Black activist who became PM of Dominica was target of RCMP dirty tricks: documents
CTV
It has long been known that the RCMP Security Service took a keen interest in Roosevelt 'Rosie' Douglas, a Black rights activist who attended school in Canada and would go on to be prime minister of Dominica.
It has long been known that the RCMP Security Service took a keen interest in Roosevelt "Rosie" Douglas, a Black rights activist who attended school in Canada and would go on to be prime minister of Dominica.
But recently released records reveal just how far the Mounties would go in the early 1970s to keep an eye on the young visitor from the Caribbean.
Douglas, the son of a wealthy coconut grower in tiny Dominica, came to Ontario to study agriculture before moving on to Sir George Williams University in Montreal.
Initially a supporter of the federal Conservatives, he became an outspoken advocate for the advancement of Black people and forged ties with international movement leaders.
Though he was a master's student at McGill University by early 1969, Douglas emerged as one of the leaders of a protest at Sir George Williams against alleged racism. As police moved to evict the student demonstrators from the university's computer centre, a fire broke out and chaos ensued.
Douglas was among the dozens arrested and charged. He served 18 months in jail and was forced to leave Canada in 1976 after fighting to stay.
Douglas promoted the push for Dominica's full independence from Britain and would lead the country as prime minister for a short time before his death in 2000 at age 58.
