Beacon Hill Park - Victoria, British Columbia - YouTube

This is Beacon Hill Park. What a beautiful park, right in the heart of Victoria, BC. Such a pretty city.

Wild Pacific Trail - Ucuelet, British Columbia - YouTube HD

Uclulet, on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, is BEAUTIFUL!! I could live here in a heartbeat!! This is the Wild Pacific Trail that is total eye candy at every turn in the path.

March Against Monsanto

The world according to Monsanto - GMO *

Monsanto manufactures weed-killer Roundup. Monsanto also manufactures the genetically-modified soybean seeds that are resistant to Roundup -- approximately 3 times more expensive than regular soybean seeds.

What is most stunning about Monsanto's "terms" of sale of its crop seeds is that Monsanto does not actually "sell" anything. Rather, to purchase crop seeds from Monsanto, farmers must agree to a "Technology Stewardship Agreement," which is more aptly a "limited use license." This means that farmers are not actually purchasing soybean seeds, but rather, merely the right to use Monsanto's "technology" contained in crop seeds in a "limited" manner. According to the Agreement, farmers must pledge to plant the Monsanto seeds in only one growing season, never save any, or give any away. Farmers are obligated to give Monsanto permission to access farmer's internet service provider records, and produce documentation of its compliance with the Agreement "within 7 days" if asked by Monsanto. Finally, if Monsanto has to enforce the terms of the Agreement, the farmer is required pay Monsanto all of its attorneys' fees, costs, and expenses associated for doing so.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com

Yesterday was a worldwide march against Monsanto. This is a collection of videos of the event in Kelowna, BC, Canada! A big thank you to the organizers and the concerned citizens who came out!!

ATTN KELOWNA: Challenge the new face of corporate power‏

I'd like to extend a special invitation to you to join me for a public discussion on "CETA, FIPA, TPP: The New Face of Corporate Power." This event will be part of an eight-city speaking tour in B.C. to build opposition to Canada's corporate trade agenda.

Event details:

Wednesday, May 22

7-9 p.m. 

French Cultural Centre, 702 Bernard Ave, Kelowna (map)

Hosted by the Kelowna Chapter of the Council of Canadians

For more information call: 250-769-1977 or email: kareneh@silk.net

The Government of Canada has signed, is negotiating and is hoping to ratify a variety of new corporate rights treaties that promote and lock in the rights of corporations to make a profit while undermining communities' abilities to make decisions in their own interest. Like NAFTA before them, these deals are not about trade. Every new agreement further entrenches a corporate vision of deregulation, resource exploitation and privatization. 

These "next generation" deals include the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) with the European Union, the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations that Canada joined this past December, and countless investor rights pacts, like the one with China, called Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (FIPA / FIPPA).

Opposition to these deals is building. More than 80 municipalities have passed resolutions voicing their concerns or opposition to the CETA negotiations. Nearly 100,000 people signed a petition against the Canada-China FIPA, and the Hupacasath First Nation has launched a constitutional challenge to its ratification. Communities are beginning to organize and educate about the TPP in solidarity with global trade justice movements.

The Council of Canadians is hosting this speaking tour in B.C. to build collective opposition to all of these agreements. In the spirit of the anti-WTO Battle for Seattle and the Quebec City protest against the defeated Free Trade Area of the Americas, we hope to bring our vibrant movements back into the streets to derail Canada's corporate rights agenda and dismantle the treaties that lock it in.

 

I hope you can join me!

Stuart Trew, Trade Campaigner

The Council of Canadians, 700-207 West Hastings St. Vancouver, BC, V6B 1H7

(604) 688-8846, 1-888-566-3888 | bc-yukon@canadians.org | www.canadians.org

Facebook Page | Facebook Group | @CouncilofCDNS

Privacy Policy  |  Email Preferences

Copywrite: Council of Canadians 

Canada is NOT doing the best of the G8

We KNOW that the Canadian economy has contracted. However, the harper reform/alliance gov't continue to tell Canadians that "we are the best of the G8".

Today, I heard a Canadian banker mention how the Canadian banks are succeeding because they operate in OTHER countries who's GDP's are between 6-8%!!

Wait . . . what? There are countries with GDP's at 6-8%?

I had to look this up and here's what I found . . .

With regard to harper's claim of "Canada is doing the best of the G8". Here's the G8 and their number in the world of 217 listed countries and their GDP. Seems he's lied again.

96   Russia 3.6
137 Japan 2.2
138 United States 2.2
147 Canada 1.9
166 Germany 0.9
184 France 0.1
188 United Kingdom 0.2
207 Italy -2.3

harper is failing Canadians.

