Haldimand "An update from Toby"

The following are some updates from MPP Toby Barrett. Some are from a few weeks ago. I believe that Toby will be back in the Legislature in February. I will keep you up to date. In the meantime if you have not signed the petition, please contact myself or Toby's office directly.

Hi, Toby here,

Please find attached, and below, my column to be published in this week's local papers (submitted Friday November 30th) calling for public hearings on land disputes to provide for a more open and scrutinized structure of communication for all sides.

Please also note that, further to this weekend's confrontations, the Queens Park media studo has been booked by "Concerned Citizens of Caledonia" (Merlyn Kinrade) to discuss illegal tobacco and its impacts on area communities already being detrimentally affected by ongoing land disputes. This media conference will be held Tuesday December 4th at 12-noon at the Ontario Legislature.

P.S. With regard to my column, petitions calling for public hearings can be obtained through contacting my office at 519-428-0446 or 1-800-903-8629

It’s time for public hearings on land disputes

"Give us a deep and thorough understanding of the needs of the people we serve."

- the Speaker’s Prayer

We have an opportunity to get to the bottom of land disputes in our area – disputes that have been ongoing 22 months, going on 220 years.

This past Thursday marked the commencement of the 39th Parliament of Ontario with the Lord’s Prayer, the Speaker’s Prayer and Her Majesty’s Speech from the Throne. The first session of the Legislative Assembly – held at Newark in what was then Upper Canada - commenced September 17, 1792.

Since the 1700’s, millions of words have been written about disputes among the English, French and Indians in our part of North America. As our new Ontario parliament moves forward it is incumbent on decision-makers to separate fact from fiction – to start making decisions to resolve area land disputes based on understanding of accurate, comprehensive evidence.

Evidence can be found in the plethora of legal papers, government reports, depositions, theses, council reports, tribal records, court rulings, newspapers and other documents that have been archived over the years.

The facts speak for themselves.

But, we all have a responsibility. We – on all sides of the issue – cannot stick our heads in the sand and let someone else deal with it. We cannot shirk our responsibilities as citizens. We have a mutual investment and must continue to remain engaged; to assemble; to speak up and to demand resolution.

I remain hopeful that the visit of the new Aboriginal Affairs Minister to Caledonia this past week represents a turning away from the secrecy, lack of transparency, and total disregard for public input that has become a hallmark of this 22 month land dispute. These months represent a ‘black hole’ with respect to government communication on land disputes. I take Minister Bryant at his word when he indicates that he, 'wants to hear from local people', and that, 'we need local homegrown solutions’.

Given the Minister's reported, "interest in listening to people", I am calling for real input and communication through recorded, public meetings open to the media. Our taxpayer dollars fund Ontario Legislature activities for just such a purpose – to understand the needs of the people we serve as articulated in the Prayer of the Speaker of the Legislature. To that end, I have drawn up a petition calling for parliamentarians to hold a round of recorded hearings whereby deputations - both spoken and written - would be made to a standing or select committee of the Ontario Parliament.

I don’t mean to raise unrealistic expectations, but theoretically there is no excuse for leaders in our society to not marshal the significant resources at their disposal to explore the truth.

The Ontario Legislature is there to work for us, not the other way around. We all pay taxes to support these various entities. We do not hire people or elect people to see them play their cards close to their vest or to spend years equivocating until they can eventually pass the problem on to the next generation.

We have a wealth of knowledge and wisdom in this area - knowledge that the Ontario Parliament has yet to tap. That's why I'm calling on all those affected to sign my petition calling for public hearings.

Hi Toby here,

Please find attached 2 news releases and the Hansard transcript reflecting,

1. Questions I asked in the Legislature yesterday regarding who's in charge with respect to the OPP; and

2. Petitions I tabled at the Ontario Legislature calling for public hearings on land disputes.

According to Ontario Legislative rules, within 24 sitting days of the day on which the presentation of the petition, the government is required to file a response to the petition with the Clerk of the House and to provide a copy of the response to the M.P.P. who presented the petition. I will keep you posted.

