Fantino's Top Aboriginal Cop Charged

Superintendent Ron George, Fantino's aboriginal right-hand man has been arrested and charged with care and control of a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

Sources now tell us that Ron George tested at twice the legal blood alcohol limit. Sources also claimed that there was initial indecision as to whether or not to charge George, but that the final decision was in fact to lay charges. [LINK to reporter's story]

Background Information

Ron George, an Ojibway member of the Kettle and Stony Point First Nation, is a cousin to Dudley George who was shot and killed by OPP at the Ipperwash standoff in September 1995. Ron George began his career with the OPP about 32 years ago, but left the OPP from 1992 to 1997 to study law. He returned to the OPP in 1997 with a law degree. He rose through the ranks, along with Gwen Boniface, also a lawyer and former OPP Commissioner.

Ron George is also an Aide de Camp to Ontario's Lieutenant Governor, the Honorable James K. Bartleman.

Ron George was instrumental in the negotiations with Six Nations in Caledonia. Nathan Wright, justice coordinator for the Chiefs of Ontario praised Ron George for the great job he was doing as OPP aboriginal liaison officer.

Hazel Hills' May 3, 2006 report stated that is was OPP representative Ron George who insisted there be no army called in and the RCMP be moved back.

On April 22, 2006, 2 days after the failed OPP raid on DCE, the London Free Press printed the following to show similarities between Ipperwash and Caledonia:

"Included in negotiations has been Insp. Ron George, a cousin of Dudley George, who confronted the OPP commander the night of Dudley's shooting and asked: "Did you at least put a gun into his hands to make it look good?"

After police marched on the park occupiers at Ipperwash and made an arrest, they were forced to abandon the area, including a command post, when angry natives joined the protesters.

The park remains in the hands of the occupiers.

At Caledonia, police moved in and arrested 16 protesters, but had to abandon the subdivision when they were confronted by a large group of native protesters.

The occupation continues."

Questions

Considering OPP Superintendent Ron George and other OPP senior brass had first hand experience at the failed police raid in Ipperwash, why were they not better prepared for the raid on April 20, 2006 on DCE?

Since Ron George would have known how natives would respond to a police raid, why were steps not taken for a police back-up?

Since both Gwen Boniface and Ron George rose through the OPP ranks at about the same time, and since both had direct connections with the native community and had knowledge about the failed OPP raid at Ipperwash, why were they not better prepared for the raid on DCE in Caledonia? Questions have been raised as to whether they wanted the raid to fail?