After 11 years, the family of Dudley George finally have some closure and vindication. Dudley George was participating in a peaceful occupation of the Ipperwash Provincial Park in 1995 to protest an ongoing land claim dispute of his band. The federal government had taken part of their reserve in 1942 to build an army base, and never returned it.
Dudley George was killed by a police sniper in a botched OPP raid on the peaceful protest.
11 years later a provincial inquiry has finally published its results. Here is a brief summary from a CBC report.
Ipperwash inquiry spreads blame for George’s death
“The government of former Ontario premier Mike Harris, Ottawa and the OPP all bear responsibility for events that led to the 1995 death of Dudley George, the head of the Ipperwash inquiry said Thursday.”
At the time of the Ipperwash protest, I wrote “Borrowed Land” to summarize my feelings on the issue. I recorded it on my CD. Have a listen.
