tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59385659306063247862024-03-07T21:26:29.215-07:00Mark Sandilands's Blog--Notes from progressive LethbridgeA view from the progressive side in Lethbridge AB.Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-40951534499956046112012-12-10T23:01:00.002-07:002012-12-21T11:01:39.805-07:00Should Stephen Harper's honorary chieftainship be revoked?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t4Wtx0ddWfI/UNSjV3ozzuI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/rcXW5T6cPRY/s1600/At+Red+Crow+Park+Dec10+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t4Wtx0ddWfI/UNSjV3ozzuI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/rcXW5T6cPRY/s200/At+Red+Crow+Park+Dec10+2012.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Today, I was asked to speak at a rally at Red Crow Park in Standoff, Alberta. I brought greetings and a message from MP Jean Crowder, the NDP Critic for Aboriginal Affairs and ended with a suggestion to the Kainai Chiefs. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">From: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Jean
Crowder, Member of Parliament for Nanaimo-Cowichan and federal NDP Aboriginal
Affairs critic.<o:p></o:p></u></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Dear Members of the Kainai First Nation,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Greetings to your Elders, your Chief and Council and
all of you gathered today. I am sorry I cannot be with you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">I have heard from many First Nations from right across
this country who are dismayed at the changes announced in Bill C-45, the Budget
Implementation Act.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">For many First Nations who depend on the land, it is
the changes to the Navigable Waters Protection Act that worry them the most.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Without that protection, plan to build dams, dredge
waterways or build a dock do not automatically trigger a review on how it will
affect the navigability of a lake or a river. Over time, that automatic trigger
also provided environmental protection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Now this Conservative government has decided that
protection is only important for a handful of lakes and rivers – most of them
in federal ridings held by Conservative MPs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">For a First Nation like yours, whose reserve is
bounded by three rivers, it will mean more work to ensure that decisions made
by the province or other private companies do not adversely affect your people
or your territory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Already First Nations like the Athabasca Chipewyan
near the tar sands know how industrial development can affect downstream water
quality. They have reported fish with strange growths on them and caribou meat
that smells like oil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">There were other changes in Bill C-45 that affect
First Nations directly – a change in the double majority needed to make a land
designation on reserve. Previously, a majority of members on the reserve had to
vote and a majority of the people voting had to vote in favour of a land
designation for it to go through. The government has changed that to a simple
majority under this legislation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">There can be no doubt that this change fundamentally
affects the inherent rights of First Nations. So there should have been a
formal consultation process before this legislation was introduced to ensure
free, prior and informed consent. Sadly, there was no opportunity for First
Nations to speak to this legislation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">On behalf of my Leader, Tom Mulcair, and the entire federal
New Democrat caucus, I hope that this is a good day, that the other speakers
share their good words with you today and that those words are heard by the
government in Ottawa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">From: Jean Crowder, Member of Parliament for
Nanaimo-Cowichan and federal NDP Aboriginal Affairs critic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Nitsiniiyi’taki</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">, thank-you. [nehd-seh-nee-yeh'dahgi
]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">I might add my own thoughts:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">In June of 2008 Stephen Harper apologized</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In part, here is what he said, “on behalf of
the government of Canada and all Canadians, I stand before you, in this chamber
so central to our life as a country, to apologize to aboriginal peoples for
Canada's role in the Indian residential schools system.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And in the summer of 2011, on this very site, Harper was named an honorary
Chief of the Kainais with the title of Chief Speaker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Last April, Richard Wagamese from BC said: </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“[Mr. Harper], You
said ‘sorry’ and you were not. In aboriginal context, an apology means that you
recognize the flaw within yourself that made the offence possible and you offer
reconciliation based on understanding the nature of that flaw. That
reconciliation takes the form of living and behaving in the opposite manner.
You have not done this. In fact, you have continued in the same vein that made
the original apology necessary.” </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/aboriginal-reconciliation-an-open-letter-to-stephen-harper/article4103489/"><span style="font-family: Arial;">http://www.theglobeandmail.com/commentary/aboriginal-reconciliation-an-open-letter-to-stephen-harper/article4103489/</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Mr. </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Wagamese could add</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> C-45 and a long list of other bills in the
House and the Senate that attack a very way of life of the Kainai Nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consider this: A week ago, Canada had 2.5
million protected rivers and lakes; today we have 82 protected rivers and
lakes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is probably without precedent, but it might be time to consider
revoking the honorary title Mr. Harper received here in 2011.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At the very least, through democratic processes, let’s all work to
revoke the title <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Prime Minister</u> </b>from
this man and this party. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-14735694922392612982012-09-02T16:32:00.002-06:002012-09-02T16:32:54.693-06:00Federal funding cuts undermining Arctic researchA version of this appeared in the Letters to the Editor section of The Lethbridge Herald, SUNDAY, 02 SEPTEMBER 2012 <br />
<br />
I must confess I have mixed feelings about the well-publicized Canadian project to try to find the lost Franklin expedition ships (Herald, Aug. 23). <br />
On the one hand, there's the adventure of solving a 150-year-old mystery with the added benefit of affirming Canada's Arctic sovereignty claim, but the money spent stands in stark contrast to Harper's cuts to funding for Arctic research.<br />
At the head of the list is the elimination of funding for PEARL (the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory) located on Ellesmere Island. PEARL made key measurements in the winter of 2010-2011 that were used to detect and analyze the largest ozone hole ever detected over the Arctic. PEARL ceased year-round operations on April 30, 2012 and its equipment was removed. The building will remain available only for intermittent, short-term projects. Also lost is funding for a research station in the Yukon near Kluane National Park.<br />
Research is urgently needed on Arctic climate, ecology, permafrost, etc. And, although Harper announced a new Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS) during his trip, the facility won't open until 2017 and it's 1,300 kilometres to the South of PEARL, so it won't be suitable to take over PEARL's atmospheric research. Meantime the scientists doing this type of research are under-funded or not funded at all. As one scientist (John England, a geoscientist at the University of Alberta) put it, "Who's going to go up to CHARS eight years from now if you undermine the current population of Arctic researchers?"<br />
As Michael Healey, from UBC, said in a letter to the Globe and Mail (Aug. 28), "Canada needs a vigorous Arctic research program, but it's hard not to see the current initiative, from a government that has done more than any other to emasculate Canada's research capability, as a cynical ploy for a couple of prime ministerial photo-ops."<br />
Each summer Harper makes a big deal of his trip to the Arctic. He makes many promises, but, as they say around here, he's all hat and no cattle (<a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/08/20/budget-cuts-delayed-development-hang-over-harpers-annual-arctic-trip/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Article about Harper's broken promises in The National Post.</a><br />
<br />
Mark Sandilands<br />
Lethbridge<br />
<br />
<br />
Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-32126749885999945182012-05-27T15:41:00.000-06:002012-05-27T15:41:47.089-06:00NDP leader not advocating shutting down oilsandsA version of this letter appeared today (Sunday, May 27, 2012) in the <a href="http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/letters-to-the-editor/ndp-leader-not-advocating-shutting-down-oilsands-52712.html" target="_blank">Lethbridge Herald</a> finally. I submitted it on May 18th. <br />
<br />
Editor: Re: "NDP Leader continues to bash oilsands" (Herald, May 17, p. A1). Thomas Mulcair is definitely NOT advocating shutting down the oil sands, only developing them in a slower, more intelligent, and more environmentally responsible fashion, similar to Peter Lougheed and the Mayor of Ft. MacMurray. <br />
<br />
