"Six Nations Men's Fire shuts down water hook-up to development"

The Six Nations Men's Fire shut down construction Wednesday morning on a water hook-up site to the controversial McClung Road housing development in Caledonia.

Workers were back Thursday morning but Six Nations Men's Fire spokesman Bill Monture said the men will be back.

He didn't specify when.

The move came just after a Cayuga judge upheld an injunction barring a number of people - including the Men's Fire - from stepping foot onto the housing development site after the Men's Fire tried to appeal the injunction, which was granted in October 2015.

"You can't develop a housing project when you have no water," Monture told the Turtle Island News.

He pointed out that the water hook-up site - which is located on Hwy. 54 at McClung Road - is not part of the land subject to the injunction.

The injunction names the Six Nations Men's Fire, HCCC, Wayne Hill, the Haudenosaunee Development Institute, and Jane Doe and John Doe from stopping or interfering with work at the Avalon site.

The injunction does not specify Jane Doe or John Doe of Six Nations, just Jane Doe and John Doe.

The 3,500-home "Avalon" development aims to draw water from the Grand River, just across the road from the water hook-up site.

The developers - Empire Communities and its sub­sidiary McClung Properties Ltd. - have refused to consult with or accommodate Six Nations Band Council or the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council.

Both councils assert that the development infringes on Six Nations' land rights.

McClung Properties Ltd. has argued that they've followed all consultation and notification requirements by sending notices to elected council and the HCCC and that no further consultation is legally required of them.

Monture says any attempt to draw water from within Six Nations' "tow path" lands ­ 66 feet on either side of the Grand River - infringes on Six Nations' land rights.

The tow path lands were never legally surrendered by Six Nations and constitute one of 29 land grievances band council has filed against the Crown.

Construction on the Avalon development is moving full steam ahead, despite objections from Six Nations. The company held an open house Wednesday at its sales office on Mcclung Road.