summer of change

SUMMER OF CHANGE 2009 CANCELED!

2009-02-19T16:27:00.000-08:00

i am sorry to report that the festival has been canceled due to lack of funds, but i am sure we will put something together in the future. Once capitalism collapses completely, and we, the wise ones who have been striving for communion with nature and sustainability, lead the way to the Age of Love, a festival will definitely be in order!
Peace and Love to All, may Mother Nature Forgive Us.

DID YOU KNOW THAT HARPER IS HEADING CANADA INTO A SUPERSTATE WITH THE U.S. AND MEXICO?

2008-04-18T11:24:00.001-07:00

Watch out Canadians, on April 21-22, 2008, Harper is meeting up with Bush to plan Canada's demise; taking away our individual independence in order to empower the corporations that in turn fatten the pockets of the government. This is all done behind closed doors, so it is time to speak out against this, write a letter to our wonderful Prime Minister, tell him that we are not cool with this, that we don't want to become integrated with the United States or Mexico. LET'S GET ANGRY, THEN LET'S GET ACTIVE...STOP THE SUPERSTATE!
Email Stephen Harper at: Harper.S@parl.gc.ca and tell him that we are against deep integration with the U.S. and Mexico!
Not Counting Canadians: The Security and Prosperity Partnership and public opinion
From April 7–10, 2008, the Council of Canadians commissioned Environics Research Group to conduct a survey of Canadians to find out how they feel about the major SPP policy directions and initiatives, including North American regulatory convergence, energy integration with the United States, bulk water exports, and the adoption of U.S.-style security measures in Canada. We also asked whether such a wide-reaching trilateral agreement should be brought to Parliament for a debate and vote.
87% of Canadians agree that Canada should maintain the ability to set its own independent environmental, health and safety standards, even if this might reduce cross-border trade opportunities with the United States. And yet the Harper government is committed to an SPP policy of regulatory harmonization in the areas of consumer product safety, food and drugs, and the environment.
89% of Canadians agree that Canada should establish an energy policy that provides reliable supplies of oil, gas and electricity at stable prices and protects the environment, even if this means placing restrictions on exports and foreign ownership of Canadian supplies. And yet the Harper government is committed to a “market-based” policy of energy integration with the U.S. through the SPP’s North American Energy Working Group.
88% of Canadians agree that Canada should adopt a comprehensive national water policy that recognizes clean drinking water as a basic human right and also bans the bulk export of fresh water. And yet bulk water exports to the U.S. are on the table in SPP discussions.
48% of Canadians do not feel that Canada should harmonize its security policies with the United States, even if this affects our trading relationship. It was the only question on which Canadians were divided. And yet the 2008 Federal budget committed millions of extra dollars to SPP security initiatives anyway.
86% of Canadians agree that the Security and Prosperity Partnership agreement should be debated and submitted to a vote in Parliament. Yet four years later, the debate is nowhere to be seen.
Canadian preferences for policies that run counter to the key SPP priorities listed above show conclusively that Prime Minister Harper does not have a democratic mandate for pursuing this agenda in secretive trilateral talks like the upcoming North American leaders summit in New Orleans. The government must cease all further SPP talks and debate the agreement fully and openly before submitting it to Parliament for a vote.
For more information about the Council of Canadians, or its campaign against the SPP, please sign up to receive updates above or call us at 1-800-387-7177.

DEMAND OUR RIGHT TO A FREE INTERNET!

2008-04-04T07:18:00.000-07:00

Of course, we all knew it was coming, Canada is making plans to monopolize the Internet, in turn, taking our freedom away from what is our source of knowledge and activism...Do you think they were going to let us get away with having this media outlet as a democratic one? If you haven't noticed, A LOT of our freedoms have been taking away since we have become buddy buddy with the United States. Have you thought about your vote in 2009 yet? Because the Conservatives and the Liberals have become a two-headed monster, planning on taking away our rights so that their cronies, and the American cronies can fill up their pockets with blood money, and they know we will simply follow behind them as good sheep do.
Take Action, visit this site and send a letter to advocate our right to a free internet!
http://www.canadians.org/action/2008/27-Mar-08.html

A LIFE CHANGING MOVIE TO WATCH...

2008-04-03T15:50:00.001-07:00

HERE IS THE DOWNLOAD OF THE MOVIE, FOUND ON THEIR WEBSITE. IT IS CALLED "ZEITGEIST", WATCH IT. WE ALSO ARE PLANNING TO SHOW IT SATURDAY EVENING AT THE SUMMER OF CHANGE 2009, SATURDAY JUNE 21, 2009, WEST KOOTENAYS, B.C.

SAY YES TO CHANGE!

2008-04-01T12:44:00.000-07:00

"The government's priorities are all wrong," said Adriane Carr, deputy leader of the Green Party of Canada, adding, "We need more music, arts and beauty in our lives, not more tanks, guns and war."
Talking about MUSIC, ART, AND BEAUTY...COME TO CANADA's MOST AWESOME ACTIVIST FESTIVAL, a ONE TIME ONLY FESTIVAL IN the WEST KOOTENAYS of BRITISH COLUMBIA, JUNE 21-22, 2009. SUMMER OF CHANGE 2009, a way to meet our fellow freedom fighters...LISTEN TO SOME AMAZING CANADIAN MUSIC LIVE ON STAGE; SAY NO TO WAR; LEARN HOW TO BE SUSTAINABLE; EAT VEGAN DELIGHTS; BASK IN THE SUN AND LEARN MORE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABLE WAYS TO LIVE IN ORDER TO FIGHT THE MONEY MACHINE! SAY NO TO THE TAR SANDS; SAY YES TO NATURE FIRST; MEDITATE; YOGA; SPEAK OUT FOR YOUR RIGHTS; SAY NO TO OUR CORPORATE, MURDEROUS GOVERNMENT; SAY NO TO SEAL AND POLAR BEAR HUNTING; SAY NO TO GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD; SAY YES TO NATURAL BUILDING; SAY YES TO ORGANIC LOCAL EVERYTHING, AND GET ACTIVE!

A MUST READ ARTICLE!

2008-04-01T12:33:00.000-07:00

Hello Canadians! Just to tell you that the Alberta Tar Sands are creating an international uproar, now when we travel, we might want to hide those Canadian Flags. The secret is out, we are DESTROYING THE EARTH SINGLE-HANDEDLY, WHERE IS THE ACTIVISM? WHERE IS THE UPROAR? WHY ARE WE NOT GETTING ANGRY? Read this article from the globe and mail, AND GET ANGRY!

JOIN US IN CANADA'S FESTIVAL FOR CHANGE, JUNE 21-22, 2009

2008-03-25T07:05:00.000-07:00

We at Summer of Change 2009, Canada's festival for Environmental and Political change and justice, are moving our headquarters across Canada to British Columbia, where we will be fundraising for the event, gathering more participants, raising awareness to our fellow Canadians, and continuing on working out the finer details of the festival. If you would like to join us in this great event, please email us at veganmountain@gmail.com. As a result, there will be a moment of peace on our side as we will be very busy. You can help us out by spreading the word, inviting others to join, handing out flyers etcetera. We have a year to prepare for this grand event, which some say could be Canada's Woodstock, except with even better information on how WE THE PEOPLE can help SAVE MOTHER EARTH, and bring peace and happy fulfillment at the same time. We are very excited to hear from you, because to UNITE is the best way to MAKE CHANGE!

If our Government is fine with poisoning us, isn't there something wrong?

2008-03-25T06:55:00.000-07:00

Greenpeace is helping bring awareness to us Canadians about the poison you may be putting into your bodies. Remember, the stuff we eat gives us life, or helps to kill us.
Gordon Campbell declared "biohazard" on first annual GE Free Day
11 March 2008
Greenpeace is demanding mandatory labelling of GE foods and products. More than 40 countries already enforce this, including Russia, China and the UK.
VANCOUVER, Canada — Gordon Campbell is a biohazard to British Columbia for his continual refusal to label genetically engineered products, says Greenpeace, which today organized the province's first annual GE Free Day
Greenpeace volunteers, dressed in contamination suits and masks, "quarantined" the premier's office this morning with yellow hazard tape while holding signs that read "What's in Your Food? Demand the Right to Know!"
More than 70 per cent of all products on grocery store shelves in B.C. today are tainted by genetic engineering, yet the provincial government, under the direction of Premier Campbell, has yet to take action. Greenpeace is demanding mandatory labelling of all GE products and is advocating for citizens who have so far been denied their right to this information.
"British Columbians have waited seven years for Gordon Campbell to label genetically engineered foods, which even his own Provincial Health Officer has warned could pose serious risks to the environment and human health," said Josh Brandon, agriculture campaigner with Greenpeace. "Campbell's lack of policy direction is becoming a biohazard to the people of BC."
Mandatory labelling of GE products is already enforced in 40 other countries such as China, Germany, France, Russia and the UK, but Canada has yet to follow suit. Greenpeace created GE Free Day to raise public awareness and will continue to hold the provincial government to task until they commit to mandatory labelling.

Harper Trading Our Water to the Highest Bidder

2008-03-19T10:11:00.000-07:00

Want to celebrate Water Day on March 22nd? Well, the Canadian and the U.S. Government have decided to secretly make their own trade deals, while backing out of International water protection policies, hmmm, I wonder why? Can we say MONEY over the welfare of Canadians? British Columbia and Alberta are already looking at shortages in the future, while New Brunswick has one of the poorest water qualities in North America...And yet, behind closed doors, our Government is selling it right under our apathetic noses...Here is some info, AND a chance to tell Harper that he is making some grave mistakes.
Canada needs a National Water Policy
-www.Canadians.org
National Water Policy postcard to send to the Prime Minister.
Water is vital to people’s health and livelihoods. In Canada, there is no national strategy to address urgent water issues and no federal leadership to conserve and protect our water. The Federal Water Policy is over 20 years old and badly outdated. There is a growing list of crises facing our freshwater including contamination, shortages and pressure to export water to the United States through pipelines and diversions.
It is time for the Government of Canada to implement a comprehensive National Water Policy.
Bulk water exports
Canada and the United States share interconnected water systems. The Great Lakes hold 20 per cent of the world’s fresh water, providing drinking water to 45 million people. The Great Lakes Annex agreement, signed in December 2005 by Ontario, Quebec and eight U.S. states, will allow diversions through permissive exceptions, while not guaranteeing a strong role for the government of Canada to preserve and protect its water supply. North Dakota is just one state that is facing water shortages and looking north for a new supply through diversions or interbasin transfers. Bulk water exports and diversions would leave Canada’s water vulnerable to environmental depletion and to international trade challenges that could permanently open the floodgates to parched U.S. states.
A new National Water Policy must ban the export of water, implement strict restrictions on diversions, and affirm the role of the federal government in international water issues.
In April 2007, the Council of Canadians obtained a leaked document produced by a Washington think tank, revealing that business and government leaders in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico are actively discussing bulk water exports. They met in Calgary on April 27, 2007 to discuss the issue in a closed-door meeting as part of a larger discussion on North American integration.
Water contamination
In 2000, seven people died in the community of Walkerton, Ontario when their drinking water was contaminated with E. coli virus. In 2001, more than 7,000 people were made sick during a three-month period by parasite-infected water in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. In 2005, people in Kasechewan, a Cree community in Ontario, were forced to evacuate their homes because of water contamination. According to the Government of Canada, municipalities issue hundreds of boil water advisories a year, most as the result of water contamination. Since December 16, 2005, 74 boil water advisories have been issued for First Nations communities in Canada. These numbers show an alarming trend.
A new National Water Policy must create national clean drinking water standards.
Privatization of drinking water
Communities across the country are in desperate need of money to pay for water pipes and filtration systems, which are now the responsibility of municipal governments. These governments are now looking to private investors to rebuild infrastructure through public-private-partnerships (P3s). Water is a public health and safety concern and is best managed, regulated and financed by public systems that are accountable to the community. When for-profit interests control drinking water, quality decreases and cost increases.
A new National Water Policy must commit to a federal government investment plan for municipalities.
The growing crisis of water shortages
Water is essential for all life, but it is a finite resource. Even in Canada, a water-rich nation, one quarter of Canadian municipalities have faced shortages and currently one third rely on groundwater — a resource we have dangerously little data — on to provide for daily needs. Water shortages in the Prairies cost $5 billion in economic damage in 2001 alone. At the same time, Canadians waste a tremendous amount of water every day.
A new National Water Policy must implement a comprehensive conservation strategy and invest in water resource research and monitoring.
Water and NAFTA
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) defines water as a “service” and an “investment,” leaving Canadian water vulnerable to thirsty foreign investors. Once Canada allows water to be withdrawn and transported to other countries for large-scale industrial purposes, foreign investors must be given the same “national treatment” as Canadian companies.
A new National Water Policy must ensure water does not become a tradable commodity in current and future trade deals.
Take Action for a National Water Policy
It is time for the federal government to develop a National Water Policy that affirms the right to water and protects Canadian water from commodification, diversion, bulk exports and privatization.
Getting Angry? Write our "Leader" a letter:
Contact information for Stephen Harper: 
E-mail: pm@pm.gc.ca Fax: 613-941-6900
Mail: Office of the Prime Minister 80 Wellington Street Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2

SIGN PETITION FOR A FAIR CANADIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DEBATE!

2008-03-17T12:29:00.000-07:00

PLEASE SIGN PETITION SO WE CAN REPRESENT THE GREEN PARTY IN THE DEBATE AS WELL, WE NEED A FAIR REPRESENTATION IF WE ARE STILL STRIVING FOR DEMOCRACY.
sign here:http://www.demanddemocraticdebates.ca/petition.html

IT IS HAPPENING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, WE NEED TO RISE UP

2008-03-17T07:35:00.000-07:00

You may think this collage is offensive, but we are being run by an evil system right now and we are ignoring the fact that OUR GOVERNMENT is changing immigration policies so as to enslave people of colour and low economic status and to accept people of a certain skin colour and higher economic status. As well, OUR GOVERNMENT has taken OUT the word EQUALITY in our statute for women; has signed an agreement to allow the American Military free entry into Canada under American control; has agreed to put pipelines through our country so as to pump out crude oil to the States; is giving our water away freely to the US even though BC and Alberta are suffering from water shortage which will only increase as global warming gets worse; is part of the SPP with the US and Mexico which gives our Canadian Leader total control over all trade issues which greatly affects us and our future; is allowing the tar sands to continue even though our fellow brothers and sisters are dying of cancer and serious ailments as a result; is continuing a war that has killed many Canadians in the name of MONEY and POWER; is allowing the total destruction of our forests, our waterways, our air, our wildlife, our food, our soil, so as to gain the most monetary gain for themselves and the Corporates. WE ARE BEING RUN BY A SCARY TOTALITARIAN GOVERNMENT AND WE ARE HAPPILY PAYING OUR TAXES TO HELP FUND THE WAR, WE ARE HAPPILY CARRYING ON WITH OUR JOBS IN A SYSTEM THAT ENSLAVES US, KEEPS US AWAY FROM OUR CHILDREN, AND FEEDS THE CORPORATE CHEQUE-BOOKS, AND WE ARE HAPPILY DOING THESE THINGS WHILE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND MOTHER EARTH IS SUFFERING! IT IS ONLY GETTING WORSE WITH OUR SILENCE! Our government may not be committing an all out holocaust, but the deaths are mounting due to their actions, and our silence; like the Germans, we Canadians are being blinded by our seemingly safe stable lives, which can easily be taken away from us if we keep choosing silence over action and over compassion...Please don't let money and a stable job blind you from what is really going on in our country and in other countries where we are supporting death, illness, poverty and an unhappy way of life, your children will never forgive you...
Here is the latest on what our government is doing in order to keep our country in the hands of the wealthy white corporates:
The federal government has proposed sweeping changes to Canada's immigration policies that would give it greater selection powers to limit the number of new applicants.
The proposed changes, which the government says are aimed at reducing backlogs of immigration applications, are embedded in a budget-implementation bill tabled Friday in the House of Commons.
More than 800,000 prospective immigrants are on waiting lists.
The changes would:
•Allow the immigration minister to reject an applicant already deemed admissible by immigration officers.
•Allow the minister to set limits on what types of immigrants — "by category or otherwise" — can have their applications processed each year.
•Require an otherwise ineligible person who wants to immigrate on humanitarian grounds to already be in Canada for their application to be processed.
Why does the minister insist on closing Canada's doors to the newcomers we desperately need to fuel our labour and our population growth even though history shows this is absolutely the wrong approach?" McGuinty asked in the House Friday.
NDP MP Olivia Chow said Canada needs to increase the target number of immigrants into the country to one per cent of the population — or 330,000 people — in order to renew the country's workforce and drive its economy.
"Instead of allowing families into Canada, the Conservative government seems intent only to bring in massive numbers of temporary foreign workers who are vulnerable to mistreatment and abuse," added Chow, who is her party's immigration critic.

American Soldiers Allowed in Canada With Power Beyond Our Control!

