And now:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (S.I.S.I.S.) writes: 1. Wolverine Free, Still Defiant (Globe) 2. "Although granted parole, I am not free" (Sun) [S.I.S.I.S. note: The following mainstream news articles may contain biased or distorted information and may be missing pertinent facts and/or context. They are provided for reference only.] :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: NATIVE ACTIVIST FREE, STILL DEFIANT The Globe and Mail, January 29, 1999 by Sarah Schmidt Victoria. The native elder at the centre of a 31-day armed standoff at Gustafsen Lake in 1995 walked out of jail yesterday as militant and determined as the day he was taken into custody more than three years ago. Jones William Ignace, also known by his Shuswap name Wolverine, checked in with his parole officer in Kamloops yesterday morning before heading home to Chase, about 400 kilometres northeast of Vancouver. The last of 13 Gustafsen Lake offenders to be released from jail, he was granted full parole after serving one-third of a 4 1/2 year sentence imposed in July, 1997. "Who's really in the wrong?" said Mr. Ignace, 67, referring to law-enforcement and government officials. "This is Indian land. They're in denial. They're in a state of denial. All you have to do is look at the law." Mr. Ignace was found guilty of mischief causing danger to life, discharging a firearm at police, preventing arrests of others and possession of weapons for a purpose dangerous to the public peace. He was acquitted, along with his son Joseph, of attempted murder charges. The standoff, which lasted from Aug. 17 to Sept. 17, began with a dispute over ranch land about 450 kilometres northeast of Vancouver. The protesters, both native and non-native, contended the site was on unceded native land used for sacred ceremonies. The ranch owner disagreed and called for their eviction. After shots were fired, the Mounties sealed off the camp. "How can you fight people who aren't honourable?" Mr. Ignace asked yesterday. "Even the middle class white people don't look at us as human beings." Mr. Ignace and his supporters want a public inquiry into what is described as the largest police operation in BC history, involving more than 400 officers. However, British Columbia Attorney General Ujjal Dosanjh rejected the call. "I believe the matters have been absolutely and completely aired at trial and through the appeals." Letters to the Globe and Mail - mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: MAN AT CENTRE OF STANDOFF AT GUSTAFSEN LAKE PAROLED Vancouver Sun, January 29, 1999 Page B8 (CP) Kamloops - The man at the centre of an armed standoff at Gustafsen Lake in 1995 was formally released from prison Thursday. Jones William Ignace, 67, also known as Wolverine, was believed to be the ringleader of the group that held RCMP at bay for more than a month at Gustafsen Lake near Williams Lake. Ignace was sentenced in July 1997 to 4 1/2endangering life. He has been behind bars since September 1995. "Although granted parole, I am not free," a tired-looking Ignace said outside the Kamloops downtown parole office Thursday. "Shuswap Territory is not free. Gustafsen Lake is not over." Ignace is a member of the Adams Lake Indian band. He was granted parole two weeks ago and left Elbow Lake Correctional facility near Harrison Hot Springs early Thursday. He was driven to Kamloops, where he met with a parole officer, and was then released. He would not comment on his plans. Surrounded by supporters, Ignace renewed his demands for a public inquiry into the standoff. "Lies told by government, police, courts and media must be exposed in a full and open public inquiry," he said. "Both British Columbia and Canada have so far refused this with good reason - they have much to hide." Stewart Philip, president of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, said the Assembly of First Nations will continue to press for an inquiry. He compared the experiences of APEC protesters in Vancouver, who were pepper-sprayed by RCMP in November 1997. "There was an immediate response by the public and an inquiry with the RCMP public complaints commission," Philip said. "On the other hand, you have Gustafsen Lake and Ipperwash in Ontario where there was an incredible amount of deadly force employed and nothing's been done. "Where's the inquiry? The government and the RCMP must be made accountable." Attorney General Ujjal Dosanjh reiterated Thursday that the BC government has no plans for any inquiry. "These matters have been fully and completely aired in the courts," he said. "If there are residual matters, there is the RCMP complaints commission. That is the appropriate route." The 1995 standoff resulted from a dispute between a rancher and a group calling themselves the Defenders of the Shuswap Nation. Ignace and other natives set up camp near Gustafsen Lake, refusing to leave the James Cattle Company ranch. The standoff ended when the RCMP called in the armed forces and natives left the blockade. Letters to the Vancouver Sun - mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] :-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-: WE DEMAND A FULL AND OPEN PUBLIC INQUIRY INTO ALL APECTS OF GUSTAFSEN LAKE To support the petition for a public inquiry into Gustafsen Lake, visit: http://kafka.uvic.ca/~vipirg/SISIS/GustLake/support.html or send send a message to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> with "petition" in the subject header and "I support the petition for a full public inquiry into the events surrounding the Gustafsen Lake crisis," your name, and your city & province/state of residence in the body of the message.
