Premier Dalton McGuinty declared that (from Spectator):
No one, including residents of the town who are frustrated by the drawn-out occupation, thinks the rally will help the situation, he said.
"The people of Caledonia don't think it's a good idea," he told reporters before a government caucus meeting yesterday.
However, it seems that some of the residents may in fact feel otherwise, but are afraid to voice their opinion, due to fears of retaliation.
Caledonia Wake-Up Call has an audio file on its site from a Global interview. Some residents didn't want to appear on camera due to fears of repercussions, but still support the march. They talk of trauma, grief and stress-related disorders.
MPP Toby Barrett also disagrees with the Premier:
"I've knocked on more than 3,000 doors this summer. When people start crying at the door, it tells me they want some sort of resolution," he said.
Whatever the outcome of this weekend's rally, it is obvious that this situation cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely.
What will it take for resolution? Hopefully by this time next year we will have a new provincial government and peace in Caledonia.
Update: The mayor of Caledonia is contemplating a State of Emergency declaration! Read all about it in the Globe before it disappears behind a firewall!!!
Further update from Hazel Hill (Native POV):
The $15 million that the Crown has given to Henco to buy them out of the situation was an acknowledgement in itself that gee, maybe they made a mistake and didn’t have the right to sell that piece of land after all. Common sense tells you if they had clear title, this would have been over a long time ago.
I'm thinking McGuinty should just hand over the land and call it a day. The natives will win in the end, so why doesn't he just save everyone a lot of time, money and grief? What is he waiting for?
32 comments:
Those people on the audio are describing the effects of terrorism.
Will someone PLEASE call an election and lose to a better Premier already?
Please?
If you vote in a weak kneed liberal you need to be prepared to pay the consequences.
Grow a pair Ontario!!!!
What will it take for resolution?
Unfortunately, I believe it will take a provincial election.
Those people on the audio are describing the effects of terrorism.
That cannot be true, because Canada has a zero tolerance policy for terrorism.
They sure don't have zero tolerance for illegal gambling.
Whatever the outcome of this weekend's rally, it is obvious that this situation cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely.
What will it take for resolution? Hopefully by this time next year we will have a new provincial government and peace in Caledonia.
That's excactly what it'll take - a new Premier. Unfortunatly, you know as well as I that McGuinty is going to be returned next fall
the people of Ontario can't be that easily hornswaggled can they?
I was talking last weekend with someone who lives in Caledonia, and he will be attending the march.
He says the DCE is the last piece of serviced land in the town. The services do not cross the two highways that converge after DCE, and it's usually a big deal to put sewers and water across provincial highways.
So even though unfinished, the houses are closed in, roofs on, sewage water and hydro hooked up. Conditions much better than those found on the reserve.
My friend wonders why they decided to occupy this last piece of serviced land. The town has been expanding that way for years.
I'm waiting for the natives to beat the crap out of you guys.
You should stop fighting wars for the Joos.
A couple of threads back there were loud claims about the Liberals determination to protect the rights and freedoms of Canadians. The falsity of these claims is demonstrated in Caledonia and Ipperwash. The OPP is ensuring that the laws of Canada are not enforced. The Liberal government(supposedly their bosses) looks on with approval. It is the stated aim of the protesters to spread this situation to every square inch of Canada. Wherever you live in Canada, remember this: YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD COULD BE NEXT.
Obviously liberal supporter has not driven through the reserve. There are some very good new houses that have recently been built. True, there are also some pretty poor ones also. But Indians can be successful in the Canada of today, both on and off the reservation. By the way, your prejudice is showing when you think the conditions must be terrible on Indian reservations.
Allow me to ask the completely dumb question: What has John Tory proposed that will bring a peaceful resolution to this situation?
What has John Tory proposed that will bring a peaceful resolution to this situation?
Thank you for that question. John Tory said he would not negotiate as long as the land was occupied.
To me that sees like a no-brainer.
s/b "seems".
John Tory is just Liberal lite anyway...
Daristotle: You are correct, I have never driven through the reserve.
"Conditions" is a subjective thing. City people often drink bottled water because they think the tap water is bad. But private wells and on-lot septic systems are generally less safe since they are not usually monitored and tested as well as a municipal system.
Assuming conditions are worse on the reserve was a byproduct of my conversation with a Caledonia resident. Why would they live in unfinished DCE houses, I asked. After he explained that the services end there, I said so these unfinished houses with services are better than what they are living with on reserve. He said he thought so.
Feel free to call me prejudiced. Or feel free to contribute something. For example, I was told years ago that natives on reservations cannot get mortgages because banks cannot foreclose there. So people have shacks and the money that would have gone to a down payment goes to buy a fancy car (for cash only, same problem with loans). Is that still true?
"I'm waiting for the natives to beat the crap out of you guys.
You should stop fighting wars for the Joos."
Learn to spell, anonymous cretin.
The other thing my friend in Caledonia mentioned is that Port Dover is about 10 minutes away on the highway.
