FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 15, 2017
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
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.