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 Chrétien 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. The Hughes Report Special Feature

Selected as a BC Book for Everybody

Wes Pue holds the Nemetz Chair in Legal History at the University of British Columbia. His research interests extend to the histories of legal professions, comparative legal history, and issues related to constitutionalism and policing. He is Editor of the University of British Columbia Press' "Law and Society" book series. Appointed Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Research in July 2003, he was called to the Bars of the Northwest Territories and Alberta (1981) and has served as President of the Canadian Law and Society Association. He has held faculty positions or visiting professorships in Canada, the USA, England, and Australia.

W. Wesley Pue's profile page

This provocative and compelling book blows the lid off Canada’s sorry track record in government and police abuses of power.

The Province

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.

National Post (17 August 2000)

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.

Canadian Journal of Political Science, Vol. 35, No. 4

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.

Globe and Mail