www.Voice of Canada.ca

Our Struggle

HOME     FAVOURITE PHOTOS

 

MILESTONES

HISTORY RECORDED

spectator-jan-20-07-gary-mchale.jpga-channel-jan-19-07-screen-captures-001.jpgAt the present time I am working – on a volunteer basis - to support a most courageous man named Gary McHale (left) in his struggle against Two Tier Justice on behalf of the residents of Caledonia, Ontario, Canada who – until Mr. McHale came along – had no consistent voice to speak out against those who have terrorized their town and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) who have allowed it to continue. 

[Photo, above, right: Mark on A-Channel News, Jan 19/07. HIGH SPEED  DIAL-UP]

nov207.jpgopp.jpgThe most explosive of the events in Caledonia can be seen in the awful photos,  and the intimidation continues unabated to this day. Attempted murder of a builder. Attacks on police with no arrests or charges against the native thugs responsible. Violence against non-natives protesting at an illegal smokeshack in front of police without arrests even as the attacks continue. Peaceful non-natives sent to hospital. Illegal occupations of development sites protected by OPP officers in what the Court says are abuses of power. OPP officers assist native protesters to build barricade to keep legal owner out of property. Extortion. Intimidation. Mischief. Threats of further road blockades.  Charges against natives dropped by Crown while non-natives are prosecuted for the most minor of offences. Illegal smokeshacks selling cigarettes to the town’s children. Placement of smokeshacks on private peoperty without the owner’s permission. Threats against non-natives to force the OPP to deny them their right to protest near their occupation site. Brutal arrest of resident walking quietly down the road with a Canadian flag.  Direct interference in investigation by the Commissioner of the OPP ordering officers to target Gary McHale for charges before the investigation had begun. Commissioner of the OPP intervenes to ensure Assault Police charge is dropped against violent native ringleader, then writes reference letter for him. False accusations against non-native protesters by native protesters and Fantino. It goes on and on and on. 

NOTE: Every statement above is supported by documentary and video evidence as well as court evidence. 

garbag11.jpebridge-fire2.JPG[If you click on the photo of the man throwing the pallet off the bridge onto the roadway below you will see what appears to be an OPP car on the far side of the bridge. I don't think you need to click on the photo of the main road through Caledonia being dug up to see all the police cruisers. Hmmm. Wonder where all the OPP officers are? Tim Hortons? Maybe someone should tell them what's going on.]

Understanding Two Tier Justice/Race Based Policing 

Qualifications

If you’d like to know about my ‘qualifications’ and motivations, and those of the people I work with please see the ‘Biographical Information’ link on this page:

Why we fight against Two Tier Justice

mark-2.JPG

“I made a promise to Jack the day I met him that I would pay any price – any price – asked of me to restore the rule of law and equality before that law to Ontario. I promised Jack that I will do what I can to destroy Two Tier Justice, and that losing that fight is not an option I am prepared to accept.

This I say to Jack and to you all as a former soldier and peacekeeper who believes that there are causes worth fighting for no matter what the cost may be.” 

Speeches by Mark Vandermaas:

Why are we prepared to go to jail?

mark-in-police-car-dec-16-06.jpgI am proud to say that I was arrested with Gary McHale on Dec 16/06 for attempting to raise a Canadian flag across from the occupied Douglas Creek Estates as a way to expose the absurdity of the Two Tier Justice that Caledonians and Ipperwash residents are forced to endure. We were protesting to support resident Bo Chausse who had been arrested on Dec 02/06.

Just days after our arrests, on December 21, 06 the Toronto Star ran its historic editorial saying, in part…

 ”There cannot be different classes of law for different classes of people. That undermines the very equality we strive for and cherish in Canada. The rule of law is paramount in Canada’s society and must be upheld.”

london-free-press-jan-14-07-001.jpg

Four people have been so far arrested while trying to display a Canadian flag near the Douglas Creek Estates:

Randy’s brother Doug Fleming was arrested on Dec 01/07 for blocking the road with his truck because the OPP refused to meet with him to discuss the illegal smokeshacks that were selling contaminated cigarettes to his town’s children. Gary McHale was arrested for merely suggesting that the same road be blocked. Natives who assaulted police at the same protest were never arrested or charged. Native protesters have blocked other roads and rail lines for days and weeks at a time without arrest since 2006.