Of course, Port Dover this Friday the 13th will be host to a large number of motorcycle enthusiasts, some estimates are that 80,000 people will be there. Police will be stretched.
Presumably many will be driving back right through Calendonia (it is directly in line to Hamilton and Toronto) on Sunday the 15th.
Will the bikers take sides? Any bike gangs might want to use the confusion to eliminate some of the competition in the drugs and smuggled smokes industry.
This could turn out badly, folks. If you're still all for the march, feel free to sit on your armchairs at your computers and blame whatever government you dislike if it does turn to a little war.
It's really shameful that this has been allowed to go on this long. ANY end in sight?
Jason, you obviously don't live in Ontario. Time stands still in Ontario. It is a very scary place.
The residents of Caledonia shouldn't hold a rally. They should smear their faces with war paint, dig a hole in a highway, drop a power transformer into it, spray people with a fire hose, desecrate the flag, assault a TV reporter, do a rain dance, assault a police officer and try to run him down with a stolen vehicle, and destroy a power station by driving a car into it.
Hey, it's worked for the natives so far, hasn't it?
As I have said before on this matter....Enforce the law.
If the law had been enforced would this situation be what it is now?
I think not.
And who's job is it to see that the law is enforced?
And who's job is it to see that the law is enforced? The natives seem to feel that their rights should be held above all others. The OPP appears to agree.
What's Dalton waiting for?
He's waiting for Julian Fantino to accept the job of OPP Commissioner!
Just heard it on the radio...
L.S. - Wow! What an interesting coincidence considering the timing.
I wonder how this will all play out.
I am not a tinfoil conspiracy theorist, but I do believe there are more things that are called coincidences than there are actual coincidences.
I think Fantino has a huge level of respect as being fair minded. Tough as well, so the occupiers will likely see they are not going to get any more results than they have now.
He'll probably make a personal visit to the area, allow a very small token group of occupiers to remain on the site and clamp down hard on the night quad rides and general intimidation going on. Demand action on arresting those who assaulted his officers.
I think he'll get the situation under control, then whatever land claim negotiations there are can proceed with the lawyers.
John Tory said he would not negotiate as long as the land was occupied.
Well that's not really much of an answer of any kind, is it?
L.S. - If that all went down the way you suggest, it would be excellent for everyone. I truly do hope Fantino handles things like that. Perhaps you could be his advisor.
Red - What are you trying to say? I'm not in the mood for pointless mind games today.
liberal supporter said... "For example, I was told years ago that natives on reservations cannot get mortgages because banks cannot foreclose there."
It actually goes further than that, L-S.
All reserve lands are held in trust by the federal government (ie: reserved) and therefore any houses, businesses or developments on reserve land are subject to the whims of the band council and theoretically the Feds. Realistically, the Feds try to avoid anything to do with governing the reserves... except, of course, for funding it.
There was an incident a few years back outside of Victoria, BC on the Tsartlip Reserve where a developer negotiated permission from the Feds and band council to open a mobile home park on the reserve. The developer prepared the land, put in services, put up a big sign that said "Clydesdale Estates" and sold several trailers. Then there was an election and the new band council decided to tear up the agreement.
People who owned the trailers were told to remove them immediately. There was no recourse. The council cut off their sewage lines. Desperately, the developer put in temporary tanks which needed to be pumped weekly and tried to convince the council to change their minds but they refused.
Some of the mobile home owners walked away from their "investments" which were either paid for cash or through regular loans (no mortgages allowed) because they couldn't afford to pay to move their trailers or they couldn't find another placement.
Businesses which have significant infrastructure costs avoid reserves because they can't secure funding and/or they don't want to risk building something and having to walk away from it because someone on council changes their mind. As I said- there is no recourse. Anyone who does business on a reserve does so at their own risk.
mac:
So in that mobile home case, was it a matter of a bad contract, or simply the rules are that the band can renege on any contract at their pleasure? I think you said that's the way things are, but I wonder if the developer could have been better protected, maybe 99 year lease or something.
Can a band make any kind of enforceable contract? Or bind themselves in some way as any other government can? For example, Steven Harper's government can defund departments it doesn't like, or break contracts (and pay the cancellation fees), but cannot easily repudiate government bonds issued in the past.
What about the casinos on reserve land? They are huge investments, maybe the gaming licence is partly held by the investors so repudiating the deal would gain the building and equipment but lose the licence?
From what I can remember, the contract was negotiated between the contractor and the outgoing band council with the Dept of Indian & North Affairs acting as intermediary. The new council said they weren't satisfied with the contract and demanded changes. The contractor refused so they cut him off. Indian Affairs tried to intercede on behalf of the contractor and the band told them to butt out.
I don't recall there being any leases; perhaps that was part of the problem? I've heard most of the casinos and other businesses are subject to long-term leases. I don't think band councils can bind themselves to contracts without the consent of Indian Affairs which is why you'll often hear chiefs saying Indian Affairs treats them like children.
The more successful band councils find ways to attract businesses or to develop their own businesses so these problems aren't insurmountable.
The United States Marine Corps has helped failed states in the past.
Post a Comment