Tag Archives: Elizabeth May

Some things change:

May 2020

Once upon a time, I used to enjoy reading Rex Murphy and his articles which to a certain extent I thought were well-measured pieces. I can’t say that anymore.

 Look at this piece:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/rex-murphy-only-the-greens-and-separatists-could-find-opportunity-in-a-pandemic/ar-BB13NSBw

The reason Alberta is in such a pickle does not lie with the rest of Canada but with them and the conservative governments both federal and provincial which have loaded the entire economy into the basket called “oil” and more recently bitumen (ethical oil? Or as Kenney calls it now “democratic oil”).

I have said this before and I at least think it worth repeating. Peter Lougheed saw the writing on the wall way back and created the Alberta Heritage Fund to provide for a day when “oil” and “bitumen” would not be the primary source of income for Alberta.  Following his retiring, conservative morons depleted this fund instead of using it to find other ways for Alberta to grow. If you do not believe me then just look at little Norway with a budget surplus of over $1 trillion.  Did their output exceed that of Alberta – do not know but the way they handled their heritage fund shows a remarkably different result.

 Yes, back in the 70s and 80s I worked in the Albertan oil patch in the transportation field – ie a truck driver for a company which catered largely to the Alberta oil patch and BC lumber – and even back then after visiting the Alberta tar sands far too many times I could tell that such a development would eventually come to an end. 

 It was also abundantly clear to me even back then that Alberta had a huge problem which would need cooperation to fix.  They are landlocked.  In order to export to anywhere their product had to travel through neighbouring provinces or territories or directly to the USA via Montana. This requires goodwill and co-operation neither of which have been Alberta’s strong suite for decades now, and indeed Kenney has been known to muse about Alberta leaving Canada; really? That would leave him only one exit to his only market for that dirty bitumen – through Montana.  By the same token the condensate required to move the bitumen through pipelines would have to come from Montana; standby for the price of that.!

Drew Anderson · CBC News · Posted: Oct 10, 2019 12:13 PM MT | Last Updated: October 10, 2019

He (Kenney)  admits it will be a challenge to work with the Trudeau Liberals, particularly if the party leads a coalition backstopped by the NDP.

“We certainly hope it doesn’t come to that, we think that will create enormous tension in the federation,” said Kenney, adding he hopes to find common ground with whoever wins power on Oct. 21.

Open threats to BC along with passing a provincial law that permits the shipping of oil to BC to cease regardless of the harm it might cause does not create goodwill in this direction, and anyway we have enough problems of our own here with the various pipelines coming our way if we want them or not.   

From your piece:

“Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet wishes to separate from Canada; and May wants to separate from reality.”

Really?  I was under the impression that Blanchet’s objective was to look after Quebec’s interest within the framework of Canada so I have to assume that you know better than I about his separatist aspirations and how much that would benefit Quebec.

As for Ms. May being separated from reality well look in the mirror Rex and see how far you have come.

Hey Rex, how about being real again instead of showing your biases?

Perhaps with your expertise you could find out where these mythical refineries are that will buy that Albertan bitumen – I mean the ones outside the USA.  I have asked almost everyone from Trudeau, Freeland, Notley, Scheer, Kenney and many more who have been involved in promoting this lie about exporting to other countries.  Naturally no response from any of them.   Think you can do better with your connections Rex?

Also Rex, NAFTA article 605 clearly states that we can increase the “percentage of our production” exported to the USA but we cannot reduce that percentage.  Notley claimed that 100% of Alberta’s bitumen went to the USA, so maybe you with your resources can tell me how we get around that article to be able to export even one barrel to those mythical refineries.  By the way, I have tried without success to find in this new robbery treaty – USMCA or whatever you want to call it – where this Article 605 is repealed or even changed and frankly I cannot see the current person in charge down there agreeing to anything which would disadvantage America.

Sure could use your abilities to answer these questions.

