david.nicholson's

2006 see also w-n on CBC videos Film captures the intensity of Oka Crisis John Ciaccia's Indian Summer: The Oka Crisis, written and directed by Alberta's Gil Cardinal, Cardinal based his script on two books, The Oka Crisis: Mirror of the Soul by John Ciaccia OWN, Quebec's Indian Affairs Minister at the time, and People of the Pines by Geoffrey York and Loreen Pindera, which probes the mentality of the Mohawk Warrior Society, the militant force behind the crisis that cost one police officer his life. No one was ever charged in the shooting that took place during a raid on the Mohawk encampment in the pine forest that a local developer wanted for a golf course development but was the site of an old native burial grounds. [As we see John Ciaccia portrayed in the movie it makes us proud to be his friend DTN] Find Wednesday-Night hits on John Ciaccia | CP John Ciaccia | Photo Slides | zoom stories Aboriginal Canada CBC Portal 2004 Sunday Jan 18, 2004 cbc MOHAWK CHIEF VOWS TO RETURN, FIGHT CRIME Kanesatake grand chief James Gabriel says he'll return to his Mohawk community to continue the fight against organized crime. But for now, he remains in a secret location. see w-n on Aboriginal people 2003 Monday Mar 31, 2003 globe Highway blocked at site of 1990 Oka crisis About 30 members of the Kanesatake Mohawk community yesterday completely blocked off Highway 344, at the site of the 1990 Oka crisis, in protest against an agreement to extend the term of the Kanesatake Mohawk police for another year. The protesters had been blocking the westbound lane of Highway 344 since last Friday, but they extended the blockade to the eastbound lane as well at noon yesterday, saying federal officials failed to contact them by the noon deadline. The protesters turned back all vehicles except for school buses, emergency vehicles and local traffic. The policing agreement with the federal and provincial governments was signed by grand chief James Gabriel without the majority backing of the band council, said band council member Steven Bonspille. "It's a dictatorship," added Sonya Gagnier, an activist at the barricades. "He (Gabriel) is like Saddam Hussein except he does not shoot people, yet." 2001 Wed 7/25/01 8:00 PM OKA RESIDENTS, MOHAWKS DEMAND PUBLIC HEARING INTO MINE Some residents of Oka are joining forces with the Mohawks of Kanesatake to put pressure on Quebec's Enivronment Minister. They want André Boisclair to call a public hearing into a mining project being developed in Oka. Tue 7/24/01 Oka unites to halt mine By: CATHERINE SOLYOM Oka is bracing for another standoff, but this time Indians and non-Indians are uniting forces to stop the development of a $102 million niobium mine in their backyard. Gathered in an apple orchard adjacent to the proposed site - where cabbages and cauliflower could soon disappear into a 300 metre-deep shaft - about 100 residents condemned the Quebec agricultural land commission's recent decision to rezone land for the mine, to be operated by Montreal-based Niocan Inc. 01/07/22 OKA NEIGHBOURS UNITE TO FIGHT MINE Mohawks in Kanesetake and their neighbours in Oka are banding together to block a mine from being built near their homes. They're worried it will bring noise and pollution to the area. 22/Jun/2001 Mohawks eye brighter future By: ALYSON GRANT Kanesatake has to come to grips with drug and alcohol problems if it wants to put its young people on the right spiritual and cultural paths, grand chief James Gabriel said yesterday at the Mohawk community's National Aboriginal Day celebrations. "A lot of young people are attempting suicide, there is domestic violence and drug and alcohol abuse, so we have to develop better social services and social programs to help," he added later in the shade of the traditional picnic ground pines, the same pines at the centre of the 1990 Oka Crisis. Thu 5/31/01 7:00 AM Deals could put Mohawks on path to self-government By: SIDHARTHA BANERJEE A set of draft agreements released yesterday by the federal government was described as the first step toward traditional Mohawk government for the people of Kahnawake. Negotiators for Kahnawake and the Indian Affairs Department unveiled an umbrella agreement and four draft subsidiary agreements that will be submitted for consultation