In the Beginning

1855 Draft Copy of Amabel Township used as Primary Evidence by INAC

The Sauble Land Claim. All because of the map you see above. It was found in the Baldwin Room of the Toronto Reference Library with Charles Rankin's field notes and other draft working maps of Amabel Township. Charles Rankin was the chief surveyor hired to draw up the plan for Amabel Township according to Treaty 72. This map is the primary evidence used by Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) to support the Saugeen band's claim. To be clear, this is a draft working map, not the final, signed map submitted to Indian Affairs by Charles Rankin.

Using this map, I will tell you what you have not been told about the Sauble Beach Native claim. Now, you have to ask yourself: Will I see this for the facts that are presented or will I have my objectivity clouded because it does not agree with the position of the Saugeen band? Taking the opposite position of the Saugeen band does not denote racism. What all land claims should be about is finding the truth and that is what I believe I have done.

Area Represented by 1855 map

Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada have supported the Native claim in Sauble Beach and in my opinion they have failed the Saugeen band because they base all of their findings on assumption. In fact, they are the ones who initiated the claim on behalf of the Saugeen band. In any case, it is the 1855 draft map above that got the ball rolling. Who discovered it and made the initial analysis of the map is unknown to me, but whoever it was, they jumped to many conclusions without proper examination and re-examination.

So, what's so special about this map? On the surface it seems quite ordinary, but this map tells quite a story, in fact two stories: a story based on assumption as told by Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada and a true story based on factual documentation and what the map actually reveals.

I call the INAC version the fictionalized version, but I believe in the beginning they actually believed what they presented to be the truth. However, over the years, a more factual and logical explanation has developed to explain why the Saugeen boundary is exactly how it should be, but they are unwilling to listen. It would mean that they would have to admit that they have wasted a lot of time and money which would be very embarrassing to the Canadian government.

To keep the facts in line let's begin the next posting with the INAC/Saugeen version.

I invite your comments or arguments, but please, let's be respectful of one another. I understand that this is a heated debate, but derogatory remarks toward anyone are not welcome.

Thank you.