ANISHINABEK NATION – Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Glen Hare says the announcement of former premier Mike Harris being appointed to the 2020 Order of Ontario on January 1 was an insult to First Nations peoples across Ontario.
Grand Council Chief Hare told the Anishinabek News on January 2, 2021, that while Mr. Harris is known for his involvement with Walkerton and more recently serving as chair as Chartwell Retirement Residences, where several seniors have died of COVID-19, the focus for the Anishinabek Nation is his lasting legacy with the Ipperwash Crisis.
“The Ipperwash Inquiry made it very clear that while he didn’t personally pull the trigger, Mike Harris’ actions as the Premier of Ontario contributed to the circumstances that led to the shooting death of unarmed land defender Anthony ‘Dudley’ George on the night of September 6, 1995,” Grand Council Chief Hare told Anishinabek News. “This is an insult to First Nations people. Harris’ contribution to our collective knowledge is anything but positive.”
Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and Chancellor of the Order of Ontario, announced the new appointments on January 1. The Order of Ontario honours individuals whose exceptional achievements have left a lasting legacy in the province.
