Monthly Archives: January 2011

Shelley Ann Clark a Canadian hero on FTA whistleblowing

Shelley Ann Clark

I was watching on CPAC yesterday a replay of a House of Commons committee meeting on Bill C-17 (Combating Terrorism Act) and the main witness of that meeting was the Minister of Justice, Nicholson.
As usual as I watched this pompous verbose buffoon of a bully, I wondered how anyone in their right mind could take him seriously. This in itself is a problem as he is the Attorney General of Canada, supposedly the keeper of the law in our country.
At one point he advised a member of the committee from the Liberal side whose question he had avoided as usual, “that if he listened to the answer he wouldn’t have to ask the question again!” He interrupted the questioner to say this, whilst he listened politely to Reform/Alliance coalition questions for which he thanked them as they were so supportive of him. (I actually lost count of the number of times he interrupted, overrode and spoke over the Liberal members of the committee, and fat out refused to give them an answer). Then he repeated his call for all opposition members to support him because what he wanted to do was right and the only way. We are really supposed to take this man seriously?
This Bill C-17 is to do with bringing back part of the Criminal Code that was introduced in response to a UN request after 9-11 and sunsetted back in 2007. Now suddenly nearly 4 years later it is a panic. Funny how all the crime bills Nicholson brings forward are a panic isn’t it? Must be something to do with empty jails and falling crime rate so he has to fill the jails whilst there is still crime !
Nicholson seems to believe he is above the law and that the Canadian Bill of Rights does not apply to anything he or his department looks at. I still maintain that what was Bill C-36 and is now the Consumer Product Safety Act is so against the Bill of Rights, that if I had the money I would be challenging it myself.

So what does this have to do with Shelley Ann Clark?

Shelley Ann Clark is one brave woman who was right there and tells the story of whistleblowing about the two versions of Mulroney’s FTA deal, about keeping the provincial premiers out of the real loop and the total give away of Canadian Sovereignty by Mulroney. There was a real version and another for Canadian consumption and the efforts Mulroney went to keep the real version away from Canadians is extraordinary. After years of persecution, including being poisoned by an ambassador in Europe it would appear, and being refused access to a Canadian or US doctor by that same ambassador, loosing her home, car and position illegally before being hired back at entrance level work and pay, Shelley Ann Clark had what was supposed to be a fair hearing before the Human Rights Tribunal and got royalty shafted in that she could not even call any witnesses, nor get permission to have an affidavit from someone out of the country admissible.
If the Human Rights Tribunal is so unjust what is happening there and why? The Ottawa Citizen had a piece http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/Human%2BRights%2BTribunal%2Bturmoil%2Bunion/4060837/story.html
by Katherine May on Jan 5th 2011 in which she documents the employees of the Tribunal leaving in droves completely disgusted with the attitude of the Tribunal towards its own mandate and employees, and even more damning, unable to get satisfaction of their own problems. Nicholson’s response was to send the problem to another totally dysfunctional body called the Privy Council Office, otherwise known as Harper’s toy. Nothing has happened yet to solve the problem and Canada’s protector of the Bill of Rights and Freedoms simply passed the buck upwards to Harper. Surprise !

Shelley Ann Clark has been treated as if she was a traitor, when the real traitors are those who make a mockery of our Canadian Parliament and its checks and balances and have made the committees in both Houses of Parliament totally dysfunctional. They work for us and we allow them to do this to us!

Meanwhile we are being subjected to complete imprisonment by the USA in this stupid perimeter deal to be signed this month, again in secrecy, without the approval of parliament or the Canadian people, because that’s Harper’s Way. Open, transparent government? Not from this Prime Minister because he knows that 90% of his decisions would not be approved if the Canadian people knew what he was really doing to them and our Country.

Whilst Mulroney was trying to give Canada away to Reagan, I remember hearing John Turner saying: “We must never give up on Canada, never, never, never.”
Well Mulroney gave away the first piece and Harper is trying to finish the job by surrendering our borders to the USA and our remaining businesses to The European Union through CETA. What is with these Conservatives even if it is not the same party any more?
What are we doing about it? Eating more toxic food, drinking more toxic sodas, taking more drugs and allowing ourselves to be traded off for a silver piece or two.

