IMPORTANT UPDATES:
1. 1253 EST, Feb 08/07 – A-Channel TV News interviews VoC on Jan 19/07. Includes footage of OPP ripping flag from Mark’s hands, and subsequent arrest on Dec 16/06.
2. 1501 EST, Jan 29/07 – Video taken Jan 20/07: “Mark & OPP sergeant at Unity Road.”
3. 1353 EST, Jan 29/07 – Canada Free Press editorial, Jan 25/07, “Fantinoland.”
4. 1121 EST, Jan 29/07 – Video taken Jan 20/07: “Caledonia – January 20th 2007.”
5. 1340 EST, Jan 25/07 – Video taken Jan 10/07: “Two Tier Justice – By the Numbers.”
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This post is being written from Caledonia because I know you will be anxious for news about the most recent March for Freedom event held yesterday, Jan 20/07, and I will not be returning to London for several hours as we have more work yet to do.
More details will be made available as to what happened yesterday when we once again tried to raise the Canadian flag as is our right – a right affirmed by a 1993 Supreme Court decision in the case of ‘Ramsden v. Peterborough (City)
For now, however, I want you to know at least the basic truth about what has been said about us and about the ridiculous and unwarranted hysteria whipped up by the OPP and the Ontario Provincial Police Association (OPPA) about this event.
In an effort to calm things down and bring some semblance of reality to the situation, I gave the following speech at the very beginning of Sunday’s event with my wife standing beside me. A former Royal Canadian Navy veteran named Merlin Kinrade volunteered to stand with me to hold my Canadian flag while I spoke. (I later read Merlin’s letter to the crowd).
[Don’t miss this video posted by ‘kidvid1983’ on YouTube.com that sums up the essence of the day and of our struggle in just 1.14 minutes – “Caledonia – January 20th 2007.” It includes clips of Merlin, Gary McHale, the OPP and me.]
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Mark Vandermaas speech, March for Freedom, Caledonia, Ontario January 20, 2007
NOTE: I made several typographical mistakes when drafting this speech which I corrected during the actual speech. It is reprinted below in full exactly as it was originally written, and I have noted the corrections as follows [xxxxxxx] along with explanations where necessary. I am being careful to point this out because I did give a copy to the sergeant in charge of the Fantino security detail at the Unity Road Detachment and asked him to give it to the Commissioner on my behalf. I do not wish to be accused of altering the text.
_______________________________________________________
“Many of you have asked me today why [I] am wearing a blue beret.
“
As you may know I am a former soldier with the Canadian Forces and I served a six month tour of duty as a peacekeeper with the United Nations in the Middle East. [3rd from right]
“I have seen the burned out tanks in the desert and driven carefully through the minefields. I have driven through the streets of the Gaza strip where today there is civil war because there is NO rule of law. I have stood on the hill in northern Israel that is named Har Megidon. You may know it by its English name – Armageddon.
“
I have swam in the waters of the Sea of Galilee and I have also seen the sunrise from the top of Mount Sinai on Easter morning. Our world is both an ugly and a most beautiful place.
“I joined Gary McHale in his fight against Two Tier Justice because I saw the ugly pictures of the evil that has been perpetrated against the beautiful town of Caledonia that – our critics would have you believe – [was done] in the name of justice for past wrongs committed against an honourable people.
“
It seems a most peculiar argument to me that one can try to rectify injustice by bringing it upon others. Yet, that is what those who would apologize [I intended to use the phrase, ‘excuse the terrors’] for the terrors in Ipperwash and Caledonia would have you believe. During the past months as I supported Gary McHale’s efforts through VoiceofCanada.ca I have repeatedly asked those who would excuse the actions of the criminals and the inaction of the Ontario Provincial Police several questions, one of which is this:
“Why would you want to live in any country – no matter who owns the land – where there is no rule of law?
“Recently, several readers who have supported what was being done by native criminals in Caledonia have tried to answer those questions for me and have been responsible for some remarkable, enlightening and moving discussions on VoiceofCanada. One of those discussions began thanks to a proud and honourable Iroquois man named Terry Jamieson Jr. who was highly critical of “ignorant white men” like me.
