Year-end Tidbits

From reading our local papers this week, I see at least two stories worthy of comment:

Adhoc Committee to be Developed
Council in conjunction with Community Futures and the Chamber of Commerce has decided to establish a committee to deal with our local economic crisis. This is a good thing! Although, I see they were reluctant to give credit where credit is due What is to be done?. But that is alright, I'm used to the powers that be in this community, over the years, shunning me, while behind the scenes implementing many of my ideas and suggestions as their own.

The point is that we will be starting a new year on the right track, provided they also get some representation from members at large, and get a chair for this committee that is up to the job, challenges and opportunities that he/she will have to contend with. Provided of course it is not our mayor, who has proven over the years he is not up to the task. In my opinion, having him as chair would only defeat the committees' work before it even got off the ground. His priorities over the years has not been focused on community economic development, but rather it has been on infrastructure projects with his buddy Drain. That's why we have no reserves and are deeply in debt. I predicted years ago, that the way we were going we would have years of increased property taxes to pay, stagnation and a declining population, and that is exactly what we have been having and will continue to have for some time to come. But hopefully, this adhoc committee will have the end result of eventually helping to turn things around economically and socially, for our community of communities.

Tasers recalled by province
My position with respect to this issue on Tasers should be clear by now Land of the Taser, Home of the Slave. Alberta's recalling of a certain model of Tasers should be followed by a total ban, as Quebec recently did. These weapons have proven time and again to be 'lethal weapons' that are being used by misguided individuals who have been brainwashed into thinking they are not, until it is too late, and soon find themselves being 'murderers' of those they were suppose to serve and protect. How many more of our fellow citizens have to die in this gruesome manner before something is done? Maybe only when a prominent citizen, or their child, falls victim to one of these Taserings, will something finally be done about banning their use by our law enforcement people. After all, we are not 'cattle' to be 'shocked to death', despite the views and positions of certain Conservatives (Reformers/Alliance), including Minister of Public Safety (sic) Stockwell Day.


"Bad things are easy to do, good things are done only with work and effort."

Why Women Cry

A little boy asked his mother, "Why are you crying?"

"Because I'm a woman," she told him.

"I don't understand," he said.

His Mom just hugged him and said, "And you never will."


Later the little boy asked his father,
"Why does mother seem to cry for no reason?"

"All women cry for no reason," was all his dad could say.

The little boy grew up and became a man,
still wondering why women cry.

Finally he put in a call to God.

When God answered, he asked,
"God, why do women cry so easily?"

God said:

"When I made the woman she had to be special.

I made her shoulders strong enough
to carry the weight of the world,
yet gentle enough to give comfort.

I gave her an inner strength
to endure childbirth
and the rejection
that many times comes from her children.

I gave her a hardness
that allows her to keep going
when everyone else gives up,
and take care of her family
through sickness and fatigue without complaining.

I gave her the sensitivity to love her children
under any and all circumstances,
even when her child has hurt her very badly.

I gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults
and fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart.

I gave her wisdom to know
that a good husband never hurts his wife,
but sometimes tests her strengths
and her resolve to stand beside him unfalteringly.

And finally, I gave her a tear to shed.
This is hers exclusively to use whenever it is needed."

"You see my son," said God,

"the beauty of a woman is not
in the clothes she wears,
the figure that she carries,
or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes,
because that is the doorway to her heart
- the place where love resides."




"To the woman of my life, my wife Diane. Merry Christmas, Honey!" XoXoXoX

Being 'Red' in a 'Sea of Blue'

Darryl Raymaker has some good readin’ if you’re interested. In reference to being 'red' in a 'sea of blue'. I find many of his political views to be of a 'kindred spirit', and surprisingly, he is originally from the 'Pass. See what you think?

Here is a little of his bio:

Born and raised in the Crowsnest Pass. Educated at the University of Alberta. Engaged in the Practice of Law for more than 40 years. Now a Director of 2 Oil Companies in International Exploration. Past Federal and Provincial Liberal candidate and longtime Liberal activist. Former Chairman of the Calgary Police Commission.

Warning: Like me, he is 'no' Harper fan.


