"Poet" apologizes

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A lawyer acting on behalf of the RCMP has apologized for writing a sarcastic poem about the Williams Lake judicial inquiry.

Prince George lawyer Brian Gilson apologized last week to an assembly of Shuswap and Chilcotin Chiefs at the Toosey Reserve for writing a short poem that many Natives said ridiculed the inquiry.

Gilson admitted to and apologized for being the author of Inquiry Blues during proceedings at the Toosey Reserve April 7. But so few people were at the inquiry that day that a second apology was ordered for May 18, the final day of testimony. Only one of the seven chiefs who spoke at the Toosey gathering accepted

Gilson's apology, reserve Chief Francis Laceese said.

"He had the same kind of attitude as the government. They have their colonial system, they're trying to control us. Those racist remarks reflect the government's view of the First Nations," Laceese said.

Alexis Creek band chief Irvine Charleyboy said Gilson was "lower than a snake's belly" for penning the verse.

"We're trying to correct things here in the justice system towards Natives and him writing this is a low blow."

Charleyboy had himself testified before the inquiry about alleged inadequacies in the police investigation of his cousin's shooting death. The Williams Lake judicial inquiry is looking into allegations of the abuse of Natives at the hands of RCMP in the Cariboo-Chilcotin region over the past 30 years.

The poem, which was read before the inquiry in early May by Chilcotin chief as evidence of unfair treatment under the provincial justice system, suggests that Natives are complaining for no reason, Charleyboy said.

The poem read "All day listen to tales of woe/That happened many years ago/Tales of blood and beer of course/Of men in red and excessive force."

A second verse reads "We're all confused, it's just not clear/Perhaps I'll drink a case of beer/To clarify my train of thought/Of all the harm the white man brought."

Glen Ball, a lawyer representing the 15 Native bands in the inquiry, said the poem underscores a general attitude by many just system officials that Natives are just drunks who deserve no consideration.