Occupy London: The End Of The Beginning

Syria’s civilian death toll ‘well over 7,500′: UN

Female family members mourns over the body of a man killed by a shrapnel on Tuesday in the Syrian town of Qusayr, as Syria walked out of a UN debate on the human rights situation in the violence-wracked country, while its ally Russia urged Damascus to cooperate with efforts to allow in humanitarian aid.

By Michelle Nichols, Reuters

UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations on Tuesday said “well over 7,500 people” have been killed in Syria during an 11-month government crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, raising its previous estimated death toll by nearly a third.

UN Under-Secretary-General for political affairs Lynn Pascoe told the UN Security Council that the firepower of the opposition forces appeared to be minimal compared to the heavy weapons being used by the Syrian army.

“While we cannot give exact casualty figures there are credible reports that the death toll now often exceeds 100 civilians a day, including many women and children. The total killed so far is certainly well over 7,500 people,” Pascoe said.

Syrian authorities on Feb. 15 put the death toll at 3,838 – 2,493 civilians and 1,345 soldiers and police officers, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said on Tuesday during a debate at the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in Geneva.

The last UN estimate had the death toll at over 5,400.

The outside world has proved powerless to halt the killing in Syria, where repression of initially peaceful protests has spawned an armed insurrection. Russia and China have twice used their vetoes to block any action by the UN Security Council.

“Unfortunately the international community has also failed in its duty to stop the carnage and actions and inactions to date have seemed to encourage the regime in its belief that it has impunity to carry on wanton destruction of its own civilians,” Pascoe said.

Pascoe’s comments came as France announced that there would be a third attempt by the UN Security Council to pass a resolution on Syria, this time specifically to address the humanitarian crisis.

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe, speaking on Swiss television on Monday night at the end of a visit to Geneva, said: “Nearly 8,000 people have been killed, including hundreds of children.”

Pascoe said about 25,000 Syrian refugees have registered with the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in neighboring countries and as many as 200,000 people have been internally displaced in the country.

He described the situation as “increasingly dire” for people trapped in besieged towns, such as Homs and Hama. “According to human rights organizations more than 5,000 civilians have been prevented from fleeing by government forces,” Pascoe said.

“The humanitarian consequences of the violence have become severe. In towns affected by sustained fighting . . . their water and electricity have been cut off. Access to medical care and basic food and fuel are critically needed,” he said.

Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, now the new UN-Arab League envoy on Syria, was due to meet U.S. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in New York on Wednesday, Pascoe said.

© Copyright (c) Reuters
Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Syria+civilian+death+toll+well+over/6222363/story.html#ixzz1nhneO8Ua

Alberta 2012 Fiscal Budget

This is the 2012 budget for Albertans. This link is a PDF. You must have Adobe Reader to view it.
Alberta 2012 Fiscal Budget

Questions – Mandi Schrader

I’d like to take a moment to clarify some misconceptions once and for all. If you are an Occupy hater I’m going to respectfully ask you to read this all the way through before commenting. If you don’t, and I can tell, your comments will be zapped.

In the past few weeks I have been accused of hating the following: work, money, capitalism, people who have more money than me, technology, (odd since I am not using smoke signals to communicate this message) industry and Canada.

I have been accused of laziness, working too hard for a pointless cause, wrecking a public park, being a hypocrite for refusing to sleep in said park, stupidity and hyperintellectualism.

Screw all of that.

Due to the diversity of people participating in this cause and their various concerns, it is very difficult to speak for the entire collective. To me it is fairly clear what we are aiming for and why.

No matter who you are I’m betting that at least once you’ve complained about the government. It is clear to many of us that our leaders by and large do not care about the average citizen. They cater to corporations whose interests are in profits at the cost of humans.

That is definitely a sweeping statement. There are many members of various levels of government who do care and there are corporations who deal ethically.

However, we are largely unprotected from the ones who don’t care. They prey upon our psychology to encourage us to wastefully consume products which are low in quality and very possibly made by people who are being exploited and severely underpaid. Who here is not aware that “made in China” usually means “made in a sweatshop?”

How much credit card debt are you going to rack up this holiday season on items you will discard by the end? Tinsel, cards, paper, bows, stupid stocking stuffers, presents that no one wanted but were purchased out of a sense of “I’ve got to get them something.”

How many perfectly good items wind up in landfills because you need the latest version?

Ask yourself why.