"Sometimes the majority only means that all the fools are on the same side."

Are Canadian Gun Laws Killing us?

Interesting to note: If anyone has done a study on whether or not the RCMP and local police killing of civilians, has gone up or down since the implementation of the Canadian Gun Law, of a while back? I bet it has! Now what does that tell you? Fewer guns in the hands of the public, yet more killing of civilians by government agents? Trigger happy? Poorly trained? Who knows and who cares, except the loved ones left behind to grieve over a senseless, and in all probability, an avoidable killing. :-(

It is also interesting (as I stated in my previous post), that at present, we have more police presence, at a time when we are going to be going into what I have previously termed 'the mean years'. With an economic downturn, the likes of which (in all probability) has not been seen since the dirty thirties (or maybe worse), is the State presently paving the way for a new totalitarian future for us all?

I have often visualized Harper and his conservative minions dressed in Gestapo uniforms, eager and zealous to impose their new world order, while subjugating those without power or influence to the heels of their boots.

A new world order is coming and we need people that can take us in the right direction with conviction and determination, and with particular concern of the human costs to the most vulnerable in society. I know Harper can't do it, as he has demonstrated he can't see the writing on the wall, and cares nothing for people. Ignatieff is still an unknown? Therefore, a coalition government still sounds good to me. I believe people working together to help solve our country's problems is better, than the top down management style of a right-wing Bush clone want-to-be.

Harper is diametrically opposite of Obama and what is coming down the pike. He has to go, and the present police state of Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety (sic), with him.

......................................................

Well, I guess the above answers the question from my earlier post:

Land of the Taser, Home of the Slave


Lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

Land of the Taser, Home of the Slave

Today, my mind instead of humming Christmas music and being filled with the joys of the season, instead is dwelling on the fact that more and more we are living in a police state, and are being murdered by the state's executioners (RCMP & local police), almost on a daily basis, with impunity.

"Mother angered Mounties may not be charged in son's airport Taser death"
"The mother of Robert Dziekanski, the Polish immigrant who died at the Vancouver airport last year after being stunned with an RCMP Taser, said she was "angry" Thursday amid indications that the Mounties involved in her son's death won't be charged."

As I write this, in Greece the young have stood up against the state and their thugs, while in France last year they did the same. How many more of our citizens have to be killed with Tasers and bullets before we as a people say, "Enough is Enough!"

Statistics Canada says the number of cops on the job in Canada rose to 65,000 this year. An eight per cent increase from a decade ago. This is astonishing, considering we have an aging population which would suggest there would be less need for police, instead of more? Police State???

It seems in this country only Quebec has taken action against Tasers, having recently banned there use. A step that should be followed by the rest of the Canada... in time, you would think? However, nothing seems to be happening in that area, nor in the area of police use of deadly force, even when having overwhelming odds on their side, lethal force seems to be their preferred Modus Operandi, whether it is Tasers or bullets. These individuals cannot be acting on their own, they must have orders from above telling them it is OK to murder their own. And assurances that they will not be held accountable and/or prosecuted for their crimes against humanity and the citizens they are suppose to serve and protect. (sic)

On a personal note, years back when I lived in Vancouver, a business owner friend of mine who had the store next to mine, had an 18 year old nephew of his return home drunk and depressed, threatening suicide with a knife. His parents called the police to help them deal with the situation. When the police arrived and the son came outside still carrying the knife, they shot him dead in his own front yard in front of his parents.

Since then I have heard of 'dozens' of similar cases. It just keeps going on and on and on.

Land of the Taser, Home of the Slave.


When we accept false and violent laws and submit to them, we can neither establish truth nor combat lies in this world.

Angry Iraqi throws shoes at President Bush in Baghdad

They say this man will be going down in the history books as the worst President the US has ever had. Read a book a while back titled 'The Bush Dyslexicon' that sure hammers down the reasons why that will be. Enough said. Let's just say, he and his 'neocon hardliners driven agenda' have been a disaster both domestically and foreign, and as a result he and the Republican (Conservative) Party failed America and the world 'big time'!

I'm just surprised no one in his own country, hasn't yet thrown something more at him than a pair of shoes. It took an Iraqi to even do that much.


If you think of yourselves as helpless and ineffectual, it is certain that you will create a despotic government to be your master. The wise despot, therefore, maintains among his subjects a popular sense that they are helpless and ineffectual.

Tidbits and stuff...

Hero Dog risks life to save dog hit by car
Last night I watched something on TV that really moved me. It was about this dog that risked his own life in a valiant effort to save another dog, who was injured and later died, after being run-over on a busy freeway in Chile. This hero dog crossed several lanes of really busy traffic on both sides of the freeway, and literally dragged his fellow pack member, across two lanes of traffic to the shoulder of the freeway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liQN05xkn94

Lately, I have been getting a lot of these types of videos sent to me in which more compassion, friendship, loyalty and love seems better exemplified in nature, in the animal world, than what you see in our concrete jungles, we call civilization. Makes you wonder who the real animals are, doesn't it?

Community Futures
Further to my earlier posts about Community Futures in the 'Pass, I see there is, at long last, a business profile on them in this week's Herald. I think they did an excellent job in explaining who they are, where they are, and what they do. It's a good start!... and about time.

Now, if Community Futures will start loaning out some of that money they have been hoarding for the 'in-crowd', to the people who really need it, especially to the 'little people', we might actually turn things around in our community of communities, with respect to our economic crisis. Curious though, on what a shareholder in a non-profit organization such as theirs, does? Is all about? Since they don't return phone calls, I'll have to ask one of my friends in the know. ;-)

Also found the fact they did not talk about even one success story they have had over the years, a little mystifying? They must have one, right? Btw - the $1.6 million they have loaned out since 1986, works out to approx. $90,000 per year. Not much, considering I hear they have $2.6 million laying around in the bank. At the current rate of investment they are making by way of loans to the people in our community, nobody, including our community, is going to be getting rich any time soon. That's for sure! But hey, it’s all about PR, right? Does it matter that they are not really fulfilling their mandate, as the staff probably makes more than what they actually loan out every year. Does it? Sounds like a make work project to me, except the only job creation being made is for the ones working for these Economic, Community Futures type organizations.

Citizens Petition to Municipal Affairs
A fellow blogger recently asked if someone could shed some light on what happened the last time citizens of the 'Pass petitioned Municipal Affairs against their council. The following is what I said, and I think it is worth repeating here:

"I can shed some light on that."

"How Municipal Affairs handled the last citizen coalition (Ratepayers) against their council here in the 'Pass, was to pay $50,000 to a conservative 'friend of the government' corporate consulting firm, to come down here on a regular basis to try and make a case against a 'dysfunctional councillor' (who supported and fought on the Ratepayers behalf), in order to get him off council, and to shut down a citizens uprising against this current 'conservative' mayor."

Poll
(Should the Opposition topple the federal Tory government?)
I know! All you conservative types are in shock and disbelief at the results. The truth be known, it was a page out of a conservative dirty tricks manual, I'm sure. :-) The fact is the results might be 'skewed' somewhat, considering a mass emailing was done in Alberta of a certain political party's (other than the conservatives) email address list, referencing one of my posts. :-0 Otherwise, I'm sure the conservatives might have won this poll... by a vote or two. :-)

With the above in mind, an old saying comes to mind: "You must not fight too often with one enemy, or you will teach him all your art of war." - Napoleon Bonaparte

Harper, I hope you are paying attention. :-]

Pass Herald Editorial
I see Buddy went on a political rant and showed his true colours again. (It must be nice to 'bend the truth' as you see fit in order to push your own personal political agenda, while getting people to pay you for doing it. ;-))

... "When the formation of the coalition was announced last week the stock market in Toronto took the largest plunge in decades... "

Which of course, leaves the gullible and less informed with the impression the coalition was responsible for the plunge. Knowing the facts, that that had nothing to do with it, is beside the point. Selling papers and pushing a political agenda under the guise of an editor's editorial is more important than being factual... it seems. This from a paper that boldly claims to give 'both sides of the story'.

