Occupation of The Park
On Labour Day Monday, September 4, 1995, a group of natives started a protest in Ipperwash Provincial Park to draw attention to the decades-old land claims. After the park closed at 6:00 p.m., protestors cut back a fence and by 7:30 had moved vehicles into the park. About thirty-five protestors occupied the park. The protestors had been threatening occupation since the spring. The original OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) strategy was to co-occupy the Park peacefully with the First Nations. But, when a protester from the group smashed the window of a police cruiser, the OPP pulled back from the Park.
In anticipation of the move on the Park by the Stoney Point First Nations, the OPP had prepared a contingency plan named Project Maple. The plan stressed "a peaceful resolution", and called for a team of two negotiators to be on call around the clock.
Ontario PC M.P.P. Marcel Beaubien was in contact with the police the following day, and Beaubien also contacted the office of the Premier, Mike Harris in an attempt to put pressure on the government to intervene.
On Tuesday, September 5, 1995 several government officials met in Toronto to discuss the Ipperwash protest. The meeting notes conclude, "The province will take steps to remove the occupiers as soon as possible."
Read more about this topic: Ipperwash Crisis
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