Happy days Rex and good health to you.

Jeremy

Wet’suwet’en

February 2020

We now have our own version of Standing Rock here in Canada, involving real people who live as they have for millennia on unceded territory in British Columbia.

Under the Indian Act, it was decreed that there would be elections on reservations etc., to run those reserves and those who won the brass goose would be called elected chiefs.  Problem is that like almost every politician in North America, they are subject to the bribes or threats of the corporate powers whose only interest is money.  These elected chiefs in Wet’suwet’en,  for whichever of the above reasons, fell in line with the power structure (read corporate right and profit versus peoples’ rights) and here is where the whole problem arises. 

The elected chiefs are there to run their reserves as businesses and in accordance to the scraps given them by federal and provincial money, and even smaller scraps by corporate powers plundering their lands.

The Hereditary Chiefs are there to ensure that the way of life, the land, the waters and the air are not irreparably damaged for those yet to come. They too are the keepers of history and tradition and that includes sacred lands where their ancestors are buried.

The Hereditary Chiefs are not bound by threats of less money or the promise of more money as that is not their way.  Their way is the way of the land as it has been for thousands of years.  Because of their stewardship of the land, air and water it is all still there for their people and they are trying to make sure that it will be next year, next decade and next century.  Don’t try and tell them they can’t get by without money, for money is only a new imposition upon them since the foreigners attacked and stole some of this land a few centuries ago and introduced them to European ways of treachery.

Under the leadership of the Hereditary Chiefs, there are still animals to trap, water to drink and clean air to breathe and life experiences to be taught to the young people; that is all under attack by corporate greed with elected people from Canada and BC in full agreement.  

 Only when the last tree has died
and the last river has been poisoned
and the last fish has been caught
will we realize that we can’t eat money  (Native American Proverb)

So what is happening in the unceded territory of the Wet’suwet’en is an affront to all those who agree with and have signed on to the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  Can you imagine the outcry if the Algonquin territory upon which our capital is built, was to be taken back and turned into a massive amusement park? Oh, actually I suppose it has already if you have a twisted sense of humour, for it is becoming more and more difficult to differentiate between politicians and willful children pretending to have fun.

 If this is what it means when the PM reiterates over and over again that the most important relationship the government has is with our First Nations, Inuit and Metis, then we are in a period of time travelling with Alice through her looking glass.

 What have we become Canada?

Electing a minority government is not a bad thing.

Well, the hoopla is well over.

We have a minority parliament, not a coalition as the talking heads keep repeating endlessly as if by them saying it over and over it will come to be.

We have had minority governments before and mostly – that is with the exception of the Stephen Harper years – quite a lot of good was accomplished.  There is no need to be frightened by such an animal, in fact, some small semblance of democracy might just raise its head to smile upon us.  We can but hope.

Meanwhile, those talking heads are guessing what will happen and few seem to acknowledge that the world is not coming to an end. Surely there is real-time news they can report upon until moves are made when parliament eventually meets.

There are some things that stand out for me and I guess the main one is the reaction of one Andrew Scheer.  After claiming that the loser in a minority government must resign as party leader it is clear in his own mind that it only applied to Justin Trudeau, not to him.  He has said he will stay on as leader unless his caucus wants him out, and as there really is nobody to replace him he will stand pat. Wow, what a surprise!

Alberta is, of course, moaning that they will not have a seat at the table, but that was their choice and with Saskatchewan, they will form a solid block of red neck, bigoted, yellow vest supporters who will agree to nothing on principle. It seems that what they wanted was austerity and cutbacks and Alberta got that through Jason Kenny’s budget, conveniently delivered after the election was history.  Typical!  How do you like conservative values now Alberta?  Clearly, any form of democracy is an anathema to you.

