Fatality Investigation 'Sloppy' - Lawyer by Amy Santoro Were Killed
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lM:a..,,:r; ;Gçtt DEC Bullet fired at home of former candidate - page 2 Emil Cardinal November 23, 1990 North America's No.1 Native Bi- weekly Newspaper Volume 8 No.18 Natives win $10 M Al-Pac contract By Amy Santoro Windspeaker Staff Writer ATHABASCA, ALTA. The Athabasca Native Devel- opment Corporation (ANDC) has been awarded a $10-million catering contract by Alberta -Pa- cific Forest Industries (Al -Pac) for its proposed pulp mill at Athabasca, says the president of ANDC. Mike Mercredi says the proj- ect will "maximize Native em- ployment in the area. "We're always at the end of the employment statistics so this contract is a big economic oppor- tunity for Natives here. God knows we need the jobs." Al -Pac wanted to help ANDC as part of its overall commitment to Natives in the area, says Al- Pac's director of human re- sources. "They approached us over a year ago with a proposal to employ and train Natives in the area, so it fit really well with our socioeconomic licies towards Natives," says Jim Stevens. The ANDO and Vancouver- based National Catering formed Alberta Camp enterprises to handle Al-Pac's catering needs if Bert CrowAoot it gets approval for its $L4- billion dollar pulp mill. About 1,400 people joined in two large circles at the Alberta legislature to kick off National Addictions Awareness Week in Al -Pac spokesman Brian Hetherington calls the deal "a Edmonton Monday. Speakers at the legislature rally spoke about the positive aspects of the campaign. "They reflected the tremendous opportunity for in- positive feeling we all have that we are making headway against substance abuse," said Trish Merrithew -Mercredi of Nechi creasing Native employment in the area by up to 50 per cent." Institute. For more on the walk, please 2 see page The MLA for Athabasca -Lac Please see p. 2 Fatality investigation 'sloppy' - lawyer By Amy Santoro were killed. blood or breath sample from Cox charge appears inadequate." Windspeaker Staff Writer Cox was acquitted at a trial in following the accident," says In the letter Beach continues Peace River Oct. 28, 1990. Marshall. by saying the police investiga- HIGH PRAIRIE, ALTA. "It really disturbs me to think "I don't understand why the tion ' shows no pattern or con- there may be some prejudice RCMP expended so much effort duct upon which dangerous An Edmonton lawyer says he surrounding how this case was in investigating the victims and operation or criminal negligence is extremely disturbed with the handled. The conduct of the in- in the meantime they botched up could be based." way officials handled an investi- vestigation would not have been their conduct in the most basic Beach said the "best we can gation into a head -on car sloppy if white men were killed. investigations of Cox," he attempt to prove at trial, accord- accident north of High Prairie Justice has not been served," says charges. ing to the police, is a momentary which killed five Natives. Marshall, who represents Gir- Sgt. Thomas Beggs of the lapse in judgment or attention. In "You can be sure if it had been oux's common -law wife in her High Prairie RCMP detachment any event, we do not direct the a Native who killed five white claim for damages. says normal procedure was fol- police in this province and only people, the charges would have Marshall says there are three lowed at the time of the accident. provide advice when re- been more severe and the inves- serious irregularities in the han- He says Cox was interviewed quested." tigation would have been thor- dling of the investigation. The at the scene and no blood or Beach refused comment. At- ough," says Murray Marshall. High Prairie RCMP did not lay breath sample was taken from tomey General Ken Rostad was Alan Cox of Hi&h Prairie was charges consistent with the grav- Cox because there was no evi- also unavailable for comment. charged with passing when un- ity of the accident caused by dence to indicate he may have Marshall says it is curious that safe to do so. While driving a Cox." been driving while impaired. Beach told a task force on Native half-ton pickup truck on an undi- He says the RCMP "waited Investigating officer Dave justice and policing in June that vided highway in heavy fog Oct. nine days before first interview- Simpson refused comment. "few Natives are punished corn- 24, 1989, Cox attempted to pass ing Cox and when they did inter- Marshall says chief Crown pared to the amount of crime and collided head -on with a view him it was by telephone prosecutor Dave Beach has no committed by them." ;; vehicle driven by Paul