Ipperwash’s unsung hero – Anishinabek News

September 19, 2024

Hugh Fraser is an unsung hero, an accolade he never sought but earned for ensuring that justice would be served in the aftermath of the 1995 Ipperwash tragedy.

After Anthony “Dudley” George was shot and killed by Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) sniper Kenneth “Tex” Deane in the darkness of that Sept. 6 night, most of the subsequent public attention focused on grieving members of the George family and then Premier Mike Harris, whose memorable marching orders to his Cabinet had been to “get the f*****g Indians out of the park!”

In 2007, Commissioner Sidney Linden issued the Report of the Ipperwash Inquiry, which found that Harris’ actions contributed to an environment that made it more likely that such a tragedy would occur.

The report’s 100 recommendations stressed the need for police agencies to overhaul their ham-handed approach to dealing with Indigenous protests, and for greater public education about the legitimacy of treaty rights.