“Needless to say, our relationship did not get off to a good start, but I responded, not by escalating the discussion with insults and further alienating him, but by encouraging him to read another discussion I had with another critic called, “Does past injustices justify present violence” [Note: the correct name of this Voice of Canada post is, “Does past oppression justify present violence?“]
“I, like most Canadians, have entrusted my government with this task. Thanks to Terry Jamieson Jr. I realize now that it is up to us as individuals to also do this. My exchange with Terry can be found in a VoiceofCanada post called, “Negotiation & mediation with natives? Yes. With sociopaths? No.” and I encourage you to read it.
“I have consistently tried to make VoiceofCanada a place of reason and of truth, and even a casual review of my writings by any sane person could not possibly lead to the conclusion that I was provoking violence or hatred against anyone.
“Similar complaints have been lodged against Gary McHale’s site, CaledoniaWakeUpCall.com, yet he, too, has consistently and publicly disavowed the use of violence in his fight against Two Tier Justice.
“Yet, the President of the Ontario Provincial Police Association would have you believe otherwise in his recent news release dated January 18, 2007 [reprint] in which he says,
“The people behind these protests are not from the area. They are, however, acting on a sustained basis to push an aggressive political agenda that includes promoting hatred, flaunting the justice system and inciting violence.”
“I personally have contacted the Vice President of the OPPA, Mr. Ron Middel on two separate occasions during the past week[s] to try to set up a meeting whereby we could explore ways to shift the focus of our fight against Two Tier Justice away from the frontline officers onto the OPP leadership where it belongs.
[I contacted the OPPA head office at 1.800.461.4282 and was given Mr. Middel’s cell phone # (xxx.x37.999x). I left a detailed message for him at 1035 EST, Jan 03/07 and again at 1130 EST, Jan 10/07.]
“Mr. Middel never called me back.
“The OPP Police Commissioner has also made scurrilous comments against us in a similar vein and has even recently repeated them on the radio, despite his refusal to reply to a detailed letter on VoiceofCanada dated January 10th that addresses his accusations point-by-point. You have a copy of this letter in our press kit. It is called, “Dear Commissioner Fantino: Sir, you owe Canadians an apology.”
“Mr. Fantino has never responded to this letter.
“As you know, the Member of Provincial Parliament for this area, the honourable Toby Barrett, has come out publicly this week to give the full weight of his support to us and to our cause.
“Are the OPP Commissioner and the President of the OPPA seriously suggesting that Toby Barrett is also promoting hatred and inciting violence?
“
If our government and the OPP are to be believed, you would think it was Gary McHale and Mark Vandermaas that have been terrorizing the residents of Caledonia for the past year, and not the violent criminals who have intimidated the residents into remaining silent.
[Photos are taken from video footage of incident in which a thug threw Chris Syrie’s flag on ground and then confronted him in a toe-to-toe staring match. VoiceofCanada has obtained a copy of the raw video that shows the incident from start to finish, including the refusal of the OPP to arrest or even identify the man prior to allowing him to escape. Mr. Syrie and his father told VoC that the OPP later told them that they couldn’t arrest the man because they were “unable to identify him.”
This footage illustrates exactly why most of Caledonia’s residents are afraid to speak out; because they know that the OPP will not arrest a native lawbreaker without authorization from a senior officer. In this 8:48 minute annotated version the officer clearly says he’s going to call the ‘ART’ (Aboriginal Response Team) team. That means all the officers stand around and wait and do nothing until the ART and/or MELT (Major Events Liason Team) arrives and the suspect leaves. Incredible!
HIGH SPEED DIAL-UP]
“
I should not be surprised to discover that we will next be accused of being co-conspirators in the Kennedy assassination.
“There has – indeed – been an assassination in Caledonia. Of our character. Of our motives. Of our patriotism. But there has also been an almost lethal attack on the truth.
“The truth is that not one police officer has been injured by or due to our actions.
“The truth is that we have never promoted violence and hatred against anyone.
“Your government and your police force are the ones who have used lies against us and our efforts on behalf of your cause to whip up hysteria and fear to such an utterly insane level that the Ontario Realty Corporation felt it necessary yesterday to use your tax dollars to courier a letter from downtown Toronto to my home in London warning me not to try to enter the Douglas Creek Estates. [Note: my version of the letter has not been posted online, yet; it was identical to McHale’s other than it contained no reference to copies having been sent to Dalton McGuinty, David Caplan & Michael Bryant as was McHales.”]
“I have never called for anyone to enter the DCE.