Will we wake up and say, “never, never, never” before it really is too late?

Jeremy Arney

Shell Ann Clarks web site:  THE SWORD – THE FIGHT FOR CANADA,  http://shelleyannclark.wordpress.com/

Is it truth as one man sees it or just his opinion presented as the truth?

Sometimes there are editorials or journalistic pieces that grate on my nerves because they give the impression of stating as fact the writer’s opinion of what has, is or will happen. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and that I will never deny, but to state that that opinion is the only one and the ultimate truth is as misleading as FOX news.

In the January 19th edition of the Peninsula News, under the heading of “Recall desends into ugly farce” Tom Fletcher of the Black Press group wrote just such an article prompting this response from me.  Way too long to be published I am sure but I had to say it.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/peninsulanewsreview/opinion/114133009.html

*********

I really must protest that you are publishing such biased drivel as written by Tom Fletcher for your January 19th Edition under the heading of: “Recall descends into ugly farce.”.
It is of course perfectly OK for Fletcher to have his opinion on any matter, even if it is unbalanced in anyone else view, it is still his opinion.  Would you have anyone on staff who has the opposite view to balance this out?  It is also regretful that such pieces are written as if they are the only truth instead of one reporter’s opinion and version of perceived “facts”.
 
Fletcher’s view of the recall of Ida Chong seems to be that of any good party membership paying B C Liberal supporter who believes that no cabinet minister or MLA is to blame for anything specially the HST because, after all, it is only the people who object to it, and we all know the people do not matter in BC.   If the people should get mad enough to object and say, “wait a minute here” , then it is up to the Fletchers of the BC media to try to put out that fire. 
Ida Chong is a good MLA?
Has everyone forgotten her role in the Coleman donation of crown lands  to Western Forest Products and the re-zoning of them?  Who held that up until it was too late?   Is that what makes a good MLA or is it what makes a good servant to the Premier?  How does she, as a local resident, really justify claiming more for her meals than many people make in a year here in BC?   This is not only about the HST this is about people’s dissatisfaction with their elected employees.
I do not approve of hate mail in any form but, contempt breeds contempt so that such action could easily be a result of extreme frustration; in today’s manipulative world it could also be the action of paid party puppets. It is to be regretted that Graig James has been subjected to this, but perhaps this “mild-mannered legislature clerk” should have also abided by the rules and forced Campbell to act under the law of BC and recall the legislature to appoint a new Chief Electoral Officer instead of leaving him, James, holding the bag. Whole thing stinks of manipulation to me.
Then come the Tea Party type attacks.
Hysterical complaints against Vander Zalm and Delaney about Big Corporate Media and about “the Fight HST clown car of conspiracy theories”:
Europe taking over Canada? when the proof of CETA, as much as we know about it, is there to be read by anyone who can read. If European companies do not have a say in local Camnadian purchasing even at the municipal or school board levels, including the right to bid to control our local water supply, then “no deal” by Europe.  Looks more like another Harper give away to me than a conspiracy theory.
World government? If its for the people and by the people  I have no problem. If it’s corporate world government then I do have a problem as the world would then be run by the bottom line, with people as pawns and totaly expendable.
 
Read the reports Fletcher before you label these as a conspiracy theory.
 
As far as BC Hydro is concerned Fletcher obviously has not examined the finances of BC Hydro or he could tell they are very nearly broke by the ridiculous costs and policies loaded onto them by Campbell.  If there is an economist of any note at the Black organisation let him refute the figures. Google “Face to Face with Jack Etkin and Eric Anderson”.  Go on line amd look at the annual reports. How does Fletcher explain the constant rise in hydro costs occurring in every household in BC?  How much has it gone up in the last 6 months and how much will it go up in the next 6 months?  It has nothing to do with supply, it is all to do with debt incurred by Campbell dictate through the ROR projects and exhorbitant prices paid for unused power from them. I would be careful what you say about Rafe Mair,  Fletcher, he IS a real BC supporter and I have never heard him talk of Campbell damming the Fraser River.  Chuck Strahl of the federal government has the power through the Navigable Waters Act to make that happen, not Campbell.
 
