Huntsville resident Peggy Peterson has had a tumultuous experience with police while practicing what she says is her legal and lawful right to peaceful protest.
She’s been opposing Swift River’s plans to put a hydro generation station at the Bala Falls for the past three years. Referring to herself as a water protector and part of the Idle No More movement, Peterson tried to bring awareness to the destruction of habitat, the loss of a swimming area enjoyed by many and the impact a hydro generation plant in that location would have on the economy of Bala. She said she is also dismayed that the Province did not think it important to consult with the aboriginal communities, which have an interest in those lands.
She said her first unpleasant experience with police took place on December 9, 2015, when she arrived on site to protest the clear-cutting of the waterfront. She said there were about 25 people present and claims to have been assaulted by two Bracebridge police officers.
“I know exactly where the property lines are, so I knew there was one tree on the District of Muskoka land, although they had marked, they weren’t legally allowed to cut. I also knew that I had all the rights in the world as a peaceful, lawful protester to be on that public District land and to go and stand beside that tree.” She said what happened next has had a lasting impact.
She said she heard what she described as “boots on the ground” behind her. She said she instinctively climbed the tree and was physically pulled off the tree by two police officers and forced to the ground. “As I was falling through the air I heard a man’s voice on my left say to me that I had just assaulted a police officer.” Fortunately, said Peterson, there were numerous witnesses.
She said the officers then tried to tell her that she was trespassing, but she was able to prove that she was on public lands. She said she was never actually charged with anything but did launch a complaint with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director, tasked with investigating complaints involving police. The case has since been closed. “The two officers were asked to apologize and they refused,” she said.
On September 7, 2017, Peterson said she was standing on a sidewalk carrying a sign with other women present when she saw three police officers approaching.
“On very good advice I’ve been told that if they have a woman with them, that I am about to be arrested so I told the women that I was standing with carrying our sign that I was getting in the car and calling my lawyer. So, I quickly got in the passenger seat of my car, locked the door before the police were banging on the window. I turned on my camera, I phoned the First Nation’s counsel that I have. He said ‘make sure you write my phone number on a piece of paper,’” recalled Peterson. She said her friend then gave police her counsel’s phone number. Her lawyer called her back telling her “it was all sorted,” said Peterson. She said he advised her to get out of the car, pack up her things and go home.
“I was happy to do that. I’m not really interested in having any encounters with police, after my experience. I got out of the car thinking there are three police officers, five women watching us, all being videotaped and I said to the crowd that was there ‘everything is sorted, I am packing up and going home.’” She said at that point one of the police officers grabbed her very tightly by the arm. She panicked, shook the grip and began running.
She managed to get away from the “rogue” officer, ran to a safe place and called her lawyer. He advised her to go to the precinct, accept the charge of mischief and an order to stay out of Bala and agree to show up in court to answer to her charge, which she said she did that very same day.
Peterson said contrary to police reports and media headlines claiming that she had been arrested, she was not actually arrested. She said those claims have upset her family and she is hoping to set the record straight before a judge on the 3rd of October.
She maintains that she was wrongfully persecuted by police and that she did not break any laws.
Know your rights. Canada is built on us voicing our opinions and our right to do so. So we can’t let any authority ever take that away from us and if we don’t fight for it, it’ll be gone Peggy Peterson
District Chair John Klinck said the Bala issue has divided the community. “As I said before and I said when it first appeared at District Council 15 years ago, I mean with all the places with running water in Ontario, if they want to generate power surely there was a spot that was far less disruptive, and I just don’t understand it… it baffles me,” he said.
While Klinck would not comment on Peterson’s experience with police, he did say it seemed out of character.
“She doesn’t strike me as the type of person who would do something outwardly foolish, but again I haven’t been privy to any videos or even an explanation from Peggy as to what transpired,” said Klinck. “People have the right to their freedom of speech and expression of views and ideals as long as they do it in a peaceful manner.”
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Money as usual, is the reason for so much angst and public discourse regarding the Bala Falls hydro project. At the bottom of the “green ” barrel, one of the last available projects for “green ” energy is the Bala Falls hydro dam . It’s another project which saddles Ontario Hydro consumers with exorbitant rates per kilowatt hour and taxpayers ,millions of dollars to subsidize construction. costs. After despoiling Bala and it’s tourist appeal , and an endangered species habitat , we can look to see who does benifit. Obviously Swift River Corporation will lap up public money as owners of the generation station, but also Lakeland Power owned by Huntsville and Bracebridge will gain hundreds of thousands of dollars for operation of the plant.
Something is very unbalanced in all of this. To me this smacks of another case of District Government and Provincial government not working in best interests of the public.
to serve and protect…Whom?
Where are the People now? Me thinks they are on side with the project and wanting it to go ahead. It’s time to step aside, let the job get done and get the construction overwith so the town can carry on. I’ve talked to lots in Bala that are FOR this project. It is not all against.
