Six Nations prepared to prevent New Credit reserve addition

The Six Nations elected council says it will use all legal means available to prevent Ottawa from declaring 42.8 acres of land within the Hamilton-Port Dover Plank Road as part of the Mississaugas of the New Credit. Six Nations says the land belongs to them and not the New Credit, so the express consent of Six Nations is required. In 2014, the federal government outlined its intention to make an Order-In-Council declaring the land to become part of the New Credit reserve. However, research conducted by Six Nations revealed that the Mississaugas of the New Credit were only granted a licence to locate on the five concession blocks that presently compromise the New Credit reserve. Underlying title to those blocks is still with Six Nations, not the New Credit. In November 2011, the Six Nations elected council notified the New Credit and Ottawa that it was opposed to the addition because Six Nations had not been consulted and its consent had not been obtained. The Hamilton-Port Dover plank Road Claim comprises the road itself and one-half mile width of land along each side of the road. This land was only intended to be leased by Six Nations.