Resource:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_real_GDP_growth_rate_(latest_year)

New rules unlikely to affect Chinese takeovers of Canadian companies

NOTE THE DATE OF THIS ARTICLE 

Date: Friday, 11-January-2008

New rules unlikely to affect Chinese takeovers of Canadian companies: Emerson

BEIJING (CP) - The new national security test on foreign takeovers in Canada should have little impact on China's ability to buy out Canadian firms, including in the much-eyed resource sector, International Trade Minister David Emerson said Tuesday.

The minister told reporters in a conference call from Bejing that he assured Chinese officials during his visit there that the new guidelines proposed by Industry Minister Jim Prentice were not designed to thwart Chinese investment in Canada.

"Canada is anxious to have Chinese investments in Canada, including investments from the (state-owned) China Investment Corp.," he said, adding that Chinese officials welcomed his reassurance.

He said the rules outlined by Prentice in December were not meant to discourage acquisitions from state-owned corporations, but only to ensure these companies "are operating as economic and commercial companies not as a political arm or corporate arm that is simply delivering a political strategy in another country."

Although he did not elaborate, Emerson appeared to signal that he considers Chinese investments through its sovereign wealth fund to be primarily business related, rather than political.

Responding to the high level of foreign takeovers in Canada during the past few years, the government appointed a blue-ribbon panel to study the issue last summer, but also announced in December that it would take a closer look at state-owned takeovers as part of a national security test.

Prentice announced that the guidelines would apply on the "rare occasions when foreign investments by state-owned enterprises with non-commercial objectives and unclear corporate governance and reporting may not benefit Canadians."

He gave no examples of such takeovers, but many interpreted the new rules as being directed mostly at China, a government that Prime Minister Stephen Harper had openly criticized for its human rights record.

Among other things, the guidelines will assess whether a Canadian business to be acquired by a non-Canadian, state-owned enterprise will continue to have the ability to operate on a commercial basis regarding:

-the participation of Canadians in its operations in Canada and elsewhere;
-support of ongoing innovation, research and development; and
-the appropriate level of capital expenditures to maintain the Canadian business in a globally competitive position.

The government will also consider whether Canadians will be appointed as independent directors, employed in senior management positions and whether the Canadian business or its new foreign owner lists shares on a Canadian stock exchange.

Emerson, who wrapped up his visit to China on Tuesday before heading to Mongolia, also expressed optimism that a tourism agreement with China can be signed.

But if China keeps stalling, he said, Canada will have no choice but to launch a complaint to the World Trade Organization because he said China's Approved Destination Status agreement with the U.S. and 132 other countries discriminates against Canada.

This article was saved and reposted. This is because upon a Google search for the archive, this was what remained; (The article requested is no longer available.)

BREAKING: "I am strongly opposed to this deal" James Bezan, Con MP. Chair, Standing Committee National Defense.

It's time that all Conservatives speak up. 

The following is an e-mail from Conservative M.P., James Bezan (riding of Selkirk Interlake) to Jill Winzoski a reporter with the Selkirk Record dated October, 18, 2012:

Dear Jill,

Thank you for sharing your concerns and expressing your apprehensions regarding the bid by China National Offshore Oil Co. (CNOCC) to take over the publicly traded Canadian oil company, Nexen. This is an important subject that I am quite concerned about…

I would like to note that I am strongly opposed to this deal, and I have raised my concerns directly with Cabinet as well as with the Prime Minister. As I have stated to my colleagues in Cabinet, due to China’s dismal record on human rights and freedoms, I take particular exception to allowing a state-owned company from China to purchase a Canadian company. The communist Chinese government continues to fail to grant even the most basic of human freedoms to its citizens, as they strip away their national wealth to invest around the world. CNOOC’s past possible human rights abuses and failure to report oil spills is something I am also very concerned about…

As a Conservative, I am in favor of keeping markets open in Canada, however I do not support allowing state-owned and state-controlled enterprises to take over publicly traded Canadian companies, as these state-owned and controlled business [sic] are not on the same level playing field as other free enterprising corporate entities. Markets should operate in a manner that allow [sic] for fair and proper investment. State control, through financial manipulation and investment, do [sic] not allow for openness or fairness to the average investor. Large amounts of state investment distort markets for all other participants, while limiting other opportunities.

It is important to note that although caucus members such as me personally oppose this deal, should Minister Paradis feel the Nexen bid meets all requirements under the Investment Canada Act and the Competition Bureau Act, there is little that can be done to stop it…

Sincerely,

James Bezan, MP.
Chair, Standing Committee on National Defense.

Source: ipolitics

Birding in British Columbia 2012

Just a sample of the birds we filmed in British Columbia in the last couple of months. Some are migratory, some are rare like the The Long-billed Curlew and some are common like the Canada Geese.