It seems to me that Fletcher, who has the pulpit to preach from, is one of those who believes that Campbell is a god and we are sooo lucky to have had him to ruin our Province for us.  Sugar coat the facts as much as you wish but our economic deficit position, outsourcing to relieve the province of income through profits (or less costs because no profit has to be made), unemployment, closing of businesses of real size, child poverty, First Nations relations in a shambles, homelessness, health care creaking, seniors in financial and health trouble, education under funded, foreign owned fish farms destroying wild salmon stocks, forests being cut to export raw logs as we no longer have the ability to process them here in BC, a Green Plan which includes drilling for oil and gas off our coast inspite of the fault lines here and the constant seismic activity in the whole area, destruction of the water sheds in NE BC by the hydraulic fracking process, out of control mining for coal, gold and copper and the resulting toxic water from them too, environmental policy in a shambles or even non existent now , and finally the growing mistrust of the people of BC towards their MLA employees in Victoria.  Does this indicate a healthy province left by a god?
 
I am an old man who tries to speak up for my grandchildren as I really fear for what we are leaving them, not only on the planet, but also in the way we treat each other.  What we are getting from all our elected employees is lies, hateful and vitriolic talk and this example is spreading outwards to encompass way too many of us causing distrust, fear and even hatred of our fellow man.
Where is your hope for the future Fletcher?
 
Jeremy Arney

Health Canada about Marigold Natural Pharmacy

 

On 14th June 2010, Health Canada, RCMP and the BC College of Pharmacists attacked Marigold Natural Compounding Pharmacy of Courtney BC, arriving with a UHaul type Van and just removed anything they wanted and closed down the pharmacy.  The BC college of pharmacists apparenly has control over the compounding side of the pharmacy.

Thus I was prompted to write this letter to see what proof Health Canada had obtained to justify their invasion, and in essence destruction, of a legitimate business concerned with wellness.

 

Ms. Glenda Yeates,
Deputy Minister of Health,
Health Canada.
 
I am writing to ask for some information about Marigold Natural Pharmacy of Courtney BC. I have tried phoning several times and get shunted from one extension to another until I eventually get a voice mail. I have left messages but not surprisingly I have not receiving a call back.

 

This is from your release of 23rd  July  2010
The issue
Unauthorized health products manufactured and sold by Marigold Natural Pharmacy Ltd. may pose a risk to health and safety of Canadians. These products were made available to Canadians via the company’s pharmacy in Courtenay, British Columbia and via their  website. Marigold Natural Pharmacy Ltd. is not authorized to manufacture, package, label or import any drugs or natural health products in Canada.
A number of the unauthorized products (listed below) pose specific risks to the health and safety of Canadians: one unauthorized health product indicates that it contains Kava Kava. Kava Kava products contain kava lactones which have been associated with severe liver damage. In addition, two unauthorized health products indicate that they contain ingredients that legally require that they be sold with a prescription because they are used to treat serious diseases or may have side effects that require monitoring by a health care practitioner.
What Health Canada is doing
Health Canada has taken steps to mitigate the risk posed by these products and will continue to monitor Marigold Natural Pharmacy Ltd. Should Health Canada become aware that the company is continuing to sell unauthorized health products that may pose a risk to the health and safety of Canadians, Health Canada will take immediate and appropriate action.
 
My questions about all this now you have had almost 6 months to examine what has been done are these:
Exactly how many customers of Marigold Natural Pharmacy have been damaged in any way by the products they purchased from the compounding side of the business?

You claim that one health product contains Kava Kava, which MAY cause severe liver damage.   How many of Marigolds clients have actually suffered with this damage as a result of Marigolds products?

How many of Marigolds concoctions do you have sitting on a shelf somewhere waiting for a DIN # which you have no intention of supplying?

How can a company get authorization when you will not even look at the products?
Do you have any proof that Marigold deliberately set out to hurt anyone?