“Even Conservative Leader, John Tory, has been caught up by this smear campaign as evidenced by his letter to Gary McHale in which he asks that our event today be called off.
“For the first time in 29 years, I have donned the blue beret and the medal I wore as a United Nations peacekeeper to try to bring some calm to this situation, and obtain answers from the OPP to the following questions:
- Why does the OPP not deploy its forces to the West side of the road and allow a small delegation of us to erect Canadian flags as is our right according to the Supreme Court of Canada ?
- If the OPP and the government have a legitimate fear that violence will be provoked, who do they feel will be committing this violence?
- Are the people occupying DCE so dangerous, so violent and so volatile that OPP officers and citizens face a very real danger to their persons should they try to erect a Canadian flag?
- If the OPP does indeed believe that these people are so dangerous that hundreds of their officers could not control them, have they requested military assistance from the government?
“We do not wish to provoke violence from people that the government cannot control, but before I will allow the OPP and my government to restrict my rights as a Canadian citizen, I believe that I, along with every other citizen in this country, have a right to know the reason why.”
END OF SPEECH
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I told the crowd that we would try to get a senior officer to answer these questions in front of the media. I was then promised by an (unknown) officer present that a senior officer would come to me, but he never appeared.
Later in the day, we heard that OPP Commissioner Fantino was at the Unity Road detachment, so a number of us – along with members of the media – drove over to see if he would be willing to speak with us and answer our questions.
The people I was transporting decided to make a rest stop at Tim Hortons along the way, but McHale and others went straight to Unity Road where they had a frustrating, but remarkable conversation with an OPP officer who would not allow them to enter the building, nor would he ask his senior officers to come out.
In this unbelievable audio recording Gary McHale and Bo Chausse (the first person to be arrested for trying to erect a Canadian flag on Dec 02/06) try to get the officer to explain what the determining factor is in deciding who can put up a Canadian flag. Listen as the officer does everything possible to evade the question as he takes the heat for the cowardly leaders hiding inside. It exposes clearly the double-talk and the double-standard that law abiding residents of Caledonia have been subjected to for almost a year at the hands of this so-called ‘police force.’
When I arrived there were still officers blocking the driveway. I asked the sergeant in charge if a senior officer would meet with us to answer some questions with the media present. I suggested that we would be willing to go inside if that would be better.
[Mark Vandermaas video, Jan 20/07, 1.38 mins – Mark & OPP Sergeant at Unity Road]
This sergeant wasn’t interested in even trying to help us. Shortly after the conversation shown on the video ended, 
he told us there were no senior officers present, but several people then exclaimed that they had just seen Commissioner Fantino in a window. I asked if he would check with the Commissioner to see if he would be willing to meet with us, but he refused to even ask. The fact that he’d just been caught with his pants down in a bald-faced lie didn’t seem to bother him in the least.
It would seem, according to a Canadian Press story, it was OK for Mr. Fantino to meet with supporters of the criminals who used violence to seize land and terrorize the residents for nearly a year, but he couldn’t meet with two law-abiding, peaceful citizens to explain why he and his officers were violating their constitutional rights and flaunting the Supreme Court of Canada.
OPP takes “no nonsense” stance at Ont. land occupation
GREGORY BONNELL, Canadian Press, January 21, 2007 (canada.com)
“Fantino, who met with Six Nations residents at the occupation site Saturday and assured them police would handle the demonstration, reserved his harshest words for the out-of-town activists who descended on Caledonia.
“We’re prepared to deal with these people in a way that we will preserve public safety . . . and officer safety,” Fantino said from an old schoolhouse on the outskirts of town that serves as a police command centre.”
VoC note: the Commissioner might want to review the most recent VoC post, “Outsiders’ and why they are so important” (Best VoC post EVER!)” to read how one Caledonia resident feels about ‘Outsiders.’
Gary McHale asked the sergeant – with the media listening and writing intently – if he could explain what law he would be breaking if he put up a Canadian flag across from the occupied land. Silence. The media scribbled furiously.
McHale left shortly after and duct-taped a Canadian flag to a culvert railing across from the occupied Douglas Creek Estates where someone else had already erected one alongside a Mohawk Warrior and Six Nations flag. [see photos below, right of 1 Canadian flag on left, 2 Canadian flags to left of the OPP officers.]