Be Angry at MULRONEY - The Real Story of the National Energy Policy & Alberta Oil

By Robin Chat in Canadians Rallying to Unseat Stephen Harper


1956 The Pipeline Debate

The Conservatives' foreign affairs critic, Diefenbaker began warning about the danger of American money flowing into Canada to dominate Canadian industry. Then in May of 1956, he had his chance to pick an issue that could define his political direction.

Prime Minister St. Laurent and his Liberals introduced legislation to have the Canadian government lend $80 million to the U.S.-controlled Trans-Canada Pipe Lines Ltd., to build a pipeline from Alberta to Winnipeg in order to export natural gas to the United States.

"The loan was the key to a deal with high-flying Texas tycoons who for half a dozen years had been wheeling and dealing with the so-called "minister of everything," C.D. Howe, minister of defence production, minister of trade and commerce, and all-powerful in the St. Laurent government. 

The autocratic Howe demanded that the loan go through quickly so the pipeline could be finished before the next federal election, and he induced the government to impose closure to limit debate on the measure ... Diefenbaker, and other Tories seized on the arrogance of Howe and the Liberals to begin the most raucous episode in the House of Commons in this century, the infamous "Pipeline Debate." (1)

Dief was in high form:

"John Diefenbaker shouted about the Liberals' "brutalitarian tactics" and "executive absolutism," but he had equally poisonous contempt for the buccaneering Texas tycoons – "those Texas millionaires; those pampered pets" – especially Clint Murchison, C.D. Howe's friend and the central Trans-Canada Pipe Lines financier, whom Diefenbaker called a "pirate" who was "financin' by finaglin'." 

He accused the government of "playing around with . . . these adventurers from Texas and New York, trading away Canada's national resources at the expense of the Canadian people." The deal, Diefenbaker said, would make Canada "a virtual economic forty-ninth state." (1)

The Liberals had a strong majority and the legislation was passed, but it would come back to bite them on the butt.

That August, then Tory leader George Drew fell ill and John Diefenbaker would win the leadership. And though considered a long shot, he built his campaign on the "Pipe-line debates"

Dienfenbaker travels the nation

"With eyes flaming, arms flailing and shoulders and jowls aquiver, Diefenbaker travelled the nation, fervently drying out for "One Canada!" and exultantly proclaiming, "I have come here with a vision of our nation's destiny." It was a "Canada first" vision expounded with visceral nationalism. "I have but one love, Canada. One purpose, its "greatness," he would say. Canadians hadn't heard such a magnificent spellbinder since the heyday of Sir John A. Macdonald.And he did what many people thought impossible, becoming prime minister in 1957.

Soon after the election he commissioned Henry Borden, to help to establish an energy board, primarily to help the Alberta independent oil producers to find a market for their crude oil by building a pipeline from Edmonton to Montreal. Their opponents, the large, international oil companies, found it more profitable to use imported oil in their Montreal refineries.

National Oil Policy

The most influential individual at the hearings was Walter J. Levy, a New York oil consultant, who proposed that the pipeline not be built and that Alberta oil be exported to the US while Montreal continued to be supplied from abroad. In its reports the commission accepted this recommendation, and called it the National Oil Policy. (2) Not everyone was happy with the arrangement.

"The aim of the National Oil Policy was to promote the Alberta oil industry by securing for it a protected share of the domestic market. Under the policy, Canada was divided into two oil markets. The market east of the Ottawa Valley (the Borden Line) would use imported oil, while west of the Borden Line, consumers would use the more expensive Alberta supplies. For most of the 1961-73 period, consumers to the West paid between $1.00 and $1.50 per barrel above the world price, which, just before the 1973 OPEC oil embargo and price increase, stood at around $3.00. They also paid proportionately higher prices at the pump than Canadians east of the Borden line." (3)

This meant that Ontario paid the higher Alberta price and were restricted from shopping for a better deal, while foreign owned companies in Montreal, got to import cheaper product.

So while those who ascribe to old 'Western alienation theories', for 12 years Ontario paid 33-50% more for oil and gas, to ensure that Alberta had a ready market. And this decision was made by an oilman from New York. For our part, it enabled Canada to avoid the Mandatory Oil Import Quota Program, introduced by Eisenhower in 1959. So Alberta oil also went to the U.S., and the Americans were able to buy Alberta oil cheaper than we could in Ontario.

Political Climate and Strategy Change

When JFK came to power, the relationship with the United States deteriorated greatly, since he and Diefenbaker genuinely disliked each other. There was one small deal that Dief did secure "by finaglin'".

The U.S. then had a trade embargo against Communist China, where Canada had been shipping wheat. Because Imperial Oil was a subsidy of an American company, they were not allowed, under U.S. trade law, to fuel the tankers delivering the wheat. Kennedy gave him this concession (5), but after that it was war.

