THE COOL BLUE CONSERVATIVE

Vancouver Sun columnist Stephen Hume plays the Tamil race card

2010-08-22T20:07:00.000-07:00

Vancouver Sun's Senior writer Stephen Hume, award winning writer wades in the illegal Tamil migrant debate.

Stephen Hume, with a full deck of cards in hand, cards full of reason, logic, past and current studies and in your face national opinion polls. Stephen, like an old West riverboat gambler looks for the elusive race card in the deck.

The race card in Liberal circles is to be feared by many as the "Ace in the hole", is said to trump all hands in any card game.

Stephen shuffling through the deck like a riverboat gambler of old somehow manages to slip one in at the bottom of the deck.

As the cards are laid out amongst the players (Canadian public), everyone seems to have a winning hand, that is until Stephen shows his hand, the elusive Race Card, trumping all others.

Despite calls of tom foolery to outright cheating, Stephen calmly states past games where Race Cards are always in the Canadian deck, regardless that this deck of cards was meticulously scanned by the pit boss (all political parties, including the United Nations) and nary a race card was found.

Stephen insists the Race Card was always there and stands, thus his ace in the hole and any Canadian player who disputes the race card in play must be a racist and must excuse themselves from the table.

Immigration Lawyers on the other hand hit the Lottery Jackpot representing the 493 illegal Tamil migrants are seen to be taking a $22 million dollar payday, courtesy of the Canadian Taxpayer. Certainly these lawyers have a vested interest in keeping the illegal Tamil migrants in Canada.

One the other side of the coin, if the illegal Tamil migrants are freed and awaiting months or year for their claims to be heard, Toronto it is said to be the illegal Tamil migrants destination of choice, with Toronto taxpayers on the hook for an estimated $1 million dollars a month to house, feed, care, with generous welfare benefits for all 493 of these illegal Tamil migrants.

The media reports coming in all directions on the Taxpayer being on the hook in all this may solidify Stephen's Race Card stance that whitey (Canadians) is once again is keeping the brown man (Illegal Tamil migrants) down.

To Stephen's credit, previous issues of racism based on the sins of our forefathers may have played a hand in regards to past refugees. Certainly nothing is mentioned in Stephen Race Card that the Brown man and his ethnic vote is a much sought after hot commodity by every political party, including all political parties pandering for votes with banned Terrorist organizations in Canada.

In regards to the current situation being played in connection with the illegal Tamil migrants, this deck being played is being dealt fairly, with the world of international pit bosses watching. Tamils currently make up the second largest population in Canada outside of their homeland in Sri Lanka.

Despite this, Canadians once getting all the facts, feel duped with the recent influx of illegal Tamil migrants stories of hardship, when stories of $50,000 a head was paid to get to Canada as the illegal Tamil migrants are currently residing in Metro Vancouver detention facilities awaiting a decision on whether Canada will accept them or deport them.

National polls take by Canadians, including calls from the Federal political parties NDP, Conservatives, Bloc Quebec, Liberals and yes, surprisingly even the Green party are overwhelming calling for the ouster of these 493 illegal Tamil migrants back to Sri Lanka.

So if Stephen Hume's assessment that the majority of Canadians, including politicians of every political stripe are racist shows Stephen's adeptness of slipping in the race card when the deck of facts is stacked against him.

Stephen Hume postulates that the current xenophobia why Canadians are anti Tamil by past events shows lack of fact, certainly his one sided story leaves out the Vietnamese boat people in which Canada welcomed without question with open arms.

The Vietnamese who during Pol Pot reign of terror committed a genocide worthy of the Jewish Holocaust cannot even compare to the Tamil war.

The Tamil Tigers, much like the Taliban of today instigated the war, unlike the Vietnamese or Jews during World War II, neither were terrorists or soldiers, but innocent civilians.

Did the Vietnamese or Jews once in Canada, soon after arriving on our shore leave for their former homeland for family vacations while said genocidal atrocities were still being committed? I think not!

Can this be said of Tamil refugees living in Canada? Apparently Tamils in Canada who claim even today that mass genocidal slaughter by government forces against Tamils in their former homeland frequently go back for family reunions and vacations. Could this be one of a multitude of reasons Canadians aren't buying the deck of lies and deceit by the current cast of illegal Tamil migrants?

Certainly all this irrefutable proof, including the United Nations statements to the contrary shows Stephen's race card claim was never part of the original deck, despite claims by Stephen it was always there.

In ending, Stephen, one does not have to be adept at playing cards to know when one is being played in the media.

Canadians have spoken, these illegal Tamil migrants must go.

While Stephen Hume plays the race card against Canadians, statistics state that Canada is a make up of 8 million non white Canadians , almost a third of our population. Are we to assume these non white Canadians, including non white politicians were excluded from the National polls or political forums conducted in wanting these illegal Tamil migrants deported?

A reported mass protest rally in Vancouver was held in favour of keeping the illegal Tamil migrants in Canada.

Vancouvers mass protest pro Tamil support rally was soon interrupted by a couple of hundred Zombies intercepting and roaming amongst the Pro Tamil support rally protest march. The hundreds of Zombies were on the lookout for brains to eat, resulted in the Zombies not finding any brains amidst the 40 or so Pro Tamil support rally participants.

Funny how 40 people constitute a major pro Tamil support rally seemingly overriding the sense and sensibilities of 24+ million or 89% of Canadians who are protesting to deport these illegal Tamil migrants back to Sri Lanka.

Must be the new math?

As Kenny Rogers as a cardsharp in the Gambler once sang " ya gotta know when to fold em!"

HHHMMMM, Methinks someone at the Vancouver Sun isn't playing with a full deck!

Canada's illegal Tamil migrant refugee claims bogus: United Nations

2010-08-21T09:03:00.000-07:00

The Tamils preying on Canadian sympathies

Canada's recent arrival two weeks ago of 493 illegal Tamil migrants whose refugee claims of murderous rampage and death in Sri Lanka has turned out to be bogus. Granted in the past both the Tamil Tigers and their adversaries were both guilty of atrocities. Today, reading Sri Lankan dailies this is a thing of the past, with genocide trials underway in Sri Lanka against both sides of the conflict.

If any Tamil related deaths are being reported it is by Tamil terrorists who continue to terrorize innocent people and not wanting to surrender, much like the Taliban in the middle east.

The United Nations, the international watchdog on all human rights abuses worldwide do not report mass slaughter as being claimed by the new rash of illegal Tamil migrants.

United Nations report

The United Nations, an international body which dispenses the refugee status in determining who or who is not a refugee aren't buying the stories of these recent illegal Tamil migrants currently in Canadian custody in Metro Vancouver.

The United Nations (UN) states conditions in Sri Lanka for Tamils has vastly improved following the 26 year Tamil separatist war, but pockets of discrimination still exists for Gay Tamils and certain Tamil journalists and Human rights activists.

The Canadian government may have a way out with this UN statement, though national media polls show 89% of Canadians want the illegal Tamil migrants deported immediately, this, despite calls from opposition parties looking at potential voters for their political parties and wanting the Tamils to stay in Canada. Toronto having the largest Tamil population (300,000) in the world outside Sri Lanka are putting political pressure and voting power in getting Canadian politicians to take in the current influx of illegal Tamil migrants.

Opposition politicians whose ridings are in predominately Tamil populated areas are speaking out in the media in their quest to sate their Tamil voting public.

Toronto Mayoral hopeful Rob Ford, said to be the front runner in municipal politics is calling for the illegal migrants to be deported, much to the delight of his voting public. The suckling of the Canadian Teat of taxpayer monies seems to have hit a chord in Toronto.

Toronto's social housing strapped with 10 year waiting lists and the revelation that the 493 illegal Tamil migrants will cost the taxpayer over $300,000 dollars a month just in welfare payments has many in Toronto and Canadian taxpayers up in arms. It is said in addition to welfare payments, that an additional $600, 000 a month in housing, medical and dental benefits will also be outlayed for the recent illegal Tamil arrivals.

The cost of $12 million dollars a year for illegal Tamil migrants seems to be the cost that broke the Canadian taxpayers wallet and generous sensibility that Toronto was once known for.

Additional Canadian taxpayer associated costs such as the refugee background checks, immigration process, immigration appeals, lawyers etc are not factored into the total cost, but are expected to reach a million dollars plus in the new year.

If the previous mass slaughter stories told by the illegal Tamil migrants rang true, perhaps Canadians would have been more sympathetic.

These recent revelations by the UN body not buying the Tamil refugee story could result in the Canadian government to begin deportation hearings for all 493 Tamils, all believed complicit in the Tamil Tiger organization.

The deportation of all 493 Tamils would result in the two rumoured ships lying in wait in the India Ocean to drop anchor as they await word on whether these current Tamils would be accepted in Canada. Thus stemming the next tide of illegal Tamil migrants.

It has been said this current group of 493 illegal Tamil migrants and their Captain of the M.V. Sun Sea hoisted anchor when the previous batch of 79 illegal Tamil migrants were accepted as refugees by Canada soon after hitting our shores in October 2009.

The Tamil's elusive journey of lies and deceit

The story of how Tamil Tigers profit is widely known, guns and drugs, with human smuggling as a bread and butter business with willing illegal migrants, $50,000 cash in hand per person who care not of the politics of the human smugglers, as long as they (illegal migrants) can reach their destination by hook or by crook.

The M.V. Sun Sea, formerly a Thai flag ship was purchased by Sri Lankan National Christhurajah Kunarobinson, a man looking for a hefty return on his initial investment of $175,000 for the ships purchase price to turn a profit a thousand fold to the tune of approx: $ 24,650,000 by charging the current wave of illegal Tamil migrants $50,000 a head.

To initiate the purchase and delivery almost reads like a James Bond novel, not to mention the lies and deceit in circumventing half the globe to escape the detection of Navies of other countries.

The now unregistered and flagged M.V. Sun Sea never bothered to register their ship or their sea routes (for good reason) according to international law, resulting in the Royal Thai Navy to begin an exhaustive and expensive search and rescue for the M.V. Sun Sea.

Intermittent sighting of the ship were reported, but the elusive M.V. Sun Sea steamed ahead for Canada. Australia, ever vigilant put other countries on notice, including Canada that something was amiss and feared the errant ship was steaming toward Australian waters.

Eventually the M.V. Sun Sea was found and intercepted by the Thai Navy, with all aboard the M.V. Sun Sea putting on an academy award performance of "all is well" in a continuation of lies and deception with the willing participation of passengers and crew.

Once the threat of being boarded by the Royal Thai Navy, the Captain of M.V. Sun Sea radioed their destination, purportedly enroute to Bangkok. The Royal Thai Navy stopped their pursuit once the M.V. Sun Sea made it's way, not to Bangkok, but to Vietnamese territorial waters.

The rest of the story ends, as Canada monitored the ships route confirming Canada would be expecting a ship of illegal migrants sometime in August.

The Canadian Navy intercepted the M.V. Sun Sea off Canadian territorial waters and guided the M.V. Sun Sea into port.

How Canada failed to stop the M.V. Sun Sea

Despite warnings by countries involved in monitoring the voyage of the M.V. Sun Sea, Canada was powerless to stop the ship from reaching Canadian shores. Pleas to the Vietnamese Navy was met with reluctance and once the Sun Sea was well into international waters Canada could do nothing.

Canada upon signing the U.N. Refugee charter was obligated to accept the M.V. Sun Sea and it's occupants.

Australia, also a charter member has outlying islands in which to detain illegal migrants from reaching Australia. Canada has not such islands.

Currently the Canadian government is seeking international cooperation from Asia pacific countries in stopping illegal migrants and human smuggling.

Considering Canada provides millions of dollars in aid every year to many of these international Asia pacific countries, perhaps a dangling cash aid carrot may see these Asia pacific nations finally co-operate.

Epilogue

Canadians upon hearing of the impending tide of illegal Tamil migrants were split on whether to accept of reject the new Tamil migrants. Media reports and reports by Canadian Tamil organizations numbed Canadians with stories of rape, torture, mass murder of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Immediate comparisons of the Tamil migrant ship and passengers were made along the same lines as the Jewish Holocaust, Rwanda mass killings etc.

Refusal to grant sanctuary to these Tamil migrants would be seen as a world wide travesty, once repeated when a shipload of Jewish refugees in World War II were turned away by the liberal government of the day.

The Sri Lankan government and the United Nations organization issued a stern statement disputing the facts brought out by the media and special interest groups, politicians and the Canadian Tamil organization.

Canadians upon hearing contrary reports, along with recent photos and new information that the Illegal Tamil migrants once landing in Canada, after a medical checkup in which the Tamils were found in relatively good health and a search of the M.V. Sun Sea in which it was discovered not a death ship made it clear something was amiss in the one sided media reports and that of special interest groups and the Canadian Tamil organization.

Reports of $50,000 a head fees for transport to Canada, along with all Tamils with not identification papers and 493 illegal Tamil's reluctance to name the captain and crew of the M.V. Sun Sea made Canadians incensed that we had been duped.

National polls began on what to do with these illegal Tamil migrants, with 89% of Canadians wanting these illegal Tamil migrants deported immediately.

Britain's war time prime minister Winston Churchill is believed to once state to Nazi Germany, "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me". Presumed said, when Hitler's non aggression pact was not worth the paper in which it was signed.

Canadians wait with baited breath on the outcome of the 493 illegal Tamil migrants once the interviews are completed.

One can be assured legal refugees in war torn countries will be nonplussed by the lies and deceit displayed by these new batch of illegal Tamil migrants as they too one day be looked on with suspicion and distrust by Canadians.

Guaranteed, whether they are deported or allowed to stay, one side will not be happy.

I am thinking the Tamils 493 versus 30 million Canadian Taxpayers.

Canadian politicians wade into the illegal Tamil migrant debate

2010-08-19T16:49:00.000-07:00

Since the arrival of 493 illegal Tamil migrants aboard the M.V. Sun Sea this month, Canadian politicians both left and right have waded into the debate.

Politicians have been accused of everything from racist attitude to spooning with the Tamil terrorist organization.

Federal Member of Parliament MP Gurbax Singh Malhi is one of many in the present and the past who have attended Terrorist organization rallies or festival, really not understanding the background or not bothering to look at the big picture.

Liberal MP Gurbax Singh Malhi is accused of attending a banned Tamil Tigers Organization rally, complete with Tamil Tiger flags behind him in which he states "I am helping you guys". Certainly words meant to endear him to a vote rich audience of Tamil Tigers.

Past politically embarrassing moments are nothing new is the quest for votes. This is a common practice in which all politicians are adept at, though many never to bother to find out who the voters are, as long as they vote for them.

One instance many recall would be when our much beloved BC Premier Gordon Campbell and other politicians left wing and right wing attended a 2007 Vaisakhi Sikh Festival in Surrey, BC.

As BC politican's glad-handed and soaked up the festive atmosphere, the Vaisakhi festival was marred by Terrorist undertones which were immediately apparent to everyone, except the party hardy politicians.

CBC news informed our illustrious partying Premier and other disco dancing politicians in attendance if they knew the significance of certain floats passing by and the Sikh terrorist participants mode of dress beside them, complete with Khalistan Insignias?

The media cheerfully informed the Premier and politicians clapping and cheering were in fact in the midst of a banned terrorist organization. It is believed at that moment one could hear a "political pin drop" as explanations and much disco dancing damage control by politicians all around rivaled a Saturday Night Fever dance off.

Sikh organizations, much like Tamil organizations in Canada are tired of being associated with terrorism. Rightfully so, unless proof is at hand, perhaps it is best to holster the Terrorist monikers against organizations, after all, this is Canada. The same can be said against Muslims as well. There will always be a few Terror cells who will spoil it for others who just wish to be Canadian and enjoy life.

Many Canadians witnessed political ethnic voting at it's finest, especially when politicians such as MP. Gurbax Singh Malhi, Premier Gordon Campbell and other politicians state they understand the voting public. Apparently not.

Not to be outdone, one Toronto mayoralty hopeful Rob Ford is looking to raise the ire of the voting Toronto public by stating the con of accepting the bulk of accepting these illegal Tamil migrants currently housed in Metro Vancouver.

As Immigration hearings for 25 undocumented illegal Tamil migrant women continue this week at a youth detention facility in BurnabyBurnaby, it seems the woman have no documents stating their identity, such as a birth certificate or other forms of id.

The remaining 423 undocumented male illegal Tamil migrants, including the yet to be identified Captain and his crew are also going under the interview and background process are also without identification, perhaps slowing the process of who is who even further.

Destroying all forms of identity among illegal migrants is commonplace, leaving immigration officials and R.C.M.P. in a guessing game with no international leads, certainly a game illegal migrants enjoy playing as the illegal migrants remain tight lipped in the hopes a cold case trail will gain them entry into Canada.

The Captain of the M.V. Sun Sea and the crew have yet to be identified, it seems the Captain's 493 passengers are not naming names, much like the past Captain and crew of the October 2009 illegal Tamil migrants, all 79 illegal Tamil migrants, unknown Captain and crew were released to begin life in Canada and all the social benefits the Canadian taxpayer will provide for life.

Mayoralty candidate Rob Ford states that the increased social welfare costs are costs a financially strapped Toronto can ill afford. While other politicians blast Mr. Ford for his racist attitudes.

It seems Mr. Ford is correct in his statements of increased monthly welfare costs said to now to be in the low range of $300,000 dollars a month to the Toronto taxpayer for 447 eligible illegal Tamil migrants if released to begin their life anew in Canada.

Mind you this does not include housing, medical, dental, child care benefits or other free social costs which can range in social housing scarce Toronto to an additional tune of close to $1 million dollars a month.

Certainly once word of this windfall hits Tamils in Sri Lanka abroad, a flotilla of ships may soon be hoisting anchor and steaming to our Canadian shores.

