Craig Ashbaugh believe March for Freedom was "an abject failure"

Council praises Caledonia

JIM KNISLEY
The Sachem
Oct 20, 2006

Caledonians could be excused for blushing given the praise that was heaped on them Monday at county council.

Councilor Craig Ashbaugh, who represents the community at county council, said: "I'm extremely proud of Caledonia for not supporting that rally which was imported into our community."

He said organizers had projected that 20,000 would attend the rally, but the number of people who participated numbered in the hundreds not thousands.

It was "an abject failure," he said.

Many feared that the rally could get out of hand and would derail efforts to resolve the situation at Douglas Creek Estates and other land claim issues with the Six Nations.

But the failure of the rally shows that common sense prevails and that should help move the negotiations forward.

Ashbaugh, who spent much of Sunday with other members of council in a Caledonia command centre in the event quick decisions were needed, said the entire community deserves thanks.

"Everybody took the same stance," he said.

Their efforts and the common sense of the community prevailed over outside agitation, he said.

"We all have something to be thankful about. We should all be proud of them (the people of Caledonia)," he said.