Canada's national energy strategies began with John Diefenbaker, and changed with the political climate, the price of oil, and who happened to be in the White House at the time. The only ones who didn't like the NEP were the corporate sector, especially the Americans who had found such a compliant partner in Ernest Manning. "... as an Albertan* he had double reason for hating the NEP. It was an attack on the petroleum industry in general, and it discriminated against petroleum companies that were foreign owned - like Imperial Oil. And now Harper witnessed the flight from Alberta of a caravan of oil rigs. Exploration slowed almost to a halt . . . Idle cranes towered beside the skeletal frameworks of unfinished buildings as practically all activity died."(1)

Mulroney cancelled the program -

This sounds more like an argument that would come from the National Citizens Coalition or the Fraser Institute, but the fact of the matter was that the reason those cranes were idle and buildings unfinished was because Brian Mulroney cancelled the program, under pressure from the West, leaving them no protection from OPEC.

"In the fall of 1985, the latter tragedy befell Alberta's oil industry. The OPEC cartel failed to agree upon a world oil price. The result was a global free-for-all among producing nations. Canada's oil and gas producers were caught in the middle. Having recently gained freedom from the NEP, Canada's oil and gas industry was not protected as the price of oil dropped from US $27 per barrel . . . to $8 per barrel by August 1986. . . Forty-five thousand oil workers lost their jobs." (2)

So Alberta's wounds were self inflicted. And yet many Westerners still suggest that they would never vote Liberal because of Trudeau and the NEP, when in fact it was Mulroney they should have been angry with. 


Revisionist history and good PR has turned this into a mythical bogey man.

"It's time to rise up to drive down harper's poll numbers!"

"Things we didn't hear in the 2011 Election from Steven Harper:

• that US Officers would be allowed into Canada to arrest Canadians under US Law. 
• the destruction of Fish Habitat Legislation
• raising Old Age Security to 67 

It's time to rise up, to drive down harper's poll numbers so much, that he will be driven from office like Gordon Campbell was in British Columbia.

This is a Democracy.

A Democracy is not that every few years we get to vote and we get to elect a dictator and then we all go to sleep until there's a chance we can remove them in the next election. Between elections, an engaged citizenry is the best check on the abuse of power" 

~ Elizabeth May quotes

Read More:
Elizabeth May: Rookie MP makes mark in Parliament (with video)

Welcome to the new ɐpɐuɐϽ.

Government of Canada Renamed 'The Harper Government'




Harper government monitoring facebook, YouTube and social media


This is the face of Harper's Canada.
G20 case reveals 'largest ever' police spy operation - Canada - CBC News



█████Everything ██ is █ fine ▌redacted █████ for ██ your █ safety ▌█████ and ██ security █ ▌have █████ a ██ nice █ day! ▌

Via Robin Chat and Red Forneri ‎

Reasons to Oppose the Federal Budget Bill #C-38

via Douglas Connors home page:

"You only need to be concerned over one of these to come out and express your displeasure at the way ALL of these are being rammed down our throats without the slightest bit of examination, discussion, or negotiation. And almost none of it was in the election platform of a year ago.”"

There were those who heeded the call made above to visit Member of Parliament's offices to show opposition to what I call the O-B-B the Omnibus Budget Bill, Bill C-38 which wihen passed into law will make the changes listed below . I came across this just now on a Facebook site and thought I'd pass it on:

"Some pics from the BlackMark protests today." http://2012federalbudget.tumblr.com/

Anita Nickerson’s 'List of Reasons to Oppose the Federal Budget Bill'

Bill C-38 has something in it for everyone.

Concerned about the Environment? This bill:

- repeals The Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act;
- dismantles The Canadian Environmental Assessment Act;
- excludes concerned citizens from assessments of major projects like the Enbridge pipeline;
- downloads responsibility for most environmental assessments to provinces;
- gives final say over pipeline projects to Conservative cabinet ministers­regardless of environmental impacts.
- lays off the entire Canadian scientific community looking at ocean contaminants. Did you know we have a lot of coastline?  Meaning there’s a lot of ocean not being examined, which will impact the worldwide science in this area.
- eliminates habitat protection from The Fisheries Act;
- limits the waterways protected by The Species at Risk Act and The Fisheries Act;
- dismantles the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, leaving natural areas vulnerable

Perhaps you are concerned about Health. This bill:

- shortchanges cash-strapped provinces of expected health transfers by $31 billion;
- weakens food and drug regulations at the discretion of the Minister of Health;
- ends vital Auditor General oversight of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency;
- paves the way for private contractors to perform food safety inspections.

