Chief ousted over police exile

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The conflict between the Roseau River band council and reserve police has resulted in a vote of no confidence for the band's chief.

Chief Lawrence Henry was ousted Feb. 16 in a unanimous vote by members

of the reserve's Custom Council, the band's vice-chief said.

Eleven council members, each representing a single reserve family, voted unanimously to remove Henry as chief and to allow the four Dakoka-Ojibway Tribal Council police officers back on the reserve, John James said.

The vote came in the wake of a petition, signed by more than half of the reserve's residents, calling for Henry's resignation. Henry has been chief since 1991 and on tribal council for 10 years. He could not be reached for comment, but sources said the chief will comply with council's decision.

Relations between chief and council, reserve residents and tribal police soured last month when Henry expelled the officers for working with the RCMP in the Jan. 19 pre-dawn raid. Police seized 48 unlicensed video terminals, two blackjack tables and break-open tickets.

Tribal police will return to patrols on the reserve once a deal is reached with council to prevent future expulsion, James said. DOTC police officers will no longer reside on the reserve, however, as there are still hard feelings over their participation

in the raid.

"Peacekeepers" from the reserve's Anishable O-kii-ji-da warrior society have patrolled the reserve since the DOTC expulsion.

"They settle disputes, they stop assaults," James said.

A group of women on the reserve complained, however, that men in the warrior society, under restraining orders to keep them away from some women, pose a threat to safety. The women began circulating the petition for Henry's resignation shortly after the tribal police left.

No problems have occurred, said James, because other members of the peacekeepers intervene when there might be a conflict and ensure that the restraining orders are obeyed.

But Linda Roberts, spokesperson for the women's group, claimed that some

of the peacekeepers harassed and intimidated residents anyway.

"People are still divided over the issues of the chief, the issues of the DOTC, the issues of the peacekeepers," said James. "Our Elders say we must sit down and start the healing process."

Local RCMP were told to stay off the reserve in the wake of the tribal police expulsion, said Emerson RCMP sergeant Charlie MacKinnon. Two signs reading "No RCMP allowed on Indian land" appeared on provincial road 201, at the eastern and western edges of the reserve, a few days after the raid. But RCMP from both Emerson and Morris ignored the notice.

"If someone was being assaulted or property needed protecting, we'd have to go," MacKinnon said.

By Feb. 4, however, Henry had issued a public notice advising all tribal members to phone the RCMP if there were any problems of assaults, break-ins or of any trouble that arises.