Tory calls for public inquiry into handling of Caledonia dispute

Ontario Progressive Conservative Party
http://www.ontariopc.com/news.asp?ID=482
June 5, 2006

[SISIS note: The following press release is provided for reference only. Inclusion of this article on our site should not be considered an endorsement by SISIS.]

Progressive Conservative Party Leader John Tory today called on the McGuinty government to initiate a public inquiry into the handling of the ongoing land dispute in Caledonia.

“The McGuinty Liberals have shown very little leadership in trying to solve the Caledonia land dispute,” said Tory. “It has been over three months since this standoff began and there has been no indication that an end is near. Ontarians want answers. They have a right to know how the situation came about and even more importantly, how we can prevent this from happening again in the future.”

Tory, who has visited Caledonia three times since the dispute began, asked the McGuinty Liberals to hold a public inquiry at the appropriate time to shed light on the situation once the current judicial proceedings have concluded.

The Legislature will debate an Opposition Day motion introduced by Mr. Tory this afternoon calling for Cabinet to appoint a commission to report on how poor communication and weak leadership by the McGuinty Liberals allowed the Caledonia situation to escalate into a full-blown standoff and subsequently a public security crisis. The Commission would also be asked to receive input and make recommendations on how the land claims process could be improved.

“From Oka to Ipperwash to Caledonia, in the year 2006 we are still dealing with the same type of disputes in the same ways,” said Tory. “Ontarians are frustrated with these conflicts repeating time and time again. It is time to look at the heart of these conflicts and better understand them. An independent public inquiry could provide us with that insight.”