In the meantime, keep those petitions coming. Together, we have an opportunity to help reverse the secrecy, lack of transparency, and total disregard for public input that has become a hallmark of this 22 month land dispute.

Petitions are available through my office. Please contact 519-428-0446 or 1-800-903-8629 - or send me an e-mail - for more information.

For immediate release: December 4, 2007

Barrett asks who’s in charge at Caledonia??

Still no answers from a government that holds itself unaccountable

Queen’s Park—MPP Toby Barrett echoed the questions of Caledonia area residents today by the Ontario Legislature in asking the McGuinty Government "Who is in charge" regarding the Caledonia land dispute.

"There have been confrontations in Caledonia resulted in people being knocked unconscious and sent to the hospital," Barrett asserted. "I receive countless phone calls and e-mails asking me one specific question: Who’s in charge??? Who is in charge of the OPP???"

The Minister of Community Safety & Correctional Services (formerly known as the Solicitor General), Rick Bartolucci, failed to directly answer the question, instead choosing to state that he is "very, very pleased with the way the OPP has acted." Barrett went on to again highlight the Minister’s responsibility according the Police Services Act.

"In Section 17(2), the Ontario Police Services Act states that the OPP is subject to the Solicitor General’s direction," cited Barrett. "Minister, do you agree – or perhaps you do not agree with the police act, that you have ministerial responsibility for setting direction for the OPP? Are you the one - or are you not the one my constituents can go to with respect to democratic responsibility concerning OPP services in Caledonia?"

Once again the Minister attempted to dodge the question, this time suggesting that if Barrett is suggesting government interfere then he is "dead wrong".

Following Question Period, Barrett noted that given the stakes and the growing injury count, it is high time for the McGuinty government to be held to account on Caledonia.

For more information, please contact MPP Toby Barrett at: (519) 428-0446 or 1-800-903-8629

For immediate release: December 4, 2007

Barrett demands public hearings on land disputes

Haldimand-Norfolk MPP presents petitions at Queen’s Park
Queen’s Park—MPP Toby Barrett delivered petitions on behalf of residents from Canfield, Dunnville, Hagersville, and Caledonia, calling for public hearings on land disputes.

Barrett was the first to rise in the Legislature to read in his petition that has garnered hundreds of signatures from local residents in less than a week.

"Whereas, land dispute deliberations to date, have operated under a veil of secrecy, without transparency, and have created an atmosphere of privacy and scepticism, shutting out people from information and decisions that impact them directly," Barrett began. "and Whereas, Ontario’s Aboriginal Affairs Minister has indicated, in both the media and during his visit to Caledonia, his intention to garner local public input; and Whereas, our Ontario Legislative Assembly provides a mechanism for open, accountable, transparent recorded discussion through all-party committee hearings that are open to the media," "We the undersigned petition our provincially-elected legislators, representing all political parties, to commence public hearings through a select or standing committee, as soon as possible," concluded Barrett.

The Haldimand-Norfolk MPP is continuing to press government for Public hearings as one step toward providing more open and scrutinized communication for all sides, accessing both the wealth of knowledge - and experience - of area residents, and that of historical accounts that have documented land disputes throughout Ontario.

Barrett is asking all those interested to contact his office to obtain a copy of his petition and add their names to the growing list of concerned citizens demanding public hearings on land disputes.

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

Tuesday 4 December 2007

ORAL QUESTIONS

NATIVE LAND DISPUTE

Mr. Toby Barrett: To the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services: Minister, over the past few months, confrontations in Caledonia have resulted in people being knocked unconscious and sent to the hospital. As a result of this violence and as a representative for Caledonia, I have received countless phone calls and e-mails. People are asking me one specific question. They are asking, "Who’s in charge? Who’s in charge of the OPP?"

Minister, can you assure the people in my riding that you are accountable, that you are the one who sets the policy and you are the one who sets the direction for our OPP?

Hon. Rick Bartolucci: Speaker, congratulations on your appointment. Certainly the role of the OPP is to ensure that the community and its residents are safe, and I have to tell you and the people of Ontario that I am very, very pleased with the way the OPP has acted throughout this entire incident. I believe that we should be very proud of the very excellent and professional nature of engagement with the community that has taken place over the course of the last little while.

