I watched, with the world, news concerning the terrorist attacks in the US and the analysis. Imagine my shock when Native First Nations were lumped in with potential terrorist problems within Canada by one security analyst. One of his references was the Oka Crisis. I remember First Nations peoples sitting behind blockades doing nothing but holding their position. I remember also the angry non-Native citizens ripping up pavement to throw at the police along with Molotov cocktails. I remember seeing on the news Native effigies being burnt (an illegal act under law). I especially remember the death of one Elder after Mohawk women, children and the elderly left Kahnawake and non-Natives stoned them. I also mourn the death of one police officer during an attack on Mohawk men, women and children by the same police. I do not remember anthrax poisoning, bombings or other acts of terrorism by the Mohawk people.
I also know that out in Burnt Church police escorted non-Native fishermen out for a “peaceful” protest. Not once but three times it turned ugly. Each time it became increasingly violent while police arid DFO officers stood by doing nothing. First it was 9-12 boats, then 19-22 and finally about 55 boats. The last one wasn’t even about the lobster. The DFO had cut the herring quota and Natives paid the price. They were shot at according to residents. People were yelling, “get the kids behind the house,” according to the Christian Peacekeepers Team in the area. The CPT also said the RCMP just stood by the sidelines and their helicopter did nothing to try to stop what was happening. This was a change when in the past they had rammed a Native boat and spent $13 million quelling the Native’s unwillingness to accept the Fed’s interpretation of the Marshall Decision.
Dudley George, an unarmed Native protester, still does not lie in peace. He was shot down by a police officer while protecting women, children and other men by driving a school bus between the officer and his people. No ambulance came to pick him up. A public inquiry has been quashed to date by the very person (Ont. Premier Harris) that it would question.
Then there were bodies of Native men found just outside of Saskatoon. Later on two police officers of that town were found guilty of Unlawful Confinement when they dropped off another Native man in the same area without a jacket in sub-zero temperatures. No word on other charges.
At minimum a third of First Nations are under some sort of financial management by Indian Affairs.
Almost no treaty or land claims agreement with Natives has ever been fully implemented in Canada.
National Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come is accused of racism by politicians and the main-stream press when he says there is racism in Canada against First Nations Peoples.
Algonquin’s occupy an island so that they can get a further $700,000 to complete a land management system. The Department of Indian Affairs refuses to meet with them to help defuse the problem. One would almost think they want blockades and an excuse to do something.
Terrorism is the unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence against individuals or property to coerce or intimidate governments or societies, often to achieve political, religious, or ideological objectives according to the US Dept, of Defense.
Kind of makes you wonder doesn’t it.
