Remembering Merlyn Kinrade

By Jeff Parkinson

He was the hero in every Western, & I don’t mean those half assed Acid or Spaghetti Westerns, but real horse riding, varmint wrangling, ass kicking men. The kind of rare mix of the best characters portrayed by John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and Gary Cooper rolled into one, but with far more style.

On October 6, 2012 Merlyn lost a valiant 12 year battle with cancer & we lost a friend, colleague, mentor, inspiration, & without question one of the most unique people our society has ever seen.

When a person dies there tends to be a lot of hyperbole about them because nobody wants to remember any flaws that their loved one may have had. In this case however you’ll find none of that because Merlyn Kinrade was a character that no writer in history could have dreamed up.

A socialite at heart, Merlyn loved to entertain, but he was never afraid to put the so called upper class in their place. Be it the mayor, the OPP commissioner, his local council, or a room full of negotiators, Merlyn always had the time and the fortitude to sit down and tell them why they’re wrong and he’s right. I don’t phrase that in the past tense because it remains true that they’re wrong & he’s right.

There are far too many stories of this occurrence to be told in one sitting, but one of my favorites is the night he walked in the back door of a closed meeting of federal negotiators at the Caledonia arena.

Not knowing he wasn’t supposed to be there, he made himself at home and spent hours taking everyone to task for failing his family and his community. They tried to feed him from their lavish tax payer funded buffet but he refused to touch it. They tried to calm him with platitudes but he refused to waver.

Premier Dad and Mayor Mad – by Merlyn Kinrade

Leaders meet and talk and plan but the problems persist with little or no progress.

The Mayor was elected on promises he continues to uphold, the Premier was elected on promises he continues to ignore.

When leaders on the right carry out their promises the left leaning media crucifies them for the truth. When the left leaning leaders do irreparable damage and outright lie, it becomes a grey area not worthy of even a comment. Right is right and wrong is wrong.

Truth justice and freedom of speech not allowed in Haldimand County – by Merlyn Kinrade

Thank you to the Mayor and council for their despicable and successful attack on the Regional News as today’s edition becomes the last.

Thanks to the many cowards too numerous to mention, that sat back and allowed their neighbors to be attacked, while Julian Fantino and Chris Lewis’ OPP officers looked on.

Thanks to the Chamber of Commerce and the business community that chose the almighty dollar over justice.

Thanks to those that won’t accept the class action money, and in not doing so, rewards McGuinty for bad behavior as well as a total disregard for law and order.

Blatant disregard for Christian values – by Merlyn Kinrade

There are many people whom purport to be Christians, some non-practicing, others by convenience, but few by conviction.

When I hear Christians say, they are fearful of the many illegal situations Haldimand County has endured, is most puzzling to me.

Does God not command you, to fear not?  And doesn’t fearing the unknown, show a complete lack of faith in the Lord?

Try Psalm 23!  I will fear no evil.

Regardless of whether you’re a Christian or not, doesn’t the breakdown of the rule of law/justice, not concern you?

So let’s not sit around and grumble to our neighbors, about the slap on the wrist Richard Smoke received, for nearly killing Sam Gaultieri, it’s not his fault it’s yours.

A pathetic attempt at intimidation

January 12, 2012

On January 9, 2012 a note was left on Doug Flemming’s windshield exclaiming that “The Caledonia 8 is going down tonight and you’re the first to bite the bullet Flemming”. The night is of course over and nothing happened, but it was one in a long line of efforts over the years to intimidate us into backing off.

Winston Churchill once said “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” A sentiment that rings as true 7 decades later as it did during WWII.

Questions that require answers – by Merlyn Kinrade

January 11, 2012

By Merlyn Kinrade, RCN (retired)

 

We have lived with an unacceptable and unlawful situation in Haldimand County and in particular Caledonia that is known as DCE as well as Stirling Woods.

Both sites have witnessed their share of violence, and the OPP will assert that there have been many arrests of the perpetrators.  But how many convictions?  The one conviction that comes to mind is that of Richard Smoke.  I believe most people, if not all, in this community expected that, at last justice would be served in the sentencing of this felon.

Alas it just wasn’t to be.  Why?

Now to the questions: