Haldimand "Will You Please Give $5.00 a Month"

There are many issues that come and go in every day life. Some of us get involved, others don't.

What would you give up to fight an issue? Would you give up your livelihood? Would you live on donations given to you by your neighbours? Would you be proud to tell people that you only have "$3.00" to your name?

Gary McHale states that he lost his home in Richmond Hill because of the Caledonia land claims, I say he lost his home because he decided not to work and pay his bills. Again I am probably being insensitive here, but give me a break it is not "Caledonia's" fault that Gary lost his home and has $3.00 dollars in his pocket!

There are many people out there today that are living from paycheck to paycheck. Some are working two jobs for minimum wage, and are too proud to say that they have not enough to support their family.

Now you may say that I am insensitive, but I grew up in a family that did live from paycheck to paycheck. My Father was a proud man, and when times were tough, he was humble. We always had food on the table, a roof over our heads, and never "needed" for anything that was an absolute necessity!

So when I see this kind of news I am a bit opinionated! Gary get a Job!

Gary is now asking the approx. 5,000 people that voted for him in the last Federal election to financially support his endeavours. Gary may just find out that many of his votes, were protest votes. I could be wrong, but time will tell if the majority of these voters do in fact give Gary $5.00 per month to support his cause. We will never know the outcome of his plea!

There are far too many people right here in Haldimand that fight to keep the roof over their heads, food on the table, and their essential bills paid. I say if you are going to donate money to anyone, give to your local charities, for those that are in need!

The following is a plea from a resident of Caledonia. This letter was full of spelling mistakes, so I took it in my own hands and corrected them! I received this in an email and it is posted on Caledonia Wake up Call;

As we continue into our third year of the occupation it has become very evident that Gary McHale has become an important voice for the Victims of Native Land Claims Occupations and violence. Gary has worked relentlessly on our behalf and has been a voice to reckon with in dealing with the issues of Native Occupations, Violence against innocent Citizens and Police inaction against the criminals.

To be able to continue the fight on our behalf Gary urgently needs our financial support. He needs money to pay for court transcripts, extra funds would enable him to pay for expert legal advice and of course he needs money to live on and survive to be there for us on another day.

Before you dismiss this plea for financial help stop and ask yourselves where would we be today without Gary's research, tenacity and penchant for seeking the truth and holding the Government and the police accountable.

Think back to the visionaries of the 60's and 70's who went to the streets to protest and think of the difference they made in our lives and then think what will happen if Gary can't continue on in his quest to ensure everyone's rights under the constitution equally.

In the past election Gary clearly demonstrated that he had the support of almost 5000 voters in Haldimand and that didn't include the many doners outside the community that supported Gary's campaign.

He also demonstrated through poll results that he clearly won the vote in Caledonia in all polls except for two and in those two he placed 2nd.

What we need is a very small commitment from all of those people who clearly supported Gary in the past election to donate at least $5.00 each per month into a war fund which Gary could use to pay his rent and other legal and court expenses in the fight for our rights.

It would be nice if all of those that voted for Gary could donate $5.00 each but reality tells us that that might not happen.

The money would be used frugally and would enable Gary to mount a sizable defense against the crimes of the Native occupiers, the lies of Fantino and the denial of the Government.

It is not uncommon for court documents and transcripts to cost $500.00 or more and as Gary continues on his quest it will become more important for him to have access to these documents.

We could set up a bank account at a local bank into which each and every one of us would diligently donate $5.00 each month and only Gary could withdraw funds from this account as needed for the continued fight.

It is our chance to get involved and become part of the solution and I know we would all feel better at the end of the day knowing we did something other than bitch about it.I would hope that several citizens of Caledonia would set up the account and oversee it's integrity and I don't propose that I nor any one directly associated with Gary would control the account.

The one thing important though is that the money be available for Gary's sole use at his discretion so that important strategic decisions aren't stymied through pettiness and bickering.

Any surplus money could be used for Gary to obtain paid legal advice on his many court challenges and at the end the surplus balance could become part of a community fund that could be used for the betterment of the community.

All of us can afford $5.00 per month and some might want to contribute more but that is their choice.

Gary needs our financial support now and I will be the first to donate my monthly $5.00 when you have the account set up for Gary's expenses.

We could go to our own personal bank and give them a standing order to deposit $5.00 each month into this war chest for Gary.

This order could be rescinded at any time should we decide that Gary no longer needs our support or we wish not to continue with it.

Without money and support the resistance will be lost and none of us want to see that happen. If anyone would like to volunteer to make this happen please contact me and we can set up a steering committee to get things on track but I do not want to be part of the citizen's group so that no one can point fingers at me, accusing me of trying to benefit financially from this program.

Gary has nothing to do with my plea for financial assistance on his behalf and he does not know about me posting it here. I have talked to Merlyn about my plan and have asked him to also help seek out volunteers to set up this account for Gary.

This would be a strong message from the people to the establishment that we want justice, equality and we will not go away.Of course if there is someone else in the community that will run an information board like Gary has been running with CaledoniaWakeupcall and take up the fight to the extent that Gary has then we would welcome you to do it and Gary's services and our financial help would no longer be needed.

Somehow I don't think we have anyone else willing to do all that Gary has done for us so we must support him at his moment of need.Jim Anderson

This is the news article that was published today in the Simcoe Reformer;

Supporters pass hat for McHale
Posted By Monte Sonnenberg, SIMCOE REFORMER
Posted 2 hours ago

Supporters of Caledonia activist Gary McHale have asked the public to support his efforts with donations of cash.

In a letter recently posted on McHale's website -- http://www.caledoniawakeupcall.com/ -- friend and supporter Jim Anderson, of Caledonia, says McHale needs help to continue court challenges related to the native standoff at the disputed Douglas Creek Estates subdivision.

Anderson adds that McHale, who ran as an independent in Haldimand-Norfolk in the Oct. 14 federal election, also needs help with living expenses.

"He needs money to pay for court transcripts, extra funds would enable him to pay for expert legal advice and, of course, he needs money to live on and survive to be there for us another day," the Anderson letter says.

Last week, McHale, of Binbrook, confirmed that his fight against the province's handling of the Caledonia file has cost him financially and professionally.

"I'm constantly in debt," he said. "At this moment in time I have $3 to my name, and that includes the change I have in the console of my car. I can't put gas in my car until someone comes through with a donation. I lost my home in Richmond Hill because of Caledonia."

McHale was a self-employed computer technician before the Caledonia land dispute erupted in February of 2006.

McHale has since devoted himself to challenging the McGuinty government's management of the crisis. This includes the toleration of native lawlessness, the proliferation of illegal smoke shops in the Caledonia area, and efforts on the part of the Ontario Provincial Police to mute and discourage non-native protestors.

McHale maintains that the McGuinty government's handling of the Caledonia situation is establishing the principle of two-tiered, race-based justice in Canada. In opposition to this, he has established a non-governmental organization called Canadian Advocates for Charter Equality (CANACE).

"Caledonia is a full-time job," said McHale, who is president of CANACE. "I survive on donations. I pay the rent when people donate money."

McHale has been tied up in court for several days since last month's election. He is fighting a charge of "counselling mischief not committed."

The OPP charged McHale following a protest in Caledonia in September, 2007. During that protest, McHale allegedly told a fellow protester to block a road with his vehicle. The protester did not comply, but the OPP proceeded with charges because counselling illegal activity is prohibited by law.

McHale placed fourth in Haldimand-Norfolk last month with 4,821 votes. He says money raised on his behalf will not be used to defray campaign expenses.
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