Time to shut down Ontario

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A spokesman for the Union of Ontario Indians has said it is time to do whatever it takes to deal with the anti-democratic policies of Ontario's Harris government.

Glen Hare, the chief of West Bay First Nation and regional chief of the Union of Ontario Indians, told participants at a Days of Action rally in North Bay, Ont. on Sept. 27 that Premier Mike Harris abuses his power and it is time to "shut down" Ontario.

"It's time we came together on this," he said. "We have to do whatever it takes or live with it," he told 20,000 teachers, nurses and public sector unionists.

While acknowledging Ontario residents gave Harris a strong majority, Hare said Native people are joining with others over rights.

"We have to fight together his government's plan to taking away the right to strike. We've been fighting for our rights for a century. Now the rest of the province is fighting for theirs."

Hare, who has had his own disputes with Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources recently, said the premier has too much power. "One man has too much power. There is no consultation or negotiations on anything."

Hare was very vocal last summer during a trial regarding poaching on Manitoulin Island where 21 Native accused each got two years probation for illegal hunting. The chief was so angry about the trial and at ministry officials who, he contends, used entrapment to establish a case, that he warned them to stay out of his community or their vehicles would be impounded and burned.

Hare viewed it as one of an endless series of government attacks on treaties and inherent rights.

"Regardless of what happens here," he stated "we will stand behind our guys who exercise their hunting and fishing rights."

He was backed in his stance by the United Chiefs and Councils of Manitoulin and seven other First Nation communities.

West Bay's 70 teachers will also be affected if a province-wide teacher's strike occurs due to unhappiness over Bill 160, the Education Quality Improvement Act. It will give the province power to set class sizes, and replace teachers with other non-certified personnel who do not hold teaching certificates.

Bill 160 and Bill 134 were two reasons North Bay's rally heard Ontario's unions warn of a massive walkout.

The Harris government has since backed down on Bill 134, legislation which would have removed the right to strike and gutted any union power at the collective bargaining table. That legislation now stands vastly amended and public servants have accepted it.

But Bill 160, continues to move through the legislature.

Ontario's 200,000 teachers are balking at this and warn they will walk out if the legislation isn't withdrawn.

The North Bay rally is one of a series of labor gatherings being held across Ontario as protests over Harris' policies. The cities of Toronto, Hamilton and Sudbury have experienced them with Windsor next.