Advocatus Diaboli

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Alberta News and Views - February 12, 2007 - Issue 5

2007-02-17T18:12:00.000-07:00

http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/070213/d070213c.htm

Study: Factors driving rural Canada's economy

Technology, prices and demography are key forces driving the economy in the nation's rural areas, according to a new study.

While not unique to rural Canada, these forces provide opportunities for rural areas relative to their urban counterparts, the study found.

The key factor is labour-saving technology, or the increasing value of human time. For example, in agriculture, the price of labour is rising relative to the price of machinery.

This means there is an on-going incentive to adopt labour-saving technology to substitute machines for labour. Consequently, regardless of the price of outputs, such as wheat, lumber or nickel, communities dependent on primary sectors will have fewer and fewer people working in primary industries.

In order to maintain their employment base, successful rural communities will be those that find new goods or services to sell on the market, the study suggests.

The study noted three long-term trends in terms of price — the cost of both transporting goods and transporting information is falling, while the cost of transporting people is rising.

Rural Canada has been gaining an increasing share of Canada's manufacturing employment over the past three decades. The study suggests that the declining price of transporting goods is helping rural Canada to be even more competitive in manufacturing.

This is occurring not only in jobs related to resource commodities, but in newer jobs that are part of the network of just-in-time delivery.

Successful rural communities of the future may be expected to have a manufacturing base, exceptions being those communities with a natural amenity attraction for tourism.

However, the falling price of transferring information can be a double-edged sword for rural areas. On the one hand, rural entrepreneurs can take advantage of new information technologies to sell their goods or services. On the other hand, rural consumers can choose to purchase from outside their local area.

In terms of demography, the study suggests a number of trends.

First, Aboriginal people will remain a driving force for parts of rural Canada. For example, in Saskatchewan, projections show that by 2017 Aboriginal people will account for 21% of the total population, compared with only 14% in 2001. Also, by 2017, Aboriginal children will represent 37% of all children in the province, up from 26%.

The study also noted that rural areas are competitive in attracting key demographic groups, such as young families and early retirees, as well as international immigrants.

The vast majority of new immigrants to Canada choose to live in large metropolitan centres. But 2001 Census data show that a small number of rural regions were competitive in attracting immigrants.

In fact, 9 of the top 30 regions attracting new immigrants in 2001 were predominantly rural regions. As natural population growth continues to decline across all Canadian regions, the ability of rural regions to attract immigrants will drive future growth.

Green News and Views February 12, 2007 - Issue 4

2007-02-17T18:11:00.000-07:00

Comment:
It would seem from some of the clips I have posted below that the Green ground on the political bandwagon is getting crowded.

That is why any party that wants to become a force to be reckoned with they need more than one arrow in their quiver.

It will be political suicide for the Green Party to not come out and talk about the other just as serious issues that are affecting the average Canadian.

There are mounting job losses in Ontario, there are humna rights issues that are affecting not only people in other parts of the world, but right here in Canada with the discussion of the renewal of the laws passed in the shadows of 9/11. Do we want Canada to go back down that road, or do we want to come up with a more modern way of dealing with those that might want to harm Canada or its neighbours in the world?

Does Canada want to speak out on human rights issues in China as it did in those issues in South Africa, when we led the fight against apparthite.

Shouldn't Canada renew its east to west transportation infrastructure to be more efficient in helping us to trade with the world, and make it envirnonmentally sound and friendly, so we can develop more customers for our goods, rather than fixate on our friends to the south?

Should Canada work to use its trade to help develop democracy, improve human rights, and bring peace to the world?

Shouldn't Canada be totally self-sufficient in its own energy needs first, and then work on the rest of the world?

Do you know that east of Sarnia, Ontario their oil is imported while the oil from Alberta is shipped south? How does that help Canada to have an energy security plan, when we cannot help keep the rest of Canada warm?

The Green Party needs to be more than an environmental party. If we hitch our wagon to only one horse, we run the risk of being overtaken and swamped by the other parties.

Unless of course we want to be left at the starting gate at the horse race.

Alberta News and Views - February 5, 2007 - Issue 4

2007-02-17T18:10:00.000-07:00

A new look at commuting distance
The best way of solving commuting-related problems may not be to move jobs closer to residential areas, according to a new study published recently in Urban Geography.

Rather, this study suggests, people actually like to work in large business districts, and are willing to travel further to get to them.

This research, conducted through Statistics Canada's Research Data Centre program, uses data from the 2001 Census to take an innovative look at commuting in Montréal. It examines what motivates people to travel further to so-called "employment poles", a central business area or large suburban business districts, than to other workplaces.

Among workers who both lived and worked outside the home in the census metropolitan area of Montréal, over one-third (36%) worked at these employment poles, in the city centre or in one of five large suburban business districts.

Their average round trip between home and work was 23 kilometres. This was almost 5 kilometres a day further than the average distance traveled by those working outside employment poles.

The findings challenge the generally held assumption that workers accept the extra travel costs because of the higher incomes and job status offered at employment poles. Instead, income and job status actually play a relatively minor role in explaining why people who work in these large business districts are prepared to live further from their jobs than people who work outside them.

Even after taking into account gender, occupation and income levels of each job, and certain domestic and residential factors, the distance traveled to employment poles remains higher than the distance traveled to other job locations. ("Residential" factors include the choice of residential area and of suburban or urban environment, which control for the possibility that workers simply travel farther to the poles because that is where the jobs are.)

This suggests that there is something about the social environment offered by employment poles that attracts people from further afield. These effects are particularly strong for women. They suggest that women derive more satisfaction than men from the type of environment major employment poles generate.

Green News and Views January 29, 2007 - Issue 3

2007-02-17T18:09:00.000-07:00

Comment:
It is probably one of the most astute observations I have seen come out of the hyperbole around climate change, the Clean Air Act, and suddenly call to arms on the environment by either the Liberals, NDP, or Conservatives.

Bob Mills, chair of the House of Commons environmental committee, told CTV's Question Period on Sunday said, "We don't really have to set up a lot of new groups."

What we do not need is another organization chasing the same dollars, chasing after the same goal, and ending up being toothless and useless because it was all for show.

What we need is a very agressive and assertive policing agency that will enforce the letter of the environment law, even the ones we have now, and those that will be brought in.

What we need is a group to make sure the laws that are brought in both in Canada and elsewhere are meaningfull and will address the root of the problem and not just the edges of it to make it look good.

We also need to keep in mind that the environment is not the only thing that our government has going on right now.

We have a free trade pact being negotiated with Pakistan, a leading contributor of terrorists in Afghanistan, as well as South Korea, a continental union plan, a need for the country's infrastructure to be fixed, as well as health care and education. There is the issue of how best to carve up the country into 10 little fiefdoms through the devolution of powers from the federal government to the provinces.

The inertia being caused by current hot button political issue of the environment, on all other important issues before the House of Commons is causing a severe case of myopia in the land.

Canada needs a political party that can walk and chew gum at the sametime.

Alberta News and Views - January 30, 2007 - Issue 3

2007-02-17T18:08:00.000-07:00

Comment:
This past weekend I attended a one-day Symposium exploring how biodiversity data from nature channels into sustainable conservation policy at national and international levels in Montreal at the redpath Museum at McGill University. Aside from the food and music I enjoyed, there was some serious nature to what I was there for.

David Green Director of the Redpath Museum, stated that, ‘the scientific community largely failed to have a significant influence in the debate on the Federal Endangered Species legislation.’ He stated, this was a result of, ‘where science was trumped by politics.’ There is a very clear pattern emerging from the Federal Government where scientists need to comprehend the limited role that ‘scientific advice,’ plays in government thinking.

As an example, Marco Fest-Blanchet of the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) suggested that the Federal Government, ‘is reluctant to list northern species and species subject to harvest and economic gain on any protected list.’

Among the presenters was David Cooper, Senior Program Officers of Secretariat of the Convention of Biological Diversity, who spoke of the decline of the ecosystem’s biodiversity and how this, ‘will have negative consequences for human being well being.’ He explained how the framework of the Convention could work to promote sustainable and efficient agriculture, by applying the ecosystem approach to land planning, and our consumption habits.

Annie Webb from the Secretariat of the Convention of Biological Diversity spoke of how through effective conservation and management of biodiveristy will depend in large part, ‘on our understanding of the components of biodiversity.’

Part of how we will understand the components Webb said will be, ‘acknowledgement of the existence of the taxonomic impediment,’ and how easy it really is to remove the impediment, through the Global Taxonomic Initiative (GTI), program of the Convention of Biological Diversity.

From the Canadian Museum of Nature, Roger Baird spoke of how the Alliance of Natural Histories of Canada (ANHMC) to establish a network of museum executives representing independent institutions under the one umbrella to catalogue on a universally accessible data-base the 30,000,000 taxonomic specimens held by these independent institutions, which will give Canadian and world wide researchers an invaluable resource in studying biodiversity.

Robert T. McFetridge the Executive Secretary of the Federal Biodiversity Information Partnership (FBIP), explained the history and goals of the FBIP, which are to provide an integrated response to a core need for leadership to ensure open access to all biodiversity data and information held by the Federal government in Canada.

The World Wildlife Fund’s initiative to create a, ‘first ever global map of freshwater ecoregions,’ was introduced and explained by Rebecca Ng from the WWF’s Conservation Science Program. This innovative program will be turned in to a universally interactive web site.

Green News and Views January 29, 2007 - Issue 2

2007-02-17T18:07:00.001-07:00

Comment:
So the environment is 'le hot topic de jour in the House of Commons.' Will they be able to fix the problem and make everything all better again and for ever?

