Haudenosaunee Development Institute

The Haudenosaunee Development Institute
Non Profit
Industry Development
Founded Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, Canada (2007)
Founder Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council
Headquarters 16 Sunrise Court, Suite 417, Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada
Area served
 Ontario
Key people

Brian Doolittle (Board Member)
Aaron Detlor (Board Member)
Hazel E. Hill (Director)

HCCC Chiefs Committee: Chiefs Blake Bomberry, Al Day, Arnold Hill, Arnold Jacobs, Peter Sky and Toby Williams
Services Land Use, Land Tenure and Environmental Planning
Number of employees
 Varies according to projects

Haudenosaunee Development Institute is the formal organization created by the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council (HCCC) in September 2007 to grant permission to third parties to undertake development upon lands where the HCCC exercise jurisdiction including that area of land considered by the Haldimand Proclamation of 1784 and the Nanfan Treaty of 1701.

Haudenosaunee is the proper word used for the Six Nations Native people which is more commonly known as Iroquois by non-Haudenosaunee people.

Haundenosaunee Development Institute objectives are consistent with long standing Haudenosaunee principles regarding land use, land tenure and environmental planning.

Recent efforts to translate these principles have included the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council policy statement referred to as the Eight Points of Jurisdiction, which was formally adopted by the HCCC on February 3, 2001.

Eight Points of Jurisdiction

Under the Eight Points of Jurisdiction, the HCCC have sole jurisdiction over matters pertaining to land. Any dealings involving land must also be governed by the following principles therefore according to the HCCC rules,

Further to its inherent jurisdiction to address matters dealing with the land, the HCCC have set out a specific Land Rights Statement to further articulate, in English, principles that are required when considering land. The HCCC lands rights statement states the following:

  1. The land is sacred to us. It defines our identities, belief system, languages and way of life.
  2. We hold the aboriginal and treaty title to our lands collectively.
  3. Our treaty relationship with the Crown is still alive and in force and directs our conduct in our relationship to Canada. Within this relationship, the terms of the treaties continue to bind both our government and The Crown.
  4. We require a careful accounting for the Crown's dealing with our lands, and the return of any lands that were improperly or illegally taken from our ancestors.
  5. We require an accounting for the funds administered or held by the Crown for the Six Nations people, and restitution of any funds unaccounted for.
  6. It is not only within the context of our treaty relationship with the Crown that we see justification for such accounting and restitution. Canadian and international law is clear on the right of the Haudenosaunee to seek justice on these matters.
  7. In any agreements with the Crown concerning land our goal is to promote and protect a viable economy for our people on our land - an economy that will be culturally appropriate, environmentally sustainable, and not injurious to our people and our neighbours.
  8. Our fundamental approach is that Six Nations lands will come under the jurisdiction, management and control of Six Nations people. The federal and provincial governments must not impose jurisdictional, policing, taxation, and/or economic activities as part of any land rights settlement.

Tseh Niyoht Dwayadowhsra Ogwahweja (Haundenosaunee Green Plan)

While the HCCC areas of jurisdiction over land are not limited by the drawing of lines on a map the HDI has attempted to provide an initial indication as to areas of immediate Haudenosauee concern.

In consultation with the people of the Six Nations of Grand River, the Tseh Niyoht Dwayadowhsra Ogwahweja (Haundenosaunee Green Plan) was created to set out areas of concern which are identified in progression of interest from:

The Tseh Niyoht Dwayadowhsra Ogwahweja (Haundenosaunee Green Plan) was expressly undertaken so as not to create the impression that the Haudenosaunee areas of jurisdiction are limited to that area of land contemplated by the Haldimand Proclamation.

Consistent with the importance of water to the Haudenosaunee people, the Tseh Niyoht Dwayadowhsra Ogwahweja (Haundenosaunee Green Plan) requires a 500 metre buffer zone to be established upon the banks of the Grand River.

HDI Process and Procedure

Haudenosaunee Development Protocol (HDP)

HDP is the protocol developed by the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council, which in part, covers the following categories;

HDI states that it may take such actions as necessary to provide for the implementation of this the protocol, which may include the delegation of such activities as required. HDI also states it may make such regulations under the protocol as are necessary to further the objectives of the protocol and without limiting the foregoing, HDI may make regulation pertaining to.

  1. Land Use Agreements
  2. Environmental Standards
  3. Application and Permit Fees

Application

All development within Haudenosaunee Treaty Territory requires the Free, Prior and Informed Consent of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy Chiefs Council to proceed.

An HDI development permit is required by the HDI and one is obtained by providing an application to the HDI with the prescribed application fee.

The HDI does not require any specifics for an application given the various forms of development however the minimum amount of information required to begin to process an application is set out in the Haudenosaunee Development Institute Engagement Application. An application to proceed with development will be considered consistent with Haudenosaunee principles as well as general and development policies, which have been adopted by the HDI.

The goal of the engagement process is to come to an understanding and legal agreement which will allow development to proceed.

HDI Land Use Strategy

Haudenosaunee Land Use Agreements focuses on three strategic themes:

  1. The promotion of sustainable agriculture and natural resources use to maintain the productivity, profitability and the sustainability of resource-based industries
  2. The conservation of biodiversity through the protection and restoration of ecosystems
  3. Fostering individuals, industry and communities equipped with skills, knowledge and information and supported by institutional frameworks that promote the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable agriculture production

Project Planning Assessments

  1. Environmental Assessments - The Haudenosaunee Development Institute provides a comprehensive review of the potential impacts of the proposed project upon the cultural landscape - both the physical features and the cultural properties.
  2. Cultural Resource Assessment - The Haudenosaunee Standing Committee on Burial Rules and Regulations provides a comprehensive review of the potential impact of the proposed project on the cultural resources important to the Haudenosaunee.
  3. Quality of Life Assessment - The Haudenosaunee Development Institute provides a comprehensive review of the potential social and economic impacts of the proposed projects to assure that any such project will contribute to the long-term well being of the communities along the Grand River watershed.

Areas of Concern Policy

HDI seeks to protect Haudenosaunee heritage sites. HDI's ability to access sacred sites, culturally-significant sites, traditional places for hunting, fishing, trapping and gathering must not be infringed by any development. They want to work with developers and regional associations to identify such places well in advance of proposals.

HDI will seek to protect threatened species and ecological communities with their status in the landscape affected to the extent their population viability is at risk. Specifically, they are concerned about nationally endangered or vulnerable species and ecological communities.

HDI will seek to protect migratory species and wetlands. Migratory species are recognized within international conventions to which Canada is a signatory. Wetlands, which help to clean the waters, are also important and they seek to protect the entire watershed that feeds into those wetlands. HDI is less inclined to consider 1 to 1 substitutions to wetlands and prefer to avoid any disturbance.

Those proposals that provide a realistic and measurable "green" agenda associated with the nature of the project will be viewed most favorably. HDI is willing to work with developers on defining those green standards, strategies and approaches. While these may require additional expenditures on the part of the developer, it will be considered one of the "benefits" of the project to overall well-being.

External links