MPP Toby Barrett is Pressuring the Government to Provide Compensation to Businesses and Others Who Suffered with the Latest Blockade

This just in from the Hon. Toby Barrett, MPP, Haldimand - Norfolk.  Please read my comments at the end:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Sept. 15, 2017

Barrett reiterates demand for Caledonia compensation

QUEEN’S PARK – Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett has reiterated his call for compensation to businesses and homeowners in the wake of the Argyle Street blockade.

During Question Period this week, Barrett explained to the Ontario Legislature that the month-long blockade put “businesses and homeowners through psychological and economic hell.”

“Many customers faced a six-mile detour, businesses lost 25 to 60 per cent, staff were let go or had hours cut,” he said. “Homeowners expressed concern about property values, and compromised service from firefighters, police and ambulance.”

In a previous media report, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation David Zimmer was quoted: “The province’s role in the standoff is one, essentially, of standing back and letting the Six Nations community resolve this issue.”

Barrett concluded his first question by asking, “What steps have you taken to arrange compensation – as has been done in the past – for Caledonia and area homeowners and businesses.” He directed his questions to the acting premier on Wednesday because Premier Kathleen Wynne was absent to testify in the Sudbury by-election trial.

Not satisfied with the answer from the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation that basically just recounted what had occurred, Barrett continued his line of questioning back to the acting premier.

“On Sept. 2, a local newspaper reported that when a fire was set on the Southern Ontario Railway in Caledonia, a Caledonia fire truck was not allowed to pass through the barricade, not allowed to put it out,” Barrett said.

“On Sept. 4, Labour Day, police attempted to secure Haldimand County Sixth Line at the bridge. Again, to quote another local paper, they ‘were sent away by protesters and ordered to take up a position further back, which they did.’

“We’ve seen this film before – no firefighters, no police, and no customers in the stores,” Barrett continued. “Caledonia now worries, when will this happen again? Acting premier, have you and the federal government . . . my question is are you working with the federal government – as in the past – to compensate residents of Caledonia?”

Again, the government dodged the question and did not address the issue of compensation, saying what occurred 10 years ago  was different since there was peaceful resolution this time. Barrett attempted to interject that it’s now been 11-1/2 years.

“The point here is that 10 years ago there was a situation in Caledonia that went on and on and on, and there were real issues of public safety,” Zimmer argued. “This time, there was a blockade that went up and issues developed. But the point, again, is that all persons involved in the resolution of that blockade, be they police, fire responders, first responders, the ministry of indigenous affairs or the Ontario Provincial Police—it was resolved peacefully. That’s progress. That’s in the spirit of reconciliation.”

Barrett has indicated he will continue to push for compensation for Caledonia businesses and homeowners.

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For more information, contact MPP Toby Barrett at 519-428-0446 or toby.barrett@pc.ola.org

YOUTUBE link

https://youtu.be/K9agcpty3WU

ONTARIO LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

OFFICIAL HANSARD

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017

Indigenous land dispute

Mr. Toby Barrett: To the Acting Premier: From August 10 to September 4, Labour Day, the main thoroughfare of Caledonia was blockaded, putting businesses and homeowners through psychological and economic hell. More specifically, many customers faced a six-mile detour, businesses lost 25% to 60%, and staff were let go or had their hours cut. Homeowners expressed concern about property values and compromised service from firefighters, police and ambulance. However, on September 1, your government announced it was standing down from dealing with the Caledonia blockade.

Acting Premier, what steps have you taken to arrange compensation, as has been done in the past, for Caledonia and area homeowners and area businesses?

Hon. Deborah Matthews: To the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation.

Hon. David Zimmer: The member opposite is quite correct: There was a blockade that was put up a couple of weeks ago. Our ministry, the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, took that situation very seriously, as did the Six Nations elected council and the Haudenosaunee Traditional Confederacy.

I can assure the members opposite and everyone in this House that after a series of negotiations with First Nations, with the Ontario Provincial Police and with the various ministries that blockade was peacefully ended. I want to congratulate and recognize the hard work of the Ontario Provincial Police in working in a way that was respectful of the Six Nations, the Haudenosaunee and the government of Ontario.

The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): I’m going to allow the supplementary.

Mr. Toby Barrett: This past month was a nightmare yet again for people in the Caledonia area, and I’ve dealt with many ministries.

On September 2 a local newspaper reported that when a fire was set on the Southern Ontario Railway in Caledonia, a Caledonia fire truck was not allowed to pass through the barricade, not allowed to put it out.

On September 4, Labour Day, police attempted to secure Haldimand county Sixth Line at the bridge. Again, to quote another local paper, they “were sent away by protesters and ordered to take up a position further back, which they did.”

We’ve seen this film before—no firefighters, no police, no customers in the stores. Caledonia now worries: “When will this happen again?”

Acting Premier, my question is: Are you working with the federal government, as has been done in the past, to compensate residents of Caledonia?

Hon. David Zimmer: Thank you again for that question. The point here is that 10 years ago there was a situation in Caledonia that went on and on and on, and there were real issues of public safety. This time, there was a blockade that went up and issues developed. But the point, again, is that all persons involved in the resolution of that blockade, be they police, fire responders, first responders, the ministry of indigenous affairs or the Ontario Provincial Police—it was resolved peacefully. That’s progress. That’s in the spirit of reconciliation.

We will continue to deal with issues involving matters that First Nations raise, wherever in the province. We will deal with them in a respectful way and in a peaceful way to a constructive resolution.

___________________________

I would like to comment on the Hon. David Zimmer's comment that, "it was resolved peacefully. That’s progress. That’s in the spirit of reconciliation."  REALLY!  That is what it is?  Actually it is Six Nations calling the shots and everyone else standing by.  It is by sheer luck that tragedy did not occur since paramedics would have been blocked from getting to West Haldimand Hospital in Hagersville.  All is fine isn't it Mr. Zimmer, when one sees things from a Toronto perspective.  How about living in the south side of Caledonia during one of these blockades and see how you feel then.  Reconciliation, hardly!.  The OPP caught the thugs off guard and exercised an excellent maneuver to disperse the scattered "protesters" - otherwise we would still be blocked in.  By in large people in Toronto don't have the vaguest sense of what it is like to live next to a criminal compound with no secure walls or gates.

Thank you to Mr. Barrett.  We are blessed to have him as our representative.  Next election with a Conservative Government, we will have far more sympathetic ears in Toronto.

DY