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The Oka disaster that struck Canada in 1990 will be examined in this article. This
essay's central query relates to the land. The Oka crisis resulted from the unresolved
land question. The outbreak of the conflict followed a period of nonviolent protests by
Mohawk activists over the planned development of a golf course and community close
to Oka. The Mohawk activist vehemently denounced the move and said that the site,
which included the Mohawk historical graveyard, belonged to them and was a place of
great spiritual significance. This article will discuss the origins of the resistance, its
numerous groups, the role played by the local government, the injustices that the
Mohawk people experienced, and the resolution of the land injustice.
Many Canadians believed that a cell of Mohawk terrorists was responsible for
this incident. After seeing this movie, are you in agreement or disagreement? Why?
Mohawks disagree that the demonstration that resulted in the Oka crisis was an act of
terrorism for the reasons that drove them to join. The Mohawk community's attempt to
reclaim their ancestral territory was what caused the conflict. The shooting and mayhem
were a last-ditch effort to get the government to pay attention to their request, not a
smart move [ CITATION Rac18 \l 1033 ].
A disagreement over property that served as a Mohawk burial ground between
the Mohawks of Kanesatake village and the municipality of Oka was the primary cause
of the Oka crisis. Jean Ouellette, the mayor of Oka town, suggested in 1989 that the
nine-hole golf course on this property be expanded to eighteen holes. Land injustices,
including access to rivers, land, and other natural resources, had an impact on them.
Between a group of minority in the Oka local government, headed by a mayor named
Ouellette Jean, and the area's population of around 1,800 people, there was a property
dispute. The Mohawk people were the name given to the group. The privately owned
golf club's development, which included encroaching on Mohawk people's sacred trees
and graveyard property, was publicized and accepted by the mayor, sparking the
confrontation. On this contested area, he also gave the go-ahead for the development
of sixty homes and condominiums. The area also supported pine trees, which were cut
down to make room for the golf course to grow and for residential construction. The
Mohawk people objected to this transfer, and the situation worsened until the Oka
incident [ CITATION Ala93 \l 1033 ].
The Mohawk people have been pressuring the government to recognize their
claim to this territory in the Kanesatake area since the 18th century. They made an
attempt to convince the authorities, but their proposal was mainly disregarded. In 1986,
they submitted a land petition for the holy groove and burial place on this property, but it
was denied since it didn't satisfy all legal requirements. They had attempted to contest
these government policies through a number of speeches and rallies.
The one thing that made the whole situation worse was violence. Although the
Mohawks' use of violence was not the wisest course of action, one could argue that it
was acceptable given the difficulties they had encountered in obtaining this territory.
Other than speaking up and protesting the government's claims to their ancestral land
and safeguarding their ancestors' burial place, there was nothing more they could have
done [ CITATION Bru13 \l 1033 ].
The Mohawks and the different government forces, including the Quebec
authorities and the government of Canada, had a hostile and violent relationship as a
result of the Folate Oka dispute, the Quebec government, and the provincial
government of Canada. Tensions were high during the height of the crisis, particularly
following the death of Corporal Marcel LeMay, a police officer, in a shootout with
Mohawk warriors. Numerous Mohawk demonstrators were taken into custody and
accused with violence, theft, and damage in the Oka municipality. When the Quebec
police failed to bring the situation under control, the federal government dispatched the
army to assist. The Mohawk warriors were defeated by the army and were forced to
surrender. Nonetheless, Mohawk protests persisted, and citizens joined to express their
disapproval of the government and support for Mohawks [ CITATION Rev00 \l 1033 ].
The discussion of the Atoka issue in parliament during the conclusion of the
resistance was dominated by the forces from Oka and the soldiers sent by the national
government. Following a few meetings, Mulroney, the prime minister, consented to the
Mohawk people's desire. This signaled the demise of the resistance movement, which
was followed by the arrest of Mohawk fighters who were prosecuted in court; just one of
them was sentenced to prison for a variety of charges, including theft and violence.
In order to keep future conflicts from arising on the property, the government
decided to purchase the pineland following the Oka incident. The cancellation of the
mayor's housing projects and the golf club expansion was observed. Following that, the
government created regulations on the land set aside for the Mohawk people as well as
purchasing more territory for Kanesatake.
Conclusion:
The Oka Crisis in the summer of 1990 lasted for over two months, in a standoff between
the government forces and the native Mohawk Indians over the ownership of land. The
dispute was over the expansion of a golf course on 266-square miles of land that the
Mohawks considered their ancestral land. Once a police officer was killed, the
administration retaliated by ordering the military to deal with the problem, sparking the
start of the conflict. The Mohawks thought this was a heavy-handed response. The
media, which had a significant impact on the proceedings and results of the event, led
the standoff. First, the media broadcast live footage of the events to the whole nation,
creating pressure from society on both sides to stop the violence before it got out of
hand. The media made the public, activist groups, and human rights organizations the
media, the public, activist groups, and human rights groups were made aware of these
incidents. The Mohawks saw this as a chance and a cry for acknowledgment.
outclassed by the armed forces and police. Second, the media emphasized how
important it is to defend Native American rights. A year afterwards, the Assembly of First
Nation's Leadership—which had previously been mainly disregarded—was broadcast
live and attracted national notice thanks to the power of the media. By highlighting how
the conservatives handled the social, economic, and political issues that had an impact
on First Nations people, the media also compelled them to take action.
In conclusion, the occurrence was reported by the media, which made the
government troops respond less violently. Additionally, they raised awareness of the
problem and enabled the entire country to support the First Nations. The First Nations
were given an opportunity to experience their relevance in Canada as a result of the
increasing attention forcing the political entities to take into account the socio-political
and economic challenges that they had previously disregarded .
Bibliography
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Bruin, T. d. (2013, July 11).
Kanesatake Resistance (Oka Crisis)
. Retrieved November
28,
2023,
from
The
Canadian
Encyclopedia:
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/oka-crisis
Collinshaw, R. (2018, April 26).
Evidence and the Oka Crisis
. Retrieved from Canada's
History: https://canadashistory.ca/education/lesson-plans/evidence-and-the-oka-
crisis
Obomsawin, A. (1993).
Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance
. Retrieved from NFB:
https://www.nfb.ca/film/kanehsatake_270_years_of_resistance/
Pindera, L., & Jardin, L. (2020, July 11).
78 days of unrest and an unresolved land claim
hundreds of years in the making
. Retrieved from CBC News:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/oka-crisis-timeline-summer-1990-
1.5631229
Revisiting the Oka crisis of 1990, ten years later
. (2000). Retrieved from CBC:
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1558491458