But back to CBC and their consummate desire to offer their speculations on what happens next.  No ideas or even suggestions on possible democracy as only a majority government seems to fit with their idea of good governance. The very concept that there will be different opinions on how to do the best thing for Canadians through real debate in committees – even though they have become a time-conscious waste of time since 2006.  Democracy means that what the people need is important and legislation should reflect that rather than pandering to big oil, big pharma and big anything else that wants to make a healthy profit at our expense.   There are people who have no homes, no money and who rely on others for their food.  There are people whose homes are mouldy, who have no drinkable water and whose education and hospital facilities are not even on a par with 3rd world countries; and what land they have is constantly being taken from them for a road, pipeline or mining operation and they do not get a fair share of the proceeds. Their burial grounds, as sacred to them as are the cemeteries in Christian churches, are destroyed by construction crews defended by the rent-a-cop RCMP with no regard to ancient and treaty rights.  What a hypocritical country we are when we preach reconciliation and practice theft and genocide.

Referring to Andrew Scheer again, his new caucus has decided to relieve him of his self-imposed suggestion about the looser resigning as party leader and have agreed to follow his vacuous smile for a while longer.

Yet Elizabeth May, a more parliamentary politician than Scheer will ever be, has stepped down as Green Leader because she promised her daughter she would do so.  Who would you rather trust?

 Jeremy

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silly Season 2019

What a crazy world we now inhabit, but for how long.

Summer gets hotter, winds get stronger, water falls, pulses, gushes and destroys, and fires rage and burn homes but not trees.  We are being given a message and the leaders are ignoring it.   The children and young adults are not and we still do nothing. The constant need for power combined with political and corporate greed control us and will until its too late as long as we continue to buy useless “stuff” pushed on us by non-stop advertising. Do you really need a 50 cycle washing machine? A cell phone which is going to make you sick and maybe even give you cancer? A car which thinks for you and is controlled by your cell phone? A veggie or vegan burger called plant-based or beyond meat? A drug which has side effects worse than the supposed condition and can include death?  On the other hand, you do need to know which communication companies are in a rush to alter your electrical makeup with 5G, but will you pay attention to the side effects which you cannot avoid whether you have a cell phone or not?

Here in Canada, we are into an election cycle or totally stupid season.  Promises are made that have no real chance of success and costings are well hidden making them more attractive simply to get your gullible votes.

Take taxes for instance:  Promises are made that the very wealthy will be taxed more which is overdue and fair, but only if overseas dummy corporation tax havens are outlawed. I have, and even promoted, the concept that all businesses operating in Canada must use a Canadian incorporated and based bank and pay taxes on any profits prior to any money being sent overseas.   Of course, if investments must be made overseas, and why not, then there must be employees operating that business not simply a dummy account somewhere numbered or not.   Then there are so-called tax credits. What a joke that is.   Tax credits are listed under the section which includes personal allowances etc. and are discounted down to 17%.    That is, of course, a sleight of hand by anyone’s measure and if one doesn’t have an income sufficient to have that credit take effect then of what use is the credit anyway, discounted or not?

Taxes, of course, are a huge part of the economy of any country, especially here in Canada, and are used to pay for services which we have been promised.  Naturally, we do not have enough income from taxes to pay for everything so costs are passed off to the provincial and municipal governments, which have even more financial responsibilities.   Classic “pass the buck” down the line instead of up the line.

Another factor to take into consideration here in Canada is the interest on the national debt which must be paid out of taxes and is, in fact, the largest single yearly cost to our federal government.

