Former Toronto mayor David Crombie will be wading into the contentious native land dispute around Caledonia, after he was named yesterday by Ottawa as the "community liaison official."
The appointment, made by Indian Affairs and Northern Development minister Chuck Strahl, means Crombie will be the conduit between federal negotiators and non-aboriginals, such as developers and concerned residents.
The position will "provide an official means by which interested third parties can voice concerns and receive updates on the progress of negotiations," said a statement from the minister's office.
The timing is not a coincidence; the move follows the beating of a Caledonia builder last week by native protesters occupying a new subdivision.
"The recent act of violence in Caledonia is deplorable," Strahl said in the release. "Canada's new government does not condone lawbreaking or violence and believes that unlawful tactics are disruptive to negotiations while placing the public safety of all parties at risk."
On Thursday, Caledonia builder Sam Gualtieri was seriously injured in a clash with aboriginal protesters. He's no longer in intensive care but remains in "extreme" pain, according to a close relative who believes the victim was attacked with a piece of oak railing. Source...