Is it Employment that interests you? This bill:

- forces Canadians to work two years longer, to age 67, to qualify for Old Age Security;
- cuts workers off Employment Insurance if they don’t take any job the Minister of Human Resources deems “suitable”;
- repeals The Fair Wages and Hours of Labour Act;
- removes federal contractors from the protection of The Employment Equity Act.
brings in foreign workers and allows them to be paid 15% less than our minimum wage.

Is it Democracy that interests you? This bill:

- reduces the Auditor General’s powers to hold government accountable to Canadians;
- removes independent oversight from 12 key government agencies­including the - Northern Pipeline Agency, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Canada Revenue Agency;
- eliminates organizations that produce independent policy research­including Rights & Democracy, the National Council of Welfare, and the First Nations Statistical Institute;
- dissolves the Public Appointments Commission designed to ensure key positions are assigned based on merit instead of insider connections;
- allows the FBI to come into Canada and arrest Canadians on Canadian soil.

You only need to be concerned over one of these to come out and express your displeasure at the way ALL of these are being rammed down our throats without the slightest bit of examination, discussion, or negotiation. And almost none of it was in the election platform of a year ago.”

This list was created by Anita Nickerson, who volunteered to lead the Kitchener-Waterloo Blackmark day of action. Additional thanks to Jennifer Ross for compiling this ever-growing list.

WE NEED A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO BAN SUCH OMNIBUS BILLS!

ACTION LETTER: Stop Online Spying Bill #C30

Big Telecom Companies and Government Officials Held Secret Online Spying (C-30) Forum 

click title to read more.

Here's how you can respond: 

To: kevin.sorenson@parl.gc.ca;Randall.Garrison@parl.gc.ca; francis.scarpaleggia@parl.gc.ca; Jay.Aspin@parl.gc.ca; Ryan.Leef@parl.gc.ca; brent.rathgeber@parl.gc.ca; Sylvain.Chicoine@parl.gc.ca; Marie-Claude.Morin@parl.gc.ca; Jasbir.Sandhu@parl.gc.ca; candice.hoeppner@parl.gc.ca; rick.norlock@parl.gc.ca; Wai.Young@parl.gc.ca

Subject: Examination of Bill C-30

Dear Chair, Vice Chairs, and Members of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security:

Like so many Canadians, I am worried about the overreaching nature of Bill C-30 as it is currently drafted. I feel that proper study of the Bill must consider:

The notion that current investigative powers of law enforcement are insufficient. In my view, law enforcement must provide compelling evidence that this is so.

The warrantless disclosure of ISP/telecom customer information. This strikes at a bedrock principle of privacy law and is rightly opposed by the privacy and civil society community.

The possibility that police might bypass new reporting requirements in relation to disclosed subscriber information. The legislation must ensure that all ISP/telecom disclosures are logged and reported.

Section 23 of the Bill, which imposes a gag order on Internet providers, preventing them from informing affected subscribers of disclosures of information. This provision is undemocratic, and must be removed from the bill.

Section 487.0195 of the Bill, which grants ISP/telecoms full criminal and civil immunity for warrantless disclosure of information. ISP/telecoms must not be allowed to and encouraged to comply with warrantless data preservation and production.

Section 14 of the Bill, which gives government an array of powers to order ISP/telecoms to install surveillance equipment to allow for more simultaneous interceptions than is otherwise specified in the law; to comply with additional confidentiality requirements not otherwise specified in the law; to meet additional operational requirements not otherwise specified in the law; to install surveillance equipment provided by the Minister. These provisions to circumvent limitations in the law, and determine not only surveillance capabilities but the surveillance equipment itself, must be dropped.

The ISP/telecom regulatory framework. Capability requirements, requirements for ISP/telecoms to assist with testing surveillance capabilities, requirements for them to disclose the names of all employees who may be involved in interceptions, reporting requirements in relation to technical capabilities, and the draconian inspection powers of Section 34 must be closely examined and found justifiable before this proposed legislation is passed.

Oversight of lawful access. The government should follow the advice of Ontario Privacy Commissioner Ann Cavoukian by establishing an independent agency devoted to surveillance oversight.

Limits of the law. The law must be limited in its application to serious crime only, and limited in its use to law enforcement officials dealing with serious criminal matters.

The cost of lawful access. Before proceeding with the legislation, Canadians are entitled to a detailed, independent regulatory impact assessment that provides a realistic analysis of the costs created by Bill C-30 for implementation of surveillance technologies, operational costs, and resources needed for oversight.

Section 64, which makes it clear that future regulations relating to implementation of the bill will be required. The public is entitled to see all the regulations before the bill is passed, and all the regulations must be reviewed by and voted upon by the House of Commons.

