Skirmish was with OPP… not natives

Haldimand Sachem
December 16, 2006

Mr. Fantino, your quote from the Hamilton Spectator Wed., Dec 6, 2006, that you "stood up" for the way your officers handled the latest skirmish between protesters and the town people is "unacceptable". Perhaps you should watch it again because the skirmish on December 2 was between the town people and the OPP.

On the day the other group of Canadians (natives) put their flags up exactly where we were not allowed to put ours up, your officers sat in their cars and did nothing but watch because that is what you instructed them to do.

If you officers had reacted, there would have been a skirmish between the protesters and the OPP. This is two-tiered justice.

On December 2, your officers were instructed not only to disrespect the Canadian flag and our troops, but they also disrespected all of our veterans who have put their lives on the line to protect our flag and everything it used to stand for before your officers showed up in Caledonia to enforce this two-tiered justice system.

You had an opportunity to save face for your officers but instead you failed them all. They deserve a leader who, unlike yourself, has the guts to walk the walk not just talk the talk in Caledonia.

I was going to comment on your issued statements to local press about the national flags taunting natives, however, nothing I could think of saying was going to make you look or sound more foolish and pathetic that what you have made yourselves look like already.

Randy Fleming
Townsend
(former Caledonia resident)