Do you accept and agree that Marigold’s business should rely on the permission of the BC College of Pharmacists whose training in natural remedies is nil?

Do you accept that an immediate health problem can ONLY be treated by dangerous and toxic drugs with the possibility of multiple side effects or death and to which you have given your approval, rather than being allowed to be treated with a mixture of natural products created with knowledge, loving care and real wellness in mind?

How can you allow such toxic unproven and untested vaccines such as Gardasil and H1N1 to be administered to the people of Canada when you know very well that they both have side effects and even deaths related directly to them, and yet you ban natural products which you think may perhaps cause some damage? 

Are you really interested in the health of Canadians or the wealth of the Pharmaceutical companies?

This is also from your web site:
Health Canada is the Federal department responsible for helping Canadians maintain and improve their health, while respecting individual choices and circumstances.

How can you claim this to be your role when you are doing the exact opposite??

Health Canada is part of the Ministry of Health which is a Federal Ministry of the Government of Canada. The Government of Canada is employed by and elected by the people of Canada, as is the opposition.  The purpose of the government of Canada is to serve the people of Canada and act in the best interests of their employers, those same  people of Canada.
When Health Canada acts in the interests of the pharmaceutical companies rather than the interests of the people of Canada, then they are betraying the people of Canada.
If that is allowed to continue then are not both the Minister of Health, the Cabinet and Prime  Minister equally responsible for that betrayal?

I await you answers to my questions with interest.
Jeremy Arney

My address to CRD of Victoria BC on Tanning Bed Bylaw

Chair, vice chair, board members, thank you for hearing me today on the tanning regulations bylaw 3711, and I also wish to acknowledge the Songhees people on whose traditional territory we are today.

 

My name is Jeremy Arney and I live in Central Saanich.

 

Whilst I accept that there are some who seem to think that tanning in any form is not good, I would ask them if they also think that Vitamin D is unnecessary or are they willing to get it only in supplement form from a drug company, because there are no natural food products that have been approved by Health Canada to supply everyone’s need for Vitamin D.

I am an ugly enough old man who has been using tanning beds for over 30 years to help with SADS, I do not have skin cancer and I am told I do not look 70 years old.  I do not get sick with colds, flu or any such things as my immune system is just fine thank you,

because Vitamin D is one of the most powerful immune system builders we have available, and naturally created by a reaction from UV rays….

The Cancer Society is a bit confused about this, even though there does not appear to have been any real update in their position since 2007, according to their website. On the one hand they say that UV rays might cause skin cancer and premature aging appearance, on the other they are admitting that it is necessary for the human body to have Vitamin D because, to quote the site ‘it has proven to be effective in fighting cancer”. In fact what they are not saying is that Vitamin D is a fantastic immune builder and as such is not good for their business of being a money collector for Big Pharma.

However, I am more interested in another subject arising directly from this proposed bylaw and that is the ability of the present young generation to make choices for themselves, with or without parental help, as opposed to being directed and controlled by the state.

One young woman wrote to the local excuse for a daily paper recounting that she, along with some of her friends, had appeared at CRD hearings in support of this bylaw and I believe she was the young woman who told me at the last meeting of this board that she did not feel able to make decisions for herself. I suggest that that very decision and the actions she has already taken to speak her mind refute that, and it is an interesting way to avoid peer pressure. A powerful decision for any young person I would suggest. What I regret is that she is wanting the tanning decision to be made for her, when there are decisions that really should be being made on her behalf but are not, such as eating at fast food places like MacDonalds, where the food is of no nutritional value and has been shown to cause obesity and irrational behavior changes in both young and old wherever they have set up businesses in the world. By the same token the vaccination of Gardasil with the vague promise of cervical cancer prevention 25 years down the road of her life is not proven and not a good bet when compared with the side affects and deaths already shown to have occurred in young girls after being vaccinated.  Nor was she being protected from the recent untested, unproven H1N1 vaccination against a fake swine flu pandemic.  By surrendering her ability to choose for herself, she is allowing herself to be a guinea pig for the same pharmaceutical companies that produce Vitamin D drugs which cannot compare with the real thing. 