We are constantly inundated with conflicting messages, some designed to raise fear, some to put it to rest. Our media rarely educates and informs. It entertains and sensationalizes. Are you really aware of what is going on out there? Do you really think that because it wasn’t fed to you in sound bite-sized pieces that it isn’t true or didn’t happen?

Wake up. Canada DID bail out our banks. YOUR pension could be getting skimmed by unscrupulous investment bankers and your government will do nothing to prove or prosecute this. We pay high costs for food because it has to travel a LONG way to get to us, despite the fertility of our land. The food industry runs on oil. It doesn’t have to. We could grow our own. We in Alberta pay some of the highest prices for energy despite being the top producing province of those same resources.

Why is this so and why don’t you care? Why, furthermore, are you getting angry at people like me for caring?

Could we possibly engage in a citywide, province wide, nationwide, worldwide conversation on ways to make it better? Seriously, what is your problem with that? Are you afraid it will disrupt the status quo, rock the boat, force YOU to look at the way you have been living, the way you directly support environmental destruction and all the horrors of unchecked greed mentioned above?

Are you afraid you could lose all you have worked hard to gain, the respect of your friends and neighbors, your own self esteem?

Well guess what. We all have a lot to lose. Some of us have already gone out on that limb and we are doing it for you as much as us. No one is looking for a handout. We are looking for an echo, an awakening, hope.

And it’s true that this movement may seem pointless in Canada because here we are still comfortable. But at what cost does that comfort continue? Is it really worth remaining comfortable driving a hummer when first nations’ water sources are being poisoned by toxins dumped by the oil trade? Did you know that cancer rates are escalating in the rurals of northern Alberta? Did you know we breathe poison, eat poison and then think and speak poison?

Is television, empty plastic pop culture and processed food so rotting our minds and bodies that we can sit in our easy chairs and ignore all of this?

The short answer is: yes.

The longer answer is: I hope not.

The complete answer is: It’s up to all of us. Look at the world you are helping create. Own your part in its creation. Do what you can to limit your participation in the crime that is causing the destruction of our planet, our people, our minds.

Can you love your neighbor, all 7 billion of them? Can you treat others as you want to be treated, all 7 billion of them? Can you treat yourself better by demanding quality over convenience, kindness over cruelty, life over sleepwalking through life?

I think we’d all better try. Don’t you? That is how real change happens. Everyone trying in their own small way.

That is what I am in this for. Not a handout. Not a moment in the spotlight. Awareness. Conscious living. Love and compassion for all beings.

We can change the world. I believe this utterly. If you don’t believe it, keep reading this blog. Keep coming back with hate and shortsightedness. Keep criticizing the people who, despite being the least qualified to do it, are already trying. Even that helps if it keeps the conversation going.

Haters, we need you as much as anybody. Keep doing your part. We will keep doing ours. Maybe one day we will do it all together.

How to create Social Change: A long boring lecture – Trysch Anderson

I have been following the Occupy Calgary movement for awhile now and I do believe in this. Fundamental change is important on a political, environmental and social level.

While watching the movement develop I have come across another group called Common Ground Calgary. I love this group, they are very funny people with some well thought out ideas. With the approaching holiday season the group has collectively decided to help out around the community in any way they can. I support this, the holidays being stressful at best. Any support people can muster up at this time is a great show of community spirit. I decided to jump on board.

I was reading the forum today and someone posted an interesting article, I couldn’t help but write this after reading it. The question was asked if we were just band aiding the situation due to the holidays and ignoring the deeper rooted problems of the world. I am going to have to say no, this is not what we are doing at all. It may seem that way, however small change helps bring about larger change if we remember that instant gratification is a cookie or a glass of good wine and nothing more.

Helping people is part of the social change we need to make. A sense of community and a culture of reaching out a helping hand is a paradigm that is needed. Can you name four of your neighbors? If someone goes to break into your house tomorrow, will your neighbors know or care that it’s happening?

When I lived in a small town, if I sneezed at least four of my neighbors would say bless you. Living downtown I found the most remarkable building to live in. It was a small building however it was a community of people helping people. I could (and still can even though I have moved) name every single person who lived around me. I knew about their families, we ate together, it was a very healthy happy environment. No one went hungry, we had indoor and outdoor gardens. Someone always cooked and people brought what they could afford.

Part of making things better for everyone is helping. Protecting each other, being kind and considerate are the first steps to real change. This one small space still thrives, with everyone doing their part and contributing no matter how that manifested itself. By both small and large changes we will create a helping and kind society that strives for everyone to be equal and cared for and loved. That seems ok to me. Together we are strong. If a mob mentality can create destruction like it did during Vancouver’s playoffs last year, then a positive group mentality will bring about the change we are looking for.

