Oka Crisis Essay

The Oka Crisis is a historical violent event that occurred in 1990 between the first nations and the Canadian government. It all began on July 11,1990 when the decision of the expansion of a golf course on land that the Mohawk of the Kanesatake had claimed fir years was announced by the mayor of Oka, Quebec (Robinson, 2017). This led to a 78-day standoff between the Mohawk protestors and officials of Oka, later involving the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The protestors had built a barricade to show their ownership of the land, but the police continued to attack with tear gas and concussion grenades (Robinson, 2017). The issue relating to the criminal code is the death of “Cpl. Marcel Lemay, who died during a bungled police raid on a

The occurrence of this event exemplified the importance of Indigenous land rights, and how indigenous people must fight for their opinion to be heard. This incident was more recent than other standoffs between indigenous people and society this allowed it to be well publicized. In today’s society, the expansion of a golf course does not outweigh the rights of first nations to their land. Which should not have necessarily been an issue worth disputing in the past. Although times have changed including citizens, the laws against racial profiling still existed. The indigenous people are insubordinate because of their race and the media portrays them as the “bad guys” when they are simply fighting for their rights. If they have occupied and claimed this land for generations, they should have a right over this

This murder occurred on a battle ground, where anyone could have been liable but it is very obvious to society who is to blame. While both groups of people believed that it was caused by the opposing group, Daniel Rochefort, the lawyer representing several senior police officers said, “that of 68 witnesses who have so far testified at the inquest, 30 have been police officers and nine have been native” (“Police lawyer tries to halt inquest into Oka crisis death”, 1993). The witness testimonials are clearly against the police officers, a potential reason not to press charges if they are not against the native. Even though the government would protect the police, it is intriguing that the death did not catch too much of the media’s attention. The arguments and issues that the press focused on was about the aftermath of the murder, no significant importance was given to murder itself. The question remains, would charges have been pressed if majority of the witnesses found the natives liable instead. Rochefort further argues that “instead of focusing on who killed Lemay on the morning of July 11, 1990, the inquest has placed a magnifying glass on the administration of the provincial police force” (“Police lawyer tries to halt