First Nations man launches human rights complaint against Midland, OPP
Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2025 6:41 am
'Once we step outside of the lines of what historically is known as the 'good little Indian,' using our voice and exercising our rights, then we are criminalized,' Johnny Hawke says
While he has since filed human rights complaints against the Town of Midland and Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) related to an incident at this year’s Butter Tart Festival, a Christian Island man’s charge of causing a disturbance has been withdrawn by the Crown.
Johnny Hawke’s saga began on June 14. The Beausoleil First Nation member says he was peacefully protesting the province’s Bill 5 and Simcoe North MPP Jill Dunlop’s decision to support it at Neezhoday Park when he was approached by Southern Georgian Bay OPP officers, who had been asked to attend by town employees.
Hawke, 41, says the Crown’s actions in dismissing the case clearly show the matter was a waste of the court’s time and could have been resolved “by available procedures and mechanisms that the OPP is equipped with.
“I feel the employees of the Town of Midland overreached their capacity in their position,” Hawke says, claiming municipalities like Midland only appreciate the arts and culture of First Nations people and, otherwise, barely tolerate them.
“As a result, Canadians are creating another stereotypical caricature. This is what the Town of Midland is engaged in.
“Once we step outside of the lines of what historically is known as the ‘good little Indian,’ using our voice and exercising our rights, then we are criminalized,” Hawke says.
“I am not the typical dancing and singing token ‘Indian’ used by settler communities to help alleviate the guilt of settler society. I am the Truth in Truth and Reconciliation.”
But back to the day that led to the criminal charge.
After noticing the protest that included a banner with the words “MP (sic) Jill Dunlop passed Bill 5 to kill Indian,” senior town employees Karen Mealing and Nicole Major discussed how to handle the situation, with the police eventually called to look into it. From there, another town employee went to talk to Hawke along with Mayor Bill Gordon.
“I set up at Neezhoday Park, which is a place other groups use to set up vigils and banners for matters of injustice, and since Neezhoday Park is named after a relative of mine, an Elder in my community who was murdered by two Midland men and because Dunlop’s constituency office is the Midland library next to the park, I found this a strategic space to engage in my right of freedom of expression and hang a banner and educate the public on the bill,” Hawke says.
But things seem to have taken a turn shortly after 3 p.m., when Hawke failed to obey a request to remove the banner.
Police eventually removed it and told Hawke he was welcome to stay.
According to court documents, Hawke remained seated and began “yelling and swearing,” saying things like “white supremacy, white motherfxxxx cops” and “OPP white motherfxxxxxxx.”
The documents say Hawke’s outburst was causing a disturbance to both adults and children attending the event.
“In attempts to de-escalate this disturbance, officers left the area in hopes that Hawke’s behaviour would cease as police would be no longer on scene,” the document says, noting that didn’t work as Hawke continued to yell and swear, including calling the police “KKK white bitches.”
According to the court documents, the continuance led to Hawke being charged and placed in the back of a police cruiser. He was released on an undertaking three hours later.
As for filing a human rights complaint with the province’s Human Rights Tribunal, Hawke says he feels senior town staff's "request to have his banner removed was also an act of adverse and indirect discrimination, which is protected” by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.
“I filed a complaint on the Corporation of the Town of Midland and OPP for violation of my rights and freedoms of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression where I was discriminated on the grounds of my race and nationality in regards to having my sign removed where other members of the public were permitted to engage in the same actions I was denied.”
The town declined to discuss the court case or the actions that led to charges being laid in the first place.
“As this matter involves a proceeding before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the town will not be commenting publicly at this time,” says Dana Clarke, the town’s digital government, customer and recreation services executive director.
https://www.orilliamatters.com/local-ne ... p-11252255
While he has since filed human rights complaints against the Town of Midland and Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) related to an incident at this year’s Butter Tart Festival, a Christian Island man’s charge of causing a disturbance has been withdrawn by the Crown.
Johnny Hawke’s saga began on June 14. The Beausoleil First Nation member says he was peacefully protesting the province’s Bill 5 and Simcoe North MPP Jill Dunlop’s decision to support it at Neezhoday Park when he was approached by Southern Georgian Bay OPP officers, who had been asked to attend by town employees.
Hawke, 41, says the Crown’s actions in dismissing the case clearly show the matter was a waste of the court’s time and could have been resolved “by available procedures and mechanisms that the OPP is equipped with.
“I feel the employees of the Town of Midland overreached their capacity in their position,” Hawke says, claiming municipalities like Midland only appreciate the arts and culture of First Nations people and, otherwise, barely tolerate them.
“As a result, Canadians are creating another stereotypical caricature. This is what the Town of Midland is engaged in.
“Once we step outside of the lines of what historically is known as the ‘good little Indian,’ using our voice and exercising our rights, then we are criminalized,” Hawke says.
“I am not the typical dancing and singing token ‘Indian’ used by settler communities to help alleviate the guilt of settler society. I am the Truth in Truth and Reconciliation.”
But back to the day that led to the criminal charge.
After noticing the protest that included a banner with the words “MP (sic) Jill Dunlop passed Bill 5 to kill Indian,” senior town employees Karen Mealing and Nicole Major discussed how to handle the situation, with the police eventually called to look into it. From there, another town employee went to talk to Hawke along with Mayor Bill Gordon.
“I set up at Neezhoday Park, which is a place other groups use to set up vigils and banners for matters of injustice, and since Neezhoday Park is named after a relative of mine, an Elder in my community who was murdered by two Midland men and because Dunlop’s constituency office is the Midland library next to the park, I found this a strategic space to engage in my right of freedom of expression and hang a banner and educate the public on the bill,” Hawke says.
But things seem to have taken a turn shortly after 3 p.m., when Hawke failed to obey a request to remove the banner.
Police eventually removed it and told Hawke he was welcome to stay.
According to court documents, Hawke remained seated and began “yelling and swearing,” saying things like “white supremacy, white motherfxxxx cops” and “OPP white motherfxxxxxxx.”
The documents say Hawke’s outburst was causing a disturbance to both adults and children attending the event.
“In attempts to de-escalate this disturbance, officers left the area in hopes that Hawke’s behaviour would cease as police would be no longer on scene,” the document says, noting that didn’t work as Hawke continued to yell and swear, including calling the police “KKK white bitches.”
According to the court documents, the continuance led to Hawke being charged and placed in the back of a police cruiser. He was released on an undertaking three hours later.
As for filing a human rights complaint with the province’s Human Rights Tribunal, Hawke says he feels senior town staff's "request to have his banner removed was also an act of adverse and indirect discrimination, which is protected” by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.
“I filed a complaint on the Corporation of the Town of Midland and OPP for violation of my rights and freedoms of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression where I was discriminated on the grounds of my race and nationality in regards to having my sign removed where other members of the public were permitted to engage in the same actions I was denied.”
The town declined to discuss the court case or the actions that led to charges being laid in the first place.
“As this matter involves a proceeding before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the town will not be commenting publicly at this time,” says Dana Clarke, the town’s digital government, customer and recreation services executive director.
https://www.orilliamatters.com/local-ne ... p-11252255