Harper, McGuinty to receive Feb. 28 anniversary cards

By Karen Best
Haldimand Review
February 07, 2007 - 09:00

The cards will draw a lot of attention with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Premier Dalton McGuinty wearing clown costumes.

Inside the recipients will read, Unhappy First Anniversary. This greeting is underlined with red duct tape. Valerie Vanderwyk of Caledonia said she and the rest of the card makers could not resist the allusion to red tape.

The card’s interior is bordered with dates of significant incidents in the Caledonia land claim issue.

Sometime before Feb. 28, McGuinty’s card will be delivered to him and Harper’s card will be delivered to Haldimand Norfolk MP Diane Finley.

“The main reason is to focus our energy and frustration where it belongs which is the government,” said Vanderwyk. “The idea is to draw this to the attention of the people who can solve this problem.”

Canfield resident Joie Huurman has followed the land claim issue since the beginning and decided to help create the attention-grabbing cards. This issue belongs with the government, she said.

“I’d like people to see it’s not just a Caledonia issue because land claims are not exclusive to Caledonia.” Huurman said. Unresolved land claims across the country have been ongoing for years and will continue if they are not dealt with, she said.

Several days ago, Vanderwyk tossed out the idea in a conversation and soon a card-making session was planned. Dana Chatwell of Caledonia and a couple of other people signed up for the project.

They used eight foot by four foot sign board creased in half. The faces of the prime minister and the premier were printed off a computer and glued to onto the board. Then the caricatures came alive with colour. Vanderwyk donated her Halloween clown wig and cut it in half to cover the leaders’ heads. Their costumes were crafted from fabric and coloured wrapping paper.

Both men are holding signs created last summer to criticize lack of leadership in the Caledonia land claim issue. McGuinty’s sign is  Found Waldo; Has Anyone Seen Dalton and Gwen (the former OPP Commissioner). Her name is crossed out. Harper displays the Has Anyone Seen Diane Finley sign.

Vanderwyk said they want to gather as many signatures as possible before delivering the cards. They are on display at a Caledonia store, Home N Hearth, located at the intersection of Argyle Street North and Caithness Street.

Home N Hearth is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday to Wednesday and Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The cards can be signed on location at the Lion’s Hall on Feb. 9 when Haldimand County Coun. Craig Grice is hosting a town hall meeting.