2008-03-17T07:27:00.000-07:00

THIS IS SCARY! IF THIS DOESN'T MAKE YOU WANT TO PAUSE YOUR VIDEO GAMES, YOUR TV PROGRAM, OR YOUR LAWN MOWER, THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL SCARE YOU CANADIANS! MAYBE A GUN TO THE HEAD BY AN AMERICAN SOLDIER ON CANADIAN SOIL WILL! READ ON...
NORTH AMERICAN MILITARY AGREEMENT SIGNED BY US AND CANADA
By Jim Kouri Posted 1:00 AM Eastern March 11, 2008 NewsWithViews.com
While Americans are being bombarded with large doses of presidential primary news coverage, the US entered into an agreement with its northern neighbor that may have an impact on future internal military action.
In a political move that received little if any attention by the American news media, the United States and Canada entered into a military agreement on February 14, 2008, allowing the armed forces from one nation to support the armed forces of the other nation during a domestic civil emergency, even one that does not involve a cross-border crisis, according to a police commander involved in homeland security planning and implementation.
It is an initiative of the Bi-National Planning Group whose final report, issued in June 2006, called for the creation of a "Comprehensive Defense and Security Agreement," or a "continental approach" to Canada-US defense and security.
The law enforcement executive told Newswithviews.com that the agreement -- defined as a Civil Assistance Plan -- was not submitted to Congress for debate and approval, nor did Congress pass any law or treaty specifically authorizing this military agreement to combine the operations of the armed forces of the United States and Canada in the event of domestic civil disturbances ranging from violent storms, to health epidemics, to civil riots or terrorist attacks.
"This is a military plan that's designed to bypass the Posse Comitatus Act that traditionally prohibited the US military from operating within the borders of the United States. Not only will American soldiers be deployed at the discretion of whomever is sitting in the Oval Office, but foreign soldiers will also be deployed in American cities," warns Lt. Steven Rodgers, commander of the Nutley, NJ Police Department's detective bureau.
In Canada the agreement paving the way for the militaries of the US and Canada to cross each other's borders to fight domestic emergencies was not announced either by Prime Minister Harper's administration or the Canadian military. The agreement met with protests and demonstrations by Canadians opposed to such treaties with the US.
"It's kind of a trend when it comes to issues of Canada-US relations and contentious issues like military integration," claims Stuart Trew, a researcher with the Council of Canadians.
"We see that this government is reluctant to disclose information to Canadians that is readily available on American and Mexican websites," he said in a press statement.
The military Civil Assistance Plan is seen by critics as a further incremental step toward creating a North American armed forces available to be deployed in domestic North American emergency situations. According to the NORTHCOM press release, the plan "allows the military from one nation to support the armed forces of the other nation during a civil emergency."
The agreement was signed at US Army North headquarters, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, by US Air Force General Gene Renuart, commander of NORAD and US Northern Command, or USNORTHCOM, and by Canadian Air Force Lt. General Marc Dumais, commander of Canada Command.
"This document is a unique, bilateral military plan to align our respective national military plans to respond quickly to the other nation's requests for military support of civil authorities," Renuart said in a statement published on the USNORTHCOM website.
Lt. Gen. Dumais seconded Renuart's sentiments, stating, "The signing of this plan is an important symbol of the already strong working relationship between Canada Command and U.S. Northern Command."
"Our commands were created by our respective governments to respond to the defense and security challenges of the twenty-first century," he stressed, "and we both realize that these and other challenges are best met through cooperation between friends."
"It's hard to believe that Americans and Canadians will go along with this agreement," opines conservative strategist Michael Baker.
"That's why [there's] all this secrecy. Has anyone heard Clinton, Obama or McCain complain about this significant policy shift? All three of these presidential hopefuls are in the US Senate, yet not a peep from them about a foreign army being called to 'police' US neighborhoods under the guise of an 'emergency,'" he said.
The statement on the USNORTHCOM website emphasized that the plan recognizes the role of each nation's lead federal agency for emergency preparedness, which in the United States is the Department of Homeland Security and in Canada is Public Safety Canada.
The US Northern Command was established on October 1, 2002, as a military command tasked with anticipating and conducting homeland defense and civil support operations where US armed forces are used in domestic emergencies.
Meanwhile, the Canada Command was established on February 1, 2006, to focus on domestic operations and offer a single point of contact for all domestic and continental defense and securities partners.
In May 2007, President Bush took it upon himself to sign the National Security Presidential Directive 51 which is also known as Homeland Security Presidential Directive 20, authorizing the president to declare a national emergency and take over all functions of federal, state, local, territorial and tribal governments, without necessarily obtaining the approval of Congress to do so.
While Americans are being kept in the dark about this treaty, Canadian citizens are being totally ignored by their government. The extent of military integration called for by the BNP is unprecedented and has received absolutely no public debate in the House of Commons. If they wish to read about the details of this military agreement, Canadians must go to the Northern Command website to see any evidence of the new agreement.
"Once the Canadian people discover they can be [legally invaded] by US troops, they will take to the streets and protest and use the very effective weapon of civil disobedience. Canadians will not stand for occupation by a foreign army same as Americans won't," said conservative columnist and commentator Rachel Marsden.
"I'm surprised that the Canadian people haven't already displayed their opposition to such a treaty. Economics is one thing, but military use of force is quite another. We have our own police, security and military forces, thank you. We don't been Americans coming into Canada with weapons," she said. "And Americans don't need Canadian soldiers.  http://www.newswithviews.com/NWV-News/news38.htm

YOUR SILENCE IS MURDER!

2008-03-17T07:09:00.000-07:00

These are the Canadians who have been murdered for Stephen Harper's interests, for Corporate interests, and for the interests of the United States government. We are committing murder by not speaking out, by keeping silent, by being apathetic, by supporting a system that supports war and murder. What happened to our compassion? Has money and our desire to have a stable job, blinded us from our brothers and sisters who are being murdered? We cannot let another young brother and sister die in the name of MONEY and GOVERNMENT GREED! Please, start a dialogue with those around you, we cannot support a system or government that is run by evil for evil of evil. The Canadian government that we have right now is not going to listen to us if we simply just go along with our safe, stable daily lives. We must fight this system that THREATENS OUR CHILDREN, OUR BROTHERS, OUR SISTERS, AND OUR MOTHER EARTH. ARE YOU GOING TO TRADE THAT ALL AWAY FOR YOUR SAFE STABLE LIFE? Let's start banding together NOW, and let us show them that WE ARE ABOVE THE SYSTEM. SUMMER OF CHANGE 2009 FESTIVAL, LET US UNITE!

CANADIAN SOLDIER FOUND DEAD ON KANDAHAR BASE

2008-03-12T06:49:00.000-07:00

WHAT ARE WE DOING? How can we all let this happen, why are we letting Canada be in a war? Do any of you want to be in this war? Did you know that young Canadian soldiers are committing suicide because we are allowing our government to be part of this disgusting war? Do you support murder? torture? WE ARE ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN, THIS IS CANADA, AND WE ARE LETTING OUR GOVERNMENT SEND OUR YOUNG CANADIAN MEN TO KILL PEOPLE OF ANOTHER COUNTRY! Soldiers are depressed, they do not want to be there, they are committing suicide, and we are keeping our mouths shut! DID YOU KNOW THAT PM HARPER IS SPENDING MOST OF OUR BUDGET ON WARFARE NOT SOCIAL WELFARE! PLEASE DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN! We are supporting MURDER! Please, vote AGAINST the conservative and liberal government, please email your MLAs and your MPs; please tell your family and friends about this...WAR IS REAL, we as Canadians must stand up to the Conservatives, DON'T LET THEM CONTINUE THIS ATROCITY! WE ARE TORTURING AND KILLING PEOPLE, WE ARE CAUSING OUR YOUNG MEN TO COMMIT SUICIDE! Please read the excerpt below and start getting active! We can do this, WE THE PEOPLE CAN STOP THIS WAR!
Canadian soldier found dead on Kandahar base
Soldier was from Quebec, but based in Manitoba
CBC News, March 11, 2008
A 22-year-old Canadian soldier was found dead in Afghanistan on Tuesday, but a top military commander said the death was not related to combat.
Bombardier Jérémie Ouellet, 22, was found dead Tuesday on the military base in Kandahar.
Brig.-Gen. Guy Laroche told reporters that Bombardier Jérémie Ouellet was found at 2:15 p.m. local time in the sleeping quarters at Kandahar airfield, the main NATO military base in southern Afghanistan.
Laroche said the Canadian military is investigating the circumstances surrounding Ouellet's death. He said more details would be provided once the investigation is complete.
"Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Bombardier Ouellet," Laroche said at a late-night briefing in Kandahar, 12 hours after Ouellet was found.
"Our primary focus at this time is to provide the best possible support to his family and colleagues."
Ouellet was from Matane, Que., and served with the 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, which is based in Shilo, Man. He had only arrived in Afghanistan in the past few weeks.
The military police's major crimes unit will tackle the investigation. The unit, known as the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service, examines all incidents involving Canadian military personnel or property in Canada and abroad.
Ouellet was stationed at Kandahar airfield with about 10,000 other soldiers who are part of NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
The airfield, which resembles a miniature city with restaurants and recreation facilities, is the headquarters for the Canadian mission, but American, British and Dutch personnel also have a strong presence there. All the soldiers sleep in barracks or tents.
Only about half of the 2,500 Canadian soldiers deployed in Afghanistan live on the base.
80th Canadian soldier to die
Ouellet is the 80th Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan since the mission began in 2002. A Canadian diplomat has also been killed.
Brig.-Gen. Guy Laroche tells reporters in Kandahar on Tuesday that the military is investigating the death of Bombardier Jérémie Ouellet. (Stephanie Levitz/Canadian Press)
The last time a Canadian soldier was killed on the Kandahar base was in March 2007, when Cpl. Kevin Megeney died after being shot in the chest. An investigation into that incident is still going on.
Other Canadian soldiers have died in non-combat situations in Afghanistan.
Master Cpl. Jeffery Scott Walsh was killed in a shooting accident while on patrol outside Kandahar in August 2006. Master Cpl. Robbie Fraser was charged with one count of manslaughter and one count of negligent performance of duty.
Maj. Raymond Ruckpaul was found dead of a gunshot wound in Kabul in August 2007. The military ruled Ruckpaul committed suicide, the only reported suicide involving a Canadian soldier in Afghanistan.
Another soldier, Pte. Frederic Couture, was reported to have committed suicide after returning home from Afghanistan with an amputated leg. Couture was found dead in his Montreal home in November.
Ouellet's death comes a week after Trooper Michael Hayakaze, 25, was killed by a roadside bomb. Hayakaze, who served with an Edmonton-based regiment, died only days before he was to wrap up his tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Canada's Budget Supports Military Spending, Not The Needs of Candians

2008-03-10T14:22:00.000-07:00

Here is some information I thought all Canadians would be interested in, since our Prime Minister has decided to use most of our budget on Military Spending, obviously the needs of we, the people of Canada, are not as important as the desire to kill others for monetary gain.
More to the budget than meets the eye: slashing environment while boosting militarism
OTTAWA – Green Party leader Elizabeth May today held a press conference to review unheralded aspects of the 2008 budget.
“Although many may see the budget as yesterday’s news, the initial view of the Green Party that we could not support this budget was reinforced with further study. In fact, this budget is not ‘do-nothing’. It is a budget militarizing Canada, obsessed with terrorist threats, while ignoring climate threats.
“How many Canadians are aware the 2008 Harper budget does the following?
*increase military spending by $12 billion over the next 20 years;
*spend $26 million to introduce biometric data into the visas of foreign nationals;
*place a priority on the Security and Prosperity Partnership;
*ignore cleaning up the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River, but dedicate millions to guarding their perimeter?”
Ms. May said that the budget is a fraud in claims of increased environmental spending. In comparing total environment spending, as calculated by the Harper government, it would seem that spending had gone up, from $853 million (2005-2006) to $957 million (2008-2009). But in the section Ensuring a Cleaner, Healthier Environment, the largest amount of funding $300 million is for Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, for its new design reactor and for the legacy problems at the Chalk River facility.
“Another unspecified amount lies in the Accelerated Capital Cost Allowance for CO2 pipelines, which is a subsidy to the production of oil,” said Ms. May. “CO2 is used in enhanced recovery of oil. Even without discounting the $229 million for carbon capture and storage research, once one removes nuclear and big oil subsidies, the amount for the environment drop to $657 million.”
Ms. May also highlighted the Harper government’s abandonment of the Speech from the Throne commitment to enhanced science for a fresh water strategy. The Speech from the Throne stated that “A new water strategy will be implemented to help clean up our major lakes and oceans” yet the Harper government failed to include steps to address this commitment in the budget.
“Another deeply troubling facet of the budget is that it has opened national parks to privatization,” said Ms. May
“The aggressive militarization and privatization agenda is deeply disturbing and the Green Party will draw attention to the Harper government’s true colours at every opportunity.”

Killing Polar Bears For Sport Still Allowed in Canada!

2008-03-10T14:17:00.000-07:00

Three conservation groups are suing the U.S. government for failing to meet a deadline on whether to list polar bears as a threatened species.
The Center for Biological Diversity, the Natural Resources Defence Council and Greenpeace are suing the government in Federal Court in San Francisco, the Associated Press reported Monday.
The groups contend sea ice loss is getting worse due to global warming.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been reviewing the possibility of listing polar bears as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act since December 2006, when Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne proposed it amid concerns that climate change is melting Arctic sea ice.
Listing polar bears as threatened would require U.S. federal agencies to make sure anything they do does not jeopardize the bears or the Arctic sea ice where they live. That could affect oil and gas exploration, commercial shipping or even releases of pollution that might affect climate.
A decision was due Jan. 9, but two months later there's still no final word from the U.S. government.
The service's recommendation is being closely watched in Northern Canada, particularly in Nunavut, where polar bears are hunted by Americans and Canadians for sport, which can pay Inuit guides thousands of dollars per hunt.
The Nunavut government opposes listing polar bears as a threatened species over concerns it could potentially bar U.S. hunters from bringing the hides of the animals back home with them, severely limiting the appeal of the hunt.
Environment Minister John Baird has said Canada will not necessarily follow the lead of the U.S. should it decide to list polar bears as a threatened species.
Scientists have said it would be difficult for Canada to justify not giving polar bears a similar designation if the U.S. does so.

CANADIANS ARE UNKNOWINGLY EATING TOXIC FOOD

2008-03-08T11:44:00.001-08:00

Please, start looking for a health food store, an organic grocery store, and local organic farmers or CSAs in your neighbourhood, it will not only save your health, but the health of our next generation and the life of our planet, we call Mother Earth.
An international report on GE crop contamination has shown multinational companies such as Bayer and Monsanto are turning a blind eye to cases of GE contamination on a global scale, and British Columbians are paying the price with their health. Greenpeace International and GeneWatch UK issued the report today, entitled GM Contamination Register Report 2007, which documents 10 incidents of GE contamination in Canada. These include an illegal variety of GE rice discovered by Greenpeace in supermarkets in both Vancouver and Montreal.
The report also exposes 39 new instances of crop contamination in 23 countries over the past year. Most of the contamination involved such staple crops as rice and corn, but also included soy, cotton, canola, papaya and fish. Over the past 10 years, the GM Contamination Register (www.gmcontaminationregister.org) has recorded 216 incidents of contamination in 57 countries.
"Here in Canada, there is very little government testing for unauthorized and unwanted contamination, as we saw last year when consumers had to wait for independent testing by Greenpeace to find out they had been exposed to a variety of illegally genetically engineered rice," said Greenpeace Agriculture Campaigner Josh Brandon.
thank you to Greenpeace for putting up the fight!

SUMMER OF CHANGE 2009; ENDING THE INJUSTICE

2008-03-08T08:26:00.000-08:00

Canadians from across the country have been emailing us, wanting to volunteer, speak, play music and set up their own booths on the issue that they are passionate about, which is absolutely amazing. The one thing that makes me smile these days is the fact, and it is a fact, that there are a lot of Canadians who do know about the injustices that are happening in our country, and they want to do something about it. That is why we are having this festival in the first place, because it can be very hard to resurface from all the political injustices, and believe that change can happen. CHANGE CAN HAPPEN, and it happens when disgruntled Canadians UNITE in their passion for positive change in a non-violent manner, and SHARE their knowledge with other Canadians that are like-minded or just plain curious. Vegan Mountain is moving to the West Kootenays this spring, and with our volunteers, we are going to be kick starting our plans for being sustainable and off-grid; one of the biggest political moves one can make in this oil and money hungry system. We are about unity, not ladder-climbing, money-laundering, or material wealth. We do believe in equality, with all species: animal, human, plant and other; this is not a dream it can be a reality, and as we have found out, many Canadians share the same belief, it is just that the corporate-paid media do not want us to know that we exist! So, if you are reading this, and are thinking that you also want to join us, maybe as a volunteer, a participant, a speaker, a musician, a booth owner, an artist or something else that you think Summer of Change 2009 should include, then email us at veganmountain@gmail.com, where the grassroots-at-heart meet.

WHO CARES ABOUT OUR CHILDREN ANYWAY?

2008-03-08T06:51:00.000-08:00

Just thought you might want to know how our failing childcare system and the present Conservative government go together!
OTTAWA – The Green Party is celebrating International Women’s Day and calling for a renewed focus on achieving equality for women in Canada.
“The situation for women has improved immensely over the past century, but there is much work to be done. Women still earn only about 70 percent of what men take home,” said Green Party leader Elizabeth May. “Unfortunately, the situation has been made worse by the regressive actions of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who has done more damage to issues important to women in two years than many of us thought possible. Last year, Canada slipped from 14th to 18th place in terms of women’s equality.”
Ms. May noted that the Harper government has eroded progress towards women’s rights in Canada by eliminating the word “equality” from the mandate of Status of Women Canada, prohibited advocacy activities of women’s organization funded by Status of Women and canceled the Court Challenges program, which was accessible to promote Charter rights. The Harper government has also killed federal-provincial child care agreements and failed to create new child care spaces.
“The Green Party considers it crucial to implement the recommendations of the Federal Pay Equity Task force, something the Conservative government has failed to do,” she said. “We also recognize that women’s access to education and participation in the workforce is necessary to achieve equality. But equity will never become reality unless we can ensure adequate maternity benefits and full access to affordable childcare, among other measures.”

