, Atik Clan
Johnny Hawke
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