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PAGE 6THE CANADIAN STATESMAN, JULY 11,2001 .V AJ. GROEN/Statesman photo Legion gets a piece of the pie BOWMANVILLE - The Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 178 Bowmanville, has another $10,000 thanks to the efforts of the branch's Ladies Auxiliary. Auxiliary. The money was raised through catering. Sampling some pie is branch president Jim Connell, Connell, with Ladies Auxiliary president Nyhl Sheehan. Sheehan. . Cottage Lots For Sale Colboume Lake - County of Haliburton The Ministry of Natural Resources Is offering for sale nine vacant waterfront cottage lots in the Haliburton Highlands region of southern Ontario. The lots are located on Colbourne Lake which Is 30 kilometres west of Bancroft. Each lot Is approximately 1 acre In size and the asking price for each Is $44,000.00. All offers to purchase must be in the prescribed form and must be accompanied by a deposit (10% of the purchase price offered) in the form of a certified cheque or money order made payable to the Minister of Finance. The highest, lowest, or any offer received may not necessarily be accepted. Further Information can be obtained at: www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/sli/crown_land.htm or by contacting: Steve Ferguson Land Tenure Administrator Ministry of Natural Resources Crown Land Registry 300 Water Street, 5th Floor South Tower P.O.Box 7000 Peterborough, ON K9J8M5 Tel.: (705)-755-5995 or 1-(800)-876-2435 Fax: (705)-755-2181 ® Ontario Historic Downtown Bowmanville B.I.A. invites organizations, groups, etc. to enter our 8B "Bed Race" to be held during Midnight Madness Friday, August 17th \\\ \ For more information call Harvey Webster gry" 623-2612 MK,. taw: Entry deadline is Fri.July 20. rvi f www.bowmanville.com GAMBLING PROBLEM? If you or someone you know needs help with a gambling problem, please call the Ontario Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-888-230-3505, or in your community: Pinewood Centre Ajax 905-683-5950 Bowmanville 905-697-2746 Oshawa 905-571-3344 Port Perry 905-985-4721 Toll Free 1-888-881-8878 OntiitoPJilntiilot RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING OCAP leader released on bail Judge says evidence against John Clarke in office ransacking 'flimsy' BY STEPHEN SHAW StaffWriter WHITBY - Anti-poverty activist activist John Clarke has been released released on $40,000 bail after a Superior Superior Court justice called the evidence evidence linking him to the ransacking ransacking of Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's Flaherty's office "pretty flimsy." Mr. Clarke, leader of the Ontario Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, was originally denied bail in provincial court by Justice of the Peace Robert Harris June 29. That ruling, however, was overturned overturned Monday by Mr. Justice Patrick Sheppard at a detention review review hearing in Superior Court of Justice in Whitby. In his decision Justice Sheppard Sheppard agreed with defence lawyers Howard Morton and Peter Rosenthal Rosenthal and said Justice of the Peace Harris "misunderstood and misap plied" the Criminal Code section dealing with bail. "From what I've heard it would appear the Crown has some fundamental fundamental weaknesses in its case," the justice noted. "In my view there is no reason to keep Mr. Clarke in custody until trial." Mr. Clarke, a 47-year-old Toronto resident, is among 19 OCAP members facing charges of unlawful assembly, mischief over $5,000 and causing a disturbance following the June 12 demonstration demonstration at Mr. Flaherty's constituency office on Dundas Street in downtown downtown Whitby. Mr. Clarke is also charged with breaching a court order (bail conditions conditions stemming from charges flowing from his role in the June 15,2000 riots at Queen's Park, including including that he not participate in unlawful protests). In the Whitby incident, a group of protestors stormed the office of the Whitby-Ajax MPP, throwing furniture out on the street, turning over cabinets, slashing a Jim Flaherty Flaherty sign and pasting "Defeat Harris" posters on windows. OCAP has publicly taken credit credit for the "office eviction" as part of its campaign of "economic dis ruption" targeting the Mike Harris government. Police arrested two OCAP members at the scene and 10 others others after stopping a bus the group had chartered. Court has heard Mr. Clarke was later arrested after police obtained a photograph, allegedly allegedly taken by an accused OCAP member during the incident, incident, placing Mr. Clarke at the scene. During the hearing Monday, Mr. Rosenthal argued Mr. Clarke's arrest by police was "unlawful" "unlawful" and the evidence against his client was extremely weak. "There was no reasonable and probable grounds" to believe Mr. Clarke had committed any offence, offence, the lawyer contended. He also noted Mr. Clarke spent 25 days in jail since he was arrested arrested and would be looking at about a year in custody before his case goes to trial. "It's inconceivable he would pose any danger to the public (if released)." Justice Sheppard concurred. He aggressively challenged prosecutor prosecutor Jin won Kim on the circumstances circumstances surrounding Mr. Clarke's arrest, noting a photograph of Mr. Clarke "beside a sign" was all police police had at the time. "It seems people can be thrown„ m in jail on pretty flimsy (evidence)," (evidence)," the justice snapped atonejj point. 1 Four court-approved sureties- posted a combined $35,000, while jj Mr. Clarke himself put up $5,000.^ No deposit was required for his release. Mr. Clarke must not attend demonstrations and is barred from constituency offices and the provincial Legislature under the terms of bail. "This should have been done two weeks ago. In my view it was inappropriate for the Crown to • seek a detention order," Mr. Rosenthal said outside court fol- 1 lowing Mr. Clarke's release. During the June 28, bail hear-; ing, court was shown the video- : taped statement of witness Karen Wild, who subsequent to Mr. Clarke's arrest told Durham investigators investigators that, "He was the one instigating instigating the demonstration." The woman, described as a constituent, told police she saw ! Mr. Clarke standing in the office i pointing at objects, directing the j other protesters. | Our Rates Have Just 0 a minute SearsConnect™, one of the largest resellers of long distance in Canada, has always delivered great value, but now it's even better! • Just 9C a minute for Canadian and U.S. calls • Call anytime, day or night for the same great rate! • No monthly fees, set-up fees or minimum charges • Long distance calls are conveniently billed to your Sears Account • Collect Sears Club points for every dollar you spend! Plus international rates to 18 countries have fallen! New Rate Old Rate % Reduction Country Australia France Germany Hong Kong Japan United Kingdom For rates in other countries, call 1.866.777.8219, Call 1.866.777.8219 today! www.sears.ca