McHale later got word that the OPP had taken it upon themselves to remove his flag. Watch and listen to this OPP officer squirm during his exchange with McHale when they returned his flag:
McHale: “I want to know who took it down.”
OPP officer (Badge 6276): “I took it down. It was a breach of the peace.”
McHale: “And the other Canadian flag isn’t a breach?”
OPP officer: “I told you I wasn’t there when it went up.”
Pardon? Does this make any sense at all to you? Me neither. Actually, it would make a great Monty Python skit if it wasn’t such a civil rights travesty. Natives are allowed to erect flags, but non-natives are not. If natives actually do ‘breach the peace’ the OPP will allow them to escape, but if non-natives try to peacefully put up a flag in accordance with the Supreme Court decision and the Charter, they will be arrested. McHale and I know this only too well having been arrested December 16/06 while trying to do just that. [photo just prior to my arrest. I am in lower left of photo with large flag over my shoulder. It is upside down as a sign of distress at the attack on its values. OPP ‘pole protectors’ refused us permission to erect a Canadian flag beside the Mohawk Warriors’ flag clearly visible.]
The OPP and OPPA have been using disgusting allegations about our motives to frighten the people of Ontario into not getting involved in our struggle 
against Two Tier Justice, but they cowardly hide behind the frontline officers so they cannot be called to account for their unsubstantiated statements and their willingness to deny Canadian citizens their constitutional rights.
It would seem, however, that more than a few of the front line OPP officers are growing tired of carrying out the orders of leaders who hide while they 
are ordered to deny us our rights. At Unity Road, I spoke to the officers present and told them about our futile attempts to meet with the OPPA union leadership on their behalf. As I drove away, I offered a friendly wave to the officers. One looked me straight in the eye and nodded. Later, as we stood on the road with our flags beside Chris Syrie’s property adjoining the Douglas Creek Estates, OPP officers waved at us as they drove by. Cracks are beginning to appear. [London riot police head for home. Be sure to see “VoC letter to Chief of London Police Service“]
The question that must be raised is WHY? Why is the OPP leadership so desperate not to be accountable for their actions in Caledonia? I suspect that they do not have an answer that will explain why – as Caledonia was being terrorized – the OPP did little or nothing to prevent serious crimes from being committed.
It is absolutely clear to me that the OPP have become a law unto themselves. They spit in the face of the Supreme Court of Canada and on the Charter of Rights & Freedoms, and feel no obligation whatsoever to account for their actions.
In my opinion, the OPP and the OPPA leadership pose a great threat to democracy. I expect criminals to have no regard for the law; I do not expect it from a police force. The police should be protecting our rights, not violating them.
During a recent visit to Caledonia, I made a promise to a 91-year old World War II pilot named ‘Jack’ who had rocks thrown at his house while the OPP stood and watched that I would not rest until the Rule of Law, and Equality before that law is no longer a subject of debate. I will keep that promise.
If you would like to support the fight against Two Tier Justice, copy and paste the link to this post into an email, and send it to every media outlet and politician in your area along with a quick note to let them know why you are sending it.
Stay tuned to VoiceofCanada.ca and CaledoniaWakeUpCall.com. More information will follow. The struggle against Two Tier Justice will continue as we open some new fronts in the coming weeks.
Mark Vandermaas, Editor
www.VoiceofCanada.ca
REFERENCES
A-Channel News, Jan 19/07: Mark Vandermaas is interviewed by Reporter Sean Irvine regarding the Jan 20/07 March for Freedom DIAL-UP (2.10 mins). Also includes footage of OPP ripping Canadian flag from Mark’s hands, and his subsequent arrest on Dec 16/06.
Video by ‘vidkid1983,’ Jan 20/07: Caledonia – January 20th 2007 (1.14 mins) An awesome piece that tells the whole story of January 20th in just 1.14 minutes. Listen to the OPP tell Gary McHale that we cannot get past their line to erect Canadian flags. Exerpts from my ‘Blue Beret’ speech, and a clip of Merlin Kinrade, RCN Retired telling Canadians that our “flag means something and should mean everything” to us.
Audio Recording, Jan 20/07: OPP Unity Rd: ‘Open & Honest Dialogue’ about who will get arrested for putting up Canadian flags? (I almost feel sorry for this officer – almost.)