Canada's Present Sees Water Shortage and Environmental Break-Down

2008-03-07T11:13:00.000-08:00

So, I really wanted to post something positive, and I will, I promise! But, with the new report in on Canada's environmental future, which includes drought and a SHORTAGE OF WATER, well, I wasn't feeling so happy; especially since we are still giving away our natural resources freely in our dreaded NAFTA agreement and our involvement in SPP, the Security and Prosperity Partenership with the US and Mexico. Yup, my worst nightmares are coming true, and the scary thing is that this environmental nightmare is happening NOW, yes, in the present; we are not talking about the future, because that is even bleaker if we don't start making CHANGES. Please, this is my plea to my fellow Canadians, to my friends, to my family, PLEASE MAKE CHANGES. Let us put our environment first, let's get sustainable, let's demand that our government does the same, we have to do this, we have to change, we have to drive less, we have to conserve water, we have to get solar and wind power, we have to buy less, we have to buy local organic products, we have to make sacrifices. Money and the eight hour job does not promise us happiness; health and love for our fellow humans and wildlife does. We may think everything is fine because our health is good, and our job is making us money, but with a drinking shortage, toxic air conditions, an agricultural break down (yup, our food), severe storms and oil shortages hitting Canada these days, we won't be happy for long unless we make serious changes. I am up for it, what about you?!
Here is some info on the report from cbc:
Canada can expect to see more devastating storms and extreme weather because of climate change, a yet-to-be released federal report concludes.
The report, prepared by more than 100 Canadian scientists on behalf of Canada's Department of Natural Resources, will be made public soon, but CBC News has learned some of the details it contains from several people involved in compiling the report.
Ice storms, like the 1998 storm that hit Eastern Canada, will be more frequent in Canada's future.
(Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press)
The report focuses on the impact climate change will have on the country, in terms of the weather it will generate, and the effects on areas like infrastructure, energy production and drinking water.
The report, the first of its kind done for the federal government in 10 years, says Canada can expect more ice storms, torrential downpours, floods, droughts and landslides, as well more days of extreme heat and smog.
The report says the increase of extreme weather has already begun, and will only get worse.
"The models predict as we go into the future that those events will be more frequent than they have been in the recent past," said Gordon McBean, a geography professor at the University of Western Ontario in London.
McBean was one of the scientists involved in the report.
He said the extreme weather will mean more insurance claims from damaged homes and property, while the country's roads and bridges will take a beating. Coastlines in some communities will erode more rapidly than usual.
Canada will have to adapt, McBean said.
"What's really important is that as we invest in rebuilding that infrastructure, we build it for the climate of the future, not the climate of the past."
In Iqaluit, Nunavut, subdivisions are already being built to withstand more rain in areas that were once considered Arctic desert, but are now seeing warmer weather.
Drinking water shortage
While some communities will be coping with more rain, others may endure droughts lasting a decade or more. Western Canada, in particular, could face short winters and long, dry summers.
Water levels in rivers in Alberta and British Columbia are already dropping significantly, as are the levels of the Great Lakes.
The result could be a shortage of drinking water, the report says.
It also warns that industries that rely on water — oil, gas, hydroelectricity, agriculture, even salmon fishing — will also suffer, while there could be an increase in forest fires.

ARE YOU HELPING THE DEVIL?

2008-03-04T15:43:00.000-08:00

Hope you know where your food and new clothing is coming from, because if you don't you may be contributing to child labour; now those new slim fit jeans don't look so sexy...
Monsanto dominates the global seed industry and churns out $1 billion a year in profit. Investors are so enamored of its market power and profitability that they've bid up its share price by nearly 1500 percent since 2004.
So why does Monsanto rely on farms that use child labor to cultivate its genetically modified cotton seeds in India? From Forbes Magazine:
Yothi Ramulla Naga is 4 feet tall. From sunup to sundown she is hunched over in the fields of a cottonseed farm in southern India, earning 20 cents an hour. Farmers in the Uyyalawada region process high-tech cottonseeds genetically engineered to contain a natural pesticide, on behalf of U.S. agriculture giant Monsanto. To get the seeds to breed true the farmers have to cross-pollinate the plants, a laborious task that keeps a peak of a dozen workers busy for several months on just one acre. And to make a profit the farmers have to use cheap labor. That means using kids like Jyothi, who says she's 15 but looks no older than 12.
It gets worse. To keep these monocropped cottonseed fields free of pests, farmers lean heavily on pesticides. As Forbes points out, kids' small hands are better than adults' at for doing tedious work with seeds; but "their bodies are no better at withstanding the poisons." Here we go:
At least once a week ... farmers spray the fields with pesticides like Nuvacron, banned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and endosulfan, methomyl and Metasystox, considered by the EPA to be highly toxic. [An NGO representative] ticks off the effects of overexposure: diarrhea, nausea, difficulty in breathing, convulsions, headaches and depression.
As is the case with chocolate -- another industry wherein huge corporations rely on kid workers in pesticide-laden fields -- the problem of child labor in India's cottonseed fields comes down to price. Monsanto doesn't want the bad publicity associated with child labor, so it pressures the farmers who grow its seeds to use only adults in the field.
But it doesn't pay them enough to be profitable without using the cheapest, most compliant labor possible -- and that means kids, Forbes reports.
The article also makes an excellent connection between what the way the GMO seed giants operate in India and the way giant poultry producers like Tyson do business here:
Monsanto's competitors, the Swiss Syngenta and the German Bayer, also contract with farmers in India to produce seed. For all three the arrangement is like the one that governs chicken production in the U.S., with a giant corporation supplying inputs to a small farmer and then picking up the output at harvest time.
Thank you to Forbes and the COC for this article, and let us unite and help take this world from the greedy and let's preserve what little peace and love for all humans, creatures and wildlife we have left, it is not too late!

PLEASE HELP UNTIE THE NOOSE AROUND CANADA'S NECK!

2008-03-02T14:55:00.000-08:00

Please help end Canada's slavery to the United States by saying NO TO NAFTA. Just simply cut and paste this sample letter and send it to Barack Obama by going to the “Obama ‘08” website at http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/contact2 or by e-mailing info@barackobama.com. To send your message to Hillary Clinton, go to the “Hillary for President” website at http://www.hillaryclinton.com/help/contact/ or e-mail comments@hillaryclinton.com. If you go to their websites, it only takes a few moments to fill in the required fields and you can leave the “state” field empty.
Sample letter:

Dear Senator Obama / Clinton,

I join with the Council of Canadians in thanking you for your recent statements in support of the renegotiation or abrogation of NAFTA.
As reported in one of our national newspapers, the Globe and Mail, “Both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton would withdraw the United States from the North American Free Trade Agreement within six months after becoming president, unless the agreement were completely renegotiated...Ms. Clinton said she would demand new environmental and labour provisions, and a new dispute-resolution mechanism, and would eliminate the right of outsiders to sue the United States for enacting measures to protect jobs."
While your critics have stated that your comments were not genuine, we trust that you have made a sincere commitment to address the failings of NAFTA if you were to become president on January 20, 2009.
While we have raised the same criticisms as you about NAFTA with our prime minister, he has disregarded our concerns. In fact, when he was last in the United States he told an audience in New York City that, “Now I know NAFTA has become somewhat of a whipping boy to some in the United States, just as it is to some in Mexico and even to some in Canada. But the fact is that NAFTA has been unequivocally good for all of our countries. In spite of the naysayers and the doomsdayers, I could recite a litany of economic statistics to demonstrate its success – which is why virtually nobody, not even the critics, dares suggest to rip it up."
Your comments this week suggest that our prime minister might want to reconsider his statement to your citizenry.
Our prime minister has suggested that if you were to open NAFTA to renegotiation, he would have his own list of concessions to discuss. While he has not shared this list with the Canadian public, we hope that it would include at least these two areas:

WATER: In June 2007, our House of Commons voted 134 to 108 to open NAFTA talks to make sure bulk water exports are excluded. This motion called for a formal letter of agreement with the United States and Mexico to make sure bulk water will never be defined as a good or service under NAFTA.

ENERGY: Canada exported 1.86 million barrels of oil a day to your country in 2007. That same year, we had to import 851,000 barrels of oil per day for our own needs from countries such as Algeria, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. It is doubtless time that our prime minister considers our own energy security as much as your country recognizes the importance of its own energy needs.

We would also like to draw special attention to recent comments about the Security and Prosperity Partnership summits. Senator Obama wrote in the Dallas Morning News, "Starting my first year in office, I will convene annual meetings with Mr. Calderon and the prime minister of Canada. Unlike similar summits under President Bush, these will be conducted with a level of transparency that represents the close ties among our three countries. We will seek the active and open involvement of citizens, labor, the private sector and non-governmental organizations in setting the agenda and making progress."
We have repeatedly made the demand to our prime minister that the Security and Prosperity Partnership should be brought before the legislatures of all three countries involved, and subject to the democratic scrutiny of public hearings, debate and votes. Our prime minister has rejected these calls – as well as demands that the SPP process be opened to civil society - and has insisted on singularly pursuing the input of the North American Competitiveness Council, an exclusive corporate-only advisory board.
In closing, you should also know that Canadians overwhelmingly hope that a Democrat will win the White House. On January 7, Canadian Press reported that, "A new (Canadian Press/ Harris Decima) poll suggests Canadians would root en masse for whichever leading Democrat winds up facing the Republicans in this year’s U.S. presidential election...The survey, provided exclusively to The Canadian Press, said 49 per cent of Canadians expressed a fondness for the Democrats while only 12 per cent did the same for Republicans."
The Council of Canadians believes that public debate is at the heart of any democracy, and we are dismayed that our prime minister seems to rule debate on NAFTA and the SPP as out of order. We believe that change and renewal are key aspects of any thriving nation, and as such reject our prime minister’s statements that the 15-year old NAFTA is somehow sacrosanct and should never be renegotiated for the betterment of the people, environment and democracies of Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
Again, we thank you for your stated commitments on NAFTA and the SPP that suggest to us that change is possible.

Sincerely,

WORKING A HARD EIGHT-HOUR DAY FOR THE DEVIL

2008-02-28T12:37:00.001-08:00

I never really cared about the budget, until I learned where all that money is going, yup, to the Corporates once again. Isn't it time to stop the suffering that these polluting organizations unleash onto us, the innocent bystanders. It is us and our poor helpless Mother Earth that are the victims of this quest for money and power that our government continues to exploit for their own money-hungry purposes. While they are drinking their bottled water, we will be wading in red frothing oceans and eating diseased, pus-filled animals, and pesticide induced vegetables. I say we put that budget money (which is once again our hard earned cash!) into something that will benefit US AND MOTHER EARTH, now that is progress!
OTTAWA - The Green Party is rejecting the Conservative budget as a budget with no vision that fails to provide responsible leadership on the economy or the environment.
"I look at this Conservative budget", said Green Party deputy leader Adriane Carr, "and I see a big group of ostriches with their heads stuck in the tar sands."
"There's no vision," said Carr. "While other countries are growing strong, sustainable economies based on conserving energy and developing clean renewable energy, the Conservatives are entrenching our reliance on fossil fuels."
Carr noted that the single biggest initiative regarding global warming in this budget allocates $250 million to sequester carbon from coal-fired electricity.
"The Conservatives are taking Canada backwards instead of forward," said Carr.
"The nuclear industry is not the way to go, either," said Carr. 'This budget puts $300 million in new nuclear technology. Given the long-term health, environmental and international security problems related to nuclear energy, our government should invest instead in Canada's vast solar, wind, tidal and geothermal resources," stated Carr.
Ms. Carr said that a carbon tax, coupled with green tax-shifting, is critical to both addressing climate change and developing clean, renewable energy. Just yesterday, the new David Suzuki Foundation report, co-authored with economist Mark Jaccard, concluded that a carbon tax will not only help solve the climate crisis but will represent a significant opportunity for Canadians to save on taxes and will keep our economy strong."

MAD COW NIGHTMARE RESURFACES!

2008-02-27T15:36:00.000-08:00

Need another reason to get off the fleshy stuff, we call animal meat, well, read on...
Massive Beef Recall Follows Mad Cow Scare
USDA orders recall of 143 million pounds of frozen beef
By Mark Huffman ConsumerAffairs.Com
February 17, 2008
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is recalling 143 million pounds of frozen beef in the wake of a video showing so-called downer cattle being prepared for slaughter at a California plant. The recall includes beef products produced after February 1, 2006 at the Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. in Chino.
A consumer group said the recall was the result of a "terrible failure" by the USDA and said consumers are losing confidence in the safety of the American food supply.
The release of the video earlier this month by the Humane Society of the U.S. triggered a USDA investigation of the plant and an immediate suspension of production.
Of particular concern is the fact the plant has been a major supplier of meat to the federal school lunch program.
The recall was announced over the weekend after USDA investigators concluded the downer cattle were slaughtered, along with healthy cattle. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer says investigators uncovered evidence the plant violate numerous health regulations. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) noted that there have been more than 20 beef recalls in the last 20 months.
"This recall is the result of a terrible failure of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s mandate since 1906 to ensure that sick animals are not slaughtered for human food. Once again, USDA is in reactive mode—taking steps to protect the public long after a highly publicized animal welfare scandal," said CSPI Food Safety Director Caroline Smith DeWaal. The slaughter of downer cattle set off alarm bells among investigators because not being able to walk is one of the symptoms of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, otherwise known as Mad Cow Disease.
There are strict rules that are supposed to keep meat from infected cows out of cattle feed – much less the human food supply. In addition, Schafer says the fact the cows weren't inspected raises all sorts of other alarming possibilities, including foodborne pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella. "Along with all Americans who watched the Humane Society's disturbing videos, we are concerned with the mistreatment of animals at Westland Meat Co. We are writing today because of urgent concerns this incident raises about food safety in the National School Lunch Program and the implications for our children's health and well-being," the lawmakers wrote in their letter. Despite these steps by the USDA, the lawmakers cited serious concerns about the overall effectiveness of the federal government's effort to ensure the safety of meat on the school food supply. To date, no independent investigation has been launched into the safety of the schools' meat supply.

Unite With Fort Chipewyan Against Corruption by Our Government!

2008-02-27T05:11:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends and Allies,
Please join with members of Fort Chipewyan this Saturday to demand justice for their community.
Out of control tarsands development is having disastrous impacts on the environment and health of people throughout Alberta. Increasing numbers of the small aboriginal community of Fort Chipewyan (downstream from the Alberta Tar Sands) are being diagnosed and dying from rare cancers and other auto-immune diseases. A recent water study confirmed that the water in Fort Chipewyan had increased levels of arsenic, mercury and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and was not safe for consumption, particularly in the fish eaten by local residents.
The study further supports the Mikisew Cree's recent call for a moratorium on tar sands development.
But as stated by Councillor Russell Kaskamin of the Mikisew Cree First Nation, "The Federal and Provincial governments are continuing to issue approvals for projects despite all of the uncertainties with the true environmental effects of oilsands development. This analysis suggests that we can no longer continue to exercise our rights to harvest foods due to the uncertainty of potential health risks."
Demand Justice for Fort Chipewyan!!!
Rally at the Alberta Legislature in Edmonton
March 1st, 1:00 pm
And Vigil at Parliament Hill in Ottawa
March 1st, 7:00pm
And, if you can’t make it either of these events, you can still take action by signing a letter to both the Alberta Government and Canadian Government to demand that they take action. Please sign on here.
It is time to demand justice for the Mikisew Cree and the residents of Fort Chipewyan.
Contact: George Poitras at george.poitras@shawbiz.ca, Lindsey Telfer at Lindsay@sierraclub.org or Mike at mhudema@greenpeace.org for more information about the Edmonton action, or Jessie at jessie@polarisinstitute.org for more information about the action in Ottawa.
And, if you haven’t done so already please join 37 Alberta based organizations, 31 national and international groups, prominent individuals like Stephen Lewis, Dr. David Schindler and Reverend Bill Phipps and over 2000 individuals who have signed on to a pledge stating NO NEW APPROVALS on tar sands development!
Jessie Kalman
Tar Sands Watch Campaigner
Polaris Institute
jessie@polarisinstitute.org
(613) 237-1717 ext. 106
mobile (613) 698-8222
www.tarsandswatch.org

The Canadian Government Caught in Seal Pup Slaughter!

