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This is a better story which shows more threats by the Police Commissioner.....


OPP chief sidestepped negotiators in Mohawk protest talks, court told



CAROLINE ALPHONSO AND KATE HAMMER

With a report from Karen Howlett in Quebec City

July 19, 2008

Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Julian Fantino was personally involved in a police operation against native protesters last summer in which a wiretap was set up without a court order and in which the Commissioner took over telephone negotiations with a native activist, at times threatening him.

The evidence and wiretap transcripts from Mohawk activist Shawn Brant's preliminary hearing were made public last night after a whirlwind day in which the documents were unsealed by a courthouse in Napanee, Ont., at the request of a news media outlet, and then sealed again that afternoon by a Court of Appeal judge only to be reopened by evening.

The transcripts reveal that Commissioner Fantino repeatedly called Mr. Brant through the midnight hours and early in the morning, even interrupting conversations with the specially trained negotiators who were on the scene working to peacefully end the blockade of parts of Highway 401 and a railway line near Kingston.

The at-times heated comments by the province's top police officer contrast much of the spirit of the force's own conduct guidelines that were put in place to avoid a repeat of the 1995 Ipperwash Provincial Park confrontation, where native protester Dudley George died at the hands of police.


The wiretap transcripts showed Commissioner Fantino telling Mr. Brant that "your whole world's gonna come crashing down," and, "I don't wanna get on your bad side but you're gonna force me to do everything I can within your community and everywhere else to destroy your reputation."

At one point, Commissioner Fantino said: "Shawn we're not negotiating any more we've done it all night I'm now telling you for the sake of, uh, all that's decent and holy and the things you're trying to achieve and ... to ensure that the reputation and the credibility of ... First Nations people, which I think is being very severely damaged ... I'm now telling you pull the plug or you will suffer grave consequences."

In his testimony in August, also released yesterday, Commissioner Fantino is asked by Mr. Brant's lawyer about the wiretap put on his client's cellphone without judicial authorization. He said that a wiretap can be obtained in an "emergency," and there is a section of the Criminal Code that allows for it. But he said that in his years as a police officer he had never initiated one.

Yesterday, Mr. Brant called the wiretaps "an unjust invasion into my space" that were ultimately important because the transcripts of his phone conversations revealed Commissioner Fantino's "racial intolerance" and threats.

(Cont'd).....

"I don't believe I warrant the wrath of the Commissioner of the OPP and the entire provincial police force because we want redress to social issues like drinking water and suicides and poverty," Mr. Brant said in an interview.

Commissioner Fantino was heading on vacation and unable for comment. OPP Sergeant Kristine Rae said the force would not comment because the matter is before the courts.

Mr. Brant's lawyer indicated that the Crown's initial submission for a publication ban was requested as a protection of his client's right to a fair trial, but he didn't feel the native activist was the one being protected.

"It's very important that everything comes out so that the public and politicians can judge the behaviour of the OPP in light of the recommendations that stemmed from the Ipperwash inquiry," said lawyer Peter Rosenthal.

The trial of Mr. Brant, which is expected to begin in January, stems from last summer's blockade of parts of Highway 401 and a railway line.

Mr. Brant, from the Tyendinaga reserve near Deseronto, Ont., is charged with counts of mischief and breach of bail.

In a June, 2007, interview with CTV's Mike Duffy after the end of the blockade, Commissioner Fantino took credit for ending the standoff, even though in the wiretap conversation he tells Mr. Brant that he was going to give the native activist full credit.

"And that's really the dialogue that I had with Mr. Brant for all of the time that I spoke with him during the night today, and we got some things done, other things we didn't get done, but we did the best we could and now of course the ultimate goal for me and all of us, the police here, was to ensure that we came out of this without any escalation, and that we didn't have any injuries or spill any blood on anyone's part," Commissioner Fantino told CTV.

Yesterday at the premiers' annual meeting in Quebec City, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty said he had the utmost confidence in Commissioner Fantino's work.

"He has performed heroically and arguably under some of the most difficult circumstances when it comes to our province's relationship with our aboriginal communities. And he has throughout found a way to keep the temperature down and to follow some of the guidelines set out through the Ipperwash commission," he said.

