Ipperwash Report Released

[Posit]

The Ipperwash Inquiry Report was released:

Ipperwash Report

Some of the Commissioner's Statements:

Premier Harris and Chris Hodgson made racist statements

"I HAVE FOUND THAT BOTH THE FORMER PREMIER AND MINISTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES MADE RACIST COMMENTS, IN WHAT HAS BECOME KNOWN AS “THE DINING ROOM MEETING”, ALTHOUGH BOTH DENIED MAKING THESE OFFENSIVE COMMENTS."

Premier Harris created a barrier to peaceful negotiation

"NOTWITHSTANDING THE GOVERNMENT’S AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH POLICY, INCLUDING POLICING POLICY, THESE COMMENTS AND THE SPEED AT WHICH THE PREMIER WISHED TO END THE OCCUPATION CREATED AN ATMOSPHERE THAT UNDULY NARROWED THE SCOPE OF THE GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE TO THE OCCUPATION. THE PREMIER’S DESIRE TO SEEK A QUICK RESOLUTION CLOSED OFF OTHER OPTIONS ENDORSED BY CIVIL SERVANTS, INCLUDING PROCESS NEGOTIATIONS, THE APPOINTMENT OF MEDIATORS AND THE OPENING UP OF COMMUNICATION WITH FIRST NATION PEOPLE, THEREBY CREATING A BARRIER TO PEACEFUL RESOLUTION."

Harris & Charles Harnick lied in the legislature

THE FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL MISLED THE LEGISLATURE ABOUT THE DINING-ROOM MEETING AND THE PREMIER DID NOT VOLUNTEER THIS INFORMATION, WITH THE RESULT THAT IT TOOK A PUBLIC INQUIRY FOR THE PUBLIC TO LEARN THE DETAILS OF THIS KEY EVENT.

Racism is systemic throughout the OPP

"CULTURAL INSENSITIVITY AND RACISM ON THE PART OF SOME OF THE OPP OFFICERS INVOLVED WERE EVIDENT BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER DUDLEY GEORGE’S DEATH AND CREATED A BARRIER TO ESTABLISHING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND TO DEVELOPING A LEVEL OF TRUST WITH THE OCCUPIERS WHICH IN TURN, MADE A TIMELY, PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF THE OCCUPATION MORE DIFFICULT.

RACIST COMMENTS WERE MADE BY OPP INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS AGAINST THE ABORIGINAL PEOPLE WHO WERE UNDER SURVEILLANCE AT THE TIME. THESE COMMENTS WERE ALSO RACIST AGAINST PERSONS OF COLOUR. IT IS FUNDAMENTAL THAT POLICE OFFICERS INVOLVED IN INTELLIGENCE ARE IMPARTIAL AND FREE OF BIAS AS THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROCESSING AND FILTERING SENSITIVE AND CRITICAL INFORMATION."

"THE RACIST COMMENTS OF THE INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS WERE NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT; THERE WERE A NUMBER OF OTHER TAPE-RECORDED CONVERSATIONS OF VARIOUS OFFICERS MAKING DEROGATORY REMARKS ABOUT ABORIGINAL PEOPLE AT THE TIME OF THE OCCUPATION."

"THE OPP’S RESPONSE TO THESE INCIDENTS WAS INSUFFICIENT."

Kenneth Deane shot and killed Dudley George

"THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT OPP ACTING SERGEANT DEANE SHOT AND KILLED MR. GEORGE AND NOTHING IN THIS INQUIRY CHALLENGES OR UNDERMINES THIS CONVICTION. HOWEVER, ACTING SERGEANT DEANE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN A POSITION TO SHOOT MR. GEORGE IN THE FIRST PLACE."

Canada, the provinces and developers must consult and accomodate First Nations where there may be an impact on their treaty rights.

"THE SUPREME COURT OF CANADA RECENTLY CLARIFIED THE MEANING OF ABORIGINAL AND TREATY RIGHTS, RECOGNIZED AND AFFIRMED IN THE CONSTITUTION OF CANADA. IN THREE RECENT CASES, THE COURT CONFIRMED THE PRINCIPLE OF THE “HONOUR OF THE CROWN” AND THE DUTY OF THE GOVERNMENT TO CONSULT ABORIGINAL PEOPLES AND ACCOMMODATE THEIR INTERESTS WHEN CONTEMPLATING ANY ACTION THAT MIGHT HAVE AN IMPACT ON ABORIGINAL OR TREATY RIGHTS."

There does not appear to be any comment in the report or media release that condemns Dudley George or implies that he played a part in his own death. Vindicated at last.

Rest in Peace Dudley George.

[geoffrey]

So ordering the police to remove trespassers is bad, but trespassing is ok.