Maybe, but don't hold your breathes.

Even though Canadians feel the environment is the top issue of the day for them, the party who best represents a real change to both the issue of the environment and the way our federal government does the business of politics and democracy, still want to vote for one of the other four tired old political parties.

It might be time for the Green Party of Canada to take a long hard look at the way we do things, and decide it is time to change.

Yes, we can remain the positive party, with positive ideas and policy ideas, but we need to get in the game. Standing on the sidelines whining about the fact the big boys will not let us on the field is quickly becoming a tired and worn out song on a record that has been moved to the back of the shelf in Canadian's minds.

We need to get in the game, and start throwing some very sharp elbows, to have not only the media notice us, but to get Canadians notice us and be prepared to put an 'X,' beside the name of their local Green Party candidate the next time they step in the voting booth.

Oh. There are other issues that are important to Canada and the Canadians but we have a House of Commons and government that think we as Canadians are not smart enough to think about, or concern ourselves about more than one thing at a time.

Maybe it is also time, while the Green Party is climbing into the ring, to show that we too can concern ourselves with thoughtful and meaningful policy and ideas for these issues.

Canada is a complex country with Canadians that are able to have a complex combination of issues we worry and think about on the same plate, that need to be addressed.

Alberta News and Views - January 22, 2007 - Issue 2

2007-02-17T18:07:00.000-07:00

Comment:

I hear and read that Alberta will have a new lobbyist and contractor registry this spring.

My daddy always taught me that before you think you have got the horses secure in the barn, you got to shut and lock the door. He also taught me to never give the key to the lock on the hen house to the fox.

The fox and me have two very different ideas on the chickens fate tonight.

If Steady Eddie really wants to earn the respect of Albertan's, and show us he thinks we are not stupid, he needs to make sure the industry of lobbying that is fast becoming a growth industry in law firms, is not exempted by this law.

As someone who is a Registered Federal Government Lobbyist, I am often miffed that I must report my business to the federal government but because of that old lawyer/client privilege thing, lawyers do not have to.

I guess I could go work for a lawyer.

Ralph Klein may not be a lawyer, but his lobbying work will be allowed to disappear into the briefs of the law firm he works at, for Albertans to never know what he is actually doing.

Steady Eddie also needs to explain to us who in the caucus and cabinet of the past Conservative governments, of which he has been a member of, stopped the drafted recommendations for a lobbyist registry and longer cooling-off periods for government officials and politicians from the all-party committee headed by Tory Neil Brown , moving forward and becoming law. Are those same roadblocks now going to be profiting now that they have retired from this backward thinking?

Honest Ed needs to do right here, so he does not become known as Fast Eddy, the used policy car salesman.

Green News and Views January 22, 2007 - Issue 1

2007-02-17T18:06:00.000-07:00

Comment:
There is a lot of chatter both by and in the media and politicians of other parties that the Green Party should be allowed to participate in the upcoming Federal general elections televised leaders' debates.

I know in some circles this sounds like the panacea to the Green Party winning a seat in the House of Commons, or to push the Green Party on to the national political stage finally.

The problem with this push, is that the vast majority of voters don't watch the forum, either live or dead (delayed broadcast at another date). Nor do they watch the previews or chattering heads that analyze these things for the tired old grey mass broadcast media.

Hence the reason both the debates and analysis is done in the off-prime time hours of the television networks' time tables.

A better solution for any party that wants to spark an interest in them that is going to truly help them, and push them to victory on the national political stage, is to go tot he alternative media, and host a leadership debate, including inviting the other leaders. The rule would be, it would be a true debate following the debating rules that have been used for centuries, and be focusing on the real issues, and putting forward real solutions and ideas for Canadians to see and hear.

This would be helpful in luring the non-voter, fallen away voter, and the yet to vote youth to the polling booth. The research shows that those three groups are tired of the same same old in this country's politicians and political theatre.

A true virtual debate, held on the internet, on Much Music, and via pod-casting. Available for anyone, anywhere, and at anytime.

In fact if the leaders really wanted to debate and discuss their ideas with Canadians, this national debate should also be truly interactive. Unmanaged, unscripted, and sans-Peter Mansbridge.

People now get most of their news and information from sources other than the grey old mass media.

Alberta News and Views - January 15, 2007 - Issue 1

2007-02-17T18:05:00.000-07:00

Commentary:
The first critical test of Ed Stelmach’s leadership as premier is not to find a way to shrink his cabinet, but to bring in a new government that is open, honest, and transparent.

After all, that was number one of the items on his list of five priorities on Honest Ed’s campaign website is, ‘… to govern with integrity and transparency.’

It has obviously been taken off the agenda of Honest Eddie when he says that some of his donors deserve anonymity as far as the donations they made to his leadership campaign is a signal that he is not being honest with the voters and taxpayers of Alberta.

A big step towards the new government being open, honest, and transparent, is to have all donors to all MLA’s campaigns, leadership campaigns, and such published and open for scrutiny before appointing them to cabinet.

By doing nothing less and keeping his very own donors under wraps it shows that when and whatever Honest Ed may talk of democratic reform, opening up government, or getting the sleaze out of the government, he is lying.

How will we know that the people who Honest Ed puts on the panel of experts to study the question of oil and gas royalties, aren’t there because they were on that list of hidden donors?

How much did membership on that hidden list cost? What is the expected return?

To think that Honest Eddie, or any person running for public office, can simply make a promise to anyone who is giving him money to run for the privilege of holding the highest and most powerful political office in Alberta, is either naïve, or just play stupid.

People, who run for public office, are not running for an office in the private sector, hence the use of the word public, in the term public office. It means all those that helped him or financed his run were doing so in the glare of public light.

Doing this will not stop people from donating, if they have no ulterior motives other than to see the best person win the election. If there are other motives then not donating because they cannot stand the light of day, then the voters and taxpayers of Alberta are better served by them not being a part of the process.

If to do otherwise, Honest Eddie, must have something to hide, and that something must be something he does not want Albertan’s to know about, or it is something that cannot stand the exposure to light and is under a rock for some reason.

Honest Ed, live up to your nickname and come clean. Come clean and show Albertan’s that you are truly different. To not be honest tells Albertan’s that Honest Eddie is going to be no better than the immediate past Premier and government will still be a closed-door frat organization.

Now that Honest Ed has sold that one out to the highest bidders what is next?

Issue 1 - Alberta News and Issues - It's Back!!!

2007-02-17T18:03:00.000-07:00

This Just in - So Much for Honest Ed's new way of doing business...

EDMONTON - A Calgary fundraiser set for next week is offering exclusive access to Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach and several of his ministers for $5,000 to help wipe out leadership campaign debts.

Tickets to a reception at Stampede Park are selling for $500 each, but a smaller `more exclusive' event is also offered for a minimum donation of $5,000.

The events are being held to raise money for Stelmach, Finance Minister Lyle Oberg, Health Minister Dave Hancock, and former cabinet minister Mark Norris, who was also a leadership contender.

An e-mail from an event organizer says both events will offer those willing to pay with an excellent opportunity to spend time with the new premier and ministers to discuss issues of mutual interest.

The premier could not be reached for comment and his spokesman referred calls to a leadership campaign official, who said such fundraisers are a reality because `there are bills that need to be paid.'

Liberal Leader Kevin Taft says this type of event should be illegal, while NDP Leader Brian Mason says this represents an enormous lapse in judgment by the new premier.

Sunday News Magazine - Pickton

2007-01-30T10:44:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't a better question to be asked of the coverage of the Pickton trial, is why the media all of a sudden is taking an intense in terest in the matter?

The women involved in the Pickton trial as victims, have been missing for years.

They are someone's daughter, they are someone's mother, they are someone's sister.

I don't think it was because they were female, as there are many males involved in the street drug scene or are involved in the sex trade that also have gone missing. They have been ignored with the same amount of vigour by the media and police.

In fact there is an estimate of more than 50 women that have been missing from the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver that the media and police have ignored.

This I would suggest is on the lower limit of the missing humanity from the streets of the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver.

Now that they are dead, the reporters are trying to put the personal touch on the reporting of their deaths?

Where was this kind of sensitivity to the women when they were alive, or had gone missing, or the years between then and now?

That is what I would like the talking heads at the CBC and other media outlets of the Lower Mainland to address, right on the front pages, leading off on the news cast, or lead the National Newscast.

A reporter with a half a brain could have spent five minutes at Main and East Hastings and heard all the rumours about, 'The Killing Fields,' or the reports of someone snatching the women from the street, since the early 80's if not sooner.

My two years as a part-time contract worker with the Vacnovuer Coroner's office gave me a distinct experience in knowing that the police, and media, did not care.

Why?

That is the question I would like answered.

Norm Greenfield

Alberta will have a new lobbyist and contractor registry this spring

2007-01-30T10:42:00.000-07:00

If Steady Eddie really wants to earn the respect of Albertan's, and show us he thinks we are not stupid, he needs to make sure the industry of lobbying that is fast becoming a growth industry in law firms, is not exempted by this law.

As someone who is a Registered Federal Government Lobbyist, I am often miffed that I must report my business to the federal government but because of that old lawyer/client privilege thing, lawyers do not have to.

I guess I could go work for a lawyer.

Ralph Klein may not be a lawyer, but his lobbying work will be allowed to disappear into the briefs of the law firm he works at, for Albertans to never know what he is actually doing.

