Fantino defends taking over native negotiations

Threatening protester contradicts force's guidelines put in to avoid incident like Ipperwash, AFN Ontario chief says

CAROLINE ALPHONSO AND KAREN HOWLETT

With a report from Kate Hammer

July 22, 2008 Globe and Mail

Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Julian Fantino was defiant yesterday about his actions during a highway blockade last summer, when he took over negotiations and threatened a native activist.

Under criticism for making heated remarks that were recorded over a wiretap and revealed publicly for the first time last week, the province's top police officer broke his silence and lashed out at politicians and the media for portraying his conversations with Mohawk activist Shawn Brant as anything but a successful resolution to a "possibly volatile" situation.

"Consistent with the recommendations from the Ipperwash Inquiry, the OPP continues to work collectively with legitimate First Nations leadership and communities to ensure that both the interests of participants during lawful protests and public safety can be served in the best way possible. The positive outcome of this incident and that of many others speak for themselves," he said in a statement.

But some politicians and native leaders yesterday questioned whether the angry rhetoric contradicts the force's own conduct guidelines that were put in place to avoid a repeat of the 1995 Ipperwash Provincial Park confrontation, where native protester Dudley George was killed by police.

The transcripts reveal that Commissioner Fantino took over from specially trained negotiators who were on the scene working to peacefully end the blockade of parts of Highway 401 and a railway line near Kingston in June, 2007. In conversations through the night and into the early morning, he tells Mr. Brant that "your whole world's gonna come crashing down" if the standoff doesn't end, and "you're gonna force me to do everything I can within your community and everywhere else to destroy your reputation."

Such "intemperate" and "bellicose" language had the potential to inflame the situation, charged New Democrat MPP Peter Kormos, who called for Commissioner Fantino's resignation.

"I think it's time for him to go," he said.

Angus Toulouse, the Ontario regional chief for the Assembly of First Nations, wasn't as harsh in his criticisms, but still insisted the OPP should have adhered to guidelines that came out of the Ipperwash inquiry. Mr. Brant had been negotiating with Tyendinaga Mohawk police who were also OPP officers - a recommendation in the inquiry. But then Commissioner Fantino took over.

Mr. Toulouse said that move by the commissioner, and then the push for an immediate end to the blockade, contradicted recommendations from the inquiry. "Yes, they are guidelines. But they are there for a reason, so we won't get into a situation like what happened in Ipperwash," Mr. Toulouse said.

Despite criticisms of Commissioner Fantino's handling of the situation, Premier Dalton McGuinty repeated yesterday that he has no intention of asking for his resignation.

"It's really easy for us in this rarefied atmosphere, far removed from the heat of the moment, to pass judgment on Commissioner Fantino," Mr. McGuinty said. "But my experience with Commissioner Fantino is he's worked long and hard, and he's been very determined to be fair in terms of his approach to all of the parties."

Mr. Brant, from the Tyendinaga reserve near Deseronto, Ont., is charged with multiple counts of mischief, as well as breach of bail. His trial is expected to begin in January.