As amazing as it sounds, it’s true. After no word from the parole hearing last week, it’s a great relief (moreso for Bruce and Donna Montague, I’m sure!) to hear that he has actually been granted parole. He arrived back to his Dryden, Ontario home last night, and was greeted by his wife Donna, and son Michael. Michael’s schedule had allowed him to come home for his Dad’s … [Read more...]
Bruce Montague’s Parole Hearing
As you're probably aware, this morning at 11am Bruce Montague had a parole hearing that will determine if he is released from the Thunder Bay correctional facility where he's currently being held. The reports so far are that the hearing went well, but there has been no decision released. If you're the praying kind, I know that Bruce and Donna Montague would really … [Read more...]
Ontario’s Attorney General’s Office Angry about public scrutiny in home seizure case
Crown Counsel James McKeachie is very annoyed with the Montague family for making public the letter he wrote to them where he spelled out his intention to take their family home using Ontario's Civil Remedies Act. They posted his letter on the website about their legal challenge to Canada's Firearms Act, www.BruceMontague.ca. McKeachie's letter, dated the day the Supreme … [Read more...]
Ontario’s Attorney General’s Office Angry about public scrutiny in home seizure case, Part 4 of 4
And what happens to all the money and property seized? Well, of the $13.4 million seized in Ontario since 2003, only $1.2 million has been turned over as compensation to "victims of unlawful activity", whatever that phrase means. Almost half of it, $5.7 million has been handed back to law enforcement agencies in the form of grants. Five times as much money is given … [Read more...]
Ontario’s Attorney General’s Office Angry about public scrutiny in home seizure case, Part 3 of 4
Donna Montague was not impressed. "At every stage of this process, whenever we've 'negotiated' with them, we've been railroaded," she said. "The search warrants were illegal. They said that for our Constitutional challenge to go forward we had to drop our challenge of them. After they arrested Bruce, did the first search and were holding Bruce in jail, they threatened … [Read more...]
Ontario’s Attorney General’s Office Angry about public scrutiny in home seizure case, Part 2 of 4
McKeachie, and through him the Attorney General's office as a whole, was being forced to answer for his actions to the public. He doesn't like that at all. Why should the Ontario Attorney General's office or McKeachie personally be upset about public scrutiny of this case? Openness and transparency should be the hallmark of government. After all, the Attorney General … [Read more...]
Ontario’s Attorney General’s Office Angry about public scrutiny in home seizure case, Part 1 of 4
Crown Counsel James McKeachie is very annoyed with the Montague family for making public the letter he wrote to them where he spelled out his intention to take their family home using Ontario's Civil Remedies Act. They posted his letter on the website about their legal challenge to Canada's Firearms Act, www.BruceMontague.ca. McKeachie's letter, dated the day the Supreme … [Read more...]
Yukon Puts Proceeds of Crime Act on Hold Indefinitely
Justice Minister Marian Horne, during the debate on the budget last week, told the Yukon Assembly the government will not move forward with their proposed Civil Forfeitures Act until the public has been "consulted". It's a shocking move for a government to take, given the optics of "getting tough with criminals" looks so good. Standing up for law and order and all that. … [Read more...]
Donna Montague’s Thanksgiving
I had a long talk with Donna Montague on Thanksgiving. We covered a lot of ground in our almost 2-hour conversation. Toward the end I asked her if she'd write me a note on what exactly she's grateful for this Thanksgiving, as we hadn't actually gotten around to that particular topic. I think her answer to me might surprise you, given everything that's happened to the … [Read more...]
Word of Montague Home Seizure by Ontario Gov’t Spreads
Bad news travels fast. So the old saying goes, I think. It's certainly true in the case of the Ontario government's intention of stealing the Montague family home while hiding behind the Civil Remedies Act's forfeiture clause for "proceeds of crime". I found a link to the case on some Canadian firearm chat boards, as well as on blogs across the country. My prayer is … [Read more...]
Donna Montague Needs Your Help
Donna Montague asks supporters of her family to write to the Ontario Attorney General and ask that the forfeiture proceeding against their family home be dropped. September 30, 2010 Dear Supporters; Refer to this page for current instructions on writing to Bruce. http://www.brucemontague.ca/html/0407.html Last Thursday, Sept 23rd , I received a letter from the Ontario … [Read more...]