Privacy laws. Given the close correlation between privacy and security, the government should commit to moving forward with reforms to the private sector privacy law (PIPEDA) in conjunction with lawful access.

Canada’s commitments in the Beyond the Border Action plan around information sharing. There is the potential that information gathered will be information shared with any U.S. police department or security agency making a request. Bringing Canada’s policies in line with U.S. policing norms without putting in place checks and balances on when and how much information is shared with other countries goes against a fundamental recommendation of the Arar Commissioner. This cannot be allowed to happen.

Thank you for your attention to these very serious concerns.

Sincerely,

Name, Address, Postal Code

(Letter via Dianne Varga)

Urgent Appeal to the Rest of Canada

by Max Silverman on Friday, May 18, 2012 at 5:10pm

*PLEASE continue to spread this note and the information contained therein, but *PLEASE* hold off on sending your cheques for a day or two while we figure out the most secure way to receive your donations. We are working on a cheque-in-the-mail and onliQC,ne option.*

*I will be in Toronto all week if anyone would like a presentation to your union/committee/organization.*

Request for solidarity and support for the Legal Committee of the CLASSE

Sisters, brothers,

            We write you during a dark time for democratic, human and associative rights in Quebec with the following appeal for your help and solidarity. As you have no doubt heard, the government recently enacted legislation that amounts to the single biggest attack on the right to organize and freedom of expression in North America since the McCarthy period and the biggest attack on civil and democratic rights since the enactment of the War Measures Act in 1970. Arguably, this recent law will unduly criminalize more law-abiding citizens than even McCarthy's hearings and the War Measures Act ever could.

            Among other draconian elements brought forward by this law, any gathering of 50 or more people must submit their plans to the police eight hours ahead of time and must agree to any changes to the gathering's trajectory, starttime, etc. Any failure to comply with this stifling of freedom of assembly and association will be met with a fine of up to $5,000 for every participant, $35,000 for someone representing a 'leadership' position, or $125,000 if a union - labour or student - is deemed to be in charge.  The participation of any university staff (either support staff or professors) in any student demonstration (even one that follows the police's trajectory and instructions) is equally punishable by these fines. Promoting the violation of any of these prohibitions is considered, legally, equivalent to having violated them and is equally punishable by these crippling fines.

            One cannot view this law in isolation. In the past few months, the Québec student movement - inspired by Occupy, the Indignados of Spain, the students of Chile, and over 50 years of student struggle in Québec; and presently at North America's forefront of fighting the government's austerity agenda - has been confronted by precedent-shattering judicial and police repression in an attempt to force the end of the strike and our right to organize collectively. Our strike was voted and is re-voted every week in local general assemblies across Québec. As of May 18th, 2012 our committee has documented and is supporting 472 criminal accusations as well as 1047 ticket and penal offenses. One week in April saw over 600 arrests in three days. And those numbers only reflect those charged with an offense, without mentioning the thousands pepper sprayed and tear gassed, clubbed and beaten, detained and released. It does not mention Francis Grenier, who lost use of most of an eye when a sound grenade was illegally thrown by a police officer into his face in downtown Montreal. It does not mention Maxence Valade who lost a full eye and Alexandre Allard who clung to life in a coma on a hospital bed for days, both having received a police rubber bullet to the head in Victoriaville. And the thousands of others brutalized, terrorized, harassed and assaulted on our streets.  Four students are currently being charged under provisions of the anti-terrorist laws enacted following September 11th.

            In addition to these criminal and penal cases, of particular concern for those of us involved in the labour movement is that anti-strike forces have filed injunctions systematically from campus to campus to prevent the enactment of strike mandates, duly and democratically voted in general assemblies. Those who have defended their strike mandates and enforced the strike are now facing Contempt of Court charges and their accompanying potential $50,000 fines and potential prison time. One of our spokespeople, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, will appear in Superior Court under such a charge for having dared say, on May 13th of this year, that "I find it legitimate" that students form picket lines to defend their strike.

            While we fight, on principle, against this judicialization of a political conflict, we have no choice but to acknowledge that the struggle on the streets has been, for many, transferred to the courtroom and we must act to defend our classmates, our friends and our family.  This defense needs your help. Many students have been denied access to Legal Aid to help them to defend themselves. This, while students filing injunctions to end strikes have been systematically granted Legal Aid. While sympathetic lawyers in all fields of law have agreed to reduced rates and alot of free support, the inherent nature of the legal system means we are spending large sums of money on this defense by the day.

            It is in this context that we appeal to you to help us cover the costs of this, our defense. Not only must we help those being unduly criminalized and facing injunctions undermining their right to associate, but we must act now and make sure that the criminalization and judicialization of a political struggle does not work and set a precedent that endangers the right to free speech and free assembly.