Current National Media polls put 89% believe the illegal Tamil migrants should be sent back to Sri Lanka, 8 % believe immigrants are good for this country, and 3 % are undecided.

Tamils versus Canada: Let's dance

2010-08-17T08:03:00.000-07:00

Stories from the illegal Tamil migrants are now stating to Canadians that they has no choice as mass murder was the reason 490 Tamils escaped Sri Lanka.

The illegal Tamil migrants now have us believe their tale of woe they escaped with their lives and had to make the long journey of thousands and thousands of miles, months at sea risking life and the limb and their children to come all the way to Canada, bypassing a 2 hour cruise to Tamil Nadu in India where many Tamils go to live in relative peace and prosperity as India's burgeoning middle class is growing by leaps and bounds. Of course they are said to cruised by Australia as well enroute to Canada was and had always been their choice destination.

Canada which has the second largest population in the world outside of Sri Lanka has 300,000 Tamils largely centred in Toronto where it is said they hold court as a quasi Tamil government in exile.

This Tamil government in exile are seen by many as one big Ontario Liberal and NDP voting block many politicians will walk carefully around; especially if they want to remain in power in various Tamil densely populated Ontario ridings. That's a tune all politicians can dance to.

Now that all the illegal Tamil migrants are safely in Canada, it is not without controversy as Canadians feel they once again have been taken advantage of and seen once again as an "All Day Sucker" by the third world.

As the interview process begins at Maple Ridge prison where the illegal Tamil migrant men are held, a slow dance begins between Canada immigration officials and the R.C.M.P. with their unwilling dance partners, the illegal Tamil migrants. The music sheet played by the Orchestra leader Vic Toews will feature the hit song " Who can it be now?", a 1981 Australian classic made famous by Men at Work.

It has been reported that personal identification papers of the illegal Tamil migrants is non existent, pretty much destroyed before the illegal Tamil migrants boarded the M.V. Sun Sea. A favoured ploy by air passengers posing as visitors, who are in fact illegal migrants , in a "Can't send me back to a country without proving I am from that country". In this case Canada could, but won't, even though it is clear the illegal Tamil migrants came to our shores in good health, clean clothes, plenty of food and water.

In the words of one Canadian official who boarded the M.V. Sun Sea "The ship was well organised, well stocked". This surprise belies stories by Canadian Tamil organizations of illness and passengers near death.

Once Canadians found out the truth, calls by many Canadians stated to our Government officials; refuel the ship and send the Tamils back to whence they came. Anyone can differentiate between photos of true refugees and economic refugees. One look at the Pakistani flood victims versus photos of Tamil migrants stepping off the M.V. Sun Sea can see why many Canadians feel the Economic migrant moniker will be hard to shake with these illegal Tamil migrants, of course at $50,000 dollars a head certainly cements that.

While the processing of the illegal Tamil migrants continue, Canadian officials in their efforts, will be met with delays, lots of overtime, daily frustration and near impossible lengths they will have to go through in determining who is who among the illegal Tamil migrants when conducting background checks of those who conveniently lost all their identification papers.

Determining who is who among the illegal Tamil migrants, especially any Tamil Tigers who brought the illegal Tamil migrants to the Land of Milk and Honey will be met with a shipload of uncooperative dance partners regardless what type of music the government big band plays.

While the dance steps taken by our government to assist their unwilling migrant dance partners in trying to determine who the Captain of the M.V. Sun Sea and her crew will most likely fall on the tone deaf passengers.

Perhaps our Canadian orchestra leader (Vic Toews) isn't playing the right tune.

Perhaps Ozzy Osborne's "I Can't Save You" will get em (Tamils) dancin.

Canadian-born Ottawa man could face deportation to parents' native India

2010-08-16T22:46:00.000-07:00

Deepan Budlakoti, months away from his 21st birthday may see this man celebrating his coming of age in India, a foreign country and culture he neither knows of, or speaks their language.

Deepan, born at the Grace Hospital in Ottawa, Ontario in October 1989 is the only child of former Indian embassy staffers, both who only received their Canadian citizenship after their son's birth are now faced with losing their child under a relatively unknown but enforceable law, most Canadians are unaware of.

Non Canadians working in the foreign service for their mother country, know that children born in Canada are not automatically given Canadian citizenship.

While it is certainly easier for Canadian born children of foreign service nationals to receive citizenship versus any landed immigrant, automatic Canadian citizenship may be given at the Queen's (governments) pleasure.

Some Canadian laws, in part of a throwback to English law as a part of the Commonwealth are a mixture of our own made in Canada laws and a few English laws. Canada, England and other countries have similar laws in place to protect their sovereignty.

The USA goes one step further in implementing the contraversial Anchor Baby Laws.

Deepan it seems had quite the troubled past, beginning at the tender age of 12 as a runaway, involved in petty crimes, evolving into more serious crimes in which he provided much overtime pay for local police agencies who found themselves investigating more than 300 non violent crimes committed by Deepan.

Though soon after Deepan mended his criminal ways, he left his petty criminal past, started a small construction company.

All seem to go well until his criminal past caught up with him, with one last foray into crime, Deepan sold sold some stolen weapons to an undercover police officer. This crime and the aggregate crimes of his past soon became clear to the government that his brief respite from crime was for naught and have taken steps to deport him to the place of his parents' birth.

Deepan's pleas of "It's not fair" seems to have fallen on deaf ears.

Many Canadians' have expressed our government mirror some European countries laws in which any person foreign born who becomes a citizen of that country, but commits a a serious crime be deported. This expression of interest in stripping those of Citizenship and deporting criminals came to a head with the Vincent Li case, in which the Chinese born Canadian made international headlines soon after gaining Canadian citizenship.

Vincent Li was charged and found guilty (August 10, 2008) of the brutal beheading and eating the skull (flesh) of 22 year old bus passenger Tim McLean in the presence of RCMP officers and horrified passengers on a Winnepeg bound bus.

Vince Li, found mentally deranged (because he refused to take his medication} by the courts was placed into a Canadian mental health facility and currently is allowed to go on supervised walks around the mental facilities grounds, with one day that he walk among us.

With this unsettling news of Vincent Li walking around, perhaps Deepan's pleas of not fair are true, after all his crimes, though numerous, were petty in nature, unlike ethnic foreign born gangs (many who do not have Canadian citizenship) in Metro Vancouver and other Canadian cities.

Media report countless stories of ethnic gangs that run amok in our cities committing random widespread murders.

Vietnamese criminals many who a scant year ago were in Vietnam, once arriving on Canadian soil as refugees begin conducting wide scale criminal enterprises in British Columbia, concentrating on such criminal enterprises such as methamphetamine production and marijuana grow ops.

Once caught and charged (sometimes multiple times) only seem to get a fine and are released back into the community once again to ply their illicit activities.

These landed (criminal) immigrants and ethnic gang members always seem to escape deportation for some unknown reason that escapes the Canadian governments' sense of justice and logic and raises the ire of Canadians.

Funny how Canadian law applies to some and not for others.

Deepan, now realizes that if you do not mind your "Ps and Qs" while in Canada one will suffer the wrath of the Queen's displeasure, who can rescind your citizenship.

Tamil migrants: How could Canada let it get this far?

2010-08-14T08:09:00.000-07:00

Many Canadians and Media are looking to our Government for answers on why the Canadian government let the illegal Tamils get to our shores, when it was clear our government knew in advance and failed to stop it?

Canada is handcuffed in adhering to the refugee act it signed long ago, which seems to not differentiate between economic or true refugees into a gray area we are bound to follow.

Other countries in the West who also signed this refugee pact have no problem in stopping or curtailing the tide of illegal refugees who try and enter their countries, but then Canada seems to be an anomaly.

Perhaps someone will provide answers why Canada is considered an all day sucker by the third world.

Yesterday's arrival of the illegal Tamil migrants, now safely ensconced into the bosom of the Canadian social safety net has many Canadians asking how did the Canadian government let this get out of hand?

Reports in the media state boatloads of Tamils in Sri Lanka and outlying regions await word how this current illegal migration plays out before they too will hoist anchor and set sail for Canada.

Canada's generosity in accepting more refugees than anywhere in the world makes Canada a more viable destination, resulting in Canada getting the lion's share of refugees, including many with a hidden terrorist or criminal bent.

Some Canadian say thanks to our ethnocentric acceptance of a Multicultural and Diversity society is part and parcel why we are forced to accept all comers.

Multiculturalism and Diversity, a mantra fostered into Law by the Liberals decades ago in the 1960s, lead by then Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau who monopolized on the Hippie Free Love, Live and Let Live cultural generation, sought the votes of the younger ideals of a generation which had dominated our Canadian society.

While Australia is the illegal migrants first choice destination, Australians have rallied to their government stating enough is enough and forced their government to do something now!

Australia with it's many nearby islands in the pacific have a better chance of turning away illegal migrants by detaining the ship or putting up a blockade and stopping the illegal human cargo ships before they reach Australian waters.

Unlike Australia, Canada is not so lucky, we do not have outlying islands in which our Navy can stop ships before they reach our international waters. Any ship like the M.V. Sun Sea enter out Canadian waters, Canada is obligated to assist, including taking in refugees.

To date, Canadians are demanding our government act and deport the human cargo back to Sri Lanka. While in theory plausible, Canada has in vain tried to pressure the Sri Lankan government to end the mistreatment of Tamils in the hopes better treatment will stem the tide of illegal migrants from leaving in the first place.

On the other hand, shouts from Sri Lankans for their own homeland, even if it came to be in a perfect world would not stop those Sri Lanka Tamils from illegally trying to get to greener pastures like Canada. Proof of that can be seen by other illegal migrants from other more western styled democratic areas of the world who look to Canada as their economic saviour.

While Canada has tried to find ways in getting nearby Asian countries to intervene on own behalf. Requests by our government to Asian countries to intercept with their Navies to turn away shiploads of illegal migrants who pass into their territorial waters, have fallen on deaf ears.

Perhaps a solution is at hand. Canada and other western countries who provide billions of dollars a year in financial aid to these unwilling Asian countries can be coerced to cooperate by dangling the Financial Aid Carrot in front of them.

A solution would be to tie any financial aid (estimated in the billions of dollars a year) as a bargaining chip in forcing these Asian countries to use their Navy vessels to assist us in stopping human smuggling in it's tracks.

Failure to comply and assist Canada when warning of a cargo of Illegal migrants is steaming towards our shores via these Asian countries would result in stopping all financial aid or a drastic reduction in financial aid until compliance is met.

The aid reduction can be based on processing and legal costs, as well as all future costs in which the refugee will cost the Canadian taxpayer, until that time the refugee becomes a taxpayer with a full time job and productive Canadian.

If this scenario were to be implemented, guaranteed these Asian countries would toe the line when their much needed billions in financial aid is tied to illegal migrants they fail to stop. Nothing like money to get some action when it affect them directly in the pocketbook.

This would still ensure Canada lives up to it's previous United Nations Refugee commitments, while stopping illegal transport of refugees to our shores.

It is now believed the majority of these Tamils will soon make their way to Toronto in which support networks are in place with Tamil organizations there. Two Toronto federal politicians NDP Olivia Chow and Federal Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, both who have ridings in these predominately populatedTamil areas have both spoken out harshly against our government and demanded these illegal Tamil refugees be given any and all considerations.

Considerations most Canadians can only dream of.

Toronto has the largest population (300,000) of Tamils in the world, outside of Sri Lanka. These two opposition politicians certainly know which side their political votes are buttered on.

Toronto's NDP Olivia Chow whose riding in Trinity-Spadina and Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff whose riding in Lakeview may raise the ire of Canadians who may disagree, resulting in voter erosion of both their political parties in the future if this illegal migration starts to become commonplace.

Tamil support organizations in Toronto have already printed up and sent pamphlets to British Columbia for their lawyers to hand out to the 490 illegal migrants once they can gain access to them. The pamphlets are chock full of information for the illegal migrants, letting them know that as future Canadians, they can now enjoy all the benefits Canadian, such as legal rights, social welfare benefits, free medical and dental, legal aid, housing, endless appeals process, stay of deportation orders and a host of other goodies courtesy of the Canadian taxpayers.

The Tamil organization have sent their own cadre of Tamil speaking legal officials, immigration lawyers, administrators etc. Most likely coaching lessons will be a first priority and taken readily front and centre come time for these illegal migrants in knowing what to say to cement their refugee case to Canadian immigration officials. Certainly shows Canada for Canadians first is not big on this organizations list.

Media across the country have amassed on the high seas around the M.V. Sun Sea and like so many seagulls squawking over the media airwaves are constantly barraging viewers with the same repetitive Tamil trivia over and over again while they desperately hope for the slightest fresh news crumb to report.

One major news crumb reported as breaking news this morning was " I see a ship worker, he is wearing a paper face mask .............it appears to be white!"

WKRP's Ace Reporter Les Nessman would be so proud!

Social costs and solutions on Canada's crime and punishment

2010-08-14T08:07:00.000-07:00

Vic Toews, Minister for Public Safety has thrown in his two cents why their government is tough on crime. A step in the right direction, longer prison sentences, with rehabilitation and retraining for inmates. The debates over prison farms is a hot topic today.

It has been reported by Vic Toews that the government reported a net loss of $4 million dollars against expenses of $11.6 million for 6 prison farms in 2007-2008, with revenue generated to the tune of $ 7.6 million. A loss that would see the dismissal of most small business corporate heads in the working world.

Okay, a failed experiment, unfortunately farming in Canada has been on the decline for years.

Alternative training programs in the past for inmates include construction, textiles and manufacturing, a far better and viable recourse in providing skills training Canada needs.

The other issue at hand are victims groups who feel criminals, trained or not should walk out streets before completion of their initial sentences are up, such as early parole etc.

Victims of Crimes

For many Canadians,especially the victims of crimes, early release is far from satisfactory, with many Canadians from all walks of life calling for tougher measures when criminals get early release.

More serious charges such as rape and murder get Victims groups particularly riled when reports that criminals who are sentenced to life in prison are seen walking among Canadians after 5 years or 10 years.

Victims families are then left to grieve over a murdered loved ones until their dying day.

Victims groups are said to want Life sentences to mean something and that is Life in prison! No parole.

The Cost to Canadians

It is estimated the Canadian taxpayers are on the hook to the tune of over $3 billion dollars a year to house, feed, guard and retrain Canadian criminals.

Certainly retraining and eventual return to society as taxpayers is a good return on the investment, though it may well not recoup all the criminals incarceration costs, but to continue to pay for his keep in prison when he can one day be trained to get a job on the outside is a far better alternative.

Skyrocketing prison costs to incarcerate inmates without rehabilitation and job training is said to increase the likelihood the criminal will re-offend upon release.

A social experiment in retraining inmates for jobs on the outside, would give an inmate self worth and a reason not to re-offend, thus relieving prison overcrowding and costs to keep a rehabilitated inmate in prison.

Figures vary on the costs to the Canadian taxpayer for housing, feeding and training an inmate, but annual costs of $60,000 a year do not seem out of the realm of possibility.

While it is a safe bet that Vancouver's Clifford Olsons and Robert Picktons will never see the light of day, victims families of similar horrific serial murderers such as Ontario's Bernardos who raped, dismembered and murdered young women were upset at one of the duo, Karla Homolka being released early on a plea deal.

Karla Holmolka recently gave birth to a baby boy in Montreal and is starting her new family. Reports from victims groups find it disheartening that as Karla begins her new family, Karla's deceased victims will never experience the same or the victims family loss their own child.

An interesting item from Corrections Canada has come to light, perhaps explaining one aspect that prisoners with religious or cultural needs seem to enjoy, most Canadians below the poverty line can only dream of.

Below are meals prepared daily especially for those whose crimes go against their own good book or cultural traditions. After all if one is to demand special treatment based on their personal cultural or devout religious grounds it seems these criminals certainly did not practice (before their incarceration) what they now preach and now demand our Corrections Canada officials adhere to all their requirements all in the name of Canada's Rich Multicultural and Diversity Colourful Rainbow Fabric Liberal Mantras.

(Source: B.C. Corrections, Correctional Service of Canada)

ABORIGINAL/FIRST NATIONS SPIRITUALITY

Significant traditional spiritual/cultural/social events such as sweat lodge ceremony, pow-wow or round dance have a traditional feast as part of the ceremony; they may require sacred foods such as strawberries, deer meat, bannock, game or certain types of fish.

CHRISTIANITY

Follow Canada's Food Guide; no dietary restrictions; fasting and abstinence are voluntary and optional spiritual practices; for some Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent, including Good Friday, are occasions when they may limit or alter food consumption.

HARE KRISHNA

Food eaten by Hare Krishna devotees must be Prasadam (spiritualized) and must be prepared with the utmost cleanliness; utensils must not have been used to cook non-lawful foods like meat, poultry, eggs and fish; lacto-vegetarian diet prohibits foods made from slaughtered animal byproducts including lard, yogurt, sour cream, cheese and breads containing lard; in an ideal situation, a Hare Krishna devotee would prepare his own meals but if this is not possible due to security concerns in the penitentiary meals will come from the kitchen.

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

Members avoid eating meat with blood left in it, or other foods to which blood has been added.

RASTAFARIANISM

Primarily lacto-vegetarians who eat certain fish; for special feast days items such as yams, dasheen, green bananas and plantains, coco and callalio are provided.

JUDAISM

Kosher meat, poultry and fish; for major Jewish festivals kosher wine (in an emergency, kosher grape juice) should be available; during Passover leavened products such as bread, cake, cereal, macaroni and spaghetti is avoided and legumes are forbidden; each Jewish inmate is provided with five pounds of salami, two pounds of matzoh biscuits, one pound of kosher cookies and four pounds of kosher chickens during Passover.

