A nice but all too quick visit with Perry yesterday (Wednesday 19 March 2008).
How surreal to drive into the visitor’s parking at the Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre, produce two pieces of ID through a sliding drawer at the check-in office where guards are securely locked in a little office, remove coat and lock it a purse in a locker (a must), sit on the metal seat in the stark waiting room awaiting a call – to see Perry.
And then to see him like that. In a little glassed in booth on the other side of that huge plexi-glass divider.
But, how good to see him. Strange, but when I saw him it was instinctive to rush in and put my hands up on the divider. Silly. I can’t reach out to touch him or give him a hug, but I can put my palm to his on the plexi-glass. That’s how we started our visit.
Because Perry is in segregated protective custody his visits are conducted in a small booth. There are three booths side-by-side – large windows separate the booths and there is a large window on the visitors’ door. The glass is such that we are visible by the guards at all times, and we can see, but not hear, those visiting in the two adjacent booths.
A large plexi glass screen separates Perry from his visitors. There is a phone handset on Perry’s side and another on the visitor’s. Two persons can share a visit, but with only one handset in the booth there is a need to rotate access to the phone. The phone seems to operate on a timer. When time is up, the line goes dead. After the line went dead we yelled back and forth through the divide with varying degrees of success 🙂
Perry has lost weight. He has a stubble of a multi-coloured beard – a lot of red! Seems prison issue razors aren’t ideal so he has opted to let the beard it grown – different from the clean cut fresh-faced Perry we all know, but it looks alright on him. He looks a little weary, but he was chatty, his spirits are good and his sense of humour is firmly intact.
He was attired in prison orange: orange shorts, orange T-shirt and orange jumpsuit. A little hole in the T-shirt, and small tear on the sleeve of the jumpsuit, but, all were clean. It is apparently warm in his cell that he tends to stick with the shorts and T-shirt – the jumpsuit goes on for trips to the visiting area.
He now has a shower and change of clothes every two days – a great improvement over the Toronto East Detention Centre. Since his arrival at OCDC on 10 March 2008 he has had two trips outdoors in the yard. Far from suffice, but outdoors.
He has been reading. A lot. There is a prison library and he is working his way through anything and everything which happens his way. He has more than ample time on his hands.
Prison guards on duty in the visitors section were friendly and helpful sorting out visiting times. Three of us shared yesterday’s visit. The visit can be shared by several – two visiting in the booth at a time, but only one handset so without a lot of yelling there is no latitude for a three way conversation. Two twenty minute visits a week.
Perry’s 85-year-old grandmother is in poor health. But. she is apparently bound and determined she is going to go to see him! I’m not sure if she is fit to make the trip from Cornwall, and I wasn’t on the handset when he was talking about this so I’m not sure either how Perry feels about his grandmother seeing him in this situation, but I do know this is a very emotional issue and that he wants desperately to see her. I am hoping there is room here for a compassionate visit to go to see his grandmother. Surely he can be allowed that small pleasure?
Keep the cards and letters going
Perry Dunlop c/o OCDC
Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre
2244 Innes Road
Ottawa ON
K1B 4C4
****
I have been thinking a lot of Perry’s plight. I hear those who claim that by not returning to the Weave Shed he is letting down the victims. I wonder who came up with that? Which victims with whom Perry had interaction are claiming they have been let down? I personally know and have heard of none. What I am hearing is that the victims are extremely upset that Perry is in jail, and they don’t quite know what to do.
That’s what I’m hearing.
I’m also thinking a lot about the Justices Swinton and Ferrier’s comment that in refusing to answer questions on the stand at the Weave Shed Perry has brought the administration of justice into disrepute. Seems to me that’s like the pot calling the kettle black. The administration of justice was brought into disrepute in Cornwall countless times and long before Perry was cited with contempt. And seems to me it was brought into disrepute those countless times over countless years not by Perry Dunlop but by lawyers and judges.
I have been waiting for publication of the justices’ ruling to address this.
I just checked. The decision is released. I will get it posted. I’ll also post other articles I haven’t had a chance to get up. Then I’ll take a closer look at the decision.
Enough for now,
Sylvia
How does someone who is self representing appeal when they are imprisoned for a duration by the judge’s ruling?
I read through Swinton and Ferrier’s ruling. I can follow along even though I may not agree with their statements until I get to the commital warrent…then it makes no sense to me. Is this type of Committal Warrent precedent setting? And if it is precedent setting in my naitivity I thought there were rules and laws that had to be followed when setting precedence in a court of law.
Has this been done before? Has this type of punishment for comtempt been rendered to someone before? Has this type of Commital Warrent been issued before – or is this a make as you go punishment for a certain individual? For Perry Dunlop only???
If Swinton and Ferrier are concerned about bringing the administration of justice into disrepute they should look in the mirror for the cause. They document the history of Perry’s contempt but not the source of that contempt which is the true purpose of the justice system being corrupted. No justice system can demand the respect of the population when they are not respectable by enforcing laws consistent with the law of God the natural law. Since this has been abandoned and pedophiles are not punished an unbearable strain is put on the respect for judges so that even a law abiding man such as Perry Dunlop no longer has confidence in the system. This cannot be remedied by keeping Perry Dunlop in jail, it can only be fixed by going to the source of the problem – put the pedophiles in jail and release Perry Dunlop. Do that you judges and then you will enjoy the respect of the population. Anything else including this judgement is just spin.
