Copyright © 2000 NLThomas
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Allegations of police violence towards Native people are surfacing across the country this week.

Allegations that federal Cabinet Ministers are covering up information and not fulfilling their responsibility to the electorate are being hotly debated in the media and in Parliament.

But neither of these stories is new.

When Dudley George was shot and killed by the Ontario Provincial Police almost five years ago, he became the first Aboriginal person to die in a land claims dispute in Canada in the 20th century. Yet, clearly this was not an isolated event and the human rights situation in Canada is getting worse.

Neither the provincial nor the federal government has called a public inquiry into what happened at Ipperwash, an inquiry that would recommend protocols to lessen the likelihood of a recurrence of this kind of tragedy. While provincial governments have jurisdiction over policing, the federal government has a constitutionally mandated fiduciary responsibility for "Indians and lands reserved for Indians".

Federal government inaction has strengthened the national climate of intolerance , a climate in which police and non-Native citizens can commit acts of violence towards Aboriginal persons with impunity. At fault, in particular, in this regard are the current and past Minister of Indian Affairs, Robert Nault and Jane Stewart, who have direct responsibility for a cover-up of the Ipperwash events.

As a last ditch effort - before returning to the international human rights arena - the Coalition for a Public Inquiry is appealing to the Prime Minister of Canada to act on the human rights issues of Aboriginal persons by mandating a federal inquiry into Ipperwash.

Coalition strategy, the letter to the Prime Minister, and materials received through Access to Information was released at a media conference held, Thursday, February 24, 2000, 11:00 a.m., at Media Studio, Main Floor, Legislative Building, Queen's Park