Why are Canadians prepared to go to jail for this cause? What price would YOU put on the Rule of Law, and the right to be treated equally before that law? Our freedom is such an insignificant price to pay if we can hasten the day when the Rule of Law is no longer a topic for debate.

Are we ‘provoking’ violence? 

We are – indeed – aggressive and determined in our efforts, but we believe that our struggle must remain non-violent. It is the only way, and it has already served us well.

For those who wonder if the mere act of exercising one’s rights by confronting injustice via peaceful protest is inappropriate for fear of a violent reaction from native occupiers, history has already answered this question for you much better than I could: 

Is the struggle against Two Tier Justice about racism towards native people?

It is a source of bewilderment to me how one can be accused of being racist for speaking out to defend the rule of law; equality before the law; the Charter of Rights and the decisions of the Supreme Court of Canada.

Unfortunately, false accusations of racism happen regularly to people who speak out against the use of violence, crime and intimidation during land claims. It just goes with the territory. The authors of Donner Book Prize finalist ‘Disrobing the Aboriginal Industry‘ have also been attacked as racists.

The reason the race card is played is because those who support the use of violence have no credible counter-argument to make against us. Fortunately, the media and politicians have grown tired of smarmy allegations of racism, and are now writing and saying the very same things we have been speaking and protesting about during the past 18 months.

I suggest you read VoiceofCanada and decide for yourself if I am a racist. May I suggest you begin with the following posts:

Let me close this section with a quote from the summary to my Jan 10/07 presentation of Canada at the Crossroads: The Ipperwash Legacy:

“I believe, however, that it is a critical mistake of both our government, the Inquiry and the OPP to assume that violent criminal factions speak for native people, and to ‘negotiate’ with them as if they do. It is an insult to every honourable, law-abiding, peace-loving native person in Canada.

OPP Two Tier Justice policies are based on the false premise that native people have no self-control, that they are incapable of obeying the law,t hat they and their children are willing to live in a lawless world ruled by criminals who take what they want, when they want. For more than 15 years the OPP has been sacrificing the well-being of law-abiding people – both native and non-native – for the benefit of sociopaths and demagogues.

What does it say to honourable aboriginal parents who try to raise their children to have respect for the rights and property of other citizens when the government and the OPP so eagerly reward thugs in native communities for their violence and criminality? How many native youth have been turned away from productive lives by well-meaning, but destructive racial policing policies?”

Six Nations owes the people of Caledonia an apology

The true racists are, in fact, the native extremists who have brutalized, vandalized and traumatized the people of Caledonia. The leaders of Six Nations need to apologize for the crimes committed against innocents so true healing and reconciliation can begin:

History rejects the ‘I was just following orders’ excuse

If you are a police officer enforcing Two Tier Justice in Caledonia, or anywhere else in Ontario, I have a special message just for you. It will help you make a decision that will determine how your actions will one day be judged.

Thank you for visiting!

2inch_voc_logo-url.jpgThank you for taking some of your valuable time to understand what is at stake in this most important struggle! 

Mark Vandermaas, Editor
VoiceofCanada.ca
info@voiceofcanada.ca

SENDING COMMENTS: I welcome your comments via the forms provided at the bottom of each post. Note that your email address is not published with your comment. All comments are moderated, and I reserve the right not to publish your comment at my sole discretion. I do try to provide a personal response to every comment, but time restrictions may prevent me from doing so. It doesn’t happen often, but please accept my apologies if it happens to you.

My decision to publish your comment is based on whether or not I think it assists in our struggle against Two Tier Justice and/or helps readers understand a particular point of view or set of facts. I welcome input from those who disagree with me – even vehemently - but I will not publish comments containing racist comments, silly insults, or unsubstantiated statements. I rarely publish ‘revisionist’ comments from those who try to deny the truth despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, ie. using the words ‘peaceful occupation’ in connection with Caledonia.

If you wish to send a comment on a story, please use the form provided at the bottom of the story.

If you wish to send a private message, contact me at info@voiceofcanada.ca .

2 responses so far ↓

  • Larry Dicy // January 26, 2007 at 11:27 am

    Mark, I would just like to say that I was more than proud to stand in Caledonia on Jan 20th with men like yourself, Gary, Chris and Merlin. After the rally I was honored to shake all of your hands.