SIKH

Baptized Sikhs normally do their own cooking in institutions if security and space requirements allow; festival and holiday foods include special pudding and ghee.

WICCA

The dietary practice of Wiccans varies depending on traditions by which a coven identifies itself and individual conscience; Wiccans participate in ceremonies that require ritual foods and feast foods such as cake or bread and carbonated fruit juice or wine. Feasting is a sharing of food potluck style.

ZOROASTRIANISM

Many follow a semi-vegetarian diet without beef, pork or poultry.

WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD

Pork and shellfish not allowed.

Information from the Correctional Service of Canada

Clearly something is to be said when a prisoners standard of living, such as lots of nutritious food, television, a bed, educational course, exercise classes, sports activities, clothing, showers, trades training clearly outshines the basic
needs which should be accorded Canada's working poor when it comes to basic necessities that Canada's homeless or working poor can only dream about.

While it is all and good to train prisoners for job skills for their eventual release into Canadian society, it certainly does not bode well when the law abiding poor are not accorded the same courtesy afforded the incarcerated.

I hear sunny Mexico can provide the basic necessities for their prisoners for $5.00 dollars a day. Certainly those fiscally responsible Mexican's can show our Government a thing or two in prison savings. Guaranteed a cost savings many Canadian taxpayers would relish implemented in our prisons.

Perhaps a Canadian prisoner transfer to a Mexican prison is in order so our Canadian criminals can see first hand how a real prison is like? It is just a thought.

No easy answers, just plenty of costly Canadian taxpayer solutions in the hopes one day one will be found.

Tamil ship escorted into B.C. waters by Canadian Navy and Boarded

2010-08-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

The M.V. Sun Sea, along with their cargo of illegal Tamil migrants has been met by the Canadian Navy off the coast of British Columbia, soon to be setting port in Esquimalt. Canada has been tracking the Sun Sea since last April, plenty of time to prevent the Sun Sea from making it's way to Canada.

The Federal Government on the other hand with furrowed brow and pensive gazes had expressed concern last April over the Sun Sea making it's way to Canada, and stated we are monitoring this situation (M.V. Sun Sea) very closely. Perhaps leaving Canadians with the impression that something positive would be done and the Canadian Government would act swiftly to prevent a repeat last years 76 Illegal Tamil refugees entering Canadian waters would come to fruition. Alas, inaction speaks louder than words.

Media reports the Tamils whose annual wage is less than $500 a year have paid an average of $40,000 per man, woman and child. Certainly a princely sum most Canadians can only dream of having socked away.

Many Canadians certainly dispute charges that Canadian Tamil organizations which state time and time again that Tamils are just poor refugees, yet when hearing from one of the Tamils today from the M.V.Sun Sea who stated Tamil refugees paid $40,000 dollars per man, woman and child to leave Sri Lanka, disputing the poor moniker many love to dwell on. Certainly today's revelation by this Tamil Migrant shows many are economic refugees, a charge more believable.

Rumours of Tamil Tigers aboard is yet to be seen, yet certainly a possibility when it comes to the Captain of the M.V. Sun Sea. Will the Captain face human smuggling charges, be jailed or deported?

The previous Captain who piloted a cargo of 76 Tamils last year seems to have disappeared off the radar, whereabouts unknown in Canada. So again Canada shows it's mettle to the world and it's inability to do anything when it comes to crime, terrorism and punishment.

Arrival of the M.V. Sun Sea is expected this evening or early Friday morning.

With the acceptance of more Tamils, will this be a wake up call for Canadians as the third world watches with baited breath as many will now know the easiest fast track to Canada, is not months of paperwork at home and countless interviews, when all they need is a Captain and a ship.

Reports now estimate the Tamil refugees to be at 500 Tamils, versus earlier reports of 200. The illegal Tamil refugees once processed are to be housed in two prisons in Maple Ridge, though initial reports that the prisons would be able to accept 200 Tamil migrants, it is unclear if these prisons, already overcrowded can accept 500 of these illegal Tamil migrants.

Large tents have been set up at CFB Esquimalt ahead of the expected arrival of the Sun Sea to process the 500 illegal migrants, once processed, the migrants will undergo health assessments and care at the Victoria General Hospital who are preparing for the influx by reopening the 7th floor patient care ward and the old emergency department according to a Vancouver Island Health Authority memo.

One immediate concern is that many of the Tamils have TB, an incurable disease in which transference by the infected persons sputum can infect others. Another issue is the possibility of the new superbug NDM-1 superbug (bacteria) in which 140 reported cases were discovered in India.

Canada has always been a choice target for Tamil migrants: says Ottawa's former High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Martin Collacott.

"Tamil migrants are making the choice to come to Canada because it is seen as "the easiest mark in the world" for prospective refugees of any background, says Ottawa's former High Commissioner to Sri Lanka".

Martin Collacott further states “Canada is a generous and giving country, which tends to accept many more refugees than its Western world counterparts.”

"We accept about 50 per cent of people who manage to reach our soil and make refugee claims. The average for other countries is around 15 per cent, so your chances of getting accepted in Canada are much greater," Collacott told CTV's Canada AM from Vancouver on Thursday morning.

"And even if you're turned down, the chances are we won't be able to remove you. We remove a few, but we've had people who have been turned down 20 years ago, but are still appealing."

"Refugees are given state-funded lawyers, welfare and health care, which leaves the Canadian system as "the Rolls Royce of claiming refugee status," Collacott said".

Third world countries flourish with self styled immigration consultants who blatantly advertise in media the best way to get into Canada.

Though Canadians show outrage over those who circumvent our immigration laws, Canada, having signed the UN Convention on Refugees, has a legal obligation to take in and care for anyone who, having set foot on Canadian soil, applies for refugee status. The process can take years.

The costs per refugees (courtesy of the Canadian taxpayer) can cost anywhere from $40,000 to $100,000 dollars plus, especially if an appeal is launched by the unsuccessful applicants.

Certainly a goldmine for the lawyers who will be standing on the shores waiting to offer their services, bought and paid for by the Canadian taxpayer.

While it is said the majority of Tamils will settle in Toronto where the majority of Tamil currently reside, social housing is already bursting at the seams where applicants for Toronto social housing on a wait list can wait up to 10 years for social housing.

Homelessness in Canada is at an all time high, and accepting those from third world countries just exacerbates exponentially a growing problem on the backs of municipalities forced to do more with little resources, with little or no financial help from federal coffers, resulting on Canadian taxpayers to give generously and do without for themselves.

Canadian politicians have never had the political will to stop the tide of illegal migrants, regardless of which political party is in power and the world knows this.

Many Canadians are outraged that while social programs are being cut, jobs and health care being in jeopardy that Canada continues to accept those from other countries can ill afford to care for.

To date media, both televised and hard copy are presently asking Canadians their opinion on Canadians being a soft touch, with the polls currently showing the majority shouting enough is enough.

Christmas comes early for Toronto Lawyers who know the in and outs of the Canadian immigration system and how to make a killing are known to smell a cash for life payday for years to come, are reported in the media to be already enroute to Vancouver to assist the illegal migrants

Who needs Lotto Max, when you are a lawyer with 500 illegal migrants with a process and refugee appeals price per head at up to a $100,000 per migrant, courtesy of the unlimited money the Canadian taxpayer will provide.

Update: August 12 at 16:00hrs

The Canadian Navy and the RCMP have boarded the M.V. Sun Sea located off the coast of Alberni, BC. The final count of illegal Tamil migrants is at 490 men, women and children. All who are requesting Refugee status.

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews has announced to the media today that

“Human smugglers and human traffickers are now watching Canada's response,” said Toews. “We will send a message to criminals.”

Toews has said that among the migrants are terrorists associated with the Tamil Tigers.

Too little too late, they (criminals) are already here Vic !

Jails readied for hundreds of Tamil migrants

2010-08-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

The tiny town of Maple Ridge is soon to see a population boost this week when upwards of 250 Tamils will be arriving on our shores . Once the Tamils reach our shores, they will soon be guest of our prisons, which is said these prisons are already at maximum capacity. Housing solutions from portables to trailers are options being considered. It's believed the Tamils will be housed in the two prisons for months to come while background checks, health and counseling get underway.

Canada, long known worldwide as a soft touch may soon experience other ship's captains whose bread and butter is human smuggling estimated generally at $10,000 dollars per person, knowing Canada will not turn back those who seek a better life. Where the destitute get such a princely sum, when the average yearly wage for a average Sri Lankan labourer the daily salary is less than a few dollars.

Where did these Sri Lankans migrants secure several thousands of dollars for each man, woman and child is one question that must be asked? Human Smugglers do not work for free, that is a given.

August 01, 2010 the Australian Navy arrested 80 illegal Tamils near Christmas Island who tried to enter Australia. The cargo ship the Tamils were on was in danger of sinking. One favourite ploy of Ship's Captains is to scuttle the ship making it inoperable and unrepairable once they are close to shore in the hopes the destination country will favour "ship in distress maritime law" by allowing them to stay and not deport them. Apparently Australia may not subscribe to Maritime Law?

On August 08, 2010 Mexican police arrested and detained an undetermined number of illegal Tamil migrants discovered packed tightly inside a truck, once processed most likely the Tamils will be deported back to Sri Lanka.

While many fear the Tamils may all be terrorists, it is said because they are Tamils, it does not necessarily mean they are all terrorists. It's believed the migrants number around 100 men aboard the MV Sun Sea, with up to 80 women and possibly children.

Many BC residents on the island are said to be scanning our shores looking for signs of the ship, with the majority of BC residents who would like our government to immediately turn the boat away or ship the Tamil migrants back to their homeland. With the rumour that children may be aboard may sway BC opinion in favour of the Tamils.

It will be an interesting week as it is assured not just island residents will be amassing on the shores, but media, with baited breath, cameras at the ready.

Politicians both federal, municipal and provincial will be postulating, while polishing their wagging fingers over the weekend in preparation for question period, debating both pro and con in the media and political arenas in their quest to sate the public's curiosity on how come our borders seem as porous as sieve net as the rest of the third world watches with interest for the next wave.

Current media reports in the Sri Lanka media, by Sri Lankan citizens state the majority of Tamils are economic refugees for the most part. Many charge Tamils are using a separate Sri Lanka homeland strategy to gain worldwide sympathy is akin to other countries ranging from Palestine-Gaza, Caucasus, Middle east states and to a lesser extent Quebec looking for their own independent state. The Tamils who leave for better pastures and use war and strife as their excuse are the minority when the majority of the population is taken into consideration. It seems their government have no will to improve their lot in life, much like a caste system in India, or the homeless in Canada.

Now granted, these countries have political strife, internal civil wars amongst it's citizens,but the citizens who are affected seem to be the downtrodden, not the middle or upper class who go about their daily life it seems unaffected.

So it begs the question, judging by the photos of beautiful towns, culture and other niceties, if these countries seem rich in lifestyle, goods, food and social hierarchy, why are they not doing anything for the less fortunate? Saudi Arabia who have more money than God, could immediately put an end to the Palestine, Afghan conflict with the writing of a cheque, yet ignore the situation, leaving the west to care for their Arab brethren.

Perhaps allowing the less fortunate Arabs to garner worldwide sympathy. After all the Koran does state for Arabs who are Muslim in majority to care for their fellow Muslims, yet don't. Much like the Bible states we do the same, but do not as well.

Canada accepting all the world's downtrodden, will one day ensure Canada to has a larger divide of haves (well to do society) and have nots (poor). Our crime rate, homelessness, and social programs are bursting at the seams already.

There are only so many haves in the country to financially care for the have nots, one day and one day soon the balance will turn when the have nots outnumber the haves exponentially, then what? The haves tired of working to support through increased taxes may see Canada as a money pit and leave,resulting in cities across Canada similar to what is happening in once prosperous cities like Detroit, bankrupt, destitute with outlying communities looking more like the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse just rode through.

"Capitalism, A Love Story" by Michael Moore shows the downside of greed and a failing economy, unlike the pretty picture Detroit shows to the world.

What is needed is a fine balance of both, capitalism and social responsibility to it's citizens. Capitalism is what drives the economy, not social programs, for without one you cannot pay for the other.

Canada needs the political will to say NO! Perhaps it's time our government care for their own first. Regardless of the loss of votes new migrants and special interest groups may bring to the political party who dances with them.

The billions in economic aid Canada gives to these countries should be tempered by how well it treats it's citizens, in the hopes of bettering the lives of those in need.

Selfish, yes, Reality, look at our DTES, where many would love to have 3 squares a day, health and dental care and a roof over their head.

Boatload of Tamil refugees to arrive in B.C. in a few days

2010-08-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

It has been reported the MV Sun Sea is steaming toward British Columbia, with it's arrival this week. Further reports that the ship is being piloted or the 200 refugees are Tamil Tigers, a terrorist group banned in Canada is yet to be proven.

In October of last year after another ship carrying 76 refugee who hit our BC shores had similar claims of Canada accepting Tamil Tigers, which when investigated were later proven 25 of the 76 refugees were Tamil Tigers.

Concerns for Canadians safety, Tamils propensity for violence and criminal enterprise are also an issue to be addressed by those against our government, especially when charges by other countries that Canada has always been a safe haven for terrorist groups. Many confuse the fine line between terrorist and freedom fighter.

Terrorist groups, though operating in Canada do not direct their terrorist activities towards Canada, but towards their mother country which these countries take exception that Canada is unwilling or unable to stop.

Canadians on the other hand are concerned that Canada's inability to stop these types of ships from entering Canadian waters will just enforce the belief in third world countries that Canada is an easy mark for those looking to Canada.

Human smuggling is big business and made far easier when countries such as Canada which accepts ships readily, possibly encouraging more human smuggling when other countries such as Australia turn the ships away once sighted.

National polls showed the majority of Canadians are not keen on those who jump ahead of other refugees by hook or by crook as legitimate refugees are left sitting back in their country awaiting their turn legitimately.

The Canadian government for the most part will investigate any refugee claims, process the refugees and assist in their settlement into Canadian life.

It has been said processing each refugee will be at a cost of around $40,000.

B.C.'s economic boost from marijuana in jeopardy

2010-08-14T07:59:00.000-07:00

It's been said California's referendum with the intent to legalise marijuana will spell a death knell to British Columbia's economy in the lower mainland, an economy similar to another Columbia far further south a decade ago which depended on cocaine to boost it's coffers.

While the Guardian's writer Douglas Haddow states the Canadian economy would suffer. Some estimates put this illicit economy anywhere from 3 billion to 32 billion dollars, depending on who to believe. British Columbia grows 70% 90% of the marijuana consumed, hence would suffer the most economically.

I would surmise since the lower mainland of British Columbia is the bulk grower, supplier and exporter it will be British Columbia, not the rest of Canada which will suffer.

The rest of Canada would only register a blip on the economic radar compared to British Columbia. It seems British Columbia's mindset is geared for marijuana production and has been since the hippie free love and tune out generation of the 1960's.

The major economic loss will be centred in Metro Vancouver and outlying regions (population 2.3 million) in real estate and land development, some business enterprise investment will suffer with large ticket items such as vehicles being an offshoot.

Perhaps a good thing for the homebuyer as many who relied on their grow ops to pay their mortgage may have a hard time holding on to their home, thus a glut of housing for consumers.

High real estate costs in the lower mainland and metro Vancouver is the choice destination for many Canadians, including the large influx of immigrants whose propensity to immediately provide for their families results in many Canadians and in particular, immigrants to ramp up marijuana production as a way to pay for their mortgage and feed their families out of necessity.

Political correctness aside, my experience in attending hundreds of grow ops and methamphetamine/ecstasy labs just in the lower mainland alone in the last decade gives me first hand knowledge and that perspective to state the above, plain and simple.

The quandary now is are grow operators criminals and secondly are they just small mom and pop operations? Criminals yes, mom and pop operations, no.

Mom and pop operations meant for personal use, do not require large scale production. Those that do large scale production,it is for one reason, "greed", and selling to a criminal enterprise, that is an undeniable fact. Penalties in the way of major fines, including for repeat offenders result in hitting criminals in the pocketbook, with jail time as likely as winning the Lotto Max.

Courts and Justices it seems, go through the motions, perhaps it is all like so much white noise, wag a discerning finger, give the criminal bail, and police are yet again given the opportunity to catch and release the operator at the next opportunity.

Municipalities upset at the lack of justice, and taxpayer demand for action can only resort to enforcing fines of up to 100K+, to provide for their city coffers in what seems like hitting the lottery every time a grow op gets busted, but in reality is used to pay for the manpower and administration for the bust and perhaps a bit extra for the next bust.

Many so called mom and pop grow operators harvesting three times a year, with many making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, profess they are penniless when put in front of a judge and can't pay the fine. So where did all this money go? Criminal enterprise that's where, as most homeowners, especially immigrants it is said have criminal enterprises front them their mortgage on the condition these people grow marijuana for them in their home.

The introduction of BC Hydro to begin installing Smart Meters to detect hydro spikes in consumers homes has many feeling an invasion of privacy and Big Brother.

Many marijuana activists state if Hydro smart meters are in place in British Columbia, Mom and Pop operations will be in jeopardy, if they are, then it is because mom and pop operations are taking marijuana production to the nth degree and are a criminal enterprise with buying and selling.

Mom and Pop personal use grow ops are rarely detected or busted as they are relatively small, just a few plants in their sunroom and are pretty much off the police or hydro radar. No one really has a problem with it, including police.

Then there are some who profess they too are mom and pop growers until you see the methods they use such as bypassing the hydro meter, installing step up transformers, large carbon filters and converting the basement into a grow op with hundreds of plants, sort of like a wholesale Costco.

Will the California referendum pass? Not likely, cause if Californians cannot even agree on a no brainer on legalisation of gay marriage, how can you expect California to get their act together on the legalisation of marijuana?