Steady Eddie also needs to explain to us who in the caucus and cabinet of the past Conservative governments, of which he has been a member of, stopped the drafted recommendations for a lobbyist registry and longer cooling-off periods for government officials and politicians from the all-party committee headed by Tory Neil Brown , moving forward and becoming law. Are those same roadblocks now going to be profiting now that they have retired from this backward thinking?

Honest Ed needs to do right here, so he does not become known as Fast Eddy, the used policy car salesman.

Norm Greenfield

Don Hill is returning to the 'public' airwaves in Alberta, this month - a documentary series for

2007-01-30T10:40:00.000-07:00

What exactly is leadership? And what is leading in the 21st century?

It’s a question put to over 50 leaders in a series of conversations for INSPIRING LEADERSHIP,
a new CKUA Radio Network series about leading in the 21st Century.

You’ll hear from people at the top of their game:
Preston Manning, Elizabeth May, leading academics like Henry Mintzberg, and business leaders such as Charlie Fischer and Eric Newell conversations that make a difference. Leadership comes in many flavours. Whether you’re managing in the middle, running a small business or a large multinational -- perhaps you’re a volunteer at the local community league or a coach -- INSPIRING LEADERSHIP speaks to contemporary leadership, best practices, and the challenge of leading.
The documentary series begins January 20th at 8 AM on the CKUA Radio Network.

The complete article is here: http://www.edmontonians.com/Don_Hill.htm

The 20 part series will be on-line, inclusive of many 'web extra' audio files and support materiel at http://ckua.com

You can listen to a 'sneak preview' of INSPIRING LEADERSHIP here:
http://www.appropriate-entertainment.com/ (click on the 'what's new' prompt)

the environment is 'le hot topic de jour in the House of Commons.'

2007-01-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

So the environment is 'le hot topic de jour in the House of Commons.' Will they be able to fix the problem and make everything all better again and for ever?

Maybe, but don't hold your breathes.

Even though Canadians feel the environment is the top issue of the day for them, the party who best represents a real change to both the issue of the environment and the way our federal government does the business of politics and democracy, still want to vote for one of the other four tired old political parties.

It might be time for the Green Party of Canada to take a long hard look at the way we do things, and decide it is time to change.

Yes, we can remain the positive party, with positive ideas and policy ideas, but we need to get in the game. Standing on the sidelines whining about the fact the big boys will not let us on the field is quickly becoming a tired and worn out song on a record that has been moved to the back of the shelf in Canadian's minds.

We need to get in the game, and start throwing some very sharp elbows, to have not only the media notice us, but to get Canadians notice us and be prepared to put an 'X,' beside the name of their local Green Party candidate the next time they step in the voting booth.

Oh. There are other issues that are important to Canada and the Canadians but we have a House of Commons and government that think we as Canadians are not smart enough to think about, or concern ourselves about more than one thing at a time.

Maybe it is also time, while the Green Party is climbing into the ring, to show that we too can concern ourselves with thoughtful and meaningful policy and ideas for these issues.

Canada is a complex country with Canadians that are able to have a complex combination of issues we worry and think about on the same plate, that need to be addressed.

This Just in - So Much for Honest Ed's new way of doing business...

2007-01-30T10:38:00.000-07:00

A Calgary fundraiser set for next week is offering exclusive access to Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach and several of his ministers for $5,000 to help wipe out leadership campaign debts.

Tickets to a reception at Stampede Park are selling for $500 each, but a smaller `more exclusive' event is also offered for a minimum donation of $5,000.

The events are being held to raise money for Stelmach, Finance Minister Lyle Oberg, Health Minister Dave Hancock, and former cabinet minister Mark Norris, who was also a leadership contender.

An e-mail from an event organizer says both events will offer those willing to pay with an excellent opportunity to spend time with the new premier and ministers to discuss issues of mutual interest.

The premier could not be reached for comment and his spokesman referred calls to a leadership campaign official, who said such fundraisers are a reality because `there are bills that need to be paid.'

Liberal Leader Kevin Taft says this type of event should be illegal, while NDP Leader Brian Mason says this represents an enormous lapse in judgment by the new premier.

There is a lot of chatter both by and in the media and politicians of other parties that the Green Party

2007-01-30T10:37:00.000-07:00

There is a lot of chatter both by and in the media and politicians of other parties that the Green Party should be allowed to participate in the upcoming Federal general elections televised leaders' debates.

I know in some circles this sounds like the panacea to the Green Party winning a seat in the House of Commons, or to push the Green Party on to the national political stage finally.

The problem with this push, is that the vast majority of voters don't watch the forum, either live or dead (delayed broadcast at another date). Nor do they watch the previews or chattering heads that analyze these things for the tired old grey mass broadcast media.

Hence the reason both the debates and analysis is done in the off-prime time hours of the television networks' time tables.

A better solution for any party that wants to spark an interest in them that is going to truly help them, and push them to victory on the national political stage, is to go tot he alternative media, and host a leadership debate, including inviting the other leaders. The rule would be, it would be a true debate following the debating rules that have been used for centuries, and be focusing on the real issues, and putting forward real solutions and ideas for Canadians to see and hear.

This would be helpful in luring the non-voter, fallen away voter, and the yet to vote youth to the polling booth. The research shows that those three groups are tired of the same same old in this country's politicians and political theatre.

A true virtual debate, held on the internet, on Much Music, and via pod-casting. Available for anyone, anywhere, and at anytime.

In fact if the leaders really wanted to debate and discuss their ideas with Canadians, this national debate should also be truly interactive. Unmanaged, unscripted, and sans-Peter Mansbridge.

People now get most of their news and information from sources other than the grey old mass media.

Norm Greenfield

For All To Know

2007-01-30T09:12:00.000-07:00

For all that call themselves anonymous that show up on my blog to post things of a hardening nature, please stop.

From my past I know I have no problem in the erecting of my male organ.

From my recent past, I know it still works, still leaves a smile, and is capable of a full night's, full day's, and maybe even a fortnight's worth work.

I do thank Anonymous for allowing me this opportunity to let the female of the human species of my abilities, and always welcome communications from them.

Norm

Microsoft finds security holes

2007-01-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

Why is it that car and other product manufacturers are held to one set of standards when it comes to product defects, but Microsoft is not?

Isn't it time someone launch a class action lawsuit against Microsoft for the number of, 'vulnerabilities,' and 'security holes ,' and have the owners and users of Microsoft products recoup some of the losses we incur because Microsoft is in too much of a hurry to rush their products to market.

Having a disclosure meeting on the second Tuesday of every month to tell the world, that Microsoft has discovered another, 'oops,' is not good enough.

We would not stand for the CEO of GM to stand up and say, 'oop,' if they discovered a problem with the wiring or brakes on one of the models. We would not stand for Ford saying, 'Ooops,' for the Firestone 500 fiasco, or the Exploder.

Why do we allow Microsoft to live to a lower standard?

Thank youNorm Greenfield

Second-hand woes

2007-01-14T09:49:00.000-07:00

It's time the Alberta Solicitor General step in and launch an independant inquiry into the Edmonton Police Service.

How many more stories of mismanagement, thuggishness, or down right illegal activities do we need to read about in relation to the Edmonton Police Service before someone stands up and says, enough is enough?

The problem either rests with the management of the EPS, the rank and file members, the political bosses of the EPS, or all three.

It really is time for a house cleaning of the EPS so people can have respect for their police in Edmonton, and not have be embarrased yet again when they open the Edmonton Sun to learn of another citizen of Edmonton experiencing a violation of their rights or self by the EPS.

Thank youNorm Greenfield

Scourge of the checkout lin

2007-01-14T09:48:00.001-07:00

I totally disagree with Mike Jenkinson.

The real scourge of the retail store, shopping mall, or even the farmers' market are the latte lifters that insist on bringing out the newest in baby carriages, that are the size of Volkswagon Beetle.

They seem to have to carry everything in the stroller, and at the most inappropriate, usually the aisle that is the narrowest at the busiest time of the day in that particular store, stop to chat or read intensely the contents list of the latest trendy item.

What is wrong with hoisting the kid's patoot onto your shoulder, or using the shopping carts that the stores were forced to put five point harnesses in for your kids because we were too stupid to supervise our kids in them?

Is the new, 'Volkswagon Beetle' size baby stroller, the new status symble, as the SUV is in the parking lot?

There use to be a time when you did not need to bring half of all your baby's worldly possessions with you and the kid when you went out.

I guess those are the good old days.

Thank youNorm Greenfield

The Greening of the Oil Sands

2007-01-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

Anyone in the business of producing oil by way of conventional methods or the oils sands, that say they did not see the issue of pollution and the environment looming large on the horizon of the federal government and the next election should resolve to get rid of their toadies in their government, public or community relations departments.

The people who run the largest companies involved in the oil sands are probably more surprised that they are not being looked as the pure and innocents that they think they are.

It is time that Canada's federal government grow the spine that our government in Alberta does not have and put a stop to the growing and continuing poluting of the environment of Canadians that spans provincial boundaries.

It is only people like Ralph Klein who could not see the future of allowing the oil sands industry to use water we don't have, to pollute the water we do have downstream from their operations.

The fear mongering done by the oil sands industry that it will mean disaster is empty.

The oil will be there for centuries and can be removed at a more sustainable and economical rate, and leave the environment in a state that our future generations can still use.

It is time for both Canadians and Albertans through the federal and Alberta governments to reap the rewards of the oil and gas at the same rate as countries like Norway do. It is time we demand the oil and gas industry live to a higher standard, rather than having us live in an environment created by the lowest standards as demanded by oil and gas companies that live and breath outside of Canada.