 

Come on Emily you are worth so much more than that. If you want parental control or teacher guidance for your actions that’s OK ask for it, but please do not surrender your freedoms to the state.

 

This is where I am concerned. 

Are we not teaching our children to make decisions for themselves any more?  Do we have to think for them now?  Driving is OK at 16 (making multiple choices per mile), but to tan or not is a choice they can’t make?  I am convinced young people like Emily can and do make choices for themselves every day, and we should be encouraging that not stopping or controlling it.

There is another woman who is, I am sure, here today who told me she would like to see no one be allowed to make any choices until they are 30, which presumably includes driving, enlisting in the armed forces, police, fire fighting or ambulance services or even what career to pursue as well as voting, smoking, drinking and not getting married until 30.  That last one might be a good thing.

To quote from her letter to the TC: “our chief medical health officer tells us indoor tanning is like sunbathing without protection at the equator”.  I gather he has never been in a tanning bed nor to the equator.

 

Both these women state that tanning is a known carcinogen but fail to also mention that they are free to eat French fries and drink beer which are perhaps 100 times worse, and cause a secondary effect of obesity.

 

One of our problems today I think is to admit that others have opinions which may differ from our own but have equal value in the scheme of things. If we are not willing to listen and learn then what message are we sending to today’s young people? They will soon be running the world and I would rather they were used to making decisions based on all the known facts and asking for help, and not just based on fear, dogma, corporate control or indifference to others’ opinions.

 

In conclusion I would say that the concern I have with this bylaw is that it is a red herring to hide too many of our real unaddressed health problems, and I would like to see those problems addressed with the same thoroughness and passion as this particular bylaw, which reminds me of Bill C-36 now the Canadian Consumer Product Safety Act  –  an unnecessary  and  misnamed act which only deprives Canada of her sovereignty in making laws and regulations, and Canadians of their rights, freedoms, rule of law and the ability to use the courts for protection against unwarranted invasion of their homes and privacy, whilst doing absolutely nothing new about consumer product safety.

 

Please, let’s not emulate a dysfunctional federal government, but instead make sensible rules with understanding and compassion which fit the peoples’ educated choices.

Thank you.

A farewell rant at Gordon Campbell.

Over the last few weeks I keep reading ‘journalists’ pieces in our local news deficient main stream media (which over the last decade have not reported what is really happening in BC partly I suppose because the Dictator didn’t give them permission to do so and secrecy allows for avoidance of responsibility), who are trying to sell Campbell as pretty damn good.

Headlines such as “CAMPBELL’S LEGACY MOSTLY POSITIVE’  from a Black Press writer caused me to wonder if the writer even lives in BC.

Our dearly departing Dictator Pinocchio started with a mandate to be envied.  This could have lead him to do wondrous things for BC and the people of BC, but he chose instead to do wondrous things for the corporations clamouring to have a piece of the Super Natural BC pie. As all the people of BC know Super Natural has been changed to ‘the best place on earth’ and we also know that this is for the corporate friends of the Dictator not for the people of BC.

Instead of the open and transparent government promised what we got was lies and deceit, hidden agendas, closed meetings and decisions, and a very rare sitting of the legislature as cabinet decisions were easier made in secrecy than to explain what was happening and why.

My son worked very hard in the kitchen of the Victoria General Hospital as specialty chef for those with special dietary needs and he loved his job. His contract along with all those working at the hospitals was deleted and he was offered a position doing the same work but with no benefits at, if I remember correctly,  $8.50 per hour from a company which was not even Canadian.  How the Hospital Workers Union allowed that to happen still defeats me and where were the NPD? Where was the public outcry and strikes?

B C Rail WILL NOT BE SOLD was an outright lie as we all know and the costs of the subsequent dealings falling out from that is staggering. The chances of that whole expensive mess being buried without us knowing who was really responsible and why are now excellent.  So let’s just lay it at Gordo’s door because he was the Dictator. In answer to a posed question: Yes I believe we as a province should own a railway, it obviously made money because it was sold to one of several bidders, and giving breaks to BC producers would be good business would it not. I wonder if that particular writer has realized the potential of rail from the Tar Sands of Alberta to south USA for refining the black gunk into oil?   Ooh no, yet another loss of income to BC!

