Dr. Suzuki

One of the most respected men in the world and without doubt the most respected and influential in Canada in matters related to the world environment and health of our planet. If you have read anything about this great man during the past 40 years you will realize that when he is upset, he has good cause.

The path that this government is taking with regards to the safety nets established for the protection of our citizens and the country as a whole, causes him to be distressed. Never, during his lifetime, has he been so aggressive in his attempts to bring the people together to stop the rape of our environmental system, and to try to have this government return to a democratic process, if changes are required.

Dr. Suzuki is adamant that the direction of this government is trying to make Canada more friendly to big business by dropping the requirement,s such as impact studies and due diligence, when a company wishes to do business in Canada. During the last months, the government has made cuts to the most essential safeguards. Even the way our food is processed and inspected will be of major concerns as the number of budget cuts will make it impossible to guarantee proper safeguards for our citizens. All this is being done in the name of a so-called budget.

This government will not face the house members in proper debate and in question period. Their every answer is scripted by the PM's office. Today we have a handful of the PM's cronies who act as the only body able to make decisions for the Canadian people. Many of these same people were part of the hated Harris regime in Ontario, and now they are acting the same way in Ottawa. This small block of men are not Conservatives, but are really the core of ultra right-wing group who stole the party away from the true Progressive Conservatives.

Cracks are forming in the party and members are hearing the complaints of their electorates and will demand change. Already some members are publicly asking for changes in the way the budget is being presented. I feel that this unrest will become more clear when the press do their job and the ordinary citizen sees what is going on. Dr. Suzuki is leading the charge. We should become informed and aid him in his desire to bring Canada back to its democratic roots and change what is taking place in Ottawa.

Check out the David Suzuki Foundation website to learn how you can help.

Reports From G20

After nearly two years the official written evaluation of how the security was handled by our police forces states what most people thought in the first place. The RCMP came out of the mess with the highest marks and were treated rather well for their role in a combined force of thousands.

The Toronto police and its staff drew a sad picture of their role as prime security stake holders. From the Prime Minister not taking the advice about the location of the meeting to the wasteful spending of a billion dollars was called into question. The Toronto police were cited for poor planning, training and communications which caused the front line police to be confused , poorly guided and overacting to many peaceful demonstrations.

The Chief of police was in charge once he was directed by the government officials and with his senior staff members issued orders that gave the police  the right to react to the people as if they were terrorists. On the first issue of the black block being dealt in a casual manner on the first day caused much damage and confusion.    Security seeing the mess gave orders to take back the city from the terrorists. From that moment the police were combating terrorists and not monitoring peaceful demonstrations.

The change from lawful, peaceful demonstrators to terrorists gave the front line police the go ahead to do as they pleased and many overacted and committed crimes against the people. The most awful abuse of power was with the kettling of hundreds of innocent people, many just going to work to be kept standing in the rain and thunder storm for hours. The senior commander who made the call is in real trouble.

The other matter was the arresting hundreds of people and herding them to a detention center where human rights were abused again. All this is over except the issue of accountability and needless to say the ones at the very top will be hardly scathed while there will be many of the police at the front will be dealt with in a summary manner.

We are all glad this is over and when the dust settles most of us will have our faith in our police system restored. The over a thousand who were treated in a shameful manner will remember and will not soon forget their ordeal.

I have heard from many people whom I respect give a simple answer to the abuses and I get sick when I hear their excuse. If they did not want trouble they should not have been there. How stupid a statement when this all happened in the center of a city of millions where people had to go to work, catch buses and carry on their life in the middle of a unnecessary circus that went bad because our security blew it, they then became the problem rather than the solution,

There were thousands of Innocent protesters who looked to the police to protect them as they exercised their lawful privilege in a democracy to protest. I hope this will never occur again and our government use our tax dollars for our needs and not on excessive  photo ops.

Canada's Lost Democracy

The people elected the Government of the day with about a third of the people supporting them. They as the other had a platform. People who went to the polls voted them to be the government for four years. In a democracy this means that even I accept them to rule our country for a period of time. When we voted we did not accept every plank in the platform to be accepted.

In Canada's democratic process every bill is to be placed before parliament and debated and voted on. The bill is to be passed on to the senate and then to the Govern General to become law. This government feels that because the people voted them as the government of the day that every plank should be considered acceptable to Canadians.

This government has run over the parliamentary procedures and has in my opinion been the worst , secret, undemocratic, untruthful and devastating to the Democratic process. They have been sited as not following the due process. They have lied to Parliament on numerous occasions and flaunt their power.