In what turned out to be a roller-coaster day of court proceedings yesterday, an application by the CBC to remove the publication ban was granted in a Napanee courthouse in the morning.

Crown lawyers moved quickly to quash the publication of evidence. In a two-page handwritten decision, Madam Justice Gloria Epstein of the Ontario Court of Appeal granted a temporary reinstatement of the publication ban and wrote that if news media are allowed to publish evidence the Crown seeks to protect, the "genie will be out of the bottle."

The unusually speedy appeal process left Mr. Brant and CBC lawyers fuming. They went back to the judge, who again removed the ban after considering that the evidence had already been released earlier in the day and posted on various news media websites. She also noted that Mr. Brant supported the release of the transcripts so there was no harm to him receiving a fair trial.

Although silent, I have been watching this with interest.

Seems to me that the newspapers tend to dictate or at least, attempt to sway. what becomes popular - they are all tarred by the same brush in my personal opinion, and thats self gain/interest.

Integrity seems to count for less and less as the years pass us by.................

Yes....Well I am quite angry right now at finding out this info although it does confirm my suspicions about the man and his conduct as well as the conduct of the O.P.P. on the actions that were taken in June....and the fact that this obviously acceptable conduct by the Premiere of Ontario!!!!!!!!!!!

A synopsis of this story is needed if I may say so.

That's right...but it's the Police Commissioners actions and conduct that concern me more...and the fact that the Ontario Premiere supports it is even worse!!!!!!!!!


But yes you're right...they were the ones who printed his lies to begin with and didn't care to know the real stories!!!!!!!!!!!

The whole thing...or the incident that led to the wire taps in 2007????????

I think the whole thing, and I know what I am suggesting is taking up a lot of your time, forgive me but this has to be as digestible as possible to the max amount of people.

I did not invent the rules, and I do not obey them, but I do know their power!

It sounds like everything's under control. So far, its just a police matter. I wouldn't be worried, unless they brought in the military. I'm sure you'll be fine.

Not a problem....I will try my best to keep it as short as I can.....and trust me it's well worth my time....

That part is...it's the update about an incident last year and what just came out now that upsets me....and the issues that go along with it...BUT thanx for your comment...none the less!!!!!!!!

I'm wondering if ....... like last time when they closed one area to protest the golf course....( not saying they were wrong).... just how many people not involved will loose their homes due to vandalism etc.

Many had to leave their homes because of the blockade, and some others just helped themselves, and destroyed homes just for kicks. (those homes or should say families had nothing to do with the issue either.)

Well I hope it gets better soon hun

Police, they work for whomever is in charge..... take note, they have lowered the requirements for people to join the Edmonton Police force.


My Former brother in law is in the Quebec police force... he said the best police officer is one that can think like a criminal... and he was speaking for himself. If your superior said jump you did, because if you did not, you were out of the brother hood.... and your fellow police officers would have issues with someone who broke that code.

Neither side is innocent in this case. Be it the reporters, natives, politicians, or police force.

JMO, I do get tired of being told I'm sh-t because of what happened 300 yrs ago, and having to pay higher taxes to provide certain people with free programs. Funny how rules set for others do not apply to them, and if the rules are enforced, it turns into a racial issue.

Both sides of that issue, did not follow rules. History has shown natives were treated badly, but when will any one be able to stop paying for it.

I will be honest, and say I have met natives with an excellent education, are smart and live productive lives. They don't sit around and blame the government. They are not walking around with guns, destroying innocent families' homes or shooting horses on another person's land, for kicks.

One was a professor and told me sitting around whining was not helping him move forward. He saw he had to get up off his butt and do the work to reach his goals. On his journey (in his opinion) he needed to let go of history from early times, and move on. Changes in himself had to take place. He also said being angry and blaming others for everything that is wrong was going no where. This friend was worried that some times a hot headed radical might be stirring somethings up to cause trouble and instead of allowing something to be settle by talking, meetings etc, they feel using violence is the only way.

Sometimes that violence is not about the issue at hand.... emotions run high, and it can make things worse when you get a mob mentality happening. JMO

If there is going to be any healing or fixing of issues, both sides have to sit down, talk reasonably, etc..... OK in a perfect world that would happen.