I'll pass on Canada, it's become such a joke with all these inquiries designed to support the 'it's all the white man's fault' ideal.

No one mentions that if Dudley wasn't involved in an occupation, he'd still be alive today.

[Posit]

Ah, But they did mention that Dudley George had a responsibility and a right to occupy the lands since all other avenues of revering the illegal act of expropriation failed.

Like Justice Linden said in the report, few people really understand the relationship First Nations have with the Crown. "We are all treaty people." Which he further clarifies as saying that Ontarians have a legal obligation to comply with the treaty and aboriginal rights of First Nations, since we have continued to benefit from the treaties by the occupation of aboriginal lands. We also have the legal obligation of settling the lands claims - especially since many of the treaties have not been upheld by our government.

Also according to Justice Linden, Treaties are not archaic documents. They are living documents that are as applicable today as they were when they were written. Protection of the treaties have been entrenched in the Charter for our and native protection.

Dudley George, and those who occupy treaty lands to halt development or expropriation are justified in their actions. The "rule of law" includes treaties and utmost the treaty aboriginal rights trump most other law in Canada - this from the perspective of Justice Linden.

[Argus]

The Ipperwash Inquiry Report was released:

Ipperwash Report

Some of the Commissioner's Statements:

Premier Harris and Chris Hodgson made racist statements

Since when is saying "I want those fucking indians out of the park" racist?

Linden's report was a foregone conclusion. He was, after all, hand-picked by McGuinty, who knew his sympathies.

I found it both interesting and arrogant that Linden said it was "innapropriate" for Harris to be rushing to get an injunction and to close down this protest. Who is Linden to decide what is and is not appropriate for the government of the day to do? The government makes decisions based on its own priorities. If Linden wants to get to decide what decisions are appropriate he ought to run for office and get people to vote him in.

His criticisism of police are the standard kind you get from ivory tower types who have never gotten their hands dirty. And more arrogance, as a man with no background, knowledge, education or training in policing is telling the police they ought to have done things differently. After the fact, of course.

Still, he failed in his principal duty, which was to hold Harris responsible for George's death. The whole reason McGuinty brought in this inquiry was to further smear Harris, after all, and Linden couldn't find any evidence of political interference with the OPP.

And now the whiners, whose principal complaint all these years was that the Tories interfered with the OPP and caused George's death have completely forgotten it and are harping on other things.

[M.Dancer]

So ordering the police to remove trespassers is bad, but trespassing is ok.

No one mentions that if Dudley wasn't involved in an occupation, he'd still be alive today.

How does one trepass on their own land?

No one mentions that if the police had not been asked to interfere, Dudley would bve alive today

[Posit]

Who is Linden to...blah blah blah

Linden is a Judge, appointed in Ontario to rule on cases of law, and was appointed as a Justice Commissioner to hold this Legal Public Inquiry into the murder and events surrounding the death of Dudley George.

What? Don't you believe in the "rule of law"? Of I forgot. That is only for natives and you are exempt!

Get with the Canadian program son. You are sounding like an American backwoods hick.

[geoffrey]

How does one trepass on their own land?

No one mentions that if the police had not been asked to interfere, Dudley would bve alive today

It's only their land in their heads. On paper in this thing we call the real world, the Park belongs to the Province of Ontario.

I could care less what they think... I could think I own all of the oilsands, doesn't mean a damned thing. If I have a claim, I go to the Court people and file my lawsuit. I don't go out with a bunch of thugs and sit in the middle of the big open pit.

Here in what's called Western civilization, we have these things called laws and another, related, thing called the legal process. If you can't follow it, you do so at your own risk.

My sympathy for Dudley and his compatriots is pretty close to zero. They knew the risk when they went in. The armed 'warriors' at Oka that killed an SQ officer knew the same.

I really am intrigued that everyone is so sorry for Dudley and we spend millions on investigations and even more on now possibly giving the park to his family... when the Oka slaying of a police officer got not even a minor percentage of the same attention. I am deeply sadden that the officer died defending law and order in Canada... I'm not really that interested in showing any sympathy for one that consorts with the types that killed Marcel Lemay.

When people offer an armed resistance to the legal authority in any democratic country, I'm going to take the Trudeau position and say they need to be destroyed by whatever means neccessary.

Don't break the law and you won't get shot by the police, I can almost promise you that.

They are lucky they are in Ontario and Quebec doing this stuff. If someone pulled a stunt like that out here, it wouldn't be the police dealing with the situation.

I stand behind Harris and his decision, and even his wording on the controversial statement. I'd want to get the people to stop trespassing.

When dealing with terrorists and thugs, you need to be decisive.

[capricorn]

Dudley George has reached hero/martyr status for the FN. Get ready for it. His name will be extolled in all future actions by the FN.

