November 12, 2010
York Region.com
If federal Conservative candidate Julian Fantino thought his quest for a seat in Ottawa would proceed without controversy, a new group is trying to ensure the path there is anything but smooth.
Conservatives Against Fantino is a group formed by Gary McHale, Mark Vandermaas and Merlyn Kinrade. The trio are based in Caledonia, southwest of Hamilton.
They plan to stage five protests beginning Sunday outside Mr. Fantino's Major Mackenzie Drive campaign office.
"We're hoping that the public in Vaughan will take a real serious look at Mr. Fantino's actions over the last five to 10 years and not just the myth of who he is," said Mr. McHale, a former Richmond Hill resident.
"We're hoping to provide them real evidence that it's not just bad people speaking out against him, it's police officers and the president of the OPP association."
The group also plans to distribute 60,000 flyers in Vaughan that allege Mr. Fantino targeted Halimand County councillors and police officers who disagreed with him while he was OPP commissioner and in charge of a land dispute in Caledonia.
The name Conservatives Against Fantino was initially registered with Elections Canada this week as a third party. If granted that status, up to $3,765 on materials such as brochures and flyers can be spent in Vaughan's federal byelection Nov. 29.
At press time Friday, Mr. McHale said Elections Canada is reviewing the name because it is too similar to the Conservative Party of Canada and could cause confusion.
If the preferred name is not approved, Mr. McHale said the group will simply use the name "Against Fantino".
The trio were involved in the years-long Caledonia standoff where members of the Six Nations of the Grand River protested against Henco Industries Ltd., a company that planned to develop a residential subdivision on lands the Six Nations said belonged to them.
The protest turned violent at times and some have criticized the OPP over its handling of the situation.
Chief among them is Globe and Mail reporter Christie Blatchford, whose recently released book, Helpless, chronicles what happened during the most violent part of the land dispute.
Mr. McHale's history with Mr. Fantino goes back four years.
The Caledonia resident filed a corruption complaint against Mr. Fantino over e-mails Mr. Fantino sent to Halimand County mayor and council during the land dispute. That case was thrown out this past April, after Justice of the Peace Dan MacDonald ruled Mr. Fantino's e-mails weren't threats.
The campaign against the province's former top cop isn't personal, according to Mr. McHale, and is just meant to inform voters.
"... If you disagree with him, he will use all the resources at his disposal to silence you. That's the last thing you need in an MP, somebody who thinks that all the resources of the state are there to silence an individual," Mr. McHale said.
Mr. Fantino denied a request for a phone interview with The Vaughan Citizen, but instead sent two statements via e-mail responding to Mr. McHale's allegations.
"All people are entitled to their opinion, but I disagree with the premise of their comments and their intimidation tactics. Clearly, the situation wasn't ideal when I inherited it in 2006. We had to deal with the operational realities on the ground. This was a long, complicated, ongoing process," Mr. Fantino said.
Mr. Fantino also wrote he didn't want to replay past issues.
"I think my record as a police officer upholding law and order for over 40 years speaks for itself. I am not here to replay the issues of the past. This election is for the good people of Vaughan to decide, and the people of Vaughan only. This is not a decision for anybody else from outside our community," Mr. Fantino wrote.
When asked how the Conservatives Against Fantino group will affect Mr. Fantino's campaign, spokesperson Stephen Lecce, who is on a leave of absence from the Prime Minister's Office, said Mr. Fantino's priorities include meeting voters, listening to their concerns and highlighting his commitment to the community.