            If you, your union, or your organization is able to give any amount of financial help, it would make an undeniable difference in our struggle.  In addition to the outpouring of support from labour across Quebec, we have already begun to receive trans-Canadian and international solidarity donations. We thank you for adding your organization's support to the list.

            If you have any questions, please contact us via email legal AT asse-solidarité.qc.ca. Telephone numbers can be given to you in a private message. You can also send you donation directly to the order of "Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante" (2065 rue Parthenais, Bureau 383, Montréal, QC, H2K 3T1) noting "CLASSE Legal Committee" in the memo line.

In solidarity,

Max Silverman

Law student at the Université du Québec à Montréal

Volunteer with the Legal Committee of the CLASSE

Andrée Bourbeau

Law student at the Université du Québec à Montréal

Delegate to the Legal Committee of the CLASSE

Emilie Charette

Law student at the Université du Québec à Montréal

Delegate to the Legal Committee of the CLASSE

Emilie Breton-Côté

Law student at the Université du Québec à Montréal

Volunteer with the Legal Committee of the CLASSE

Harper DEMANDS even more secrecy! Worried yet? YOU SHOULD BE!

As the official newspaper of the Government of Canada published since 1841, the Canada Gazette is one of the vehicles that Canadians can use to access the laws and regulations that govern their daily lives.

Government departments and agencies as well as stakeholders from the private sector are required by law, to publish certain information in the Canada Gazette. The official newspaper is published under the authority of the Statutory Instruments Act and of the Statutory Instruments Regulations.

The Canada Gazette contains formal public notices, official appointments, proposed regulations, regulations and public Acts of Parliament from government departments and agencies. It also contains miscellaneous public notices from the private sector.

Harper is ending the requirement to publish with C-38. This affords them the opportunity to work in secret. Worried?? If not, you should be.

Tell people. Tell CARP. Tell Opposition MPs. Tell everywhere you can. Who wants a secret Canadian government???? Is this what our troops fought and died for? Is this what we want to leave our children and grandchildren?

TELL and keep TELLING.. YELL IT from the rooftops!!!

• Here is a list of Opposition MP email addresses:

          http://www.facebook.com/groups/292671928599/doc/10150862571603600/

• Link for Omnibus Austerity Budget Bill C-38

via Robin Chat

Member of C.R.U.S.H (Canadians Rallying to Unseat Harper) 

Canada Gazette – About Us

www.gazette.gc.ca 

ACTION ELECTION FRAUD: Compel Conservative Party to Disclose Records to #EC - Letter |

Please use as is, or modify.

To: thomas.mulcair@parl.gc.ca; bob.rae@parl.gc.ca; Elizabeth.May@parl.gc.ca

Cc: pm@pm.gc.ca

Subject: Elections Canada and its investigation
Importance: High

May 16, 2012

Dear Opposition leaders:

I wasn't aware until today that Elections Canada has not issued a production order to legally compel the Conservative Party to hand over relevant records and is instead relying on voluntary disclosure. http://bit.ly/JLmfRw

What we know about the Conservative Party is that disclosure, even necessary disclosure as in the instance of the F-35 procurement or the costs of Bill C-10, is not its strong point.

What we know about Elections Canada is that the Chief Electoral Officer was hand-picked and appointed by Stephen Harper. We also know that the Chief Electoral Officer cut a deal over the electoral fraud that took place in 2006, so none of the Conservative Party members who stood to go to jail actually did. And we know that Elections Canada has kept secret the rulings it has made on the 2,982 complaints it has investigated across the last fifteen years.

I am not confident in the will of Elections Canada to properly investigate the electoral fraud of 2011 and apprise Canadians of their findings, so I ask you today to once again call for a fully empowered, transparent public inquiry to delve into this sordid affair and report back on it.

Such a call might have the added benefit of reminding the Conservative Party of the need to conduct everyday parliamentary business according to democratic principles and processes. It seems that every day, they transgress without a whole lot of nuance to it.

Sincerely,
(Name, Address, Postal Code)


Via Dianne Varga, Continuous Letter Depot on Canadians Rallying to Unseat Harper

ACTION: Stop CPP investments supporting Israel’s military, police, prisons

PLS read and sign petition!.... 

COAT’s research cites data from hundreds of sources to expose 64 corporations that have two things in common:

1. they profit from links to Israeli government institutions, agencies and corporations that hide behind the euphemisms of "defence" and "homeland security," and

2. the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) held shares in these companies, with a market value of $1.4 billion in 2011.

The CPP also holds shares in many corporations that invest their wealth in military and so-called "security" industries that support Israeli apartheid. This is done directly, or through venture capital funds like Vertex, see pp. 50-52.