Speaking of which, Buddy goes onto 'bashing' the French separatists in the east, but makes no mention of the other separatists in Canada... the west. Once again, to repeat a line I've used before, including in my last post: "Propaganda is to democracy what violence is to a dictatorship."

Today, with the media, its all about the big lie. If you tell a lie often enough, it becomes the truth. Isn't that what Goebbels taught the world? By the way, what is truth? "For the majority of people, truth is the majority of counted votes."

"... the all-pervading sophisticated and deceiving promotion of television, radio and 'newspapers' have become an omnipresent menace of corruption to the public mind and body."



"Kindness is never lost on an animal."

'Corporate' Media Propaganda

It's amazing! The 'corporate' media seems fixated on Dion's video foible and the 'supposed' dissention within the coalition forces, as they have talked about nothing else since Harper's dissolution of parliament. I got news for them, the history books won't even mention any of that business (not even as a footnote), but they will talk about Harper's 'historic' heavy handed suspension of parliament in order to hold onto power, while the country was in the midst of an economic crisis. There is the real story! But not one you will get from our mainstream media.

Everyone from Rick Mercier to Rachael Maddow to media around the world are reporting this story as it is, in total disbelieve, that a Prime Minister in 'Canada' (not some banana republic) of all places, could do such a thing. While our Canadian media are playing it up like it is all about Dion?? Give me a break!!


"Media shape and control the kinds of opinions that appear, the kinds of information that comes through, the sources through which they go."

"Propaganda is to democracy what violence is to a dictatorship."

Harper must go. And he Will!

Laissez-faire was the table-thumping cry of monopolistic big business in the 1860s through the 1920s; overlapping the Populist era, but on the capitalist side... it means government abstention from interference with individual action, especially commercial action.

But laissez-faire is critical for today's aggressive corporations because they cannot operate at their gargantuan level without almost total freedom. Corporate businessmen cite as their biggest enemy, government. They see greed as a solution rather than a problem. They despise the push for equality as a death-knell. They refer to justice as something the envious dreamed up. For them democracy is no more than a bright tinsel wrapping to be torn off the moment it poses any real constraint around their freedom.

Today, Harper and his conservatives have shown they have nothing but 'contempt for democracy', and believe that over the next few weeks, using big pockets of cash, fear-mongering, and all sorts of pie-in-the-sky promises (which they probably won't keep), they can bamboozle the public with 'political propaganda', all the while having a secret agenda of wanting to screw the little guy (as is what is happening right now), on behalf of their rich buddies in big business (corporations (today's, modern day pirates)). Class warfare anyone?

Harper showed the people of Canada a sneak peak of his 'real' agenda in his recent economic update. It is a hard-core neocon agenda that attacks labour, women and the democratic process itself – with no economic stimulus package for the sectors of the economy hit hardest.

Harper's demonstrated Laissez-faire attitude with the economy, while taking no prisoner’s and full steam ahead with respect to his political ideology, flies in the face of public opinion. Canada does not need this type of leadership, which fails all of us. For all the above reasons, it is time for him to go. He should of went now instead of later, but go he must. And he will!


"In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for Catholics, and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up."

Isn't the above pretty much what Harper and his conservatives are now doing to the French, right across our country? Whose next, the Chinese, East Indians... :-(

Response from 'another' Coalition member

Dear Mr. Prince:

In the last election Canadians indicated that they wanted Parliament to work. They wanted a Parliament that would ensure stability during this time of economic uncertainty. Canadians also said that they wanted the tone of Parliament to change from one of hostility and bickering to one of cooperation.

The Prime Minister apparently agreed.

However, it has become abundantly clear that the Prime Minister was not only not interested in working with the opposition, but in a stunning lack of respect for democracy, wanted to silence all opposition. The ideas offered by the Liberal Party and others were treated with contempt summarily dismissed. He spent millions of dollars ridiculing Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. All the while he seemed to be unaware that he had received less than 40% of the popular vote. The Canadian people had not seen fit to trust him with a majority. Twice.

