'National security risk' returns to Concordia as PM of Dominica
j. cuppage and a. troster , The Link(Concordia University)

The last time Rosie Douglas entered Concordia's Hall Building, he left in handcuffs. On Sunday, the former activist returned as the Prime Minister of Dominica, looking to "build bridges" with the university.

Douglas led the student movement at Concordia's precursor, Sir George Williams University, that was responsible for the now-famous 1969 Computer Riot.

Students occupied the Hall Building in February of that year, protesting against professor Perry Anderson's allegedly racist marking methods. After negotiations with the university broke down, the demonstration turned into a riot. Ninety-seven people were arrested, and the damage was estimated at $2 million.

Douglas shouldered much of the blame for the riot. He was sentenced to two years in jail and fined $5,000. He was released after serving 16 months of his sentence, but a deportation order to his native country of Dominica followed. In 1976, Douglas was declared a national security risk, and was escorted out of the country in shackles.

Twenty-four years later, Douglas said he harbours no bitterness toward the university, although he had a few harsh words for the RCMP.

"I have no hostility towards Canada. I'm sure I feel more Canadian than most of you," Douglas said at a pre-speech press conference.

Joking that the students involved in the 1969 incident "knew the importance of computers," he expressed interest in setting up a technology exchange between Concordia University and Dominica.

"I'd like to see Concordia play a major role in information technology," Douglas said, explaining that he had already set up a similar program with York University.

During the speech, Douglas outlined his life, tracing his history from an 18-year-old agricultural school student to becoming the leader of a small Caribbean nation this January.

Touching on a variety of issues concerning his governance of the country, Douglas said that his political convictions - including his close ties with Libya - are still getting him into trouble today.

"Just last week the FBI spoke with me in my hotel room [at the UN's Millennium Summit in New York] about Libya."

Despite Douglas' assurance that he felt welcome in Canada, audience members couldn't help but notice the overwhelmingly strong security presence at the speech. Men in black suits sporting high-tech communication devices roamed through the auditorium, in a show of security the Hall Building likely hasn't seen since the riot.

Tom Keefer, student association spokesperson, said the security measures were a reflection of the high-calibre speaker. He said that whether or not the guards were armed was something he couldn't get into. He was, however, willing to say that plainclothes RCMP agents were in the crowd.

Douglas, for his part, seemed to brush off the issue.

"I don't like security," said Douglas, "but I'm told that it's needed... I've been taught that when someone kills you, they take all of your sins. I have enough sins for somebody to take."

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