Mark Vandermaas video, Jan 20/07: “Mark & OPP sergeant at Unity Road” (1.38 mins) Mark tries to convince OPP sergeant at Unity Road detachment (just North of Caledonia) to find a senior officer to explain why they are violating our Constitutional rights.
Gary McHale editorial, Jan 22/07: Fantino enforces Two Tier Justice
Gary McHale editorial, Jan 22/07: Outsiders & Interlopers stay away
Gary McHale editorial, Jan 22/07: Fantino: The Coward
Gary McHale feature profile, Hamilton Spectator, p. A12, Jan 20/07: It’s about accountability: McHale
Craig Grice, Caledonia Councillor, Jan 20/06 speaks on the need for action in Caledonia.
London Free Press, Jan 14/07: A Londoner likely to be jailed for a protest in Caledonia next Saturday wants others to join him.
Supreme Court Decision, Ramsden v. Peterborough (City), 1993
Merlin Kinrade, RCN Retired, Jan 17/07: Caledonia under siege – one year later (“As for Gary McHale & Mark Vandermaas they are true Canadians in every sense of the word…”)
Chris Syrie video, Jan 10/07: Two Tier Justice – By the Numbers DIAL-UP (8.15 mins) Annotated edition produced from raw footage of complete incident – also available on disk. Watch as OPP refuse to arrest or even identify native who threw Chris’s flag on ground; OPP calls A.R.T. team and waits; native leaves. Chris is later told by the OPP that they can’t identify him. [dial-up click here]
Gary McHale video, Jan 20/07: McHale questions OPP Officer #6276 as to why he took his Canadian flag down.
VoiceofCanada post, Jan 22/07: VoC letter to Chief of London Police Service
Blog: The Reformer’s Firebrand, Jan 24/07: Calls for equal application of the Law called “outsider public mischief’ by Cop Brass
Canada Free Press (www.canadafreepress.com), Gary Reid, Jan 25, 2007: Fantinoland “The message is clear. Canadians beware. In Fantinoland you can wind up in jail without charge and have your heads cracked for standing up for this country.”
www.VoiceofCanada.ca 
Dear Mark,
The old saying goes ” To have tried and failed, is better than having never tried at all”. I had a call from a woman tonight very knowledgable about the incidents in Ipperwash. I asked her why she did not speak publicly at the Inquiry when the Judge gave us the opportunity. Her reply was that even after twelve years, she was terrified of retribution if she told how she felt or what had happened to her.
She has written her MPP and MP many times about her situation and will not sign her name(only interested party). She does not trust the natives or the OPP or the government that her information will be secure. That someone else won’t find out what she has been writing about her experiences. This is a sad testiment in this day and age that anyone is afraid to tell the truth.
It is time for the victims to stop suffering being victimized again by the attitudes and policies of our government and OPP. Putting the blame on those only trying to stand up against the atrocities they are enduring, is the most cowardly response that could ever be imagined. Under whose authority has this been allowed??? This is one question that must be answered. Who will step up to the plate and tell us the truth????
Sincerely,
Mary-Lou
VoC REPLY: This woman will have to justify to her grandchildren one day why she did not stand up with you and the other brave people against the evil you have witnessed. I understand that she’s afraid. We’re all afraid. But, what is the alternative? The alternative is Caledonia. I even understand that not all people are born leaders, but when you stood up, how could she remain silent. It is absolutely shameful that ordinary citizens have to stand in the place of their police and of their government, but that is what we must do to preserve our democracy and our freedom, and that is what we WILL do. Regards, Mark
Hi Mark;
Just a note to thank you and Gary for your much needed support on Saturday at the March.
It amazed Chris and I at how far the OPP were prepared to go to strip us of our rights to freedom of expression and our right to a peaceful legal protest.
Their response was strong and directed right at us the peaceful demonstrators and their main objective was to take away our right to equal treatment under the Canadian constitution.
Officers ordered us not to cross the highway from the Native side of the dispute to the non Native side of the street. They threatened all of us with charges of obstructing the police if we tried to put up a Canadian Flag on hydro poles across the road from Chris’ property. Can believe it? It was hard to accept this from the same police force that allowed 30 Natives to errect a Canadian and an American Flag across the road from the occupied sites main gate.
The next threat was absolutely amazing. We were told by the officers if we crossed the highway we would be charged under the highway traffic act. When we asked under what statute and we were told that the speed limit was 80 kilometers per hour and by law we could not cross a highway posted at that speed.