We're all becoming familiar with the term "Dutch Disease"--when the manufacturing exports of a country decline because the international value of a country's currency has skyrocketed due to raw resource exports. It happened in the Netherlands in the 1970s due to their massive exports of natural gas. Mulcair says Dutch Disease is happening in Canada right now because of resource exports by mainly Alberta and Saskatchewan. Attacks have come from the premiers of BC, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. <br />
<br />
But let's step back a moment and examine the situation. There have been 500,000 job losses. A report by the Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP) says, in an unfortunate choice of words, "“On balance, the evidence indicates that Canada suffers from a mild case of the Dutch disease." They go on to say that about 25% of the job losses are due to the high value of the loonie. I say unfortunate choice of words because 25% of 500,000 is 125,000 jobs. That's approximately the working population of Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, and Red Deer combined! This is mild? <br />
<br />
You'd think a government, noticing large job losses, due in part to its policies, would consider what they could change. Indeed, the IRPP suggests in the same report some things the federal government should do: They should put tax revenues into infrastructure projects that improve the competitiveness of manufacturers. The IRPP also suggests that the resource-rich provinces could also help “neutralize” the upward pressure on the loonie by investing resource revenues offshore through sovereign wealth funds. One thing about the rising loonie that is being ignored is that, for every $.01 the dollar rises, the Alberta treasury looses $247,000,000 ((<a href="http://www.finance.alberta.ca/publications/budget/budget2012/fiscal-plan-revenue.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.finance.alberta.ca/publications/budget/budget2012/fiscal-plan-revenue.pdf </a> See page 62. If the dollar were at 81 cents instead of at par, the Alberta treasury would be ahead by about $4.5 billion per year.). This is because oil is sold in American dollars. So it's to Alberta's advantage to take prudent steps to keep the loonie closer to its real value. According to the OECD, the current “fair value” for the Canadian dollar (based on purchasing power parity analysis) is about 81 cents US. <br />
<br />
So, rather than ganging up on Tom Mulcair, Harper and company might consider a national industrial strategy that does not penalize one region of the country at the expense of others.Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-71756362631317719132012-04-18T10:55:00.000-06:002012-04-18T10:55:39.180-06:00In his Globe and Mail column of Wednesday, April 18, 2012 (<a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/what-if-the-us-becomes-an-oil-exporter/article2405637/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">What if the U.S. becomes an oil exporter?</a>), Jeffrey Simpson points out that, with abundant natural gas, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakken_formation" target="_blank">Bakken</a> field, and better fuel efficiency, the USA may, by 2030, not want Canadian (Alberta) oil. (Further, the world may wake up and decide that fossil hydrocarbons are better used to manufacture things than burn for energy.) Then what of Harper's and others hell-bent drive to develop the oil sands? Better to follow the <a href="http://albertandp.ca/wherewestand/details/oil_sands_prosperity" target="_blank">Alberta NDP's plan</a> to process the bitumen here. Further, we should also export the resulting synthetic crude to Eastern Canada. Finally, we need to develop Alberta's abundant renewable energy--sun, wind, biomass, geothermal. See this <a href="http://albertandp.ca/wherewestand/details/protect_our_environment" target="_blank">link</a>.<br />Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-22213517168708929622012-04-14T10:11:00.000-06:002012-04-17T10:12:31.968-06:00Post-secondary funding not keeping up with the timesEditor:<br />
<br />
Re “<a href="http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/local-news/weadick-defends-post-secondary-funding-4612.html" target="_blank">Weadick defends post-secondary funding</a>” (2012-Apr-6) . Lethbridge West NDP Candidate Shannon Phillips has pointed out several times that, because government support to the colleges and universities has not kept up with inflation, there have been, in effect, cuts. In responding, Mr. Weadick asserted “There has never been even one year of cutback in funding to the postsecondaries.” If the size of your grant each year doesn’t keep up with inflation, and you can purchase less and less, this is, in effect a cutback. To quote from the Report of the [U of L] Budget Committee (March 2012, http://bit.ly/IeocD4), “[It] is important to note that [2% operating grant increases for each year] will not fully offset the cost of expenditure increases for these years and thus we will still be experiencing reductions." <br /><br />Colleges and universities have fixed costs: their electricity and heating bills for example have gone up faster than inflation, as have everyone else’s. Furthermore the rate of inflation in the PSE sector is higher than the consumer price index (CPI). Equipment and supplies for labs, books for the Library, for just two examples increase in price far faster than general inflation. The U of L’s labs are using some of the original equipment acquired when the University moved its science departments to the present campus in 1972--they can’t afford newer. High school students coming to the University are taught using equipment that’s older than the equipment they used in grade 12.<br /><br />Having been a faculty member at the U of L for over 30 years, including stints as President of the University of Lethbridge Faculty Association and President of the Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations, I have to say that grants by the Alberta government to the PSE sector actually have seldom kept up with inflation. <br /><br />When Greg Weadick was a university student, he could work at a minimum wage job from about May 1 to mid- or late June and earn enough to pay for one year of university tuition. Now, to earn enough to pay today’s higher tuitions you have to work from May 1 to the end of August or later. Squeezing students and burdening them with huge debts is bad economics: those with large debts are less likely to buy houses or start families, but Albertans have grown too used to the bad economics of Tory governments.<br /><br />Mark Sandilands<br />Professor Emeritus<br />
<br />
This letter appeared in the Lethbridge Herald 2012-04-14Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-58079458079647676152012-02-20T21:37:00.001-07:002012-02-20T21:37:02.717-07:00Logging in the Castle Crown WildernessI've campaigned against logging in the Castle for several years now. The case seems obvious, but, recently a column appeared in the local paper making a compelling case. With the author's permission, I reproduce it here:<br />
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<b>Chaos courts the Castle </b>
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<b>David McIntyre, Crowsnest Pass</b></div>
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Society was recently stunned when told the Castle River valley
would be logged because of the Alberta government’s need to, “…
balance environment and economic development.”
<br />
The statement defies logic. Why? There <i>is</i> no balance
because logging in southwestern Alberta produces no economic benefit
to society as a whole. What appears obvious is that it costs the
government more to manage these cold, high elevation forests for
timber production than the resultant timber is worth.
<br />
In other words, managing this treasured headwaters landscape to
generate timber revenue results in a net economic <span style="font-family: Helvetica-BoldOblique,Times New Roman,sans-serif;"><i>loss</i></span>.
Having the government report that this logging strikes a “balance”
makes it sound as if a thoughtful review had led to a logical
conclusion. But there is no logic. Instead, the government chose to
embrace welfare logging over economic and environmental options and,
as a result, authored a course of action that’s guaranteed to cost
taxpayers dearly.<br />
Phrased another way, the government’s decision implies that
nothing—<i>absolutely nothing</i>—is so rare, or valuable, that
it won’t be sacrificed in order to support commercial clear-cut
logging of the forest … even if society forfeits buckets of cash in
the process, even if the logging kills endangered species and
degrades essential watershed values.<br />
But don’t worry. Everything’s fine. All the paperwork’s in
order. And it shows that the government didn’t find a single
grizzly den in the area. And why not? It didn’t have time to look;
it was too busy approving logging permits.<br />
Why does the government choose to act in a direct affront to
science, economics and overwhelming public sentiment? Why does the
government wish to flaunt its ability to degrade, needlessly, an
iconic, world-class landscape, even if nothing is to be gained, even
if the degradation enrages the populace?<br />
Here in Alberta, purported economics tend to trump the environment
in every case. But in the case of the Castle, the economic argument
<span style="font-family: Helvetica-Oblique,Times New Roman,sans-serif;">supports
a no-logging decision</span>. What the government touts as
a “<span style="font-family: Helvetica-Oblique,Times New Roman,sans-serif;"><i>balance”</i></span> of
environment and economics is, in reality, the blatant disregard of
<span style="font-family: Helvetica-Oblique,Times New Roman,sans-serif;"><i>each</i></span>
of these values, followed by the illogical, incongruous
rationalization of an inexplicable and ill-founded outcome: clear-cut
logging of a revered, internationally marketed Crown of the Continent
landscape.<br />
The Castle’s billion-dollar landscape constitutes a strikingly
unusual, viable, high-end ecotourism and geotourism product, a
product that Travel Alberta is marketing around the world with a
multimillion-dollar promotional campaign. This is vintage Alberta,
and the marketed product relies on an intact landscape with aesthetic
and ecological appeal. The Castle, as it exists today, is the
foundation for a catch-and-release form of self-sustaining tourism.
