The meeting in Brantford by the so-called citizens' group calling itself T. R. U. E. is nothing but more propaganda to divert media attention from the illegal activities of native protesters. Canadian media bend over backwards to give native protesters as much coverage as possible. It is just too bad these same protesters took it upon themselves to attack media people. The CHCH-TV camera crew were not the only media people who were assaulted or had equipment stolen. Remember these assaults and thefts were done to stop the public from seeing the truth.
Can you imagine the media coverage if a group of whites went into Six Nations to swarm seniors, burn crosses, dig up roads, burn barns, attack people in their homes, extort money and put police officers in the hospital while the OPP stood by and blamed native activists for protesting their refusal to stop the mayhem? How much sympathy do you think the Canadian media would give this group and their so-called grievances? Journalists across the country would be falling over themselves to condemn these thugs, the OPP and the McGuinty government for not ordering an end to it.
The simple message to native protesters is this: If you want to be heard in a modern society, stop committing crimes! Stop burning things. Stop assaulting people. Stop threatening police. Stop using words like "war" and "bloodshed." Stop trying to extort money and use the courts like everyone else -unless you believe you don't have any legal claim.
The latest edition of the prestigious Ryerson Review of Journalism includes a story entitled "Disputed Land -Failed Coverage" in which Tekawennake News reporter Jim Windle is quoted as saying, "There was so much misinformation being fed to the mainstream that only the native population and those who took it upon themselves to research the facts knew the real story." Apparently, Windle believes that natives tell the truth and all of us non-native people are liars.
It is hard to imagine the truth being printed in native media when they are so involved in supporting the cause. Lynda Powless, publisher of Turtle Island News, is listed as media relations for HDI -the group attempting to force business to pay money or else face occupations.
The truth is that an independent journalism watchdog has reported their view of the problems in the media coverage of Caledonia, including Windle's. The Ryerson Review of Journalism concluded by its title, "Disputed land - Failed Coverage," that the media failed and when that happened the people turned to CaledoniaWakeUpCall and VoiceofCanada for complete coverage.
Windle was correct, however, when he said that those who researched the facts knew the real story. According to the Review the "real story" was found on our site. The article concludes with this quote:
"I'm only involved because the media failed. That's my fundamental statement I have made to the public many times," says McHale. "I would not exist if the media had done their job. In a democracy, it's the media that finally puts the pressure on governments -and it's not happening in Caledonia."
The native community is correct to expect an apology from the Canadian government for past wrongs. Reconciliation only occurs when the truth is admitted to those who have been wronged. It is equally true that reconciliation from the past two years of violent and illegal protests by natives will only start when those who committed the crimes apologize for them. This admission of the truth will mark the beginning of the healing between both communities.
True public education needs to be based on well researched, documented evidence. CANACE has produced three such reports entitled "Cost of Illegal Occupations," "The Human Costs of Illegal Occupations" and "Legalized Myths of Illegal Occupations," which can be found at www.canace.ca.
Gary McHale Executive Director of CANACE Canadian Advocates for Charter Equality