[IPSM] !Ex-Minister Chagnon rips "illegal" Mohawk raid (Gazette)

[Jaggi Singh]

Not sure if this is already widely known by folks, but according to an 
article in today's Montreal Gazette by Jeff Heinrich (January 13, 2006; 
bottom of page A7), the Quebec Public Security Minister during the 
Kanehsatake raid on January 12, 2004, Jacques Chagnon, calls the raid 
"illegal".

I can't access the article online to send, but here are some excerpts:

HEADLINE: "Ex-minister Chagnon rips "illegal" Mohawk raid"

SUBHEAD: "Lays blame for debacle on Ottawa; Former grand chief Gabriel 
made power play with "mercenaries" hired with federal funds"

Heinrich writes that Chagnon says the raid was "illegal, Duplessis like 
mercenary, and the fault of Ottawa".

Heinrich writes: "Chagnon told journalist Alain Picard he thinks Gabriel 
was trying to establish "absolute power" by the operation, whose goal as 
to replace then-chief of police Tracy Cross with one of Gabriel's allies, 
former police chief Terry Isaac."

"Though the media made Gabriel into a "martyr saint" after his house was 
burned down, the Mohawk leader's actions were something else, Chagnon 
said."

This is a direct quote from Chagnon in the article: "He [Gabriel] pulled 
off a tour de force, getting himself armed by the federal government, 
using totally illegal methods to bring in an army of mercernaries ... into 
the territory to replace his chief of police."

What the fuck?! This guy should have been a witness at the trial. Am I 
missing something, or is this pretty explosive (Chagnon, back in 2004, was 
responsible for the bloody SQ as Public Security Minister)?

The article today is based on an hour-long interview he did on Wednesday 
night with Radio-Canada (TV) journalist Alain Picard. Some bits were aired 
yesterday, and Radio-Canada intends to air further excerpts today.

Does it make sense, for non-members of the community (ie. non-native 
allies), to demand a full public inquiry into this whole thing, leveraging 
Chagnon's comments? Based on this comments (and let's not forget, he's a 
Liberal MNA from Westmount, and the former Public Security Minister) NO 
ONE at Kanehsatake should have ever been charged (let alone convicted) for 
defending their community against mercenaries. This is the point that 
Mohawk community members have always been makings, but now it's backed up 
by Chagnon, and that should be leveraged in a BIG WAY.

Heinrich's story should have been front-page news, but it's buried at the 
bottom of page A7.

Anyways, just passing on the info. Others are more in the loop, about what 
to do.

-- Jaggi.