For immediate release:
June 29, 2007

Blockades directly linked to actions/rhetoric of McGuinty Liberals

(Brockville) Today’s closure of the CN/VIA rail lines and Highways 401 and 2 in response to blockades by native protestors in the Deseronto area, can be directly linked to the rhetoric of the McGuinty Liberals in opposition and their creation of the $25 million Ipperwash Inquiry when they formed the government, according to Leeds-Grenville MPP Bob Runciman, a former Solicitor General.

“In their efforts to vilify the former PC government and score political points they’ve placed police leadership and frontline officers in an untenable position” asserted Runciman. “They know that if something goes awry during the appropriate carrying out of their duties, they can’t count on the support of the current government.”

“They (Liberals) gave priority to gaining political advantage without any consideration of what the long-term implications could be in terms of policing policy” he charged. “We are now reaping the results of that short-sighted political exercise.”

Following the recent release of the Ipperwash report Runciman called on the Liberal government of develop policy to assist police in dealing with similar situations in the future.

The policy development process should be open to public input and debate in the legislature” said Runciman. “The current approach of different laws for different people can’t continue and we can’t leave our policing organizations twisting in the wind.”