[IPSM] For Immediate Release: Tyendinaga Mohawks Brace for Arrival of Police Station

[stef at tao.ca]

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From:    "TMT Support" <support.tmt at gmail.com>
Date:    Tue, October 28, 2008 4:18 pm
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** This request is coming from community members in Tyendinaga **

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 28th, 2008
Press Release from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory

TYENDINAGA MOHAWKS BRACE FOR ARRIVAL OF POLICE STATION:
Police Chief Prepared to Use Force

(October 28, 2008) Tensions are running high today on the Tyendinaga Mohawk
Territory today as residents anticipate the arrival of a highly
controversial second police station.  Some reports suggest the building
could arrive as early as this afternoon.  Police Chief Ron Maracle has
warned that he is prepared to use force to bring the building into the
community.

Residents have expressed concern over Council's apparent prioritizing of a
second police station for the small community over issues such as unsafe
drinking water throughout community homes and at the reserve school, where
the water was declared unfit for human consumption some 19 months ago.

The matter of the police building had previously come to the forefront when,
in the lead-up to its arrival, an agreement was reached on the
implementation of a community consultation process.  Council subsequently
rescinded the motion calling for such a process and now says the building
will go forward without community consultation.

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What You Can Do:

The community has asked that outside supporters contact the Band Council and
respectfully express your concerns that community consultation take place,
before the police station is brought to Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, against
the wishes of community meetings and discussions that have taken place so
far.

Suggested Phone Call Script:

I am calling to express my concern at the impending arrival of a new police
station in Tyendinaga.

We recognize that this initiative is partially funded by Canada's Ministry
of Public Safety, headed by Stockwell Day.  However, we have been informed
by community members that there is a great deal of community concern over
the lack of consultation by Band Council. Please take the time to consult.

Please hold off on the immediate implementation of a $2 million police
station, while the community's concerns about clean drinking water and the
Culbertson Tract Land Claim remain unresolved.  We are asking that you take
the time to consult properly.

 Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte Band Council Office
TELEPHONE: 613-396-3424
EMAIL: reception at mbq-tmt-org
FAX: 613-396-3627

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BACKGROUND:

A month ago, on September 24th, 2008, a new police building was put on hold
after community members blockaded the intended site of the building. The
building is a 4,635-square-foot building shipped from a Hamilton-area
manufacturer and intended to be placed on York Road, just west of Quinte
Mohawk School.

The Band Council in Tyendinaga put up half the money ($1 million), while the
Ministry of Public Safety and Security put up the other half of the funding.

The band council made plans for this roughly $1.9-million facility, even
though the money could have been spent to address the lack of safe water in
the territory and poor housing conditions. "You have kids in the school out
there without water," said Evelyn Turcotte to the Intelligencer, pointing to
Quinte Mohawk School. "There are housing issues and mold issues."

"Our people never sanctified it, ratified it or condoned it," Bryan Isaacs
told The Intelligencer from just outside the site last month.

"There's no one in favour in our group because we were never consulted."
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