October 30th, 2008

Police station delivery thwarted by protesters
Chief Maracle says dissenters' views don't represent entire reserve

The Intelligencer
http://www.intelligencer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1272079

A new police station came and went here Wednesday as tensions on this native reserve continue to rise.

What was to be delivery day for a new Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory Police headquarters was thwarted by about two dozen protesters who refused to allow the modular building to be delivered to the York Road site.

Chief R. Donald Maracle, however, said the protesters do not represent the majority opinion of the 2,500 people living on the reserve, nor do they have their facts straight about the situation.

Maracle said many community members have come to the band office to voice their opinions about native protest leader Shawn Brant and his followers, who are believed to be behind the demonstration.

"They don't feel good about being held hostage by protesters," said Maracle. "And they don't feel as though the community should be controlled by protesters."

He said band council unanimously decided to move ahead with plans to install the building, despite the actions of protesters.

"It's not me that's steadfast about the issue, it's council.

It isn't the chief against them, it's council ... the five members of council."

Wednesday morning, native police shut down York Road between Norways Road and Sadies Lane, to prevent both the public and media from attending the site of the new station, which has been occupied by protesters since Monday.

According to native sources, trucks carrying five of the nine pieces of building pulled onto York Road in the early morning hours, but were soon turned away.

Initially, the band council and the company behind the structure planned to deliver all of the pieces Wednesday and have the building erected the following day using a crane.

However, the presence of about two dozen protesters -- and a lack of police presence -- prevented any attempt to have the new station put in place.

There were other reported incidents centring around the issue: a culvert near the site was set on fire and the windows of a band councillor's vehicle were smashed out, reportedly in retaliation for supporting the new station.

Sources also told The Intelligencer native police officers from other reserves were called in to assist the Tyendinaga First Nations Police Service with the ordeal, rather than relying on nearby Ontario Provincial Police detachments for manpower.

Around noon Wednesday, Brant walked from inside the police barricade to the corner of York Road and Sadies Lane, by Quinte Mohawk School, to speak to media.

He said the protest was based on band council's decision to prioritize spending on a police station over addressing the lack of safe water on the reserve, in particular in the nearby school.

Shipped from a Grimsby, Ont. company Wednesday morning, the building cost $1.9 million, of which $980,000 came from the band. The rest came from the provincial and federal governments.

"The bitterest pill to swallow in this is that we spent $1 million on a building and over there at that school the fountains are covered over, the kids can't drink, they can't wash their hands," Brant said.

Maracle strongly refuted Brant's allegations, however, saying the water system at the school was only identified as an issue in February.

"The water system at the school was identified as antiquated, an older system that needed replacement. There were no bad water tests that came from the school," he said, adding that students were provided bottled water as a precaution until the new system is put in place.

In fact, Maracle said a consultant was hired months ago to design a new system for the York Road school.

"And we're just waiting for that design, which should arrive any day now."

Once in hand, Maracle said, a funding application will be forwarded to Indian Affairs.

"The issue was identified in February and there was immediate action taken to explain the issue," he said.

Brant, meanwhile, was cautious saying the protest was not a personal attack on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Police service, but more to show band officials they are not pleased with their priorities.

"Nobody is against our police or against enhancing our police services," Brant said. "People have used this building as leverage, saying you can't have this (better water) when this is occurring right now.

"Every day I ask (Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte) Chief R. Donald Maracle and Chief of Police Ron Maracle do you have a work order to fix this? And it hasn't happened."

Brant said the most frustrating thing about the water issue is it has been talked about for five years.

"Five and a half years ago we took a delegation to council and brought our kids in. One by one, they showed growths on their heads, sores and rashes on their body. Health Canada convened an emergency assessment clinic to examine the children. That was five years ago. Since then we've shut down the train lines three times, the 401, everything has been done. We've appealed to this country, this government and society and said 'fix this problem.'"

He also said he was unconcerned about breaking court-ordered conditions of his recent mischief convictions to be at the protest site. On Sept. 29 he was issued a 90-day conditional sentence to be served at home for his actions on last year's Aboriginal Day of Action.

"My parents are over there," he said, referring to the police station site. "I'm not going to allow the OPP to come in and brutalize my parents."

The protest began at 5 p. m. Monday, when a group of woman walked up to the entrance of the police station site and lit a fire as police officers watched.

Officers and protesters remained at the site overnight, but the event was peaceful and no arrests were made Monday night or Tuesday morning, the police chief said.

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