We need is to find common ground to bind the community as well as the world together. This will bring about the sort of environment we want to leave for our children. As a mother of two, I don’t want my kids living in a world where pepper spraying and arresting innocent people is acceptable, nor where marijuana smokers are getting more jail time than child rapists. So bring about small change in your community and encourage other to as well.

I will be offering children a musical workshops in my home by donation once a week starting December 6th. These will be for people who need a couple of hours to just go shopping or wash their hair or whatever. Also come spring I will be helping to get people seeds so they can grow their own food no matter where they live. I grow a mean indoor apartment garden (it has to be able to defend itself against the squirrels. Sorry they scare me.)

I am unsure what else I will think of in the future but currently these are my contributions. This is what I can offer them to help change the world, one person at a time. Every journey begins with a single small step towards the destination. I hope you all find your niche as well. Good luck and may we all find some Common Ground in Calgary.

SOCIAL AWAKENING TO THE 100% BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE – Anonymous

We are in a system that is bound to fail.  The monetary system we live in is based on greed, competition, accumulation of unnecessary material wealth, and disregards the survival of all living organisms on Earth. The technological modernization of corporations is mainly used to increase the profits of few, leaving the rest unemployed.  Even without corruption, the monetary system will not sustain as technology will continue to advance, increasing unemployment and leaving only few with monetary wealth¹. 

Most know how fraudulent the banking system is.  Henry Ford in the early 1900s said “if we knew the origin of money there would be a revolution tomorrow”.  Abraham Lincoln and J.F. Kennedy tried to change the banking system but were assassinated before they were able to do so. Most do not know that in Canada and the US, the government issues money through private banks which make huge profits just for being administrators at the detriment of the people. A substantial amount of our taxes go to pay interest on fraudulent government debts predominately held by private banks and ultimately ending up in the Elite’s pockets².

In our current state, it is only a matter of time before the earth becomes uninhabitable due to environmental pollution³. The Elite in partnership with most governments and corporations are mainly interested in short-term profits that benefit few, disregarding the environmental impact on the planet.  An example is the nuclear power plant that is being reconstructed in the earthquake prone zone of Japan, despite objection from its people. The impact of the recent nuclear leak on the oceanic life as well as on land is vast and has not yet been adequately assessed⁴.  Another example is the leak of oil by British Petroleum Ltd.  The corporation still managed to make 3.2 billion British pounds (5.1 American dollars) in profit in the three months after paying penalty for the damage⁵. The resulting environmental impact is irreversible. The corporations do not have to follow any guidelines.  As long as the penalty is low enough, the corporations will continue and operate for profit, neglecting the damage it is doing to the environment.  Further, corporations unnecessarily pollute the environment.  An example is that automobiles are made to last only a short term, for maximum profits, regardless of the waste that is produces.

Thanks to the people who protested against the Keystone XL pipeline. The project was wrong in many ways.  If the governments were not working for the oil corporations, the money that would be spent on the project would be enough to provide all the houses that benefit from this energy with solar panel, or geothermal energy, eliminating the need for energy from oil, unnecessary environmental risks, and utility costs.

Furthermore, our food supply is contaminated by insecticides, growth hormones and unknown effects of Genetically Modified Foods⁶.  Pharmaceutical is another major corporation. In the US, 80% of pharmaceuticals given to patients are unnecessary, and most cause further complications⁷.

There is also the moral dilemma that is ignored. There is enough food currently produced to feed 9 billion people⁸ (current world population ~ 7 billion), yet our governments focus is to trigger wars, prejudices and suppression in order for the corporations to make maximum profits that benefit the Elite which is less than 1% of the world population. The rest of us are programmed to feel happy to have a job, criticizing the jobless as lazy, without realizing the slavery we are in, with the false illusion of security.

The developed nations promote unnecessary projects in developing nations giving World Bank and IMF loans that come with absurd interest rates. This is intentionally done so that, as the developing nations become poorer, trying to pay for the project, the corporations benefit by exploiting their resources¹.

The military itself is a major corporation connected to the Elite.  The wars are manufactured to justify printing of new money at the expense of taxpayers.  Hence the reason to trigger wars and keep the people distracted in the prejudices that arise while the Elite build an empire, ultimately to achieve a new world order.  Another familiar notion of this is “divide and rule” with the addition of “make money and control”.  The hierarchy of power is incorporated into most corporations and governments, to distract the knowledge of the real Elite. 

