The 1995 armed 31-day standoff over aboriginal title at B.C.'s Gustafsen Lake
The Gustafsen confrontation occurred after about 20 natives refused to leave the property of rancher Lyle James. Tensions peaked on Sept. 11, when thousands of rounds of ammunition were fired after a vehicle driven by activists was blown up by an explosive device buried in the road. The occupation ended peacefully six days later. Fourteen natives and four non-natives were convicted on charges related mostly to trespassing. Wolverine was found guilty of assaulting a police officer and discharging a firearm.
15 years ago: Ovide Mercredi sits as he listens to rebel native leaders Percy Rosette (centre) and man identified only as Wolverine. Mercredi was trying to end the occupation of private ranch land peacefully. The rebel natives agreed to talk to Mercredi.Chuck Stoody
15 years ago: Percy Rosette tells his side of the story.
15 years ago: Natives displaying placards and a flag gather at their encampment on a private ranch, about 90 kilometres southwest of Williams Lake, B.C., Monday. The natives say the land they occupy is sacred and they were preparing for a confrontation with police.
15 years ago: Ovide Mercredi, left, goes for a walk with spiritual leader Percy Rosette.
15 years ago: Two unidentified natives stand with binoculars outside a log shelter on private ranch land they occupied.Chuck Stoody
15 years ago: National native leader Ovide Mercredi untangles his arm from a trailing microphone as he breaks away from a media scrum.Chuck Stoody
15 years ago: Native rebel only identified as Wolverine wags his finger at national native leader Ovide Mercredi (sitting) at Gustafsen Lake. Listening in right of Wolverine is Percy Rosette who has been living on the disputed ranch land for more than a year. In the background native rebel wearing mask video tapes the talks.Chuck Stoody
15 years ago: Wolverine holds a sacred feather while talking to Percy Rosette.Chuck Stoody
Native spiritual leader Arvol Looking Horse from South Dakota talks to media briefly before leaving for native camp at Gustafsen Lake. Lisening in at right is RCMP Stf. Sgt. Shane WylieChuck Stoody
Native mediator Marlowe Sam is flanked by RCMP.Chuck Stoody
15 years ago: RCMP Emergency Response Team member prepares to go up the road to a checkpoint near the rebel native camp.Chuck Stoody
15 years ago: Lawyer for rebel natives at Gustafsen Lake, Bruce Clark of Ottawa, is stopped by RCMP at roadblock leading to native's rebel camp.Dave Buston
15 years ago: RCMP roadblock .Chuck Stoody
15 years ago: Dianne Wilson, spokeswoman for a small group of supporters for the native rebel camp at Gustafsen Lake, displays a petition signed by native lawyer Bruce Clark which she tried to present to the British Consulate in Vancouver. Wilson and about ten supportes were foiled in their attempt to present the petition and occupy the consulate when the consulate closed and locked their doors for the day.Chuck Stoody
15 years ago: Aboriginal women pray at 100 Mile House, B.C., Wednesday after hearing on a police radio that a planned meeting between police and rebel natives has been called off.
RCMP officers armed with shotguns and pistols and equipped with flack jackets stop two carloads of natives at a checkpoint 17 kilometres from a rebel camp at Gustafson Lake, B.C.. One man was detained briefly and the group was then turned back.
15 years ago: R.C.M.P. officer Pat McTiernan gets questioned by Treaty 6 Cree hereditary chief Harvey Kinematayo (from Saskatchewan left) .Dave Buston
15 years ago: Randy Sam (centre) and friends load bags of vegetables, fruit and supplies at R.C.M.P. headquarters to be taken into the camp with elders of the Shuswap nation.Dave Buston
Bruce Clark (C) is escorted from the bush by RCMP officers after meeting with the natives behind police barricades.Jeff Vinnick
15 years ago: Shuswap Liaison council member Tom Dennis stands with arms folded in front of RCMP at the checkpoint 17 kilometres from the rebel camp at Gustafsen Lake. Three natives were shot when RCMP and aboriginals exchange gunfire outside the armed camp, a rebel leader said.Bill Keay
15 years ago: R.C.M.P. Cpl. Jean Ward points out high calibre bullet holes in the back and gas tank of a vehicle recovered from the Gustavsen Lake area after shots were fired.Dave Buston
Two Royal Canadian Mounted Police vehicles lead the first of four armoured personnel carriers (APC),at the break of dawn towards the encampment of the rebels at Gustavsen Lake, B.C.Dave Buston/The Associated Press
One of four military vehicles race past an RCMP checkpoint about 20 kilometres from the aboriginal camp at Gustafsen Lake, B.C., responding to what police said was increased aggression by the rebels toward the RCMP.
A soldier injured when a police stun grenade exploded at Gustafson Lake is wheeled into hospital in Vancouver.
An ambulance speeds past RMCP officer at the checkpoint about 17 kilometres from the rebel camp at Gustafsen Lake rebel camp. According to a rebel leader, three natives were shot when RCMP and aboriginals exchanged gunfire .Bill Keay/The Canadian Press
A white female supporter of the rebel camp at Gustafsen Lake is flanked by two native males as they are taken to waiting RCMP vehicles after they were helicoptered into 100 Mile House Sunday. The last twelve occupants of the camp gave themselves up to RCMP..Chuck Stoody
Stuart Dick is escorted from RCMP helicopter after he and his brother left the native rebel camp at Gustafsen Lake. The two brothers left the camp voluntarily and were arrested by police.Chuck Stoody