Caledonia Lawsuits & Court Actions

During construction, please also refer to: 

• VoiceofCanada feature: Caledonia Lawsuits

1. Political Interference With Caledonia Policing [LINK]

2. Targeting of Non-Native Activists

All charges below were dropped by Crown prior to trial:

• Gary McHale, Jan 27/12: Breach of Peace, re putting up signs on hydro poles [LINK] 
• ‘Caledonia Eight’ arrests, Dec 03/11: ‘Trespassing’ on county road through occupation site [LINK, LINK] (Gary McHale, Randy Fleming, Doug Fleming, Jack Van Halteren, Mark Vandermaas, Merlyn Kinrade, Bonnie Stephens, Jeff Parkinson)
• R. v. Gary McHale, Feb 27/11: Assault, re Truth & Reconciliation Rally, Feb 27/11 [LINK]
• Randy Fleming: Unlawful arrest  (Cdn flag)
• R. v. Gary McHale (Counselling Mischief Not Committed, re anti-smokeshack protest, Dec 01/07) LINK]
• Gary McHale, Dec 16/06: Breach of Peace, re attempt to raise Cdn flag
• Mark Vandermaas, Dec 16/06: Breach of Peace, re attempt to raise Cdn flag
• Quintin ‘Bo’ Chausse, Dec 02/06: Breach of Peace, re attempt to raise Cdn flag)
• Dave Hartless: Police Svcs Act complaint (criticism of OPP/gov’t)

3. Court decisions: Illegal Occupations & Land Claims

• 1536412 Ontario Ltd. v. HCCC, HDI, Ruby & Floyd Montour, Hazel Hill 
  (Cayuga occupation, May-June 2008) [LINK]
• John Voortman & Associates v. HMF
  (Hagersville occupation, April 2009) [LINK]
• See also: City of Brantford v. Mountour, Haudenosaunee Development Institute
  (Brantford occupations, violence, demands for illegal development fees, 2008-2009)
  LINK: https://caledoniavictimsproject.wordpress.com/resources-brantford/ 
• McHale v. Ruby Montour and Floyd Montour, 2008
  (Extortion, Intimidation, Mischief)

4. Court decisions: Other

• ONTARIO COURT OF JUSTICE: R. v. Chapman, 2008 Court decision re Dec 01/07 smokeshack riot. After Six Nations residents attacked non-natives and OPP officers a Caledonia resident, in frustration, pushed Timothy ‘Timmer’ Sywyk, a pro-occupation videographer known to intentionally provoke non-native residents with insults in order to capture angry reactions which are then posted on YouTube (minus his provocations). On Dec 01/07 he was videotaping while screaming disgusting insults at a distraught Christine McHale after her husband Gary McHale was injured after being swarmed, then punched and kicked on the ground. Resident pushed Sywyk away. Resident was convicted of assault despite provocation and lack of injury. See also: [LINK, LINK]

5. Prosecution of Government Officials

• McHale v. R., 2009 (prosecution of gov’t officials who cannot be named; appeal by Crown to Ontario Court of Appeal rejected; McHale prosecution in progress; final hearing April 8/11) [LINK]
• OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino (Influencing Municipal Officials)
  McHale v. Attorney General, 2009
• OPP Deputy Commissioner Chris Lewis (Obstructing Justice)
  McHale v. Lewis, 2010
• OPP Superintendent Ron Gentle (Obstructing Justice)
  McHale v. Gentle, 2010
• OPP Detective Sgt. Rick Fraracci (Mischief)
  Parkinson v. Fraracci, 2009
• OPP Constable Christopher Galeazza (Mischief)
  Parkinson v. Galeazza, 2009
• Parkinson v. R., 2008 (Publication Ban)

6. Court Actions: Illegal Occupations & Land Claims

• City of Brantford v. Ruby Montour, Floyd Montour, HDI, etc.

7. Court Actions: Caledonia Victims

• Caledonia Class Action CaledoniaClassAction.com
• Brown-Chatwell v. R.
• Samuel & Sandra Gaultieri v. R.
• Quintin (Bo) Chausse

8. Court Actions: Defamation of Non-Native Activists

• McHale/Vandermaas v. Fantino

9. Court Actions: Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario

• Vandermaas v. OPP
• McHale v. OPP

10. Complaints: Police Services Act

• Vandermaas et al v. OPP Commissioner Fantino, 2008

11. Court decisions related to Racial Policing/Policymaking

• ONTARIO SUPERIOR COURT: 1536412 Ontario Ltd. v. HCCC, HDI, ruby & Floyd Montour, Hazel Hill (Cayuga occupation, May-June 2008) (rebuke of OPP for abusing power & discretion in refusing to assist non-native occupation victim; natives subject to rule of law)   
• ONTARIO SUPERIOR COURT: John Voortman & Associates v. HCCC, HMF (Hagersville occupation, April 2009) (natives subject to rule of law)
• MANITOBA COURT OF APPEAL: R. v. Catagas, 1977 [PDF, 7p] (gov’t cannot exempt groups or races from Criminal Code; see also LINK for key excerpt & related)
• United States Supreme Court, June 29/10: Ricci v. DeStefano, 2010 (race-based employment decision-making vs. White/Hispanic firefighters unlawful) [LINK]

 12. Legal Research – Private Prosecutions

• Law Reform Commission of Canada, 1986: Working Paper 52 – ‘Private Prosecutions’ [PDF, 55p, see p27-31 for recommendations]