I informed the officer that if that was the case exactly one half of all the farmers in Ontario with rural mail delivery on roads posted at 80 kilometers per hour would be breaking the law every day they walked across their roads to get their mail and papers from their rural mail boxes and should I call them every day for police escort across my road to get my mail out of my box.
This is the garbage we are asked to put up with by the OPP yet on Saturday when the lady who lives in the house adjacent to my son’s lot returned to her home at the end of the protest Native occupiers immediately started to harass her and started crowding her property with a large gathering. There was a lot of yelling from the Natives directed at this lady. This all occured in full view of several OPP cruisers. I was walking in front of her house and my son’s lot with a flag and observed the whole episode. The attending OPP did not respond and let the lady fend for herself. At the same time demonstrators on the adjacent lot owned by my son called the OPP on a cell phone for some help.
The police did not respond for a long time even though we had a very large number of police watching our demonstration and even the riot squad were close by. Seeing this I took my flag and wrapped it around its pole and so it would not get in the way and started to walk towards the altercation. My actions got immediate response from two cruisers across the road and I flagged a passing cruiser into the front of our position.
The OPP across the road from me hurried across the road and cut me off from going towards the Native harassers and I told them that if they didn’t respond to her aid we would. They finally got involved and thanks to you Mark for also joining at about the same time, this nice lady was spared any more ongoing intimidation by the Natives.
To you Mark who conducted yourself professionally at all times and cared enough to offer your aid to a fellow canadian in need I would like to say thank you for your bravery and quick response.
To the OPP. OPPA, Fantino and the Sleeping politicians I have one question.
Where was the riot squad on the first day of the occupation of Douglas Creek Estates?
Had they been used on that day we would not be going through the exercises we find ourselves thrust into now and non of us would be going to Caledonia to fight for one tier justice and equality for everyone.
You didn’t seem to find any difficulty in amassing such a large showing of force towards a group of very peaceful protesters and the picture of the riot squad complete with face shields. Hand Shields and armour facing off with our small group of peaceful protesters all amassed on private property will surely strike a note with the tax payers of Ontario.
To the OPP officers and OPPA members I can only say shame on you for following the orders of such gutless leaders like Fatino who was too afraid to come out from behind the curtains at Unity Road to face a small group of peaceful protesters. who only wanted Fantino to answer a few simple questions. Even though Fantino was seen shaking hands with the Native protesters at the gate to the occupied site, he refused to come out of hiding to face the very people of Ontario who pay his wages.
With the intestinal fortitude Fatino has displayed to date with regards to the peaceful protesters it is no wonder he won’t face up to the terrorists and criminals who have stolen Douglas Creek Estates.
It is becoming all too evident that we as taxpayers and voters have allowed this rot to creep into our society by not holding politicians accountable.
I feel that both you and Gary have pegged it perfectly in saying that if the police and government feel that the people occupying the Douglas Creek Estates are so dangerous that they would become violent and attack us for hanging a Canadian Flag then the Police should ask for help from the army and have this resolved once and for all.
Mark I have more I want to say but I will save it until a later time. But I will leave you with one passing thought. You must have noticed our strategic position at ground zero in Douglas Creek estates. Twice my son has asserted his ownership to a bunch of intimidating, threatening terrorist occupiers and twice he has stared them down. To the world he has shown that he is the true land owner and that he is prepared to defend his position and to exercise his authority of ownership by the registered land title deed he holds.
It is most interesting to note that the Douglas Creek occupiers obviously have come to realize also that they cannot move in and steal land from just anyone and not expect the true owner to demand action from law enforcement and swift justice from the legal system.
If they do have a supportable claim to the land then file court papers to the rightful owners and settle it in Court not by violence and terrorist acts.
I would like to thank the many Native Canadians who passed our protest on Saturday and returned our wave and two finger peace sign with a smile. I would truly like to meet with you and talk as friends. To the small number of Native Canadians who passed flicking us the finger and shouting obsentities I can only say that we forgive you for your transgressions and wish you the best in life and we love you. Should you change your minds we would also like to meet with you talk and become friends. The world would be a better place if everyone could move beyond their bitterness towards their fellow man.
