UPDATES
- Mark Vandermaas eulogy for Merlyn Kinrade, Oct 11/12: [PDF, 6p]
- Gary McHale eulogy for Merlyn Kinrade, Oct 11/12: [PDF, 3p]
UPDATED Oct 26/12 — A great Canadian patriot, naval veteran, peacekeeper, father, husband, friend of Israel and a tireless force for justice in Caledonia has been called home.
I am saddened to report that Merlyn Kinrade, Caledonia resident and co-founder of CANACE (Canadian Advocates for Charter Equality), died after a long battle with cancer at 2pm yesterday – Saturday, October 06, 2012.
Funeral details:
947 Rymal Road East, Hamilton L8W 3M2 (just east of Upper Gage Ave.)
905.574.0509
VISITATION:
- Wednesday 2-4 pm, 7-9 pm
- Thursday 10-11 am.
SERVICE – CELEBRATION OF LIFE:
- Thursday 11 am followed by cremation.
http://www.lifenews.ca/thespec/profile/300082–kinrade-merlyn
Online Donations: http://www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?CharityID=s45932
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It is impossible to overstate how much Merlyn meant to those of us who have struggled against racial policing in Caledonia during the last 6 years. He was our rock, our advocate, our liaison and our friend as he doggedly pursued those responsible for the crimes against his community. You can read Merlyn’s bio, a list of his accomplishments and media articles about him here:
- Caledonia Victims Project: Caledonia Players – Merlyn Kinrade
Merlyn Kinrade in pictures and video…
CANACE co-founder Jeff Parkinson prepared a video tribute to Merlyn that captures his dynamic, meet-life-head-on, personality we were privileged to share during the past 5+ years:
- CANACEHD video: ‘Merlyn Kinrade: ‘The Cult of Personality‘ (5:00)
Merlyn’s final months: passionate and determined to the end…
Merlyn’s commitment to his community, his country and to Israel was unwavering even as he began to count down his final months:
Proud to be a member of the ‘Caledonia 8′…
On Dec 03/11 he proudly lined up to be arrested for ‘trespassing” on a county road as one of the ‘Caledonia 8′ who went to jail to dramatize, yet again, the continuing ignominy of racialized policing in Caledonia:
(All charges against the Caledonia 8 were later dropped.)
Making history after a long struggle…
On Feb 18/12, as we walked for the first time, uninvited, on the occupied Douglas Creek Estates photographer David Strutt was there and captured the essence of Merlyn in the portrait to the right. Christie Blatchford (author of Helpless: Caledonia’s Nightmare of Fear And Anarchy, And How the Law Failed All Of Us) reported his arrest in the National Post:
- National Post, Christie Blatchford, Jan 04/12: No regrets in the battle for justice in Caledonia
- VoiceofCanada, Feb 22/12: David Strutt photos: Caledonia 8 make history on Douglas Creek Estates in Caledonia
Standing with Israel and the Jewish people…
On March 30/12 Merlyn and other CANACE founders travelled to the Israel Consulate in Toronto to stand with our Jewish friends against those who would destroy Israel. Our friends from the Jewish Defence League gave him an Israeli flag and later notified him that they had purchased a tree for him in Israel. He was so touched by these gestures as were we all.
On April 23/12 Merlyn and his daughter Olivia travelled with us on a long, but rewarding trip to the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa for the National Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony on a bus provided by the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem. There, Olivia was able to meet Holocaust survivors, diplomats and even the Prime Minister of Canada. Merlyn couldn’t have been prouder. Merlyn purchased Israel-Canada flag lapel pins for everyone on the bus and Olivia handed them out.
Freedom Month…
During the month of September CANACE leader Gary McHale led protests every Sunday for 5 weeks at the Douglas Creek Estates occupation site during what he called ‘Freedom Month.’ Merlyn was too sick to come out but we kept him informed. On the last day, Sept 30/12, we took a group photo of those who came out to stand with us against OPP racial policing with a sign saying, ‘Hi Merlyn.’ The group included members and family from the Never Again Group, a pro-Israel collection of Jewish and non-Jewish activists:
Merlyn Kinrade was a symbol of everything that is good and decent about Canada.
Additional References
- HelplessByBlatchford project: Caledonia: No More Nightmares
From Friends
- Blogwrath.com, Oct 10/12: In Memoriam – Merlyn Kinrade
- Jewish Defence League, Oct 08/12: Merlyn Kinrade
- International Free Press Society, Oct 08/12: A Tribute to CANACE co-founder Merlyn Kinrade
- The Neat Little Bookshop, Lorna Walker, Oct 07/12: Thanksgiving Day Greetings – In memory of a brave soldier Merlyn Kinrade
- Blazing Cat Fur, Oct 08/12: Merlyn Kinrade passes – Caledonia, Six Nations, Canada & Israel lose a patriot and friend
POSTED BY:
Mark Vandermaas
Founder, Israel Truth Weekmark@israeltruthweek.org
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