A question for Michael Bryant

Let's put aside, for a moment, the thorny matter of whether our elected officials should be negotiating with people... who continue to crap all over the law of the land.

I just wanna know, how many MRI machines could you buy with 50 million dollars?

The two-year-old land dispute in Caledonia has so far cost Ontarians $50 million. And that cost will continue to rise until a settlement is reached.

A report suggests most of that money - $35 million - has come from the price of putting police officers at the scene 24/7 to provide security.

And guess what? Just like those pesky human rights commissions... you, the taxpayer... have to foot the bill for the instigators.

Ontario taxpayers are also footing the bill for the Six Nations negotiating team, pegged at $500,000. Aboriginal Affairs Minister Michael Bryant assures the cost of negotiation still runs below what litigation would.

"The cost of policing is the cost of keeping the peace."

Thank you... oh wonderful McGuinty.

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RELATED: No wonder "they're encouraged"

-- TORONTO -- Assembly of First Nations Chief Phil Fontaine says he's optimistic Ontario will be able to resolve a dispute between an exploration company and a remote Northern Ontario First Nation whose leaders were recently jailed.

Mr. Fontaine says he was “encouraged” by a recent talk with Aboriginal Affairs Minister Michael Bryant in which they discussed resource revenue sharing and developing a framework for consultation.

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