with the people of the South Shore reserve. Thu 5/10/01 8:00 PM MINISTER FURIOUS AT QUEBEC CREES Quebec's Natural Resources Minister attacked James Bay Crees for a campaign in the United States that asks Americans to impose countervailing duties on Quebec lumber. Sun 2/18/01 8:33 AM Chevrette fails to convince By: KENNETH DEER It is always amusing when Quebec or Canada sends emissaries overseas to try to polish their international image over their treatment of the indigenous peoples living in Canada. The recent visit of Guy Chevrette, Quebec's minister of native affairs, to Europe is a good example. He admits that his tour to France, Belgium and England was to tell his side of the story of the relationship between Quebec and the native nations that live here. Quebec's image has been hurt internationally by images of the Oka Crisis and the stoning of Mohawks at the foot of the Mercier Bridge. Chevrette even brought three Quebec natives to tag along. However, when two other natives decided to follow Chevrette on his tour, he took great exception to their presence. click for piano Peter Ferst Matthew Coon Come has always been a young man with a mission. The intelligent, articulate, sometimes brash leader of the Quebec Crees has the respect — if not affection — of aboriginals throughout Canada, and of all those who love rooting for a David going up against a Goliath. When he was 21 and studying law at McGill University, a delegation of Cree elders asked him to run for election as the band's deputy chief. He accepted the challenge, won the election and eventually became Grand Chief of 12,000 Crees of northern Quebec. He also became a formidable opponent of industry and secessionist politicians. Coon Come, 44, has made brilliant speeches around the world on the plight of aboriginal peoples. In October 1996, he spoke at Harvard University, at the Harvard Center for International Affairs and the Kennedy School of Government. His topic this time was the separatist aspirations of Quebec and how they affect aboriginals. John Ciaccia's signs Book at the Launch Album 10 July 2000 Some Photos have been put in an album on the Yahoo site in hi-res where they can be printed (for a small fee) The speed of loading each is showen for a high speed ISP (Videotron Cable) and 2:00 minutes becomes much skower at 56K baud. Go have a coffee. Of course the second time you load them is from your cashe and faster. THE OKA CRISIS and JOHN CIACCIA Oka Pine Trees the book Oka Crisis Book Launched Monday July 10th 2000 "The 10th anniversary of the Oka Crisis is fast approaching and this week, the Federal Government has, after 10 years, settled the matter in a manner which, had it been done in 1990, could have avoided the entire issue. Those friends fortunate enough to have had the opportunity of reading the manuscript of former M.N.A. John Ciaccia's on the Mohawk crisis and his role as negotiator, describe it as a fascinating revelation of the real issues and of the inner soul of the author. In Rick Schultz's opinion, THE OKA CRISIS, A MIRROR OF THE SOUL is one of the most important - and readable - political memoirs to be published." Stories MONTREAL - Nov 7 1999 Ronald Cross, known during the Oka crisis by his Mohawk nickname "Lasagna", died Monday night. 15/Jan/2001 A law for everyone The Mohawk Council of Kahnawake is defying the federal firearms law that requires all Canadians who own or use firearms to obtain a firearms license. The deadline for getting the license was Dec. 31, but the council has staunchly reaffirmed its stand that the firearms law does not apply to the reserve. For anyone wanting a coherent gun-control policy in Canada, this resistance is unfortunate. Kahnawake has had an ugly history as a gun-smuggling hub, and its recalcitrance regrettably echoes that of some other native peoples. Certain Crees have also said they will not respect the law, and a body representing the Inuit of Nunavut has gone to court to be exempt from the law's firearms licensing provisions, which are part of the Criminal Code. see W-N on GunControl Loreen Pindera reports for CBC Radio [Download Players] Please phone (514) 934-0023 Please e-mail us your interest. See also latest Canadian Indians news

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Friday, July 14, 2000