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In 1961 a nine-hole golf course called "Le club de golf d'Oka" was built right in the middle of Mohawk peoples pines, the construction of this golf course would limit mohawk land to only 6 square kilometers
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The Mohawk peoples had been pressing the government to recognize their right to the land that the golf course was being built on, but the government ignored their requests and built the 9 hole golf course
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In 1989, the mayor of Oka, Jean Oullette announced that the golf course would be expanded to 18 holes and that there would also be the construction of 60 luxury condominiums in the pines
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Mohawk protestors decided to build a barricade blocking access to the area so that the government could not access the area. The Mohawks blockades cut off access to Montreal’s southern suburbs and the island of Montreal, which in turn caused the relationship between the aboriginal and non-aboriginal people in the area to worsen
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The issue escalated and resistance continued with more aboriginal supporters joining the cause and joining the Mohawk at the blockade, the sq had also put up their own blockades on roads leading to oka and the Kanesatake reserves
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It was eventually apparent that the SQ could not resolve the crisis and the federal government and the Quebec premier Robert Bourassa had brought in the RCMP and the Canadian armed forces to be placed on standby. The Mohawk protestors were facing increasing numbers and were under heavy pressure
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The SQ attacked the barricade and used tear gas and concussion grenades to create confusion, the brief gunfight caused SQ Corporal Marcel Lemay to be killed and the SQ to retreat
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Eventually on August 29th negotiations had been placed to put an end to the blockade of the Mercier bridge
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Mohawk warriors at the oka barricade continued their protest until September 26th, 1990, when they dismantled their guns and surrendered to the army
