Racial tension high in Fort Macleod

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One of Alberta's most historic towns is still suffering under the same dark cloud of racial resentment that affected Indians after Canada's first police force was established there more than 110 years ago.

That's the claim made by local Natives who fear retaliation if they come forward with their complaints.

They say the problem of discrimination against Indians in Fort Macleod has escalated since a provincial inquiry got under way five months ago into the treatment of Natives by the RCMP.

Blood Tribe member Hilda Standalone said Indians are afraid to leave their reserves because they fear local RCMP units are targeting them for arrests because of the probe.

She said the Rolf Inquiry, which is being held at the Stand Off, Alberta reserve 30 km, south of Fort Macleod, has intensified their fears.

"It's just like it used to be with my people (ancestors). They are afraid to go anywhere," she says.

"They think they'll get picked up (arrested)."

Standalone claims their fears are not unfounded and are reinforced by the noticeable decline in the number of Natives coming into town.

"Look around. There's nobody on the streets or in the bars. It's desolate in Fort Macleod because of the police," she insists.

Standalone says she routinely comes to Fort Macleod to meet with friends. "But it's becoming more and more difficult to have a good time."

Fort Macleod, located 165 kilometres south of Calgary, became the first outpost for the Northwest Mounted Police in 1874 and later was southern Alberta's first pioneer settlement.

The town now has a population of 3,000 people.

Fort Macleod use to serve as a meeting point between Indians from the Peigan reserve in Brocket and the Blood Tribe from Stand Off.

"But they don't go there as much anymore," Standalone says.

She noted that Indians are feeling the same racial resentment from the white people that their forefathers experienced.

Thelma Sosa, manager of the American Hotel tavern in Fort Macleod, claims she is losing a large segment of her Native clientele because the RCMP are "staking out" her bar.

Originally from San Fransisco, California, Sosa says her experiences with racism in the U.S. seem minor in comparison to what she's seen in southern Alberta.

"It's total harassment. I've never seen anything like it in my life. You can't help to notice the discrimination," she says.

"I come from where there's a large Chinese community and they're not affected by the police like they are here."

She says Natives that leave her bar are being ticketed or arrested for alcohol-related offences at a higher rate than they were before the Rolf Inquiry got under way.

Fort Macleod RCMP corporal Jim Robson denies that the police are charging Natives with alcohol-related offences anymore than usual.

In fact, he says, the number of charges against Native people is at a two-year low.

"It just isn't true (that we're targeting Native people). On the weekends, there is some ticketing for violations under the Liquor Act," he says.

He says most of those ticketed are Natives caught drinking alcohol in their cars.

He would not supply Windspeaker with any statistics.

Fort Macleod newspaper editor Allison Wiebe told Windspeaker that Natives who come into town are having more difficulty with alcohol consumption than anything else.

"It's a very difficult situation on both sides. But the Natives are treated very well by the RCMP. Their (Indians) whole problem is alcohol," she said.

"I've lived here a long time, and I've never seen any discrimination."

The $2 million Rolf Inquiry was called by Alberta Premier Don Getty to investigate allegations of mistreatment of Native people by local RCMP units and social services.

Blood Tribe officials have accused the RCMP of mishandling investigations into a series of deaths spanning 12 years.

Judge Carl Rolf has been holding public meetings in Stand Off since May.

Throughout the five months of testimony, alcohol has been viewed as a determinig factor in many of the deaths.