Union president supports public inquiry

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An Ontario labor leader has pledged provincial union support of calls for a public inquiry into the shooting death of Anthony (Dudley) George at Ipperwash Provincial Park in September 1995.

Gord Wilson, president of Ontario's Federation of Labour, said Ontario's unions may hold a Toronto rally at the Ontario legislature to join Native people demanding the inquiry.

Wilson spoke at one of Ontario's largest rallies in North Bay, Ont. on Sept. 27. He told some 20,000 public service employees, teachers, nurses and students, that Dudley George's death and the manner in which the subsequent investigation was handled is a basic human rights issue.

Both Wilson and Dudley's brother, Sam George, spoke at the province's latest Days of Action protesting Premier Mike Harris' government policies. The rally occurred just prior to possible province-wide strikes by the unions.

Anthony Dudley George, 36, died after an OPP tactical response unit dressed in full riot gear opened fire on a school bus Dudley was in. The bus, driven by a Native teen was moving through OPP barricades at the park located outside Sarnia, Ont. Native protesters were in the park to bring attention to the location of a burial ground.

OPP Acting Sergeant Kenneth Deane was convicted of criminal negligence for discharging a firearm which resulted in Dudley's death. Deane was sentenced to two year community service.

During the internal police investigation prior to Deane's trial, calls came from the Native community and then federal Minister of Indian Affairs Ron Irwin for a public inquiry.

Irwin called for the inquiry believing police credibility as peacekeepers in the area was jeopardized. But calls for an inquiry stemmed too from questions over how much the premier's office, and other cabinet ministers, were involved in the events prior to Dudley's shooting.

Sam George believes the Ontario premier has much to hide.

"We believe it's a cover-up, said Sam. "The notes and documents we get under Freedom of Information are all whited-out, but other documents have been leaked."

Sam said Native people are convinced Harris' won't call a public inquiry because his hands are "dirty."

"We believe the premier gave the orders to get the Indians out of the park. Our lawyers have subpoenaed the solicitor general, attorney general and the premier who will now have to go through the legal process of discovery." That is the process in which the matter is examined to see what evidence exists to warrant further action.

The governing provincial Conservatives have said a public inquiry would be too time consuming and expensive. But that doesn't satify Sam George.

Originally a press advisor in Harris' office said no inquiry could be held until all criminal legal issues were resolved.

"No one thought of costs before, so why is it a factor now?," Sam asked.

Besides possible involvement by the Ontario cabinet and premier, the George family want to know why the OPP did not get their brother an ambulance, why OPP were using alcohol during the standoff and why some officers used racist slurs against Dudley and others.

The case of OPP racism grows stronger given OPP Commissioner Thomas O'Grady's apology for "inappropriate memorabilia" ordered by OPP officers present at Ipperwash.

Unit members had coffee mugs emblazoned with the slogan "Team Ipperwash 95" and bearing an arrow over the force's crest. T-shirts were also ordered with the letters ERT (emergency response team) and TRU (tactical response unit) printed on them along with a horizontal white feather which symbolizes dead warriors.