Six Nations Business grows from "Dish with one Spoon
Six Nations businesses need to organize to protect themselves, lawyer Aaron Detlor told a business meeting. “The challenge facing Six Nations business people today,” he said, “is how you can organize to protect yourself and advance your interests." The Turtle Island Trade and Commerce sponsored a business meeting recently that drew over 50 local businesses. Detlor, the guest speaker, told the group not so long ago," there was no business in North America without the Haudenosaunee." The contrast between the thriving trade of the past - the Haudenosaunee had at least 15 different trade routes and specialized in 10 different trades - with today's economic isolation is startling. He said the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) and Confederacy were working on identifying the extent of pre-colonial Haudenosaunee economic systems, as well as identifying "treaties where there were business relationships." He told the meeting the Haudenosaunee were once economically independent, but colonialism bolstered by neo-colonialism saw the destruction of trading partnerships that had existed for hundreds of years. Neo-colonialism threatens attempts to forge new trading partnerships,he said. He said the recent Imperial Tobacco lawsuit against First Nation manufacturers is an example of that. Imperial Tobacco has launched third party claims against about a dozen First Nations tobacco manufacturers from Quebec and Ontario. The big five are seeking to draw First Nations into Ontario’s $50 billion lawsuit against the major five. That suit seeks damages for health care related costs resulting from what Ontario says are tobacco related illnesses. The five corporations claim First Nation manufacturers should also be liable. The “Big Five” are also suing First Nation manufacturers for what it describes as illegal competition. "Imperial Tobacco," Detlor said, "is saying Indian status exemptions are a criminal conspiracy to get money." Tobacco has been part of the Haudenosaunee traditional economy since before contact. He says it is the new Ontario tobacco tax act that has been created to circumvent that legal right. "We can't have Indians making money," he said.
Turtle Island News
Six Nations businesses need to organize to protect themselves, lawyer Aaron Detlor told a business meeting. “The challenge facing Six Nations business people today,” he said, “is how you can organize to protect yourself and advance your interests." The Turtle Island Trade and Commerce sponsored a business meeting recently that drew over 50 local businesses. Detlor, the guest speaker, told the group not so long ago," there was no business in North America without the Haudenosaunee." The contrast between the thriving trade of the past - the Haudenosaunee had at least 15 different trade routes and specialized in 10 different trades - with today's economic isolation is startling. He said the Haudenosaunee Development Institute (HDI) and Confederacy were working on identifying the extent of pre-colonial Haudenosaunee economic systems, as well as identifying "treaties where there were business relationships." He told the meeting the Haudenosaunee were once economically independent, but colonialism bolstered by neo-colonialism saw the destruction of trading partnerships that had existed for hundreds of years. Neo-colonialism threatens attempts to forge new trading partnerships,he said. He said the recent Imperial Tobacco lawsuit against First Nation manufacturers is an example of that. Imperial Tobacco has launched third party claims against about a dozen First Nations tobacco manufacturers from Quebec and Ontario. The big five are seeking to draw First Nations into Ontario’s $50 billion lawsuit against the major five. That suit seeks damages for health care related costs resulting from what Ontario says are tobacco related illnesses. The five corporations claim First Nation manufacturers should also be liable. The “Big Five” are also suing First Nation manufacturers for what it describes as illegal competition. "Imperial Tobacco," Detlor said, "is saying Indian status exemptions are a criminal conspiracy to get money." Tobacco has been part of the Haudenosaunee traditional economy since before contact. He says it is the new Ontario tobacco tax act that has been created to circumvent that legal right. "We can't have Indians making money," he said.
Turtle Island News
