Caledonia - Can Gov’t MPP’s not handle the truth?
"Forward, the Light Brigade! – Alfred Tennyson

This past Thursday saw the official debate of my private members bill, “The Truth About Caledonia Act, 2009” – a debate, that given the Premier’s marching orders to his troops before I even had a chance to introduce the bill, put me in mind of The Charge of the Light Brigade.

That brigade rode on to predetermined defeat, fighting on, despite the destiny that awaited. The ill-fated brigade was led by Lord Cardigan against Russian forces during the Crimean War’s Battle of Balaclava on 25 October 1854.

As I reported several weeks ago, it was probably four hours before I had a chance to even introduce Bill 146 to legislators that Mr. McGuinty announced he would stop such an inquiry from going forward. Despite the fact that the Premier’s premature veto jeopardized the time-honoured democratic process of private members hour, the cloud of his manipulation was unavoidable.

As many will know, ‘The truth about Caledonia Act, 2009’ calls for an inquiry “into the administration of justice, law enforcement and the ownership of land within the former Haldimand Tract and nearby areas.” Specifically, as the title suggests, the legislation is seeking the truth following allegations raised with respect to political influence in the court's administration of justice and in the enforcement of the law by police. The bill was also seeking the truth with respect to the ownership of the various lands and property rights within the former Haldimand Tract.

With the Premier’s directive hanging heavy in the air, Thursday’s private members hour provided spirited debate, but few surprises.

My Caucus colleagues, Ernie Hardeman and Peter Shurman spoke to the bill, with Mr. Shurman attacking the government manipulation right off the top.“…if the Premier is going to pre-empt private members' business, what's the point?”

As MPP Shurman pointed out, an Opposition Day motion passed in June 2006, calling for a commission of inquiry to be set up.

“So why have we not seen such an inquiry? Why have we traveled through time, three years, to get to a point where my colleague from Haldimand-Norfolk is still asking for an inquiry three years after the fact when people cannot buy or sell homes legitimately in that area, when people cannot do business legitimately in that area?”

Shurman went on to categorize the Government’s three years of inaction on Caledonia as a “dereliction of duty.”

Government members were predictably unfavourable to my inquiry proposal, with Brant MPP Dave Levac rallying his troops to vote NO.

As he said: “I will not be supporting this bill. I think it's ill-advised. I want to know if the members on the other side want to support the petition that was sent around. In this petition, you talked about firing Fantino before you even had anything to say, before your inquiry. I want to know if you signed it. Do you want to make the prejudgment that Fantino's not doing his job?”

The debate concluded with government members demanding a recorded vote – 39 of them filed in to dutifully fulfill their leaders direction and voted against an inquiry.

Stay tuned!

As historians will know the Light Brigade was followed by the charge of the Heavy Brigade. Ken Hewitt’s petition has around 7,000 signatures calling for a police inquiry with respect to Caledonia – we’ll see what government’s response will be then.