There has been no change for the positive made in the way the oil and gas industry operates in Alberta with out the threat of the law or regulation.

Corporate Canada should really get their heads out of the clouds and start to hire people around them that will tell them what they need to hear and not what they want to hear.

The false sense of surprise over this change in the public attitude about the environment and the change to the way income trusts were to be treated by the federal government were all obvious to people who do not wear rose coloured blinders.

Thank youNorm Greenfield

Rush To Condemn Teens

2007-01-14T09:46:00.000-07:00

I have rarely seen a more ridiculous set of excuses by a supposedly professional journalist as to why a story could not pursued as those set out by Paula Simmons in her mea culpa column on the Conley death.

All of the details behind the case such as Conley's past, the details from witnesses phoned into the Journal, the lame media stunt by the Chief of police to help pack up the victim's home, and even an interview with previous EPS members who had run in's with Conley could all have been reported on in the Journal.

A ban on publication of evidence that was presented during the bail hearing was not the road block to good journalism.

The road block to presenting the other side of the story was in a lack of interest in presenting the other side of the story because it is better to be seen jumping on the bandwagon of, 'knee jerk reaction,' than doing your job properly.

Has the Journal has dumbed its reportage squad down so far that no one could find a way to get the truth out?

If Simmons is right in her column, and the Journal received phone calls seperate from the bail hearing, then that is information that can be disseminated in the press, and it should have been.

It seems all the Journal wanted to risk was getting slivers in their knees from jumping on to the pandering bandwagon of, 'knee jerk reaction,' and adding to false sense that our youth justice system must be to blame for this unfortunate death.

Or the Journal did not want to spend the money to investigate the story past the usualy media release handout of the Edmonton Police Service.

Thank youNorm Greenfield

Changing world

2007-01-14T09:45:00.001-07:00

Yes Toto, it is a changing world, here in Edmonton and around the world, and it all unfolds on the front pages of the Edmonton Sun. We are a city of 1,000,000 people.

We get to see the results of parents who see no problem in having their underage child host a party at a community centre or at home with alcohol and send out a blanket invitation.

We get to see a father who gets his picture and story in the paper about how he is going to fight a rule at his kid's school about not using their cell phones in the school classroom and on the school property, purely because he does not like the rule. Despite the child having been warned several times before.

We see the city spend millions of dollars on Whyte Avenue during the run to the Stanley Cup last year, yet no one wants to hand the bill to the people who caused the problem, the drunks and the bars who serve them on Whyte Avenue.

We see a dramatic rise in murders and violence in the city, yet no one wants to admit we have a problem and the problem lies in the majority of the cases in the ethnic and drug gang problem.

We have kids and adults that show us everyday that the laws and rules of this land are for others to obey and not them, but they have a right to tax payer funded health care for their stupidity.

It is a changing world, and to stop the change for the worse we only need to take a close look in the mirror.

There lies the solution.

Thank youNorm Greenfield

Cafferty Fil CNN - America's War

2007-01-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

I think it would be interesting to ask what affect the war in Iraq has had on America's friends outside of America.

Those of us outside of the myopic American view of the world know that the bogus war that the USA embarked on in Iraq has made the world a much more dangerous place to do business or live in.

President Bush is in so deep in the Iraq war that was based on lies, that he has lost view of the forest.

President Bush should be tried as a war criminal and face charges of murder for the lives of both American soldiers in the Iraq war and the lives lost of the Iraq citizens.

American's and their Presidents must realize that not all people in the world want the freedom or democracy just like that of the American style.
Thank you
Norman Greenfield

RE: Daily Digest December 31/January 1, 2006/07

2007-01-14T09:44:00.000-07:00

Joe:

Lying about reality has always been a trait only the USA could master.

Lying or hiding the truth has always been a trait only the USA could master.

Saddam Hussein is only another example.

Hussein's execution will be the best example as to why Canada needs to extricate itself from the one way, and disastrous relationship it has with the USA.

Do we really want to be an importer of the ability to lie as well as the USA, or do we want to be known as a nation that understands reality?

Eric Margolis is about the only realistic writer at the Sun, who does not see everything as the Americans do.
He should be required reading for all who study international relations, based in reality.

Thank you
Norm Greenfield

Waiting for answers in Overtime fiasco

2007-01-14T09:43:00.000-07:00

The Overtime fiasco is an example of the fact that we as citzens need to stop blindly supporting our police as if they can do no wrong and are somehow angels and above the law.

Like the media, the police are given special in the law, society and our communities by the citizens of Edmonton through our laws and constitution. Both must not use or abuse this power to further their own positions in life, but to help the community and country to maintain our freedoms both from them and of them.

If those that enforce the law consider themselves to be above the law, and start to use their coercive powers against the very citizens that give them their special place in the law, society and our communities, then we do have a serious problem.

That being said, as a freelance journalist, I will be going to the downtown Overtime for New Years Eve.

I will not raise a protest if the city of Edmonton's finest want to get me drunk on their tab.

Thank youNorm Greenfield

Religion is entrenched in the state

2007-01-14T09:42:00.000-07:00

Tom Brodbeck is right.

There is no separation of church and state in Canada. It's a myth.

There is no separation of church and state in reality in the USA either. It's a myth.

When religious groups taking sides by campaigning, organizing and demanding that a government pass a law that codifies something of or in their dogma, or doctrine, they have opened the door to allowing the church into the government and the government into the church.

Currently we have tax collectors in certain jurisdictions collecting school taxes to be turned over to the school boards responsible for Catholic school boards. That is the state doing the bidding of the church, or actually to be truthful, something the church cannot do itself.

We have the Catholic school system enshrined in our constitutions for some provinces.

We have the government paying the damages for sexual and physical abuse inflicted in the residential school system on our Native's.

We have the religious leaders of our churches issuing marriage licenses, which is a government task.

Churches do not pay property taxes, their ministers, priests and such get a special tax break, and the buildings they work in can offer sanctuary to people who may be persecuted by the government through its police forces.

So when a level judge or bureaucrat decides that we can not have a Christmas tree, a menorah or the lights of Diwali in the lobby of any government building or courthouse, I just wonder if maybe their workload is a little too light.

Frankly I think in today's Canada, having a Christmas tree, a menorah or the lights of Diwali in the lobby of any government building or courthouse, shows we have matured as a country and realize Canada is not some monolithic Catholic or Christian country.

We were founded by the Natives, and populated by immigrants from all over the world, with all sorts of religions and beliefs, and should not be afraid to celebrate one or all of them, anyway those people want or need to, in a public or private place.

This is Canada.

Thank youNorm Greenfield

Marriage issue is over, this time for good

2007-01-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately what has gotten lost in the loud and acrimonious debate over the issue of same sex marriage is that the churches that have entered into the debate forgot something on the way in.

No church has ever been forced to do anything with-in its walls if the actions are based in their theology, doctrine, or dogma.

The problem that has occurred in the evolution of the marriage rite, is that many churches have taken over the role, or added the role, of being marriage license issuers.

This is where they may be tripped up if at all in the issue of whether they perform same-sex marriages or civil unions.

Let the churches perform all of the marriages they want, and let the province and its registry offices do the issuing of the marriage licenses.

If the church wants to stand firm on the notion of a separation of church and state, then it is an issue and principle that swings both ways. They must stay out of the state's business.

If the churches return all that is Caesar's, including the administration of justice and government and be content in doing just what they are good at, the teaching and practice of religion, then all will be right.

An officer of the court, or an agent of the government, which the local registries office is, must operate according to the law, and process applications and such according to the regulations, laws, and directives approved and passed down to them by the provincial, federal, or civic governments.

That is what a democracy is all about, and anything else makes no better than a tin pot dictatorship.

Thank youNorm Greenfield

Stephane Dion a citizen of Canada and France.

2007-01-14T09:40:00.000-07:00

We can see that the government of Stephen Harper is doing nothing but trying to sling as much at Stephane Dion as they can.

Is it out of fear, stupidity, ignorance or arrogance?

Lets just keep in mind the following MPs who are citizens of Canada and some other country, from both sides of the House of Commons.

Diane Ablonczy, United States * Omar Alghabra, Saudi Arabia * Vivian Barbot, Haiti * Susan Barnes, Malta * Maurizio Bevilacqua, Italy * John Cannis, Greece * Raymond Chan, China * Chris Charlton, Germany * Olivia Chow, Hong Kong * Tony Clement, England * Libby Davies, England * Sukh Dhaliwal, India * Ujjal Dosanjh, India * Steven Fletcher, Brazil * Joe Fontana, Italy * Hedy Fry, Trinidad * Nina Grewal, Japan * Albina Guarnieri, Italy * Rahim Jaffer, Uganda * Jim Karygiannis, Greece * Wajid Khan, Pakistan * Maka Kotto, Cameroon * Gurbax Malhi, India * Inky Mark, China * Keith Martin, England * Tony Martin, Ireland * Maria Minna, Italy * Maria Mourani, Ivory Coast * Deepak Obhrai, Tanzania * Daniel Petit, Belgium * Yasmin Ratansi, Tanzania * Pablo Rodriguez, Argentina * Michael Savage, Northern Ireland * Mario Silva, Portugal * Peter Stoffer, Netherlands * Andrew Telegdi, Hungary * Lui Temelkovski, Macedonia * Myron Thompson, United States * Vic Toews, Paraguay * Joe Volpe, Italy * John Williams, Scotland

Thank youNorm Greenfield

Campaigning, by stealth

2007-01-14T09:39:00.000-07:00

One has to wonder who is starting the stealth campaign for Stephane Dion, the Liberals or the media who seem bent on jumping on his bandwagon cause it looks like it is the one that might just win the next election race, not because there is any substance to it..

