Fund gets boost from teachers

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The family of Dudley George, a Native activist shot dead by an Ontario Provincial Police officer on Sept. 6, 1995 at Ipperwash Provincial Park, just wants to know who is responsible for the loss of their brother, son, and father.

To aid the George family in its quest for an answer, nearly 1,700 people packed the University of Toronto's Convocation Hall on March 1 to raise money for the Ipperwash Defence Fund, set up to finance a wrongful-death lawsuit against the Ontario government.

"I don't think the government or the police thought that anyone would ever care about my brother or the burial grounds, six years later," said George's brother Sam.

"Our Elders tell us that when a body is bothered, dug up and moved around, that the spirit doesn't rest until a proper ceremony is done.

"I know there are spirits here with us tonight; the spirits of the land that your people call Ipperwash Provincial Park. In a way, they will not rest until your society, your government does the right thing."

The evening's fundraising attempts proved successful. In addition to proceeds from the door, the Elementary Teachers of Toronto (ETT) and the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario each donated $10,000.

Dennis Fox, president of the ETT said he was donating to defend his profession.

"Every teacher across this city teaches the students in their classroom the basic values of truth, honesty, justice and racial tolerance.

"Mike Harris and the OPP are trying to make us liars. We're not going to sit back and take that lying down. We are going to stand up, we are going to fight them, and we are going to take the truth into the classroom."

Performers at the concert included Murray Porter, a Mohawk from Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve, Sylvia Tyson and the Skydiggers.

Tyson, the last act of the night, said that the minute she heard what the concert was for she agreed to perform.

She echoed the sentiment of those in attendance when she said, "I think it's disgraceful that it's been allowed to drag on this long. I think an inquiry will be called. Hopefully it's sooner rather than later."