Threatening language, racist comments accompany Haudenosaunee deer hunt in southwestern Ontario

Allana McDougall
APTN News
The Haudenosaunee white tailed deer harvest is underway in Southern Ontario but not everyone’s happy those treaty rights are being exercised.

Animal rights groups have been protesting at Short Hills Park since deer harvesting resumed on the land there seven years ago.

Police have set up a post outside of where the harvest takes place.

“We’re here to keep the peace and understand each side,” said Marco Giannico from the Niagara Police Service. “You know Haudenosaunee have their treaty rights of their traditional lands here and they have the right to hunt.”

A sign at the entrance of the parking lot announces that it, and the park is closed during the harvest.

It also references provincial legislation, and Section 35 of the Constitution which affirms the treaty rights of the Haudenosaunee to harvest.

“Two of the biggest misconceptions would be the treaty itself and the different elements of the treaty and what constitutional rights exist for the Haudenosaunee in the case of this harvest,” said Greg Wilson from Ontario Parks.

On this particular evening, a small group demonstrates quietly and is not holding signs.

A vigil planned by local animal rights groups was cancelled in the wake of racist comments posted on social media.

One user commented, “disgusting, hope they shoot themselves.” Another invited them to “come to the park on November 14 and stand up for the deer.”

The user went on to write, “the Ontario Parks said there is no opposition but clearly there is. We need to be visible.”

The groups say they do not oppose who is hunting in Short Hills Park, but rather the hunt itself.

In a statement, the Short Hills Wildlife Alliance and Niagara Action for Animals expressed regret that the comments were made on their page.

And said steps are being taken to ensure such language is not perpetuated in the future.

But another comment stating, “too bad they didn’t kill each other,” has now remained on the Short Hills Wildlife Alliance page.

APTN News reached out to both groups to clarify what steps are being taken, but did not receive a response.

The mayor of St. Catharines has denounced the remarks and invited residents to Brock University to learn about Indigenous rights.

Celeste Smith is a co-founder of Haudenosaunee Right to Hunt, which helped organize the event.

“We’re human beings and we have the same cultural rights that everyone else has,” Smith said. “So it’s not okay to say, you need to evolve past eating meat. Because it’s our human right to choose what food we eat, where we do it and when we do it.”

The conference was an opportunity to engage public dialogue about both animal rights and human rights, and to clear up misconceptions.

“It’s not hunting, it’s harvesting,” said Victor Bonspille, chief of the Mohawk community of Kanesatake in Quebec who travelled to offer support. “So it’s important that people understand that. A hunt, when you go to hunt, you’re there to kill something. We don’t go to kill. We harvest for sustenance and for our traditions and for our culture and for ceremonies.”

The harvest continues Nov. 28, Dec. 5 and Jan. 16.

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