Natives protest Harris’s honorary degree
Will Not Share Stage
Terrine Friday, National Post Published: Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Former Ontario premier Mike Harris has a “black market history” and is not worthy of an honorary degree from Nipissing University, the Union of Ontario Indians says.
Mr. Harris, along with six others, is to receive an honorary doctorate on June 11 from Nipissing University in North Bay. National Chief Shawn Atleo, an honoree scheduled to give a convocation speech in support of postsecondary education for native students, said on Friday that he would decline his honorary degree if Mr. Harris was honoured as well. Yesterday, Mr. Atleo agreed to deliver his speech at least one day before Mr. Harris and as long as he is not in the company of the former Conservative premier.
The Union of Ontario Indians denounced Mr. Harris’s treatment of natives in Ontario, pointing to the death of protester Dudley George, the removal of land-tax provisions and cutbacks to social programs.
“I can think of some appropriate letters Mike Harris should have in front of his name, not after it,” Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee said in a statement released on Friday. “You don’t reward a person who was directly responsible for so much economic hardship and divisiveness in this province.” The native community criticized Mr. Harris’s involvement in the 1995 death of Mr. George, a native land claims protester, shot by Ontario Provincial Police during the occupation of Ipperwash Provincial Park.
“He’ll go down in history, as far as we’re concerned, as someone who, under the circumstances, led to the death of Dudley George,” Chief Madahbee said yesterday. “The national chief doesn’t want to be viewed as being in the company of that type of individual.”
Aninquiryintothedeathof Mr. George concluded in 2007 that the OPP, the Harris government and the federal government all bore responsibility for the events that led to his death. In addition to the honorary degree, Chief Madahbee said Mr. Harris is not worthy of another honour: naming the university’s new $25-million library after the former premier, who grew up in North Bay.
Nipissing First Nation Chief Marianne Couchie threatened to pull financial support from the new library if it is named after Mr. Harris.
“The leaders and I are quite disappointed,” Chief Madahbee continued. “We think it’s more appropriate to name a shooting range after him rather than a library. He hasn’t contributed anything to this province.” A Facebook group called “Nipissing Students (and Friends) Against the Mike Harris Library” has garnered support from more than 3,000 people, nearly half the population of Nipissing University.
Nipissing University president Lesley Lovett-Doust said the university sticks by its selected honorees.
Mr. Harris could not be reached for comment.
Read more: http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=3067349#ixzz0oyNeIsXE
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