Professional conduct

Dear editor:
Fellow citizens of Rainy River District, this note is not to collect “brownie points” towards future situations with law enforcement. It is merely to present the facts as I saw and heard them.
I am so relieved to have witnessed completely unbiased, professional, and non-threatening actions taken by our OPP at our protest and standoff at Sunrise Meat near Barwick on the weekend.
It would have been all too easy for the law enforcement members to have pushed their weight around just to get some action.
I personally have witnessed these sort of power games out west to the point where at times I was ashamed to call myself a Canadian. Situations were purposefully created into violent acts so as to show “who’s boss” and to make us “ordinary” folk look like idiots, brain dead, and violent fanatics.
I assure you, from all I’ve seen, heard, and been a part of out west, our peaceful demonstration would have resulted in chaos, violence, arrests, and even possible deaths.
Thank you so much, OPP members, for not pushing buttons but proving your professionalism to myself and us that you, indeed, are at your risky jobs to serve and protect, not to harass and terrorize.
Indeed, I am truly proud to call myself a Canadian and a citizen of our beautiful Rainy River District.
Thanks also to all those who helped in keeping everything and most everyone peaceful and under control so that the farmers achieved the victory we did.
Thanks to the tireless work of the committee and your determined, yet professional, approach. Our community spirit lives.
God bless,
Mike Scheibler