There are many people around the world who are aware of these aristocracies our governments play on.  They have researched different solutions.  We are the majority and if we are awakened, we can change the system. The greater the number awakened, the smoother the transition into a system that is sustainable.

The Elites have not yet managed to control the internet. The mainstream Medias are owned by our governments and should not be taken seriously.  It is hard for the Elite to let go of the power and will try their best to hold onto it. They are not aware of their losses such as the connection to the community, the feeling of intimacy which comes with surrender, life of meaning etc.  Human nature can range from violence to compassion. By understanding this, we should try and bring the 100% of us together for the future survival of all species on Earth.  After all we are all guilty of silence, obedience and passive participation that show the unconsciousness, in order for the current system to have prevailed⁹.

There are many movements and movies available on the internet. Some of them are the “Venus project”, the “Thrive movement”, the “Anonymous”, the “Zeitgeist movement”, the “System Change” by the council of Canadian, and the newly active “Occupy movement”.  There are informational clips and movies on You Tube.   “The Guardian”, “Aljazeera”, “The real news network”, “Wikileaks” are some of the places where we can get independent information.  There are other movies such as “The 11^th Hour“, “The Meltdown”, “The Corporation”, “The Inside Job”, “Why we fight“, “Sicko“ and clips on You Tube such as “Oh Canada” that are educative.  There are many other people and organizations that have sacrificed their jobs and lives in order to try and change the aristocracies of the world. 

We can evolve into a global resource based system where there is no competition, authority, greed, corporations, politicians or countries.  This global resource based system can be based on sharing the available resources of the planet with careful consideration of the environment.  Human potential will thrive when there is no need for accumulation of wealth.  In time we will have abundance of everything we need to live in a utopian style of living.  

This idea has been studied by the Venus project for approximately 75 years and the Zeitgeist movement for approximately 25 years.  There are other ideas from the Thrive movement that could be used during the period of transition. The Anonymous movement explains beautifully why we should break free of our ideology of using labels and names. It explains how, only when one is anonymous, one is free and truly only bound by natural law.  Names can be slandered, destroyed, and trolled, but ideas cannot. The anonymous movement is also one of the few movements that are actively involved in day-to-day monitoring and bringing practical solutions to end the corruption of the current system.

These concepts given here may initially be rejected by most of us as we are programmed from the time we were born into the monetary system.  We are brought up to expect rewards, respect authority, follow rules without question, save for the future, and aim to be “successful”. We have been praised for the ability to keep a job, however unfair the system may be. We have been brought up to accept competition, gambling, wars and violence that our governments promote as a distraction. They have constantly tried to brain wash us with unnecessary material consumption, patriotism, prejudices and misinformation.  We have become insensitive to the feelings of our fellow humans and other species of the Earth that suffer directly from the current system.

This is our time for social awakening.  We need to awaken as many as possible to make the world a better place for the future of all habitants.  Consciousness starts from within us.  We want to protest for what we think is wrong without violence. Any solutions attained by violence will not be sustainable as violence only promotes violence. It also confuses authority, as authority can only understand and respond to violence.  We should remember that authority can only exist by our consent. 

We are the 100%, unconscious at different levels. If we are capable of feeling angry at the Elite, it means that we can understand them and have the capacity to play their role at a different level of unconsciousness. Our strength comes in enlightening the Elite as much as enlightening the ones around us.

There may not be an ideal solution. This is a time where we can all contribute ideas in order to evolve into a sustainable society.  There may not be utopia, but we may be able to achieve a sustainable balance and thrive in a healthy environment.  In the current system, if the military is removed, there are enough resources for the entire planet.

If the current system prevails, not only the human species, but all the other species on earth will be destroyed in a matter of time³.  There are many other planets in the universe that may be habitable.  They are too far for us to travel in our lifetimes.  Looking at the environment of the planets close to us, Earth could only be described as heaven¹⁰.  

It should be noted that the removal of currencies is the only solution. Any system similar to the monetary system will not survive as it will eventually breed greed, neglecting the environment. Humans by nature get great satisfaction contributing into their community.  It is amazing to imagine a resource based system where everyone lives in harmony, embracing diversity, and sharing resources without the motivation of money.

To those who have saved for the future and are unable to look outside their comfort zone, not wanting any changes,  remember that we are only temporarily on this planet.  We owe it to nature and future generations to leave the environment free from pollution.  We owe it to ourselves not to trust this article or any other articles, but to do our own research and follow our conscience. 