How many of our current crop of deceitful political parties even understand the economic reasons for using the Bank of Canada instead of international banks and investors?  The answer is all the small parties except the Libertarians, and yes that includes the Communists, Rhinoceros and the Marxist Leninists, which makes them more Canadian people-orientated that the big 4 (5 if you include the Bloq).  Of course, the big 4(5) are corporately funded and lobbied to the extent that their hands are tied, or so they claim.    However, since income to the federal government is so important, they conveniently forget that the Bank of Canada, designed and created to fulfil Canada’s financial needs, charges a minimum interest to cover their operating costs and any money left over is returned to the Minister of Finance to help with government expenses.  You would think that it is a no brainer and indeed it is.  Excuses given by Ministers is that the Basil 1,11 and 111 agreements do not allow us to do this.  But those Basil agreements are between privately owned central banks, to which our publicly-owned bank should not have been signed on without a referendum or plebiscite from the people of Canada.  Did we agree? Were we even asked?  The answers to those questions are no we were not.   It wasn’t even a government agreement.  So why is our publicly-owned bank or government bound by it?

The inhabitants of this land for thousands of years are treated like vermin by the descendants of immigrants in much the same way those early immigrants treated them.  Maybe there is some movement to treat them as humans but it is very slow, grudging and inefficient.  Plots of land to which they have been herded give them little or no access to hunting, clean water or even air.  Mines, drilling and other extraction on their unceded lands are carried out with the full permission of governments which do not have the right to allow it, and most often there is no benefit to the rightful owners of that land, and I do not mean the crown.   Actually, our aboriginal people think of it as land that was given to them by their creator to look after, and we are stopping them for doing so.

Which political  parties today are talking about the Mount Polley damn disaster, or the unholy mess in northern Alberta where Bitumen is being mined, or the erection of Cite C damn in Northern BC, not to mention the Unis’tot’en peoples’ burial grounds and trapping lines being assaulted for corporate profit for which they have been offered no share, and to which they do not agree?  One major party has absolutely no interest in anything to do with First Nation, Inuit or Metis rights and another promises top priority and neither they or the third party have any intention of crossing their extraction buddies and their offshoot corporations.

Where exactly do personal attacks tell the people of Canada anything except that it is OK to be prejudiced against an opponent because that opponent stands in the way of their power? Is that what we want our children to be taught?

The fact is that Canada is rife with hatred, prejudice and discrimination of all sorts. Is this being addressed even obliquely?  Hardly.  In fact, it is being promoted by some parties, the members of which seem to have forgotten that their ancestors, or even immediate parents were/are immigrants seeking a better life here in Canada.  I know that is why I came here, to raise a family of Canadians in a beautiful, welcoming country full of possibilities for those who are willing to work for it.   Boy, am I disillusioned now!

The young people today are interested in having futures for themselves and their children on this planet now being destroyed at a greater rate for a few dollars and are any of the parties really listening to them? or are they making empty promises they have no intention of keeping simply to get their votes?  

Once upon a time Canada meant something in the world, now we are just a pawn to corporate power game. We do not lead by example any more. We do not do something because it is right to do it, but simply do what we are told.  Our sovereignty like our diplomatic value are both at zero, because of political allegiances owed to states such as Israel or The US with their totally terroristic approach to the world.

But:

This time we just might have enough disillusioned people here in Canada to have a widely differing set of politicians and parties in our House of Commons, and a  minority government to be supported on good legislation for the people, and bad legislation either amended or thrown out, again for the benefit of the people of Canada rather than corporations whose bottom line and CEO bonuses far exceed the benefits to humanity.

It’s up to us, so let’s get out and vote for the real candidates who will represent you to Ottawa not Ottawa to you, who will swear an oath of allegiance to the people of Canada, not a foreign Queen…. And that excludes Liberal, Conservative and NDP….maybe even the Greens…if only they could adopt the Bank of Canada instead of international banks and investors and become real Canada supporters…Ah well.

We live in a world of internet information false or not; cell phone computers rule our lives and control our thoughts and actions and we allow consumer products designed to spy on us and to shorten our lives (smart meters, 5G networks etc.,) to change our electrical bodies and weaken our ability to think for ourselves, even to communicate with our fellow humans, and this is progress?

Rock on Greta Thunberg, Autumn Peltier, Malala Yousafzai and all you young people, take control please because you are showing more sense and courage than all our politicians combined.