2008-02-25T14:12:00.000-08:00

This has been an extremely distressing day: First Stephane Dion wimps out on us and passively lets Stephen Harper continue the war on the Afghanistan people to 2011 and beyond, a disgusting slaughter on its own...But hey, if we are going to slaughter humans, why not kill seal pups too, and while you are at it, you might as well kill off the poor, the prisoners, the naysayers, the first born child of every family...Wait this sounds very familiar....I thought you might want to know that the Canadian government no longer gives a sh*t about us, nor anything living thing on this earth, they just want too fill their pockets with money, their fat cat friends' pockets with money and laugh at us as we are crying for JUSTICE! LET US UNITE! WE HAVE TO, IT IS GOING TO BE TOO LATE, WE MUST FIGHT NO MATTER WHAT! Come on Canadians let's kick these fat cats out, let's stop putting our cash into their fat pockets, lets get sustainable, lets email their asses off, and lets spread the word!
Here is an excerpt on the inhumane seal hunt, and also check out another article on Canadian Press, our government is absolutely and totally corrupt. Sign the petition here
Article By Rebecca Aldworth (Humane Society International)
This spring marks a macabre anniversary for me: It is the tenth year I have observed commercial seal hunting in Canada at close range. In that decade, I’ve seen things that still haunt me every day and night. But nothing could have prepared me for what I just witnessed in Nova Scotia.
Two weeks ago, the government of Nova Scotia and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans opened a protected nature reserve to commercial seal hunters. Fishermen were authorized to club more than 2,000 baby grey seals [PDF] to death on Hay Island, a part of the protected Scaterie Island Wilderness Area off Cape Breton.
I and my colleagues from Humane Society International and the Humane Society of the United States—along with a representative from the Atlantic Canadian Anti-Sealing Coalition—traveled to the site of the massacre by ZodiacTM.
Before the hunters arrived, Hay Island was a stunning, wild, and windswept vista. A tiny plot of land off the larger Scaterie Island, it faces directly onto the Atlantic Ocean. Its stone beaches surround grassy, snow-covered hills—the habitat of grey seal mothers and their pups.
Everywhere across the island, seal pups nursed from their mothers, their soft calls drowned out by the sounds of the ocean waves crashing onto the rocky shores in the distance. Some of the newborn pups were covered in white fur; others, a few days older, had already moulted their white coats. The moulted pups have the most valuable skins, and the hunters meant to kill them.
On the opening day of the seal hunt, we arrived at Hay Island after the killing had already begun. We climbed out of our ZodiacTM onto the rocky beach, facing a high ridge beyond which we could not see. As we clambered over it, we noticed a steel pail in which sealers had left wooden bats covered in blood—an ominous indicator of what lay ahead. Directly behind the bloody pail lay a newborn whitecoat seal pup, crying pitifully. She was terrified and bewildered, unable to comprehend the violence happening around her. Her calls struck a chord deep within me. There is something about the misery of a newborn creature, confronted with violence even adult humans cannot stand to watch, that defines exactly why commercial seal hunting must end.
As I looked up, it took a full minute for me to understand what I was seeing in front of me. Hunters had herded moulted pups, newborn seals, and mothers together into groups. They bashed the moulted pups with their crude wooden bats, slicing them open with box cutters. Inches away, the mothers tried to put themselves between their babies and the sealers, but they were no match for these men armed with wooden bats.
“Come here, little buddy, I have something for you,” yelled out one sealer as he ran directly at a terrified pup huddling in a crevice beside a rock. Without a second of hesitation, the sealer raised his bloody bat and struck the seal pup. The repeated thuds of the clubs against the skulls of the grey seal pups sounded out across the island, constant and sickening.
Soon, the grass and snow of Hay Island was covered in vast pools of blood. The surviving newborn pups were moving miserably through the carnage, red blood smeared across their white fur. Bloody trails led away from the killing sites to the areas where dead pups were being winched onto a sealing boat stationed just off the island.
I saw my horror at the scene reflected in the some of the faces of the government officials there. No one could watch this brutality and remain unaffected. Even the sealers seemed to realize there was something wrong with what they were doing; they would deliberately stand in front of our cameras to prevent us from filming as they smashed in the skulls of the baby seals.
I moved through the killing fields, apologizing to the surviving pups, over and over again. The site of their home, their sanctuary, being turned into an open air slaughterhouse by these ruthless invaders was too much to bear. What had once been one of Nova Scotia’s wilderness treasures had been destroyed by the commercial sealing industry.
It is unthinkable that the Canadian government is allowing grey seals to be slaughtered commercially. By 1949, commercial hunting had almost wiped out this population, and it has only begun to recover to any real extent in recent years. While the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has attempted to portray this recovery as a population increase, it is hard for any population not to increase when it is starting at close to zero.
Fishermen have long scapegoated grey seals for the impact of destructive commercial fishing methods on fish stocks. They say that grey seals are preventing fish stocks from recovering, despite the fact that there is not a shred of evidence anywhere in the world that this is the case. But despite this, the Canadian government allows fishermen to promote the myth that killing grey seals will somehow help the ecosystem to recover. And that is exactly how the Canadian government and the government of Nova Scotia have tried to sell this devastating slaughter to the public.
But it won’t work. We will hold the government of Nova Scotia and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans accountable for their behaviour. The footage we filmed is being provided to governments around the world to show the depths to which the Canadian government will sink to appease the fishing industry lobby. We will not forget the suffering of the grey seals. And the horrible deaths of these seal pups over the past two weeks will not be in vain.
A local supporter from Cape Breton remarked to me after our first day of filming the grey seal slaughter, “I’ve always thought the grey seal hunt would end the harp seal hunt in Canada.” She believes the cruelty of this slaughter, which occurs in areas people can see it, will wake up Atlantic Canadians to the reasons why all commercial seal hunting must end.
She may well be right.
As we prepare to depart for the much larger harp seal hunt just a few weeks from now, I hold that thought in my mind.
The end is coming for the commercial sealing industry in Canada. Allowing the grey seal slaughter to happen in the Hay Island sanctuary was the biggest mistake the Canadian government could have made. They will live to regret it.

Another reason to END THE WAR!

2008-02-24T07:34:00.000-08:00

I have just come out of the flu, feeling stronger than ever to fight for peace and justice. While in bed, i got the chance to read up on the environmental catastrophes that human beings, especially the government of Canada, have, and still are, to and even greater degree causing on our country. It is disgusting that we are in a war with a Middle Eastern country that we are treating like a colony; while our own country is failing in democracy itself. We have been rendered voiceless by this government that would rather spend 7 billion in a war against another country, rather than clean up its own act in its own land and sea. Our environment and its inhabitants are suffering immensely, and it is just getting worse. We need to take a stand NOW, it will be too late if we wait for this government to take action. WE MUST TAKE ACTION. I know, I have a job and a family too, that is no excuse, actually, it gives us an even greater reason to fight for environmental welfare, animal welfare, clean air, and clean water. We have to stop this war now, it is not in anyones interest except for the pockets of the fat cats in government and the armament-building corporations. We are in this war so as to make money for those who build military weapons and aircraft, for the Bush administration and all his fat cats, and for the Canadian government's own pockets. This is about making money for those in power, it has NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WELFARE OF AFGHANS! We could be spending our tax dollars on our own desperate needs...We have so much clean up to do in our own country; there are piles upon piles of chemical wastelands waiting to be cleaned up, there are thousand of Canadians deserving compensation for becoming ill due to coporate industrial practices; there are thousand of small farmers who are in great need of subsidies; there are species who are in dire need for land space and healthy habitats...and on and on and on...LET'S GET OUT OF AFGHANISTAN AND START PUTTING OUR TAX DOLLARS WHERE WE CANADIANS NEED IT! Email our leaders (email contacts can be found in previous blog entries), vote for a GREEN leader, talk to those around you, and LET'S UNITE!
I found this article on CBC.ca for uptodate catastrophes in Afghanistan...
Canada's top soldier urged Parliament to come to a quick decision on the country's role in Afghanistan, warning that lengthy debate may put soldiers increasingly at risk as the Taliban take advantage of the uncertainty.
Gen. Rick Hillier said on Friday that the Taliban are watching Canada's debate on the Afghan mission and may increase attacks on the country's soldiers if they perceive weakness.
"We are, in the eyes of the Taliban, in a window of extreme vulnerability, and the longer we go without that clarity, with the issue in doubt, the more the Taliban will target us as a perceived weak link," Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier said Friday.
Speaking at a meeting of the Conference of Defence Associations, a military advocacy group, Hillier referred to recent attacks in Afghanistan.
A spate of suicide bombings hit southern Afghanistan earlier this week, including one attack that targeted a Canadian convoy, slightly wounding three soldiers.
Hillier wouldn't definitively say the suicide bombings were linked to political debate in Canada.
But he warned that if the Taliban sense weakness, they may try to take advantage of it and attack Canadian soldiers to prevent a cohesive mission.
The longer the Canadian Forces go without clarity about the mission, the more difficult it will be to protect the soldiers, he told reporters after the speech.
Ottawa is in the midst of deciding what form Canada's military presence should take past its current end-date of February 2009.
While debate is necessary, Hillier said, there has to be a decision at the end of it.
Debate unavoidable, Dion reiterates
Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion repeated his assertion Friday that debate is unavoidable.
"I think the Taliban want to kill our soldiers anyway. It's a dangerous mission, I know," Dion told reporters in Winnipeg.
"We are a pluralist democracy and we're fighting to be sure that Afghanistan too, one day, will be a pluralist democracy where people may debate without being in danger of their lives."
Dion is not making any commitment to back a revised Conservative motion on Afghanistan, a proposal intended to bridge the gap between the government and the opposition Liberals.
But he said the government has moved toward the Liberal position and much progress has been made.
"Our brave men and women in uniform are risking their lives, it's true, which is why I would prefer not to have an election with that as a trigger," he said.
NATO general expects allies to offer troops
The new motion, which Harper revealed before the same group Hillier addressed, calls for the mission to be renewed past 2009 but with a focus on reconstruction and training of Afghan troops, and for all Canadian troops to leave Afghanistan by December 2011.
Previously, the Conservative government had put forward a motion that left the mission open to renewal in 2011 and would have seen the military continue in a combat role.
The latest motion still makes Canada's continued presence in the volatile Kandahar region contingent on whether NATO allies provide 1,000 extra troops and Ottawa secures additional equipment.
Also on Friday, Canadian Gen. Ray Henault, who chairs NATO's military committee, said he believes other countries will be able to contribute the extra troops Canada requires to continue its mission in Afghanistan.
"I am confident that NATO nations will come to the assistance of Canada," said Henault. "We'll source the additional personnel requirements that Canada has called for in the south."
Motion won't restrict military operations
Canadian soldiers have been keeping a close eye on the Afghan mission debate, Hillier said, and all they ask is that the government give them a clear mandate.
"They do ask … that they get that clarity of purpose as soon as we can give it to them."
Troops also need flexibility on the ground to not only defend themselves but to ensure security by going out and finding insurgents, he said.
He noted that over the past few months Canadian soldiers have hunted down six senior Taliban leaders who orchestrated attacks against coalition forces.
Hillier said he doesn't have any concerns that the current government motion will restrict his soldiers' flexibility on the ground.
The prime minister said Thursday that both the Liberals and Conservatives agree that operational decisions should be left up to the commanders overseeing the mission in Afghanistan. -CBC

Wanted: Climate Leaders

2008-02-16T13:36:00.001-08:00

OTTAWA, Canada — Greenpeace marked the third anniversary of the Kyoto Protocol coming into force by projecting the words "Wanted: Climate Leaders" on the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa this evening. Activists holding candles also held vigil in protest of Canada’s lack of progress on combating global warming.
The projection, measuring roughly 15m x 15m, lit up the Parliament Buildings’ Centre Block at approximately 7:00 p.m. and remained there for 30 minutes. Greenpeace activists left the site confident their message had been delivered.
"This is a message to everyone on Parliament Hill that global warming is at your doorstep and it’s time to show some leadership on reducing greenhouse gas emissions," said Dave Martin, Climate and Energy campaign co-ordinator for Greenpeace Canada. "The Kyoto anniversary is a sad day for all Canadians who have seen a lot of hot air from Parliament contribute to rising global temperatures."
When Parliament ratified the Kyoto Protocol in December 2002, it agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions six per cent below 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012. The Protocol took effect internationally on 16 February 2005. However, by the end that year, emissions had increased 33 per cent above our Kyoto target, placing Canada among the worst countries in the world for reducing emissions.
"With a federal election around the corner, it’s not just the responsibility of politicians to show leadership on climate change, but also the voting public who are going to fill the position in our want ad," said Martin.
Greenpeace is calling for Canada to honour its Kyoto commitment and then move on to further deep reductions that will see greenhouse gas emissions reduced at least 25 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020, and 80 per cent by 2050.

PEACE COOKIE TOUR!

2008-02-16T09:39:00.000-08:00

PEACE COOKIE WEEK
Come get a yummy vegan peace cookie and support environmental and political peace!
Where? The Vegetarian Lunchbox (420 Main St. Wolfville)
When? March 3-7 (M-F store hours)
THE PEACE COOKIE TOUR WILL TRAVEL ACROSS CANADA IN APRIL, BE ON THE LOOKOUT CANADIANS!
All donations go to fund the Summer of Change Festival 2009; a national event promoting sustainability, environmental awareness, holistic living and more!

With Knowledge We Fight!

2008-02-16T09:23:00.000-08:00

Why Are We in Afghanistan?
by Jason Kunin
November 23, 2007

There are probably still a few people among the hardcore supporters of Canada’s war in Afghanistan who believe we’re there to restore peace, create democracy, and help women go to school. Yet among opponents, whose numbers are growing, the most common analysis is that we’re there to please the U.S. and to atone for the fact that Canada did not send troops to Iraq – complaints often rooted in a lament for a romanticized Canada, the "honest broker," the "peacekeeping" nation.

Whatever our reasons for invading Afghanistan in the first place, our reasons for still being there have little to do with simply pleasing the United States and everything to do with the usually causes of war: self-interest and profit. And all Canadians are complicit whether they know it or not. Yes, there is a small group of Canadian companies getting rich off this war. But as the profits of these companies are feeding our pension funds and creating Canadian jobs, those of us in Canada who oppose this war cannot be under any illusion that our opposition is rooted in the simple struggle between private interest and the public good. To be against this war, we must not only accept the way in which we currently benefit from it, but we must be prepared to accept the consequences of ending it. Because the reality is that it cannot be ended without cost. Ultimately, beyond merely withdrawing from this war, we must meet the deeper challenge of untangling the dependency of our public sphere on the private profit of war profiteering.

Though negligible in terms of its military power, Canada profits from war in many ways. To start, we have the dubious honour of being the sixth largest supplier of military goods in the world. Between 1997 and 2002, Canada’s military exports rose from $23 million to $678 million. Since then, according to a recent CBC investigation (1), Canada’s military exports have tripled. Though under the Export and Import Permits Act, the government is supposed to report its military exports to parliament, for the past four years – that’s three successive governments, two Liberal and one Conservative – that has not happened. Keeping this information from the public is a trend that cuts across party lines.

So who is benefiting? One company now being targeted by anti-war activists in Canada (2) is SNC-Lavalin, one of Canada’s largest publicly traded companies and one of its largest arms manufacturers. SNC-Lavalin is a major supplier of bullets to both the Canadian and American militaries. Montreal-based CAE makes flight simulators, and in August they won $60 million in military contracts for U.S., German, British, and Canadian aircrafts (3). Last year, DRS Technologies Canada and L-3 Spar Aerospace Ltd. sold a combined $87 million in military gear to the Netherlands and Norway respectively – two countries with NATO troops in Afghanistan. General Dynamics of Canada, meanwhile, has supported the occupation of Iraq with a staggering $658 million in sales of military goods to the U.S. military in 2006. And all of this is just the tip of the iceberg. (4)

Canada does not have a military-industrial complex like the United States, though there are parallels. Certainly, like the U.S., Canada is seeing its defense industry take an increasingly central role in its domestic economy, with many jobs and related industries directly or indirectly dependent upon the sale of military goods. In the U.S., there is barely a single congressional district in which thousands of jobs do not depend upon the sale of arms and other supporting industries of war. Canada is not yet there, and unlike the U.S., it does not possess the world’s largest army upon whose imperial pursuits the arms industry depends for its lifeblood.

Since most sales of military goods do not go to the Canadian army, one might well ask why Canada would bother with the expense of keeping 2,500 troops in Afghanistan. The answer is that Canada has become a lynchpin in a mission that fuels a market for international arms sales. If Canada were to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan without securing replacements, the entire mission would risk collapse, bringing down with it the market for Canada’s military exports.

That’s not something any government of Canada is going to risk. The Canadian human rights group the Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT) reports that the Canada Pension Plan has invested over $2.55 billion in military and related industries both in Canada and abroad. This makes every Canadian, knowingly or unknowingly, a war profiteer. In 2005, Seven Oaks Magazine reported, "The [British Columbia] government controls the BC Investment Management Corporation, which in turn controls $63 billion in pension fund investments for the Municipal Pension Plan, the College Pension Plan, the Public Service Pension Plan and the Teachers Pension Plan. As of March 31, 2004, these investments included $4.6 billion worth of stock in 251 corporations producing war materiel and/or contracting to provide goods or services to the Pentagon." (5)

As a teacher who has tried unsuccessfully to get my union to adopt a policy of opposing to the presence of military recruiters in schools, I find the inclusion of the B.C. Teachers Pension Fund particularly troubling in this list of war profiteers. Institutionally, of course, teachers have always served the interests of state power – and in Ontario, where I teach, under the Education Act we are, in effect, owned by the state, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Yet I find it particularly dangerous when the state guardians of children in loco parentis have a vested interest in their charges becoming part of a war machine that lines their pension funds. This is very problematic.
For those who are troubled by the increasing militarization of Canadian society, ending Canada’s occupation of Afghanistan is only the beginning of the story. Yes, as the war grows more unpopular, Canada will likely withdraw its troops from active combat, and it may happen sooner than we think, though it will probably be the success of the Taliban’s roadside bombs, not public opinion, that will bring an end to Canada’s mission in Afghanistan. Yet unless we can unravel the increasing interdependency between military exporters and the public sphere in this country, we will have achieved only a temporary respite from the many more Afghanistans that will certainly follow.
Jason Kunin is a teacher in Toronto. He can be reached at jkunin@rogers.com.
Notes:
1.http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourview/2007/10/canadas_military_exports_soar.html. 2. See No One is Illegal campaign, http://users.resist.ca/noii-van.resist.ca/snc.html.
3. http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2007/08/07/cae-contracts.html. 4. Project Ploughshares, an ecumenical agency of the Canadian Council of Churches, publishes an excellent annual audit of arms sales in Canada, which it has posted at http://www.ploughshares.ca/libraries/monitor/mons07i.pdf.
5.http://www.sevenoaksmag.com/features/60_feat2.html.

