Activity Sheet: Oka Civil Disobedience Turns Violent: A Case Study
Name: ______Block: ______Date: ______
Instructions: Read the following case study of civil disobedience. After read- ing, answer the questions related to the case study. In the summer of 1990, the nation was forced to focus on a small piece of land out- side Montreal near the Kanesatake reserve. What started as a protest about an exten- sion of a golf course on to First Nations land turned into a summer-long stand off known as the Oka Crisis. On July 11, 1990, Quebec provincial police tired to dismantle a roadblock that had been set up in March by a group of Mohawks from the Kanesatake community. The road block was to prevent the nearby town of Oka from expanding its golf course onto traditional tribal lands. About 100 armed police showed up to break down the blockade and a gun fight ensued. Tear gas was used and one police offi- cer was shot in the face and died later of his injuries. For 78 days, the armed Mohawk warriors faced Quebec provincial police and lat- er the Canadian Armed Forces were sent in to deal with the matter. The image of a Mohawk warrior starring down an inch from the face of an armed soldier was all over the TV. In a show of support, Mohawks at a nearby Kahnawake also set up a blockade on the Mercier bridge, a 15-minute crossing of the St. Laurence River into Montreal. It would now take the locals over two hours to travel to Montreal. On occasion, shots could be heard being fired from the blockade. At the end, the Oka blockade came down with military help and no further incident. This protest triggered protests across Canada. Blockades were set up across Cana- da on rail lines and blocking business. First Nations and non-Aboriginal peoples protested the government’s lack of concern for Aboriginal rights in Canada. Due to the Oka Crisis and the ensuing protests, the Governments of Canada and BC set forth an action plan to renew partnerships, strengthen Aboriginal governments and develop new relationships.
Questions to Think About 1. Why did the Mohawks on Kanesatake set up a blockade near Montreal? ______Activity Sheet: Oka Civil Disobedience Turns Violent: A Case Study
2. What happened on July 11, 1990, at Oka? ______
3. Do you believe that the Oka First Nation was right to show its civil disobedience by setting up a blockade? ______
4. Because of the Oka Crisis, how did the government’s relationships with First Nations of Canada change? ______
5. How did the Oka crisis finally end? ______
6. Do you think that, if this blockade had not turned violent, the Mohawk plight may never have been seen by the rest of Canada? Defend your answer. ______Activity Sheet: Oka Civil Disobedience Turns Violent: A Case Study KEY Name: ______Block: ______Date: ______
Questions to Think About 1. Why did the Mohawks on Kanesatake set up a blockade near Montreal? Because the local government was going to build an extension to the existing golf course onto sacred native lands.
2. What happened on July 11, 1990, at Oka? The police went in to bring down the barricades, used tear gas and eventual shots were fired on both sides. A policeman was shot and killed due to the incident.
3. Do you believe that the Oka First Nation was right to show its civil disobedience by setting up a blockade? You will have a variety of answers for this question.
4. Because of the Oka Crisis, how did the government’s relationships with First Nations of Canada change? The government decided that it was time to start negotiations with Aboriginal peoples in Canada and to repair old relationships so that no more blockades or protests would occur.
5. How did the Oka crisis finally end? Eventually the Canadian Armed forces were sent in to bring down the barricades, with no incident other than a few eye-catching standoffs between Mohawk warriors and military personnel.
6. Do you think that, if this blockade had not turned violent, the Mohawk plight may never have been seen by the rest of Canada? Defend your answer. You will have a variety of answers to this question.