If history is any indication on California's indecisiveness on gay marriage, the BC multi billion dollar plus marijuana economy will be alive and well for decades to come, unless BC Hydro smart meters become as common place as fresh air.

Women: The stinkier sex?

2010-08-14T07:56:00.000-07:00

An old episode of Mythbusters certainly dispels the myth that man is the stinkier sex, though man is certainly the cruder sex. Though both genders fart equally, the study is flawed as women are more diet (fruits and veggie) conscious, which is more likely to emit and destroy!

In the case of "Farty Pants" women, especially vegans of both sexes normally eat a more flatulent but healthier diet, thus ingest more fart producing vegetables.

Of course stating women being the fartier sex is based on a scientitian's opinion, so are women the stinkier sex?

Perhaps women just hide it well, why else do they make bathroom runs every 15 minutes under the premise of powdering their noses?

Perhaps men get more of the blame because let's face it, as men we go for quantity over quality and frequency.

To men, it's a game, no, more of an olympic sport for boys and men, a rite of passage, particularly father's who enjoy playing with sons and on each other with resounding laughter, male bonding and comraderie.

A Male sport, unmatched when combined with a lighter and enough beer consumption the world over. Hence, comaraderie women will never understand or want to..

Never have I ever witnessed a woman try an impress a man on a first date by saying "Hey, pull my finger"?

On the other hand, one of the worlds greatest mysteries is why women take regular bathroom breaks, and always bring a friend with them? My theory, Women "Lighters in Hand" practice in secret groups. Why? Because doing it Publicly is a man's domain, women never cross!

As for women (unless they had brothers in the family) many are unfamiliar with terms endeared by men, such as the "Dutch Oven", "Hanging the Rat", "Blue Flame", "Silent But Deadly", "Belgian Musicals", "Pull My Finger" or as Monty Python adequately puts it "Anal Pleasures of the Dance", a short collection of Musical Entities as well as the "French Taunter" in the "The Holy Grail".

Granted all of the above are the works of juvenile men of all ages, what father never got his child to pull his finger with hilarious results? Granted one can guarantee Mom was not amused, nor the sisters. Farting Games is a coming of age, feel good hit of summers past.

Ladies don't delude yourself, believe or not, through judicious research it has come to light women, especially female celebs are also guilty of this "Secret Pleasure of the Dance".

Marilyn Monroe was a famous farter, much like Cameron Diaz, so frequent in her aromatic outbursts at any moment, movie directors had to work to disguise her farts into their movies. Many remember the academy award winning movie the "7-year Itch" for instance, as men found Marilyn's billowing dress blowing up her waist quite erotic during those prudish times, perhaps it was not the steam grate which caused that iconic moment?

Elizabeth Taylor was another prolific farter, perhaps explaining why she was married a dozen or so times. Elizabeth Taylor's most memorable movie "Scent of Mystery" was no surprise there.

Of course who could forget her movie National Velvet, should have been titled Farting on Horseback, by the way the Horse she rode was initially White, but after her Musical ride, well.....

Gordon Campbell likely to boycott Surrey Vaisakhi parade

2010-04-17T08:56:00.000-07:00

It seems Premier Gordon Campbell's boycott of the April 2010 Vaisakhi parade may come to fruition, considering the April 07, 2007 fiasco when CBC reporters pointed out to Campbell and the slew of politicians who were in attendance and dressed in the cultural finery worn by many at the festival that in fact terrorists involved in the 1985 Air India bombing were featured prominently in the parade floats.

The April 07, 2007 Vaisakhi festival attracted thousands of people, including prominent B.C. and federal politicians.

CBC reported organizers of the event wore jackets with the word Khalistan - the name of the independent Sikh state separatists want in Punjab. The International Sikh Youth Federation devotees were in attendance and featured prominently in the parade floats. The Sikh Youth Federation were banned in Canada as a terrorist organization, though the festival featured obvious logos and honouring participant martyrs who implemented and orchestrated the Air India bombing in 1985.

Premier Gordon Campbell in attendance was questioned by the CBC media why he was attending a Sikh Festival with obvious terrorist overtones?

Premier Campbell responded (one can assume) by showing off his flashiest "Disco Dance Moves" that would have John Travolta of "Saturday Night Fever Fame" green with envy and without missing a beat stated "I'm not here to build any support for any political movement in one part of the world or another," he said. "I'm here to celebrate the community in Canada" and with festival music blaring in the background, off Campbell went, we can only imagine to Dance, Dance, Dance the night away".

The Conga line forming on the left had Politicians from every Political stripe in attendance, whose response to CBC questioning, was delightfully filled with carefully guarded phrases such as "If I had known, I would not have attended".

Presumably the lack of newspapers in the legislature prevented many politicians not keeping apprised of these past and current events.

Lesser known "Doe Eyed" MLA's may have been seen sitting on the other side of the street, alone, nursing their drinks, eagerly looking for eye contact and a acknowledgement from other well known political party participants and perhaps get an invite to slow dance to the dolce tunes of the "Ernst Zundel Experience" .

Video of the parade showed floats with portraits of Sikh "martyrs," including Talwinder Singh Parmar, who RCMP believe led the group that planted a bomb on Air India Flight 182 from Toronto in 1985, killing 329 people.

Certainly after the recent threats to provincial liberal politicians by some at the festival resulted in lessons learned, Kudos must go to our Premier, though it is not clear if Mayor Diane Watts whose negative comments about Martyrs of the Air India bombing being featured in years past has her once again requiring RCMP bodyguards and a bullet proof vest.

Marring a wonderful festival of food, culture and it's people with those who wish to put a terrorist bent can only happen in British Columbia, where under the guise of multiculturalism one can one get away with glorifying murderers it seems, pity.

B.C. leads the country in backing the legalizing of marijuana

2010-04-16T09:21:00.000-07:00

British Columbia, long a source of indoor marijuana cultivation and distribution is a billion dollar industry. So it comes as no surprise British Columbian's are pro marijuana legislation according to a latest Angus Reid poll.

What is surprising is that 48% of British Columbian's do agree British Columbia has a serious drug problem, with 70% of Canadians demanding minimum mandatory sentencing for grow operators and other drug dealers, assumed to include purveyors of hard drugs.

Many feel entitlement in the mistaken belief marijuana is already legal in Canada, with some making a run for the border and spending time in US jails.

While Canadians want all other drugs illegal, including British Columbian's, the majority of British Columbian's still wish........ cont'd

Store owner who stole $5.7-million lotto ticket pleads for mercy

2010-04-16T09:19:00.000-07:00

Vancouver and British Columbian's began to cast a wary eye on lottery sellers following media reports that Ontario store owners and their families claimed about $100 million in lottery wins between 1999 and 2006.

While there was always speculation among British Columbian's when a University of British Columbia statistician quoted to the media that the chance of a store owner/lottery seller winning the jackpot was as rare as hen's teeth, seem to disprove his theory when media investigated multiple wins by lottery sellers, some including multiple wins by a single lottery seller.

Before the investigation uncovered massive fraud by lottery ticket sellers, one would trustingly hand over our lottery ticket for the clerk to verify.

Ultimately once the investigation had been concluded, the results saw lottery ticket checker machines being installed in all lottery centres.

Hafiz Malik, age 63, store owner, cont'd

Four more grey whales wash up on Vancouver's coastline

2010-04-16T09:16:00.000-07:00

Reports of five grey whales washing up on Vancouver Island's coastal shores within the last two weeks seem to indicate all five died of starvation, with one showing a grey whale's stomach contents filled with sawdust from a former sawmill.

Grey whales on their annual migration with calves in tow do not seem to either know where to get food in the shallows, or for some reason get lost during their annual migration.

One thing is clear, disturbing as it is, something needs to be done to help the ocean's behemoths find food, or we find a way to direct them to it.

Whale watching in British Columbia is a multi million dollar tourist boom, not withstanding the tragedy to witnessing a dead grey whale washing up on our shores does not bode well for us or these magnificent creatures.

A similar tragedy occurred in 2000, leaving some to believe these deaths may run in cycles.

British Columbia will be looking to our scientists to find an answer in reducing these occurrences or stopping it.

OSAMA bin Laden has a page on Facebook

2010-04-16T09:15:00.000-07:00

The United Kingdom's Sun media have reported that 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden has a Facebook page, set up exclusively in order to send instructions and updates to his loyal followers from his mountaintop hideout, believed to be in Pakistan or Afghanistan.

Curiosity killed the cat in this case as Bin Laden, or Binnie as he likes to be called, abhors all things western, preferring to adhere to his God's teachings and the holy scriptures.

So if one is to believe Osama has embraced Western technology with a facebook account, then his holy book must say it is okay. The holy book is just an ancient form of facebook.

The holy book is chock full of the comings and goings of God and the musings of Moe written by ancient scribes hundreds of years later who used artistic licence reporting God and Moe’s thoughts onto parchment. Sort of like an ancient NEWS of the World magazine.

Once complete scribes would assemble all of God and Moe’s rants, rumour and innuendo into one neat holy book for Moe fans to follow for the next thousand or so years.

It’s a safe bet Binnie is a fan of FarmVille, building his empire of sheep (Followers), cattle (Women) and crops (Heroin) relying on his contacts for fertilizer, coinage and other necessities in order to plough Western Civilization under.

Binnie's legal tender of 72 willing horny virgins, is sort of a Bin Laden Ponzi scheme has investors lining around the block.

The United States and Terrorism security experts have been quoted by Fox News requesting Facebook to shut down Binnie's account.

A reward for Osama Bin Laden's capture stands at $25 million US Dollars.

To find Bin Laden, perhaps a clue for those interested is to go to any Pakistani Starbucks with complimentary WIFI, and look for a man wearing a SHAM WOW turban, armed a non fat latte, cursing jihad against Facebook for killing his FarmVille account and losing his 72 virgins.

Surrey's stellar crackdown on grow-ops slated to go provincewide

2010-04-15T07:18:00.000-07:00

Surrey Mayor Diane Watts is taking the lead in stopping that insidious weed that has been plaguing her city.

The city of Surrey is becoming somewhat of an expert in marijuana grow operations.

Surrey have implemented a Electrical Fire Inspection Safety program or EFISP, whereby electrical inspections are made on suspected grow ops, either garnered from utility usage, or calls from persons such as postal workers, sanitation employees or neighbours.

Neighbours for the most part will complain of a distinct skunky odour wafting through their neighbourhood, usually occurring late at night or early morning.

The City of Surrey's EFISP are striving for their program to go province wide with neighbouring provinces Alberta showing a keen interest, including globally as Beligum and Australia show interest in the program.

Since the EFISP inception grow ops have been drastically reduced, and surrounding municipalities are also finding a reduction in grow ops.

This program will not only reduce the risk of fires in neighbourhoods, but will reduce the number of injuries inside these homes where children are involved.

What will this mean to those in Surrey or other BC municipalities who grow? They will find you!

Many grow ops are set up in nice neighbourhoods, in large million dollar homes to avoid suspicion. The fallacy of grow ops in old run down homes is just that. Old run down homes do not have the space or electrical requirements to support large scale grow ops. The small homes that are used are usually vacant to ensure all the space is utilized.

If only this crime would result in serious time, then and only then would grow operators not be able to move and set up another grow operation elsewhere the next day.

There are some grow operators to boost the effectiveness of their weed, lace the marijuana with methamphetamines or crack to give it that additional boost. Not cool, when a buyer all of a sudden finds themselves hooked. for more on this story cont'd

Hérouxville spreads to rest of Canada

2010-04-15T07:16:00.000-07:00

Herouxville, a small Quebec village, just north east of Montreal was virtually unknown to many Canadians and the world a scant three years ago.

Herouxville with a population of 1,200 people is not unlike many of the small quaint farming communities which dot the Canadian landscape.

The landscape and culture which Herouxville hold dear was interrupted when Herouxville became worldwide news in 2007, when the townspeople watching the world around them change, and not for the better, decided they wish to maintain their own little piece of god's green earth.

The townspeople spoke and the town's councilor Andre Drouin listened, a rarity amongst most politicians. Herouxville decided to implement a code of conduct in their town charter.

Now as town charter's, bylaws, rule of norms go, every town, city and society have them, these charters are implemented by the people for the people for their elected representatives to draft and put into law. cont'd

Vancouver Facebook, FarmVille and Kingdom of Camelot: socializing or cash cow

2010-04-15T07:15:00.000-07:00

FarmVille and the Kingdom of Camelot games, reality for some, surreal reality for many. Addiction comes in many forms as Vancouver's generation hits the keyboards.

Whatever happened to reality such as online Chess to Euchre? I guess when you are older than dirt, some things just irk me.

People it seem, enjoy online armchair farming and castle building, not to mention Mafia Wars. To each his own I guess, what harm could it be, though I could think of better use of my time.

Facebook, a social networking site, whereby people can connect with long lost friends, blog their thoughts, post photos and provide entertainment for shut-ins.

At least that is what I thought facebook was all about initially, invented for friends to contact other friends in an online setting.

I soon realised it seems it was setup to hook 84 million users into a revenue making cash cow for facebook and any advertiser associated with it. Advertisements from Rich Dad Poor Dad to other annoying ads. cont'd

Election probe at centre of solicitor-general Kash Heed's resignation

2010-04-15T07:13:00.000-07:00

Solicitor General Kash Heed stepping down over unclaimed cost overruns of election brochures and accusations by the provincial New Democratic Party (NDP) shows a party of irrelevance grasping at straws.

Kash Heed a respected West Vancouver Chief of Police left 19 months into his new job as police chief to make a run into politics for the Liberals, winning a place as an MLA for the Vancouver-Fraserview riding and being appointed British Columbia's top cop.

Heeds appointment was one thing Premier Gordon Campbell did right in a long laundry list of wrongs. cont'd

ISLAM and Sherif Emil: Tolerating the intolerant

2010-04-15T07:11:00.000-07:00

Sherif Emil, a Montreal physician and freelance writer knows firsthand about Canada's futile attempts in trying to accommodate the unreasonable when it comes other cultures who demand Canadians be tolerant of their customs and views.

The biggest issue facing Canadians is the issue of the niqab, which is gaining infamy in western countries who are implementing laws to ban it.

Canada on the other hand is not banning it, but requesting those who don it, must remove it when requesting government services or banking.

While many Canadians see the niqab as an affront against women, many women of Muslim faith feel it is their choice, not Canadians.

Then there is the issue of Canada's Multiculturalism and Diversity used by groups for their own agenda and a sore point for many, Canadians, who feel it is not being used as it is intended. Many Canadians feel it is being misused by cultural groups and human rights tribunals as loopholes cont'd

Olivia Newton-John's ex-boyfriend found alive five years, after mysterious disappearance

2010-04-15T07:09:00.000-07:00

Olivia Newton-John's ex boyfriend Patrick McDermott who disappeared five years ago under mysterious circumstances, believed to have drowned after falling off a fishing boat has been found alive.

McDermott, once a film industry lighting technician when he dated Olivia Newton-John broke off his nine year relationship with Olivia in 2005, the day before he mysteriously disappeared without a trace. ..cont'd

Green buyers may feel entitled to steal: study

2010-04-15T07:07:00.000-07:00

University of Toronto professors Nina Mazar and Chen-Bo Zhong, set out to determine how green consumption fits into people's sense of social responsibility and how if affects their behaviour.

While going green is big business among Canadians, British Columbia, in particular Vancouver seems to live by a green mantra, with sustainability as the buzzword as a daily lexicon. Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson a strong proponent for an environmental Happy Planet and Dr. David Suzuki all wish environmentalism becomes an accepted practice and moral obligation among Canadians in helping the planet.

Children from an early age are taught in school the advantages of going green for a healthy planet.

Moral obligations come in many forms, from media, ..cont'd

Is Vancouver liberalism looking the other way, while crime pays.

2010-03-31T18:11:00.000-07:00

It seem justice is out of reach, yet again, in another case of career criminals walking amongst us.

Recent dispositions from the British Columbia Review Board show the accused, Alexander Lawrence Legace, arrested last year in the murder of a homeless woman Tammy-Lynn Cordone, whose body was found in West Vancouver's Lighthouse Park May 19, 2009, had a litany of past criminal charges against him, spanning over a decade.

Alexander Legace, whose mental illness was known to police and medical authourities was not born mentally ill, but brought the mental illness upon himself through a series of drug addictions. Little comfort to the victim's family.

Time and time again Legace was arrested, charged, incarcerated and assessed on his mental facilities, brought in to dry out, only to be released once again, back into a liberal voting society. A society, whose leniency for all criminals got Legace back on drugs and a nice shiny machete.

Another case of career criminals gone wild resulted in the stabbing death of a Surrey teen. Adrian Skara 32, has been charged and arrested for second degree murder in a house party killing of a 21 year old man, Buta Singh Sangha.

What makes this murder by the accused so astonishing is that the accused Skara, like Legace, has a criminal history with Police agencies dating back to 1996.

Skara by the way missed a March 25th court date for robbery, which if charged by the justice system, should have seen Skara behind bars instead of attending neighbourhood dispute, resulting in a knife party and the death of a young man.

On the subject of child abuse, pedophiles and the horrific acts imposed on children we hold dear, justice is clear when only the phrase, "suffer the little children unto me" to pedophiles back on the streets in the lower mainland, like Langley resident Marco Balducci who must feel it is "lottery sweeps week" as he is released back into society, and as resident fear, out to prey again.

The list above just goes on and on as more and more career criminals this year will be released amongst us by a Justice system, many believe are ill prepared to put the judicial hammer down and say "enough is enough!"

The laws are on the books, are clear and concise with little in the way of interpretation on mandatory sentencing.

