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6 Acton/Georgetown, Friday, August 11, 2006 OPINION What about the law? For 164 days the residents of Caledonia have had their lives turned upside down. They have seen their peaceful little town become a battleground, their economy battered, infrastructure vandalized and neighbours pitted against one another. While the ongoing native land dispute continues to simmer, we can only wonder how much longer Premier Dalton McGuinty's government intends to let this untenable situation carry on. That also appears to be the question that Ontario Superior Court Justice David Marshall was asking this week when he ruled negotiations with the native protesters must cease until the protesters move off the housing development site they have illegally occupied since Feb. 28. Marshall had previously ruled the protesters must leave the site and wondered why those orders had been ignored. "The court has been patient, but the court cannot turn a blind eye to blatant contempt of the court's lawful order," said Marshall. The McGuinty government, however, suggests more negotiations are necessary, and Wednesday provincial and federal government representatives announced they are appealing Marshall's decision. "Let's not lose ground as a result of this ruling," said McGuinty, who has yet to visit the site. Lose ground? The Liberals' decision to bring in former premier David Peterson to bring both sides to the negotiating table may have allowed for a brief cooling off period, but this standoff appears to have no end in sight. The government also set a dangerous precedent for future disputes with its purchase of the disputed land from the developer. Conservative Leader John Tory is right when he says, "the rule of law must prevail in Caledonia." With the memories of Oka and Ipperwash still fresh, it is understandable the Liberals want to move cautiously in the Caledonia standoff. However, when the courts have ruled-- repeatedly-- that the protest must end it is the responsibility of the government to act. No group in society-- no matter how wronged they may have been in the past-- can stand above the law. The natives' claims should be a matter left to the courts of this land-- a land of which the natives are a part. Asssurances must be given that they will have their day in court, but their protest must end now. The residents of Caledonia have been caught in a fight that wasn't theirs. The premier, and the prime minister, owe it to those people to have their lives returned to normal. www.independentfreepress.com Phone: 905-873-0301 Fax: 905-873-0398 Steve Nease STAFF DIRECTORY Publisher Ken Nugent Advertising director Steve Foreman (sforeman@independentfreepress.com) Retail advertising manager Cindi Campbell (ccampbell@independentfreepress.com) Managing editor John McGhie (jmcghie@independentfreepress.com) Business manager Carol Young (cyoung@independentfreepress.com) Distribution manager Nancy Geissler (distribution@independentfreepress.com) ADVERTISING Retail Sales: Jennifer Spencer (jspencer@independentfreepress.com) Adam Spinney (aspinney@independentfreepress.com) Brendan Louth (blouth@independentfreepress.com) Andrew Key (akey@independentfreepress.com) Michelle Wan (features@independentfreepress.com) Real estate: Sue Spizziri (realestate@independentfreepress.com) Classifieds: Kristie Pells (classified@independentfreepress.com) ACCOUNTING Rose Marie Gauthier, Jennifer Christie, Michelle Wimmer EDITORIAL Cynthia Gamble: News editor (cgamble@independentfreepress.com) Ted Brown: Photography (tbrown@independentfreepress.com) Lisa Tallyn: Staff writer (ltallyn@independentfreepress.com) Eamonn Maher: Staff writer/sports (emaher@independentfreepress.com) PRODUCTION: Mary Lou Foreman, Kevin Powell, Shelli Harrison, Dolores Black, Debbie MacDougall LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Youngster helps others by cutting hair Dear editor, I am 11 years old. Three years ago I decided to grow my hair for Angels Hair For Kids. I did not know it would take me three years when I started to grow my hair. It seemed like a very long time, but finally it was time to cut my hair and I was nervous about it. I went to Comfortable Elegance Hair Loft and Spa and Sonya Northeast cut my hair and along with Peggy Rawlings helped me relax and be less nervous about it. Once it was all over it felt good to be helping others and helping them feel better. I hope this encourages other people to do the same thing because if we all can help it makes life easier for people in need. My Nana took me door-to-door to get donations to send in with my hair. People were very generous and we were thankful. We collected $409.85 to send with my hair to help pay for wigs. The money order is from Darian Jones-Bellman-- my name change came through after I had got the money order it is now Darian Henderson-Bellman. Darian Henderson-Bellman Georgetown Something bugging you? Send us a letter! Letters to the editor must include an address and daytime telephone number. Unsigned letters will not be published. Letters should not exceed 200 words and may be edited for content and/or length. Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 29, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1 E-mail: jmcghie@independentfreepress.com School has reason to celebrate Dear editor, As our school grows, so does the generosity of this tremendous community. Once again, we owe a big round of applause to the businesses and service clubs of Georgetown. On June 21, Gary Allan High School's alternative educational programs, the Secondary Teen Education (STEP) and Teen Education and Mother Program (TEAM) celebrated its fourth annual graduation ceremony with 14 graduates. Just as important, we recognized the dedication of the students for earning as many credits as they did (more than 500), as well as providing awards for excellence in subject areas, dedication and attendance. We also celebrated another first: Johnson Associates Realty provided our graduates, who are moving onto a post-secondary education, with scholarships. Johnson Associates joins Georgetown's Rotary and Lions Clubs which also provide aid to our graduates in post-secondary pursuits. This was also the first year for one of our students to win the Ontario Secondary Schools Teachers' Federation Student of Distinction Award. We also wish to thank the many businesses and groups who made the graduation ceremony such a rewarding event. Our community is very generous and students and staff alike are very grateful. Brenda Ginn, Gary Allan High School Gore documentary gets two thumbs up Dear editor, This summer, go to see An Inconvenient Truth, the scary documentary by Al Gore. When you go home, decide what you can do to realistically afford to move toward a carbon-free future. It can be as cheap and simple as screwing in one energy-efficient light bulb or as complex and expensive as installing a solar energy system in your house. Then do it. Your children's lives depend on it. Joan Cornfield, Georgetown THE INDEPENDENT & FREE PRESS The Independent & Free Press is published every Wednesday and Friday at 280 Guelph St., Unit 29, Georgetown Ont., L7G 4B1. It is one of several newspapers published by Metroland Printing, Publishing & Distributing Ltd. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with reasonable allowance for signature will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the acceptable rate. In the event of typographical error advertising goods or services at wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell which may be withdrawn at any time. Editorial and advertising content of The Independent & Free Press is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Price: Store copies 50¢ each; Subscriptions $26.00 per year by carrier; $92.50 per year by mail in Canada; $130.00 per year in all other countries. Plus G.S.T. Second Class Mail Registration Number 6869. The Independent & Free Press is a member of The Canadian Community Newspaper Association and The Ontario Community Newspaper Association. Pharmacy staff and others thanked for help Dear editor, On behalf of my parents, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mr. Neil Young and the staff at Young's Pharmacy for assisting my mother at an accident scene in a downtown Georgetown parking lot. The care he and his staff gave helped to comfort my mother while waiting for the ambulance. I would also like to thank the paramedics, police and the doctors and nurses at our local hospital. A situation like this reminds us all that we live in a community full of caring people! Caroline de Groot, Brampton