We are living in interesting times when we can evoke change to the betterment of all living species on Earth. We are lucky to be alive, be able to contribute, and see the beginning of a newly evolving Era.

Remain strong.  Remain knowledgeable.

References:  Paraphrased from  1. Jaque Fresco, Venus project.  2. Justine Walker.  3. David Suzuki, Environmental Activist.  4.  Elizebeth Grossman, Yale Environment.  5. Jessica Satherly, Daily Mail, U.K.  6.  Joseph Mercola, M.D.  7. Deepak Chopra, M.D.   8. Elisebeth Brawl, Metro World News   9. Chris Zaporoski, Social Awakening, Common Ground.  10 . Carl Sagan, Astrophysicist.

Occupy Xmas – Mandi Schrader

We are entering the season of tinsel, ad nauseum canned carols and maxed out credit cards.

I’m not a Christmas lover. From the tacky red-and-green motifs, the bags and bags of paper purchased only to be torn up and wasted, the packed shopping centers and ugly sweaters it is not my favorite holiday for many reasons. Years of playing angels in my old church pageants didn’t help either. Angel I am not.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the spirit of warmth and light, peace on earth and family love. I love the spirit of generosity and hope. I love the cookies my mom sends every year. I love candy canes.

I hate the mall mobs, the stress, the pressure to spend spend spend and the measurement of love by the cost of a gift. And seriously can someone please write some new songs?

I challenge everyone out there, Occupiers and Occupy haters alike to rethink Christmas this year. I challenge you to make it about helping others; giving of yourself, not your wallet.

If you must spend money on gifts, go to locally owned small businesses. Support the people in your community, not the big box stores. Teach the kids that Christmas is about love, not video games. Go caroling door to door. Meet your neighbors or get to know them better. Leave your credit cards at home.

I have always been inspired by Dolly Parton’s stories of growing up in the back woods with 11 brothers and sisters. The family only ever had money for one gift. They hid it somewhere in the house and on Christmas morning all the kids searched for it. The one who found it, kept it. She spoke of those days with warmth and joy. No one ever demanded the latest trendy item, they had what they had.

I’m not suggesting we make everyone compete for one present. I AM suggesting that we reconsider the values that send us all into debt over the holidays. In whatever way we can, let’s stand up for peace, joy, good will towards ALL.

We of Occupy have joined together with people who once called us squatters, people who understand that whatever our methods we are doing this to make a better world. You can be part of it. Join us at Common Ground Calgary.

This isn’t just about Christmas, Yule, Hannuka or Kwanza. It is a fire we hope to light in the hearts of everyone and keep it glowing throughout the year. Together we can change the world. With kindness, courage and love we will succeed.

Solution #2- Integrate Rather than Segregate! – Kym Chi

Integrate rather than segregate is actually one of the most valuable permaculture principles.  It speaks to looking at how things can work together as a whole instead of separating everything that is different and grouping everything together that is the same.

We see this a lot in our society whether it be in schools with cliques, in agriculture with monoculture, in our communities with cultural differences and in our current class system with upper, middle and lower class.  When we have too many of the same things grouped together in a system it eventually causes for that system to become stagnant as it ends up with too much of one thing and not enough of another.

How can we go about fixing this?

I know that when I was younger I was taught that being different was bad, that thinking outside of the box was silly.  How many other children are being taught this?  Most of us are taught to think within the current system instead of being encouraged to think of ways things could be different.  We perpetuate the cycle of segregation and we constantly fight integration.  The reality is that integration is the natural way.  If you look at a thriving natural system you see that there is a lot of diversity to make that system function.  It operates successfully and abundantly only because of the diversity it offers.  If we took this model into our current system we could also operate more efficiently.  I propose that we spend more time encouraging students in schools to think outside of the box.  This can be done by offering various teaching styles to students, surveying students and asking them for ideas on how we can do things differently and rewarding them for having different ideas instead of making them feel outcast or silly.  Encourage children to learn from each others differences and understand the value in diversity instead of being fearful of it.  The reason why I focus so much on schooling as our youth are our future and I know much of the thought patterns I have struggled to turn around come from my childhood and youth, we should start there.

Breeding openness to ideas amongst our youth will also open up our next generation to diversity and acceptance.  It will allow for others to really see the value in differences and alternative ideas.  In turn we will have a diverse system with enough of everything to make it function as a whole.