Judges and governments need the testicular fortitude to abide by the letter of the law as it is written and tell Defence attorneys,we have your client dead to rights, no bail, appeal in jail, and no credit for time served, see you in 20 years.

This letter of the law is pretty much why Canadian criminals worst nightmare is to be caught, charged and sentenced to hard time by US courts.

It is also a criminals mission in life when jailed in the United States, like convicted drug smuggler Robert Shannon currently serving 20 years in a US jail to write to the Canadian government to have their time served in a British Columbia prison, with all the accoutrements our society allows them to have, including early parole and back on our lower mainland streets.

Vancouver resident, Krysta Edwards, drug smuggler, is yet another inmate serving 5 years as a guest of Washington state, who will most likely request a transfer to a British Columbia prison.

Not to mention the holiday walk in the park 1 year and 14 month prison terms for two Hells Angels associates charged by the British Columbia Justice system this month, against the recommendations Crown attorneys looking for a 16 year term for numerous drug offences. If caught in the United States, these two criminals most likely would never see the light of day.

Is there a pattern here, or am I missing something?

The Justice system since 1988 shows society has a complete lack of confidence in those hired or voted into a system, designed to protect the public.

The issue of this Province allowing gangs to run free, with intermittent arrests show crime does pay, when the penalties are rare or brief. Gangland killings in a youth society brought up on Easy Riches, from Rap to Reality shows, let our youth know, hard work is a four letter word, not to be uttered.

It seems 90 percent of the crimes and murders are committed are by repeat offenders with a history with police in the lower mainland. This says punishment never fits the crime.

Police do their job, but it seems for naught, when arresting officers are called to sit in court and watch their efforts walk by them with a smirk and a gang sign.

It's quite a sadistic act against the arresting officers when you come to think of it.

Successive governments, the Liberals and the New Democratic Party (NDP) stance seems to lean towards hugs when it comes to criminals.

The excuse of mental illness brought on by drug abuse, low blood sugar, poverty, low self esteem, porridge is too hot, cold, not warm enough needs to stop.

Perhaps a three strikes law would be a good thing? Society would need to build more jails, I am thinking build them in the Arctic.

Would it not be better to incarcerate than having career criminals taking out the innocent with a blink of an eye.

British Columbia basically has a two party system, Liberal and NDP. A Conservative party has as much chance of being elected, as a criminal being sent to jail.

The wild, wild west is British Columbia and it shows, as our society has a complacency or is numbed by countless daily reports on crime. Will Vancouver's liberal attitudes towards crime, be our end of days?

Though Vancouver is the epicentre of this story as Justice system central, similar large cities such as Surrey and Richmond are also part of the big crime picture, as well as outlying towns.

When a society gathers enmasse in protest over a HST increase on their Lattes, certainly shows where our priorities lie.

Our complacency towards crime certainly shows in the elected officials society votes for. Of course, unless, it affects an individual personally, then that individual screams bloody murder, to no avail, as a deaf society looks the other way.

The proof is in the pudding, just read the dailies on the revolving catch and release justice system, a system society demanded and got, with crack art as a mainstay of Vancouver culture.

Is society angry enough after reading this article to do something about it?

I guess, it all depends if society have finished their latte first.

After all, like the lottery, you never know when your number is up?

Lawyer representing comedian walks out of B.C. human rights hearing

2010-03-29T16:56:00.000-07:00

Guy Earle, a Toronto comedian was charged by Lorna Pardy and her same sex partner over the comedian's jokes about lesbianism at a local Vancouver eatery on March 22, 2010.

While it has been said the remarks were aimed at the lesbian couple, disputes arise between the comedian and the couple whether the comedian crossed the line into hate speech.

Earles counsel Jim Miller attended the Human rights tribunal hearing today and after failing to convince tribunal hearing member Murray Geiger-Adams whether this tribunal had jurisdiction, the lawyer walked out of the hearing, stating this course of action is illegal.

There is no word what a final course of action will result as the trial was expected to last four days.

What is clear is, Comedians believe quite strongly that in comedy, nothing is sacred, everything and everyone is fair game.

Society has comedians of every genre, from squeaky clean Bill Cosby to foul mouthed comedians who will remain nameless. All comedians have a following, based on the audience taste.

In regards to gays, Part time Vancouver resident Robin Williams uses gay references in his act, though tongue in cheek, where as Chris Rock,uses Whitey and Cracker towards white people the same way.

Do we all run to the nearest Human Rights Tribunal, legal writ in hand? Of course not, we as a society, especially those of us who go to comedy shows can separate comedy from reality.

Gay or Cross dressing comedians such as Scott Thompson aka Buddy, routinely use the term Breeders to signify hetro-sexuals, and uses the terms diesel dyke, femmies and other terms to describe those who cross his line of sight.

Mel Brooks uses Nazism in his act, as does Russel Peters uses all races, including gays.

Are we to assume all comedians are racist, bigots or homophobes?

Political correctness in society, especially in Vancouver, need to give their heads a shake, there is a time and there is a place for it, but not in a comedy club atmosphere.

Human Rights Tribunals in Vancouver seem to have a large void between their ears, taking on all comers without thought or intelligence.

When politicians and the public declare that Human Rights Tribunals have lost their usefulness in Canada, with Vancouver on the hit list, is it any wonder why? Especially when Chicken Littles, always shout "The Sky is Falling" and Tribunal members are all to eager to listen and act and seem on the outset to declare every accused, guilty, until proven innocent!

Anyone who enters a comedy club should be aware, all are fair game.

Even ladies in "plaid jackets, wearing comfortable shoes!" (Robin Williams).

Nanaimo RCMP officer in trouble over questionable Facebook posts

2010-03-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

A young Nanaimo RCMP officer most likely will face disciplinary action over his Facebook postings. Though I do not know the officers age, judging by the story, it is a pretty safe bet this officer is under 30 years of age.

Should this officer be punished for publishing what many on Facebook do as well? Of course not, only if the officer carried out the act, which he did not.

Last time I checked Freedom of Expression was not against the law, except in dictatorial countries.

Granted, the officer used poor judgment, but then, don't we all?

The constable's reference to kicking a ginger, should not be taken seriously, if the officer did not make good on his comment.

Eric Cartman of South Park fame in a Ginger episode, provided loads of fodder for media outlets and grief counselors everywhere during a slow news day, even eclipsing News of the World story on Bat Boy.

Society it seems, when dealing with reality and fantasy sometimes cannot tell the difference. Guess that is why Reality shows are so popular with the masses, an escape from one reality to an alternate reality.

Many in society, especially in British Columbia are ready to unfairly paint all RCMP officers with the same brush. Yet, there are members of society who are quick to defend or ban a political party, culture or religion when a public comment is made stating they are all guilty or not guilty of an offense or indiscretion deemed not in keeping with our societies morals or laws. Pit bull bans, pro and anti gun laws and immigrants are just a small example.

Human Rights Tribunals are full of nonsense lawsuits. Can you see the hypocrisy?

How many times has anyone frustrated with their child said, "I will made you regret the day your were born", actually do?

How many married men or women said to a friend or co worker upon seeing an attractive person say to their friend a sexually explicit innuendo, such as nice butt or I bet they would look good naked.

Land O Goshen, how would you feel if your friend and co worker or a passerby upon hearing your comment, immediately went running to the nearest Human Rights Commission!

Better yet, if a friend called your spouse and repeated what you just said?

Should society be held to task for all our minor moral shortcomings in print? If so, then George Orwell's1984 prediction is here to stay as Big Brother is indeed watching and taking no prisoners. Do we need a Politically Correct Policing of our musings? What's next? The Thought police? Romance novelists and Action movie heroes, poets and singers would be the first to be put on the Orwell hit list, shipped off to a gulag in Siberia.

Time for society to lighten up, including the RCMP Politically Correct Squad, because after all, are not those innocent until proven guilty?

Since no one was physically hurt resulting from this officers comments, perhaps the force should concentrate on more pressing matters and society should go back to reality or if they still feel strongly on our morals and writings should immediately make their Facebook public for all to view.

Those without sin, can cast the first Holy hand grenade!

Imagine that scary scenario if you will? You can't make this stuff up, it writes itself!

$450-million casino and hotel project to be built beside BC Place

2010-03-28T10:48:00.000-07:00

Premier Campbell confirmed rumours last Friday, what many both feared and applauded in the construction of a $450 million dollar casino and hotel. This complex is to be located on one of the most desired prime waterfront properties in the city, adjoining BC Place and next to Chinatown.

The construction of the casino will provide much needed jobs to the construction industry and the service industry with 8,500 jobs forecasted.

Casinos typically get a return on investment faster than any other investment, paying for themselves in a very short time, most times within 36 months. The proposed casino is projected to earn close to $130 million annually in gambling revenues.

Though many detractors do not want this development, many supporters do.

Protests are sure to surface, with many yet again wanting more affordable housing for the homeless. But then ask yourself, if you owned this prime piece of real estate would you pay out of your pocket to put up subsidized housing, realizing that payback on your investment would most likely be nil? Don't kid yourself, even housing advocate Libby Davis isn't that nuts.

You have to give Premier Campbell his due, the man and his government are striking while the Olympic iron is hot. The building will be low enough as not to interfere with the skyline, an idyllic feature of downtown Vancouver.

How can anyone turn away an opportunity, after all Vancouver got rid of the Grand Prix, what else is there to do with what is basically a vacant lot?

The world will come to Vancouver and when they do they will not be coming with their pockets turned inside out, though one would hope they leave that way. ..Cont'd

Woman jailed for role in cross-border smuggling of ecstasy-like pills

2010-03-27T10:17:00.000-07:00

Krysta Edwards, 23, North Vancouver resident, mother, self professed drug addict and now guest of Washington State penitentiary for the next 5 years.

It has been reported female drug smugglers will get no quarter by the courts as compared to their male drug smuggling counterparts.

Though the drug Krysta Edwards was charged with smuggling last June, called BZP, a newly created drug similar to ecstasy, it has not yet been banned in Canada.

The United States mandate has been to be more vigilante of Canadians they suspect of drug smuggling, when records show Canadians crossing the border numerous times within a short period without valid reason.

Krysta smuggling the drug BZP into the states for purposes of trafficking and her involvement with criminal organised gangs did not help Edward's case in the U.S. District Court judge Richard A. Jones handing down his decision, despite Krysta Edwards plea bargaining.

Many feel this is akin to Marc Emery selling mail order marijuana seeds through mail order. Both offenders knew beforehand the consequences of their actions in doing so, whether it be smuggling or mail order to the United States, regardless both drugs are not yet banned in Canada.

Individual Canadians need to know they cannot change U.S. policy on drugs.

In Marc Emery's case, the whole world, including the United States and every media organization were aware of Marc's activities, while Krysta Edwards did it covertly, hiding the drugs in a secret compartment of her SUV, when crossing into U.S. territory.

Yet both Marc Emery and Krysta Edwards may feel they did no wrong if both drugs are not banned in Canada, Edwards was working on behalf of criminal organization, while Emery was doing it on a belief in marijuana legalization for everyone.

While Marc Emery does not seem to profess remorse, Edwards professes remorse to the judge.

Remorse, a favoured edict by criminals everywhere, but only professed once caught, and in front of a sentencing judge.

Edward' request was granted to have her drawn up "sentencing memo" sealed and not made public. This sealed document not to be made public was so as not to harm her and her family. This of course is be too little, too late, as she has already put her family in harms way.

If Edward's intent was to shield her innocent family from perceived retribution that may follow from the criminal organization she was affiliated with and done wrong, may be in vain. Criminal organizations which have earned Canada and in particular British Columbia the distinction as the new Global drug lords are not called organizations without good reason. Something she must have known in advance, judging by the rash of drug related gang murders in British Columbia, by those whose Loose Lips, Sink Ships.

Marc Emery on the other hand, may have hopes of a lesser charge or a hand slap, for Marc, did nothing in secret and is not affiliated with any criminal organization, but his own enterprise, said to be criminal by U.S. standards.

One thing is clear, the lesser of the two evils may end up in the same Federal Bed and Breakfast.

‘Sign of trouble’: B.C. sues Vancouver non-profit housing agency for years of alleged mismanagement

2010-03-27T07:49:00.000-07:00

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robinson's wish in 2007 to eradicate homelessness in a few short years, seems to have suffered a setback.

The Downtown East Side Residents Association (DERA) founded 37 years ago during the tail end of the 1970's ultra liberal hippie generation of free love drug culture,with the previous mantra of tune in and drop out society, soon turned what was a beautiful community into Skid Row.

DERA was just one of the many organizations set up to help the needy with legal and social services for the dispossessed and needy in DTES . DTES, previous to 1973 has always been considered a blue collar neighbourhood on the other side of the tracks, socially speaking.

The DTES was not always a dangerous place, many Vancouver residents from all over, including DTES residents have fond memories pre 1970s as a safe and affordable area in which to live.

DTES Christmas season was a treat for many as citizens who crossed the proverbial other side of the tracks to venture into the DTES as the streets were bustling with shoppers, stores brightly decorated, with a festive atmosphere and safety of it's residents was not a concern as it is today.

The slide into what the DTES is today began when drug use began to dominate the area in the mid 1970s, with many citizens blaming governing bodies and liberal society and laws which failed to stop it at it's inception.

DERA since 1973 has evolved, whose main priority is helping the needy find housing has been alleged to be not all it could be in serving it's 15,000 residents. Residents it seems have not been too happy with this organization for a while, in what it perceives to be helping itself first, instead of others.

Though the City of Vancouver washed it's hands of direct involvement years ago, it hedged it's hopes these organizations would Fish or Cut Bait in their desire to accommodate the needy, which include the drug addicted, homeless and others in need of help.

DERA and it's subsidiary DERHA who control (on behalf of the government) an estimated 15 million dollars worth of housing for the poor, addicted and downtrodden are facing a litany of allegations ranging from conflict of interest to fiduciary misrepresentation.

Charges of filthy conditions in homes, disrepair, untendered contracts and or personal loans amounting to tens of thousands of dollars to friends for personal benefit have also been laid by government investigators.

The allegations of favouritism, in particular an accusation of one resident and former staffer enjoyed subsidized housing in the DTES, while enjoying winter beachfront living in his waterfront home, located in the Florida Keys. This certainly belies the intent of this non profit organization, as housing subsidies in the Downtown Eastside are in place for the needy.

Perhaps neediness and greediness go hand in hand?

Supporters of DERA with it's executive director Kim Kerr at the helm, include a host of political activists, not to mention popular left leaning politicians such as BC's NDP MLA Jenny Kwan and Federal NDP Libby Davies who have a presence amongst the 15,000 citizens of the DTES.

Kim Kerr, before taking the position of Executive Director of DERA has a colourful past, including being charged in BCs Supreme Court on federal theft charges of stealing postal money orders and has been accused of other criminal activities such as threats of bodily harm to political members.

Certainly something both Jenny Kwan and Libby Davies must have been aware of, especially if they are strong supporters of DERA.

One would think if someone supports a cause, especially a politician in the know, one should know the who is who, the ins and outs of the organization they support, including an active involvement.

Bandwaggonry by politicians looking for an easy vote amongst the masses is an easy take with many politicians.

Perhaps this is yet another case of the Left, not knowing what the other Left is doing when supporting a cause célèbre seems more vote popular than understanding what it is they are actually supporting.

One thing is crystal clear, Mayor Gregor Robertson, for all intents and purposes may have his heart in the right place, but the reality is, homelessness like Samsonite luggage, death and taxes will be with us for an eternity, as stories such as this come out in the media.

Perhaps DTES residents will take to the streets in protest for change against DERA in improving their lot in life.

Now that would be a refreshing change instead of pointing a protesting finger at others outside of the DTES.

As a society, if each and every resident in the DTES assisted the Vancouver Police at every turn in cleaning up crime and drugs, would be a first step in taking back the community that was once a lovely thriving community in it's heyday.

You have the numbers, all you need is the will!

Ann Coulter's O Canada

2010-03-25T22:35:00.000-07:00

Ann Coulter, a smoking hot, legs to eternity U.S. right wingist, lawyer, conservative entertainer and political dancist is making headlines this week in the Canadian and US media.

Ann Coulter, always a treat to those who follow her antics, seems to enjoy taking her well manicured fingernail in picking at the scabs of liberal hypocrisy.

One example of liberal hypocrisy seems to stem from Ottawa University's Provost Francois Houle letter apprising Ann Coulter in advance of her arrival to the great white north, warning Ann to tone it down a notch so as not to contravene Canada's hate laws.

Ann took this letter to heart and filed a human rights complaint, outlying that her rights to free speech were being violated. After all, Ottawa University routinely brings in speakers who speak in similar tomes against Israel, western conservative values, except Muslim ultra strict conservative values, or anything remotely right of centre.

The difference being, free speech is only free if those ideals are shared by the student body whose ideology is taught and ingrained by University academics who misdirected goal in life is to mold tomorrows young minds with their own personal political ideology. Decades ago this used to be called cult brainwashing, but in universities it seems to be an accepted norm, as long as it is in an educational setting.

A mass protest at the University of Zero certainly did not wane Ann's attempt to dispense her unique spin of "How she would rule the world, even if for one day" to the media and to her followers, as Parliament Hill was on her bucket list.

Ms. Coulter certainly has a lot to say in her O Canada, refuting free speech, a mainstay of Canada and universities, especially Ottawa University or in her words a bush league University of Zero.

Ann Coulter certainly gets paid handsomely as speaker, up to $10,000 a pop, by those attendees who faithfully gather to hear her speak her mind on various diverse topics ranging from liberal governments, religion,environment, politicians, middle east, social programs, multiculturalism and anything that comes to her mind at the moment.

