Aboriginal people impatient for release of RCMP report

Page 3

Metis Party activist John Melenchuk led a rally in front of Prince Albert's City Hall on March 11, hoping to add voices in that city to the province-wide call for justice concerning allegations that Saskatoon police have been taking Native people to the outskirts of town and forcing them to walk back to the city in sub-zero temperatures.

Four deaths may be linked to this alleged practice. The RCMP completed its investigation into these allegations in mid-March and submitted a report to the provincial Justice minister. The conclusions reached in that report had not been made public as of April 4.

Melenchuk, like many Aboriginal people in the province who have no doubt that police have mistreated their people, isn't ready to wait for the release of the investigation's report to believe the allegations are true.

"We just wanted to bring to light the issue that this discrimination and racism, it's alive and kicking in P.A. too. So it's affecting all the communities, not just Saskatoon," said Melenchuk after the rally.

Many citizens from the community gathered to listen to what Melenchuk had to say. There was also an open mike session, where people from the crowd were encouraged to come up and tell of their own experiences of living in Prince Albert as an Aboriginal person.

Four torches were lit to remember the four who died in acts of apparent police violence, and then four torchbearers - along with Melenchuk, who carried the Saskatchewan flag - led a march down Central Ave. to the Prince Albert city police headquarters, where an officer symbolically accepted the four torches.

Because nobody representing the city of Prince Albert attended the rally, Melenchuk approached city council at their regular Monday night meeting on March 13.

"Basically, a slap in the face of the Aboriginal community was committed at Saturday night's vigil rally," an emotional Melenchuk said to the council. "I am totally disgusted and shamed and disheartened for a no-show of concern from this elected power. The lack of respect, without even a note of an acknowledgement or encouragement, or any kind of representation from the civic officials, was not called for. Yet we had [Reform MP] Derek Konrad, who is away in Ottawa, send us a note."

Melenchuk, as a part of his presentation to council, also read a short note from an Elder in Prince Albert, Darryl Greyeyes.

The note read as follows:

"The young children in our community are fearing the grown-up fear of the local authority. A few bad seeds within the justice system need to be addressed so that an understanding will occur. The youth will then see the police as peacekeepers, not enforcers, as they're sadly seen now from the majority of the youth.

"So please, for the sake of the community, when city hall is asked for support, do it without excuses."

In response to Melenchuk's presentation, Alderman Dennis Nowoselsky stated his displeasure with the fact that Melenchuk had made a "blanket statement" about everyone on the city council. When Melenchuk made an effort to respond, he was immediately told by Mayor Cody that "debate is not allowed here."

"I am not aware of your process, sir," was Melenchuk's reply.

"We have a procedure bylaw, and the bylaw specifically says what you are and are not allowed to do," Mayor Cody told Sage after the council meeting was over.

Melenchuk has led a high-profile attack on Metis Nation of Saskatchewan officials, claiming that a lack of accountability has led to mis-management and corruption. Questions about his motivation - uncertainty about whether he is acting out of genuine concern for the public welfare or out of anger because decisions were made with which he disagreed - have caused many in the region to be wary of him.

When asked about his absence on Saturday, Cody said, "I just wasn't available, otherwise I well may have been there."

He then went on to make a few observations about the rally.

"There were no elected eople [at the rally] from the Metis society. didn't see [Metis Nation of Saskatchewan president] Clem Chartrand, I didn't see Gary Merasty, the chief of the Grand Council . . . so I'm just wondering, Would I or should I be there if it's not an official function?"

Alderman Nowoselsky also questioned the validity of the rally after the council meeting was over.

"Until the (Saskatoon) investigation is over, you can't start pursuing it. You have to wait until it's over, find out what comes from it, before you start demonstrations."

Asked to respond to allegations made at the rally that some members of the Prince Albert police force have physically abused Aboriginal people, Nowoselsky stated, "If that's being made, I think there's avenues to formally raise that protest. People are always going to say there's an element of fear."

He continued by stating, "Society needs more people to come forward if there is a legitimate complaint and raise it. Now that's what's being done (in Saskatoon) and let's let the process go through. If the evidence concludes that there is action that should be taken, then it will be left to the police commission in Saskatoon to take some action, and to the provincial attorney general's office."

Although none of the elected officials participated in the rally, the bishop of the Anglican Church diocese of Saskatchewan, Anthony Burton, was there. Burton expressed concern and said he understood the motivations behind the event and some of the things that have to be done to solve the problems.

"(Racism) is something that gets talked a lot about in our church's ministerial meetings," said Burton. "This is an ongoing topic of conversation, and a matter of concern, and a lot of the clergy actually have been involved on the race relations committee, and have been trying to do justice work in the community. I think that's probably true right across the spectrum of denominations."