By Kate Harries WaterWatch
Christian Peacemaker Teams members are mourning the death yesterday of their founding director Gene Stoltzfus in Fort Frances, Ontario. He was 70 years old and had been at the helm of CPT from its founding in 1988 until he retired in 2004.
CPTers arrived at the gates of Dump Site 41 last summer as part of their aboriginal justice violence reduction project. Their quiet yet constant presence helped calm emotions while strengthening resolve as SDS1 supporters stood firm, vilified by some at Simcoe County and under constant threat of arrest by the Ontario Provincial Police.
The non-violent action of the Anishinabe Kweag, local residents and cottagers resulted in a halt to construction and the decision by County Council that there would be no dump at Site 41.
But there were many times when it looked as if success was impossible. The CPT was there, and CPTer David Milne was one of six arrested at a blockade August 17 – after the Parnell flow had turned silty for the first time in memory and protesters were trying to get answers from Simcoe County and the MOE. Instead of an explanation, the OPP appeared in force to drag people away from Gate 2 so that the accelerated effort to get the dump opened could continue. (Charges against a total of 18 people were subsequently stayed or dropped.)
CPT joined with us to call for the withdrawal of and an apology for a racist news release issued August 20 by Simcoe County alleging protesters in bandanas had intimidated county staff. The OPP confirmed there was not a shred of truth to this fabrication by the Simcoe County communications staff. After CPT launched a petition, the release was taken off the county website but no apology was ever offered.
CPTers have been at flashpoints across Canada, including Grassy Narrows, Ont., Burnt Church, N.B., and Sharbot Lake, Ont. Their members have been and are on much more dangerous missions around the world – Iraq, Columbia and At-Tuwani on the West Bank. Canadian Jim Loney (who joined us at the Site 41 protest camp) was one of four taken hostage in Iraq in 2005. Three were released the following year but American Tom Fox paid with his life for his commitment to peacemaking.
The world is a better place for the likes of Gene Stoltzfus and his successors.
CPT website

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