Secondly, the insult to Canadians contained in the fiscal update showed that not only was there no fiscal stimulus like that of every other G7 nation, it was in fact an anti-stimulus package, instituting ideological cuts. All of the world’s leading economists are calling for governments to do the opposite.

The projections produced by the Finance Minister can only be described as “economical with the truth.” In an effort to conceal from Canadians the reality of a looming deficit he projected the sale of Canadian assets. Under no set of accounting principles do you book a sale of assets before they have been identified for sale, let alone sold, and then add those imaginary sales to your fiscal projections. It is a little like spending money from the sale of your home before you’ve even put a For Sale sign up on your front lawn.

Thirdly, the Prime Minister launched an attack on the fundamental principles of our country and society. He attacked democracy by unilaterally taking away civil servants’ Charter guaranteed right to strike and funding for political parties (both of which he has since retracted). He attacked equality by eliminating women’s right to equal pay.

After the Prime Minister realized the magnitude of his miscalculation, he has since furiously been back peddling.

Canada needs strong leadership during this time of economic uncertainty - not ridicule, political brinkmanship and efforts to silence democratic debate. Canada needs a government that will act as a steward to the economy, not a government that is content to leave Canadians to fend for themselves.

It is the duty of a responsible opposition to ensure that the government is acting in the interests of its people. A firm resolution to create a cooperative coalition will ensure that the government of Canada takes action to strengthen the economy, works to ensure the financial security of Canadians, and brings stability to our fragile democracy.

Canada at its foundation is a coalition of people with diverse interests and backgrounds, lead by great leaders like Sir John A. MacDonald and George Etienne Cartier who recognized that our strength and genius as a nation lies in our ability to compromise and work together for the good this great land and its people. It was the ability of our founders to cobble together diverse, yet stable, coalitions that gave birth to the Canadian federation. It is an inherent part of the tradition of our country, and it is a tradition that makes our democracy durable and robust.

I have spoken to many constituents and have received an overwhelming amount of correspondence, much of it supportive, though some have concerns. I have endeavoured to take all of your thoughts into account and communicate them with my colleagues. I thank you for your calm and resolution during this time of historic political and economic change.

Sincerely,


Hon. John McKay P.C., M.P.
Room 549-D, Centre Block
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

Response from a 'Coalition Government' member

Dear John

Thank you for writing to me about this very important issue. We stand today at a crossroads in our shared history.

Elected with just 38% of the vote, Stephen Harper acts as if he has 100% of the power. Instead of attacking this economic crisis with a meaningful stimulus package, Harper chose total inaction and cheap political tricks. This isn't what Canadians voted for. This is not what working families need in these tough times.

New Democrats are working with the other opposition parties to put forward an alternative government - a coalition for real change. The agreement on how the coalition government will work is fair and balanced. And the action plan to stimulate the economy is prompt, prudent, competent, and most importantly, effective.

Please join us in a rally to support democracy and the formation of a coalition government to deal with the economic crisis in this country. There has never been a moment in our history as Canadians where more has been possible. You are the majority. Be part of the change. This Saturday noon our voices will get louder. Join thousands of progressive Canadians this Saturday who say "I'm part of the 62% majority!"

Toronto RALLY FOR DEMOCRACY
Saturday December 6, 2008
Time: 12 Noon
Location: Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto

For more information about rallies across Canada please visit www.makeparliamentwork.ca.

Don't forget to visit the following sites to let them know you support the coalition

http://www.thestar.com/

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/

http://www.ctv.ca/

Please invite your friends and neighbours to be part of this historic change.

Thanks again for writing to me. We can only make change with the support of people like you.

Olivia

Office of Olivia Chow, MP Trinity Spadina chowo@parl.gc.ca www.oliviachow.ca

-------------------------------------------------------

My reply:

Dear Olivia,

Thank you for your reply, which is the first one I have received.

To continue my support of what you and the others are trying to accomplish on behalf of all Canadians, I have taken the liberty to post your reply on my blog with the hope more people will get involved.

http://mycnpprince.blogspot.com/2008/12/response-from-coalition-government.html

Thank you for standing up for us! I know I will sleep better once the coalition forms government, as will at least 62% of all Canadians.

Sincerely,
John