CALEDONIA, Ont. - The lessons of Ipperwash and the legacy of Dudley George demand that Ontario resolve the ongoing aboriginal occupation in Caledonia with diplomacy, not force, Aboriginal Affairs Minister Michael Bryant said Monday after his first visit to the beleaguered town.

Forcibly removing protesters from the former housing development, which has been occupied by Six Nations protesters for nearly two years, would do little to relieve the tension, Bryant said after he was greeted by a group of angry locals calling for a more aggressive approach.

"It's just a blind alley -- it will not lead us anywhere,'' Bryant said. "It may have some temporary logic, but it doesn't really help us in the here and now and it certainly doesn't help us for tomorrow.''

The recent public inquiry into the shooting death of George -- gunned down by police during the occupation of Ipperwash Provincial Park in 1995 -- supported the idea that aboriginal land disputes can be resolved through negotiation, he added.

Many residents have long insisted the occupation is a flashpoint for conflict, and many say they feel intimidated by the protesters. Bryant, however, said the occupation is now largely a symbolic one.

"There is zero to three people on that land right now -- that's it,'' he said. "This idea that we can push people on and off property is not something that's sustainable. We need a lasting solution.''

Bryant met behind closed doors with local politicians, business and spiritual leaders during Monday's much-publicized trip to Caledonia, but his efforts to meet with Six Nations protesters or their representatives were for naught.

One group of residents, denied an audience with the minister, protested outside one of his meetings, carrying placards reading "One Law for All'' and "Frustrated, Forgotten, Fed Up.''

Misti Bottenfield, who lives near the scene of the occupation, said it's time Bryant gave protesters an ultimatum.

"It should be, `Get off the land or no talks,''' said the 26-year-old, who complained of being repeatedly intimidated by protesters. "Get off the land and out of the houses. Even though the barricades are down and the roads are open, it's still not much better. It sucks.''

Bryant's visit was billed as a chance to talk to residents, but Bottenfield said she knows no one who got the chance to speak to him.

Pat Woolley, a 20-year resident of Caledonia, said it's going to take more than a visit from Bryant to ease the town's worries. The barricades may be down and the site fairly quiet, but Woolley said both the town and its residents are suffering nonetheless.

He alone has lost $30,000 since the occupation began, Woolley added.

"This thing is getting worse, not better,'' he said.

"You can't allow this thing to go on. I've always brought my children up to believe we are all equal under the law. My frustration with this Liberal government is that we're not seeing (that) transpire in this community.''

Bryant said he actually slipped into town Sunday afternoon and talked to residents casually in the local Tim Hortons, although the Grey Cup likely kept many people home, he admitted. The province wants to work with the town to improve tourism and development while negotiating an end to the occupation, he said.

Haldimand County Mayor Marie Trainer has said town residents living with the ongoing occupation won't feel safe until Six Nations protesters leave the disputed land. But Monday, Trainer said the town wants to focus on re-starting its economy, which has virtually ground to a halt since the occupation began.

Although Caledonia was one of the fastest growing towns in Ontario, Trainer said virtually no building permits have been issued in the last two years.

"We want these land claims settled,'' she said. "We have lived in harmony with the First Nations people for a very long time. It's going to be hard to get that back.''

Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory dismissed Bryant's visit to Caledonia as too little, too late.

"It would be far better for productive negotiations, far better for peace and tranquility in that community, and far better for respect for the rule of law, to have the protesters off the land,'' Tory said.

Six Nations protesters occupied the former housing development site in February 2006, saying the land was wrongfully taken from them by the Crown over 200 years ago. The occupation has been violent at times, marred by barricades blocking the town's thoroughfare and clashes between local residents and protesters.