Doug Wright
I was assaulted by a Police Officer on Sept 7 2017 and also on Dec 9 2015 by two officers, both instances the result of miscommunication with police ….I will be seeking justice for both incidents as I can prove I broke no laws and remained peaceful on public lands
So true, the Wahta Mohawks did speak for this traditional Portage on August 28 2014 and they delivered me protection and flags also. We have a wonderful Elder who has spoken up for these lands and filed a Motion for Temporary Injunction to stop destruction based on the Supreme Court Ruling that guarantees First Nations Authority to have respectful consultations and INFORMED CONSENT…. if was filed on Sept 22 2017 in Bracebridge Court. I could not speak for Indigenous Authority , it was not my place but I was welcome there to protect the Land until the Grandmothers came… all quite beautiful. We know that an Indigenous Woman would have been at much further risk from harm so it had to be what it was…
Believe me, I had no intention of climbing a tree and I was not aware of Police Presence until I was already on the ground…. no question that they did not know the property lines or the law and I did file a complaint with the OIPRD. This is a second assault and so this time I will be proceeded with more than just a complaint. Peaceful Lawful Water Protectors are protected by Law in Canada . You can disagree with protecting this town when your own is not threatened. We stopped three other destructive projects in Muskoka in Port Sydney, Baysville and at the Brunel Locks, all stopped by the Bala Falls Effect…
Thank you for writing, as someone who makes his living from the beauty if the Muskoka Watershed it is very valid. The clear issue in Bala is one of misdirection and disrespect of First Nations rights and basic democracy. A real sustainable responsible green Energy project in place in the SOUTH Bala Falls would be ideal and not a private for profit but a local true green source in a waterfalls that no one really cares about in Bala. The Issue in the twelve year fight to save this town have been the fact that the Province insists this project gets built in the public parkland around the scenic North Bala Falls. When I arrived to the call for Water Protectors by Wahta Mohawks I recognised the problem was the location and I thought it was a push pin error in Queens Park and so I pitched a tent in hopes of correcting the location mistake. It was no mistake , and the power will all be surplus and we will deliver it for free ot the Us market and pay them to take it.. TRUTH
I appreciate the work of all Water Protectors and yet I can’t help but shake my head. How different this article would have been if it had of been an Indigenous Land protector being arrested and assaulted. I applaud Peggy for standing strong. At least maybe justice will be had this time.
Mni Wiconi
There is ample evidence, and more all the time, that Peggy has been particularly targeted, probably because she has been so committed, tireless, and effective in holding up this destructive proposed power plant and protecting Bala. The scope is much wider than people realize. The behavior of police when pulling her out of the tree and throwing her on the ground speaks for itself: she was right to feel threatened. I applaud John Klinck’s remarks in the article!
Good article all around.
Peggy supports a valid cause. However, I am a bit baffled as to her reaction to the police nearby. Is it necessary to climb a tree when police are approaching?
Yes a bit of under or over the table greasing of the palm in destroying even more natural areas helps the pain doesnt it.
As long as I get mine.
What about the Heritage designation, the threatened Blandings turtle habitat and why should Wynne’s stupid green rates encourage a town against a corporation?
Ah yes, money. Same as it ever was.
I agree, Brian, a little sugar goes a long way.
Peggy has a point.
The native people who portaged here a long time ago have a point.
The locals who live and make their living here have a point.
The company who plans to build the generating plant has a point.
The tourists who visit have an expectation to be fulfilled.
Also, we can use the green power.
But here is the issue I see.
Bala gets the construction, the disruption and all that goes with it. What does Bala get in return?
If the Provincial government was doing it’s job well, (not just correctly by some book) there would have been some better forethought about benefits and costs to the area of this power plant.
For example, if say (and I’m just tossing a rough figure here) 10% of the value of the energy sold was passed to the village of Bala to be used as they see fit going forward to make their town even more beautiful wouldn’t that be a good thing?
If the energy company could work cooperatively with the Village of Bala and if that same company threw in a few hundred thousand extra dollars to make the power plant blend into the natural scenery and maybe even enhance the area for visitors and residents wouldn’t that be another good thing?
If the residents of Bala, realizing the positive possibilities that could be achieved here, even with a power plant could find it in their interest to work cooperatively with the power company too that also would be a good thing.
What we have now is protests, distrust and acrimony in all directions. EVERYBODY is to blame in some regard. Feelings have hardened and the result will be a third rate project that makes the developing company the most money at the least cost and they will have little incentive to spend extra on environmental beautification.
There is the possibility to have a beautiful and environmental power plant here, a positive enhancement to the area and at the same time generate a not insignificant and ongoing income stream for the Village of Bala.
This mess has been going on now for over three years, I’m afraid we have collectively missed a great opportunity here. Too bad. Short sighted in the extreme and everybody will be somewhat the worse for this situation for a long, long time into the future.
“Assaulted a police officer”..Bwaha!