OPPA Poll: Federal Government should take the lead in Caledonia dispute: Poll

Most Ontarians also want RCMP policing & negotiations deadline

Canada Newswire
Oct 20, 2006

BARRIE, ON, Oct. 20 /CNW/ - A just-released public opinion poll says most Ontario citizens want a deadline on negotiations to end the long-running native land claim dispute in Caledonia, as well as direct federal government involvement in the talks and policing by the RCMP.

The poll, commissioned by the Ontario Provincial Police Association, (OPP Association), was carried out by Toronto-based Pollara, one of Canada's leading public opinion firms.

The 601-person survey of Ontarians also shows:

- 80% have heard about the dispute in Caledonia
- 80% say the federal government should be negotiating with the First Nations protestors
- 58% say a deadline should be imposed on talks
- 67% say the RCMP should be involved in policing the Caledonia dispute

"We agree with Ontarians: It's time for both the federal government and the federal police force to assume their responsibilities in Caledonia," says OPP Association President Karl Walsh.

"We commissioned this poll because our members are being asked to do the impossible, and they've been doing it since this stand-off began in late February. They cannot and should not be negotiating and policing at the same time," adds Walsh. "The federal government should take the lead in negotiating, and the federal police force should be sharing the burden of policing."

"OPP members are being pulled in from all across Ontario to handle the extra time requirements at Caledonia. We are concerned about the effects of excessive overtime on our members, and about the quality of policing elsewhere in the province with our ranks thinned by the needs of the Caledonia dispute," he concludes.

The OPP Association has shared the results of the poll with OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino, with Ontario Community Safety & Correctional Services Minister Monte Kwinter and federal Justice Minister Vic Toews. The Association has also written to Prime Minister Stephen Harper as well as RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli asking for their direct involvement in the Caledonia dispute.

The OPP Association represents over 7,500 Ontario Provincial Police uniformed and civilian members who provide community-based policing and specialized policing services to residents in over 460 municipalities across Ontario.

OPP Association Caledonia Poll: Backgrounder

Research Background & Objectives:

The OPP Association commissioned Pollara to conduct quantitative research into Ontarians' opinions about the First Nations' protest in Caledonia, as well as to measure support for law enforcement involvement in the dispute. The main objectives of this research were to:

- determine awareness and knowledge of the Caledonia protests
- measure support for various resolution tactics to the current stand- off
- gain insight into perceptions of how the matter is being handled by both government and law enforcement officials

Research Methodology:

The survey was designed to ensure a representative sample of the Ontario population was attained. At the data analysis stage, the data were weighted to ensure they are fully representative of the overall population of Ontario. Telephone interviews were conducted with Ontarians 18 years of age and older between September 27th and October 1st, 2006. In total, 601 interviews were completed, resulting in an overall margin of error of plus or minus 4.0%, nineteen times out of twenty.

Key Questions and Results:

"As you may know, Caledonia is a small town in southern Ontario, west of Hamilton, near the Six Nations Reserve. Currently, there is a dispute over land between some First Nations people from the Reserve and a developer. Since the dispute has been going on since February, and it has not yet been resolved, the province of Ontario has agreed to spend 20 million dollars to buy the land from the owner. Had you heard about the native land claim issues in Caledonia before today?" Result: Awareness of the Native land claim issues in Caledonia is high with four-in-five (80%) of Ontarians saying they have heard of the Native land claim issues.

"Usually the federal government is responsible for First Nations land claims. Do you agree or disagree that the federal government should be negotiating with the First Nations protestors in the Caledonia land dispute? Result: A total of 80% of Ontarians agree, (58% "strongly" and 22% "somewhat) that the federal government should be negotiating. Only 13% of Ontarians disagree, (7% "strongly" and 5% "somewhat"), while 7% "don't know" or refused.

"With the federal government usually being responsible for First Nations land claims, do you agree or disagree that the federal police force, the RCMP, should be asked to take part in policing Caledonia? Result: More than two-thirds, 67%, of Ontarians agree, (40% "strongly" agree, 27% "somewhat agree"), that the RCMP should be asked to take part in policing, while less than one-in-four, 23%, disagree, (11% "somewhat" disagree, 12% "strongly" disagree), while 10% "don't know" or refused.

"Do you agree or disagree that there should be a deadline on negotiations, after which the protestors would be removed from the land?" Result: More than one-half (58%) of Ontarians agree, (35% "agree strongly", 23% "somewhat agree"), that there should be a deadline on negotiations, after which the protestors should be removed from the land. One-third, (33%) of Ontarians disagree with this plan, including one-in-four, (22%) who "strongly disagree", (11% "somewhat disagree" and 9% "don't know" or refused)