[scribblet]

So everyone else is to blame except the squeaky clean natives

Gee, I wonder what would have happened if natives hadn't set up blockades, occupied a provincial park, firebombed buildings, assaulted people, drove a native school bus into the military drill hall, and took possession of the base after defence staff fled. What would have happened if they hadn't driven a bus toward police, followed by a another car which actually rammed four police officers, and generally staged militant mayhem in the community....geee everyone to blame but the natives and years of Liberal inaction on native issues.

[M.Dancer]

So everyone else is to blame except the squeaky clean natives

Gee, I wonder what would have happened ...................

They wouldn't have got their land back.......

Now lets return to ...........

Blame the Victims

[Argus]

Who is Linden to...blah blah blah

Linden is a Judge, appointed in Ontario to rule on cases of law, and was appointed as a Justice Commissioner to hold this Legal Public Inquiry into the murder and events surrounding the death of Dudley George.

What? Don't you believe in the "rule of law"? Of I forgot. That is only for natives and you are exempt!

Get with the Canadian program son. You are sounding like an American backwoods hick.

First of all, Canadian judges are appointed almost entirely due to their political affiliation. So this judge was almost certainly a card-carrying member of the Liberal party, and was given the task of overseeing this inquiry because his views on natives were known and reliable.

Second, what this "judge" did, was to legitimize lawlessness. He made no criticism whatsoever of the illegal and violent actions of the natives which led to this death, thereby absolving them of blame.

It's the typical old liberal racism of never thinking to hold "brown people" to the same standards as white people.

[Argus]

So everyone else is to blame except the squeaky clean natives

Gee, I wonder what would have happened ...................

They wouldn't have got their land back.......

Now lets return to ...........

Blame the Victims

Victims of what? What you and the judge are saying is that if you feel you are being unfairly treated, then it's okay to resort to violence and criminal acts. That's a great message to send out to the country, isn't it?

[Argus]

So ordering the police to remove trespassers is bad, but trespassing is ok.

No one mentions that if Dudley wasn't involved in an occupation, he'd still be alive today.

How does one trepass on their own land?

No one mentions that if the police had not been asked to interfere, Dudley would bve alive today

I hate to intrude on ignorance as it flourishes - but the provincial park they took over by violence was not theirs, and not claimed by them.

Native Violence Becomes Blameless

But while we are listing those to blame for Mr. George's death, is there no part that should be apportioned to the native occupiers themselves? Whatever their grievances, and however justified these may have been, there is little dispute that the occupation was illegal. Indeed, the provincial park, where the fatal confrontation took place, was not even formally in dispute, being a different parcel of land than the military base.

The natives who seized the park had no mandate to do so from the local band council, and indeed faced active opposition from other band members for having done so.

Many of those who participated were not even from the area, but had travelled from as far away as the United States to show their support.

No formal warning was offered that the park was about to be occupied. No grievance was clearly articulated beforehand, other than a vague, disputed and intermittently advocated claim that the park contained a native burial ground. Even after the occupation began, the protesters refused to communicate in any way with the police. And in almost every case where police and natives clashed, the violence was initiated by the natives.

[geoffrey]

Argus! Stop with the rational facts! Your not being 'Canadian' enough.

Why haven't you turned over everything you own to the Indians yet?

Sheesh. Dudley George's family and band deserves the entire multi-million dollar park of course!! Don't meantion that the SQ officer that was shot by the same group of Indian thugs that Dudley was part of got... uhhhh... just a nice little life insurance payout.

[scribblet]

What this report has done is legitimize illegal protests and occupations. Not to mention that not too many news outlets have found it newsworthy enough to report cleared Harris. "In my view," Justice Sidney Linden wrote in his report, "although premier Harris was critical of the police, I do not find that he interfered with or gave inappropriate directions to the police at Ipperwash. The premier did not inappropriately direct the OPP on its operations at Ipperwash or enter the law enforcement domain of the police."

The Liberals main accusation was entirely unfounded.

[geoffrey]

I agree. This report sets a very dangerous precent. With it, we'll see more Okas and Ipperwashes as each time we give the terrorists more power by saying 'oh, we were wrong.'

This is the absolute highlight of what I said was a massive difference in standards for people of various races. Indians get shot by police illegally occupying land, we have massive inquiries and now we're looking at a huge settlement. A Quebec police officer gets shot by terorrist Mohawks while trying to uphold Canadian law and he gets a corners inquest and standard police death benefits to his family.

No racism in Canada? My ass. Indians get a free ride, it's been going on too long. Dudley George was in the wrong, it's tradgic that people had to die but sometimes that happens when you occupy land with thugs known to kill police officers.

