From the CBC:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2010/01/08/ont-fantino-caledonia-...
While there`s many interesting issues here, one area of interest is the way McHale used private prosecution to bring this to this point. I don`t understand how private prosecution works, but I have a deep sense that it is a tool that we on the left should be better aquainted with, and utilize more often.
Here's a primer:
http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/dept-min/pub/fps-sfp/fpd/ch26.html
I must say, I'm chuckling a bit at Fantino being sideswiped by a rabid right winger.
I can't believe that I'm going to have to speak up for Julian Fantino, but in this case, I certainly will.
Actually, he recently surprised me in his testimony before the CPCCA in November/December, whenever that was. In answer to wildly irrational meditations and questions from Hedy Fry and Carolyn Bennett, he sounded like a veritable scholar and defender of the Charter and the constitution. I was quite impressed, although given what he had to contend with from the members of that committee, I suppose that anyone who could remember the basic oath he'd taken would know how to rise above their level.
Fantino, and I suspect his protoge Murray Faulkner, police chief here in London, are good at talking from a warm and fuzzy perspective. But Fantino has done some pretty dispicable things, and I note that Faulkner runs an old fashioned police department, in spite of the good public relations rhetoric he`s put out in the past.
It`s a technique, not a philisophical conviction.
It`s a technique, not a philisophical conviction.
Hear, hear TP.
It's good to see this policeman up shit creek.
He'll get a wrist slap at most but more importantly it indicates he's lost political power for the PTB to even make an issue of it.
Too few Canadians realize how politically powerful their police are and how pressing the need to keep the dogs on short leashes.
Of course the long red terror of the RCMP as lebensraum stormtroopers or as Tubby Black called them 'fascist palookas' is well known and well documented too. The PTB in Canada are usually very protective of their police, perhaps even intimidated by them and usually give them whatever they want. In return the cops do their bidding in large part.
"We don't know what they want or what their issues are. We think they're fanatics and terrorists that simply want to make war for no reason. They threaten the very foundations Canada rests upon."
RCMP Gustafsen Lake 1995
"I'll do everything I can within your community and everywhere to destroy you. Your whole world is going to come crashing down."
Fantino to Tyendinaga activist Shawn Brant
Whether or not he deserves prosecution in general I won't comment on but I urge people who are commenting in this particular case - please remember McHale's past history of the Caledonia and the acts he has perpeted against the Haudensaunee included marches for "canadians" who want to stop the "racism" perpetuated by police against WHITE PEOPLE where he wanted to to go onto the site where the Haudensaune were and his involvement in trying to form a militia to police the Haudensaunee because he felt the police weren't doing a tough enough job - when commenting on whether or not he deserves to be found guilty because of McHale's charges.
I agree with you, Refuge. I think this is a nuisance action started by a really bad guy, and it shouldn't succeed.
I also agree with Tommy and others: I know that Fantino has done some pretty despicable things and has delusions of grandeur besides. But this is the wrong way to oppose him.
I'm not sure there is a right way to oppose Fantino and people like him. He's always going to hit back with something, any opposition would come at a price. But, it's a price that has to be paid, and the Fantino's of the world have to know that they will pay a price, too.
I've never believed that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, so McHale gets no help or accolades from me. But, it may prove instructive.
Far too often we take umbrage here at the privelege extended by law enforcement and the Crown to certain people and organizations-- to the extent that they are above the law, and know they are above the law. And this negatively impacts our side in the debate far more often than it does the side represented by the likes of McHale.
Private prosecutions, I think, could go a long way in bringing to task a lot of the bullies in this province-- McHale included if the Crown ever took a shine to him-- which they could under a Tory government.
wonderful. On CFRB other day, the rightwing harper-crite bill carroll confronted christalmighty blatchford about the issue. Blatchford, who famously is fixated on policemen in a perverted oralsex way- which made the reactionaries giggle- she was supporting the nasty McHalo guy and saying fantino is a crook in the Caledonia case, and carrol reacted angrily to that...i loved it. Apparently the righties have taken to attacking the OPP who, it appears, are appalled at the hatred and violence the 'protestors' exhibit at the standoff site. The caledon activists even set up a picket at fantino's home, which gave alot of rightwingers like carrol some idea of how brutish ignorant their side is, most of the time. But no one should expect carroll or the rest of harper's gasfarts on torontro hate radio to change. They'll just dig in deeper
Did you guys see what Fantino allegedly said to Caledonia city council? And you think he should be immune from having to seriously answer for that, or only if someone on our side brings the action?
I am absolutely in favour of any mechanism that could deliver a reality check to police who so often seem to feel entitled to use intimidation as a routine tactic against anyone -- whether suspect, defendant, counsel, politician, youth, POC, indigent or activist -- who doesn't succumb to their will.
I hope that doesn't get me accused of having an oral sex fixation on police.
I agree it's great to see anything that limits the cops, and their mentality, but....i think it's the blachford media type who force the police to the right, and fantino hardly need to be egged on. As far as the xxx reference, forget about it. Sorry. Blatchford (wente, Dimanno, Steyne, Frum, tex murphy. charles adler, carrol, oakley, stafford etc ad nazism...) all pretend to be moral upright, easy going supporters of the honest hard working voiceless, but they sing praises of brute force, they advocate hatred of differences and they barely hide their racist contempt for 1st nation etc, and for that i hit them anyway possible, even below the belt. Decorum is from a pre-backpack world. The reactionary guys wanna bring back buchenwald (though they'll deny it until red in the neck)