Jim Anderson
VoC REPLY: Wow! Thanks for the kind words, but it is we who owe you. Once again, you and Chris demonstrated your courage to Canadians, and inspired all of us. You are so right – I didn’t want the day to end because I was having so much fun saluting the car occupants who waved and/or honked in support of our ‘stand’ at the ‘Alamo.’ I don’t think I ever saluted so much in all my four years in the army! 🙂
As I mentioned in the post, there were also OPP officers who waved at us, too. Not only are we standing up for honourable, law abiding natives, and the residents, we are also standing up for the OPP officers who know who the real criminals are. Still – knowing is not the same as acting. These officers will be one day judged for what they DID, not what they THOUGHT. Personally, I would rather be an honest streetsweeper than an OPP officer in Caledonia trying to pretend I’m anything more than a taxpayer-funded security guard for organized criminals.
Re the riot squad: That WAS hilarious, wasn’t it?!? As you know, they were from London. But, of course, if the London Chief of Police swallowed all the lies being spread about us by the OPP and OPPA, it was no wonder they came prepared for World War III. I’m going to call the London Police tomorrow and see if I can see the Chief, or at least ask him to read this post to see how he was being used by the OPP.
By the way, the video of Chris’s flag being thrown on the ground and the utter refusal of the police to arrest the guy or even try to identify him was absolutely UNBELIEVABLE! We’re going to put this to good use. Our videographer is already working on producing a shorter version with ALL the highlights. Thanks for that one! Mark
Dear Mark,
I was very surprised at the lack of coverage by the media on what truly happened in Caledonia on Saturday Jan. 20/07.
One of your previous readers in submitting his comments, spoke of a gentleman , who in crossing the Hwy. in front of DCE ( away from the DCE) was told by an OPP officer that he was committing an offense against the highway traffic act by crossing a highway posted at 80kms. This raises the suggestion that anyone crossing an 80kms road to get mail or put their garbage out for collection is committing an offense against the law. Perhaps Mr. Fantino better get a handle on these heinous offenders immediately by sending notices to all the counties which use the OPP services and alert them that this crossing of a posted 80kms. road will not be tolerated.
Saturday in Caledonia was definitely a success when you can read ridiculous statements such as this from the illustrious body that serves and protects with diligence, honesty and determination. I think enough rope has been given to the OPP that they are finally hanging themselves with the PR statements that we have been receiving over the last two weeks. Their future demise will be solely of their own doing.
Sincerely
Mary-Lou
VoC REPLY: Hey Mary-Lou! I spent 10 minutes in my ‘Blue Beret’ speech explaining how the OPP Commissioner and the OPPA have libelled and/or slandered us with wild accusations, and how Fantino needed to be accountable for denying our Constitutional rights as upheld by the Supreme Court, but do you know what the first question asked was (by a CTV reporter)???
“How do you feel knowing that this event has been heavily promoted on white supremacist websites?”
I was taken aback for a second, and then I said that anyone who has the slightest idea how the Internet works knows that I can’t control who links to my site, and even if I could, I wouldn’t prevent them from doing so. If a racist wants to visit VoiceofCanada to read my message about ‘building bridges’ with honourable native people, and about the importance of the Rule of Law and Equality under the law, then that’s a good thing.
I have to give credit to the print media types who went over to Unity Road to report on our attempt to get the OPP brass to explain why it was illegal for a non-native to put up a flag. Not sure what they reported. They all had their recorders going and their pens scribbling as the OPP officer tried valiantly to evade Gary’s questions about the criteria they use when deciding who to arrest for raising a flag. Make sure you listen to the audio, in particular.
CHTV got a good clip when they showed a resident asking a group of occupiers to join in raising a flag together. His very polite suggestion was met with a ‘one-finger salute’ and it was caught on tape. That’s what happens when you’re not nice to people.
Everyone I spoke with agreed that this was the best event to date. We got some great video of an officer trying to justify why he took down McHale’s flag, but not the other one placed by natives. We got fabulous audio of the conversation McHale had at Unity Road when he forced an officer to dance a Tango just so he wouldn’t admit that we can’t hang flags because we aren’t native. Believe me, we got enough evidence yesterday alone to keep us busy for a while (can’t say anything more here). We got pictures of Fantino at Unity Road just as an officer lied to us about no brass being present. We did very, very well.
