Dudley George killing back in the news

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As the sixth anniversary of the death of Dudley George approached (Sept. 6), a variety of legal proceedings and the coming release of reporter Peter Edwards' book about the killing of the unarmed Native protester drove the story back onto the front pages of Canadian daily newspapers.

Pressure was being applied on Ontario Premier Mike Harris as the contents of government documents containing references to the premier's interest in the case were reported.

"Premier's office doesn't want to be seen working with Indians at all," one document read.

The comment was found in minutes taken during an emergency government meeting just before Dudley George was shot dead by OPP acting Sgt. Kenneth Deane.

"Premier . . . We don't want any (illegible) form of negotiations," another government document reads. It raises the chilling spectre that Harris ordered the police not to try and talk the protesters out of Ipperwash Provincial Park, a locale they were occupying to bring attention to their grievances with the province over a land claim.

The attorney general of Ontario, suggesting a less sinister meaning to the document, said the illegible word in that line is "other." Edwards told Windspeaker that's possible, but it doesn't fit with other information he has uncovered.

"Even if we say that paragraph is neutral, which I'm not prepared to do, what about the rest of the article, with the first quote about not to be seen as working with Indians. There wasn't any illegible word in that one," Edwards said. "I don't think you can hide behind one smudgy little word. We've got a stack of paper more than an inch thick and there's plenty of other stuff in there. At the very least, shouldn't some of these guys be wondering why the OPP . . . . Why did they start acting totally differently?"

In another government paper, Harris' aide, Deb Hutton, is mentioned.

"Hutton: Premier will take lead.(?!)" the note said, adding "take this back to Cabinet-but suspect Premier will be pleased to take lead."

Armed with all this new information, NDP leader Howard Hampton called for Harris to resign on Sept. 21. He said the premier, in his past claims to have had nothing to do with the Ipperwash situation, had misled the legislature.

The media assault on Harris evaporated for a week in the wake of the terrorist strike in the United States, but Edwards and his partner Harold Levy were present when Deane's hearing under the Police Services Act began in London, Ont. on Sept. 17.

The OPP anti-terrorist specialist faces disciplinary action that could include dismissal.

Deane pled guilty to charges of discreditable conduct. He later apologized to the "family and friends of Dudley George and to his community for causing the terrible loss they have been forced to endure."

But Deane and his lawyer, who must convince adjudicator Loyall Cann that Deane is an asset to the OPP and no danger to the public, still argued he was justified in opening fire.

Final arguments will be heard in that matter on Nov. 21. The decision, no matter which way it goes, can be appealed.

Sept. 26 (Windspeaker's deadline) was the day scheduled for a hearing that has forced George family lawyer Murray Klippenstein to hire his own legal counsel. An articling student is alleged to have signed an affidavit based on third-hand information about the government's alleged removal or destruction of some documents. A judgement against Klippenstein could lead to a maximum fine of $30,000. Julian Falconer, Klippenstein's lawyer, has stated that the motion distracts attention away from more important issues.

Friends of the George family lawyer say a fine of that magnitude could be potentially crippling because he has dedicated so much of his time to the case with little or no payment.

Dudley George's brother, Pierre, hand delivered a letter to Ontario chief coroner James Young on Sept. 6. He asked the coroner to call an inquest into his brother's death. He told this publication he suspects edical personnel were prevented from providing immediate treatment to Dudley by police who insisted on arresting Pierre and his sister Carolyn when they arrived with their wounded brother at Strathroy-Middlesex General Hospital shortly after the shooting. An inquest, he said, would allow him to know just how and why his brother died.

Pierre George said he wants closure on this issue.

"I've got a young guy, eh? This ain't fair to him. When I'm feeling real pain, he's got to feel it, too. Not only that, he was only two years old when they had it under siege. His little cousin was only three weeks old," he said. "A baby. And she was under siege then, too. This lawsuit is holding back all this pertinent information on what the government and the OPP did to the people.

He has criticized his other family members who support the wrongful death lawsuit against the premier and others because it is a slow process. He would prefer an inquiry even if no blame is assigned or damages awarded.

"As long as all the names come out, that's good enough for me. I can go on with my life then. I wouldn't even care if they took them to court then. Just the fact that the people got to see who all was involved at what stage. I don't care if they blamed anybody. Just knowing that's been put out in the public, I could go on to my life then," he said.