IMHO the bigger issue here, and the one that has the potential to cause many more problems in the future, is the whole question of how we deal with FNs in a way that provides fair resolution to their legitimate claims, gives them a legitimate degree of involvement and benefit from resource projects on land ceded to them by the Crown, but gradually defuses the violent die-hard element represented by the Warriors.
"Sending in the cavalry", as satisfying and righteous as that might feel, probably isn't the answer. That part of our history is over, and anyway except for the NW Rebellions and Oka, we have no real history of military operations against FNs, unlike the US. That approach would only wash here if Warriors or other FN elements were to act in a far more egregious way, on a much bigger scale, than what we have seen so far. IIRC even the pugnacious Commissioner of the OPP, Julian Fantino, defied a court injunction in order to stay away from violent confrontation with the Warriors (no doubt with memories of Ipperwash still fresh in mind...).
Backing down in every case such that local non-FNs get terrorized as in Caledonia, or just throwing more money at FNs, probably aren't useful answers either. Neither is "just cutting them off" going to do much: that would be guaranteed to play into the hands of Warriors et al. Poverty is usually a nice warm pond for crime to breed in, FN or non-FN.
IMHO, the useful measures are:
-uphold the law in an intelligent but firm manner, and make it clear that this will be done. At the same time, make it clear that the full range of legal remedies is available to FNs, just as it would be to any non-FN community that had an issue with land developers, mining companies, power companies, etc. If the more reasonable amongst them can actually hold up a significant example of success in court, this will serve to distance the Warrior faction from the main body of FN people;
-deal as swiftly, fairly and transparently as a Canadian Government can in resolving any outstanding land claims. Festering issues don't usually help;
-do all that can be done to encourage the development of an educated class of FN leadership. This is actually happening, but maybe not fast enough. IMHO educated people, on average, are more prone to find compromise solutions and less vulnerable to being whipped up into a frenzy by violent demagogues. An FN "middle class" would also be a stabilizing influence, as it is in any society.; and
-work to get reserves functioning like municipalities or counties, with as much independence, responsibility and self-regulation as any of those non-FN bodies would have, including the right to sell land.
These won't provide a fix overnight: not too many important changes happen that fast, anyway. But, in the long run, I think they will get us where we want to be.