The new Green party leader seems to have fallen for the stealth campaign as well when she said in a recent article written by Mike DeSouza that, ''If they try to smear him and say that he's somehow associated with past Liberal corruption, they're just barking up the wrong tree,'' or ''If they try to say he was anything other than a very strong environment minister, they're making it up.''

It was Dion who was a member of the Chrétien Cabinet during the sponsorship scandal. Mr Dion was also in Cabinet as successive Liberal governments presided over the multi-billion dollar HRDC and gun registry boondoggles.

Dion's record speaks for itself:
Environmentalists criticised Dion’s record as Environment Minister for relying on voluntary measures to reduce pollution.The federal environment commissioner said “[Dion’s plan was] not up to the task of meeting the Kyoto obligations.”Report of the Environment Commissioner, Overview, page 9, 28 September 2006.
Canada received a Fossil of the Day Award in December 2005, while Dion was the host to the climate change summit in Montreal.
Dion voted with the Conservatives against banning scab workers from federal workplaces (22 October 2003 & 13 April 2005)
Dion voted with the Conservatives against mandatory fuel efficiency in cars (22 February 2005)
Dion was absent for the vote on the Liberal bill to implement the Kyoto Protocol (4 October 2006)
Dion was absent for the vote on the Liberal bill to implement the Kelowna Accord (18 October 2006)
Dion voted against improving benefits for the families of fallen firefighters (26 October 2005)
The stealth is not being created by the Dion strategizers, it is being created by the media

Thank you
Norm Greenfield

Tight Races Galvanizes Arts Community

2007-01-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

It might be an idea for Bradley Moss, to rid himself of the fuzzy thinking he is using and realize that if Ted Morton win's the leadership it will sink the Progressive Conservative Party and allow parties that truly represent Albertan's to win in the next election.

Jim Dinning thought he could win the nomination by making no mistakes, hence making no big plans or big dreams for the future of the province that lies past the horizon.

Jim Dinning may or may not win the leadership, but he has shown he is nothing more than the status quo, and we have seen what that has gotten us in Alberta.

If those that are buying memberships in another party to make sure a leader that is advantagious to their own party's hopes and dreams, it means that their own party has not grabbed a hole of their hearts and minds.

This whole membership hypocrasy might just be another good reason why people are not showing up to vote at all, let alone for one of the tired 3 old line parties in the Alberta legislature.

Since the Liberal Party does not seem to provide that alternative, and the NDP has lost the wind in its sails, I would suggest Moss look at the Alberta Green Party.

Norm Greenfield

Guarantee of Wait Times to First Nations

2007-01-14T09:37:00.000-07:00

One has to applaud the current Conservative government in Ottawa for getting a late start on their wait time guarantee promise. What one has to wonder with the program they have come up with.

It is to guarantee wait times for pregnant First Nations mothers to be.

How will they assure the guaranteed times are met" What is the penalty for not meeting them and who pays it?

If the various health care regions and administrations are struggling to meet acceptable wait times for thier citizens, and most if not all are stretched to the limits for both space and staff resources, where will the federal government come up with the magical answer?

Will they be using the medical resources that somehow exist in the federal department of health, but nowhere else in Canada?

Will they be contracting with public health funded doctors to work outside of the provincial health care system? If they do this, will that not create a problem in the public health care sector where the rest of Canadians must find and wait for their timely health care services?

Will they send the First Nation's mum's to be to the USA?

We have seen how the federal government has delivered on other issues for First Nations, when it tries to target problems with ill thought out ideas and policies.

Will this be a hot button political announcement made by the Harper government with little or no long term thought as to where and how this will end up for both the First Nation's people of Canada, and the rest of Canada.

Norm Greenfield

FW: EXPENSIVE CUPPA JOE

2006-12-14T14:08:00.001-07:00

Subject: EXPENSIVE CUPPA JOE

I have to wonder where the mind of the letter writer in Sunday's Sun was when he penned the letter 'EXPENSIVE CUPPA JOE.'

Maisonneuve must have forgotten the entire bands, entertainment troupes, and such that were sent over to England, or stayed here on or around the bases to do nothing else but raise the morale or keep the morale high for the Canadian forces fighting in WW 1, WW2, or in Korea.

We still see our troops around the world being able to watch NHL hokcey, CFL football, communicate via sattelite tele-video methods with their families at home, as well as some of the comfort foods of home.

Maybe Maisonneuve needs to take his head out of the sand and talk to some of the men and women that have been to Afghanistan and find out that paying $2 to $5 million for coffee for the men and women fighting in the conflict is a cheap investment if it helps keep them of sound mind and body. I do believe the US Armed Forces have Burger King, and other American style food operations to go to as well.

If we ignore that part of the life of a soldier, sailor or flyboy in the theatre of operations, we will be having to spend much more in Canada when they return.

Norm Greenfield

The Afghanistan Question - Do We Pull Out or Not?

2006-12-14T14:08:00.000-07:00

To: Wild Rose Forum
Subject: The Afghanistan Question - Do We Pull Out or Not?

Yes, Canada went into Afghanistan fighting someone elses war, using their tactics.

This is no different than the First or Second World War.

Considering we lost considerably more Canadian Soldiers, sailors, and air crew in both, and some are demanding we pull out of Afghanistan because we cannot win and 45 Canadian soldiers have been killed, when would these same people have demanded we pull out of World War 1 or 2?

Keep in mind Britain and Canada along with the Allies were losing the war, up to and around D-Day.

Keep in mind we did not know about the concentration camps, nor the other atrocities that Hitler was doing to Europeans at the time.

Is not rebuilding Afghanistan to the point where they can enjoy some sort of freedom from warriors, drug lords, and fantaticals, worth the effort?

If this is not, and we pull out, why would any other country that is being tortured and murdered by the civil war, and fanaticism of any stripe believe Canada when we say we will come to help?

Do we have to add the caviat, that we will come help out as long as we don't get hurt, dirty our hands, or die?

Yes it is time Canada take the lead and change the temper of the war in Afghanistan and use our tried and tested methods of peace keeping and making, to make and sustain a peaceful life for the Afghanistanies. Even if that means talking to and dealing face to face with the Taliban.

This is not a new idea in warfare.

Thank you

Norm Greenfield

The first critical test of Ed Stelmach's leadership as premier, is not to find a way to shrink his cabinet

2006-12-14T14:04:00.001-07:00

The first critical test of Ed Stelmachs leadership as premier is not to find a way to shrink his cabinet, but to bring in a new government that is open, honest, and transparent.

After all, that was number one of the items on his list of five priorities on Honest Eds campaign website is, to govern with integrity and transparency.

It has obviously been taken off the agenda of Honest Eddie when he says that some of his donors deserve anonymity as far as the donations they made to his leadership campaign is a signal that he is not being honest with the voters and taxpayers of Alberta.

A big step towards the new government being open, honest, and transparent, is to have all donors to all MLAs campaigns, leadership campaigns, and such published and open for scrutiny before appointing them to cabinet.

By doing nothing less and keeping his very own donors under wraps it shows that when and whatever Honest Ed may talk of democratic reform, opening up government, or getting the sleaze out of the government, he is lying.

How will we know that the people who Honest Ed puts on the panel of experts to study the question of oil and gas royalties, arent there because they were on that list of hidden donors?

How much did membership on that hidden list cost? What is the expected return?

To think that Honest Eddie, or any person running for public office, can simply make a promise to anyone who is giving him money to run for the privilege of holding the highest and most powerful political office in Alberta, is either naïve, or just play stupid.

People, who run for public office, are not running for an office in the private sector, hence the use of the word public, in the term public office. It means all those that helped him or financed his run were doing so in the glare of public light.

Doing this will not stop people from donating, if they have no ulterior motives other than to see the best person win the election. If there are other motives then not donating because they cannot stand the light of day, then the voters and taxpayers of Alberta are better served by them not being a part of the process.

If to do otherwise, Honest Eddie, must have something to hide, and that something must be something he does not want Albertans to know about, or it is something that cannot stand the exposure to light and is under a rock for some reason.

Honest Ed, live up to your nickname and come clean. Come clean and show Albertans that you are truly different. To not be honest tells Albertans that Honest Eddie is going to be no better than the immediate past Premier and government will still be a closed-door frat organization.

Now that Honest Ed has sold that one out to the highest bidders what is next?

Thank you

Norm Greenfield

Edmonton, Alberta

FW: Liberal Leadership Race

2006-11-03T18:18:00.007-07:00

Subject: Liberal Leadership Race

Now that Hetty Fry has entered the Liberal Party Leadership race, I am sure the management in the Liberal Party's head office feel they have all of their bases covered.

They have a female from the west, a gay MP from the Maritimes with the rest being middle aged white males from Toronto. A true representation of Canada, in the minds of the brain trust of the Liberal Party of Canada I am sure. It is a good reason as to why they will be sitting in the benches of the opposition for sometime to come, for sure.

What might help is an apology from one or any of the leadership hopefuls for the disrespect their party has shown the voter for the trust we put in them to run Canada, and move us in to the future.

Instead they looted and pillaged the country's bank account to their own benefit, managed to launder money through organized crime in some effort to help keep Quebec in Canada, and helped to grind the country to a halt with incessant inertia.

Thank you

Norman Greenfield

FW: Tory leadership candidate Mark Norris

2006-11-03T18:18:00.006-07:00

Subject: Tory leadership candidate Mark Norris

The article reporting on Tory leadership candidate Mark Norris 's and his urge for his rivals to, 'reveal who is funding their bids,' was interesting.