The last straw is this new so called budget. In our history the budget was a special day when the minister of finance laid out the financial course the country would follow for the coming year. This government does not wish to face parliament and debate the issues so it places its whole agenda in the budget. The environment will  loose all power as the minister and he alone will decide what is in the national interest. The criminal act will be altered and the immigration act will become so changed that we will become the laughing stock of the world. We were the most accepting country in the world and now we will become one of the worst. We need people to come to Canada and make a life as most of our residents only a short time ago did.

People in Canada had the right to free assembly and to protest what we found to be not in our favour. The new regulations will give the police the same rights to summary arrest that we as Canadians criticized Russia and other dictatorships for in only a few years past.

There was a time when a question was asked in parliament it was answered in a truthful manner. Today we not only do not get an answer but when we do you cannot trust the validity. Aircraft were to cost 15 billion....in reality they cost much more. MR MC Kay I am sorry to say is a Nova Scotian and his father Elmer was an honourable man....his son would be an embarrassment to his Dad with his untruthful statements to parliament.

Fifty million dollars for the G8 conference spent by the man who is now our financial leader on pork barrel programs for Parry Sound area. Shame is not the word to use with these people but when our Prime Minister supports them and laughs at parliament and carries on as nothing is wrong is truly shameful.

I have watched politics for 60 years and I have seen some bad things and some criminal actions by parliamentarians but never on the scale of this pack of Conservative government rat pack. The next few years could ruin our system  if it carries on. I am hoping for a revolt within the party to stop this attack on our democratic process would be welcome by many

Candidates

By midnight tonight there will be several hundred happy men and women who are successful in earning a seat in the House of Commons. These people will guide Canada for the next four years.There will also be about a 1000 men and women who will have their dreams shattered. It takes a special person to run for any office. The fact that an individual will stand above the crowd and offer their services for their fellow man is in itself a positive action.

To run for office and receiving some support is a win situation. People should be proud of their effort and hold their heads up high because they have kept alive the democratic process. Everyone is a winner who participates in the process. The losers are the ones who do not engage in the process and stand back and criticize the results.

Today we have men and women who have taken the step to be a winner and I congratulate every one and hope that those who are unsuccessful in winning this time will feel the urge to come back and be part of the drama of the next election. I hope we were all winners today and VOTED.

Voting

There is one part of the democratic process that gives above all else the sense of belonging to a nation which believes and practises true freedom of choice of leadership and that is voting. We Canadians have honoured this right by holding free elections and permitting everyone of voting age to cast their ballot in secret. Personally I have exercised my right faithfully at all levels and am very proud to do so along with every member of my family and grandchildren.

This year Lyndsay marshalled all the kids to the polls and checked to make all five of the eligible grandchildren accountable. The oldest member of our family is Doris who is nearly 94 and voted today with her daughter. Our voting will have little effect on the total outcome of the election but it shows that we value our freedom and privilege of voting.

It is sad that the number of people who vote is smaller than it should be this time there is a sense of something big is going to happen. Maybe the people will vote for a majority or they do not trust enough and will ask that we remain a minority government. Whatever the outcome,  it will be our government and we should stand behind the elected people to make sure that there is a sense of unity and the elected people will work together to make a better Canada.

A democracy is a fragile institution but gathers its strength through the collective will of the people gathered through the election process. It is an imperfect system but is the envy of many countries who suffer through unstable leadership who do not have the support of the citizens as we do because they fail to have democratic elections. I thank my country for extending me the privilege of living in a participation democracy.

Election Fever

It is that time of the year when we are bombarded with election fever. Signs appear on lawns, poles, fences and every available open space saying vote for me. It is exciting for some and really should be for all to make sure we have the correct people in place to represent us on the numerous elected positions. It is a sad state of the country when sometimes 20% of the voters elect people to important positions.

I personally am very interested and excited by elections and politics in general. During the past few days I was able to have a visit from no less than five people who are running for office. I love these encounters and I like to play the devils avocate with each.

I have a set of rules when dealing with people who are offering their services and seeking your vote. First I feel you have to understand the scope of the office or position. Every sought after office has limits as to their power and responsibility. Every canditate must understand this and limit their promises and plans to fit their elected position.

When a candidate faces you just listen and say nothing. This is the first test for a winner. How much is about them and how much is about the saught position. When they run out of steam wait and see if they engage you. What do you see as issures etc. This gives you insight as to the type of person you are committing to.

