Caledonia under siege – one year later

REGIONAL NEWS THIS WEEK
January 17, 2007

The time is long past due for the Federal and Provincial negotiators of the land claims in Haldimand and indeed all across Canada to walk away from the negotiating tables. No person of reasonable mentality would spend as much time as has been spent on negotiating what and with whom? The different factions (native) are going in different directions and no one person speaks for all. The 'spokespersons' get on their soapboxes, launch a diatribe, the news media comes running and listens as though these many spokespersons were speaking for all.

Give the natives a time frame to appoint, elect, etc a leader who speaks, endorses or signs any document that is accepted by all natives and please don't use the flag debate as an excuse to cease negotiations.

The civil unrest created by spineless politicians and the OPP is a recipe for things much worse down the road (use your own imagination). Perhaps Mr. Fantino thinks if he repeats it enough times (that things are peaceful) we will start to believe it. So to the Mayor and councilors tell Fantino his men aren't doing their jobs as expected of any police service and dispense with the smiles and glad handing. Rally the populace of Haldimand County and indeed the rest of the country; get 20,000-30,000 people off their apathetic butts then perhaps McGinty and Harper will realize this isn't going away.

As for Gary McHale and Mark Vandermaas they are true Canadians in every sense of the word so when they rally, be there to support a cause that is as Canadian as it gets.

In closing I joined the Royal Canadian Navy under the United Nations Flag and served under another UN flag for democracy and freedom in foreign lands. So you veterans that put your lives on the line, rally, for our very existence as a nation depends on it.

M. Kinrade, RCN Retired