ENOUGH OF THE PUPPETS!

2008-02-16T08:54:00.000-08:00

Canada is in bed with this guy, and the money hungry corporates behind him; need I say anything more?
Come to Summer of Change 2009, June 21-22 2009, and let's get some REAL people to lead our country, enough of the puppets!

BIG BROTHER HARPER ONCE AGAIN YIELDS HIS UGLY EYE!

2008-02-16T08:52:00.000-08:00

OTTAWA – The Green Party has criticized the Harper government's reinstatement of two anti-terrorism provisions from the Anti-Terrorism Act and warned that these measures may threaten fundamental Canadian values.

The investigative hearing provision allows a police officer to arrest someone and bring him or her before a judge to answer questions if the officer suspects that the person has knowledge of someone who is suspected of being involved in a terrorist activity. In addition, the preventive arrest provision allows a police officer to arrest someone without warrant if the officer suspects that the person is about to commit a terrorist attack.

These two measures were subject to a sunset clause which ensured that they would cease to apply unless they were extended by a resolution passed by both the House of Commons and the Senate.

"The government's primary responsibility is to ensure the safety and security of our communities," said Green Party leader Elizabeth May. "It is of great importance, however, that measures taken to protect the Canadian public from the threat of terrorism do not in turn threaten our fundamental rights as Canadians."

The Green Party is opposed to the investigative hearing and preventive arrest provisions for a number of reasons:

The provisions represent a substantial departure from Canadian legal traditions and their use may, over time, extend beyond terrorism offences to other offences within the Criminal Code;
No only does the obligation to give testimony seem to violate the right to remain silent, but the preventive arrest power is too broad because it can be based upon mere suspicion;
Because the provisions allow for arrests based upon suspected knowledge of others who are suspected of planning to commit offences, such provisions mean that those who volunteer information to the authorities could in turn find themselves subject to a preventive arrest or investigative hearing.
"We are wholly committed to ensuring the security of all Canadians and we will remain vigilant in our opposition to those who would threaten the safety of our communities," said Justice Critic Jared Giesbrecht. "However, we also believe what Canadians believe—true security will be gained from good governance and fair procedures that are administered according to the rule of law."

The safety of Canadians depends upon the effectiveness of our counter-terrorism and security laws. The Green Party views terrorism as an especially dangerous criminal offence. They are committed to ensuring our intelligence and law-enforcement agencies have adequate resources and the political leadership to deal effectively with these criminals.

"A responsible government will not sacrifice civil rights in the name of security. Doing so will actually open the door for greater injustice and insecurity," said Mr. Giesbrecht. "If our security policies are not consistent with the values of our society, they will serve to undermine the foundations of our society."
thanks to greenparty.ca for the update!

Goal: Overload Stephane Dion's Email Inbox and Help End the War!

2008-02-13T16:28:00.000-08:00

Easy, copy the letter below, paste it in your email, sign it with your name, and send it to Dion.S@parl.gc.ca
I am sick of the blind leading the blind, which seems to be our new foreign affairs mandate. The letter says it all...

Dear Stephane Dion,

I write at this time to encourage you to vote against the continuation of Canadian participation in the war in Afghanistan past 2009. The near genocide that is taking place in Afghanistan is unconscionable. The war is being sold to Canadians as a humanitarian war. Our instincts are to help the Afghan people who have known little but war for 25 years. However, more war is not the answer. This war goes back to 2001 when the Bush Government decided to bomb Afghanistan in retaliation for 9/ll even though no Afghanis were among the perpetrators. The Americans already had plans for the war in order to have access to oil from the Caspian Sea and other South Asian areas. We have lost sight of the origin of this war and try to convince ourselves we are doing it for the sake of the Afghan people. I believe we do it mainly to placate the Bush administration.

The Manley panel is composed of people very committed to good relations with the US, mainly for economic and trade reasons. Mr. Harper was very clever in selecting a Liberal, but a known pro-US and pro-Afghanistan War Liberal, to head the panel.

We must find an alternative way to help Afghanistan, with an emphasis on diplomacy, financial aid, NGO involvement and the United Nations. NATO, a war fighting organization, is not well suited for the required negotiations.

Our very best chance of ending the war in the near future is for you and your Liberal caucus to resolutely vote against extension. The majority of Canadians are against continuation of this war despite the continued propaganda from the government. I believe a well-run campaign by your party based on liberal values will enable you to win the election you may be forced to enter.

Sincerely,

YES, CANADA IS NOT JUST A TWO PARTY SYSTEM, SURPRISE!

2008-02-11T10:20:00.000-08:00

Surprise! Canada has a potentially incredible Leader, we just need to put a scratchy checkmark by her name, and SPREAD THE NEWS (read biography below!)! Now let us start that Green Revolution we have all been waiting for! It has been TOO DAMN LONG! I need the future of our children to be a much more positive one, that does not include war, corporate ass-kissing, environmental warfare, and ego-driven photo-ops (Harper shaking the hands of the Dalai Lama, while holding a gun to the Afghans, and spreading cancerous waste through the tar sands, is too traumatic to go into right now).
Elizabeth May - Biography
Elizabeth May is an environmentalist, writer, activist and lawyer. She has been active in the environmental movement since 1970. She first became known in the Canadian media in the mid-1970s through her leadership as a volunteer in the grassroots movement against aerial insecticide spraying proposed for forests near her home on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. The effort prevented aerial insecticide spraying from ever occurring in Nova Scotia. Years later, she and a local group of residents went to court to prevent herbicide spraying. Winning a temporary injunction in 1982 held off the spray programme, but after two years, the case was eventually lost. In the course of the litigation, her family sacrificed their home and seventy acres of land in an adverse court ruling to Scott Paper. However, by the time the judge ruled the chemicals were safe, 2,4,5-T’s export from the U.S, had been banned. The forests of Nova Scotia were spared being the last areas in Canada to be sprayed with Agent Orange.
Her volunteer work also included successful campaigns to prevent approval of uranium mining in Nova Scotia, and extensive work on energy policy issues, primarily opposing nuclear energy.
Elizabeth is a graduate of Dalhousie Law School and was admitted to the Bar in both Nova Scotia and Ontario. She has held the position of Associate General Counsel for the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, representing consumer, poverty and environment groups in her work.
In 1986, Elizabeth became Senior Policy Advisor to then federal Environment Minister, Tom McMillan. She was instrumental in the creation of several national parks, including South Moresby. She was involved in negotiating the Montreal Protocol to protect the ozone layer and new legislation and pollution control measures. In 1988, she resigned on principle when the Minister granted permits for the Rafferty-Alameda Dams in Saskatchewan as part of a political trade-off, with no environmental assessment. The permits were later quashed by a Federal Court decision that the permits were granted illegally.
Elizabeth is the author of five books, Budworm Battles (1982), Paradise Won: The Struggle to Save South Moresby (1990), At the Cutting Edge: The Crisis in Canada’s Forests (Key Porter Books, 1998, as well as a major new edition in 2004), co-authored with Maude Barlow, Frederick Street: Life and Death on Canada’s Love Canal (Harper Collins, 2000), and most recently, How to Save the World in Your Spare Time (Key Porter Books, 2006). Frederick Street focused on the Sydney Tar Ponds, and the health threats to children in the community – the issue that led her to protest in front of Parliament Hill over a seventeen-day hunger strike in May 2001.
She has served on numerous boards of environmental groups and advisory bodies to universities and governments in Canada, including the International Institute for Sustainable Development and the National Round Table on Environment and Economy and is currently a member of the Earth Charter International Council, co-chaired by Maurice Strong and Mikhail Gorbachev. Elizabeth is the recipient of many awards including the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Sierra Club in 1989, the International Conservation Award from the Friends of Nature, and the United Nations Global 500 Award in 1990. In 1996, she was presented with the award for Outstanding Leadership in Environmental Education by the Ontario Society for Environmental Education. In 1998, the “Elizabeth May Chair in Women’s Health and Environment” was created in her honour at Dalhousie University. She holds honourary doctorates from Mount Saint Vincent University, the University of New Brunswick and Mount Allison University. She is also the recipient of the 2002 Harkin Award from the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS). In 2006, Elizabeth was presented with the prestigious Couchiching award for excellence in public policy. Most importantly, she is the mother of fifteen year-old Victoria Cate.
In March 2006, Elizabeth stepped down as Executive Director of the Sierra Club of Canada, a post she had held since 1989, to run for the leadership of the Green Party of Canada. She was successful in her bid, was elected the Green Party’s ninth leader at their national convention in August 2006 with a clear majority of the votes.
Elizabeth is an Officer of the Order of Canada since 2005, and is the mother of fifteen year-old Victoria Cate.

A MUST READ FOR ALL CANADIANS, THIS IS SERIOUS!

2008-02-10T06:13:00.000-08:00

I found this article on Aljazeera.net; basically, the International Community sees Canada as a PRO-WAR country because of what the decisions our government is making, WITHOUT OUR VOICE! Harper is putting us through a war, which Russian's President Putin, is calling America's Cold War if they continue; this is SERIOUS! We are in a war we do not want to be part of; neither does anyone else, except America and its puppets, this is Bush's greed and desire for revenge that we are serving, NOT Afghanistan. GET OUR TROOPS OUT NOW, before it gets worse, we must do everything possible to make this clear, in whatever way you can!
One ways is to send a simple email to our party leaders, to say BRING OUR TROOPS HOME, we have had enough; what we are doing there is NOT WORKING! There is a reason why other countries will not set foot in Afghanistan, because they believe in peaceful measures, not war measures (remember? war=more war), LET US LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES (Vietnam anyone?)...We must pull out now!
Here are the emails of our party leaders, please just send a quick anti-war message to all of them, trust me, WE NEED TO BE HEARD!
Mr. Harper: pm@pm.gc.ca
Mr. Dion: Dion.S@parl.gc.ca
Ms. May: leader@greenparty.ca
Mr. Duceppe: Duceppe.G@parl.gc.ca
Mr. Layton: Layton.J@parl.gc.ca
THANK YOU, now let's start spreading some PEACE!

WE WANT SOMEONE TO LEAD NOT POSSESSED BY GREED!

2008-02-09T12:17:00.000-08:00

Keep your eyes and ears open for perhaps an earlier federal election than we thought; April 7 and May 12 are possible federal election dates. However, whatever happens, SUMMER OF CHANGE 2009, is a go! Whoever is in power, needs to HEAR WHAT WE CANADIANS THINK AND VALUE; ENVIRONMENTAL AND POLITICAL PEACE RIGHT NOW! We are sick and tired of having our government do everything behind closed doors, these are our soldiers going to war; these are our tax dollars being spent on military engagements in the Middle East; these are our waters that are being exploited and poisoned; these are our landscapes being destroyed for oil going to the United States; these are our wild animals being suffocated into smaller and smaller habitats so corporates can suck our minerals and trees dry...THIS HAS GOT TO STOP! Summer of Change 2009; you can't afford to miss it!
Report from the Council of Canadians on the ELECTION:
There is increasing speculation about a spring federal election. While there are a variety of possible scenarios, the following report sets out two specific 'routes to an election'.
As reported in today's Globe and Mail, "The first vote on a February 26 budget would likely be February 28...If the government is defeated, there will be an election. The earliest it could be held would be April 7."
Or, "Since the Prime Minister's Office has said the vote on whether to extend Canada's mission would be held in 'late March', (it would be held in the House on March 31). If the government makes this a confidence motion and is defeated, the earliest an election could be held would be May 12."
Additionally, "The Tories also rattled the election sabre at a Senate committee. Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said he will ask the Prime Minister to 'go to the people' if the omnibus Bill C-2 on violent crime doesn't pass by the end of the month. Mr. Nicholson suggested the Governor-General could be asked to dissolve Parliament if the legislation doesn't move through quickly enough."
While it does appear that the Liberals are seeking a compromise with the Conservatives on Afghanistan (in other words waffling on the end to the combat mission there), all of this merits watching.
And while the security certificate legislation Bill C-3 passed in the House of Commons last night in a 191 to 76 vote, there is some speculation that it might still die in the Senate depending on the timing of the election.
We will keep watch on this and we'll be prepared for a Council of Canadians intervention in an election when the time comes.
-Thanks to Brent Patterson, The Council of Canadians

What is REALLY going on behind closed doors?