Take over the situation and ask them how they feel about your issues if you have any and listen carefully to their answers. If there is a real contensious local issue find out their stand and see if it is consistent with their public stance. Find out if they are a team player or a loose cannon. We need people who can work together. If their plans are outside their responsibility challenge them. If they bad mouth other candidates can them. Make them accountable for past decisions and keep a sense of comic relief when you see flaws so apparent you could not support the person at your door. Respect all people who are willing to put themselves out there to represent you and be polite when people appear to be out of their league but still trying to make a difference.

This time of the year is important and at least we should be among those who want to participate in the process. You dont always deserve what you get but we do not have grounds to complain if you don't do your part. SO GET OUT AND BECOME PART OF THE SOLUTION AND VOTE.

Cuban Neighbours

When we bought a home in Cape Coral there were few homes in our area. There was however one home directly behind us and living there was a family of three. A young couple with a young son made up this very happy family. As we got to know our neighbours we were amazed at their story of survival. Leaving Cuba on a rubber raft put them in harms way and they risked death rather than bring up their very young son in a country which was not free.

Shortly after leaving the shores of Cuba a storm filled the raft in water and Yvette had to hold her son above water for several days. There were three other people on the raft which was made for two people. Without power and little food they drifted in the current and finally they were picked up by the US Coast Guard. They were returned to the naval base in Cuba and after processing were permitted to come to the USA.

They took up residence in Miami with friends but preferred to live in a less crowded city so came to Cape Coral. Gus was a master electrician and quickly built a lovely home and became a valued employee for his company. All this was done for their son. Time quickly passed and they became good friends of our and we share food and laughter together. When they become serious they recite their tale of their decision to come to America.

Their son turned eighteen this year and is a scholar. He was admitted to a university on scholarship to study space science. He begins in September and when he does the family will really live its dream of a free life in the USA. We have been enriched by their friendship and they have asked me to write their story for reference in the future. I was happy to oblige and will complete the task in the fall.

They are friends and neighbours and our life is better for knowing them. Only in America.

Income Taxes

Making out your taxes when you are out of Canada used to be a big problem. Today our government makes it much easier with a short form and easy to read instruction manual. Pity the poor Americans with the complicated forms and the earlier date for return. Come tax date here in Florida there is a collective groan until midnight on the 15 Th of April. Heavy penalties are given to people who do not file on time and in a proper manner.

Theresa makes out all three of our forms and up until now she had been perfect. We Canadians pay more taxes than our American friends but we get much more for our money. Healthcare alone is worth the effort as everyone has universal coverage. The horror stories of people here not getting good care or going into debt to pay for coverage is common. There now seems to be some movement towards universal coverage and it cannot come too soon

Personally I never complained about paying taxes because the alternative is being out of work and that is not good. Our taxes support a social system that has faults but the good far outweighs the problems. There will still be a mad rush on the few days before closing at the end of April but we should be proud to share our wealth for the collective good of all.

PROROGUING PARLIAMENT

The prime minister of Canada used a process called proroguing to shut down the parliament for an indefinite period. Faced with scandals and questions which are difficult for him to understand and impossible for him to answer brings the most undemocratic situation to bear. This tool was used back in 1375 AD to bring about the dismissal of parliament in Britain. It has been used a few times since.

The Prime Minister, Mr. Harper is somewhat a dictator in his methods to make decisions without parliament. In a minority he should be reaching out for consensus as he did have the basic support for his plans and programs from all parties. This latest in a list of undemocratic methods used by this Prime Minister will not sit well with the Canadian public.

In my opinion I see a real opportunity for Mr. Harper to show leadership and bring the country together. We as a nation came through the recession with policies supported by all parties in pretty good shape as compared to other countries. As a resource based economy we do not have the great fluctuation as our resources are necessary in all times. Oil and gas, metals, forestry and agricultural products are strong commodities in the world and add to our stability.

We need parliament to be in session for the Olympics, our armed forces, fiscal leadership and domestic challenges at home and abroad. The rapid drop in popularity of the Conservatives Party indicates how we as Canadians feel.

I would suggest since Mr. Harper put parliament out of work that their salaries should reflect this change. Get back to work Mr. Prime Minister and get parliament working for the people of Canada . If the challenge is too great for you maybe you could consider standing aside and letting one of your colleague's from parliament have a turn at running the country, he or she might bring democracy back to life on the hill in Ottawa.