For immediate release:
Jul 26, 2006
Queen’s Park – Dalton McGuinty and his Minister of Community Safety are clearly out of touch when it comes to the ongoing occupation in Caledonia, Progressive Conservative Party Leader John Tory said today.
“The McGuinty Liberals are making a foolish attempt to smokescreen the fact that after six months of occupation, nothing has changed,” said Tory. “No matter how you cut it the land in Caledonia is still occupied and the town is still on edge. Any comments made to the contrary are simply inaccurate and show just how out of touch Dalton McGuinty and his Minister of Community Safety are in reality.”
At a photo-op today in Hamilton Minister Kwinter told media “there was no occupation in Caledonia other than a symbolic one”. (Canadian Press, July 26,2006) His comments have upset Caledonia residents. Six Nations members have been occupying the development site since February. In June the McGuinty Liberals bought the land from the local developers for millions of dollars, terms, which have not yet been fully disclosed, yet those occupying the land still have not left.
Neither Dalton McGuinty nor any of the members of his government have gone down to Caledonia since the occupation began.
“Minister Kwinter could have driven to Caledonia in about 20 minutes today,” said Toby Barrett, MPP for Haldiman-Norfolk-Brant. “He would then see the occupation is real - not symbolic. On May 16, I invited Minister Kwinter to come to Caledonia and see the situation for himself. If he had actually been to Caledonia or Six Nations, he would know that the site remains occupied.”
“I have been to Caledonia four times since the occupation began,” said Tory. “I attended a church service there just two weeks ago and I can say without a doubt that the land is still very much occupied and the town is still on edge. I suggest that Dalton McGuinty and Minister Kwinter take a trip down to Caledonia and ask the people living there, or the Six Nations members, or perhaps Judge Marshall if the occupation is still going on and see what they say. Beyond being out of touch and trying to mislead the public as to what is really going on at Caledonia, Mr. McGuinty and his ministers continue to ignore the crucial importance of upholding the rule of law anywhere and everywhere in Ontario, one of their most important responsibilities"