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CHRISTIAN ISLAND ON - Sunday June 15, 2025 - Beausoleil First Nation member Johnny Hawke was released from custody from Southern Georgian Bay OPP Detachment after being charged with Causing a Disturbance CC 175 (1) (a) of the criminal code. Hawke was arrested at the Town of Midland ’s Buttertart Festival and detained for two hours yesterday and released with a promise to appear in Court.
Hawke set up a teaching space with Wampum Belts on site and posted a banner in opposition to Simcoe North’s MPP Jill Dunlop who voted in favour to pass Bill 5 into law on June 5 at the Ontario Legislature. Hawke peacefully engaged event goers during Midlands famous annual Butter Tart Festival which see’s 40,000 people in attendance. Hawke shared information on how the Bill would impede onTreaty Rights, Civil liberties and Environmental Protections law.
Hawke was engaging attendees of the event at the 3.5 acre green space of Neezhoday Park located between St. Paul's United Church and the Midland Public Library. ‘Neezhoday’ which means “Two Hearts” in the Anishinabe language is named after and dedicated to Andrew Mixiimong, a Elder of Beausoleil First Nation who was murdered by two Midland men in 2012 outside a downtown Midland deli.
“I set up at this specific space strategically because our Peoples are being killed by this Settler Society right from its citizens, missing and murdered women crisis to the police and by Government Policies that permit Industry to come and contaminate our lands and leave us with with crumbs where we can’t even have clean water where our peoples suffer from mercury poisoning from these economic agreements.” Says Hawke
Hawke also mentions his disappointment of no Indigenous inclusion and representation at the Midland event.
“Simcoe County occupies Upper Canada Treaties 5, 16 and 18 between our Chippewa Tri Council and the Crown where there are outstanding issues where we have never been properly compensated. There is also nothing in this area visibly that celebrates our Anishinabe presence except for our on going genocide.” Claims Hawke.
Hawke claims he was expressing his right to freedom of speech in which the Mayor of Midland stopped in at his space to show support.
“Bill Gordon stopped by to say he didn’t have any problems with me and my banner and informed me he instructed event organizers and police to leave me be if there were any issues as the space is a Midland Park and that I was expressing my right to freedom of speech.” Says Hawke
Hawke states he set up at 12pm with no issue until 4pm where he claims Event Organizer Staff in orange tee’s came to tell him to remove his sign. Hawke refused and OPP arrived where Hawke refused to remove his banner from the Elder Miximong’s and Park plaque.
“I asked the eight officers who came in like a swat team, Who gave this direction to do this? They took my property and walked off where I followed them and asked for my banner back and called them out for violating my rights in which then I was arrested, for demanding they give my property back.” Says Hawke.
Hawke later shares that Bill Gordon the mayor was very apologetic.
“They Mayor messaged me on Facebook last night to apologize and to let me know the decision to take my banner did not come from him or his staff.” Says Hawke.
Hawke says he will be filing a Human Rights complaint on the Ontario Provincial Police where he currently has a complaint at final stages with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal that stems from an incident from last July, involving the same detachment.
“Last Summer I was threatened by a Tiny Township Councillor, Kelly Helowka accusing me of taking photos of him and informed me that he was a former RCMP and can make me disappear. There was video evidence and the OPP failed to investigate and take my complaint seriously.” Says Hawke.
An Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Report called Policy on eliminating racial profiling in law enforcement, in Section 2.2.1. Indigenous experiences of under-policing has stated: The Government of Ontario has implicitly acknowledged racial under-policing in this context, stating: “more could have been done to meet the needs of Indigenous communities.” A high-ranking OPP official recognized that inadequate law enforcement investigations can be influenced by anti-Indigenous racism.
Bill 5 presents a comprehensive set of changes to various aspects of Ontario law, with major implications for the province. The new law amends several key pieces of legislation with the goal of fast-tracking economic development, specifically mining in key regions of the province, like the Ring of Fire located roughly 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay.
It also introduces or changes legislation affecting local governance, labour laws, environmental protections and Internationally Protected Indigenous Rights.
Hawke feels his rights to freedom of speech were violated and shares
“If this can happen to me this can happen to anyone and I feel the OPP are being directed to silence opposition not from local municipal and town governments but by Ontario itself. Canadians are the new 'Indians', What is going on is a major violation of everybody’s rights. This is not just an Indigenous issue, It is about Fundamental Rights and Freedoms and the Rule of Law which are the Treaties.” Says Hawke
Hawke says when he get his disclosure in court he will share who gave direction to the Police. The 2007 Ipperwash inquiry shared Ontario over stepped its laws to direct OPP to remove with legal force involving Anishinabe Land Defenders in 1995 which led to the killing of unarmed Dudley George protecting burial grounds. Hawke suspects Ontario's, a member of government collusion with the Provincial Polices was a factor to silence him.
Below Midland Mayors Facebook Messages to Hawke