Henry with Cox's lawyer present." mtention of appealing the acquit- Marshall is trying to get the Giroux. Giroux, three other Although toxicology reports tal even though in a letter to Crown prosecutor's office to re- adults and a one- -old child, were prepared for Giroux, the Marshall he agreed "that on the examine the case and have more all from the Hi t 'rP airie area, RCMP did not "attempt to get a face of the circumstances, the serious charges laid against Cox. PAGE 2, WINDSPEAKER, NOVEMBER 23, 1990 Bullet fired at former candidate's home By Amy Santoro ning, may have been "intended daughter Florence were home at one son, Emil Jr., and three (shooting)," he said. Windspeaker Staff Writer to scare Cardinal into dropping the time of the shooting but daughters, Tina, Jenny and Cardinal said his neighbor his case." weren't hurt when the .22 calibre Florence, ages 14 to 18. saw a man outside the trailer, LAC LA BICHE, ALTA. Cardinal is challenging the bullet shot at the front of the In a telephone interview from who fled in a black and silver results of the Sept. 4 election in trailer ricocheted into the master Jasper, Metis Nation president pickup truck when the neighbor A shot fired into the home of which he was defeated by three bedroom and lodged itself into Larry Desmeules said he was tried to speak to him. The wit- Emil Cardinal, former Zone 1 votes. In his case, which began the wall. unaware of the incident and that ness, whose name is being with- Metis Nation of Alberta vice - Oct. 12 in Edmonton's Court of Cardinal said the shooting "it's ridiculous to think the held, could not be reached for presidential candidate, may be Queen's Bench, Cardinal claims "may be linked to my case shooting has anything to do with comment. linked to his court case against the bylaws and rules of the Metis against the Metis Nation. Some- the case. Whitford said reward money the Metis Nation, says Cardinal's Nation were breached when in- one could be trying to scare me. "The Metis Nation doesn't may be posted "for finding who campaign manager. eligible voters were allowed to I'm not scared, but my kids find even care about this case. Emil did this and why." Russell Whitford said the bul- cast ballots. He wants the elec- it hard to sleep at night. I'm opti- didn't follow the bylaws and the A Lac la Biche RCMP spokes- let, shot at Cardinal's Lac la Biche tion declared "null and void." mistic I'll win the battle." judge will see that. We don't fool man said the shooting is being trailer home early Monday eve- Cardinal's wife Beverly and Cardinal and his wife have around with that kind of stuff investigated. Edmonton sober walk attracts 1,400 people By Heather Andrews were waiting for us at the legisla- there." drug and alcohol abuse to the nity project. Windspeaker Staff Writer ture," says Trish Merrithew- As well representatives at- attention of the public has "With the theme being Keep Mercredi, co -ordinator at St. Al- tended from groups like People grown. the Circle Strong, the speakers at EDMONTON bert's Nechi Institute, which Against ImpairedpDrivers, Ed- "The first year only about 20 the rally at the legislature -John organizes the annual celebration monton Polce Services, the so- communities participated, but in Belanger, special Olympian, Over 1,400 people partici- of sobriety. licitor general's department, Ben 1988, 80 joined in. Last year it George Goodstriker, the elder pated in a sober walk in down- Participation came from every Calf Robe School and Henwood jumped to 405. And this year, it's who gave the opening prayer, town Edmonton on Monday to possible sector, says Merrithew- Treatment Centre. about 800," says Merrithew- and Bill Beach from AADAC - commemorate the fourth annual Mercredi. Since its inception in 1987, Mercredi. all talked about the positive as- National Addictions Awareness "Mayor Jan Reimer marched when Jake Epp - then minister Communities across the coun- pects of the campaign. Week (NAAW). with us and Alberta MLA Bon- of health and welfare Canada - try organize dances, poster and They reflected the positive About 300 people gathered at nie Laing represented the. Al- proclaimed the first national essay contests, special school feeling we all have that we are Sir Winston Churchill Square for berta minister of health. And the campaign, the idea of communi- activities and sober walks. A making headway against sub- the start of the walk. "But many associate deputy minister of ties across the country working prize of $500 is given by Nechi stance abuse," says Merrithew- more joined in along the route or health and welfare Canada was together to bring the problem of for the most ingenious commu- Mercredi.