By Paul Legall
Hamilton Spectator
Wednesday, May 10, 2006 | Updated at 5:37 PM EDT
CALEDONIA - Tory justice critic Tory Dunlop says it has already cost the taxpayers a whopping $8 million for the OPP to police the 73-day native standoff at Douglas Creek Estates.
Speaking in the Ontario legislature Tuesday, Dunlop (MLA for Simcoe North) said he learned from "reliable sources" that accommodations alone for the officers are costing $100,000 a week or about a million dollars since the occupation started on Feb. 28.
Addressing community safety minister Monte Kwinter, he added:"with salaries, overtime, vehicles, accommodation and administrative costs, I believe that Caledonia has cost the taxpayers of Ontario and the OPP budget somewhere in the range of $8 million."
Because many of the officers have come from other municipalities, where their services were contracted, Dunlop is concerned policing in other parts of the province will suffer because of the manpower drain Calenonia has caused.
He asked Kwinter whether he was prepared to help the other municipalities and go back to cabinet to find "the millions" of unexpected costs the provincial force has incurred in Caledonia.
Kwinter played down his concerns, however, saying the OPP has a "global budget" and they didn't have to hire new officers to deal with Caledonia.
"There's no additional costs. It has just been reallocated within the province."
He added the OPP are also meeting their contractual obligations in other municipalities.