We also scored a HUGE moral victory when we first went to Chris Syrie’s place. There were a large group of occupiers yelling at us as we all stood there with our Canadian flags waving in the breeze. We just stood there smiling as they insulted us over and over and over again. I actually heard a familiar voice yelling at us across the field. It was the loudmouth in the Brantford segments in my movie, “MARCH FOR FREEDOM: The struggle to restore equal justice in Ontario, Canada.” They continued yelling at us for about 1/2 hour as we continued to proudly fly our flags and steadfastly refuse to react to them. Eventually, they just gave up and left. What a sweet victory that was! Man, don’t they ever learn??? Insults are the last resort of someone without an argument. The more they insulted us, the dumber they looked. I loved it. The longer this goes on, the more obvious it is who is the problem in Caledonia.
I read that bit by Jim regarding being told he can’t cross the road. I wonder if natives are allowed to cross? Fantino should put a call into London again and get the riot squad back to make sure no residents sneak across in the night!
You are so right, ML. The more rope we give them, the more damage they do to themselves. I smell fear and desperation at the OPP – they DO NOT want to be accountable for what they allowed to happen in Ipperwash and/or Caledonia.
Now that we have the evidence we need, the next phase of the struggle can begin.
Regards, as always. Mark
Once again Mark, you have an absolutely great posting. I managed to cut and paste it to emails before it got lost in the CWC site. I can’t find it there anymore. Is there something that I’m missing, this should be first and foremost on Gary’s site.
As always, please keep up the good work for us. Some of us just can’t do it on our own, you “outsiders” are all that we have! There is a presence here and it isn’t only the terrorists on DCE. We have first and foremost, the OPP directed by the provincial government, terrorists in their own right showing us first hand that we (residents) are causing this so called “breach of the peace”. Secondly our local government who is too scared to actually do their jobs and thirdly our provincial government, the high and mighty McGuinty (I won’t even bother to go there) and finally our federal government. Simply said, I can’t believe that this is happening in this day and age!!!
Personally, I don’t want any negotiations with these terrorists, I don’t want this two tier justice that is happening right before our eyes and I don’t want the government to cave in to the terrorists and give them a settlement of land somewhere else to appease their lawlessness! We have to put a stop to this! We have to stand up! There are some of us who can’t stand up but there are also those that can. Thank God for you and Gary for stepping up to the plate for us.
Thank You
Thank You
Thank You
VoC REPLY: Hi ‘BeothucVSA’ (unusual handle!). I sent a copy of your letter to Gary, and he’s got the links to this post and my movie, MARCH FOR FREEDOM, right at the top of his site. Thanks for the suggestion – I asked him the same question last night.
We appreciate your support very much, but let’s not forget that there are great people behind us who deserve the vast amount of credit for what we do – people you know and people you don’t. People like you who keep up our morale. It may not sound like much, but your comments and those from others who have let us know how much our voices mean to them can alter history – and that is not something I say lightly.
Still, although you may not be able to stand up, you can still help. Send everyone you know a link to this story with a short explanation, and make sure they read it, and send it to their friends. Send it to your politicians. Send Gary & Christine a couple of bucks – they could really use it right now. Even if it’s only $10 and that’s all you can afford, do it. It means so much. As one reader wrote, if you throw enough rocks in a pond, the ripples turn into a wave. Be the biggest rock you can be!
Our fight is just beginning – we have a lot of ground to cover. FREE IPPERDONIA! Mark
I was an OPP officer for over 31 years (1956 – 1987) and at that time everybody was considered equal in the eyes of the law. Now it seems that some are more equal than others. No one could force me to go against the principals of justice and equality. We were not perfect but we tried to be fair and impartial. I was proud of our force but now I am not so sure.
VoC REPLY: Thanks so much for writing ‘E.’ If you had told me 3 years ago I would be giving up my career to take on racist policing practices by the OPP, I would have said you were crazy. All of those involved in our struggle have a lot of respect for police officers for the difficult job you must do to protect the rest of us. I suppose that’s why we are so hurt and shocked at how low the OPP has sunk.
Thank you so much for writing. There is hope; privately, some officers are thanking us and helping us. They have witnessed Gary McHale try to lay private prosecutions in Court against natives who assaulted officers, only to be opposed by the Crown(!).
As a former soldier I was trained to understand my obligation to disobey illegal orders, and I believe that, sooner or later, some OPP officers will come to the conclusion that they can no longer aid and abet the subversion of justice.
Thank you so much for writing. I do appreciate it. Regards, Mark
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