[B. Max]

Looks like the inquiry was nothing but a cover up with a predetermined outcome. Where the inquiry was determined to cover up years of indian terrorist activities.

The official release of the government Ipperwash inquiry has had it’s designed effect. The Mainstream media fell for it and misinformed the public once again with excerpts from this politically correct, entirely slanted, one sided, useless, pre determined, tax payer funded, $25 Million report which kissed the arse of Terrorist Dudley George and bashed the OPP and Harris government for trying to uphold the law in 1995.

http://voiceofcanada.wordpress.com/

[margrace]

So the fact that the Government of the time, Liberal I believe, comendeared their land for war purposes and then promised to give it back after the war. Everyone seems to conveniently forget that and the fact that this has been in the courts.

Lot of land claims, denied by many on here, have been in the courts for 50 or more years. If I had to fight that long for my land would that be justifiable to you?

[Topaz]

It not surprising to see the blame going back and forth on this forum. Both the Fed. Cons and Libs, should have returned this land to the FN as promised , they broke their promises! Someone who was there and NOT a FN, said their opinion was Harris was at fault and I believe this person was in the position to know. The more important item, the Feds and the provinces has to clean up the waiting list of Land claims that are out standing. If the white community doesn't try and make things right and legal with the FN, then we will have FN from all over North America rebellioning. The days of the white man cheating and abusing these people has to stop, right is right and they only want what they are entitled too even if we don't like. The FN have gone to all the wars the white man has gone to for this country and they are just as much part of this country as anyone else, except there were promises made them that have to be honoured.

[geoffrey]

So the fact that the Government of the time, Liberal I believe, comendeared their land for war purposes and then promised to give it back after the war. Everyone seems to conveniently forget that and the fact that this has been in the courts.

Lot of land claims, denied by many on here, have been in the courts for 50 or more years. If I had to fight that long for my land would that be justifiable to you?

The courts will decide whats fair. Do you not trust the judicary?! Your 13 years of Liberal appointed judges are going to deprive the Indians? Nahhhh.

If I think you stole my car, I can't go occupy your house until you give it back... I sue you and the courts find some kind of settlement. That's the way things are done.

[madmax]

I agree. This report sets a very dangerous precent. With it, we'll see more Okas and Ipperwashes as each time we give the terrorists more power by saying 'oh, we were wrong.'

You are going to see more Okas and Ipperwashes and Caledonias....

With regards to everything else you have said in this thread isn't worth the bandwidth.

[madmax]

So the fact that the Government of the time, Liberal I believe, comendeared their land for war purposes and then promised to give it back after the war. Everyone seems to conveniently forget that and the fact that this has been in the courts.

Lot of land claims, denied by many on here, have been in the courts for 50 or more years. If I had to fight that long for my land would that be justifiable to you?

There are some incredible ironies going on. The Calendonia land claim, resulted in a developer getting a lucrative payout from the Province.

A Group of Families who's land was used/turned over to the feds for an airport in WW2 has recently been offered to the Six Nations.

Fact is, if the government gets your land you better kiss it goodbye, because you can't trust what they will do with it when it's time to return it to the proper owners.

I trained at Ipperwash. I wasn't surprised to discover it was to be returned to the Natives but wasn't.

[Posit]

Reclamations or "estopping" is a legal remedy under the law. The occupation of Ipperwash, Caldedonia, Deseronto, or any other land under dispute is not "illegal". It is perfectly legal and effective.

[margrace]

So the fact that the Government of the time, Liberal I believe, comendeared their land for war purposes and then promised to give it back after the war. Everyone seems to conveniently forget that and the fact that this has been in the courts.

Lot of land claims, denied by many on here, have been in the courts for 50 or more years. If I had to fight that long for my land would that be justifiable to you?

The courts will decide whats fair. Do you not trust the judicary?! Your 13 years of Liberal appointed judges are going to deprive the Indians? Nahhhh.

If I think you stole my car, I can't go occupy your house until you give it back... I sue you and the courts find some kind of settlement. That's the way things are done.

Oh and you are able to wait 50 or so years for this to happen.

[Mad_Michael]

The really silly part is that it apparently took the government ten years to figure this out.

Just about anyone in Ontario could have told the commission that the Federal Department of Native Affairs, the Premier of Ontario and the OPP (with a healthy assist from the Canadian media establishments) were entirely guilty of killing an innocent man for their own political purposes.

Like, who is surprised by this?

Perhaps the politicans and the police might be a bit surprised to actually see themselves NAMED as the cause when the normal course of affairs is just to 'whitewash' such unfortunate incidents.

I for one am quite impressed that the Commission was not a 'whitewash' and actually gave an honest report. Apparently, there is still signs of hope in Canada.