Charges considered after $34M spent to police tiny Quebec band: Knowledge Driven Revolution

The federal public security minister says criminal charges could be laid in the policing scandal that has surfaced in the Mohawk territory of Kanesatake near Montreal.

Stockwell Day made the comment Tuesday as he confirmed his department had ordered a report about the territory's policing expenditures, a confidential document that was obtained by Radio-Canada/CBC News.

The preliminary report alleges that Ottawa and Quebec spent about $34 million between 2003 and 2005 to provide security on the reserve, which has fewer than 1,300 residents.

The report alleges a misuse of government funds given to the band council led by then grand chief James Gabriel in January 2004 to recruit 67 officers to form a second police force.

Gabriel got backing for the force by arguing that organized crime was taking control of his community while the Kanesatake police turned a blind eye — but the federal report questioned much of the spending, on items such as year-long hotel room rentals and gun silencers.

Day acknowledged that the money would be hard to recover, but promised the government wouldn't let the matter drop.

"We're very concerned about the spending irregularities … very concerned about the amount of money that we're talking about, and we're going to follow this up. We don't believe in this kind of waste going unattended," said the public security minister.

Current Kanesatake chief chastises Ottawa

Jacques Chagnon, Quebec's minister of public security during the time in question, said the Liberal governments of Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin were at least partially to blame.

"Well, we could look at how the band council reacted and how it spent its money, but, first of all, they were surrounded by people coming from the Department of Indian Affairs," he said.

The current grand chief of Kanesatake, Steven Bonspille, also lashed out at the Liberals for allowing unfettered security spending by the band council that preceded him.

"It's incredible, the amount of money the police force spent arming itself! And the Canadian government accepted that, gave money for that?" Bonspille told Radio-Canada, the CBC's French-language network, on Tuesday.

Gabriel, who was in charge of Kanesatake's band council at the time, has rejected allegations of misspending.

He insisted that every expense documented in the report was approved by federal and provincial officials.

Read Today's Knowledge Driven News
HOME Canadians Should Pay NOT to be Poisoned: NDP V for Vendetta - R for Reality Canadian Bird Flu Pandemic Looming ? Shill of the Week: Stephan Harper Aspartame: The Sweetest Killer Chicken Little Terrorist of the Week: Creating Fake Terrorists Shill of the Week: Paul Martin The Number 1 Reason YOU became a Slave	Charges considered after $34M spent to police tiny Quebec band CBC News October 20, 2006 The federal public security minister says criminal charges could be laid in the policing scandal that has surfaced in the Mohawk territory of Kanesatake near Montreal. Stockwell Day made the comment Tuesday as he confirmed his department had ordered a report about the territory's policing expenditures, a confidential document that was obtained by Radio-Canada/CBC News. The preliminary report alleges that Ottawa and Quebec spent about $34 million between 2003 and 2005 to provide security on the reserve, which has fewer than 1,300 residents. The report alleges a misuse of government funds given to the band council led by then grand chief James Gabriel in January 2004 to recruit 67 officers to form a second police force. Gabriel got backing for the force by arguing that organized crime was taking control of his community while the Kanesatake police turned a blind eye — but the federal report questioned much of the spending, on items such as year-long hotel room rentals and gun silencers. Day acknowledged that the money would be hard to recover, but promised the government wouldn't let the matter drop. "We're very concerned about the spending irregularities … very concerned about the amount of money that we're talking about, and we're going to follow this up. We don't believe in this kind of waste going unattended," said the public security minister. Current Kanesatake chief chastises Ottawa Jacques Chagnon, Quebec's minister of public security during the time in question, said the Liberal governments of Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin were at least partially to blame. "Well, we could look at how the band council reacted and how it spent its money, but, first of all, they were surrounded by people coming from the Department of Indian Affairs," he said. The current grand chief of Kanesatake, Steven Bonspille, also lashed out at the Liberals for allowing unfettered security spending by the band council that preceded him. "It's incredible, the amount of money the police force spent arming itself! And the Canadian government accepted that, gave money for that?" Bonspille told Radio-Canada, the CBC's French-language network, on Tuesday. Gabriel, who was in charge of Kanesatake's band council at the time, has rejected allegations of misspending. He insisted that every expense documented in the report was approved by federal and provincial officials. Read the full article here Broken Link? If the link to the original article is broken or has been altered you can view the article by clicking here. About KDR \| \| Home \| \| Weekly Features Archive	Weekly Features Archive
		What Is Wrong With Canada ? Recent 9-11 News Suppressed by the Media Aspartame: The Sweetest Killer The Number 1 Reason YOU became a Slave Knowledge Driven Look at Your Favourite Canadian Political Parties
		August September October 2006 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Weekly Features 2006 2005 Read Today's Knowledge Driven News
		Counter
Copyright © 2005-6 KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com