<br />
Recent promotional efforts by Travel Alberta, coupled with cries
of concern from troubled geotourism operators, have profiled the need
for sustainable tourism, a product that’s currently in a state of
perpetual degradation. The Castle’s dramatic Crown of the Continent
landscape is showcased by Travel Alberta, and its managing director,
speaking of the promotional images, says they are “powerful
expressions” of what makes Alberta attractive to visitors. “We
needed to peel back the layers and capture the authenticity of
Alberta.”<br />
Logging the Castle’s headwaters kills the land’s intrinsic,
geotourism worth. Clear-cut logging of a revered heritage landscape
is not an <span style="font-family: Helvetica-Oblique,Times New Roman,sans-serif;"><i>authentic</i></span>
and <span style="font-family: Helvetica-Oblique,Times New Roman,sans-serif;"><i>powerful</i></span>
marketing tool. It’s a lethal stab into the heart of the
international tourist. It’s the death knell for tourism dollars.
It’s AB-SRD.<br />
Sustainable Resource Development and, apparently, the entire
Alberta government, have lost touch with society’s pulse and its
wishes. The government no longer hears the voice, nor the pleas, of
the people.
<br />
How ironic that the government, with a cheering populace lauding
it, could save the Castle in a heartbeat, but appears committed to
throw away this vote-winning outcome in favor of degrading the
province and kicking society in the teeth. Why? (This is the question
that leaves people shaking their heads.)<br />
</blockquote>
Lorne Fitch has also had published compelling analyses of why it's very bad to log the Castle Wilderness:<br />
<a href="http://stopcastlelogging.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/honk-for-water-wilderness-and-reason/" target="_blank">Honk for Water, Wilderness and Reason</a><br />
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. . . </blockquote>
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This protest has been building; several things help frame the actions of people on the picket line and elsewhere in Alberta. Among the things that puzzle people is the blatant disregard for existing policy, planning and process. In addition, neither the science, economics or public opinion support industrial scale, clearcut logging. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The overarching intent for the Castle is entrenched in Eastern Slopes Policy. Not surprisingly, to the many downstream communities dependant on water, the prime directive is watershed protection. Alberta Environment has questioned whether AFS has the necessary data, requisite skills and confidence in water quantity modeling to ensure logging doesn’t impact water supply. AFS response is along the lines of “don’t worry”. Many do worry since there is no evidence from any actual monitoring to substantiate this claim. [Go to Lorne's full column for more: <a href="http://stopcastlelogging.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/honk-for-water-wilderness-and-reason/" target="_blank">http://stopcastlelogging.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/honk-for-water-wilderness-and-reason/</a> )</blockquote>Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-17272898397341838032011-11-29T02:35:00.003-07:002011-11-29T22:08:03.268-07:00Plebiscite fair way to settle CWB issue<u>Note: This letter was published in the November 29th edition of the Lethbridge Herald. The Herald did not publish the letter in its online edition for reasons of their own.</u><br />
<br />
Editor: <br />
<br />
In his <a href="http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/letters-to-the-editor/farmers-deserve-marketing-freedom-112011.html" target="_blank">letter</a> about the CWB of, November 20, Jim Hillyer is technically correct that Parliament has the right to overturn legislation put in place by previous governments. <br />
<br />
However, governments also have an obligation to seriously consider the effects of overturning previous legislation and of introducing new legislation. This is why there are debates in the Parliament and, usually, extensive committee hearings. But the Conservatives are using closure to shut down debate and to limit severely the time available for the agricultural committee to hear witnesses. Furthermore, the legislation they're introducing is coming at a time when farmers are busy harvesting crops. The Canadian Wheat Board Act required a plebiscite to determine if the majority of wheat farmers agree with the move. Yes, it is technically legitimate to rescind this old legislation, but it definitely violates the spirit of the old law and, more importantly, the spirit of fairness. Why not hold hearings throughout the prairies? Independent experts (e.g., agricultural economist Murray Fulton) have stated that the CWB cannot survive without its single desk (See <a href="http://homepage.usask.ca/~mef256/Murray%20Fulton/Murray%20Fulton%20Working%20Papers/Murray%20Fulton%20Working%20Papers_files/CWB%20in%20Open%20Market.pdf" target="_blank">The Canadian Wheat Board in an Open Market: The Impact of Removing the Single-Desk Selling Powers </a> <http: bit.ly="" sguesj="">). Why not ask the farmers and see if they agree with Fulton or with Harper? </http:><br />
<br />
<http: bit.ly="" sguesj="">It's hard to argue against the phrases, "Marketing Freedom" and "Freedom of Choice." But if a group, very likely a majority group, chooses one approach to marketing, a change to that approach should, at the very least, include consulting with that group, particularly if it's a major and irreversible change. </http:><br />
<br />
<http: bit.ly="" sguesj="">A group of farmers have, in the past 12 years, chosen repeatedly to keep the CWB in its present form by repeatedly electing farmer directors of the Board who support the CWB's monopoly. Indeed, some directors who were elected on a dual desk platform, when they learned about the advantages brought about by the single desk, changed their mind. </http:><br />
<br />
<http: bit.ly="" sguesj="">Recently the Globe published an <a href="http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/former-wheat-board-chair-was-a-farmer-at-heart/article2237518/?service=mobile" target="_blank">obituary</a> for Ken Ritter, former chair of the CWB. Mr. Ritter, a Conservative, was one of the ones who changed his mind from supporting dual desk to the single desk. </http:><br />
<br />
<http: bit.ly="" sguesj="">Mr. Hillyer mentions a small group of farmers, but it's a small group that are the ones who want to dispose of the CWB in its current form and who are in the minority. No one can know for sure, unless there's a fair plebiscite of those affected. Why are you and your party so afraid of doing this, Mr. Hillyer? </http:><br />
<br />
<http: bit.ly="" sguesj="">Mark Sandilands </http:>Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-71198482001017459262011-11-15T02:01:00.003-07:002011-11-29T18:34:44.460-07:00Survey's 'majority' doesn't add upTUESDAY, 15 NOVEMBER 2011 02:01 LETTER TO THE EDITOR Re: "Municipal taxes too high: survey" (Lethbridge Herald, Nov. 8, page A1). It's interesting to see that 49.9 per cent is labelled "a majority." There's a common phrase: "There are lies, damned lies, and statistics." However, it's not the statistics - the numbers - that lie, it's the interpretation of them that can be misleading. The research quoted in the article found that 15.8 per cent of the respondents think their taxes are far too high and 34.1 per cent believe taxes are somewhat too high. Adding these two together, a common and legitimate practice in interpreting survey data, gives the 49.9 per cent figure. But 49.9 per cent is not a majority. Just ask the supporters of Quebec separation in 1995. But I digress. If adding response percentages from a survey is a legitimate exercise, let's add some other response percentages. The survey found an almost identical number, 46.4 per cent (almost within the margin of error, I might add), felt that property taxes are at about the right levels in relation to the services received from municipal governments. Also, 3.7 per cent think their taxes are too low. (This is made up by summing 3.4 per cent who think they are somewhat too low and 0.3 per cent who state that they are far too low. Adding these together leads to the conclusion that 3.7 per cent think taxes are too low. Thus we could conclude that 50.1 per cent (46.4 + 3.4 + 0.3) think taxes are about right or (even) too low. This figure, 50.1 per cent, is a majority, by the way. They'd likely object to a cut in services done to reduce taxes. As I said, it's all in the interpretation. When one of several possible interpretations leads to the conclusion that taxes should be lowered, and amplifies it by suggesting that 49.9 per cent is a majority, one wonders why. Just asking.<br />
Mark Sandilands LethbridgeMark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-26955906558542622322011-09-13T12:54:00.000-06:002011-09-13T12:54:45.267-06:00Okaying Hands Free Cell Phones is the wrong way to goEditor,<br />
<br />
You’d think a government wanting to enact effective legislation would consult with experts in the field and then mostly follow their advice when writing a new law. Not the government of Alberta! And not with the new Alberta “distracted driving law.”<br />
<br />
This is an example of the half-measures and one-step-forward, two-steps-back that we’ve come to expect from a government that is growing tired and ineffective. <br />
<br />
So what would experts say about distracted driving legislation? One of Canada’s leading experts on this topic is Dr. Louis<br />
Francescutti, an emergency room doctor in Edmonton. Dr. Francescutti says he’d prefer no law at all than this law, saying it’ll probably kill more people than it will save.<br />