There are 16 million CPP contributors and beneficiaries who have been forced to invest their retirement savings in corporations with varying degrees of complicity in Israel’s system of apartheid, its occupation of Palestinian lands, its military/"security" industries, and its aerial bombardments of Lebanon (2006) and Gaza (2008-2009).

(via Kathryn Roston )

READ AND SIGN:

Petition: Stop CPP investments supporting Israel’s military, police, prisons

ACTION: STOP THE BUDGET #STB

STOP THE BUDGET(STB) Action #1:

Below are the email addresses of five Conservative MPs, along with some suggested text. Please email them and report back with a comment to help us keep track of the campaign's progress.

Find us at: STOP THE BUDGET

The five MPs listed below are the "Asbestos abstainers" (see http://ow.ly/aIGzw).

Pat Davidson:        pat.davidson@parl.gc.ca
Royal Galipeau:     royal.galipeau@parl.gc.ca
Jim Hillyer:           Jim.Hillyer@parl.gc.ca
Ed Holder:             ed.holder@parl.gc.ca
James Rajotte:      james.rajotte@parl.gc.ca

Be sure to email them all separately!

Here is some suggested text. Use it, or write your own. Above all, please be respectful.

Dear Honourable XXX,

When the vote on banning asbestos was called, you had the courage and strength of character to abstain. I respectfully ask that you not participate in the upcoming Budget vote -- call in sick instead. 

The gutting of 50 years of environmental legislation will have profound implications for the health and safety of Canadians. There is quite simply no justification for ramming sweeping changes through in an omnibus budget bill. Please defend our democracy and insist that the environmental provisions be separated from the Budget, discussed in the appropriate committees and thoroughly debated in the House.

Sincerely,
(Name, Address, Postal Code)

Via STOP THE BUDGET

Western Painted Turtle - Chrysemys picta bellii

We found these turtles sunning themselves on a small pond.

The Western Painted Turtle is named after the bright yellow stripes on its head, neck, tail and legs, and the glowing red on its plastron (shell covering the belly) and under-edge of its carapace (shell covering the back).

Most adult Painted Turtles spend the winter hibernating in the mud at the bottom of ponds and lakes.  Once temperatures warm up and the ice leaves the water, Painted Turtle courtship begins.

In B.C., Painted Turtles are found in pockets throughout the southern interior, as far north as Golden.   This includes the Okanagan Valley, Kamloops Lake, Shuswap Lake, and the Creston and Nelson Area.

At present, the Western Painted Turtle is on the provincial blue list.  This means they are considered vulnerable to habitat loss, and susceptible to human and natural disturbances.  Habitat is being lost because of pollution and waterway interference due to damming, agriculture, and urbanization of waterfronts.

I Want Our Canada Back . . .

"you won't recognize Canada when I get through with it" ~ SH 2006

After 1 year as a majority, the harper gov't has turned Canada into a "Banana Republic". He warned us "you won't recognize Canada when I get through with it". I don't, and we have 3 more years to go.

I wonder what horrible experience harper had growing up in Canada? What was it that happened to him as a young man growing up in Canada, that he felt he has had to change so radically?

• Was it the availability of jobs that now under the harper gov't, we don't have anymore?

• Was it the guarantee that his parents, grandparents would have OAS for security in their aging years - now cut under the harper gov't?

• Was it the freedom of speech that he certainly took advantage of with his past affiliations and now scientists are gagged and environmentalists are threatened by the harper gov't?

• Was it the ethics and statesmanship of Canadian Politics that he couldn't stand and now we hear $10Billion lies about F35 jets and cooking the accounting books under the harper gov't.

• Was it the patriotism that Canadians felt for our Canada which is now threatened by infusion of American policies & practices & funding with the harper gov't?

• Was it the name of our government which was the Gov't of Canada, but is now the harper gov't as he madated the name change.

• Was it the transparency of gov't where Canadians could follow Parliament and now under the harper gov't most is done behind closed doors and in secrecy? 

• Was it our peace-keeping foreign policy and now with the harper gov't we illegally invaded a foreign nation. 

• Was it our strong National Security which has been attacked through Election Fraud during this past election and the harper gov't refuses to call for an Independent Inquiry to find the criminals?

• Was it the model Democracy that other nations admired and which today is being eroded as the harper gov't overrides democratic votes and decisions (ie. CWB) 

harper grew up in Canada, enjoying all the attributes and opportunities of this great country. And yet in 1 short year, he has made changes that have destroyed that wonderul life that Canada could and did offer. harper got to where he is today, because of how Canada was. How very sad for thousands of Canadians who won't experience the amazing life Canada had prior to the harper gov't.

The birth of a banana republic