Mr. Toby Barrett: Minister, I’ll go back to my question. Subsection 17[2] of the Ontario Police Services Act states that the OPP is subject to the Solicitor General’s direction. That’s you. Going back to my question, Minister, do you agree—perhaps you do not agree with the police act—that you have ministerial responsibility for setting direction for the OPP? Are you the one, or are you not the one? Are you the one my constituents can go to with respect to some of the concerns with the OPP with respect to democratic responsibility concerning OPP services in Caledonia? Are you the guy?

Hon. Rick Bartolucci: If the member is suggesting that the solicitor general or any other minister or member should interfere with the operation of the OPP, he’s wrong. He’s dead wrong.

What I would suggest to this member, and to everyone in the province of Ontario, is that we understand, when tensions are high, that we do everything in our power to ensure that those tensions aren’t escalated, that we have confidence in the Ontario Provincial Police and the very professional way they carry out their mandate.

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

Tuesday 4 December 2007

PETITIONS

NATIVE LAND DISPUTE

Mr. Toby Barrett: This petition is titled "We Request Land Dispute Hearings" and is addressed to the Parliament of Ontario:

"Whereas land dispute deliberations to date have operated under a veil of secrecy, without transparency, and have created a atmosphere of privacy and scepticism, shutting out people from information and decisions that impact them directly; and

"Whereas Ontario’s aboriginal affairs minister has indicated, in both the media and during his visit to Caledonia, his intention to garner local public input; and

"Whereas our Ontario Legislative Assembly provides a mechanism for open, accountable, transparent recorded discussion through all-party committee hearings that are open to the media;

"We, the undersigned, petition our provincially elected legislators, representing all political parties, to commence public hearings through a select or standing committee, as soon as possible."

These petitions are signed by people from Canfield, Dunnville, Hagersville and, of course, Caledonia.

Toby here,

Last week I got the opportunity to introduce a resolution in the Ontario Legislature asking the government to hold public hearings regarding land disputes across the province. Please see the attached news release.

Since I sent out this news release, this issue has received coverage from Canadian Press, CBC morning radio, CH Talk Back Live, Hamilton Spectator and various other media.
Opportunities remain for folks to affix their name to the petition I crafted regarding land dispute hearings.

If I don’t have the chance to talk to you before the holidays begin, I sincerely wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a well-deserved rest.

December 17, 2007

Barrett tables resolution for land dispute public hearings

Dunnville— Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett stepped up the fight for government-led public hearings regarding land disputes in Ontario.

On Wednesday, Barrett upped the ante by tabling a private members’ resolution to schedule hearings for consideration and debate:

"That, in the opinion of this House, the following Order of Reference should be assigned to an all-Party committee of the Legislative Assembly:

To inquire into and report on native land issues within the Province of Ontario.

The Committee shall:-

1. Conduct public hearings on this issue at Queen’s Park and in at least 7 other Ontario communities, including one community in Haldimand County;

2. Solicit input from Ontario citizens on their knowledge, experience and action proposals with respect to native land issues;

3. Present its report to the House, containing its observations, opinions and recommendations no later than the end of 2008."

The resolution has been printed in the Ontario Legislature "Orders and Notices Paper" from which it will be scheduled for debate.

Meantime, Barrett has stood twice to petition the Legislature for a round of recorded hearings whereby deputations - both spoken and written - could be made to a standing or select committee of the Ontario Parliament.

Over the last two weeks, Barrett has received and tabled petitions at Queens Park with names from the following towns: Lowbanks, Ayr, Cayuga, Nanticoke, Caledonia, Canfield, Dunnville, and Hagersville.

"We, the undersigned, petition our provincially elected legislators, representing all political parties, to commence public hearings through a select or standing committee, as soon as possible," Barrett concluded.
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For more information, please contact MPP Toby Barrett at: (519) 428-0446 or 1-800-903-8629

Thanks Toby for all your efforts. Donna