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Strategies & Market Trends : Winter in the Great White North -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: teevee who wrote (7276)	12/17/2006 12:56:00 AM
From: stan_hughes	Respond to of 8273

"I know first hand that even the RCMP turn a blind eye when native groups threaten violence and blockade loggers and explorers etc. Unfortunately, there is apparently no rule of law in BC." It ain't just in BC, my friend. And for extra measure in Ontario, those who would protest that type of First Nation behavior get arrested instead -- Caledonia rally's organizer arrested Organizer of demonstration arrested at native occupation site Dec. 16, 2006. 04:11 PM CALEDONIA — The organizer of a controversial rally at the site of the ongoing aboriginal occupation in this southwestern Ontario community was arrested today for breach of the peace as he approached the disputed land, waving a Canadian flag. Gary McHale, from Richmond Hill, Ont., more than 100 kilometres from the occupation site, has been criticized in the past, portrayed as an outsider whose actions do little more than inflame tensions. “Mr. McHale’s plans were counterproductive and potentially dangerous to what we’ve been trying to do there, and that is to reach a peaceful settlement,” said David Ramsay, Ontario’s minister responsible for aboriginal affairs. “I’ve twice now offered Mr. McHale the opportunity to protest at Queen’s Park. In fact, I said I would sponsor his rally and set up a platform and a microphone, a PA system for him.” McHale, in turn, has long been critical of the Ontario Provincial Police, who he claims uphold the law to a different standard for aboriginals, allowing them to defy the law while police protect them. He says police are biased because they allow aboriginal protesters to erect Six Nations flags, but don’t allow himself and others to erect Canadian flags. “(Police) have one set of policies for natives and another set of policies for non-natives,” he said before the rally. “It’s against our Charter of Rights, that clearly says there’s not to be any discriminations based on their religion, beliefs, race or their skin colour.” McHale and Mark Vandermaas, of London, Ont., were arrested by Ontario Provincial Police around noon as they crossed into disputed territory, waving Canadian flags. Police had warned them about crossing into the “no-go zone,” previously established as a buffer area at the site after violent clashes erupted between protesters and non-aboriginal residents of Caledonia. Six Nations protesters have occupied the former housing site since February, and say they will remain on the land until it is returned to them. Vandermaas was forced to the ground by police officers and the flag was ripped from his hands as he crossed into the buffer zone. The flag was ripped in two in the scuffle. Police said the two were arrested for breaking the peace, which they note is not a criminal offence. The approximately 100 protesters who were at the rally dispersed shortly after. Newly minted Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner, Julian Fantino, issued a statement praising the officers in attendance for maintaining the peace. “Most people used good judgment and stayed away from the rally,” he added. “These demonstrations will not help to resolve the issues in Caledonia.” This isn’t McHale’s first foray into Caledonia. He held a rally in October which descended into a two-hour standoff with police after protesters attempted to storm the contested land. He and his wife also operate a website called Caledonia Wakeup Call, on which they detail what they describe as police bias. “Our fight is not with the natives, we’re just trying to be equal in a democratic Canada,” said Christine McHale. She said the arrest will not stop the pair from returning to the town and holding further rallies and protests. The mayor of Haldimand County said McHale’s fight doesn’t have a lot of support within the community. Marie Trainer described McHale’s rally and arrest as another setback in the ongoing talks. “The next meeting or two will be wasted on frivolous stuff again instead of getting down to business,” Trainer said. But McHale has his supporters, and counts many Caledonia residents among them. “I’m here today to support McHale and just to get back Caledonia as it was: a small, quiet town,” said Michelle Robitaille, a 40-year resident of the town. thestar.com

To: teevee who wrote (7276)	12/17/2006 1:45:39 PM
From: marcos	Respond to of 8273

Little race-based fiefdoms all over the place, you have to wonder if this is the way to build a democratic country that runs on principles ... 'all animals are equal but some are more equal' Somewhere 'more friendly' like Ecuador, for instance? ... check out the acx.to story - decoin.org ... we're not the only ones with problems, by a long shot ... an hour's drive from our other house on the seventeenth parallel, there is the same classic dispute going on, between cultures who regard land tenure in opposite manners - the indian way that sees land held communally in large areas with membership in the tribe tightly controlled, and the mexicana way that works on individual rights, needs fee simple title and freedom from interference ... not a race-based distinction there, pretty much everybody is mestizo by now, it's near purely cultural, but no less strong for that difference