In response to the Hamilton Spectator Article by Paul Morse dated Saturday March 22nd, 2008.
The Province and the OPP have taken their stand and presented their opinion against Dave Brown and Dana Chatwell action filed before the courts. The Provincial and OPP testimonial is that they acted with due diligence and did nothing wrong in regards to the specific treatment and response to the Brown/Chatwell family and their private property. Their position in this regard is not only inaccurate it is whole heartedly deceitful, abhorrant and gravely irresponsible, the precedent they are attempting to set in this matter is a threatening affront to all citizens of this Town, County, Province and Country.
The Brown/Chatwell family have been subjected to intimidation, mischief to property, threats, unlawful confinement, break and enter and the list goes on. They have had their home illegally entered by the OPP and surreptitious surveillance conducted on them not only without judicial authorization but without one shred of legitimate justification. They have had their lives, employment and property irreparably damaged. Their home once a sanctuary and place of enjoyment, friendship and family has become a prison that would stifle even the hardiest of souls. Their faith and trust in all levels of government and the justice system has been torn to shreds by the actions of the McGuinty government and the practices of Mr Fantinos OPP.
Why was this allowed to happen? How did the the fundamentals of policing and government responsibility to ALL of its citizens become something to so easily be discarded?
For the majority of the Caledonia population we had the luxury of relying on neighbours to respond and assist in times of crisis, we had even in the darkest of times the knowledge that others were close by and we could feel safer knowing that fact. Dave and Dana had NO-ONE!!!! They were unreachable by their friends due in part to barricades and in part to the OPP preventing anyone from crossing the "Caledonia no-go zone". When things were occurring they made repeated 911 calls the likes of which anywhere else would have had numerous officers responding en-mass to help, for them however their calls were unanswered. Not one officer responded to help them, to protect them.... they became nothing but one more responsibility to ignore. This should be viewed as a NATIONAL disgrace by all.
$12 million is the price of the suit... they are owed far more than that for what they have endured, the debt of honour and responsibility is owned completely by Fantino and McGuinty. Apparently though honour, responsibility and accountability have no place in the McGuinty / Fantino debacle that is Caledonia. The eventual public inquiry will hear the tale of this Town and the willful failure by the OPP and all levels of government to protect its citizens, uphold the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and operate in moral and legal obligation to the basic tenants of policing in a free society. It is my hope that never again will this be allowed to happen, never again will what is right and what is owed to this country's citizens by the representatives of the people and the law be discounted and betrayed in the name of politics.
David Hartless
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And again, I wept. I wept for Dave and Dana. I wept for all those families on 6th line. I wept for Mr. Hartless and I wept for this town. Caledonia died two years ago and we have since been sitting Shiva . Daily we wail. Daily we wring our hands. Daily we lament the once was. Daily we are comforted by words, pats on the shoulder, editorials, letters from our residents. Daily we are paid lip service by our government; especially our local Council. We live in a Province ruled by Liberal Fascists. If the rights of one individual can be squashed; if the rights of one town (two counting Ipperwash) can be squashed; if the rights of one County can be squashed and now the rights of all those living along the Grand River Water Shed can be squashed; then we have no hope that those put in power to protect us will. It is those protectors who are the perpetrators of these atrocities. History shows us that the pendulum always, always swings back. It will swing back again. Not because of our fat politicians, but because of the dedication and ruthless pursuit of justice by those few individuals who are willing to step up and say: "I will not back down. I will not step back. I will not be silent."
Caledonia Resident