2008-02-08T12:14:00.000-08:00

I wanted a concise, easy-to-understand explanation about Canada's role in Afghanistan; it is really hard to find, but I found this on the NDP website (i am not an NDP person, but, i do love good information) , and it really helped. Now when we chant for PEACE and BRING OUR TROOPS HOME, we can back up our statements with truth. It is time to spread the news to Canadians and our government officials that we want to be PEACEKEEPERS! Mr. Harper is not speaking for Canadians, he is speaking for his corporate and american cronies, THIS MUST STOP! We cannot let our government continue spending our tax dollars for war, he has already spent $7 BILLION on the WAR, yes, to kill people, it is time to RISE UP!
Settle down on your cushion, and read this...
Afghanistan is important to us as a people, because the manner in which we help the people of Afghanistan is integral to how we, as Canadians, define who we are and the role we aspire to for Canada to play on the world stage.
And in the coming weeks, Parliament will once again be called upon to make decisions that will draft the definition of who we are as a country for an entire generation.
I believe there are two very different visions emerging about what Canada’s role in Afghanistan should be and ultimately, how we wish to define ourselves as Canadians.
One vision suggests that Canada should continue to participate in a counter-insurgency war with increased soldiers, helicopters and unmanned drones until quote “the job is done.”
This vision has its roots planted in the Liberal government’s executive decision to send Canadian troops into Afghanistan six years ago without a deadline, an exit strategy or any definition or measurement for success.
This vision is premised on the notion that through a counter-insurgency combat mission, NATO forces will create the conditions that bring about security and stability and improve the lives of the Afghan people.
To date, not only has this approach failed to achieve these goals, it has had the opposite effect.
At the same time, there is a second vision for Canada’s role in Afghanistan – one that focuses on bringing about security, stability and improving the lives of the Afghan people by building a path toward peace.
This is the approach that I believe Canada must follow.
It’s also the approach that millions of average Canadians believe should be followed and I’m proud to lead the Party that gives voice to that shared vision.
It’s also an approach that we are encouraging other Parliamentarians to embrace.
I can share with you tonight that earlier today I spoke with Mr. Dion, leader of the Liberal Party and appealed to him not to follow Mr. Harper in extending the combat role for Canada in Afghanistan, but to join with us charting a new direction to truly help the people of Afghanistan.
Just as Mr. Harper has extended a hand to Mr. Dion for his approach, so too am I extending a hand to Mr. Dion to embrace our approach.
Mr. Dion has some decisions to make. And I look forward to a continued dialogue over the coming days and weeks.
And tonight, I want to talk about our approach. I want to lay out our vision for the role that Canada should play in Afghanistan.
But first, it is important to understand the current situation and why the approach being taken by NATO, the previous Liberal and the current Conservative government is not working.
Review of the Current Situation in Afghanistan
According to Canadian government officials, one of the main reasons for participation in the counter-insurgency combat mission is to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid.
But the situation is not getting better - it’s getting worse.
In September 2006, Malalai Joya, the courageous Afghan MP who has dared to take on corrupt and violent officials in her own Parliament, told 2,000 people at the NDP’s convention that there has been “no fundamental change in the plight of the Afghan people” since this recent war began.
She told us that “then entire country is living under the shadow of guns and warlordism.”
In the year and a half since she stunned me and the 2,000 others in that room, the situation has not improved.
Over the last few months, food prices, particularly for wheat and wheat flour, have increased by 60 to 80 per cent.
Because of these price increases, 3 million Afghans cannot afford to eat.
In addition to rising food costs, the number of areas that are too dangerous for aid workers to access is growing – once concentrated in the south they have now spread to pockets all over the country.
Aid groups have long warned of the dangers of blurring the divide between military and humanitarian efforts.
According to Gerry Barr, who speaks on behalf of Canada’s development groups:
“There needs to be some space between them. They need to be independent. If not, we can end up with civilians being targeted.”
Yet the bulk of Canadian spending continues to be funnelled to the combat mission – at the expense of development.
In fact, this morning we learned that total spending on the military mission in Afghanistan has reached a total of $7 billion – more than half of that spent since Canadian troops joined the combat mission in Kandahar.
Over the same period, only $670 million was spent on development aid.
Sadly, we have seen the results of a blurring of the divide between military and humanitarian operations in the pattern of attacks on schools.
Oxfam has found that schools built by international military forces are twice as likely to be targeted by militants as those built by civilian agencies.
Nonetheless, more and more development dollars are going through the Provincial Reconstruction Teams, so that, in fact, military interests are driving increasingly who gets aid, and what kind of aid they get.
The deteriorating humanitarian situation was also highlighted extensively in the report of the Independent Panel on Canada’s Future Role in Afghanistan.
In addition to the deteriorating humanitarian aid situation:
Opium production, which finances the insurgency, is up;
Crime is up;
Corruption is up;
Rates of insurgent and terrorist violence are up; – 20 per cent since 2006.
The number of Afghan civilians killed is up; – doubling since 2005.
The counter-insurgency combat mission has failed to build;
security for the Afghan people;
a robust economy;
a vibrant democracy;
gender equality; or
a stable and lasting peace.
The evidence suggests that the current approach – after being given seven years to prove itself effective – is not working.
NATO’s Role: The Wrong Approach
And one reason that it’s not working is because NATO is the wrong organization to be in charge.
NATO is a regional defence organization that has been searching for a purpose since the end of the Cold War.
It is a military organization that does not possess the experience, expertise or inclination to deal with the diplomatic and humanitarian needs in Afghanistan.
In short, NATO’s military focus makes it a questionable fit for the task of nation-building.
And aside from it being a bad match in Afghanistan – it has executed its activities poorly.
Coordination efforts in Afghanistan have been hampered by internal divisions.
The US, Canada and Britain have taken on the bulk of the counter-insurgency, while the other European countries have placed considerable caveats on their involvement.
Those caveats are not the result of cowardice.
Rather, they indicate certain scepticism about the prospects for military victory.
Even the Manley Report noted the “harmful shortcomings” in NATO’s counterinsurgency campaign.
I’m quoting here:
“A top-heavy command structure at ISAF headquarters in Kabul;
An absence of a comprehensive strategy directing all ISAF forces in collaboration with the Afghan government;
Inadequate coordination between military and civilian programs for security, stabilization, reconstruction and development.”
The Wrong Mission for Canada
But the blame cannot be laid on NATO exclusively; the Canadian government must also take responsibility.
Just look at the detainee transfer issue that once again emerged as a top issue this week – and with good reason.
While other NATO members are forthcoming with information, Canada is keeping its citizens in the dark.
And the response of the Prime Minister reminds me of the guy who being in the driver’s seat, never admits to being lost and is too stubborn to ask for directions.
And sometimes, our prime minister doesn’t want to be in that driver’s seat, like yesterday when I asked him why the British, Dutch, and Americans release their detainee information to their publics without compromising their national security. He said if our military wanted to give out such information, it would be up them!
Many who have read the Manley report have observed that its recommendations do not logically flow from the body of the report.
The report devotes page after page to describing the short-comings of the NATO mission as well the worsening conditions for the Afghan people, yet its key recommendation calls for a continued combat role for Canada if increased soldiers and equipment can be secured.
Despite the fact that things are getting worse, the Manley report says that Canada should do more of the same.
I think that’s wrong.
When we know that a particular approach is failing, we have a choice.
We can pick another approach.
Today, there are two choices in front of us – the approach that successive Canadian governments have set or we can embark on a new approach.
The current approach intensifies the war.
It is an approach that many others have taken before in Afghanistan …
From Alexander the Great, to the British in 19th century, to the Russians in the last century.
The Russians were in Afghanistan for 10 years.
At one point they made decision to switch from a ground effort to using helicopters because they thought that it would mean fewer casualties for soldiers.
This is what Manley is proposing Canadian troops do.
But when the Russians made the switch, insurgents secured ground to air missiles and shot down helicopters.
Is that where we are headed?
Towards an increasingly intense and armed combat approach?
There is no evidence that that approach will work. In fact the evidence illustrates that it won’t.
It doesn’t make sense to think that adding 1,000 soldiers to 36,000 that are already there is somehow going to tip the balance.
It’s time for Canada to make a break with the past.
The Liberals and Conservatives have taken us down an all too familiar path.
But the signposts are clear: they say “Cul de Sac”.
Why do we have to go all the way to the end to see for ourselves?
Imagine ourselves 10 years from now.
We could be having a debate about whether to add yet more troops so as to finally secure victory in Afghanistan.
This is where I predict we will be if the government’s proposals are adopted.
A wearied Canadian public will be grappling with the same questions and many more families will be mourning the loss of their loved ones.
Now, imagine that we pick the other approach.
In ten years the history writers will be recording that there was a turning point in history when the clarion call of Canada was heard.
They will be teaching that Canada’s decision provoked a reconsideration of the impasse into which the Afghan conundrum was finding itself increasingly locked.
The first step along this path is the clear indication that we are withdrawing our troops now through an operational plan for a safe and secure withdrawal.
Some ask: Why start there?
Quite simply because, being combatants, chasers of insurgents, and escalators of war – will deny us any credibility to serve as leaders for peace.
Some say that by pulling out Canada would be harming NATO.
Yesterday, NATO spokesperson James Appathurai, flatly denied that speculation.
As reported in the Ottawa Citizen this morning he said and I’m quoting “I think that making links between this (Canada’s possible withdrawal) and NATO’s credibility are quite frankly unnecessary”
In the debate over the future of Afghanistan ours is not the only voice calling for a new approach. President Karzai, Afghan Parliamentarians and aid groups have all spoken of the need to kick-start the dialogue that will bring about a lasting peace.
Even former deputy minister of foreign affairs, Gordon Smith, has recently said that: “What is needed is a process of substantial conversation or reorientation of anti-state elements into an open and non-violent political dynamic”
I believe that Canada should be working to ensure that exactly this type of ‘conversation’ take place in Afghanistan.
We should be using the considerable skills and expertise of Canadians to bring the various actors in Afghanistan to the table.
We should be working to put in place an effective disarmament programme.
65% of Afghans say that disarmament is the most important step toward improving security in Afghanistan.
But the current effort has not gone far enough to make a significant impact.
Taking the path to peace through diplomacy also means involving regional actors in discussions. Pakistan in particular.
Regional cooperation is vital to any successful strategy for regional security and peace.
The path to peace requires a political, not a military, approach.
To carry out this vision, the key international body involved in Afghanistan must be the UN, not NATO.
Unlike NATO, the UN’s explicit mandate is to preserve and promote international peace and security.
The UN agencies tasked with carrying out this mandate have a vital role to play in meeting the challenges of Afghanistan:
UNICEF
The United Nations Development fund for Women
The World Health Organization
The United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Disarmament Commission
And of course, the United Nations Peacebuildng Commission headed up by Canadian Carolyn McAskie
All too often, we focus on the UN-led peace-keeping missions that did not succeed. Missions in Somalia, Rwanda, and Bosnia.
But there are many other examples of successes – like East Timor, Cambodia or Mozambique.
Consider for a moment the enormous impact that the UN peacekeeping mission had in East Timor.
UN efforts there helped to protect a nascent and fragile independent state.
With the help of the UN, the Timorese were able to surmount incredible odds – years of violence and repression – and create a largely stable and successful state.
There are lessons to be learned from the UN’s failures – but also from its successes.
It’s time to apply these lessons to Afghanistan.
To do this, one of the UN’s member states must boldly suggest this approach.
I believe that Canada should be that state, and make this our calling in the months to come. This role resonates with our values and our hopes here in Canada.

Conclusion
I believe that Canada can and should be a voice of moderation, realism and peace on the world stage.
And to become that voice, we must embrace a new approach for Canada as well as for the international community.
One of the tenets of just-war theory is that a country must have a reasonable chance of success in order for that war to be legitimate. But under the NATO approach, there is no evidence of such a success in Afghanistan.
The experience of the last seven years of NATO engagement has shown that a military approach is not working.
It’s time for Canada to change its approach, withdraw from the combat mission and lead a process for peace and stability.
Michael Byers, one of Canada’s leading experts in Global Politics and International Law, has warned that:
“Our involvement in the counter-insurgency mission in southern Afghanistan, has challenged our commitment to international humanitarian law and precluded our involvement in important UN peacekeeping missions elsewhere.”
Canadians have prided themselves on their principled, strategic and compassionate stand on foreign affairs.
They are proud of the accomplishments of Canadians on the world stage:
Of John Humphrey who drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
Of Stephen Lewis who has tireless fought for AIDS sufferers in Africa;
And many more like them.
We could add that list; Afghanistan – but we must be willing to lead the way on the path to peace.
As Lester B. Pearson said: “Of all our dreams today there is none more important - or so hard to realise - than that of peace in the world. May we never lose our faith in it or our resolve to do everything that can be done to convert it one day into reality.”
It will take courage and leadership, as it always has.
But in the end, I believe that is the approach Canadians will want to take because that is how Canadians wish to define themselves and the role they aspire Canada to play on the world stage.

Harper Choosing War Over Peace

2008-02-07T15:08:00.000-08:00

Yes, it seems that our Prime Minister shares the same "I-Love-War complex" with George W. Bush, no wonder they get along so well; however, even if parliament is dissolved, and Dion perhaps takes the reigns, he needs to take more of an activist role. Of course, it is up to US canadians, to voice our choice of PEACE NOT WAR in order to get any of these "leaders" to take their damn blinders off, their corporate chains off, and their thirst for foreign blood and money! It has been a long winter, time to get marching and exercise all that extra winter weight off, even if it is just the weight of the world that is slowing you down.
Here are the "goods" so far:
CANADA'S CONSERVATIVES READY TO RISK ELECTION OVER AFGHANISTAN
by Michel Comte
Wed Feb 6, 2:17 PM ET
OTTAWA (AFP) - Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper is prepared to head to the polls if Canada's cleaved Parliament votes next month against prolonging its Afghanistan combat mission, officials said Wednesday.
"The government will introduce a motion in the House based on the Manley Report later this week," said Sandra Buckler, spokeswoman for the prime minister, citing a report on Canada's future role in Afghanistan.
"We expect debate to begin next week," she said.
Local media said the Conservative government is prepared to give notice Thursday of the motion to extend the troop deployment.
If the government were to lose, it would plunge the country into an election, Liberal leader Stephane Dion told reporters. Harper "made that very clear," he said.
The actual vote in Parliament would precede a ballot on the next federal budget, also expected in March, said Dion.
Tuesday evening, the prime minister met with Dion to try to hammer out a common front. Dion has said he would keep troops in Afghanistan, but not in a combat role.
"I suggested to him (Harper) if he was ready to contemplate a non-combat role for Canada, (I would support him). He was not ready for that. On that, we have a big difference," Dion said.
"So under the circumstances, I clearly explained to the prime minister that this mission would require Liberals to make a compromise with respect to our principles -- something that we cannot do."
The New Democrats and the Bloc Quebecois have said they want Canada's soldiers returned home at the end of their current mandate in February 2009.
Last month, a report by a committee led by former Liberal deputy prime minister John Manley urged Canada to keep its 2,500 troops in Afghanistan only if its NATO allies send at least 1,000 additional troops and equipment, including helicopters and drones, to bolster the Canadian force.
Heeding its findings, Harper has said he will bring Canada's troops home in February 2009 unless NATO allies step up their support for the mission.
He has informed US President George W. Bush, Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown, France's President Nicolas Sarkozy and NATO's secretary general of Canada's position.
Dion said he would like Canada to play a larger development role in Afghanistan, such as helping to rebuild the war-torn nation's infrastructure, training its military and police, and offering pointers on good government.
As well, he said Afghanistan still needs help to stem corruption, its illegal poppy trade and the alleged torture of detainees.
The Liberals will present amendments to the Conservatives' motion in these areas for the minority Parliament to consider, Dion said. "We'll do our best to convince other colleagues in the House to come to our position.
"You need to be prepared to fight, but a combat role is when you are proactively seeking engagement with the enemy," he commented.
According to the latest polls, the Conservatives and Liberals are tied in public opinion.
Canada has deployed 2,500 troops in Afghanistan's volatile southern Kandahar province as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) battling Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters.
Since 2002, 78 Canadian soldiers and a senior diplomat have died in roadside bombings and in melees with the insurgents.

NAFTA + CORPORATES= CANADIAN DISASTER, AGAIN

2008-02-06T08:08:00.000-08:00

Bilcon appealing quarry decision under NAFTA

The American company that was refused permission to develop a quarry near Digby is looking for $188 million in compensation.
Bilcon of Delaware, a subsidiary of New Jersey-based Clayton Concrete, Block and Sand, has filed a complaint under NAFTA rules that allow companies to go after foreign governments if they can prove they have been unfairly treated.
Bilcon claims a joint federal-provincial environmental review panel was both unfair and discriminatory when it rejected its plan to set up a quarry at Whites Point in Digby County.
"This is not about sour grapes. It's about having a fair process," said Barry Appleton, lawyer for Bilcon.
Appleton said "community values" were at the core of the review, which he said was a change from the original criteria on which the company based its environmental assessment.
"They had the Bilcon people filing all kinds of environmental reports. They filed the reports, then [the panel] changed the criteria. It's like changing the goal posts for the Super Bowl. You're not allowed to do that," he said.
Bilcon had proposed to develop a basalt rock quarry on approximately 120 hectares of a 150-hectare site. The company had planned to employ 34 people to help ship two million tonnes of rock a year for the next 50 years to the United States.
In October, the review panel rejected the proposal, stating the project would undermine and jeopardize the community's vision and expectations and lead to undesired changes in the quality of life.
Gil Winham, an international trade expert at Dalhousie Law School, said the terms of the environmental assessment included socio-economic impacts.
He said the company's strongest argument may be one of discrimination and why the quarry's review process took much longer than one to open a mine owned by an Australian company at Moose River.
"Mr. Appleton referred to a new gold mine that was assessed in 11 months, whereas the procedure for Whites Point quarry took five and a half years. I would say that is something you would look at," Winham said.
Winham said there have been 15 cases in which foreign companies have sued NAFTA countries for unfair treatment, 10 of which have been ruled in favour of government while five were in favour of the companies.
"And I must say, in five cases that were won by the companies, I thought they had reasons to win," Winham said.
Nova Scotia's minister of environment is declining to comment until the complaint has been heard, a process that could take up to two years.
Last Updated: Tuesday, February 5, 2008 | 5:14 PM AT CBC News

For more information on why the Digby Quarry is so important to the environment, visit the Save Digby Neck website

Poster Art Contest Entry

2008-02-03T11:31:00.000-08:00

We are very excited to have our first poster art contest entry...If you would like to enter, rules and regulations are found in this blog under the January 14 blog entry...Summer of Change may seem far away, but we need to start advertising now so no one will miss out on the fun....

LOOK OUT FOR FLYERS!

2008-02-02T11:33:00.000-08:00

Yes, we at Vegan Mountain have begun to advertise for the event that is going to rock this nation, THE SUMMER OF CHANGE 2009, again, if you would like to help with flyers and stuff, we will send it out to you, or if you want to speak, or be a vendor, or just stand on a milk crate and talk about the goodness of buying local, just drop us an email at veganmountain@gmail.com....We are super excited to be doing this, and in the grassroots tradition, we want to get all like-minded individuals involved. We know that a lot of people in Canada are awakening to the fact that we are at a very sensitive moment in human history, and that we must now change the soul-sucking, material, capitalistic, money-mongering and corporate system, which has taken over Canada. We now are realizing that there is a better, more holistic way of living, for ourselves, for our children and for further generations. A future that lives on knowledge, such as, how to grow our own food; how to care for our health in natural ways; how to live in natural sustainable housing; how to use our natural environment without raping it for Big Business; how to identify a tree, a bird or a wild plant; how to live with less chemicals; how to support local and organic practices; how to live simply; that is, a future of leaving the lightest, yet happiest footprint on Mother Earth. It is a time to fight the corporates and the government that supports them, not with our fists, but with our knowledge of our landscape, our willingness to help local efforts, the power of spending that Canadian loonie on local, organic and sustainable practices. This is our soul we are talking about, and the little souls yet too be in this nation. Let's celebrate this happy, healthy, and sustainable future, let's talk about it, let's share ideas, let's sing and dance and stretch, let's start leaving lighter footprints in our paths. Summer of Change 2009, the West Kootenays is where it's at!

PETITION TO STOP THE TAR SANDS!

2008-01-27T08:39:00.000-08:00

YUP, the story continues, it isn't easy fighting the money hungry corporations, but it is up to us to do it, so let's unite our signatures in our continuing battle to save Mother Earth and STOP the Tar Sands development. Have you read the stuff on The Dominion yet? If you have, you are probably also having the desire to march up to Fort "McMoney" and strapping yourselves to the oil rigs, so that SOMEONE will listen to the cries of the people who are getting cancer from the oil development; the earth, which is being torn apart into irreparable damage; the animals, whose habitat is once again being suffocated, causing death and driving populations to extinction; the rivers, which have become cancer pools, and the trees, who once again, are facing clearcutting beyond repair....It is up to US, you and I, to change the system we are living in, we must GET OFF THE GRID, stop this cycle, which is caused by our dependence on oil, gas, and other carbon emitting processes, which only help to further the environmental catastrophe we are heading towards, and already are in. By being dependent on Corporate Industry, we are aiding the destruction of our earth, which, if we haven't forgotten, we can't live without. Do you want to continue living in a world where our lives are being led by Corporate endeavours? where we face a future of wearing oxygen masks? where we face a future of having a cancerous, garbage-filled ocean, with no clean water to drink? where we are stuck in a SYSTEM of working for the interests of money driven people, rather than LIVING for our own health and welfare? IT IS NOT TOO LATE, this is the tipping point, decisions have to be made by us CANADIANS....Let's start now, and let's UNITE for a natural, wholesome future....SUMMER OF CHANGE 2009....see you there (and in the meantime, let's clean up our act!)
TAR SANDS PETITION

More Smoke and Mirrors from our Prime Minister!

