Pamela Matthews (BSc, MFA)​​​

A Filmmakers Journey through Ipperwash
and the Murder of Aboriginal activist Dudley George

Dudley George was the first person killed in a land claims dispute in the 20th century.



On September 4, 1995, Dudley George was one of thirty or so unarmed protesters, including Elders, women and children, who peacefully occupied Ipperwash Provincial Park to protest the destruction of their burial ground and a fifty year delay in returning their tribal land.

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The Ontario Provincial government immediately ordered the Ontario Provincial Police to take steps to remove the Indians from the park. 
On the evening of September 6, under the cover of darkness, members of the heavily armed Tactical Response Unit moved in on the protesters.

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THE FILMMAKER'S JOURNEY



Pamela spent many childhood summers camping at CFB Ipperwash where her father was the resident doctor for the cadets in training.

Of course, she had no idea of the on-going land dispute.

Then, on Labour day weekend, 1995, she met Dudley George during the peaceful occupation of the park....

....only to find out two days  later

that he had been killed by the OPP.

 

Soon after, Pam was hired by the George legal team to help on the case - and,

in 2004, she played the role of Carolyn George in the CTV movie, “One Dead Indian”.