It was 25 years ago today that began what has become known as the Oka crisis -- a lengthy 78-day standoff involving provincial police, the army and Mohawk warriors. When the town of Oka, west of Montreal, decided to allow a golf course to expand on disputed territory which included on a Mohawk burial ground, people living in the neighbouring community of Kanesatake rose up in defiance. Barricades were set up, and after the Mohawks refused to obey a court injunction to stand down, a shootout with provincial police officers on July 11th led to the death of police Corporal Marcel Lemay. Sam Elkas, the Quebec public security minister at the time, says once that happened, the late premier Robert Bourassa issued a clear message to his cabinet. (The events of 1990 led to the Royal Commission of Aboriginal Peoples which helped usher in new agreements between natives and non-natives.)

Date: 2015-07-11
Placeline: HATLEY, Quebec.
Source: The Canadian Press
Length: 24 seconds

Transcript Prediction: << extra graphic call Defender's Office the day after the start and told us they made a very very clear that he didn't want any more death and asked us to make sure that there wasn't a problem here is here we have laws in Quebec and have to be respected by both and that's that made it very very difficult that's why >>

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