2008-01-22T13:47:00.000-08:00

Where do I begin? Listening to the CBC this morning made me lose any appetite for the food that I was cooking, as once again our government gives us more and more misinformation. The funny thing is, is that everyone knows that our government is lying to us, and is keeping very important details from us, such as our role in Afghanistan, and what is truly behind the Manley report. There are too many lies to get into right now, but first, there is the fact that Stephen Harper gave the panel certain guidelines, which they were not allowed to break, therefore, narrowing their ideas on how our troops should operate in Afghanistan. The panel was also made up of mostly old-Mulroney cronies, which says a lot, especially since this a war issue! As well, Harper's "good intentions" on training Afghans to defend themselves, is also questionable, as the Canadian forces are not highly looked upon, and are distrusted by the Afghan military, making this happy picture not a reality at this moment.
So, I must say, that the only people making sense on this issue, is everyone BUT the Conservative party and Stephen Harper, which brings me to my lack of appetite, and my passion to get Canadians to RISE UP, and gain the knowledge we must in order to put Canada together again...without a Harper government...just look at their website, and you will get the idea!
Here is an excerpt from the CBC (today's date). I added the Green Party website, because they have very knowledgeable information.

The panel received more than 200 submissions from interested people and organizations, including from the Liberal party and the Green party, the CBC's Rosemary Barton reported. The NDP and the Bloc Québécois, which have been critical of the panel, didn't submit suggestions, she said.

The Liberals have indicated they would like to see Canada's combat role in the south wind down by the 2009 deadline, with more emphasis placed on the development element of the mission.

Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion said he had not yet read the report and declined to offer detailed comment.

However, he repeated the party's long-held position that Canada's combat mission must end as scheduled in February 2009, although Canada could continue to play a role in construction, training and humanitarian aid.

"Our current position, as you know, is that the combat mission end in February 2009," he said at a Liberal caucus meeting in Kitchener, Ont.

"We have strong reasons for that. We think it's by far the most dangerous mission in Afghanistan. We have carried this mission during three years and it's time for Canada to do something else in Afghanistan."

NDP Leader Jack Layton, who has called for a complete and immediate Canadian withdrawal, reacted negatively to the recommendations.

"This report is clearly out of touch with the feelings of a great many Canadians and a careful reading of the report shows that this mission is failing on many, many fronts," Layton told reporters following a meeting with caucus members in Montebello, Que.

"The NDP continues to believe that a complete change of direction is essential in Afghanistan."

Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe also disagreed with extending the mission.

"Canadian and Quebec military have done more than their share. Other countries now must step in and take up the challenge," Duceppe said.

Seventy-seven Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have been killed since the beginning of Canada's mission in Afghanistan in 2002.

GREEN PARTY WEBSITE

RISE UP AND ACT!

2008-01-21T08:54:00.002-08:00

In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
-Martin Luther King Jr.

How you can help the Summer of Change Festival...
•Tell nature-loving people about it and come to the festival with environmental fervor
•Become a vendor if you are ecologically friendly
•Run an eco-friendly information booth to spread your knowledge to fellow Canadians
•Be a speaker
•Volunteer to advertise by putting up posters and handing out flyers
•Enter the Poster Art Contest
If you would like to help, please email us at veganmountain@gmail.com

Keeping up with the Tar Sands

2008-01-19T10:46:00.001-08:00

The ULTIMATE up to date source, check out Tar Sands Watch.
Let's show our support for our fellow Canadians who are suffering right now due to the environmental effects of the Alberta Tar Sands, and to the environment itself, which is under an incredible amount of distress. Canada is committing a huge crime right under our apathetic noses...
Check out Money Week, to answer the question, is it worth it?
Visit a Macleans magazine story on the Tar Sands, to get some more objective reporting, and see for yourself if Canada is heading towards its own Doomsday.

Stephen Harper Rapes Mother Earth!

2008-01-17T04:48:00.000-08:00

We Canadians are letting this happen, we need to FIGHT this total devastation that is happening in Northern Alberta, called the TAR SANDS! I felt like strapping myself to the pipelines when i read about the atrocities happening in our own country...please read this carefully, you might need to take breaks, since it is pretty scary stuff. I will be starting a petition soon to demand that Canadians have a voice when it comes to such huge issues as this one. I think democracy is starting to really wane here in Canada, and I don't want just another Harper to come along every four years to make it even worse (think of the States!)...so please open this link and read The 48th issue of The Dominion, to get some knowledge on the what is happening in Fort McMurray, or as some are calling it, Fort McMoney...
Write a letter to the Federal Environment Minister John Baird right now, it is all set up for you HERE! Thank you!

POSTER CONTEST FOR SUMMER OF CHANGE 2009

2008-01-14T11:25:00.001-08:00

The guidelines for the poster competition is as follows:
1. Read the ENTIRE blog to get an idea on what the Summer of Change Festival is all about.
2. Have the words: Summer of Change 2009 somewhere in the poster.
3. Take a look at the poster displayed on the right; drawn by vegan mountain to get an idea.
4. The poster must be in black and white.
5. Have the blog contact: www.summerofchange2009.blogspot.com somewhere visible in the poster, and the date of the festival June 21-22, 2009
6. Poster size: 8 1/2 x 11 (letter size paper)
7. Have your name on your poster for credit.
8. Get creative, get grassroots and have fun!
9. Send your entry to: veganmountain@gmail.com...i just scanned mine and sent it as a jpg file, which worked out fine, just make sure it is clear!
GRAND PRIZE WINNER GET $150.00, and the 4 runner up winners will also get his/her poster printed up and put up all over Canada with credit to his/her name!
Entries must be in by May 1st 2009.
GOOD LUCK!

IT IS TIME TO ACT

2008-01-13T10:23:00.000-08:00

article from O2q paper Nov 2007, with help from The Nation magazine...
CAN we buy our way out of our growing climate crisis? Sure we can. Just ask the corporations and the politicians they own. All we have to do is buy into, or buy up, all the wonderful technological quick fixes they promise to provide and all our climate crisis problems will be solved. Well, not quite.
Quick fixes such as "clean coal," and biofuels are not so quick and just as likely to land us in a whole new set of fixes.
"Clean coal" depends on technologies that optimists say are two decades away, if ever. In the meantime, coal mining ravages the earth. In Appalachia, more than 500 mountaintops have been blown off to uncover the coal inside, with the toxic waste dumped into local rivers.
Proposed government subsidies to support biofuel production in the USA are nearly equal to those funding the Iraq war. Archer Daniels Midland, Monsanto, Cargill and other mega agri-corporations are converting US farms to corn for ethanol, not food. Their new agrofuel plantations in poor and indigenous areas of South America, Asia and Africa are displacing thousands of farmers.
It takes 450 pounds of corn to make enough ethanol to fill one SUV tank with gas. To try to use corn ethanol to replace even 10 percent of the fossil fuels used globally would require finding new or converting agricultural lands equal to about half the area of the United States.
Feed cars, not people-is destined to be the first rallying cries of the corporate solution to our climate crisis.
Other corporations are getting on the consumerism bandwagon. The idea is, you buy jeans or dozens of other things, and some of your money goes to Environmental Defense and other do-gooders, who plant enough trees to offset the greenhouse gases created in making the products. It's carbon trading through shopping.
Eco-conscious families are turning up with two, three, many Priuses, so every member of the family can help save the planet.
Sorry, but shopping even "smart" shopping, is not our way out of the crisis. Al that stuff is made of something scarce that came from the Earth, and it took scarce energy to put it together.
Overconsumption, corporatism, advertising, the drive for growth and profit-those are the roots of this crisis. Real solutions begin with the recognition that the Earth has limits that are now in plain sight. Ultimately all solutions will involve "powering down," using less energy, fewer materials-less consumerism.
"Less and local" should be the standard, as well as deeply rethinking whether we can afford a system based on growth and wealth accumulation rather than sustainability, sufficiency and equity.

STOP THE TAR SANDS!

2008-01-07T09:17:00.000-08:00

Baghdad Burns, Calgary Booms Naomi Klein Canada (Update 06-11-07)
Lookout by Naomi Klein

Baghdad Burns, Calgary Booms
[from the June 18, 2007 issue]

The invasion of Iraq has set off what could be the largest oil boom in history. All the signs are there: multinationals free to gobble up national firms at will, ship unlimited profits home, enjoy leisurely "tax holidays" and pay a laughable 1 percent in royalties to the government.

This isn't the boom in Iraq sparked by the proposed new oil law--that will come later. This boom is already in full swing, and it is happening about as far away from the carnage in Baghdad as you can get, in the wilds of northern Alberta. For four years now, Alberta and Iraq have been connected to each other through a kind of invisible seesaw: As Baghdad burns, destabilizing the entire region and sending oil prices soaring, Calgary booms.

Here is how chaos in Iraq unleashed what the Financial Times recently called "north America's biggest resources boom since the Klondike gold rush." Albertans have always known that in the northern part of their province, there are vast deposits of bitumen--black, tarlike goo that is mixed with sand, clay, water and oil. There are approximately 2.5 trillion barrels of the stuff, the largest hydrocarbon deposits in the world.

It is possible to turn Alberta's crud into crude, but it's awfully hard. One method is to mine it in vast open pits: First forests are clear-cut, then topsoil scraped away. Next, huge machines dig out the black goop and load it into the largest dump trucks in the world (two stories high, a single wheel costs $100,000). The tar is diluted with water and solvents in giant vats, which spin it around until the oil rises to the top, while the massive tailings are dumped in ponds larger than the region's natural lakes. Another method is to separate the oil where it is: Large drill-pipes push steam deep underground, which melts the tar, while another pipe sucks it out and transports it through several more stages of refining, much of it powered by natural gas.

Both techniques are costly: between $18 and $23 per barrel, just in expenses. Until quite recently, that made no economic sense. In the mid-1980s, oil sold for $20 a barrel; in 1998-99, it was down to $12 a barrel. The major international players had no intention of paying more to get the oil than they could sell it for, which is why, when global oil reserves were calculated, the tar sands weren't even factored in. Everyone but a few heavily subsidized Canadian companies knew that the tar was staying put.

Then came the US invasion of Iraq. In March 2003, the price of oil reached $35 a barrel, raising the prospect of making a profit from the tar sands (the industry calls them "oil sands"). That year, the United States Energy Information Administration "discovered" oil in the tar sands. It announced that Alberta--previously thought to have only 5 billion barrels of oil--was actually sitting on at least 174 billion "economically recoverable" barrels. The next year, Canada overtook Saudi Arabia as the leading provider of foreign oil to the United States.

All this has meant that Iraq's oil boom has not been delayed; it has been relocated. All the majors, save BP, have rushed to northern Alberta: ExxonMobil, Chevron and Total, which alone plans to spend $9-$14 billion. In April, Shell paid $8 billion to take full control of its Canadian subsidiary. The town of Fort McMurray, ground zero of the boom, has nowhere to house the tens of thousands of new workers, and one company has built its own airstrip so it can fly in the people it needs.

Seventy-five percent of the oil from the tar sands flows directly to the United States, prompting Brian Hall, an energy consultant with Colorado-based IHS, to call the tar sands "America's energy security blanket." There is a certain irony there: The United States invaded Iraq at least in part to secure access to its oil. Now, thanks partly to economic blowback from that disastrous decision, it has found the "security" it was looking for right next door.

It has become fashionable to predict that high oil prices will spark a free-market response to climate change, setting off an "explosion of innovation in alternatives," as New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman wrote recently. Alberta puts the lie to that claim. High prices have indeed led to an R&D extravaganza, but it is squarely focused on figuring out how to get the dirtiest possible oil out of the hardest-to-reach places. Shell, for instance, is working on a "novel thermal recovery process"--embedding large electric heaters in the deposits and literally cooking the earth.

And that's the Alberta tar sands for you: The industry already contributing to climate change more than any other is frantically turning up the heat. The process of refining bitumen emits three to four times the greenhouse gases produced by extracting oil from traditional wells, making the tar sands the largest single contributor to Canada's growth in greenhouse gas emissions. Nonetheless, the industry plans to more than triple production by 2020, with no end in sight. If prices stay high, it will soon become profitable to extract an additional 141 billion barrels from the tar sand, which would place the largest oil reserves in the world in Alberta.

Developing the sands is devouring trees and wildlife--the Pembina Institute, the leading authority on the tar sands' environmental impact, warns that boreal forests covering "an area as large as the State of Florida" risk being leveled. Now it turns out that the main river feeding the industry the massive quantities of water it needs is in jeopardy. Climate scientists say that dropping water levels are the result--fittingly enough--of climate warming.

Contemplating the collective madness in Alberta--a scene even the Financial Times has labeled "some dystopian fantasy"--it strikes me that Canada has ended up with more than Iraq's displaced oil boom. We have its elusive weapons of mass destruction too. They are out near Fort McMurray, in the jet-black goo beneath the earth's crust. And with the help of trucks, pipes, steam and gas, these weapons are being detonated.

HOLLER! with northern sun...

2007-12-29T09:36:00.000-08:00

"I wept, not for the loneliness which would now be my lot amongst a people I had grown to love, but for the inexpressibly greater loneliness which modern man, having committed himself to becoming the ultimate stranger to his own planet, shall be doomed to carry into the silence of his final hour." -Farley Mowat

"We who are alive today can claim no such exculpation for our biocidal actions and their dire consequences. Modern man now has every opportunity to be aware of the complexity and inter-relationships of the living world. If ignorance is to serve as an excuse, then it can only be wilful, murderous ignorance." -Farley Mowat

"For the issue is greater than our freedom. The issue is our survival. We will, literally, not survive as a species is we do not take control of the reins of power and direct our government to a new path - a path which leads to sane appropriate technologies, to more creative and rewarding forms of employment, to non-polluting systems, to international nuclear disarmament, to the feeding of the world's hungry through the equitable sharing of resources - a path which leads us home." -Elizabeth May, 1982

"We are imprisoned by rational arguments. This is the part that hurts. You hear the most impassioned, eloquent arguments of all reduced down to nature's utility to man. Even the esthetic is a utility, Even the appeal to preserve nature for future generations is a utility. Leave it for future generations to utilize - that's what it boils down to. Somebody has to have the guts to fight for nature simply because we love it and can't live without it!" -John Livingston

The Conservatives Write Back

2007-12-29T08:28:00.000-08:00

On behalf of the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, I would like to
acknowledge receipt of your correspondence regarding Canada's commitment to
Afghanistan. Please be assured that your comments have been carefully
reviewed.

Canada's Government strongly supports the United Nations-sanctioned mission
in Afghanistan. We are committed to this multilateral effort to root out the
Taliban, stabilize the country and prevent the spread of terrorism. This is
a mission that the international community must not allow to fail or
Afghanistan may relapse into anarchy and again become a haven for extremists
and terrorists. Canada's efforts in Afghanistan can make our world safer and
uplift the Afghan people as they rebuild their shattered country.

The brave men and women of the Canadian Forces have risen to the many
challenges presented by this dangerous assignment. They have made tremendous
sacrifices in the service of securing a more peaceful world. Our government
believes that we must provide them with the resources necessary to fulfil
their mission. Anything less would dishonour the bravery and determination
that they display on the ground every day in Afghanistan.

Fulfilling our military objectives in Afghanistan is an essential
precondition for reconstruction and development. The tremendous work done by
the Canadian Forces allows us to proceed with this critical humanitarian
work, which is our number one priority. By improving security and providing
military and police training, our soldiers are making a real difference.

As the Taliban are driven out, we are able to make much needed investments
in Afghanistan's future that improve the daily lives of the Afghan people.
Afghanistan receives more Canadian foreign aid than any other country. In
fact, recently we announced a new investment of up to $200 million in
reconstruction, development, good governance and law and order funding. The
continued success of NATO forces and Afghan troops is essential to
successfully implementing these reconstruction and development initiatives.

These efforts have improved the lives of the Afghan people and earned Canada
considerable praise from the government of Afghanistan and our international
partners. As you may know, last fall the President of Afghanistan Hamid
Karzai visited Canada to express his appreciation personally. The vital work
being performed by the Canadian Forces is in the best tradition of Canadian
international leadership. We are restoring our country's reputation as a
responsible leader on the international stage.

Canada does not stand alone in Afghanistan. Throughout this multilateral
mission we have fought side by side with our NATO allies. Unfortunately,
some NATO partners have been reluctant to assume a combat role. The Minister
of Foreign Affairs, Maxime Bernier, and the Minister of National Defence,
Peter MacKay, continue to press for enhanced NATO support for the
Afghanistan mission. We have been very encouraged by new troop deployments
on the part of the United States, United Kingdom, Poland, Denmark, the
Netherlands, and Romania. Our government will continue to work with our
international partners to enhance support for this critical mission.

There are significant challenges in Afghanistan, but the skill and
determination of Canada's diplomats, development experts, and military
personnel is resulting in hard-earned meaningful progress. Global security
and the future of the Afghan people hinge on our success. Canada's
Government will continue to support the reconstruction mission in
Afghanistan - a mission that serves Canada's national interests and fulfils
our international obligations.

