Protesters stall cleanup of former Camp Ipperwash

Longstanding efforts to transfer the former Camp Ipperwash lands to Kettle and Stony Point First Nation have hit a snag. For more than two months now, a group of protesters unhappy with the transfer agreement, have been blocking federal access to the site. Anishinabek Police Inspector Barry Petahtegoose said a trailer is parked at the main gate at Highway 21 and Army Camp Road, and while residents are being allowed in, federal contractors have been denied entry. "They were preventing the contractors from going in to conduct the cleanup before the land is turned over back to the Kettle & Stony Point First Nation," said Petahtegoose. "For the most part it's been somewhat of a peaceful protest, there's been a lot of dialogue between the Department of National Defence and Kettle & Stony Point, and the small group of protesters." Inspector Petahtegoose said the protesters aren't in agreement with the settlement that was made for the return of the lands. The 2,200 acres were appropriated by the federal government, under the War Measures Act, for a military base in 1942. The settlement agreement was ratified by the community in a vote in September of 2015 and a historic signing ceremony was held in April of 2016. The agreement includes the return and cleanup of the land and a financial settlement of over $90 million. The clearance work, to address any possible undetonated explosives and environmental concerns, was on hold with no date set for it to restart. Inspector Petahtegoose said, as far as he knows, the Department of National Defence and Kettle & Stoney Point council were still negotiating with the protesters. -With files from Colin Gowdy