Kanesatake bans provincial police force

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The Mohawk community of Kanesatake is just saying 'No' to the provincial police force of Quebec.

Kanesatake Chief Jerry Peltier is denying the police access to the reserve, saying the officers will no longer be tolerated in the territory.

In their place, Peltier plans to establish his own police force to deal with the blight of lawlessness that has plagued the community recently.

Until then, the community has agreed to bring in peacekeepers from the Mohawk communities of Kahnawake and Akwesasne to patrol the area.

It will take about a year before the community can establish its own force, said Joey Montour, Chief of the Kahnawake peacekeeping force. In the interim, seven officers from his force would be required to serve in Kanesatake. The community is awaiting budget approval from the federal government before sending peacekeepers into the area.

The Mohawk Nation and the provincial police have been locking horns for years, particularly since the 78-day Oka crisis. During the summer of 1990, Natives and the police and army were involved in a dispute over land.

In the most recent flare-up of the tensions, Public Security Minister Serge Menard threatened the Mohawks that those caught posing as police officers would find themselves under arrest. He said the provincial police force is the only organization able to promote and enforce the law in Kanesatake.