Vancouver's average Joe or Jane six pack also speak publicly on similar topics, though are not paid as handsomely, nor amass a similar national following and if so, most likely would be regaled to the local street corner protests on Hastings street or the Vancouver public library square, masked, with protest signs in hand.

So what is the difference between the two? Entertainment, Marketing and a ready and willing liberal and conservative audience waiting to either protest or attend her functions, either way Ann has cornered the market on controversy, with media outlets eagerly looking to fill a slow news day and protesters looking for the next excuse to take to the streets.

In the end, security concerns for Ann's safety resulted in her speech being canceled, though it is said she still collected her speakers fee, said to amount to 10K.

Calgary, Alberta is her next whistle stop and believed to be more receptive to hear Ann's wisps of wisdom. To be sure, Ontario, in particular the University of Zero will be one topic Ann will discuss at length, with thundering applause by Albertan's who since the Trudeau implemented National Energy Program of the 1960's are tired of Easterner's suckling at the Western Financial Teat.

With Ann's anti Canadian stance it is not known if Ann accepts her fee in Canadian or U.S. funds, but the saying when "Money Talks, Bullsh*t Walks".

Love Ann or hate her, one thing for sure is Ann wins regardless.

Vancouver Marijuana Activist Marc Emery extradition to the United States

2010-03-20T06:54:00.000-07:00

Marc Emery, marijuana activist, long a thorn in the side of the U.S. war on drugs is facing extradition to the United States.

Marijuana activist Marc Emery and his mail order marijuana seed business serviced U.S customers looking to grow their own.

Marc Emery got his start in the mail order business as a child buying, selling stamps and comic books before moving on to marijuana and related paraphernalia.

Marc's Cannabis Cafe and his mail order business seemed to thrive, particularly in Vancouver, long a society of dope smokers, who considered Vancouver a marijuana mecca since the 1960's.

Emery operated his business enterprise with relative freedom, perhaps experienced a few legal bumps in the road, though always a long time activist since the mid 1970's in every conceivable cause of one type or another. The Ontario transplant certainly was never deterred by anyone, including running for political office.

In regards to Emery, a new found freedom came about when Marc, after a failed attempt to get an audience advocating marijuana use, in Ontario, won a Ontario court challenge to allow drug related literature to be published, such as High Times.

Marc, it appears, felt he would find a more appreciative audience elsewhere than stodgy Ontario. Mark soon took his various ventures,...cont'd

Blind British soldier 'sees' with his tongue

2010-03-16T08:08:00.000-07:00

This news puts science fiction to reality, as some may wonder how is this possible? A British soldier Lance Corporal Craig Lundberg (24) from Liverpool, England has undergone a procedure after being blinded by a grenade attack in 2007 in Basra.

Currently, this procedure developed in the United States may offer hope to the blind everywhere, where shapes, letters and images, though not crystal clear and in black and white, may one day be affordable enough to offer a semblance of independence to the visually impaired the world over.

Some scientists theorized that it is the brain that interpret images, thus sees, not the eyes. The human brain is seen as the most advanced computer on earth, so it has been determined that the brains central processing unit can link and adapt to a man made computers central processing unit.

Society may ask how could a person see with his tongue? Fitted with a pair of video cameras to a a pair of sunglasses, a small lollipop type paddle is linked to the video cameras, when the pad is placed on the person's tongue images are relayed through a series of pulses the person feels and transmitted turning the images into black and white pixels, similar to the micro dots on your television.

This is then interpreted by the person into 2 dimensional images for the user, requiring intensive ...cont'd

Vancouver and British Columbia Societies Complacency on Marijuana Crimes.

2010-03-13T12:04:00.000-08:00

Marijuana grow ops and harder drugs, long a mainstay in the British Columbia (BC) economy for the criminal element has suffered a minor setback in the Okanagan as RCMP discovered a large scale multimillion dollar marijuana grow op. The accused get bail and a promise to appear in court at a later date.

One would think when the criminal are caught dead to rights with a marijuana crop worth millions, and clearly not for personal consumption shows the war on drugs is soon to be a losing battle. It seems societies complacency when it comes to demanding our public officials implement immediate jail time for large quantities of drugs, is yet another minute example of the big picture when it comes our complacency to crime in British Columbia.

RCMP estimate 17,000 grow ops currently operating in the lower mainland alone, leaves many in our society to wonder if the police force's vigilance in the war on drugs is futile and for naught?

Public reaction to criminal activity reported in the media, especially marijuana grow op busts seem to get less of a public reaction than a restaurant review.

Many grow operators, with a more than a few busted over and over again are now looking to get out of dodge and set up in more remote...cont'd

Critics say BC Liberals hid tax hike on used cars

2010-03-13T08:33:00.001-08:00

British Columbians feel they pay some of the highest taxes in Canada will be in for a hidden surprise if a used car is in their future.

The BC Liberal Government budget bill passed last week, with the insertion of yet another tax to weary consumers looking to buy a used car. No, it is not the HST, but something more enhanced.

Death and Taxes seem like a provincial mantra for British Columbia’s consumers.

The standard 7% provincial sales tax we have all come to expect will increase to 12% when applied to used cars.

Critics charge the BC Liberals of hiding the tax to which BC Minister of Finance Colin Hansen replied, the tax was in plain view for anyone who read the bill. Minister Colin is correct, the public should have read the bill amongst other bills. Problem being, the public rarely do, and some say Governments when passing bills or legislation count on it.

British Columbian’s looking for a deal on a used car versus new feel penalized for not buying new, as new cars can cost upwards of three times the price, depending on the model chosen.

AirCare inspections for used cars are also required for older models, while new cars get to buy time for a few more years.

There are Pros and Cons to buying used versus new, regardless of this new tax increase, it all depends on the consumer’s pay me now, or pay me later predisposition.

Media reports on unscrupulous used car dealers in Vancouver and the lower mainland seem to be the rigueur, but then, who can you trust? Consumer Auto Reviews is a start. It seems the CarFax sheets are to be avoided as media investigations tell that vehicle history reports by CarFax may be as valid as your brother in law’s opinion. Another warning: Homer Simpson once stated, Extended Warranty?!! “ How can I lose?” ...cont'd

Muslims will triple in Metro Vancouver by 2031

2010-03-11T17:39:00.000-08:00

StatsCan forecasting suggests Metro Vancouver will be home to more than 230,000 Muslims in 2031, up from the present Muslim population of 72,000.

Minaret Switzerland/ AP Photo

Religion, often a sore point amongst those in regions of Canada whose beliefs are contrary to any established religion but there own, may see Vancouver citizenry rise up in adversity in what could become another Swiss controversy especially if a minaret is in the plans for a new mosque.

Vancouver real estate is at a premium, some Vancouver neighbourhoods, such as West Vancouver and North Vancouver are the preferred neighbourhoods for many of Vancouver higher income Muslims.

Though Muslims in Burnaby, Surrey and Richmond have Mosques, no Mosque north of Burnaby seem to be in sight near in Vancouver or North and West Vancouver. What does this tell us?

Currently there are four Islamic centres in Vancouver, with Mosques all located in the surrounding communities such as Burnaby and Surrey, with the largest Mosque located in Richmond.

There will be a time when West and North Vancouver Muslims may want a Mosque closer to home such as North and West Vancouver. Vancouver districts and their citizens may not relish their tranquility or staid scenery changed, considering getting a Tim Hortons in West Vancouver is harder to witness than the second coming. ,,,,,cont'd

Corey Haim's filmography: Lost Boys actor, 38, dies of overdose

2010-03-11T17:36:00.000-08:00

Corey Haim, star of The Lost Boys (1987) and reprising his role in the Lost Boys: The Tribe (2008)sequel was found dead of an apparent accidental overdose in his Burbank, California home yesterday.

Corey Haim AP Photo

Corey Haim's Rise and Fall

Haim was born December 23, 1971 in Toronto but first came to international attention in the late 80s when Haim and his co-star Corey Feldman were an extremely popular duo in the entertainment industry due to the success of Lost Boys.

Capitalizing on their fame, both Coreys started to make a slew of films to feed their growing fan base. These films - Dream a Little Dream (1989), Watchers (1988) and License to Drive (1988) did not match Lost Boys box office or reviews. Kiefer Sutherland, also in Lost Boys, was the only cast member to enjoy a measure of success with Young Guns and Young Guns 2 and more recently his fan favourite 24.

Corey Haim's Video & TV Appearances

After Haim's fall from grace both actors began a downward spiral of drugs...cont'd

Elisabeth Ataide: Celebrating International Women’s Day

2010-03-09T17:24:00.000-08:00

International Women’s Day was first celebrated in 1911, later on in 1913; March 08^th was officially women’s day. Many may not realize during this time women in some countries were not allowed to vote. How times have changed. Next year marks the centennial for International Women’s Day.

As women celebrate International Women’s Day this week, the accomplishments of women are placed in the forefront this week. Women once frowned upon when taking up roles or activities traditionally considered the domain of the masculine set has changed over the last century.

One woman who seems to be out of the norm is Elisabeth Ataide, from New Westminster, her occupation is Property Management by day, her passion is traditional archer, swordswoman, and middle ages war game devotee during her off time.

Last summer I was intrigued when I first came across Elisabeth Ataide, a slender 30 something woman, black leather glove on one hand, bright yellow recurve bow in the other hand and a boot quiver full of brightly coloured wood arrows. She looked like a female Robin Hood.

Ms. Ataide certainly stood out, standing alone, loosing arrows one afternoon at the Burnaby Archery range. After firing her arrows from a distance of 30 meters, Elisabeth’s determined stride up to the target, told me she was not pleased with her arrow placement, as she would grab her arrows and start all over again. This same scenario played out for hours till dusk.

Later that afternoon the field was dominated by large groups of men of all ages, bows of various types in hand, firing their arrows across their own individual field lane into a target face.

What made Elisabeth really stand out was that all the men were on one side of the field and Elisabeth was off to one side, separated by three shooting lanes over looking sort of like an abacus, as one lone female bead. The archery field looked like it had an invisible no man’s land, with one lane reserved for women, only to find out that Elisabeth’s archery lane was reserved for shorter distance traditional shooters or student class.

I approached Elisabeth that day as a fellow archer and as I got to know Elisabeth, I found her interest in archery was brought about by her friend in her sewing circle.

I came across Elisabeth later on as we attended various 3D archery tournaments, where archers climb up hill and dale shooting from pre-positioned stakes at unmarked distances and take aim at life size foam animals recreating what is similar to stalking and hunting animals, but a more PETA friendly pursuit. Elisabeth certainly showed her archery prowess, taking more than a few first and second place ribbons at these events, scoring higher than most seasoned male archers she competed against in her division.

Later on in the coming months, I found out Elisabeth was also an accomplished Rapier swordswoman, who has crossed swords with male swordsmen. Elisabeth also enjoys participating in period costume and events as member with the SCA Vancouver chapter, who along with a group of women and men alike are devotees who share an affinity for all things period, from the middle ages. SCA stands for the Society for Creative Anachronism.

The SCA is an international organization dedicated to researching and re-creating the arts and skills of pre-17th-century Europe with separate kingdoms, middle age dress, feasts (banquets) medieval wars and festivals.

As International Women's Day will soon mark their centennial, women a century ago would be frowned upon by a Victorian society for participating in what are traditionally male sports.

Times have changed when Elisabeth and women like her are quite adept at taking the sport of Rapier to 3D archery as their favoured pursuit demystifying the gender concepts we were all brought up with.

Now only if the International Olympic Committee will allow women ski jumpers to compete, in the Olympics that would be a leap in the right direction.

Currently the Women's Ski Jumpers filed a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission in order to push for their sport to be included into the Olympics.

For additional information on Archery and the SCA in British Columbia, please refer to the links below:

3D Archery or Archery

SCA

The next public SCA event will be held

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Time:

9:00am - 10:00pm

Location:

508 Agnes St, New Westminster, British Columbia

Admission by donation

Kingdom of An Tir

International Women's Day: Female bus driver assaulted

2010-03-08T14:23:00.000-08:00

Today is International Women's Day, and a day one female transit driver in Maple Ridge will not soon forget. An unnamed transit driver is recuperating from a vicious assault today after being attacked on Sunday in Maple Ridge yesterday. Passengers witnessing the assault, dialed 911.

It seems a disgruntled passenger gripped the female transit driver by the neck and proceeded to pull her from her seat. It is unknown if the bus was in motion at the time, but pulling a driver from her seat would leave the bus in gear unattended. There is no word if the assailant had been caught. Needless to say if the bus started to move ahead the lives of the transit driver, passengers, pedestrians and motorists alike would be in danger if the bus suddenly veered into oncoming traffic.

There were 140 assaults on transit drivers last year, with Coast Mountain Transit workers calling for increased security for their drivers. Driving a 20 ton bus full of passengers is dangerous enough, and is compounded with the added fear of being attacked from behind only makes the job more hazardous.

An out of control 20 ton bus traveling the speed limit, especially on the highway as this bus would be traveling is then turned into an unstoppable weapon in which loss of life is immediate to anyone in it's path.

While it is not clear what frame of mind (Drugs or Mental issues) the disgruntled passenger was in, what is clear is violence against anyone must be eliminated.

British Columbia courts have historically given violent offender's the benefit of the doubt for one reason or another, resulting in charges being stayed or sentencing being reduced, resulting in a second, third, fourth chance at rehabilitation, in some cases media reported two years ago there was a non violent offender who had 128 convictions. Rehabilitation is certainly not this offender's goal.

The question many British Columbian's ask is when is this violence going to end? Will the massive loss of life from a careening 20 ton bus get the government's attention? Liberal attitudes need to change, kid glove treatment by the courts and society in respect to criminals need to change. If laws meant to protect society are not being enforced, then how are we to protect ourselves? If governments and lawmakers elected by us fail to protect us from harm, who will?

Government and municipalities looking at trimming their budgets must not cut policing, and increase budget money to ensure public safety. There are other ways to save money. Governments stating the jails are full and the costs associated with incarceration run close to 100K a year for each criminal is no excuse to release offenders early or offer them alternatives such as treatment.

Treatment programs do not seem to work, judging by the number of repeat offenders facing the courts time and time again.

The government installing transit police to protect transit riders shows the criminal element is winning and the court system is seriously flawed in failing to incarcerate those who do us harm. What is next? Armed police in our schools? Guess what, we have Police in our schools too! Are these a big warning flag?

Plastic shields, video cameras for transit drivers, along with signage issuing stern warnings give a false sense of security to the transit driver and the public.

Since when do we need to protect ourselves from criminals, when it should be the courts and lawmakers doing this for us!

A decade ago, transit assaults, a police presence in schools, police and private security at public events, including private security personnel stationed inside restaurant/pubs was unheard of.

We all remember last year when the public were terrorized by killings from shootings inside public restaurants full of patrons.

What has changed in our society since then, that has turned a once peaceful province into what seems to be a lawless wild, wild west?

The failure of convictions by the courts to enforce serious jail time for serious crimes.

The Coast Transit driver, riders and oncoming traffic missed the grim reaper this time, but are we prepared to roll the dice next time? Guess it all depends if the next time it is you, the public, who rolls snake eyes!

In light of the tragic circumstances in this story, I wish women everywhere a Happy International Women's Day, let us hope 2010 brings a better world to women, our daughters, mothers, grandmothers, wives, girlfriends and women friends .

Senator Nancy Ruth: Failure to Gender Neutralise Anthem is a hatred against women.

2010-03-06T09:04:00.000-08:00

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservative party have decided to keep the Canadian national anthem O Canada unchanged.

Many felt in lieu of the Canadian women dominating the Vancouver 2010 Olympics that a change to the national anthem was needed to reflect the female role in Canada. It was unclear who came up with this concept to change our anthem. Needless to say, media polls have shown the majority of Canadian’s and British Columbian's did not agree with our government.

This reversal to maintain the status quo, no doubt influenced the Prime Minister’s decision. The majority of politicians and Canadians felt the national anthem is fine the way it is, though one lone Senator was displeased by this decision has been reported by the media to be the same Senator who came up with the controversial idea in the first place.

Senator Nancy Ruth, a self professed feminist feels that Canada’s unwillingness to adapt with the neutral gender modern times show in her personal opinion, a hatred against women. Will this statement by Senator Ruth once again inflame Canadian sensibilities, more so than Senator Ruth’s “neutral gender” ideology?

Gender neutrality dishonour both men and women and our ancestors whose sweat and toil made Canada great and a much sought after place to live the world over. Gender neutral does not identify male or female or for that matter animal, mineral or vegetable. Canadian’s may be averse to being relegated as non persons in O Canada.

It can be greatly assumed anyone with a wit of intelligence has a fundamental grasp of the English or French language and Canadian history. A Canadian Senator who feels that Canadians singing the words to O Canada may be under the false impression that Canada was founded and established solely by men need to re-take biology 101. If not for women, North America would not found by Europeans, period. Queen Isabella funded it that voyage,

The majority of Britain’s Monarchs throughout Canada’s pre and post history till 1867 were powerful females. If a man or woman’s perception that the female species are weak to be undermined, regardless of country of origin shows their complete lack of ignorance on their part.

In April 02, 1982, the Argentina Military Junta invading the British Falklands soon found out women are not to be undermined when Britain’s third term elect Prime Minister Margaret (Iron Lady) Thatcher showed the Argentina military junta how a woman ignored can be disastrous to one’s health.

Women have, and will always be part of the equation; they are our mothers, daughters, grandmothers and sisters. Women worked tirelessly alongside men, in addition to raising, feeding, nurturing, disciplining and ensuring their children, including the female and male species survived. Everyone knows this.

Margaret Mead, a noted anthropologist once said “Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Senator Ruth certainly shows that one committed person can try to make a difference, but when the majority disagree, one should concede gracefully, after all, that is the basis of a successful democratic society.