Kid.... question.... the problems at Enoch, do you feel they are because it's the white man and government's fault?

On a good note (JMO) if Quebec were to separate.... the natives would get take back the land Hydro is on.

The synopsis and Open Letter to the Police Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police dated April 28, 2008:



Incident April 25, 2008:


*Protesters closed off the main route to the town of Deseronto last week after a land developer threatened to go in and develop land which he was sold but has already been recognized by the government as Mohawk land and currently under negotiation.

*The Ontario Provincial Police moved in on Tuesday 300 strong against 35 protesters and broke the protest up in an excessive show of force.

*The protesters then moved back to a quarry are which they have been occupying for months under the leadership of Shawn Brant, a well known Native activist. This area was being developed as well and is also currently under land claim negotiations, which is the reason for the occupation by protesters.

*The Ontario Provincial Police have just surrounded the quarry area and also arrested activist Shawn Brant today and it seems they are also trying to provoke some sort of altercation.

*There was a report that was just released less than a year ago after the murder of this man Dudley George by an Ontario Provincial Police Officer at a similar protest with similar show of force.

*. Roads leading toward the property have been closed by provincial police since Friday and they are still armed.

*The police claim they are there to maintain law and order but they are the only ones who have been out of order and the so called "long gun" they saw was a stick, proven by them when they blew up a picture of the person with the so called gun and saw a stick in his hands....this statement is never retracted int he press.

* April 30 - Still heavy police presence patrolling the area.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Open Letter to Police Commissioner Julian Fantino:


Quotes are Statements given to the press by Julian Fantino:


*Shawn Brant was not arrested during a routine traffic stop as explained by Fantino:

“Tensions boiled over in eastern Ontario near Deseronto, Ont. Friday, when one of the protesters of a land claim dispute near that community, Shawn Brant, was arrested during a traffic stop.”

Mr. Brant was arrested while giving an interview with APTN the Aboriginal People’s Television Network. This can be proven by watching their news footage on April 25, 2008 which shows Mr. Brant’s arrest and also verifies he was arrested while doing an interview with them.

*Also there are no weapons on the site as reported by your men obviously when yours were drawn and pointed:


“Police say they saw a “long gun” being pointed at them from a location inside an occupied quarry, which protesters have controlled since March, 2007.”

“An order was issued to all police personnel on the scene to take cover, and guns were drawn by officers crouching behind their vehicles, but no shots were fired.”


(Cont'd).....

The protesters said they had no weapons at the quarry.’

*You also say that you are not trying to remove anyone from any land and that this has nothing to do with land claims, however, this comment shows that the protesters have indeed been ordered to leave the land they have been occupying now for close to a year.

‘Protester Jason Maracle said they will refuse all orders to leave what they consider to be Mohawk land.’

“The OPP asked protesters to leave the site or face arrest.”

Toronto Sun - April 26, 2008

“We're not moving anywhere,” he said. “They're going have to kill every God damn one of us to get us off our land. We're not moving. ... I guess if they want another 1990 scene, then OK, I guess we'll have one.”

Canadian Press
April 25, 2008 at 7:46 PM EDT

*What’s the public Danger when all protesters are unarmed?

"In the interest of public safety, the officers established roadblocks to permit limited access to the area," Sgt. Rae said.”

*Meanwhile, there were reports that police saw one of the demonstrators pointing a long gun at them. Sgt. Rae would not confirm this, but did say that officers were ordered at one point during the standoff to draw their weapons.”

*Guess this confirms that the police actually did point their weapons now doesn’t it?

"We are staring down the ends of gun barrels," protester Jason Maracle said in an interview from the quarry. He said the protesters had no weapons with them - declining, for tactical reasons, to say how many demonstrators remained at the site.”

Globe and Mail - June 26

*Fantino, you and you alone have escalated this nobody else and as shown above you have ordered the protesters out of the quarry:

“OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino last night said the dispute is not a land-claims issue. "This violent criminal activity occurred outside of any legitimate protest and will not be tolerated," he said. "Police officers being assaulted and injured for doing their utmost to keep the peace and protect the law-abiding community is unacceptable.
"We're trying to keep this from escalating."