A further reflection on Perry’s situation after hearing the Good Friday service.
” We have no God but Caesar ”
This chant of the crowd was full of irony and hypocrisy yet it told the truth in a way that those who spoke it did not realize.
Jesus was condemned under Jewish Law for Blasphemy for claiming to be God yet the Jews wanted the Romans to do the dirty work so they brought Jesus before the Roman Governor with a different charge which they thought would make sense under the Roman law. This was the charge of fomenting rebellion. Now this charge was false since Our Lord had advised them to pay taxes ( give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar ) The hypocrisy of this charge was demonstrated when they demanded the release of Barabbas who was imprisoned for fomenting rebellion yet they have the crowds feign patriotism by saying ” We have no God but Caesar” This was the ultimate phony respect for the law.
These people actually spoke the truth despite themselves. The did not have a God but Caesar in the sense that they respected only force which Caesar had at his disposal with the army occupying the country. Our Lord had a kingdom not of this world because he had no army to protect him from being handed over to his enemies. Our Lord shows his goodness but his power is hidden and never used to spare him from the hands of his enemies. When Peter used a sword in Our Lords defense he was told to put it back. Those who love God will respect our Lord despite his lack of worldly power while those who respect only worldly power despise Our Lord and truly “have no God but Caesar ”
I am sure the judges who locked up Perry Dunlop are frustrated. Here is a man who has a God above Caesar. They can understand and control those who have no God but Caesar because they have the government levers of power in their hands. What are they going to do with someone like Perry Dunlop who respects goodness and right – the real qualities of God – above Caesar? The force of Government can give you phony respect such as the crowd displayed before the Roman Governor. Is that what the judges want from Perry, a phony – O yes since you are putting me in jail I will feign respect because a judge has ordered it I will testify before the inquiry implying it is good even though I don’t believe it for a minute. Things do not become good because a judge orders it. The Roman Governor had the army of occupation but all that gets you is the phony respect of ” We have no God but Caesar ” Real respect goes with the service of the real God which is out of the reach of judges in todays society.
Judges should think about this. If you have only phony respect but not real respect you must always beware of rebellion and continually apply more and more force to keep the illegitimate regime in power without the consent of the governed. This is the territory we are entering with the jailing of Perry Dunlop to force him to feign respect for something that does not deserve respect – a justice system that is a tool of pedophiles to protect themselves and punish others. What is really accomplished by breaking someone so they have “no God but Caesar” ? Nothing at all but it appears to be a good thing to the Godless to drag others down into Godlessness. When they pursue this goal they become instruments in perfecting the sanctity of saints. May Perry Dunlop stand strong in the face of this persecution and become better and stronger than ever. That is my Good Friday prayer for him.
You’ve hit the nail squarely on the head “Myomy”.
I cry, when I see where we “really are” as a society.
God Bless Perry Dunlop and “Praise The Lord”
I urge people to read a “letter-to-the-editor” on the “Cornwall Standard-Freeholder” website, titled, “Lawyers and judges only winners in inquiry”. It is dated March 24, 2008 and written by Roger Gagne of Cornwall.
Strangely, it seems the “Standard-Freeholder” are going back to restricting “blogging comments” on some of the more potentially, “provocative” “letters”, “news stories” and “editorials”. I would have liked to add a comment to Mr. Gagne’s “letter”.
It’s no wonder the “S-F” is “restricting” comments….most comments are highly critical of its writers and reporting.
HOWEVER, in the same “context and flavour” of Mr. Gagne’s letter, does anyone remember when the “Project Truth” offices on Second Street, across from “The Knights of Columbus” meeting hall and not far from Lawyer Sean Adams’of “Adams, Sherwood, Swabey & Follon” Law Offices, were broken into. Sometime in 1999, I believe.
Apparently, all computer software, towers, paperwork, books, notes…EVERYTHING… was stolen. EVERYTHING!!!! Does this include ALL files and documents, videos, tape recordings, etc., compiled by and then received from “O.P.P.” and “Cornwall Community Police Services”, etc., etc. I guess “EVERYTHING” means “EVERYTHING!!!” No one seems to talk about this either!!! EVERYTHING WAS STOLEN!!!!! Even Claude McIntosh, the self-proclaimed, “scribbler” at the local daily newspaper, “scribbled” that there were no signs of a break in. It was like someone had a key, went in, took everything and left. Michael Harris also mentioned it in one of his articles, which basically tried to convince us that “all was okay in Cornwall” and there was, “no cover-up”, no “wrong doing by officials” and just a great job done by police/investigators.
IF any of you readers get a copy of McIntosh’s “Coffee Break” and “Editorial” of “the circa”, I suggest you read it.
I believe, a reporter recently looked for it in the “Standard-Freeholder” archives, but it is nowhere to be found in Cornwall. People who do not have a copy, will have to go elsewhere to get it.
It makes me wonder what the “Cornwall Community Police Services” have recently paid over two-hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00)for; in reviewing documents and/or preparing for their “current” testimony at “The Cornwall Public Inquiry”. ANYONE else wondering?