A heavy-duty bill

Page 4

The wheels of justice grind slowly in Ottawa.

But the presses are running at high speed to print Canadian money.

At least that's the impression one gets by looking at the tab for the Oka crisis, which will end up costing the Canadian and Quebec governments at least $130 million.

Wow!

As NDP Native affairs' critic Bob Skelly observed it's a "clear case of the policy of the Department of Indian Affairs costing Canada millions of dollars more because of their failure to deal in good faith with the Native people of this country."

The money could have gone towards settling quite a few land claims across the country or providing badly-needed homes on many reserves.

But instead Ottawa and Quebec chose to blow much of it mopping up the mess left by Oka Mayor Jean Ouellette after he ordered Quebec Provincial Police to try to remove a blockade by Kanesaake Mohawk Indians.

An incomplete tally shows the Canadian military spent $60.6 million on salaries, fuel for helicopters and vehicles, the rental of special equipment like cranes, scaffolding and cellular phones, spare parts for military vehicles - and public relations.

The figure is going to be considerably higher said Defence Minister Bill McKnight.

And the Quebec government, which blindly backed the Oka town council and provincial police in the conflict, spent $50 million on policing, plus millions of dollars for legal costs in Oka and compensation for residents disrupted by the conflict.

At last, but not least, Ottawa spent several million dollars to purchase land at Oka to settle the Kanesatake land claim. The cost for the purchase of that land pales in comparison to the other amounts.

Money sees to grow on trees in Ottawa - except when the money is needed for things like settling land claims.

Then, of course, there's a shortage.

It's a case of misplaced priorities.

Is it asking too much of the governments to govern using sound judgment?

Canadians don't think so, judging by the recent Angus Reid poll, the most extensive survey ever on aboriginal issues in Canada.

They gave Native leaders top marks for their handling of Native issues.

Appropriately, Quebec Provincial Police, Indian Affairs Minister Tom Siddon and Prime Minister Brian Mulroney were at the bottom.

Clearly, Canadian voters are watching and they don't like what they see.