You can learn more about Canada's important diplomatic, defence and
development contributions to the stabilization and reconstruction of
Afghanistan by visiting http://www.canada-afghanistan.gc.ca.

Thank you for your writing to the Prime Minister.

M. Bredeson
Executive Correspondence Officer
for the Prime Minister's Office
Agent de correspondance
de la haute direction pour le Cabinet du Premier ministre

UMMM......CAN WE SAY LIES?!....THE WAR TO BE FIGHTING IS RIGHT HERE IN CANADA, NOT IN AFGHANISTAN, WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAVE MADE NO PROGRESS AT ALL IN PEACEKEEPING, WE HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN DOING GENERAL FLY BY BOMBINGS IN CIVILIAN AREAS OF UNREST, IF THAT IS CALLED PROGRESS, THEN YOU MIGHT AS WELL GO DOWN TO EAST HASTINGS IN VANCOUVER AND BLOW THE PLACE UP MAYBE THAT WILL STOP POVERTY, DRUGS, AND BOOST UP TOURISM....IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE CONSERVATIVES HAVE THE SAME CORRESPONDENT AS THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION, WHERE THEY HAVE WON THE WAR IN IRAQ NUMEROUS TIMES, AND YET ARE STILL THERE KILLING INNOCENT PEOPLE, WHEREAS TERRORISM IS ON THE RISE, AND ACTUALLY MORE ORGANIZED THAN BEFORE THE WAR...SO LETS START LOOKING WITHIN IN OUR OWN COUNTRY WHERE MOTHER NATURE IS FIGHTING HER OWN WAR, AND LETS FIGHT FOR HER BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE...PUTTING OUR TAX MONEY INTO MILITARY OPERATIONS FOR OTHER COUNTRIES IS BECOMING REALLY OLD, AND CLEARLY WE HAVE NOT LEARNT FROM ITS DISASTEROUS CONSEQUENCES...NOW WE NEED TO FOCUS ON PUTTING MONEY WHERE IT CAN ACTUALLY HELP US CANADIANS, AND THE WORLD IN A MORE REAL WAY; TOWARDS HELPING MOTHER EARTH RECOVER BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE WHICH IS PROJECTED TO BE IN 34 YEARS IF WE KEEP IGNORING HER....VOTE WITH YOUR WORDS AND ACTIONS, IT IS TIME TO WAKE UP, AND SEE THAT CANADIAN POLITICS IS DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO AMERICAN TOTALITARIANISM, THE GREEN PARTY IS NO LONGER A JOKE, IT IS OUR WAY OF SAYING NO TO WAR AND YES TO LIFE...AND IF THEY DON'T DO IT, LOOK FOR ME IN RUNNING FOR PRIME MINISTER....WELL, I WOULD STILL PREFER ELIZABETH MAY, OR MAYBE A YOUNGER DAVID SUZUKI....
PEACE, SUMMER OF CHANGE 2009

HOW TO BE AN ACTIVIST by Elizabeth May

2007-12-19T14:32:00.000-08:00

This pamphlet was written by Canadian Green Party's leader, Elizabeth May...She also has recently written How to Save the World in Your Spare Time...I think it is time that we have an activist as our new Canadian Leader, let us hug some trees instead of killing innocent people for once!
Check out the pamphlet and let's start hearing some Canadian voices. Don't forget, summer of change 2009, now let's get active...
http://www.sierraclub.ca/national/activist-how-to/index.html

The Liberal Party emails me back...

2007-12-18T05:20:00.000-08:00

I emailed the Liberal party with my concerns over Canada's frightful leadership, and its disgusting stand with America to cause an environmental disaster, this is what they replied back with:

Thank you for taking the time to write to the Liberal Party of Canada.
As you know, we face an historic moment in the life of our planet.
Climate change - the biggest ecological threat facing humanity - has
become an issue of health, security, prosperity and survival for our
world.

At this crucial moment in time, Canada can not afford to be a laggard.

The sense of urgency in trying to undo this damage, and the leadership
void created by the Conservative government, is what prompted Mr. Dion
to attend the conference in Bali - despite the Conservative government's
unprecedented decision to exclude representatives from the three
opposition parties from Canada's official delegation.

The Liberal Party of Canada wants to see Canada lead the world toward a
sustainable, low-carbon economy by reaching for the top - not racing to
the bottom.

Come the next election, Canadians will have a clear choice between a
Liberal plan for Canada and a Conservative plan for Canada. We are
confident that our plan for a richer, greener, fairer Canada will be
well received by Canadians.

Greenpeace cries out to Canadians to Wake up!

2007-12-18T05:16:00.000-08:00

Under the Kyoto Protocol, Canada agreed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by six per cent below 1990 levels by 2008-2012. However, emissions actually increased 25 per cent by the end of 2005. Canada currently ranks seventh from the bottom amongst 41 industrialized nations in terms of emission changes since 1990.

Rather than take immediate, decisive action to combat global warming, Prime Minister Harper has discouraged support for Kyoto and opposed the extension of binding greenhouse gas emission targets for industrialized nations after the end of the first Kyoto commitment period in 2012.

Harper and Canadian environment minister John Baird have also undermined Kyoto at the G8, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and most recently at the Commonwealth meeting. Harper has tried to supplant Kyoto by joining the United States’ Asia-Pacific Partnership, which promotes the use of coal, and relies only on voluntary measures for control of greenhouse gas emissions.

"Canada is the only Kyoto signatory to openly abandon its commitment to reduce emissions. Contrary to his claim, Stephen Harper is not a leader on global warming. He is a laggard and the last unabashed climate apologist for George Bush among western industrialized nations," said Martin.

Greenpeace is also calling on the Canadian government to take action on the Alberta tar sands, which contain oil reserves second only to those of Saudi Arabia. Because of their dramatic growth, the tar sands are the most serious threat to progress in Canada’s fight against global warming.

Action is also needed to protect the world’s boreal forests, which stores more carbon dioxide than any other land-based ecosystem on Earth. Logging releases greenhouse gases and increases the forest’s vulnerability to fires. If current trends continue, degradation of Canada’s Boreal Forest and rising global temperatures could lead to massive releases of carbon into the atmosphere. Less than 10 per cent of Canada’s Boreal Forest is protected from industrial development.

The United Nations climate conference in Bali is the 13th conference of the 192 parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 13), and the third meeting of the 176 countries that have ratified the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 3), which entered into force in February 2005.

Greenpeace is calling for completion in 2009 of formal negotiations on binding emission reduction targets for a second five-year phase of the Kyoto Protocol 2013-2017. Countries such as the United States, Australia and Saudi Arabia have opposed the extension of binding emission reduction targets and tried to derail progress on negotiations. However, the recent defeat of the Howard government in Australia has deprived Bush of an important ally. The government of Kevin Rudd has already committed to have Australia join the Kyoto Protocol.

Visit: greenpeace.org/canada, this is a great site to see some of the greatest threats to Canada's landcape, and Canadians themselves

Canada's potential leaders

2007-12-16T07:45:00.000-08:00

I am focussing on Elizabeth May of the Green Party and Stephane Dion of the Liberal Party, tell me what you think of the two, and who seems to be the most legitimate in their concerns for Mother Earth...You can also email them to let them know that Canadians have woken up, and are no longer sheep to the whims of american-corporate-power-loving leaders!
Elizabeth May: leader@greenparty.ca
Stephane Dion: Dion.S@parl.gc.ca

SUMMER OF CHANGE 2009

2007-12-16T07:39:00.000-08:00

Reading and hearing the events of the Bali Conference on the Kyoto Protocol, has made me more eager than ever, and more passionate than ever, that our Summer of Change Festival 2009 is going to be BIG! It is positioned at a time when we Canadians have to get together, we must unite, and show our government where we want our country to be going, we must "ACT NOW", as al gore said in his nobel peace prize speech.
We must get off our fluffy red couches, and get into ACTION...

David Suzuki on Kyoto Protocol

2007-12-16T07:38:00.000-08:00

Canada bows to pressure at Bali's 11th hour

December 15, 2007 Bali, Indonesia -- Nations agreed today on a "Bali roadmap" to launch negotiations for a post-2012 global climate agreement that will be guided by scientific analysis of the emission cuts needed to avoid dangerous climate change.

Key developing countries signalled a willingness to take on new commitments at the two-week-long UN climate conference. However, Canada worked with the United States for most of the meeting to oppose crucial elements of the Bali roadmap. As a result, parts of the deal are too vague to assure a successful outcome of the next round of UN negotiations, due to be completed in 2009.

"The world moved forward in Bali today, but we had the opportunity to do much more," said Steven Guilbeault, Equiterre. "The good news is that the Bali deal recognizes that rich nations need to cut their greenhouse gas pollution by 25 to 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020, and nations will negotiate the next phase of Kyoto on that basis."

Canada initially opposed this emissions reduction range in the final negotiating session, but agreed not to block the consensus position when it found itself virtually isolated.

"Canada worked against the key elements of this deal for most of the two weeks in Bali, and was singled out by other countries and high-ranking UN officials for its obstructive behaviour," said Dale Marshall, David Suzuki Foundation. "In the end, the government responded to public pressure and allowed this deal to go through."

The first phase of the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012, and today's deal launches a two-year negotiation process for the post-2012 "Kyoto phase 2." In addition to setting a range of emission reduction targets for industrialized countries, the Bali roadmap contains commitments to negotiate actions to control emissions in developing countries; financial agreements for adaptation and the transfer of climate-friendly technology; and an agreement to tackle the problem of deforestation in developing countries.

"Now is when the real work begins," said Matthew Bramley, Pembina Institute. "The government’s current targets and policies fall far short of the standard set in Bali. Nothing less than a massive scale-up of federal efforts on climate change is required for Canada to play a responsible part in the next two years of negotiations."

"Canada came to Bali demanding unfair commitments from developing countries, and was roundly criticized for it," said Emilie Moorhouse, Sierra Club of Canada. "In the end, the only bridge that Canada built in Bali was one that led to the U.S."

"The agreement to develop approaches to reduce deforestation and forest degradation is a key outcome of this meeting," said Chris Henschel, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. "Protecting carbon stored in forests and other ecosystems is an important complement to deep cuts in fossil fuel emissions."

Al Gore on Solving the Climate Crisis

2007-12-16T07:31:00.000-08:00

Al Gore, in a op-ed in the New York Times, recently wrote about our collective responsibility to solve the climate crisis, a global emergency.
We -- the human species -- have arrived at a moment of decision. It is unprecedented and even laughable for us to imagine that we could actually make a conscious choice as a species, but that is nevertheless the challenge that is before us.
Our home -- Earth -- is in danger. What is at risk of being destroyed is not the planet itself, but the conditions that have made it hospitable for human beings.
Without realizing the consequences of our actions, we have begun to put so much carbon dioxide into the thin shell of air surrounding our world that we have literally changed the heat balance between Earth and the Sun. If we don't stop doing this pretty quickly, the average temperature will increase to levels humans have never known and put an end to the favorable climate balance on which our civilization depends.
In the last 150 years, in an accelerating frenzy, we have been removing increasing quantities of carbon from the ground -- mainly in the form of coal and oil -- and burning it in ways that dump 70 million tons of CO2 every 24 hours into the Earth's atmosphere.
The concentrations of CO2 -- having never risen above 300 parts per million for at least a million years -- have been driven from 280 parts per million at the beginning of the coal boom to 383 parts per million this year.
As a direct result, many scientists are now warning that we are moving closer to several "tipping points" that could -- within 10 years -- make it impossible for us to avoid irretrievable damage to the planet's habitability for human civilization.
Just in the last few months, new studies have shown that the north polar ice cap -- which helps the planet cool itself -- is melting nearly three times faster than the most pessimistic computer models predicted. Unless we take action, summer ice could be completely gone in as little as 35 years. Similarly, at the other end of the planet, near the South Pole, scientists have found new evidence of snow melting in West Antarctica across an area as large as California.
This is not a political issue. This is a moral issue, one that affects the survival of human civilization. It is not a question of left versus right; it is a question of right versus wrong. Put simply, it is wrong to destroy the habitability of our planet and ruin the prospects of every generation that follows ours.
On Sept. 21, 1987, President Ronald Reagan said, "In our obsession with antagonisms of the moment, we often forget how much unites all the members of humanity. Perhaps we need some outside, universal threat to recognize this common bond. I occasionally think how quickly our differences would vanish if we were facing an alien threat from outside this world."
We -- all of us -- now face a universal threat. Though it is not from outside this world, it is nevertheless cosmic in scale.
Consider this tale of two planets. Earth and Venus are almost exactly the same size, and have almost exactly the same amount of carbon. The difference is that most of the carbon on Earth is in the ground -- having been deposited there by various forms of life over the last 600 million years -- and most of the carbon on Venus is in the atmosphere.
As a result, while the average temperature on Earth is a pleasant 59 degrees, the average temperature on Venus is 867 degrees. True, Venus is closer to the Sun than we are, but the fault is not in our star; Venus is three times hotter on average than Mercury, which is right next to the Sun. It's the carbon dioxide.
This threat also requires us, in Reagan's phrase, to unite in recognition of our common bond.
Next Saturday, on all seven continents, the Live Earth concert will ask for the attention of humankind to begin a three-year campaign to make everyone on our planet aware of how we can solve the climate crisis in time to avoid catastrophe. Individuals must be a part of the solution. In the words of Buckminster Fuller, "If the success or failure of this planet, and of human beings, depended on how I am and what I do, how would I be? What would I do?"
Live Earth will offer an answer to this question by asking everyone who attends or listens to the concerts to sign a personal pledge to take specific steps to combat climate change. (More details about the pledge are available at algore.com.)
But individual action will also have to shape and drive government action. Here Americans have a special responsibility. Throughout most of our short history, the United States and the American people have provided moral leadership for the world. Establishing the Bill of Rights, framing democracy in the Constitution, defeating fascism in World War II, toppling Communism and landing on the moon -- all were the result of American leadership.
Once again, Americans must come together and direct our government to take on a global challenge. American leadership is a precondition for success.
To this end, we should demand that the United States join an international treaty within the next two years that cuts global warming pollution by 90 percent in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy Earth.
This treaty would mark a new effort. I am proud of my role during the Clinton administration in negotiating the Kyoto protocol. But I believe that the protocol has been so demonized in the United States that it probably cannot be ratified here -- much in the way the Carter administration was prevented from winning ratification of an expanded strategic arms limitation treaty in 1979. Moreover, the negotiations will soon begin on a tougher climate treaty.
Therefore, just as President Reagan renamed and modified the SALT agreement (calling it Start), after belatedly recognizing the need for it, our next president must immediately focus on quickly concluding a new and even tougher climate change pact. We should aim to complete this global treaty by the end of 2009 -- and not wait until 2012 as currently planned.
If by the beginning of 2009, the United States already has in place a domestic regime to reduce global warming pollution, I have no doubt that when we give industry a goal and the tools and flexibility to sharply reduce carbon emissions, we can complete and ratify a new treaty quickly. It is, after all, a planetary emergency.
A new treaty will still have differentiated commitments, of course; countries will be asked to meet different requirements based upon their historical share or contribution to the problem and their relative ability to carry the burden of change. This precedent is well established in international law, and there is no other way to do it.
There are some who will try to pervert this precedent and use xenophobia or nativist arguments to say that every country should be held to the same standard. But should countries with one-fifth our gross domestic product -- countries that contributed almost nothing in the past to the creation of this crisis -- really carry the same load as the United States? Are we so scared of this challenge that we cannot lead?
Our children have a right to hold us to a higher standard when their future -- indeed, the future of all human civilization -- is hanging in the balance. They deserve better than a government that censors the best scientific evidence and harasses honest scientists who try to warn us about looming catastrophe. They deserve better than politicians who sit on their hands and do nothing to confront the greatest challenge that humankind has ever faced -- even as the danger bears down on us.
We should focus instead on the opportunities that are part of this challenge. Certainly, there will be new jobs and new profits as corporations move aggressively to capture the enormous economic opportunities offered by a clean energy future.
But there's something even more precious to be gained if we do the right thing. The climate crisis offers us the chance to experience what few generations in history have had the privilege of experiencing: a generational mission; a compelling moral purpose; a shared cause; and the thrill of being forced by circumstances to put aside the pettiness and conflict of politics and to embrace a genuine moral and spiritual challenge.
Al Gore, vice president from 1993 to 2001, is the chairman of the Alliance for Climate Protection. He is the author, most recently, of "The Assault on Reason."

summer of change 2009

2007-12-10T12:24:00.001-08:00

GET READY FOR THE SUMMER OF CHANGE 2009 OUTDOOR FESTIVAL. IT IS CURRENTLY BEING ORGANIZED BY US AT VEGAN MOUNTAIN AND WE ARE HOPING TO SEE A HUGE TURNOUT SO AS TO KICK CANADA INTO GEAR, AND SHOW OUR GOVERNMENT THAT THE ENVIRONMENT IS OUR NUMBER ONE CONCERN, AND WE HAVE TO START WAKING UP AND DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT. STAY TUNE TO THE LOCATION OF THE FESTIVAL, WE ARE LOOKING FOR A LARGE PIECE OF LAND IN B.C., AND FOR THE SPEAKERS, MUSICIANS, VENDORS AND OTHER FUN EVENTS...LET'S GET UNITED ONCE AND FOR ALL.