Caledonia costs sought

Standoff bill tops $25M, premier says `Federal government has been AWOL'

Oct. 25, 2006. 01:00 AM
The Toronto Star

Ottawa must pony up at least $25 million to cover the costs of an ongoing aboriginal occupation in Ontario, Premier Dalton McGuinty said yesterday, as he pressed the federal government to end what's being called the longest-running police operation in Canadian history.

The province's taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for reimbursing local businesses, paying provincial negotiator Jane Stewart's $1,300-a-day salary and buying the land in question — a moribund housing development in Caledonia, south of Hamilton, McGuinty said.

"That doesn't include any additional costs connected with... policing, and we'll wait and see what we're looking at there," the premier said, noting the final cost "certainly could be higher."

Total cost of the occupation, which began in February when protesters from the neighbouring Six Nations reserve took control of the property, could be as high as $55 million with police overtime factored in, according to estimates by the Opposition Conservatives.

"The federal government has really been AWOL on this whole matter," Finance Minister Greg Sorbara said. "It's time now they make their presence felt and they make their presence felt financially as well."

McGuinty said David Ramsay, the minister responsible for aboriginal affairs, was to meet this week with his federal counterpart to discuss compensation.

But Deirdra McCracken, spokesperson for Indian Affairs Minister Jim Prentice, said no meeting is scheduled. "We haven't received anything official yet, and, until we do, we won't be commenting on it."

Ramsay said he would talk to Prentice by phone this week and hopes to arrange a face-to-face meeting next week to present on "how the federal government can be a financial contributor (and) ... become the dominant player in the negotiations, as they should be."

More groups are joining the call for Ottawa to take ownership of the standoff.

Karl Walsh, president of the association that represents provincial police officers, said Ottawa seems virtually invisible on the Caledonia file, even though aboriginal land claims are a federal responsibility. He called the occupation the longest-running police operation in Canada's history, saying only the Oka standoff with Mohawks in Quebec is even remotely comparable. It ended after 78 days.

Ottawa should send RCMP to help police Caledonia, he added.

Ken Hewitt of the Caledonia Citizens' Alliance said many town residents agree the federal government isn't playing a large enough role in the talks.