<br />
According to Dr. Francescutti, the research shows that using a cellphone while driving increases the risk of collision by four to six times, and it doesn’t matter whether the cell-phone is hand-held or hands-free. It’s the mind that needs to be engaged, not the hands. The main problem with any cell-phone use while driving is not that both hands are not on the wheel, it’s that the mind is elsewhere, engaged in a conversation. Unlike a passenger in the vehicle, the person on the other end of the conversation cannot see when difficult driving situations arise and adjust accordingly. A person’s reaction time and peripheral vision are seriously impaired by cell-phone use, making it equivalent to driving with over .08 blood alcohol. <br />
<br />
The government has said a ban on hands-free cell phones would be impossible to enforce; however, Dr. Francescutti points out that (a) cell phone companies keep accurate records of when calls are made, down to the second, and (b) recent autos have an event recorder that notes the exact time when an airbag is deployed. If anyone is in an accident it would not be difficult to subpoena these records to prosecute offenders. Indeed, anyone who's been injured by a cell-phone using driver should pursue this path in any legal action.<br />
<br />
The best policy is when someone calls is to let the phone take the message, pull over, park, and call them back. For more information, see http://www.cellphonefreedriving.ca/ Too bad the government MLAs didn’t bother to look here.<br />
________<br />
Mark Sandilands<br />
Published today in the Lethbridge Herald:<br />
<a href="http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/letters-to-the-editor/new-driving-law-ringsthe-wrong-number-91311.html">http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/letters-to-the-editor/new-driving-law-ringsthe-wrong-number-91311.html</a>Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-31393248054423776102011-07-17T13:13:00.003-06:002011-07-17T13:17:01.146-06:00Rural Canada Relies on the Canadian Wheat BoardIn the ongoing debate about the future of the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB), one of the arguments for dismantling it is to allow farmers to find their own markets and presumably a better price for their wheat and barley.<br />
On the surface, independence seems a good thing. However, it brings to mind an analogy: many if not most Canadians own at least some mutual funds, usually in their RRSPs. One could study and become an expert on investing and do the buying and selling that mutual fund managers do on our behalf, but we do have other ways, some useful, to spend our time. So we pay a fee, hopefully a reasonable one, to a mutual fund to do that work for us.<br />
Yes, wheat farmers could track the price of wheat daily and sell their crop to a grain company at just the right time for a really good price.<br />
However, unless they run a really large operation, the larger number, prefer to stick to farming and leave the grain trading to the paid staff at the CWB. The CWB offers a number of advantages to wheat farmers. First is price pooling which protects from abrupt price shifts so that farmers don't have to deliver their wheat exactly when the price peaks.<br />
If the single desk goes, so will the producer car loading sites. Producer cars mean farmers can bypass grain companies' elevators and save themselves $1,200 per hopper car. The producer cars use branchlines and shortline railroads - what will happen to them and the communities along them?<br />
As economist Murray Fulton said, "The . . . loss of the CWB's single-desk . . . would make the Canadian system . . . more like that in the (U.S.) . . . Grain company and railroad competition would fall, . . . the current freight revenue cap would disappear, and less value would be returned to farmers . . . These changes . . . are irreversible."<br />
We can imagine a modern feudal system with farmers at the mercy of multinational corporations who'll decide what to grow and how much to grow.<br />
Farms will have to grow bigger; there'll be fewer small- and medium-farming operations and the loss of small, rural communities with their schools, hospitals, community centres and other services. One could drive through rural Canada and find virtually no inhabitants.<br />
Do Harper and company and their corporate friends care about rural Canada? It seems not.<br />
Mark Sandilands<br />
Lethbridge<br />
Published in the Lethbridge Herald, Sunday, July 17th. <a href="http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/letters-to-the-editor/rural-canada-relieson-cwb-71711.html">http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/letters-to-the-editor/rural-canada-relieson-cwb-71711.html</a>Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-59637062062921908842011-05-28T18:27:00.000-06:002011-05-28T18:27:14.728-06:00Canadian Wheat BoardIf you're interested in reading a thorough analysis of the Canadian Wheat Board, here's a start. It's from the Saskatchewan desk of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.<br />
<br />
Excerpt:<br />
"Without the Wheat Board, the big grain companies would totally take over. Farmers would just be contract growers, restricted to the company's varieties, their chemicals, their prices and conditions. For transportation rates and service we'd be at the mercy of the railroads, with no representative body strong enough to take them on."<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/sasknotes-harper%E2%80%99s-renewed-attack-canadian-wheat-board">http://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/sasknotes-harper’s-renewed-attack-canadian-wheat-board</a>Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-24788879794678828152011-05-19T06:28:00.000-06:002011-05-28T18:33:59.781-06:00Corporate tax cuts not in best interests of Canadians --letter to the editor of the Lethbridge HeraldEditor,<br />
<br />
Even though the election is over, the debate about corporate tax cuts continues, as shown in recent letters to the editor (2011- 04-22, 2011-05-05) and news stories stating Flaherty is set to go ahead with corporate tax cuts. Aside from the fact that there is no clear link between corporate tax cuts and job creation (for example:<a href="http://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/corporate-income-taxes-profit-and-employment-performance-canadas-largest-compa">http://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/corporate-income-taxes-profit-and-employment-performance-canadas-largest-compa</a>), a serious item has been almost totally ignored in the debate. Munir Sheikh, former head of Statistics Canada and of tax policy at Finance Canada, pointed out in a Globe and Mail column on April 20th (<a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/a-canada-us-tax-gap-means-a-canada-us-tax-transfer/article1991567/">http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/a-canada-us-tax-gap-means-a-canada-us-tax-transfer/article1991567/</a>) that USA taxes US corporations on their world-wide income. If there’s a tax cut elsewhere, such as in Canada, US corporations are required to pay more American tax on their Canadian profits, since the US rate is about twice as high as ours is. This transfer from the Canada treasury to the US treasury amounts to between $4 and $6 billion a year. These missing billions will have to be made up with higher taxes paid by individuals or cuts to services—health care, the environment, food inspectors.<br />
One wonders why the Conservatives plan to go full speed ahead on corporate tax cuts in light of these facts. Cutting taxes is the ideological mantra of conservative governments. Let’s hope ordinary Canadians tell Mr. Harper and Mr. Flaherty to govern with them in mind, not ideology or the best interests of large corporations.Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-73216237761122417992011-04-24T19:18:00.002-06:002011-04-24T19:18:15.645-06:00Reality Check<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">REALITY CHECK: Will Harper withdraw his made-up ads?</span></b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Coming off a week where the Conservatives were pretty testy about misquotes in TV ads, Stephen Harper released ads that were full of made-up stuff.</span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Here is each attack on Jack Layton in the newly released Conservative ads, and the facts (citations are from the Ads themselves.)</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">HARPER SAYS: “Layton planned a coalition with the Bloc Quebecois before our votes were even counted (How we Almost Gave the Tories the Boot, Brian Topp, p. 46)”</span></b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">HE MADE IT UP</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">: The only mention of the Bloc on page 46 is a reference to the number of seats they won: “The campaign went well. We emerged with 37 seats, our second-largest result in our party's history. The Tories won 143 seats; the Liberals 76; the Bloc 48. We finally had a clean balance-of-power position in Parliament. As directed by Layton, I had re-activated our scenarios committee during the course of that 2008 campaign.... We reviewed party election proposals and reached roughly similar conclusions as we did in the 2006 exercise. We could see some areas of common ground with the Conservatives (consumer protection, crime). We could also see somewhat more common ground with the Liberals. On the other hand, we were now going to have to deal with a fundamental policy disagreement with the Liberals, passionately committed as they were to Mr. Ignatieff's tax-shift, carbon-tax plan.” – Brian Topp, How We (Almost) Gave the Tories the Boot, p. 46</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">HARPER SAYS: </span></b><b><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">“</span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Layton was willing to make Duceppe the “Driving Force” in the Coalition (Toronto Star, October 6, 2010)</span></b><b><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">”</span></b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">HE MADE IT UP:</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> Full citation: “In a book released this week Duceppe <b><i>casts himself</i></b> as the driving force behind the Liberal-NDP coalition agreement.” – Chantal Hébert, Toronto Star, October 6, 2010</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">HARPER SAYS: “Layton didn’t tell you until after the election”</span></b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">HE MADE IT UP: Jack Layton has been clear about his plans to work with other parties to get results for Canadian families.</span></b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Seamus O'Regan: Do you believe so strongly in that that you would entertain even the notion of entering a coalition with the liberals in order to keep the conservatives out of power?<br />
