-- BELLEVILLE -- The aboriginal protester behind a blockade that shut down Canada's busiest highway during last year's aboriginal day of action was spared further jail time after an unexpectedly speedy trial today.**********
The Belleville Intelligencer reports that Mohawk protester Shawn Brant was charged for shutting down Highway 401 in eastern Ontario in June 2007 as well as for another blockade in the area on April 20 that year that halted CN Rail's main line.
In an unexpected move, what was to be the start of three weeks of pretrial motions in the case turned into a 30-minute trial.
RELATED: Shawn Brant... aboriginal role-model
You know how ol' Shawn always tells the media he's a cabinet-maker? Well, strangely enough, that's not quite the whole story.
Justice Lynn Ratushny describes Shawn Brant's actions in the dispute as those of a deceptive, self-serving man who played the role of victim and failed to take responsibility for himself.To his credit, he's an equal-opportunity criminal... no issues at all screwing over his own family, friends and community.
The Brants went ahead and erected a building on the property. Their business failed within one year and none of the $430,000 in loans was repaid.And that's not all. In the never-ending battle against racist Canadian society... Super Shawn's not afraid to get his hands dirty...
Brant jumped out of his car, grabbed a six-foot-long fishing spear from the rear seat and ran towards the altercation, Lalonde said.Whoa... a guy with a criminal record attacks someone with a spear... that's serious business right?
"His eyes were crazy-looking ... he was in a rage," he said, adding Brant ran up to the scene yelling "'Is it on? Is it on?'"
After two days of evidence into the matter -- which centred around an April 21 incident near the corner of Bells and Lower Slash roads -- Justice Stephen Hunter said he found "sufficient evidence" to convict Brant, 44, of carrying a dangerous weapon and breaching court-imposed conditions.So... holy crap... looks like he's finally pushed his luck too far.
Well... not exactly...
Brant was also given one year of probation with strict terms, including conditions that he is not to participate in or plan protests.Let's not forget the punchline here...
"During his probation, he is banned from participating in or organizing any unlawful protests and owning weapons — with the exception of those used for aboriginal hunting and fishing."I guess Orwell was right... in Dalton McSlippery's Ontario, anyway... some animals are more equal than others.
*
