The violent 1990 standoff at the Oka native reserve near Montreal triggered a spike in public support for aboriginal issues, Phil Fontaine, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said Wednesday.
“The highest level of support for our position was during (the Oka) crisis,” he recalled, in reference to the dispute between the Mohawk residents and the Quebec police. The standoff, which led to the shooting death of an officer, became a rallying cry for native anger and frustration. (Edit: The murder of a police officer by Terrorists sparked support for the terrorists is what I believe I am reading right now. Anyone else see a problem with this picture?)
The prospect of a long summer of native protests has been growing, with native chiefs like Manitoba’s Terry Nelson advocating a hardline approach that includes shutting down rail lines.