Jack Layton: I have worked with any other party. Maybe it goes back to my days on municipal council. You role up your sleeves and you try to solve a problem. Right now the problem we have is Stephen Harper and his Conservatives.”<br />
–Canada AM, September 22 2008 (22 days <u>before</u> the election)</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Making stuff up in TV ads is more proof that Ottawa is broken.</span></div>Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-24657838911470363922011-04-17T13:02:00.000-06:002011-04-17T13:02:03.485-06:00Campaign UpdateCAMPAIGN UPDATE:<br />
<br />
We have completed 3 weeks of this election – with 2 more to go. Here are some observations from this point in the race:<br />
<ol><li>WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT CAMPAIGN TEAM! About a dozen men, women and youth make up the core of my Election Team. They have:</li>
<ol><li>good skills</li>
<li>great team cohesion,</li>
<li>intense moments of problem solving,</li>
<li>also times of laughter.</li>
</ol><li> NATIONALLY – this has been a good three weeks for New Democrats.</li>
<ol><li>Jack Layton has proclaimed the vision and message very clearly:</li>
<ol><li>Solid issues on environment, health care and government ethics support the NDP platform.</li>
</ol><li>The Conservatives, nationally, have stumbled through one glitch after another,</li>
<ol><li>Most recently, the ugly Helena Guergis publicity;</li>
<li>The barring of potential dissenters from Tory rallies;</li>
<li>Edmonton Strathcona Conservative candidate, Ryan Hastman, confessing he is "losing";</li>
<li>and many more.</li>
</ol></ol><li>LOCALLY – there is lots to celebrate</li>
<ol><li>An energetic phone canvas 4 nights a week, with cell phones we have purchased;</li>
<li>Coffee parties just now in full swing;</li>
<li>A sign campaign we are winning!</li>
<li> My own solid track record on the environment and social issues that wins support from many wavering voters;</li>
<li>A fluid mood out there (which we hear repeatedly through the phone canvas) that many voters are considering other options besides the standard Conservative one for this riding.</li>
</ol><li>LOOKING AHEAD – We look forward to the round of all candidate forums, which will give us a chance to speak clearly to local voters, and challenge other candidates. We will also be reminding the many undecided voters that NDP candidates have run second in the last two federal elections in Lethbridge, and in this riding are the obvious choice for those who have had enough of Harper’s domineering, controlling style, shabby ethics, outrageous environmental stance, tenuous support for health care and more.</li>
</ol>Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-57918741076606916492011-04-04T17:31:00.000-06:002011-04-04T17:31:44.136-06:00April 6th Event<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AfZrny4T7HY/TZpUpE7E6BI/AAAAAAAAAKE/YOLn5uGTNuo/s1600/Poster-CampaignKickoff-2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AfZrny4T7HY/TZpUpE7E6BI/AAAAAAAAAKE/YOLn5uGTNuo/s640/Poster-CampaignKickoff-2011.jpg" width="492" /></a></div>Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-63870905412222659982011-01-29T13:49:00.005-07:002011-01-29T13:51:30.567-07:00Prison Farm issue is still alive.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I've recently received information from Prison Farm supporters in Kingston: Here's the message:</span><br />
<br />
<i><br />
Hello, prison farm supporters,<br />
Next Wednesday, Feb. 2, MPs will be voting on the Public Safety Committee's motion to halt dismantling the prison farm program, conduct an independent review of the program and report back to Parliament.<br />
Leading up to the vote and in order to witness the vote, we are planning events and actions described below. Please participate in as many of these actions as possible to keep up the pressure on the Conservative government to reverse its wrong-headed prison agenda.<br />
We hope a strong show of support for the prison farms will result in a victory on this vote.<br />
Remember, we live in hope...</i><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Four of the things they're planning are:</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><ol><li><i>Write to MPs (particularly your own MP), and ask friends and family across Canada to write to their MP (especially if the MP is Conservative);</i></li>
<li><i>Monday, Jan. 31, at 9 am -- demonstration at the entrance to Frontenac Institution;</i></li>
<li><i>Monday night vigil at Frontenac Institution;</i></li>
<li><i>Wednesday, Feb. 2 -- bus trip to Ottawa to witness the vote on the prison farm motion.</i></li>
</ol><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Now, unless you live in Kingston, the last three will be difficult, but you can write to your MP. Given the timeframe, a fax or a phone call would be better.</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">For Lethbridge people, here's the information for Rick Casson:</span></div><div><table border="0" cellspacing="0" id="MasterPage_MasterPage_BodyContent_PageContent_Content_ListContent_ListContent_grdCompleteList" style="font-family: arial, tahoma, verdana, helvetica; font-size: 15px; padding-right: 10px;"><tbody>
<tr valign="Top"><td style="font-family: arial, tahoma, verdana, helvetica; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-transform: none; word-spacing: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Ottawa:<br />
Tel: (613) 996-0633<br />
Fax: (613) 995-5752 <br />
<br />
Lethbridge<br />
Tel: (403) 320-0070<br />
Fax: (403) 380-4026<br />
255 - 8th Street South<br />
Lethbridge, Alberta<br />
T1J 4Y1<br />
<br />
For other MPs:</span> <a href="http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/MainMPsAddressList.aspx?TimePeriod=Current&Language=E"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/MainMPsAddressList.aspx?TimePeriod=Current&Language=E</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> <br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Here's a sample letter:</span><br />
<br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>To my Honourable Member of Parliament,</i></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>On February 2, you will be asked to vote on the prison farm issue.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>A favourable vote will place a moratorium on further dismantling of Canada's six internationally-recognized prison farms, until an independent study researching the value of the farm program is completed and communicated to Parliament, allowing for a constructive dialogue on the provision of rehabilitation for inmates. </i></span></blockquote></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I believe that the prison farm program operated by Correctional Service of Canada offered an effective rehabilitation and training program for inmates (in addition to providing food for the prison system). In polls conducted by the CBC and the Globe and Mail, over 90 percent of Canadians voted to retain the prison farm program.</i></span></blockquote><span style="font-size: small;"><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I understand that this will be a free vote, and trust that you will vote for Canadian values of democracy and rehabilitation, and endorse the value of farming in Canada.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i> </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>As my representative, I ask that you vote as you should — representing your constituents.</i></span></blockquote></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>On February 2, please vote to save Canada’s prison farms -- and demonstrate that you are listening to the vast majority of Canadians that believe that providing constructive rehabilitation for inmates increases public safety. It is time to be smart on crime.</i></span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>In peace, respect and friendship,</i></span></blockquote><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> FInally, here are some links to articles about the issue:</span><br />
<br />
<ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate;"><b>Mauri restorative justice </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate;"><b><a href="http://www.sfu.ca/~palys/Tauri%20chapter%20on%20Maori%20the%20CJS.pdf">http://www.sfu.ca/~palys/Tauri%20chapter%20on%20Maori%20the%20CJS.pdf</a> </b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate;"><b>Coalition of churches condemns Ottawa's justice plans </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/coalition-of-churches-condemns-ottawas-justice-plan/article1884171/">http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/coalition-of-churches-condemns-ottawas-justice-plan/article1884171/</a></b></span></b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate;"><b>Why Canada' prisons can't cope with flood of mentally ill inmates </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate;"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/why-canadas-prisons-cant-cope-with-flood-of-mentally-ill-inmates/article1879501/" moz-do-not-send="true">http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/why-canadas-prisons-cant-cope-with-flood-of-mentally-ill-inmates/article1879501/</a></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate;"><b>Article from The Nation on ending the war on crime </b></span><a href="http://www.thenation.com/article/end-war-crime">http://www.thenation.com/article/end-war-crime </a></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate;"><b>Newt Gingrich's column opposing prison expansions in the US </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate;"><b><a href="http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/column/article_0f359876-c028-5269-9c47-4df21f3ddf4c.html">http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/column/article_0f359876-c028-5269-9c47-4df21f3ddf4c.html</a></b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Editorial in The Star opposing expanding prisons (relates to the Newt Gingrich column) </b></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate;"><b><a href="http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/922295--expanding-prisons-getting-it-right-on-crime">http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/922295--expanding-prisons-getting-it-right-on-crime</a></b></span></li>
</ol><br />
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</tbody></table></div></span></span>Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-50448606054237687072011-01-02T12:29:00.002-07:002011-01-22T12:34:25.342-07:00Why doesn't PM work to bring about good legislation?Editor:<br />
<br />
Re Harper vows no election (Dec. 18, 2010). Although your story says Stephen Harper will not call or provoke an election in 2011, he clearly wants to set the stage to blame opposition parties for this kind of speculation as it said later on in your article.<br />
<br />
This news story, however, caused me to pause and think: If Stephen Harper does not want an election, why doesn’t he work with the opposition parties to bring good legislation to Canadians?<br />
<br />
Consider: although Harper has been Prime Minister for almost five years, he and his government have not accomplished a whole lot in that time. For example, they have brought approximately 60 bills into the House of Commons since it reconvened last March. But about half were leftovers from the previous session--they had to be brought up again because Harper prorogued parliament (for a second time!) in December 2009 to avoid the questions about Afghan detainees. According to the Québec newspaper, Le Devoir, of the 60, only 11 bills have been passed, which is why Le Devoir concluded that “2010 was a total waste on the legislative front.”<br />
<br />
Looking deeper, if Harper wants to keep governing with a minority, why does he keep offending the opposition parties and the sensibilities of over 60% of Canadians? Canceling the long-form census? Closing prison farms? Abusing Veterans and only giving in when the Veterans take to the streets? Publishing a handbook for Conservatives to disrupt parliamentary committees? Continuously assaulting women’s rights? Canceling anti-smoking messages recommended by Health Canada? Bringing in an Omnibus budget bill with irrelevant, environment-threatening sections? Ignoring police advice on firearms? And this is a shortened list. Further, most of these actions have been taken without debate in Parliament. If he wants to continue it’s because he can continue to do things outside parliament especially now that he controls the Senate.<br />
<br />
Harper is, according to a recent book about him (Harperland, by Lawrence Martin), the consummate political strategist whose choice is always to smash the opposition rather than bring good policy to Canadians. Let’s hope an election can rid Canada of this style of leadership!<br />
<br />
________<br />
Mark Sandilands<br />
NDP Candidate, Lethbridge Federal RidingMark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-53177753691933174212010-11-23T08:24:00.009-07:002010-11-23T14:34:12.523-07:00Prison farms would be ideal for rehabilitationTUESDAY, 23 NOVEMBER 2010 LETTER TO THE EDITOR<br />
<a href="http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/letters-to-the-editor/prison-farms-would-be-ideal-for-rehabilitation-112310.html">http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/letters-to-the-editor/prison-farms-would-be-ideal-for-rehabilitation-112310.html</a><br />
<br />
Re " <a href="http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/opinions/prison-climate-needs-changing-111010.html">Prison climate needs changing</a> " (editorial, Nov. 10). Clearly, the Harper government places rehabilitation way down the list of priorities as stated by Correctional Investigator Howard Sapers. The majority of prisoners will return to society, so it's in our best interest that they return able to fit in.<br />
Further, you might think that, with the majority of his caucus from rural Canada, Harper would be more receptive to the idea that working on a farm is good rehabilitation. Sadly, not. Last February, Harper announced the closure of all six of Canada's prison farms, one of which is in Alberta; others are across Canada. This decision and associated comments about farming should anger southern Albertans, particularly farmers.<br />
Activists have been protesting the closure, arguing that the farms act as a necessary and successful method of rehabilitation for low-risk criminal offenders. According to NDP MP Alex Atamanenko, these farm programs "have received support from local police and municipalities as well as trade unions, farm groups and food security advocates." There's even a website devoted to opposing the closure: <a href="http://www.saveourfarms.ca/about.html">www.saveourfarms.ca/about.html</a> .<br />
The decision surprisingly resulted in a column in the National Post (Aug. 11, 2010), a paper that regularly supports the Conservatives. The Post said the government's main arguments in favour of closing the farms are lack of benefits and costs to taxpayers. However, the Post stated that neither justification holds up to scrutiny. They asked how much will it cost to replace the food they produce, what other rehabilitative programs will replace the program, and what will they cost?<br />
"Minister Van Loan has made various claims in an attempt to support the farm closures," said John Edmunds, National President of the Union of Solicitor General Employees (USGE). "Claims that the farms lose approximately $4M per year is an unsubstantiated number. We've asked for a forensic audit to be performed, but have yet to receive a reply to our request."<br />
Small farms, local businesses and charities all rely on their local prison farms to provide them with quality food at fair prices, as well as persons willing and wanting to be trained.<br />
Canada's prison farms sit on some of the most desirable agricultural land in their regions. What's most upsetting is that the Conservatives plan to build more prisons on this prime agricultural land perhaps to house Stockwell Day's "perpetrators of crimes"?<br />
Mark Sandilands<br />
NDP candidate, Lethbridge Federal Riding<br />
<div><a href="http://www.marksandilands.ca/">www.marksandilands.ca</a></div>Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-74033578966906517262010-09-11T09:12:00.002-06:002010-09-11T10:22:06.389-06:00Casson's statement just not true<table class="contentpaneopen" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: ridge; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: ridge; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: ridge; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: ridge; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><td class="contentheading" style="color: black; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;" width="100%">Ombudsman’s term could have been renewed</td><td align="right" class="buttonheading" width="100%"><a href="http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=230655&pop=1&page=0&Itemid=150" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="Print"><img align="middle" alt="Print" border="0" name="Print" src="http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/images/M_images/printButton.png" /></a></td><td align="right" class="buttonheading" width="100%"><a href="http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/index2.php?option=com_content&task=emailform&id=230655&itemid=150" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="E-mail"><img align="middle" alt="E-mail" border="0" name="E-mail" src="http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/images/M_images/emailButton.png" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><td align="left" colspan="2" valign="top" width="70%"><span class="small" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Written by Mark Sandilands </span> </td></tr>
<tr style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><td class="createdate" colspan="2" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" valign="top">Friday, September 10 2010, 10:02 PM</td></tr>
