Bloc trying to discredit Indians - Mohawks

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The Bloc Quebecois came under fire from both Mohawk leaders and politicians in Ottawa for supposedly leading a crusade to discredit the Indians and deny them sovereignty.

Kahanawake Grand Chief Joe Norton slammed the Bloc for constantly focusing on the Mohawks' criminal activities.

The official opposition's continual call for police action against Natives on the Akwesasne Reserve near Cornwall, Ontario, and the Kanesatake and Kahnawake Reserves near Montreal, led to wide-spread rumors of an impending invasion by Canadian military forces in mid-February, he said.

"We know it's the Bloc that's doing all of this, they're behind this."

Rumors of the armed invasion by Canadian Forces personnel had Mohawks on the two reserves near Montreal ready to take up arms, he said.

Kanesatake Grand Chief Jerry Peltier said he received information from reliable military sources that up to 300 soldiers were poised to invade his reserve Feb. 15.

An additional 4,000 troops were then to invade Kanesatake and Kahnawake from Valcartier, Que. a few hours later, Peltier said.

Canadian forces officials denied the rumors.

The Bloc is harassing Mohawks because of the race between sovereigntists and Natives to establish sovereignty in Quebec, said Norton.

"We're doing what they can't do. The Mohawks are standing up for their rights, they're establishing themselves and they're ready to defend their jurisdiction."

Although his party has called for a crackdown on the cigarette smuggling by Mohawks on the three reserves, the Bloc was not responsible for any of the rumors and does not harbor any ulterior motives, Native affairs critic Claude Bachand said.

Liberal MP and Secretary of State for Youth and Employment Ethel Blondin-Andrew also accused the Bloc of pursuing a vendetta against the Mohawks.

The three bands claim a sovereign right to govern and police their territories in Quebec, which poses a threat to the province's own sovereignty, she said.

Reform Party leader Preston Manning also leapt into the fracas, accusing the

Bloc of having a hidden agenda against the Natives.