Let's put Feminism into perspective when comparing Senator Rush to other women in the world. The photo insertion of an Iranian woman showing her displeasure at her government leader, puts her into "Woman of the century"! How many get to see a a real woman feminist like this as an empowered powerful influence, unless in picture? Senator Rush's assertion of being a strong feminist pales in comparison to this Iranian woman and all women like her.

Majority rule has shown Senator Nancy Ruth that democracy is for all, not just for a politician who can bend the Prime Minister’s ear and make a change based on their own ideology without public consultation.

Canadian’s may now wonder if it is government policy for public officials to place their own personal views over the good of the country. Canada is a democratic society, not a dictatorship like North Korea.

In light of Senator Nancy Ruth’s conduct, a reminder should be issued to apprise her of the fact that when a politician agrees to take public office and a hefty paycheque, courtesy of the Canadian taxpayer, that the government works for the people, and that includes the displeased Senator and any special interest groups she may represent.

Canadian Anthem: Tories looking to change that tune

2010-03-05T19:57:00.000-08:00

The Conservative government are considering revising Canada's national anthem, making it gender neutral. Canadian's polled in the national media feel the anthem is fine as is. Canada's national anthem has remained pretty much unchanged since 1908.

What implemented this folly in tampering with an anthem near and dear to Canadian's heart is unclear, though political correctness in society today may play a part considering the recent medals won by women in the 2010 Olympics warrant special mention, but using the Canadian anthem may be not the best way.

Unfortunately, many Canadians feel there are better ways to honour those special Olympians and all women who make us proud.

Gender based words such as mother tongue, mother country, mother nature, mother's day and Mom are used more in our daily lexicon than the national anthem. The love of a good woman, she's a beaut, or she does the quarter mile in 11 seconds when referring to a beloved and pampered sports car.

There are more favoured gender based words used to describe women than there are to describe men.

Gender based names used show reverence and respect to women, including the occasional "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned", as anyone who has sisters growing up (I have three) knows what I am talking about. Most likely why hurricanes are named after women are a testament to their fury.

History is full of female references, who ever heard of Frank of Troy, would the Greeks have gone to war over Frank?

Back to the national anthem, unfortunately many schools do not sing the national anthem at the start of the school day, at one time this was the norm. It seems the only time the national anthem is sung is at sporting events, and for the most part many do not know the words to begin with and just mouth the words, looking around waiting for their cue to chime in O Canada. Sad indeed.

So, it would be futile to include a gender neutral reference, when it is clear many can't remember O Canada to begin with.

Using a gender neutral word dishonours both men and women.

Perhaps actions should speak louder than words when putting women foremost in our minds, giving women equality when it comes to equal pay for equal work has a nice ring to it. That's a tune we can all sing to!

Obama owes Harper beer

2010-03-01T08:14:00.000-08:00

U.S. President Obama and Canada's Prime Minister Harper's side bet for a case of beer over who would triumph for Olympic hockey gold last night means more to the U.S and Canada than just two guys making a wager. Though pride was at stake, we should not prejudice our American neighbours over their displeasure and misconception that hockey is their domain as a national pastime.

There were many Americans last night who felt they were robbed of what they perceive as their national pastime.

Olympic men's hockey gold is a big stakes game for national pride on both sides of the border. Canada's win last night cements our status to the world that hockey is and always will be our national pastime, just as the United States considers baseball and basketball as their national pastime, both sports define each of us as a nation. Yet truth be known, basketball is a Canadian invention, which hails as far back .... cont'd

Super size me debate: Fudging the figures on obesity.

2010-02-28T08:50:00.000-08:00

The obesity challenge, something society is inundated with time and time again, from reality shows such as The Biggest Loser to Jenny Craig commercials. It seems fudging the truth is a guaranteed moneymaker.

Fast food is one sacred cow slow roasted by health professionals, nutritionists, pre packaged weight loss advertisers who all state you are all going to an early grave if you touch anything with fat.

Fast food junkies will devour the counter film (to Super Size Me) Fathead as this film BBQs these sacred cows one delicious greasy quarter-pounder at a time, with all the fixins.

Both movies have a similar storyline Super Size Me (2004) and this current movie Fathead (2009). The quandary being, these movies result in two entirely different outcomes. .............cont'd

Documents reveal leaks and spills at Canada's national virus lab

2010-02-27T19:23:00.000-08:00

Certainly distressing news, if true in it's entirety. The report that a lab employee was transferring vials across the border and in his glove compartment of his vehicle raises an alarm that needs to be addressed when it comes to security inside our nations government Class IV Laboratories.

Health Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg is the first in world to decode the genetic makeup of the H1N1 flu virus. Is our lab safe from industrial espionage which afflicts any industry in which proprietary technical advances are stolen for political or financial gain? Certainly not out of the realm of possibility, thus robbing Canada and the taxpayers of future patents or research acknowledgment.

There have been countless stories of industrial espionage, a common practice by every world government. The threat of biological terrorism being a more serious concern.

Another issue reported in this media, such as leaks and .......cont'd

UN to probe climate panel over errors

2010-02-27T19:20:00.000-08:00

The United Nations taking action on environmental falsehoods that came to light leaves a lot to be desired, how can we trust when previously that trust was broken so many times.

Society has been brought up to respect the opinions of their academic peers. That respect seems to have fallen by the wayside.

How can this refreshing new UN revelation be made valid as it seems Nobel winners will be making up the panel of scrutineers on all environmental claims by other Nobel winners?

Can we trust the United Nations to protect us? Rwandan citizens and Lt. General Romeo Dallaire once thought so. So how is this any different?

Certainly a no brainer exists when it has been uncovered Governments who self interest is at stake rely on climate theory by so called environmental agencies and take these theories as fact.

Wayward emails by environmental groups and scientists spelling their erroneous theories in advance of the Copenhagen Accord never seemed to make the light of day, until resourceful hackers brought everything to the light of day. The Light of day clouded over by many Environmental Chicken Littles' preferring theory over fact, and best leave contrary evidence in the dark.

What does all this say about the impending global climate change? Take everything with a grain of salt. Graft and corruption has been thrown about by special interests, as well as fact based theory and much innuendo directed at those who grandstand such as Gore and his Nobel theories may not be the salt of the earth as they pretend to be.

Food for thought is another issue when western technological advances in..........cont'd

British Columbia to ring in the 2010 New Year, hands free

2010-01-01T09:11:00.000-08:00

British Columbian’s will be ringing in the New Year, hands free starting January 1, 2010. British Columbia will be playing catch up with other provinces and states south of the border banning the use of hand held cell phones while driving.

Beginning February 01, 2010, the law will be in effect with heavy fines to cure those whose multitasking addiction include getting that all important text message out while barreling down the thoroughfare.

Hand held cell phone use has been attributed for increased auto fatalities and collisions prompting many cities in North America to ban hand held cell phone use while driving. Heavy fines and or points taken away from a driver's licence can be levied for those caught.

Yet again, citizens will now have a new law to deal with, when citizen responsibility is taken over by government, as some citizen's fail to exercise common sense using a simple cell phone.

In a world when society demands less government interference in their daily life, there are those it seems who just are so unclear on the concept of food chain dynamics when it comes to hierarchy. Apparently some feel their brain is just a few pounds of inconvenience.

Continued....

Study proves many Environmentalists are clueless sheep!

2009-12-31T07:43:00.000-08:00

Satire with seeds of truth.

Albert Einstein, perhaps said it best, " The only thing more dangerous than ignorance is arrogance".

Certainly if Einstein were alive to today and witnessing Environmentalist's blindly signing petitions without understanding the issues, Albert would shake his head and state "My point exactly"!

A new controversial study by satirists Penn and Teller has uncovered concrete proof some Environmentalists are totally clueless to the concept when it comes to the environment, leaving many to wonder that those who blindly follow the Bandwagon of Environmentalism are like so many sheep running head long off a cliff of mindless stupidity.

Continued...

Asian tigers awake, Harper, Obama take notice

2009-12-31T07:41:00.000-08:00

Obama and Harper's visit to China looking for new business, are hoping to sign deals to help our ailing industries get a slice of the Chinese infrastructure pie.

How can Canada and the U.S.A. ever compete, when the North American hourly wage equals a daily wage a Chinese citizen gets? North America will never have a level playing field when it comes to competitive wages with Asia.

Notwithstanding, the North American worker enjoys benefits such as health and pension benefits. complete with a 40 hour work week, benefits Chinese workers can only dream of. How can we compete with that?

China and India both rely on their massive cheap labour force to get things done, with Vietnam closing in fast with even lower wages.

Let's face it, in a global bidding war on who can do it cheaper, Canada and the U.S.A. labour force with better wages, unions, labour, free trade politics and government regulations make us uncompetitive.

Continued...

Vancouver real estate, buying into the million dollar hype.

2009-12-30T09:52:00.000-08:00

Buying into the Real Estate Hype could put you down and out.

Vancouver, is touted as one of the best cities to live in the world. Many in society are wondering, is it?

One mantra that has inflamed many is; "British Columbia, the best place on earth".

Who spreads these mantras?

The politician no doubt, looking to either spread their mantra to the world as a source of pride or perhaps to get British Columbian's to buy into it?

The federal government of Canada's Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is looking to clamp down on home mortgage regulations, what many think as a safeguard for Canadians in debt.

Perhaps this mortgage regulation is geared to prevent a possible mirroring of a U.S. housing meltdown, Canadian style. The Bank of Canada have stated many Canadians are stretched to the limit financially.

The real estate industry, particularily British Columbia, counter that these regulations will be a detriment to Canadians. Of course, some see this as those in the Realty industry once again spreading fear and hype, as certainly this may be seen as a slight against potential commissions on their part.

One wonders how this could be a detriment to Canadians? Perhaps an answer can be found if one looks further into the British Columbia Realty industry hype we have all read in the media.

Continued...

B.C. man gets licence for record number of marijuana plants

2009-12-30T09:47:00.000-08:00

A British Columbia man suffering from a liver disorder and other chronic disorders has been given a licence to grow up to 292 marijuana plants for personal use.

Many marijuana advocates feel this allowance for people in pain to grow their own marijuana is a long time in coming.

The licence also allows this BC man to grow enough marijuana for two other people who suffer legitimate ailments as well. Supplying others with marijuana is one issue where it gets sticky.

The issue one should realize is that with all drugs there has to be some quality control and quality assurances. Pharmaceutical companies must abide by these rules, so should the licenced marijuana grower practice Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).

Continued....

HIV-Aids - lawsuits: Sex and sensibility

2009-12-30T09:46:00.000-08:00

A Toronto man has launched a 30 million dollar lawsuit against his wife for infecting him with the HIV virus. In the lawsuit Immigration Canada, Canadian Border Services Agency and the Zanzibar Tavern are also mentioned as responsible parties by the plaintiff.

Percy Williams (34) of Toronto met his Thai wife Suwalee Iamhkong (40) who worked as a prostitute and Go Go dancer in Hong Kong before immigrating to Canada in 1995 and soon found work as a stripper at the Zanzibar Tavern until 2004.

Mr. William's accuses Immigration Canada and asks how can someone with HIV be admitted to Canada as an immigrant?

Continued...

Immigrants and Multiculturalism: The Decade when the face of Canada changed

2009-12-29T21:44:00.000-08:00

Canadians for decades have read various media stories stating the “Pro and Con” on immigration, in particular multiculturalism. Canadians’ all have difference of opinion on this hotbed issue.

Is it unfair to paint all cultures with the same bad brush, based on the examples of a few?

To understand this story, one has to understand the past. The past in which many on the liberal left feel being Canadian, in many cases being Whitey according to the liberal left is a cancer and what many say is a crime against nature.

The recent Canadian media article this December 28, 2009 offers points of view on immigrants, multiculturalism, its Pro and Con, as well what it means to the Canadian economy.

Canada must learn from other countries mistakes when it comes to accepting immigrants in order avoid the trials and tribulations these countries are currently undergoing.

Many will think racism, but in the words of British Columbia’s previous Lieutenant Governor David Lam “ When a Canadian is concerned about his own way of living, this concern is not racism!”

These words quoted by a proud loyal Canadian of Asian descent immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong in 1967 and made Canada his home for himself, his wife and children.

Perhaps some examples in which immigrants and cultural groups used Canada’s Charter of Rights to their own means created a firestorm of controversy, much like the featured media article today “The Decade when the face of Canada changed.”

On the subject of loyalty, it was a scant two years ago Charles Roach enraged the sensibilities of Canadians when he refused to take the "Oath of Allegiance" and to add insult to injury launched a class-action lawsuit against taking an oath to an "offshore queen," and went public with a tirade of insults against Canada and Canadians, in addition to arguing that the mandatory oath is a violation of Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms' provision of freedom of conscience.

Continued...

Al-Qaeda's flavour of the month: Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab

2009-12-29T21:42:00.000-08:00

Al-Qaeda, or an offshoot of Al-Qaeda, if you can call it that, have found a patsy to do their dirty work. One could spend hours if not days trying to analyze Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, but why bother? He is just the Flavour of the Month in an Al-Qaeda world.

Al-Qaeda Nancy boys, have never been one to go mano a mano with the U.S. or Canadian troops in the conventional way, like with troops in other wars, such as with the Iraqi forces. That is just not the Al-Qaeda way, when you can get others to do it for you.

Al-Qaeda do not feel they are a terrorist group, they say they are soldiers in the traditional way, protectorate of the Islamic way of life, looking for Geneva convention treatment, if captured.

Continued...

Canadian real estate, marijuana, ecstasy, methamphetamine, drug labs and you.

2009-12-27T11:44:00.001-08:00

Canada's red hot real estate market has real estate buyers scrambling to get into the profitable real estate market while the getting is good. Many feel purchasing and renovating distressed properties such as former grow ops or methamphetamine labs are an easy flip for profit. For the unsuspecting home buyer, this column is geared for you!

Many in Canada see the marijuana industry as a victimless crime. Grow ops, ecstasy labs and meth labs can be next door in any home, including 5,000 square foot luxury mansions from Hope to Whistler. Believe it or not, there are more million dollar plus homes used for manufacturing drugs in British Columbia versus an old home.

Continued....

Canada: Is it better NOT to be Canadian?

2009-12-26T12:03:00.000-08:00

There are some Canadian’s who constantly deride our country and society, whether it be their armchair theories on the Environment, Justice, Government leaders, the Economy or their just their general lot in life.

Gilder Radner, once said in her Saturday Night Live character Roseanne Roseannadanna “It’s always something!” That certainly typifies these Canadians.

It seems the whining Canadian are only truly happy if they are constantly complaining about everything about this country like a spoiled child, taking a tantrum whenever something is not to their liking.

Is Canadian society perfect? No, far from it! But when you look at the big global picture, Canada and Canadian's have it pretty good. Why else would countries from around the world come knocking on our door looking for a slice of Canadian life?

The “Whiny” set should ask a new immigrant to Canada what their take is being Canadian, then perhaps their stance on being Canadian would be placed into a better perspective.

Course if they care to travel to other countries, especially the third world, they could ask those citizens how happy they are living in their country.

Looking at this video, it is a given the oppressed would wholeheartedly disagree with the whiny Canadian, if not display immediate outrage at these whiny Canadians who take Canada for granted.

If the whiny Canadian took the time to walk or run for their life in an immigrant's shoes, the (immigrant's) message would never be clearer.

But then that is just one opinion of one Canadian.

Detroit: Terrorism aboard Northwest Airlines Flight 253

2009-12-26T08:22:00.000-08:00

A Canadian woman from Montreal, Quebec, tells of her eyewitness account of terror in the sky as the man accused of terrorism over the Atlantic sets self on fire during the flight bound for Detroit.

Holy shades of 9-11, if not for the passengers overpowering this terrorist, god only knows the outcome.

It has been said Abdul Mudallad, a Nigerian National, admits to being a terrorist and secondly Abdul Mudallad was previously identified by U.S. Intelligence beforehand, yet was not on a No Fly list.

If this man was known to US Intelligence, many will question U.S. Intelligence in their intelligence who allowed this to happen.

Photo above.

It has been said some of the 9-11 Terrorists were known beforehand by U.S, Intelligence, yet these terrorists still managed to get into the United States.

A Delta aircraft. A man who attempted to light an explosive aboard a US airplane as it landed in Detroit on a flight from Amsterdam told investigators he was affiliated with Al-Qaeda, US media reported Friday.

(AFP/File/John MacDougall)

Continued...

Seniors go bare for charity

2009-12-26T08:20:00.000-08:00

Holy Tap Dancing Hockey Sticks, now this is just nasty! Does society not care how money is raised for food bank charities. There has to be a better way.

Senior citizen's peeling it all off for charity, can make anyone wonder what's next?
Society says the new 30 is 50, so it can be assumed the new 50 is 80.
But really, do homeless or the down on their luck crowd really need this type of advertising for their plight?

Nothing like bringing up your lunch as little Timmy and Jennifer are traumatized as they see photo spreads of grandma's or grandpa's with their shriveled wedding tackle hanging out, complete with skin tags and various appendix scars displayed in a full colour spread hanging off a fridge magnet.

Continued...

Black America's Great Expectations: Obamarama, not their Dalai Lama

2009-12-23T11:13:00.000-08:00

U.S. President Barack Obama, seen by many black Americans as their Dalai Lama and the Great Black Hope, woke up to the reality that President Obama left them little in the way of progress for black Americans. President Obama retorted, his duty is to serve all Americans. Certainly not a favourable response many black civil leaders, celebrities and the black American public wished to hear.

Perhaps the public hyped on celebrity, voting for style over substance, as witnessed of the garrulous and salacious fawning by Oprah, hollywood celebrities, black civic leaders, the media, which resulted in rock star welcomes wherever Barack Obama went in the events

Continued....