Love and Light,
Kym Chi

Why I Occupy – Donna Clarke

Everybody who disagrees with the Occupy movement seems to think that if you work hard you can be successful in this city, country or world! (This, I realise, is a bit of a presumption.) SO WHY AREN’T I RICH AND SUCCESSFUL? I went to university and got a degree and a large debt. I paid off that debt in full. I have worked for over 20 years. I work hard. I work a full time job during the day and two evenings a week. I don’t have any benefits with either job. I need $5000 in dental work. I pay my taxes. I do not have a luxurious lifestyle. I take public transit or ride my bicycle. I seldom drink and don’t do drugs. I have volunteered at a few inner city community centers. I don’t have a TV or own property. I help out my friends when I can and have been too generous at times. I am $12,000 in debt and don’t have any savings. If i broke my leg tomorrow I would be unable to pay my bills. i want to live in a just society where people care about each other, where I am safe and secure. THIS IS WHY I SUPPORT THE OCCUPY CALGARY MOVEMENT.

Regarding “Occupy Harper” and the Omnibus crime bill – James Jesso

Dear Prime Minister Harper,
I have followed Bill c-10 for sometime now and it has become obvious that the majority of informed Canadians, many of their representatives and organizations including the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, are against it. Today marks a Nation wide protest and outcry against this bill and I felt it appropriate to take some time to write to you and let you know that I am also personally against this bill.

In fact, I am appalled that it has even come to the point that it has in the house. Canada is supposed to be a land of opportunity and peaceful community and to implement this type of law, one that exists in contradiction to the facts surrounding crime rate in Canada and what policies are most effective for reducing crime, seems grossly ignorant.

Tracy Velázquez, executive director of the Washington-based Justice Policy Institute, has publicly stated “If passed, C-10 will take Canadian justice policies 180 degrees in the wrong direction, and Canadian citizens will bear the costs.”

In addition to the obliviously ignorant justification towards the mandatory sentences proposed by this law and further perpetuation of a fascist state that was once a democratic Canada, it is a far too expensive decision. We are already cutting spending on important aspects of our country such as civil service jobs, education, healthcare, Environment Canada (which I am completely opposed to your destructive decision to cut its federal spending) and many other areas as well. According to the John Howard Society of Manitoba, who calculated the costs of this perturbation of Canadian values, the cost surrounding this bill will be $2 billion a year in total. This number includes both federal and provincial costs and averages out to $1400 per tax-payer.

It is absolutely ridiculous that we would spend such money on a policy change that has been shown through the example of other areas in the world to be ineffective. Judge John Creuzot of the Dallas County Court out of Texas, known for their tough on crime policies has said “You will spend billions and billions and billions on locking people up, and there will come a time where the public says, ‘Enough!’ And you’ll wind up letting them out.” This man speaks of personal experience; do we really need to pay to learn from the same mistakes?

Furthermore, if it is crime that we are worried about maybe we should begin to make laws that address the main reasons for crime, such as social-economic instability and encumbrance. We could start by creating laws that prevent the further hindering of Canadians through a debt load earned by the federal government borrowing money from Charted Banks. Where the responsibility of paying the gross compounded interest charged by these private corporations is placed onto the backs of Canadian tax-payers. Maybe we could start to use the Bank of Canada for these loans and the generation of money instead of the private banking corporations?  Using the bank of Canada as it was intended to be used when it was created. Maybe we could even increase funding of social programs instead of increasing corporate tax cuts like we have been over the last 10 years?

Crime rates have been steady dropping over the last 30 years. What is it that we have to fix so badly that we would further steal from the pockets of Canadians and the social programs that are supposed to create a sense of well-being and quality of life? In the mist of a world-wide economic calamity, why increase spending on overcrowding our prison system? What is Canada trying to accomplish here? To what extent will the federal government go with creating unnecessary regulations and laws, poorly allocating their spending and making clearly selfish considerations towards political policy, before we start making intelligent decisions?

The Omnibus Crime Bill C-10 is a fast track to not only a North American breed of fascism but also a completely irresponsible allocation of our budget. As a concerned, informed and intelligent citizen I request a complete stop on Bill C-10 or a referendum to decide whether it is to be implemented. Clearly a bill that would not only disrupt the lives of lives of all Canadians but also destroy the once was diplomatic value of Canada, would be decided up by the people not by a party elected into power on 24% of the eligible vote. It would be pretty clear to Canadians and to the world the state of democracy in Canada if this bill passes, as I highly doubt it would pass in a true democracy.

May God bless love, wisdom and compassion onto you are your family today.

Sincerely,

 James W Jesso