Who spray-painted the cannons at Couchiching Beach Park?
Jeff Monague suggested he did it when he posted a photo of one of the cannons on Twitter and wrote, “I have a confession to make.” Annie Nakashuk did the same in an email to OrilliaMatters.
However, neither was responsible, according to Krystal Brooks, Nathan Patterson and Clifford Perry.
The three claim they headed to the park in the early-morning hours of June 30 and spray-painted “Don’t shoot” and “Our home on Native land” on the cannons, along with a feather.
“I am not ashamed of this,” Perry told OrilliaMatters. “I will go to court if that’s the case.”
That very well could be the case. On Saturday, the 65-year-old Orillia man went to the Orillia OPP detachment and confessed to an officer. He said he described what he did in detail and even drew a map of the spots that were spray-painted.
Perry said he was told an investigation would take place. As of Monday afternoon, he had not heard back from police. Orillia OPP has not responded to OrilliaMatters’ requests for comment.
Brooks was the first to post a confession on Facebook, which she then sent to OrilliaMatters.
The act was a way for her to let out her anger, she said — anger at the treatment of Indigenous peoples over the years and anger at the recent and ongoing discoveries of children’s graves at former residential schools.
“Indigenous people are very hurt and very angry. Anger is a secondary emotion and it’s a result of grief,” Brooks said. “We don’t know how to heal right now and I think a lot of us are acting in the best way we think we can to heal ourselves.”
After Brooks owned up to the spray-painting, Perry contacted OrilliaMatters.
“I sprayed those messages around the former site of the Champlain Monument,” he wrote. “I made the stencils. I brought the paint, and I'm damned glad that finally at 65 I grew some balls to finally make a statement that wasn’t ignored and that created public conversation.”
“My conscience would not allow me to let someone else take the blame,” he said in a subsequent interview. “I, as a white, old guy, have never had hate directed at me. (Brooks), as a Native, has had enough.”
Brooks, Patterson and Perry then decided to end the mystery.
“We did it together,” Perry said.
Patterson, who is Indigenous, said he did it “to raise awareness about the children that were found and Native rights.”
He came forward because he wanted to “take accountability so that the actions weren’t gone unnoticed.”
He said he went to the Orillia OPP detachment, confessed and was charged, but not with mischief.
“The officer didn’t believe me, charged me with obstruction of justice because I was lying to him, in his views,” he said.
He said he was given a date next week to be fingerprinted and is set to appear in court in mid-August.
Despite all of that, “I’d do it again in a heartbeat,” Patterson said.
All three said they expect to face backlash now that they’ve admitted to the spray-painting. Perry had a message for those who are upset about it.
“This is not something I’ve ever done before, but I believe it is time for us white Canadians to stand up for our First Nations people who we have been complicit, whether we knew it or not, since the beginning of time,” he said. “I’m glad this has started such great conversations and I hope that those offended will think about it a little more from (Indigenous peoples’ perspectives).”
They returned to the park the next day, July 1, to take part in a peaceful gathering near the base of the Champlain Monument, where posters with messages including “No pride in genocide” and “All children matter” were placed.
They said they didn’t see any uniformed officers in the area that day.
“We would like to thank the authorities for respecting the very sombre meeting that went on July 1 in this park,” Perry said. “It was all about the true heart of us and I’m so happy that they stayed away.”
Like Patterson and Perry, Brooks said she confessed to the OPP, over the phone, and was told someone would get back to her. That hadn’t happened as of Monday afternoon.
Regardless of what consequences she might face, Brooks said her actions were freeing.
Since the 215 graves were found at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C., she was having trouble sleeping.
“I had probably the best sleep I’ve ever had the night that we did this and after Canada Day,” she said.
Asked how she was preparing for potential action from police, she said, “I’ve been really utilizing my smudge kit.”