Prince William homeless for a night

2009-12-23T11:12:00.000-08:00

Britain's Prince William, looking to understand the plight of the homeless, even if for a night, took to the London streets. With temperatures hovering around -4 C, certainly would give anyone a biting reality, including Prince William as he and Seyi Obakin (Chief executive of the homeless charity Centrepointe) bunked down for the night.

The reality of sleeping in the bitter cold behind a garbage can or two is something many homeless here in Vancouver can identify with.

Continued......

Israel admits to organ harvesting

2009-12-21T16:35:00.000-08:00

Israel admitting forensic pathologists had illegally harvested organs from dead bodies, including Palestinians, without permission of their families certainly will not bode well with the world.

Israel looking for validation of their existence on the world stage may not get the sympathy it wants, when rumours were rife this was happening and denied by the Israeli government, now shocks both Israeli citizens and Palestinians alike.

World opinion may not be too kind, when it is not clear if these organs were used for the common good.

Were these organs used to save the lives of both Israelis and Palestinians? Were the organs sold for profit, or sent out of the country? These are questions that are being asked, with no answers forthcoming.

Many may wonder if the answers will be truthful, considering a decade of denials of organ harvesting in the first place.

One can be sure Iran and other countries looking to destroy one of the oldest cultures in the middle east may use this as one more excuse to carry out attacks against Israel.

Continued...........

Vancouver's Downtown Eastside: Qu'ils mangent de la brioche.

2009-12-20T07:19:00.000-08:00

"Qu'ils mangent de la brioche", a quote attributed to Marie-Thérèse, wife of 18th century King Louis XIV of France, who said to the starving peasants who had no bread, "let them eat cake".

Downtown Eastside residents may be hearing those same words by those involved in the Woodward project converting a derelict 1903 department store into a 375 million dollar showpiece smack dab in the middle of what is described as a criminal drug addled public.

One aspect of the Woodward gentrification development is a social experiment, having a mix of low income housing and condo suites, with a smattering of retail stores including upscale retail anchor tenants.

Developers rely on anchor tenants in order to attract others to their building. The more upscale the anchor tenant, the better for any ancillary tenant who rely on public traffic for their bread and butter. Condo owners looking for a return on investment for their suites will also be attracted to any building that is geared towards the upscale funky crowd.

The Downtown Eastside (DTES) feel a ratio of 536 condo suites versus 200 low income suites is not a fair ratio when it comes to a equitable social mix of tenants, since low income housing is in serious short supply. The inclusion of Simon Fraser School of Contemporary Art as a tenant leaves some wondering if that space would have been more useful as additional low income suites.

Two anchor tenants, London Drugs and an upscale food market, geared for the moneyed. Panhandlers, drug dealers and prostitutes will be coveting a prime spot outside these anchor establishments looking for that easy mark.

continued...

Copenhagen's Climate talks, three wise men and a beggar's banquet.

2009-12-19T09:45:00.000-08:00

U.S. President Obama promises lofty monetary ambitions of a trillion dollar plan to appease the developing world.

Canada's Prime Minister Harper kept a low profile and agreed in principle that Canada would act in concert with the USA if Obama's 100 billion dollar fundraising efforts are met every year for the next decade. Prime Minister Stephen Harper also stressed, if the USA does not keep it's commitment, a serious strain will result in achieving these climate change goals for all concerned.

China, a developing nation and the world's No.1 polluter claim it may exceed it's goal of reducing emissions.

The David Suzuki foundation proclaimed that Canada needs to get back to the table and work out a fair, ambitious and binding deal.

Jack Layton, leader of the National Democratic Party (NDP) the Harper Conservatives did not represent the majority of Canadians. I say, please furnish the names of the majority of Canadians looking to pay into this? continued....

2010 Olympic security, bomb-sniffing dogs on transit worry Muslim leader

2009-12-13T08:21:00.000-08:00

The world of terrorism in this last decade has hit home for many in Canada, this is the world and society we are forced to live in, caused by those who relish the fact we live in terror.

Security is at an all time high in Vancouver in preparation for the 2010 Olympic Games. One Vancouver citizen feels the use of explosive sniffing dogs on the Vancouver transit may be going too far during the preparation for the 2010 Olympics.

Perhaps for one Vancouverite this is going too far. Many countries around the globe use bomb sniffing dogs, this is the world we now live when terrorist's give no quarter to anyone, let alone an Olympic venue. ..continued...

Liberals, NDP and Bloc Quebecois: Canadian soldiers best interests served cold

2009-12-13T08:15:00.000-08:00

The ongoing battle between the Conservative government by the opposition leaders of the Liberals, NDP and Bloc Quebecois over Afghan detainees rights makes many wonder whose interests are best being served? Is it the opposition parties looking for political brownie points in order to bring down the government or giving the Taliban notice that they can rely on our human rights as a society to protect them to fight another day?

One wonders if a politician had their own son or daughter over there fighting to stay alive or dying in Afghanistan would march to a different tune? A tune in which a Taliban's dial tone from a cell phone determines the fate of a Canadian soldiers best before date!

The military have a saying, "If you are not behind us, you are most welcome to stand in front of us".

The Liberals, NDP and Bloc Quebecois represent Canadians as well, Canadians who have family currently serving in Afghanistan, how come they are not speaking for us, but seem to always enjoy speaking for the terrorists? ... continued...

Vancouver 2010 Olympic greed: The Gold medal goes to ..

2009-12-11T05:31:00.000-08:00

Greed, as ancient as the Olympics itself is showing promise in Vancouver as the first gold event .

Activists and the public accuse some lower mainland landlords of profiting on the 2010 Olympics by turfing tenants for easy money.

Tenants have little recourse when leases end and renewals are not forthcoming, at least during the Olympics. In the meantime, what is deemed the best place to live on earth, beautiful, wonderful all natural British Columbia doesn't seem so beautiful or natural to the displaced.

A landlord who decides to evict a tenant for the short term during the 2010 Olympics and does not declare this easy money to the taxman may be in for a surprise when Karma makes an appearance.

Karma has a way of finding those who do others wrong, in this continued..

Danish Parliamentary Speaker issues damning criticism on climate change debate

2009-12-11T05:29:00.000-08:00

Danish Parliamentary Speaker Thor Pedersen has accused politicians of taking scientific climate change theory as fact.

This is nothing new, every government at one time or another take theory and rumour as gospel, spreading inaccurate information to the masses, whether it's climate change, the economy or winning the war on terrorism.

The public rely on their elected officials competence to do the groundwork on everyday issues in order to provide their constituents with factual and reliable information on how their country is performing, whether economically, globally or socially. Inaccuracies can foster..continued.....

British Columbia voters and political parties six degrees of separation

2009-12-06T17:41:00.000-08:00

There are two sayings, “You get what you pay for” and “Pay me now or pay me later” both should apply when the voter hits the polls.

British Columbia, with a population 4.4 million, again it seems is Number 1 in Canada. This time not for our crime and murder rate, revolving door justice, child poverty or homeless population. Unfortunately, British Columbia is now known for its political scandals, political scandals by the present BC government and previous political parties who governed us. All political parties accuse one another of doing us wrong, yet when looking at the big picture it seems all political parties at one time or another share six degrees of separation when it comes to scandals and improprieties, none are free of scandal. Leaving many to wonder, are there any competent and honest politicians anywhere in this province?

continued...

Liberal shame and the Arctic Gulag

2009-12-06T07:27:00.000-08:00

This story reminds me of an old 1970s episode on WKRP Cincinati TV show where a thanksgiving promotional gig of tossing live turkeys out of the traffic helicopter, resulted in the deadly carnage and the anxious station owner exclaiming "As god as my witness,I thought turkeys could fly"!

This story, like the TV show is an example of how people act without understanding the consequences of their actions.

The forced relocation of Inuit families across the arctic in 1953 by the Federal Liberals under Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent certainly is a fine example of acting without thought of the consequences,

continued...

A climate of hypocrisy at Copenhagen

2009-12-06T07:24:00.000-08:00

What will green cost us? Plenty! Prime Minister Harper's hesitation to attend the Climate change summit in Copenhagen may have been for good reason.

One reason was to see if U.S. President Obama would blink first. The President did and Harper is attending the Copenhagen climate meeting.

Many know this summit will rob the rich to prop up the poor in developing countries. Developing countries who are already in hock to us for billions of dollars and no way to pay us back. Will our green money in aid just be a moneypit? Judging by past aid, it seems a never ending moneypit.

Will this solve or reduce greenhouse gases in these countries? Perhaps yes and no, it is all dependent what these countries do with the money we give them. continued...

U.S. President Barack Obama could visit Vancouver Olympics

2009-12-04T20:06:00.000-08:00

The coy words of US ambassador David Jacobson "bringing 'a friend' to games" sent the Vancouver Board of Trade into a tizzy in what can only mean President Obama may make an appearance at one of the Olympic Venues.

The speculation which venue Obama will attend will most likely be a closely guarded secret for security reasons. One can be sure Prime Minister Harper and President Obama's friendship expressed during his last official visit may clinch the deal.

Vancouverites have a special soft spot for President Obama, when a media poll taken last winter showed British Columbian's would like President Obama as Canada's Prime Minister. One can be sure continued....

China toys with your health

2009-12-04T20:04:00.000-08:00

China is one of the biggest manufacturer of goods in this global economy, relying on it's ability to provide the world a host of manufactured and processed goods on the cheap.

With Christmas fast approaching, stores will be scrambling to sate the North American consumers desire for cheap. Unfortunately, cheap may have dire health consequences down the road for bargain hunting consumers.

U.S. and Canadian studies,by Health Canada past and present reveal toxic substances in many Chinese manufactured products and processed foods. These products eventually find their way on North American markets. Toxic substances such as lead, cadmium, asbestos, mercury, arsenic,melamine, malachite green and carcinogens have been found in everything from foods to toys , continued......

Burka Barbie: Political correctness gone insane

2009-12-03T05:16:00.000-08:00

The release of Burka Barbie has many incensed that a symbol of oppression would be front and centre at a Save the Children function.

Perhaps, symbols mistaken for religious ideology need a rethink.

One can only assume if symbols of oppression are going to be made into dolls young ladies play with, what is next for marketers to come up with? Perhaps an array of choices for impressionable young girls to identify with such as "Suicide bomber Barbie" or how about "Buried up to your neck in sand and stoned to death Barbie"? Certainly a Marketing toymaker's dream, if they are Charlie Manson and continued...

Obama, a man of peace, now defined by war

2009-12-03T05:12:00.000-08:00

It's been said the measure of a President is his ability to avoid war, for peace and diplomacy. Perhaps President Obama's speech to the nation last night offered some solace during these difficult times, when many were hoping for world peace upon President Obama's taking of the highest office.

In July 2008, Barak Obama as a presidential hopeful was addressing students at the University of Colorado, and said the following words to great applause. "A call to service must be backed by a sacred trust with anyone who puts on the uniform of the United States. A young person joining our military must know that we'll only send them into harm's way when we absolutely must".

British Columbian's during this time were polled and asked if they would prefer President hopeful Obama for Prime Minister and the results among the Canadian poll takers was most favourably Yes!

In Feb 2009. Liberals, including Opposition Politicians in Ottawa were falling over themselves hoping to meet President Obama during his visit to Ottawa. Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff and his best bud Liberal sidekick Bob Rae demanded and got a brief meeting with Obama continued...

Swiss vote to ban minarets, redneck rampage works both ways.

2009-12-03T05:09:00.000-08:00

The Swiss gearing up to vote against minarets has elicited worldwide protests against religious freedoms. Many religious groups of the non Islamic faith feel what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

Many Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia ban the building of places of non Islamic worship, including the possession of any holy book. The reference, when in Rome.......live as a roman.....seems appropriate when living in each respective country.

Some countries are judged by their human rights record, as it is a measure of how many choose to live and immigrate to another country, versus how many choose to leave a country for another. Freedom and democratic majority rule are the norm in democratic countries.

It is strange this story of the Swiss conducting the same Redneck rampage gets world wide media coverage,yet nary a response is heard when the Saudi's and other similar countries practice the same rule of law. Continued,,,

2009 Climate Change Summit: Barack Obama and Stephen Harper - food for thought

2009-11-29T10:40:00.000-08:00

The Climate change summit in Copenhagen next week will see all non western countries point to us as the bad guys. Climate change, though serious, have many looking to U.S. President Barak Obama as the environmental Dali Lama.

Western nations, including Canada's Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper are seen as not holding up their end of the climate change bargain. One can be certain the cleanup of the Alberta Oil Sands (implemented in 1980 by Federal Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau's government as their National Energy Program legacy) will be front and centre. There will be demands placed on Prime Minister Harper and the Canadian taxpayer to clean up the sins of our liberal forefathers.

Media reports from around the world always seem to place blame to western countries like the USA and Canada. Of course many of these countries are recipients of our generous scientific advances, not to mention the billions in aid to assist them in their food production and climate change goals.

Continued...

Canada’s Generation Free, a generation of ID and self entitlement

2009-11-28T17:05:00.000-08:00

Many Sociologists define human generation spanning between twenty and twenty five years, naming each successive generation to suit the present society.

There is an offshoot spawn of Generation Y and Z, what I like to call Generation Free, a generation of ID and self entitlement. This story is about them and though not entirely their fault, certain aspects of their recent activities need a reality check.

Vancouver, British Columbia seems to have more than its share of Generation Free than any city in Canada. Generation Free are ID driven, more political, proponents for social activism and quick to anger when things don’t go their own way, acting more on ID than Ego. Perhaps that explains why crime is rampant amongst some Generation Free gangbangers who feel entitled to take your stuff, including your life without remorse and get upset when home becomes a 4 x 8 cell. These Generation Free of the criminal element feel laws are more of a guideline than rules set by previous generations, with some in the BC Justice system who are inclined to agree with them.

Generation Free, unlike the generations before them seem unclear on the concept of the economics of reality. Perhaps it is the fault of the parents of a previous generation who raised Generation Free on the premise that there are no losers in a society that promises everyone wins a shiny trophy for showing up. Many lay the blame squarely on politicians who promise great expectations and rarely follow through once elected, leaving many to believe all Politicians are on a steady diet of ID .

Continued...

Canada Citizenship: Rule of Law

2009-11-25T07:13:00.000-08:00

Let’s face it, western countries have rules of law, whether in the home or society, without rules there would be chaos. Some rules seem just, some unfair, majority rules, our rights and freedoms and laws are what makes Canada one of the greatest democracies in the world.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s Minister Jason Kenney has modified a new set of rules for newcomers to Canada to follow in the Discover Canada
The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship in a special section on "The Equality of Women and Men." The news breaking story is featured in the Ottawa Sun, titled barbaric rituals, a no-no feds warn. The new rules ....

For more on this go to my column for the full story, Barry O’Regan at the Examiner

Reality TV- Home renovations to die for

2009-11-25T07:11:00.001-08:00

Home renovation shows, TV channels have a multitude of them. Viewers and armchair handymen and handywomen watch in shock and awe how with a few simple hand tools, craftsmen can turn a plain Jane home into a modern day palace. These renovation shows even show you the good, the bad and the ugly when projects go sideways, either by the DIY (do it yourself) or an incompetent contractor. Who knew Realtor buzzwords such as “Character home” or “Old World Charm” meant a pre 1980 built home?

The majority of homeowners and buyers, including realtors and contractors have to realize that 90% of all pre 1980 built buildings in North America contain hazardous materials in them, such as asbestos and lead containing paints.

For more on this go to my column for the full story, Barry O’Regan at the Examiner

Crack art, Vancouver's alternative art scene

2009-11-25T07:07:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Vancouver's downtown eastside alternative art scene. This artwork painted, drawn and scrawled by dozens of downtown eastside residents over the past decade is long gone, a bulldozers blade being the harshest of art critics. The admission was free, ambience was optional, and judging by the dozens of empty bottles strewn about, wine tasting was the de-rigeur of the day.

For more on this go to my column for the full story, Barry O’Regan at the Examiner

Tory approach to Jewish voters angers Grits

2009-11-25T07:03:00.000-08:00

There is a saying, when someone points an accusatory finger at someone, there are three fingers pointing back at the accuser. The Federal Conservative party angering the federal Liberals for looking for the Jewish vote certainly is not something new in political parties trying to gain the popular vote. The Liberals for decades had always maintained the Conservatives were anti french and anti Quebec, so how is this any different? Quebec's population in the 1970's was almost a quarter of Canada's entire population, hence an easy sell for the Liberals. Quebecer's voted either Liberal or Conservative for decades until the 1990s, before being splintered by a new political upstart called Bloc Quebec ...

For more on this go to my column for the full story, Barry O’Regan at the Examiner

Welcome to George Orwell’s Vancouver 2010

2009-11-25T06:59:00.000-08:00

George Orwell’s 1984 in part, mirror one aspect of Big Brother is watching you as Vancouver prepares for the 2010 Olympics this winter.

Many Vancouverittes and British Columbias civil liberties association are concerned about the publics privacy issue over the installation of 900 Closed Circuit Televisions (CCTV) throughout Olympic venues in our city.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (R.C.M.P) charged with the 1 billion dollar security contract feel this is a necessary evil in order to safeguard the public and the millions of visitors attending the 2010 games.

Media reports Vancouver currently has 1,200 security cameras throughout Vancouver, many wonder if the addition of 900 CCTVs is excessive.

The RCMP $30 million dollar contract with the Honeywell Corporation states only 60 to 70 cameras will be in urban areas, with the remaining 830 cameras in and around the Olympic venues. The RCMP state surveillance will be in compliance with the Federal Privacy Act and removed after the games are over. Civil libertarians don’t believe it.

For more on this go to my column for the full story, Barry O’Regan at the Examiner