I assume he will do the same. Those that have donated directly to his campaign and the clients he has that are paying his consulting company, GLG Consulting.

It is better known as Grassroots Leadership Group, started in 2004 with contributions of $10,000 from each of 120 people. While he was a member of the government and a minister.

We are the only province that would allow a sitting member of the provincial government party and cabinet to own and operate a company or organization that is being funded by 120 people to consult, 'with services, and his legal advice says they can therefore claim tax deductions.'

I trust all of these 120 people will be listed on his list of campaign donors, or a complete public airing of who donated or invested in GLG.

And what they paid for and what they got in return.

Would it be too much to ask which if any of those 120 people may have bid on gonverment contracts and won, and if they were the lowest bidder?

This is the kind of person who wants to be premier of Alberta.

FW: Daily Digest November 1, 2006

2006-11-03T18:18:00.005-07:00

Subject: RE: Daily Digest November 1, 2006

Joe:

If anyone in corporate, political, or investment worlds in Canada could not see the new changes to the income trusts, then they must immediately go out and buy the best in shoe horns they can find. They are indeed going to suffocate from having their heads buried too deep, too long, and too effectively in the sand.

Yes, Harper changed his views on the issue. Good thing. And it is something we should expect our politicians to do when they see an issue that is in need of change for the good of Canadians.

The Liberals, who left this issue to fester while they were in government, cannot be calling the Prime Minister on the carpet. They had the opportunity to change this one piece of the gigantic corporate welfare program this country has.

Next, can we expect Harper to change the free ride the oil companies have in the oil sands?

Thank you

Norm Greenfield

FW: $1,500,000 Hand Out To Cargill From Ralho's World

2006-11-03T18:18:00.004-07:00

To: Edmonton Journal
Subject: $1,500,000 Hand Out To Cargill From Ralho's World

In the beginning, it was the law in Ralph's World, that our provincial government was going to get out of the business of being in business.

Now we see from an article in the Edmonton Journal. that the provincial government has given $1,500,00 to Cargil to expand their p beef patty plant in Spruce Grove. This will result in the closure of their other plant in Brampton, Ontario and the town losing workers and an industry.

Cargill Limited is a subsidiary of Cargill, Incorporated of Minneapolis with sales of $3.5 billion and $1.2 billion in assets.

Why do we as taxpayers need to give them any grants?

Norm Greenfield

FW: Taxing Income Trusts

2006-11-03T18:18:00.003-07:00

Subject: Taxing Income Trusts

If anyone in corporate, political, or investment worlds in Canada could not see the new changes to the income trusts coming, then they must immediately go out and buy the best in shoe horns they can find. They are indeed going to suffocate from having their heads buried too deep, too long, and too effectively in the sand.

Their next move should be to fire all of their people in the corporate communications or government relations departments, just before they fire their CEO's. Obviously someone was not doing their jobs.

Yes, Harper changed his views on the issue. Good thing. And it is something we should expect our politicians to do when they see an issue that is in need of change for the good of Canadians.

The Liberals, who left this issue to fester while they were in government, cannot be calling the Prime Minister on the carpet. They had the opportunity to change this one piece of the gigantic corporate welfare program this country has.

FW: Sizing up john law

2006-11-03T18:18:00.002-07:00

Subject: Sizing up john law

Your editorial on October 24 entitled, 'Sizing Up The John Law,' makes no sense.

The police routinely seize guns, knives, baseball bats, dope, drugs, and other tools of the crime trade, and keep them until the, 'the due process of a trial and conviction,' takes its course.

This concept in the law has never been deemed to contravene the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Why should we hold people who buy sex?

Could it be we want to continue this multi-standard in our laws? Some crimes and those committ them are better than others? Or could it be that society just does not care about the sex trade workers?

Or is because those that are complaining about the law, are also those that might get caught up in it?

As the writer of the editorial, I 'remain skeptical,' of the thinking that went into the editorial.

Thank you

Norm Greenfield

FW: Automated Telephone System

2006-11-03T18:18:00.001-07:00

Subject: RE: Automated Telephone System

Ms Tourangeau:

I know you have other more important issues to look after, but the matter of this automated phone system you have seems to be more of a monster than you might think.

Even after, 'Julie’s diligence,' on the 31st, later that day I received a call from a male plus one more call from a Mr. Robert Jong on the 1st. As I had done in the past I ignored the contents of the message left by the male on the 31st, I spoke to Mr. Jong. He indicated to me that my number was used or given to him via the registration form as a secondary number for someone different that the 'Cassandra,' that I was getting the previous calls for.

It would strike me that you have no effective ways of searching your database to find numbers that are no longer valid, are wrong, or have been given by a student to avoid the issues around cutting class. It also strikes me as odd that after receiving and not responding at all to at least four automated messagfes about Cassandra, that no one from your school called to find out why no one had responded. This makes me think the automated phone system is nothing more than cosmetic.

If I were the administrator at your school I would be even more curious to find out why so many registration forms has my number on them, and do a search of the database. This would not be a breach of any privacy legislation.

Due to Robert Jong's diligence and that of someone in the office, my number was removed form whatever database that Jong was working from.

This automated system is no more effective than sending home written notes which were then signed by the student that night and returned the next day to the principal. As was done; allegedly in my day as a student.

The difference is that you have invested money into this system that does not work, where as it is obivous that you also need to have the human input as well. Maybe the money for the phone system would be better spent with a human doing the phoning.

I am sure there are more phone numbers like mine in your database.

Would you like to make a wager that I have not heard the last of your computer?

FW: 3,000 black balloons to represent carbon dioxide in Metro Hall Square - Are they environmentally safe?

2006-11-03T18:18:00.000-07:00

Subject: 3,000 black balloons to represent carbon dioxide in Metro Hall Square - Are they environmentally safe?

Tara Wood:

I noticed from the media advisory you sent out that WWF-Canada is planing to release 3,000 black balloons.

Are they balloons made of petroleum products?

How will you control the balloons so that none enter the environment? Are these balloons made of bio-degradable material?

How can you assure that these balloons will not find their way into the environment and thus into the dietary plans of animals unaware that this material is unhealthy for them?

Yes I totally agree that 'global warming is an urgent issue,' but using one environmentally bad medium to protest another is not right.

Thank you

Norman Greenfield

Edmonton/Calgary, Alberta, Canada

FW: My 2 cents worth on Message Forwarded from George Read re issue for the Siksika Nation (and all of us who drink from the Bow)

2006-11-03T18:16:00.000-07:00

Subject: My 2 cents worth on Message Forwarded from George Read re issue
for the Siksika Nation (and all of us who drink from the Bow)

It has been a while since I engaged in the lively, progressive, and
impressive policy development sessions at Doctor Ellie's.

I miss them. So with Peter here in Edmonton I hope to develop some similar
plan and work with Ellie's group and move the party to the next level of
truly engaging Albertan's on policies that are effective and what they want.

Now for my 2 cents worth.

I think the Alberta Green Party should make an application to be heard
onthis matter and support the actions of the Siksika Nation, based on the
fact that dumping raw sewage into any waterway should be considered illegal.

The issue of dumping or flushing raw sewage into any waterway, should be
made illegal by any provincial, civic or federal government. This is a
federal issue because what is flushed into the Bow ends up in the drinking
water in towns, cities, and villages from it's head waters to the ocean in
empties into in the Hudson Bay.

It should not be a native issue, or women's issue, or someother group's
issue. It should be an issue and policy that the Alberta Green Party says is
fundamentally wrong, and it would never happen under the leadership of the
Alberta Green Party when we become the government.

In a recent article/letter published in the Edmonton Journal over the names
of three Chief's of First Nations in Northen Alberta B.C., and the North
West Territories, who belong to a group eho are concerned with, affected by
what we in the southern part of Canada do to their Dehcho and Mackenzie
River waterways. They state in part that all people in these two basins have
a fundamental right to water. Clean wter, water that is drinkable by their
people.

We as a Provincial Party must start by stating that we agree with this
principle, but for all people. Take a look at their web site at:
www.dehchofirstnations.com.

Instead of us trying to come up with policy to deal with one First Nation's
concerns community by community, we can do much better for them, if we come
up with policies that make sense for all Albertans.

As I mentioned in a previous missive, we should as a party start to
proactively go out to the First Nations communities and talking to them aout
what policies we as a provincial party should adopt so that we might help
them live the same healthy lives that we in the rest of Alberta do. Then we
can then say to them that if they want to see real change at the provincial
political level, then the Green Party is really their best choice to work in
and with.

Me

2006-07-20T13:12:00.000-06:00

Norm Greenfield was born in the Vancouver area and currently lives and works out of Calgary, with an urge to return to Vancouver or set up a stake in Edmonton and enjoy the new scenery.

He has worked in every facet of the communications field, including with politicians, policy consulting, political policy research and development, marketing communications firms, demographic/database communications, printers, newspapers, radio and television stations, as well as photographic labs and photographers, with a brief stint with the Vancouver Coroners department while going to college.

Currently Norm is working in the media and government relations areas, as well as corporate communications, and his client base consists mainly of green technologies, organic and local farming organizations, new and digital media companies, e-learning, and social issues groups. As one of the few that will tell the world, Norm is also a Registered Federal, B.C. and N.B Government Lobbyist.

Needless to say, he would be interested in hearing from anyone looking for an eclectic mind and collection of life experiences. He has worked and learnt in the field of corporate, marketing and political communications since the mid-70’s.