*I’m sorry Fantino but it appears that you are following the same deadly blue-print of the Ipperwash protest which led to the shooting death of Dudley George, because as the final report released last June shows, this is exactly the way it started, right down to reports that the protesters were armed:

“Protesters inside a quarry protest site told the Sun last night they were "worried" a confrontation was imminent. "We are surrounded here," said protester Mike Brant. "They are sending the media away so we are worried they are going to take us all out."

He said they were concerned police were going to "come in the dark with guns" which would be unfair because "we are not doing anything. All we are doing is sitting here holding out land. There is nothing wrong with that."


*The OPP said they were concerned when officers spotted a "long gun" pointed at them from within the quarry. Native protesters deny this.

Protesters have controlled the quarry since March 2007
“Several witnesses confirmed the OPP had up to 150 officers and 50 vehicles already on site in this town, 50 kms west of Kingston, near the Mohawk Territory.

Sun Media's Pete Fisher said he was told by police that "they couldn't guarantee my safety" and he reported that he had never seen a bigger native protest scene. A whole field was set ablaze.”


Toronto Sun - April 26, 2008

(Cont'd).....

*Yes you have also contended that no weapons were pointed at anyone, yet your own men and other witnesses above have said differently:

“The Commissioner went on to say OPP had not trapped anybody in the quarry, nor pulled or aimed guns, among other things.”

*No Fantino your lies are inflaming the situation:

“I think it's inflaming what is already a very tenuous, very difficult situation, he said.”

The Hamilton Spectator - April 27, 2006


(Cont'd).....

July 19, 2008....


*Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Julian Fantino was personally involved in a police operation against native protesters last summer in which a wiretap was set up without a court order and in which the Commissioner took over telephone negotiations with a native activist, at times threatening him.


*The evidence and wiretap transcripts from Mohawk activist Shawn Brant's preliminary hearing were made public last night after a whirlwind day in which the documents were unsealed by a courthouse in Napanee, Ont., at the request of a news media outlet, and then sealed again that afternoon by a Court of Appeal judge only to be reopened by evening.

*The transcripts reveal that Commissioner Fantino repeatedly called Mr. Brant through the midnight hours and early in the morning, even interrupting conversations with the specially trained negotiators who were on the scene working to peacefully end the blockade of parts of Highway 401 and a railway line near Kingston.

*The at-times heated comments by the province's top police officer contrast much of the spirit of the force's own conduct guidelines that were put in place to avoid a repeat of the 1995 Ipperwash Provincial Park confrontation, where native protester Dudley George died at the hands of police.

*The wiretap transcripts showed Commissioner Fantino telling Mr. Brant that "your whole world's gonna come crashing down," and, "I don't wanna get on your bad side but you're gonna force me to do everything I can within your community and everywhere else to destroy your reputation."

*At one point, Commissioner Fantino said: "Shawn we're not negotiating any more we've done it all night I'm now telling you for the sake of, uh, all that's decent and holy and the things you're trying to achieve and ... to ensure that the reputation and the credibility of ... First Nations people, which I think is being very severely damaged ... I'm now telling you pull the plug or you will suffer grave consequences."


*In his testimony in August, also released yesterday, Commissioner Fantino is asked by Mr. Brant's lawyer about the wiretap put on his client's cellphone without judicial authorization. He said that a wiretap can be obtained in an "emergency," and there is a section of the Criminal Code that allows for it. But he said that in his years as a police officer he had never initiated one. Yes and this was the only time it was evee done according to another statement by Commissioner Fantino.


*Yesterday, Mr. Brant called the wiretaps "an unjust invasion into my space" that were ultimately important because the transcripts of his phone conversations revealed Commissioner Fantino's "racial intolerance" and threats.

*
"It's very important that everything comes out so that the public and politicians can judge the behaviour of the OPP in light of the recommendations that stemmed from the Ipperwash inquiry," said lawyer Peter Rosenthal.

*The trial of Mr. Brant, which is expected to begin in January, stems from last summer's blockade of parts of Highway 401 and a railway line.


(Cont'd).....