    I am a proud 15 year Royal CANADIAN Legion member in honor of my grandfather who made 32 trips across the waters in defence of our flag and to ensure the freedoms that WE ALL enjoy today. Because of the sacrifices that my grandfather made, my father never met him until the age of five. I am not sure that most people can even fathom this. To listen to my dad recount the memory of seeing a man in uniform standing at the front door , not knowing who he was, while watching his mother cry,then to be told that this man is his father is unbelievable.

    The countless hours I have spent in Caledonia, away from my own wife and kids, pales in comparison to what my grandfather and so many other great men and women gave up for their country but I will be there none-the-less. I am astounded that every tax paying Canadian is not sickened by the blatant and willful disrespect for the law that the OPP shows. Is this what my grandfather and so many others risked their lives for? I don’t think so!!

    As you have said before, this is history unfolding before us and I for one WILL stand and be counted. I will NOT sit back and watch as we are forced into a police state. I will NOT sit back and watch the OPP make up their own rules as they go along. I will NOT sit back and listen to people tell us we are “outsiders”. Any taxpaying Canadian who comes to Caledonia that beleives in “equal justice for all people ” can never be considered an ” outsider”. I lived in Caledonia for thirteen years and I still have family that lives there. Since I now have a different postal code does that make me an “outsider” Mr. Fantino???

    Mark, if I can only come away from all of this mess in Caledonia with one thing, I hope that is to show my kid’s that their dad was willing to stand up for what he believes in and to help his fellow Canadian in a time of need.

    I urge ALL Canadians to come to Caledonia to show the government and the OPP that this kind of treatment is unacceptable. Will you stand beside us or will you ignore the sacrafices that so many of your parents, grandparents and my granfather made for us? Thank you Mark for your help and thank you to ALL our troops!God bless you all!
    Larry Dicy

    VoC REPLY: Larry, it was an honour to meet you on Jan 20/07 and I thank you for your words then and for your call to action today. I have already forwarded your comments to Gary McHale as I spoke to him today, and he is most appreciative.

    Thank you for your eloquent ‘call to action’ to your fellow Canadians. Our fight is entering a new phase – a phase in which you may think little is happening, but nothing can be further from the truth. During our protests to Caledonia we were gathering evidence to prove to Canada – to even the most wilfully blind politicians and their advisors – that the OPP is engaging in a systemic race-based policing doctrine designed to allow native law-breakers to avoid punishment. The effect of this doctrine has been to re-victimize the law-abiding citizens of Caledonia (and Ipperwash) and deny them (and we ‘outsiders!’) their Constitutional rights.

    If you’ve read, “OPP & OPPA vs. Supreme Court of Canada and the Charter of Rights & Freedoms,” you know how the OPP leadership – including Fantino himself – hid behind his frontline officers rather than come out and answer the four simple questions I raised in my ‘Blue Beret’ speech earlier that day.

    We will keep trying to hold them accountable, and this is what I ask of you and of all those who support this struggle:

    1. Send an email to everyone you know with a link to the VoC post mentioned above along with a SHORT message asking them to read it.

    2. Pick up the phone and call your MPP and ask them to read it. You can easily find your MPP’s # at: http://olaap.ontla.on.ca/mpp/daIndex.do?locale=en

    3. I hate to ask this, but the plain fact is that both Gary and I need some financial support. Some people are working to create a special non-profit company to fund projects like our struggle, but it’s going to take many months before it can help.

    VoC will be making available a product line with our new logo (see above in ‘OUR STRUGGLE.’) in order to raise funds for Gary and me until this new organization can help. Until it can, I’m going to split the proceeds from my VoC product sales with Gary and Christine. We don’t need a lot of money to keep this fight going, but we do need some. Spread the word for us, OK?

    Thanks again for introducing yourself and telling us about your Grandfather, and thanks for writing. We’re very grateful to you for it. Regards, Mark

  • dennis // February 24, 2007 at 2:34 am

    The myths of Caledonia

    There’s no legal basis to the Six Nations land claim; all they had was an occupancy permit.

    http://www.hamiltonspectator.com
    http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/pdfs/20070224/A13.pdf

    We have 3 tiers of government & Six Nation apparently has too many leaders and in one well researched editorial John S. Hagopian puts it all into perspective.

    The entire Haldimand Tract land claim is a Crock o’ Crap !

    VoC REPLY: Thanks for the links. Our civil rights are being violated over a bogus land claim, and believe me, it’s not the first time in Ontario. Stay tuned! Thanks for the support. Regards, Mark

  • Like gas stations in rural Texas after 10 pm, comments are closed.