At Home in Hespeler

Christie Blatchford’s Helpless begins with a story. On June 9, 2006 Kathe and Guenter Golke of Simcoe Ontario went for a drive. The 68 and 66 year old wound up in Caledonia, which had been in the news recently due to what they used to call in the movies an Indian incursion. The Natives of the 6-Nations reserve East of Brantford had taken over an housing development, known as the Douglas Creek Estates, due to a land claim dispute.

Driving through Caledonia the Golke’s slowed down to have a look at the Estate property. A woman on a motorcycle raced up to them:

“Is there a problem?” and then let fly a torrent of verbal abuse, accusing them of coming to “look at the bad Indians.”

They were soon surrounded by First Nations, attempting to stop their car. They spotted an OPP cruiser and went for help. Twenty or so First Nations followed, then surrounded and attacked their car. They jumped on the hood, grabbed for the steering wheel and attempted to open the car doors, while the Golke’s were parked beside the OPP car, talking to the officer.

It was one of three incidents that day, the one that was less newsworthy. A couple of senior citizens are attacked by a mob is much less interesting to big city editor than a policeman or an MSM cameraman assaulted. But it was the most telling: the First Nations had a complaint, so attacking a couple of innocent senior citizens is OK.

The surprising thing about Helpless: Caledonia’s Nightmare of Fear and Anarchy, and How the Law Failed All Of Us is how often you put the book down and seethe in quiet anger. Two governments and three OPP Chiefs, including Conservative MP Julian Fantino and his successor Chris Lewis, utterly and completely failed the people of Caledonia. However, it is original Commissioner Gwen Boniface and Inspector Ron George, director of the OPP Aboriginal Relations Team who takes the most blame for the force’s complete lack of action in Caledonia.

Ron George, it should be noted, is cousin of killed First Nations protester Dudley George. Yet without fear of conflict of interest, he was front and centre in the OPP’s decision making process.

The story of Caledonia is about the people who live there, and the people charged with protecting them not failing to do so, but refusing. Sixth line, on the south side of the Douglas Creek Estates, was populated by country homes, owned by non-natives. Although native occupiers of the Estates often criminally harassed the residents, the OPP refused to respond to calls on the sixth line for over three years.

The residents of sixth line were abandoned by those charged with keeping the law in Ontario, a state of Anarchy that they never asked for or did anything to deserve.

Christie Blatchford’s Helpless: Caledonia’s Nightmare of Fear and Anarchy, and How the Law Failed All Of Us is a quick, easy read. One of those books you start, curl up with, and find you’ve read half of it by dinner time. My only complaint is that the book is not broken into enough chapters. A chance to breath, and to let some of the anger that overtakes you breath, would help drive the point of the book home: “the failure of government to govern and to protect all it’s citizen’s equally.”

Books, Caledonia Caledonia, Chris Lewis, Christie Blatchford, Douglas Creek Estates, Dudley George, Guenter Golke, Gwen Boniface, Helpless, julian fantino, Kathe Golke, OPP, Ron George

Remember, Julian Fantino doesn’t break the law, Julian Fantino is the law:

Meeting Conservative Julian Fantino last month on the hustings for the upcoming Vaughan by-election didn’t go as Liberal Tony Genco expected. He’d imagined pleasantries between competing candidates…

“I gave him my best wishes…and he told me some of my signs were too close to his campaign headquarters so he’d had his people take them down.”

…“I asked him if he would please give them back — they’re expensive, you know — but he didn’t respond.”

Genco apparently never did get his signs back …

“My volunteers followed all the rules in putting our signs up on public property and they weren’t placed improperly.”

…Asked about Genco’s allegations, a Fantino spokesperson emailed a response: “(Liberal Leader Michael) Ignatieff’s candidate may want to talk about signs; I’m talking about what actually matters to families in our community.”

OK, you want to talk, here’s an issue: Julian Fantino is dictatorial and arrogant ex-cop who thinks the law is his to interpret. He is the kind of man who is dangerous to our democracy.

Hey, Conservatives in Vaughan: do everybody a favour, including the Conservatives, and vote Liberal on by-election day.

by-election fever, Caledonia By-election, Caledonia, Conservative Party, julian fantino, Liberal Party, OPP, Tony Genco, Vaughan

doesn’t include Julian Fantino.

This Friday in Vaughan, there is a rally to support Julian Fantino as the Conservative candidate for the riding. A counter protest, by Conservatives Against Fantino will also be held:

Fantino’s nomination is a slap in the face for every resident in Caledonia and Haldimand County; every police officer who served there; and every Conservative Party supporter who believes in fundamental justice and respect for the rule of law. Let’s tell Stephen Harper that Fantino must answer for Caledonia’s victims, not be rewarded for creating them.

I know which rally I would be attending if I wasn’t working (and they weren’t telling  people to dress up for the protest?).

Find out more about the counter-protest here.

Meanwhile, Christie Blatchford’s new book on Caledonia Helpless: Caledonia’s Nightmare of Fear and Anarchy, and How the Law Failed Us All will hit bookstores October 26th. Here’s a preview video:

Caledonia, Conservative Party Caledonia, Christie Blatchford, Conservative Party, CPC, julian fantino

Ouch. Caledonia Resident Merlyn Kinrade answers Michael Bryant’s amateurish Caledonia videos with a few of his own:

“This video is the result of a Minster of the Ontario Government, Michael Bryant, coming to Caledonia and making light of the critical situation in Caledonia. Mr. Bryant we sincerely asked you last fall to meet with us. Why not accommodate our request to meet rather than producing You Tube videos?”

“Tim’s is a great cup of coffee, you get the pulse of the community by going where the issues are.” That’s the kind of 10 second zinger politicians would kill for.

“There’s a great fishing spot by the dam, but the river is somewhat polluted since the Province hasn’t funded a new sewage treatment plant.”

As I noted before, Kinsella called Bryant’s videos smart use of new technology, but it’s never smart to give your opponents the chance to get in the last word, and that’s exactly what Bryant did. Not just that, but a couple of guys in Caledonia did better, more professional videos than Bryant did, that’s not good.

Score Merlyn Kinrade 1 – Michael Bryant 0.

Caledonia, Silly Politicians