Overview
In November 1997, the world media converged on Vancouver to cover the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. The major news story that emerged, however, had little to do with the crisis unfolding in the Asian economies. At the UBC campus, where the APEC leaders' meeting was held, a predictable student protest met with an unusually strong police response. A crowd of students was pepper-sprayed, along with a CBC cameraman. The dramatic video footage of the incident that appeared on the evening news shocked Canadians. The use of noxious chemicals to attack non-violent protesters somehow seemed un-Canadian. It looked more like something that police and soldiers in less democratic countries would do. Other news stories developed. Two dozen law professors wrote to Prime Minister Chretien to report that a number of serious constitutional violations that had taken place on campus. One protester, held for fourteen hours for displaying a sign saying Free Speech, initiated legal proceedings. Other lawsuits followed. The RCMP and the government of Canada were named as defendants, and a public inquiry was launched. A central issue was whether the Prime Minister's officials gave orders of a political nature to the police that resulted in law-abiding citizens being assaulted and arrested. But why all the fuss? So what if the Prime Minister gave orders to the police? The contributors to Pepper in Our Eyes maintain that the so what question is of vital importance. The events at APEC raised serious questions about constitutional principle, the role of police in a democratic society, public accountability, and the effects of globalization on rights and politics. The contributors, experts in a variety of fields, draw upon their knowledge to explain - in plain English - the background issues and the values at stake. Some of the authors, such as Gerald Morin, chair of the first RCMP Public Complaints Commission, and CBC journalist Terry Milewski, had a direct connection with the APEC affair. By getting at the fundamental issues behind the APEC affair, Pepper in Our Eyes seeks to raise our civic consciousness. It shows that there was much more at stake that day than the questionable use of pepper spray.
Full Product Details
Author: W. Wesley Pue
Publisher: University of British Columbia Press
Imprint: University of British Columbia Press
Weight: 0.540kg
ISBN: 9780774807807
ISBN 10: 0774807806
Pages: 276
Publication Date: 01 January 2008
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Out of stock
The supplier is temporarily out of stock of this item. It will be ordered for you on backorder and shipped when it becomes available.
Reviews
A new book Pepper in Our Eyes: The APEC Affair (UBC Press), edited by Wesley Pue, is designed to ensure that those who initially mishandled the security arrangements and, no less important, those who tried to cover up their involvement, face public scrutiny. -- Ian Hunter * National Post (17 August 2000) * The thoughtful, wide-ranging collection of essays ... is a welcome reminder that police behaviour at APEC '97 poses fundamental questions that go far beyond the mere matter of who got pepper-sprayed and why. They strike at the heart of our democratic form of government and respect for human rights... Pepper in Our Eyes is a valuable addition to the APEC debate. -- Rod Mickleburgh * Globe and Mail * This provocative and compelling book blows the lid off Canada's sorry track record in government and police abuses of power. -- Jim McNulty * The Province * This is a worthy supplementary text for undergraduate courses in introductory Canadian politics as well as constitutional law ... This is a worthwhile supplementary text for undergraduate courses in introductory Canadian politics as well as constitutional law. -- Sharon A. Manna * Canadian Journal of Political Science, Vol. 35, No. 4 *
Author Information
W. Wesley Pue is Nemetz Professor of Legal History at the University of British Columbia.
