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Date: Fri, 10 Dec 1999 09:09:22 -0500
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From: Lynne Moss-Sharman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: canada Dec 10, 1999
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December 10, 1999 Ipperwash inquiry ruled out
Tories accused of `cowardice' over Indian's death
By Richard Brennan
Toronto Star Queen's Park Bureau
The Mike Harris Conservative government was accused yesterday of ``cowardice'' for
rejecting calls for a public inquiry into the controversial 1995 shooting death of
native Dudley George. Government MPPs even refused to debate Liberal MPP Gerry
Phillips' private member's bill, which asked the government to promise to hold an
inquiry once matters related to the shooting had finally been dealt with by the
courts. In the end it was defeated 46-41, with only Tory MPP Garry Guzzo (Ottawa
West-Nepean) voting with the opposition parties in favour of it. IT IS THE FIRST TIME
THE GOVERNMENT HAS PUBLICLY SAID NO TO AN INQUIRY UNDER ANY CONDITIONS.
Opposition MPPs gave Guzzo, a former provincial court judge, a standing ovation when
he voted but shouted ``Shame'' and ``Cover-up'' when other Tories stood to defeat the
bill. George was killed on Sept. 6, 1995, when provincial police in riot gear moved in
on Indians who had occupied Ipperwash Provincial Park on Lake Huron. The Indians said
the park contained a sacred burial ground, a claim later upheld by Ottawa. ``Today in
this Legislature I want to talk about two things in particular. I want to talk about
courage and I want to talk about cowardice - a family's courage and a government's
cowardice,'' Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty said. ``This is cowardice of the worst
possible kind.''
McGuinty said the George family has showed ``enormous courage'' by taking on the
Harris government in the courts because they knew an inquiry wasn't going to be
called. Critics accuse the government of avoiding an inquiry because it could show the
political interference in the protest that led to George being shot. ``This is a
deliberate action, ordered by the premier's office, to avoid an independent body
examining the considerable evidence that the premier and several members of his
cabinet were inappropriately involved in the events surrounding the death of Dudley
George,'' Phillips said. The unarmed George was gunned by acting Ontario Provincial
Police Sergeant Kenneth Deane, who was later found guilty of manslaughter but is
appealing that decision. Frank Klees, assistant government house leader, said
Phillips' bill shouldn't have been put before the Legislature because``two criminal
matters and three civil matters related to the tragedy at Ipperwash are still before
the c!
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ourt
.'' Harris and other senior officials have used legal loopholes to avoid giving
testimony at early stages of the George family's wrongful-death lawsuit, launched in
1996. The family has said it would would drop the lawsuit if the government commited
to an inquiry.
~~~~~~~~~
Gale's son charged for threats
Halifax Daily News 12/10/99
A key figure in the Donald Marshall inquiry, now retired, has been repeatedly harassed
by his 22-year-old son, police allege. Stephen Russell Nicholas Gale of 2731 Northwood
Terrace, Halifax, is also accused of threatening to kill his mother, Anastasia Gale,
at his parents' Bedford home last summer. Her husband, Gordon Gale, used to head the
criminal division of the Attorney General's office. That department was heavily
criticized in the 1990 Marshall report for the way it handled the case of Donald
Marshall Jr., the Mi'kmaq who spent 11 years in jail for a murder he didn't commit.
Gale's son, Stephen, is charged with two counts of phoning his parents with intent to
harass them. The calls were allegedly made last July 29 and between July 18 and 21.
Gale consented to a remand Nov. 30 pending a bail hearing three days ago. Represented
in Halifax provincial court by legal-aid lawyer John Black, Gale was released on a
$500 recognizance. Judge Castor Williams ordered him to stay aw!
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ay f
rom his parents' house, remain at 3345 Agricola St. - which he lists as his address -
and keep away from weapons. He returns to court Jan. 4, 2000 to enter a plea.
~~~~~~
SUICIDE INQUEST JURY RECOMMENDATIONS:
Sakanee Inquest returns 41 recommendations
WebPosted: 12/9/99 At: 10:20:20 PM
The jury overseeing an inquest in Thunder Bay into the suicide of a first nations teen
returned with its list of recommendations Thursday night. The 5-member jury was
looking into the hanging death of 15-year-old Selena Sakanee of Lansdowne House two
years ago. Just after 9 p.m., it returned with a list of 41 recommendations in efforts
to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future. Among the recommendations:
Suicide prevention programs should be implemented in remote native communities and
they should involve the band chief, councillors, elders, parents and children.
Each community should be involved in workshops or training sessions about the issues
and effects of suicide, sexual assault, substance abuse and parenting.
Police serving in reserves should be trained to deal with sexual assault complaints
and investigations.
Doctors, teachers and social workers should receive cross cultural training.
The federal and provincial governments should recognize the NAN suicide epidemic as a
social crisis of immense proportions and it needs to be addressed.
CONTACT NISHNABE ASKI NATIONS [EMAIL PROTECTED]
"Let Us Consider The Human Brain As
A Very Complex Photographic Plate"
1957 G.H. Estabrooks
www.angelfire.com/mn/mcap/bc.html
FOR K A R E N #01182
who died fighting 4/23/99
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.aches-mc.org
807-622-5407
For people like me, violence is the minotaur; we spend our lives
wandering its maze, looking for the exit. (Richard Rhodes)
Never befriend the oppressed
unless you are prepared to
take on the oppressor.
(Author unknown)