Thank you
Norm Greenfield can be reached at 403-807-1251 or at provocostatusquo@hotmail.com.

His web site is in the middle of being renovated but the remanants of what it is can be seen at www.porovocostatusquo.com .

Alberta Green Party and First Nations’ Issues

2006-07-20T13:11:00.000-06:00

Alberta Green Party and First Nations’ Issues

When we work on the policies for the Alberta Green Party related to First Nation’s issues, we must be aware of what is provincial in the way responsibility and what is federal. The fact of the matter is the Federal government has jurisdiction of First Nation’s issues as far as education, health, treaties, and land claims. This includes natives on and off reservations.

My favoured way of helping the Alberta Green Party to best address Alberta’s First Nation’s issues and policies would be to go to them, instead of having one person from one First Nation come to us.

If we have the money I think it makes more sense for the Alberta Green Party to develop a group of people from around the province to attend that various meetings and conferences involving their local First Nations.

By sending people out to the various First Nations’ groups we can accumulate discussion, impressions, and issues that directly relate to local or region members of First Nations. Of course there are going to be trends or similar issues and concerns province wide, from which we can find big picture policy ideas, and then from that will flow policies that better reflect region issues and differences.

The other benefit from working out a plan like the above, is that the Alberta Green Party will be going to the communities of the First Nations, and actually talk to them and listen. It will build a longterm relationship that we can build on, not only for policy development but maybe even memberships and candidates.

The issues are very different for natives that live on the reserve or in the large urban centres, plus the smaller centres in between.

The issues involved with the reserves in the southern part of Alberta, vary quite a bit from those in northern remote areas of Alberta, from even those around Fort McMurray.

In the north the natives are wanting to be part of the oil and gas boom, not only from a point of money, but water and meaningful employment and business development for long term benefits.

You have the issues involved with the Metis, Cree, Dene, Blackfoot, and female natives are all different, with some of the issues being common.

There are First Nation’s communities that farm and ranch along side of other non-native Albertans, with the same issues but do not necessarily have the same access to the various funding or agricultural agencies. Federal or provincial.

The First Nations people want their traditional hunting and fishing rights enforced, but this may come in conflict with the environmental protection regulations designed to help refurbish certain species that are in danger of disappearing or being over harvested. This can also be in conflict with what the Alberta Green Party has stated in previous policy statements already endorsed at Policy conventions and those to come.

A prime example of this is the recent change to the hunting and fishing regulations passed by the current Minister of Community Development in the Klein government. The regulations were made in such a way that the natives were given full hunting and fishing privaleges through out the province, in and out of season, with no restrictions. It was not what the natives wanted, it was in conflict with the rules and regulations that non-natives had to follow, and the regulations did not go through the regular channels for public consultation, nor even cabinet approval.

For instance, the Bioregional Management Boards. How do the First Nation’s communities fit in with the boards, as they are governed by federal law, treaties, and what has afforded to them through common law or the courts.

I think we need to set up the committee of AGP members to organize a fan out to do local or regional research into the issues involved in their area with regards to the First Nation’s communities.

This would, as I suggested up above, involve sending them to the various communities themselves, or conferences, or meetings. We would need to make sure there are notes taken and inputed to the policy development process. We also have to make sure, as George mentioned at our last policy meeting, make this an ongoing process and I would think also interactive from both sides of the issue.

Here is a selection of some of the most recent issues being talked about in Canada. Yes, they are from other parts of Canada, but if they move ahead they will have an affect on First Nation’s people in other areas of Canada.

In the Ottawa Citizen, on July 14, 2006 editorial the day after the re- election of Mr. Fontaine as the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations says, “that Canada's First Nations don't need a kinder, gentler paternalism.” In fact they put the position forward that the First Nations people, and “all Canadians, need leaders who will ask tough questions: Will continued segregation help aboriginal people thrive? How can remote communities prosper? They need leaders who will look at old problems with fresh eyes.”

As a Provincial party it may be a policy position that we agree with the Kelowna Accord, the $5-billion agreement the Liberal government signed last year with premiers before it was voted out of office. It was meant to fight poverty, improve living conditions and increase education and health standards for First Nations.

The final sentence in the Citizen editorial states, “The old ideas have not served the young people growing up on reserves now, and they owe those ideas no loyalty.”

As was reported in the Toronto Star on the matter of Fontaine’s re-election, “support in Toronto for the head of the Assembly of First Nations is wavering following his re-election to a third term. "The AFN has been almost irrelevant in terms of urban aboriginal issues," said Joe Hester, who runs Anishnawbe Health Toronto, a local drop-in clinic.

In Toronto’s case 26 per cent of the homeless people are aboriginal with less than 1 per cent of people in Toronto being native.

As Michael Cheena, Executive Director of the Urban Aboriginal Alliance of Toronto, "We're not at the table," and added that "the federal government only deals with the AFN and the First Nations chiefs, and the urban aboriginals get left out." Cheena said he didn't know if that would have changed if Bill Wilson had been elected instead.

So we see that there is even dissention amongst the groups that work with and for the First Nation’s people.

As a provincial party it might be a policy idea to, advocate the province of Alberta join the
native leaders of Alberta, in the fight to convince the Canadian government to agree on the United Nations Universal Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Or maybe the province should adopt the declaration as a policy and put it into law.

As an example of one issue that is of interest to the northern native communities in Alberta that might not be an issue to natives in southeast Alberta, are "livelihood rights," a doctrine developed to give practical modern meaning to century-old Indian treaties.

The Edmonton Journal writes about a very real example of this by referring to the Resistance by the Dene Tha' in the High Level region against the Alberta leg in the $7.5-billion Mackenzie gas project is only the first attempt at using the new approach to try changing a development, said Jim Webb, a policy adviser to northern native communities. Livelihood rights are cornerstones of 1980s and '90s aboriginal treaties in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Arctic "comprehensive land claims settlements" are built on native resource ownership, development partnerships, endowment funds or revenue shares for acquiring businesses assets and roles in supervising resource projects through regional regulatory agencies.

This is real issue that also extends to other First Nations groups with regards to the oil and gas industry through out Alberta, but most recently in the north.

The national agencies have so far refused to pick a fight with Alberta by intervening. The decision on the Arctic pipeline's Alberta leg is being left up to the Alberta Energy and Utilities Board. A Dene Tha' lawsuit is still only in early stages in the federal court.

Provincial authorities know all about the attempt to import the northern version of aboriginal rights. The Alberta government has observer status in three-year-old negotiations between the federal government and the province's native communities on translating old Indian treaties into modern agreements akin to the Arctic claims settlements.

This is an example of where jurisidictions overlap with no one prepared to stand up for the people of the First Nations.

Webb points out that a provincial policy describes processes for adapting the northern approach to Alberta conditions, including integrated land use plans and "regional management forums" of government, industry and aboriginal representatives.

But the apparatus only exists on paper, Webb said. An early attempt to put the theory into practice in the Fort McMurray region ended when the province withdrew from the exercise rather than let it develop a controlling role in oilsands development, he said.

The status quo, however, is spawning increasingly acrimonious regulatory and legal duels over modern meanings to be read into the old Indian treaties.
The original pacts did not spell out the livelihood rights idea, which is that Canada owes its original inhabitants the means to make new livings in exchange for taking away all their territories except for small reservations.

Maybe a policy area for the Alberta Green Party to look at is in fact developing a process for the Provincial government to participate in making sure that the people of the First Nations are equal participants in the industrial development of the province in the same way that counties, cities, and municipal governments are, while trying to look at the old agreements with our modern eyes.

‘Life, Money and Illusion,’ is the latest book by Mike Nickerson

2006-07-20T13:10:00.000-06:00

‘Life, Money and Illusion,’ is the latest book by Mike Nickerson centred on sustainability and the world we live in today.

It is the follow up to his book ‘Seven Generations,’ which put forth the long standing idea of looking at what we as humans are doing in our world and its impact on Seven Generations down the road.

‘Life, Money and Illusion,’ points out the basic inconsistencies between the life paradigm and economic convention. People are slowly learning about the ecological reality of the basics of resource limitations, and how the unfolding impacts of these issues are having a direct affect on our well-being.

One idea that Mike is trying to get on the social and political agenda is the idea of how we measure our success in our world He wants us to switch from the economic growth model and look at our ‘Well Being Measurement.. How we might establish a, 'Genuine Progress Index.’

Mike Nickerson will be in Calgary on July 4, 2006 to address a group of people on the above subject as a part of his cross Canada book tour.

If you would like to talk to him as a part of an interview or story, please call Norm Greenfield at 403-807-1251 or provocostatusquo@hotmail.com

Basement Suites, "Should they be legalized?"

2006-07-20T13:09:00.000-06:00

July 10, 2006 – Alberta Green Party Policy Meeting

Subject: Basement Suites, "Should they be legalized?"

Can this be a provincial issue? Can it be a federal issue? It is both. It is not though, a civic issue as the issue owes its solutions to the powers of enacting laws and regulations by the provincial and federal governments in a variety of ways.

Building codes and fire codes, and electrical codes are set at both levels, and if not met, the insurance industry will not cover a building, nor will organizations like the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (a federal government crown corporation) will not insure your mortgage.

This is not creating a "two-tier" housing scheme, but rather it is improving upon a currently occurring situation that is undesirable from a number of standpoints.

Safety is NOT being compromised AT ALL in this initiative - quite the opposite - the goal is to ENHANCE safety requirements - such as requiring smoke detectors, requiring windows large enough to crawl out of, etc.