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</tbody></table>The Conservatives are at it again! I read with amazement Rick Casson’s monthly column (“[Pat] Strogan’s term was non-renewable,” Sept. 3). Casson’s statement, “when the position of Veterans Ombudsman was created in 2007, a decision was made that the appointment would be made for a three-year, non-renewable term” is just not true. This same statement can be found in statements from other Tory MPs, too. Obviously this is the Conservative government’s spin on the issue.<br />
It all sounded fishy to me so I went looking for the documents creating the Veterans’ Ombudsman. I found the Order in Council establishing the Ombudsman’s office (<a href="http://www.ombudsman-veterans.gc.ca/pdf/OVO_Charter_English_Feb19.pdf">http://www.ombudsman-veterans.gc.ca/pdf/OVO_Charter_English_Feb19.pdf</a>, or <a href="http://bit.ly/dbAOQV">http://bit.ly/dbAOQV</a>), but nowhere does the document say anything about “non-renewable.” In fact, the terms of reference are supposed to be in Annex A of the Order in Council but, interestingly, Annex A is missing from the website (Annex B is there) and the pages seem to have been renumbered.<br />
I did find a blog with a link to a report from the Ombudsman (<a href="http://www.ombudsman-veterans.gc.ca/reports-rapports/publications/line-ligne-eng.cfm">http://www.ombudsman-veterans.gc.ca/reports-rapports/publications/line-ligne-eng.cfm</a>) which contains this statement: “The Ombudsman shall be appointed by the Governor in Council for a term of three years, which term may be renewed . . .” Strangely, this report cannot easily be found on the Ombudsman’s page. Would the government actually remove parts of a webpage so their public statements cannot be contradicted?<br />
Perhaps they don’t want to reappoint Strogan because of his strong criticism of how veterans have been treated. Example: “[He] was told by a senior Treasury Board analyst . . . that it is in the government’s best interest to have soldiers killed overseas rather than wounded because the liability is shorter term.”<br />
Another example is the Agent Orange issue from the 1960s. Stogran said he received a press briefing backgrounder and spotted what he considered to be “gross exaggeration, bordering on outright lies.” He wrote a complaining note to the minister — and was cut off from the mailing list.<br />
There’s a growing list of civil servants who have suffered by speaking out: Peter Tinsley, Military Police Complaints Commission; Paul Kennedy, RCMP Public Complaints Commission; Linda Keen, president of Nuclear Safety Commission; all are gone. Soon Pat Strogan, Veterans’ Ombudsman — gone.<br />
Is this what Stephen Harper meant by open, accountable, transparent government?<br />
Mark Sandilands<br />
Lethbridge Federal NDP Candidate</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="article_seperator"></span></span>Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-21530756812598341722010-08-03T10:53:00.005-06:002010-12-19T15:35:13.693-07:00The real reason some people objected to the 2006 long form census<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial;">Letter to Editor, Lethbridge Herald, August 3, 2010<br />
Editor:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial;">I was pleased to read in The Herald of July 29, 2010 a discussion of objections people had to the long form census in 2006. The 166 complaints from among 13 million households, gives a miniscule complaint ratio of .001% or one in 100,000. Many of the 166 complaints were about awarding the contract to arms-maker Lockheed-Martin in the data analysis hardware and software, as mentioned in your news article. There’s even a website devoted to this issue <a href="http://www.countmeout.ca/">http://www.countmeout.ca/</a>. Of deep concern to these people is that the PATRIOT Act and the Homeland Security Act will allow, even require, that US companies release Canadian census data to US government agencies, an even more serious breach of personal privacy. All of this has been totally omitted or obscured by Harper’s minions.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial;">Are the Harper Conservatives using complaints about Lockheed-Martin’s involvement to justify the cancellation of the mandatory long-form? If so, a simple solution is to contract the software and hardware to Canadian firms, rather than canceling the long form altogether. It’s such an obvious example of throwing out the baby with the bathwater. (Lockheed-Martin, remember, has just received an untendered contract for $9 billion for unnecessary jet fighter planes.)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial;">The jail-time issue has a simple solution suggested by Jack Layton and others: cancel this part of the act. Why can’t Harper work out simple solutions and easy compromises with the opposition parties?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial;">A glance at the broader picture reveals that this is part of Harper’s “hidden agenda” for Canada: weakened government driven by ideology rather than facts and information. Harper is ignoring vastly diverse groups—provinces, municipalities, hospitals, businesses, NGOs, researchers—all who say they need valid and reliable information to make good decisions. Instead Harper is saying in essence, Let’s further hamper government by denying it and its citizens good information.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial;">Mark Sandilands</div>Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-64187494943154270332010-06-27T21:24:00.001-06:002010-06-27T21:31:35.677-06:00Here's the real deal about PM<div>This letter was published in the Lethbridge Herald on June 26th, 2010, although not published in their online edition. It was submitted on June 3rd, but a mix-up delayed its publication.<br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div>Editor:</div><div><br />
The unqualified praise contained in the editorial you reprinted from the Red Deer Advocate on Monday, May 31st ("Perhaps PM is the real deal") almost made me choke on my porridge. Here are some of the reasons:</div><br />
To me one of the most disturbing aspects of Harper is that he does not accept even the principles of democracy. It starts with his contempt for Parliament.<br />
<br />
1. Remember the handbook for disrupting the work of committees? (a 200 page manual the Harper Conservatives had issued committee chairpersons. It suggested debate-obstructing delays and, if necessary, it told chair persons to storm out of meetings to grind business to a halt).<br />
<br />
2. There’s the silencing of watchdogs that Parliament put into place to serve the interests of all Canadians: (a) the head of the Canadian Nuclear Regulatory Agency, Linda Keen. Fired. (b) Parliamentary Budget Officer, Kevin Page. Harper has tried to muzzle him by cutting his funding unless he keeps his mouth shut. (c) Paul Kennedy, head of the RCMP Public Complaints Commission. He was a bit too critical of the RCMP. Kennedy's four-year mandate was not renewed last November. (d) The Military Police Complaints Commission, one of two committees investigating allegations of torture of Afghanistan prisoners. Conflict between Peter Tinsley, the commission's chair, and the government came to a head in Oct. 2007, when Tinsley suspended the hearings in the face of three government motions seeking an adjournment. Tinsley’s position was not renewed.<br />
<br />
3. Let's not forget the two prorogations to avoid a sticky situation in parliament.<br />
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Harper uses executive spending powers to eliminate things he does not like, with no reference to the House of Commons and no public debate:<br />
<br />
1. A continuous assault on women's rights;<br />
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2. Diminishing the role of science in the economy;<br />
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3. Attacks on the cultural sector;<br />
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4. Eliminating the funding for advocacy organizations which criticize the government: e.g., Kairos and, this week, the Canadian Council for International Cooperation.<br />
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The Omnibus Budget Bill represents another order of abuse, one copied directly from the corrupted legislative system in the U.S. The Omnibus Budget Bill would allow Harper and his cabinet to change pension rules, waive environmental assessment of projects such as tar sands expansion and oil pipelines, and privatize parts of Canada Post.<br />
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Harper is "some kind of real deal" but not one most thinking Canadians want.<br />
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<div>Mark Sandilands</div>Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-32719089782516918952010-06-10T12:00:00.001-06:002010-06-10T12:08:07.574-06:00Too many people buying into the corporate version<table class="contentpaneopen" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: ridge; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-style: ridge; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: ridge; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-top-style: ridge; border-top-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><td align="left" colspan="2" valign="top" width="70%"><span class="small" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Written by Mark Sandilands </span> </td></tr>
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</tbody></table>Re: “Writer failed to recognize economic realities” (Herald, May 26). In my May 12 letter, I described two narratives to the royalty fiasco. One is the corporate narrative: the government jacked up the royalties too high and drove out the oil industry; the non-corporate narrative says even this feeble attempt to increase royalties angered the oil companies and they decided to teach the government a lesson.<br />