BC Hydro was half way to being sold very quietly before Accenture’s story got out, and The Heritage Act was passed, to quiet down the howlers, which said that BC Hydro could not be sold.  OK no more of it can be sold but it can be financially ruined so that it could be picked up piece meal by those corporate friends of Pinocchio the Dictator who are waiting in the wings.  This story is still not being told by the BC mainstream media ( a few casual mentions in articles is not telling the story) even though it is staring them in the face and to ignore it is to show complete indifference for the truth and compliance with the afore mentioned Dictator. BC Hydro has in the past few years paid to its only shareholder an annual dividend of somewhere in the region of 3oo million dollars which has been used in the Health and Education fields.  Now this last year it was only paid (with a 100% increase to $600 million) because of some very fancy and suspect  bookkeeping which will have to be explained under the new method of accounting which came into effect this year.  Thanks Gordo, no wonder you wanted out.

An NPD premier was hounded out of office because he had a deck built on the back of his house, and Gordon Wilson was hounded out of the Liberal Party of BC  because he was having a relationship not considered right by Gordon Campbell.  However it is OK for Gordon to take his addiction for booze to Hawaii and get a premieral criminal record, and for him to have a child, we are told, out of wedlock with a long time mistress who is on his staff payroll and still stay on as the most destructive politician in BC’s History.  Double standard? Of course that is Gordo’s motto…. Do what I say not what I do.

Have you read the BC Green Plan?  What do you think about the intent stated there that we will drill for oil and gas in the fault lines off the coast of BC? 

Does hydraulic fracking in north east BC in the middle of the headwaters country sound like a reasonable proposition to you?  Do you know that the entire water system up there will be poisoned?  Do you have any empathy for the first nations whose treaty lands will be toxic?  Do you mind if what lakes are spared by chance only, will be destroyed when they are used as tailings ponds for the mines up in that area and turned into toxic fish habitats?  Does it not seem ironic to you that coal mines are not only being seriously considered up there too but Site C damn would be to provide almost free power for them and the Tar sands?  Enbridge Pipe Line and super oil tankers anyone? Very green plan what? And who pays the price?

Whilst in BC the homeless, sick and handicapped and starving children in poverty are increasing, and toxic vaccines are pumped into our children’s bodies almost from birth but before they leave the hospitals, whilst those hospitals are now being run by out of province or even out of country corporations and even the food is now trucked in from Edmonton Alberta to Victoria BC,  the tax concessions to those same corporate gluttons is destroying our provincial income and thus our ability to help those in need.  Now that is a record of accomplishments only a man like Gordo could be proud of.

There is the claim made that under Campbell’s guidance the financial picture of the province of BC was of surplus budgets and reduced debt.  Well anyone claiming that must surely be drinking the Reagan cool aid.

The concept of carbon tax on fuel was a good one if that money collected had been used for the purpose promoted.  Instead in the budget that introduced it the exact amount to be collected was the same amount that was offered as incentives to oil and gas companies to explore for more carbon producing products.  Was this explained to the people of BC by the media? No, instead it was glorified as the way to go.

 

Income tax cuts are very easy to give to everyone until you realize that they have to be balanced by something……Services such as health, social responsibilities, education, transport, highway maintenance (now privatized of course and look at the state of the highways around Victoria and the lower mainland – I haven’t been to the interior for ages but I would make a bet they are as bad all through the province), transit outside Vancouver is pathetic shown by the number of single occupancy cars morning and night.  BC ferries are out of control with spiraling costs passed on to the travelling public to the point where Mainland or Island Visits are now a major expense; forget going over watch the Canucks now unless you are very wealthy.  Make a reservation and that is a donation to management bonuses, but don’t make one and you may get bumped by an unmanned tractor trailer unit from the so called ‘drop trailer’ division of the Ferries. Pay into the bonuses or get left behind…some choice eh?  Are we not supposed to own this service? Is it not supposed to be for our benefit and convenience? What happened?   An overseas CEO for one thing whose interest is only in the bottom line of a supposed to be service oriented ex Crown Corporation. Luckily we still have the Blackball and Anacortes ferries to the states to rescue some of our tourist traffic.

