Oka crisis

The conflict for the Oka People was violent and harsh. The canadian government had plans to built a golf course on their land without consulting the Mohawk people who live on that land. The people tried hard to protect their land for many reasons. The Social 10 textbook, Perspectives on Globalization, shares that the people protested plans to to build a golf course on the land, which they claimed was once a burial ground and contained a sacred grove of pine trees planted by their ancestors. I think this is an important aspect for the government not to build a golf course on.

The violence was caused from both groups, the government and the Oka people. The Mohawk barricaded their land which caused the government to take action. On July 11 a SWAT team launched tear gas and concussion grenades to break up the barricades. This action killed Corporal Marcel Lemay of the Surete du Quebec police force.

Week after the SWAT team had killed the police officer Aboriginal groups from across North America joined the Mohawk people to barricade the land. Their blockades caused traffic jams and the RCMP were brought but couldn't control the situation. Many other violence acts caused harm to the environment and reconstruction was needed. The wooden bridge in Cold Lake, Alberta, lead to the Canadian Forces Base was burned by a member of Cold Lake First Nations. Acts like this were solidarity and took place in Canada, like the blockade from the First Nations group.

The premier of quebec invoked a order that would allow him, Robert Bourassa, to deploy the military for the purpose of maintaining law and order. The Mohawk had held out for about a month and couldn't stand it any longer. On September 26 they went in and destroyed the weapons, ceremonially burned tabacco, and they had also walked out of the pines to the reserve. Many of the Mohawks were arrested for this act, but none were convicted.

I think that the government is being way to unfair to the Mohawk and First Nations group. The Lubicon people also are being disrespected and treated unfairly. If the government would communicate with the people maybe the argument would be resolved in a safe, respectful, mature, and common way. I don't know why it's so difficult for the government to realize this, but I hope someday they do.