Clearly Mr. Wilson has bought the corporate, oil industry version. He shows thinking that is ages old, from at least the time of feudal lords and serfs through the beginnings of industrialization to now. It’s always the same message: we must trust big corporations (and now their right-wing political parties) to bring us economic prosperity. Any attempt to take away the lords’ or owners’ privileges will only result in economic ruin for the common folk. We’re now hearing the corporate narrative from the same industry that is telling us the “accident” in the Gulf of Mexico was not BP’s fault, when evidence appears daily of malfeasance by BP in this dangerous kind of drilling.<br />
This kind of thinking has led to right-wing governments in Alberta for almost its entire history. Mr. Wilson mentions the NDP government in B.C. in the ’90s, conveniently overlooking the Asian meltdown that happened during its term of office.<br />
If we want to consider governments in neighbouring provinces, how about Grant Devine’s Conservatives in Saskatchewan in the 1980s? That was definitely a “lost decade”! (At least six of Devine’s cabinet ministers were subsequently convicted of fraud, by the way.) It took the social democratic government of Roy Romanow to balance Saskatchewan’s books, a year ahead of Alberta. Manitobans also seem happy to elect NDP governments who’ve had a string of balanced budgets. Indeed, data from the federal finance department shows NDP governments consistently have the best track record for the past 25 years for balancing their books.<br />
Further evidence of Conservative collusion with corporations can be seen in the Harper Conservatives’ Bill C-27, which would require that only producers delivering at least 40 tonnes of grain can vote in Canadian Wheat Board elections. Also note Conservative tinkering with the percentage of Canadian sugar in goods, which will negatively affect local sugar beet growers.<br />
When common folk begin to understand that Conservative governments generally don’t have their interests in mind, perhaps we will elect different governments.<br />
Mark Sandilands<br />
Lethbridge</td></tr>
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p.s. [not included in Herald letter due to lack of space]. I'm reminded of a couple of books I've read recently. One is The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, discussed here <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ragged_Trousered_Philanthropists">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ragged_Trousered_Philanthropists</a> and available as a free e-book: (see the bottom of the page of the Wikipedia article for URLs). The other is The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, discussed here <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jungle">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jungle</a> and also available for a frree e-book (again see the bottom of the Wikipedia article for links). <br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="article_seperator"></span></span>Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-89441418334647620342010-06-08T21:34:00.003-06:002010-06-08T21:41:34.661-06:00Tax Freedom Day from the Fraser Institute. Bunkum!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">On the weekend, news outlets reported Tax Freedom Day, based on a news release from the right-wing, anti-government Fraser Institute, e.g., </span><a href="http://www.live-pr.com/en/the-fraser-institute-june-5-marks-r1048484728.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.live-pr.com/en/the-fraser-institute-june-5-marks-r1048484728.htm</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> <br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Here's another take on the concept from tax expert, Neil Brooks:<br />
</span> <a href="http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National_Office_Pubs/2005/tax_freedom_day.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National_Office_Pubs/2005/tax_freedom_day.pdf</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
<br />
A shorter version is here:</span> <a href="http://www.policy.ca/directory/page.cgi?g=Detailed%2F1526.html;d=1'%20years%20of%20education"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.policy.ca/directory/page.cgi?g=Detailed%2F1526.html;d=1'%20years%20of%20education</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
<br />
Here is a paragraph from the conclusion to Neil Brooks's essay:<br />
<br />
Yet the Institute has presented us with infor-<br />
mation that seriously distorts the picture of how<br />
much tax Canadians pay. Far from promoting ra-<br />
tional discussion, the Institute is clearly trying to<br />
incite Canadians to anger, to encourage them to<br />
join with members of the financial élite in a kind<br />
of collective “tax rage.” The ultimate result of its<br />
campaign will be even lower taxes, particularly<br />
for high-income Canadians — and a continued<br />
decline in the capacity of our governments to de-<br />
liver programs that most Canadians value.</span>Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-14158775447893782552010-06-07T15:36:00.000-06:002010-06-07T15:36:12.436-06:00Gywn Morgan--now campaigning for salmon farming.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<blockquote type="cite"><div>If, like me, you read the Globe and Mail, you may have come across a column in the May 31st paper written by Gwyn Morgan, former CEO of Encana, and the person Harper put forward as his choice for a new public appointments chief (rejected by the opposition). The column's title was "Blaming salmon farms for decline makes for one fishy tale". I thought the column was rather "fishy" and am pleased to note the comments have appeared. Here is a link to the column and rebuttals <a href="http://www.salmonaresacred.org/blog/damage-globe-and-mail-credibility">http://www.salmonaresacred.org/blog/damage-globe-and-mail-credibility</a>. The first rebuttal begins, "Heavily biased misinformed writing such as below damages the credibility of your paper. Someone should have reviewed this piece with the scientists studying the collapse of wild salmon in BC. " The second rebuttal begins, "Gwyn Morgan's article is very narrowed minded, ignoring mounting scientific evidence from around the world that concludes open net aquaculture are breeding grounds for sea lice and are lethal to wild salmon, shrimps and clams. "</div></blockquote>Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5938565930606324786.post-23372964624881557912010-05-12T10:57:00.000-06:002010-05-12T10:57:40.651-06:00Big oil running the show<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
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<tr style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><td align="left" colspan="2" valign="top" width="70%"><span class="small" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Written by Mark Sandilands </span> </td></tr>
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</tbody></table>According to a recent report from Associated Press about the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, BP somehow avoided submitting a plan in 2008 for handling a blowout. This illustrates how big oil companies can get governments to bend to their will.<br />
Here in Alberta, a recent example of this phenomenon is the oil royalties issue. Some highlights:<br />
• 2006: all PC leadership candidates call for a royalty review<br />
• February 2007: Premier Stelmach appoints a Royalty Review Panel;<br />
• September 2007: The Panel calls for increased royalties;<br />
• October 2007: Alberta’s Auditor-General Fred Dunn says in his annual report that the Alberta government knew as far back as 2004 that Albertans could collect at least another $1 billion a year from the oil industry;<br />
• October 2007: Stelmach increases royalty rates by 20 per cent (25 per cent less than the panel recommended);<br />
• February 2008: It comes out that the Royalty Review panel was not given all the data — data indicating royalties could be increased without harming the economy;<br />
• March 2008: Stelmach announces a five-year royalty break worth $237 million per year.<br />
And on it goes.<br />
There are two story lines to the oil and gas royalties issue:<br />
1. Stelmach changed the oil royalties at the absolute worst time — when the prices were plummeting, causing the oil industry in Alberta to flee to other jurisdictions where royalties are lower, making the economic slump in the Alberta oilpatch worse than otherwise.<br />
2. The oil companies were outraged that Stelmach and company and decided to punish him.<br />
First, they pulled out of Alberta — their huge profits allow them to lose a bit of money and the loss is worth it to teach Stelmach a lesson. Second, they pull donations from the PCs and funding an upstart further-to-the right party, the Alberta Wildrose Alliance, which promises to give the oil companies what they want.<br />
What’s the effect of all this on Albertans? Less money for health care, long-term care, etc. Cataract surgery is pulled out of Lethbridge and long-term care facilities are closed in favour of DAL where costs are carried by families.<br />
If you’d like to hear more about this topic, plan to attend one or both of the talks by Brian Mason, leader of the Alberta NDP:<br />
<ol><li>Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization. Title: Good Health Care and Royalty Fair Share.</li>
<li>Thursday at 7 p.m. at Southminster United Church Thursday. Title: Good Health Care, Long Term Care and Royalty Fair Share.</li>
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<span class="article_seperator"></span>Mark Sandilandshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10544679983417721707noreply@blogger.com0