Another thing I have seen praised is the trade deals made with first Alberta and now Saskatchewan called TILMA.  What a joke they are until you really look at them. Trade, Investment, Labour Movement Agreement.  There was no problem with any of this according to the union leaders. But the sting in the tail is of course there as with FTA and NAFTA in that disagreements are settled by so called independent tribunals and are stacked against the people. An example would be if a Calgary brothel (sorry Calgary it’s just an example) was to apply to Sooke BC to open a branch brothel there and was turned down by Sooke, then Sooke would be sued for lost earnings.  Or as I have said in the past, let’s suppose that the proposed Mega Marina for the inner harbour of Victoria gets turned down completely, then the developers can and almost certainly will sue the city of Victoria for lost earnings, and in both cases the suers will win. This is supposed to be a good deal for anyone?  Only if you’re a corporation and  then you have Campbell’s blessing to grab what you can no matter how ridiculous the situation maybe.

Relations with the Feds? Well Martin for sure and now Harper are globalists and see the corporations the same way Gordo does so why would he not be in the same feeding trough as them?  Give them what they want and accept the board positions and payments.

Forestry sector used to be the mainstay of BC and now we really don’t have such a sector anymore…we have given Crown Lands away free thanks to Gordo, Coleman and Chong, so that they can be turned into housing developments and thus the excuse to cut trees that before were not available, and where do those trees go? Why overseas as raw logs naturally because we don’t have anywhere to process them any more.

Our ocean is now a death trap for salmon smelts trying to go to sea to grow into edible fish thanks to the dangers of the lice coming from the Norwegian fish farms scattered up and down our coast line. Great run this year in the Fraser River as the fish probably figured out that Juan de Fuca is a better way out to sea and home again.

The suggestion that power developments and health care are too big to be done by the state alone are an excuse offered in defense of giving profits to private companies.  What exactly is wrong with keeping those profits made from BC resources for the people of BC ? If any finance minister in Canada including the federal one would only use our own Bank of Canada then the expenses would come down and any interest charged would be paid back to us instead of going into some commercial bank CEO bonus structure. The state of North Dakota has it’s state owned bank and is in a budget surplus position because they use that bank. We have our own bank and ignore it. Actually, provincially, we mandate which banks can be used by municipalities…very clever. No the real reason we invite corporations into the mix is so they make money and I refuse to believe none of that rubs of on people like Gordo. It certainly doesn’t come back to we the people.

The HST has to be mentioned simply because it is used as the excuse for the unhappiness and anger in the province and that is absolute BS. No one likes to pay extra taxes but we will do so if it means that the standard by which we all live is maintained or improved. Lies, contempt, arrogance and flat out refusal to listen to the people who voted for and employ these MLAs of all stripes is what has made us mad. Well I certainly, maybe I should not speak for everyone else, but I know that  I will take to the streets if that is what it comes to in order to protect my children and grandchildren for Hell In BC.

Last major thing Gordo did was to destroy the whole concept of environmental responsibility by creating a new natural resource operations ministry which just like the federal counterpart ministry of natural resources will bypass environmental requirements in favour of speedy approval of resource developments.  Not that our BC Environment Ministry was any good anyway as they approved everything.

So what did Gordo do that was beneficial to all of BC?

Hmmm, could have been the Olympics if it hadn’t cost us so damn much in money and environmental impact.

Elections every four years? Well let’s see if that holds up any better than some of his other promises.  On that subject I am told he has a favorite joke…”if we had fixed elections, there would be no problem”  Ha Ha…What is the difference between a ‘fixed’ election and one in which the lies are so thick that the sun is obscured?

 Personally I am glad to see the back of a man who has done so much damage to BC, and I hope that whoever his replacement may be realizes that the people of BC have finally woken up….Come to think of it Gordo that is probably the best and only thing you really did for the people of BC.  Pity it had to be at such a cost.

 

Jeremy Arney