New OPP station on Tyendinaga instead of clean drinking water for everyone
Wed, 2008-05-14 06:30
#1
New OPP station on Tyendinaga instead of clean drinking water for everyone
Wed, 2008-05-14 06:30
#2
This is incredible. This was in the middle of a statement from the Tyendinaga Support Committee on the continuing story of Shawn Brant, but I think it merits its own thread. Apparently Indigenous people need to be policed more than they need clean drinking water.
Also - I know this brings up the contentious issue of Band Councils vs. activists within their communities. I'm hoping Makwa will let me (or others) know if we've crossed any lines while discussing this issue. I know that the politics are complex.
[url=http://www.ocap.ca/supporttmt/]Here's the whole statement.[/url]
Here's the part about the new OPP station:
quote:
As well as dealing with five of their community members now facing charges, the people of Tyendinaga are also facing another serious challenge. The OPP has struck a deal with the Band Council to build a new police station on Tyendinaga territory, ostensibly for the Tyendinaga Reserve Police force (employed by the OPP). Community members have questioned why the four-man force needs a bullet-proof, 5,000-square-foot facility. An identical structure on Mohawk land the Akwesasne Reserve in Quebec is now home not only to the local Reserve cops, but also to the OPP and the RCMP. The deal between the Band Council and the OPP, in which the Band will spend $1.2 million on the new station, with an additional $1 million contributed by the Province of Ontario and Stockwell Day's Federal Ministry of Public Safety, was made without proper consultation with the community. The Men's and Youth Councils, who meet at the recently constructed community longhouse, have openly voiced their opposition to the station, saying the money is needed more urgently elsewhere on the reserve. Meanwhile, construction on the new station has, as of printing time, now begun.
[ 14 May 2008: Message edited by: Michelle ]
Wed, 2008-05-14 06:31
#3
Whoops, posted it in anti-racism originally. Here we go.
Wed, 2008-05-14 07:20
#4
It's just wild. It's a gross expense but the community needs basic infrastructure. And it also brings lots of different police forces, with unclear jurisdction onto the reserve.
It should be noted that the former Tyendinaga Police Chief was fired for criticizing the practices of Julian Fantino and the OPP.
Wed, 2008-05-14 15:53
#5
every day and everywhere the police state becomes more entrenched in all the communities of all canadians.
see for example the police sieving of license plates, coming soon to a roadway near you.
[url=http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/Plate_readers_revolutionize_policing.htm...
Wed, 2008-05-14 17:38
#6
Makwa
Thanks for the information FleaB, but I don't think that this has anything to do with aboriginal issues.
Wed, 2008-05-14 18:26
#7
quote:
Also - I know this brings up the contentious issue of Band Councils vs. activists within their communities. I'm hoping Makwa will let me (or others) know if we've crossed any lines while discussing this issue. I know that the politics are complex.
I'm trying to organize an event in Belleville supporting the Tyendinaga defendants and I'm aware of issues between traditionals and the band council. However, I'm biased towards the defendants (I guess the activists) in organizing this event because these are the people I know.
Is there something we are not suppose to talk about or touch upon regarding this on Babble?
I can see from this thread that Babble may be a great resource...
Wed, 2008-05-14 23:38
#8
Makwa
quote:
Originally posted by Sam:
[b]Is there something we are not suppose to talk about or touch upon regarding this on Babble?[/b]
I think that in the past some people have been alienated by the perception that a poster may have suggested that either traditional or contemporary forms of self-governance are inherently misguided, or something to that effect.
Thu, 2008-05-15 12:46
#9
I’ll try not to place a judgement on this Council’s decision. Reading the story though made me wonder what the Council’s priorities were when they made the decision. You have to consider asking if the 1.2 million dollars is coming from band funds or is it program funding or even project specific monies? However, if the source of funds is band funds, that’s a lot of own source revenue to commit if there is other needed infrastructure. If the 1.2 was seed to lure other funding, well that’s just plain crap on the part of the other governments.
There’s often a lot of conflict between Chiefs and Councils and community members. These are democratically elected bodies that are making decisions in the best interests of people. So you ‘d think there shouldn’t be so much conflict. But why are bad decisions made?
The biggest irritant for me is this notion that a governing body makes decisions on “behalf” of a community rather than making decisions with the community. It introduces this notion that we’re actually capable of making decisions which are “in the best interests of...”. More often than not it’s about what we think than about the needs of the other.