A house not built according to code may not be eligible for mortgages.

From the political side:

The demographics of people wanting to rent basement suites, is often quite different from those in upscale apartments - they are servicing different types of customers, and thus basement suites are not in direct competition to apartment investors. People living in basement suites, often cannot afford normal apartments - and thus basement suites are only competing with homeless shelters.

Furthermore, "preventing competition" as a consideration of why such suites should not be allowed, should not be allowed as an objection in a free-enterprise economy.

This is an idea well worth considering. It has a great deal of merit in dealing with the housing shortage in Alberta that is affordable and decent.

It is also an idea for a proactive and visionary policy that the Alberta Green Party should adopt and it is a policy idea that the average person in Alberta can grasp, understand, and agree with a reasonable way for the government to deal with a real problem, by just getting out of the way.

The Issue:

Currently, since there are no building codes specifically designed for Basements suites in Alberta, Municipalities have by default, been applying building codes which were originally designed for Duplexes and Apartments instead - which in most cases, means that Municipalities do not have the power to approve basement suites, since they cannot meet these codes.

For example:

Duplex and apartment building codes require an 8 foot ceiling, and a separate furnace in each living unit. Since most houses built decades ago, were not required back then to build 8 foot ceilings in the basement, most basement suites today have ceilings somewhat lower than 8 feet, and thus it is impossible for a homeowner to comply with this requirement (or the two furnace requirement).

For The Idea:

Keeping these suites "illegal", is not a good solution - from a pragmatic practical standpoint, it is only discouraging and preventing a number of desirable goals from being achieved, such as ensuring tenant safety, and ensuring a good supply of affordable housing units on the market being created.

Almost all the complaints about basement suites being undesirable, is not really the point here. They are already there, for the most part, and as such many of the fears about creating problems such as parking complaints, etc, wouldn't change much under this proposal - and in fact may even be alleviated.

Opposing this initiative on the basis that you are opposed to basement suites in general, is not what we are doing here- this initiative is not about where or if they should be allowed or where they would be allowed, it is only about how should they be built - if and only if they are allowed by the Municipality. Primarily, it is about whether or not the Municipality, "should" be given the power to make a decision to approve a suite, under different codes than what currently exist - a power that they don't have now - they can only condemn them.

This is not creating a "two-tier" housing scheme, but rather it is improving upon a currently occurring situation that is undesirable from a number of standpoints.

Safety is NOT being compromised AT ALL in this initiative - quite the opposite - the goal is to ENHANCE safety requirements - such as requiring smoke detectors, requiring windows large enough to crawl out of, etc.

The demographics of people wanting to rent basement suites, is often quite different from those in upscale apartments - they are servicing different types of customers, and thus basement suites are not in direct competition to apartment investors. People living in basement suites, often cannot afford normal apartments - and thus basement suites are only competing with homeless shelters. Furthermore, "preventing competition" as a consideration of why such suites should not be allowed, should not be allowed as an objection in a free-enterprise economy.

These situations exist now - it is not creating a "new category" of sub-standard housing. Poor people are living in basement suites now - and most of them are not properly inspected and may present safety concerns.

There are no building codes, specific to basement or secondary suites now - the only codes being applied, were developed with apartments or duplexes in mind, and thus are not applicable to the unique circumstances of secondary suites in older existing homes. Thus, there are almost no existing basement suites that could comply except at tremendous cost - and thus, homeowners do not try to get approvals through the authorities - they know they would be rejected. So what happens in reality is that they build them anyway, but just don't tell the municipal authorities, because they know the municipal authorities could not approve them, even if they wanted to.

Since homeowners do not apply for permits, other minor safety code features that might have been achieved through a pragmatic, proper permitting process, do not get installed - and thus tenant safety is compromised, as a result of too-stringent safety demands.

If you set the bar too high - people CANNOT comply, and therefore WILL NOT APPLY. If you are reasonable about it, more people would apply properly - and it would be better to get some major safety features - than none at all - which could be the current situation.

In fact, if you allowed approval of these suites, landlords considering upgrades or creation of a new suite, would not be so worried about having their entire investment continually at great risk - and would therefore have incentive to spend more money and do better upgrades than what they do now. No one spends a lot of money on basement suites if they know they could be shut down at any time - approved suites, could allow for substantially more investment and quality, by responsible landlords.

For example:

Does a single-family house, wanting to put in a basement suite, really need to have two furnaces? If having to put two furnaces into a basement, in order to get municipal approval, prevents people from applying for a permit in the first place - and going underground instead and not seeking an approval - does this make sense to keep it as a minimum building specification? Or can this requirement - developed for duplexes - be dropped?

Without basement suites, tens of thousands would be homeless, or face much higher apartment/duplex rents, or be forced into multiple person living arrangements with compromised privacy, etc. - all of which can create numerous other problems, also creating safety concerns.

The Issue:

Basement suites in existing homes, especially older existing homes, cannot comply with modern building codes without enormous costs being incurred - thus building codes, specific to such situations, and "grandfathering" should be considered.

It is possible that the permitting process could include different requirements and/or different specifications for absentee landlords, vs. resident owner-occupied landlords.

On-site Parking requirements:

This could be a condition of proper approval for a legal basement suite. Thus, a proper approval process, might greatly improve upon the current situation, where basement suites are already existing anyway, and creating parking problems on a block. The Bar-b-que out back might have to go, in order to create on-site parking to get the cars off the street - but municipal authorities could require that, as a condition of approval of what is currently an "illegal" suite where everyone is currently parking out front. It would help, not hurt, the current situation.

People living in basement suites pretty much includes the majority of the population at one point of their life or another - they most certainly are not "undesirables", any more than any other renters in apartments of duplexes are. It is a stage of life issue, an affordability issue, a "going-to-school issue, or a life-style choice - and there is absolutely nothing wrong with living in a basement suite in order to save money on rent, for anybody.

Most suites, are not problematic to the neighbours at all, most tenants are not problematic at all, and tenants often are people who take the bus, thus helping improve bus services into a community. Having a properly approved basement suite, increases property value for the homeowner, allows for proper insurance, allows for proper financing (CMHC will not give high-ratio mortgages to young people if they have a "mortgage helper" basement suite tenant living in the basement - which is really strange, when you think about it!) and so on.

Seniors/widows and widowers:

Could earn some badly needed income, students could use the cheap rent, communities wouldn't be emptied out as the kids grow up and leave, young couples could use the "mortgage helper when buying a new home" - there are many benefits.

Conclusion:

The many benefits of allowing secondary suites, greatly outweighs the negatives - they should be allowed in properly zoned areas, starting with a major overhaul of Provincial building codes which are creating major barriers to legalizing basement and other secondary suites. The power to ultimately approve or dissaprove of such suites, will still rest at the Municipal level, and Municipalities have many other tools in the tool box to deal with any negatives that may be created. However, unless the Provincial building codes are changed to allow for such approvals, Municipalities currently do NOT have the power to approve these suites at all - they have no discretion on this, they must apply the Provincial building codes. This does not allow Municipalities to be able to make those common-sense, logical decisions - instead, they are forced to "go by the book" and dissaprove all such suites, if for example, they don't have an eight foot ceiling. The Provincial building codes should be changed to allow Municipalities the power and the discretion to deal with these suites locally.

What does your buying farmed salmon in your local supermarket or restaurant or you having some exotic fish dish at the top dining room in the city

2006-07-20T13:07:00.000-06:00

What does your buying farmed salmon in your local supermarket or restaurant, or you having some exotic fish dish at the top dining room in the city, and the collapse of the fish stalks in the lower half of the food chain? The fish farm industry is a voracious consumer of wild fish ground in to fishmeal, and there is almost 44 billion pounds[1] of fish discarded in the process of catching that tuna, salmon, cod and swordfish.

Why should this concern you?

We have got to understand that the earth is a close environment system, and what we do in Alberta does affect what happens elsewhere in the world.

We also have to start you look at our water in the context it is provided to us by Mother Nature, or the Great Creator.

We cannot treat it as if it can clean itself of all things that humans throw in it.

Alberta’s waters flow in to two of this earth’s oceans.

So when you look at the water situation in your own back yard, think about the fact it has flowed through, across, or under someone else’s backyard, and unless we all get our backyards cleaned up, we will all suffer in someway, by the water that runs through, under, or across our own backyards.

Economics and ecology both have their roots from the Greek word ‘oikos,’ meaning living place.

Most people I know that earn their living from the earth they walk on will tell you that their pay-checks are directly related to how they take care of the environment around them. Unfortunately, this is a philosophy that is quickly disappearing through the lure of the all might dollar that the large multi-national agri-industries are waving in front of the family farmer.

In his book ‘Seven Generations’[2], Mike Nickerson uses the illustration of wine making and the ecology. He says that the limitation of toleration is shown by the fact that when the yeast eats enough of the sugars in the fruit juices used for wine making, alcohol is excreted as a by-product. When the level of alcohol reaches 14 percent, the yeast can no longer tolerate that environment cannot tolerate it and dies.

If you have tapped into the money flow from the oil and gas patch, you will probably not want to see anything change.

The fact is that Alberta could turn the nozzle down on the current economic growth and see virtually no change in the growth of the province's economy, and in fact see the growth become manageable, and the future of the environment improve.

As this article is probably being read by people that work on the land, you already know in the back of your minds that there is a bigger problem with the environment that people in the Klein Government want to talk about, can talk about, or need to talk about.

Whenever there is a comment made about the environment, those of as that talk about it are set to the side with names or labels that designed to take the attention from mainstream Alberta away from us.

As the two major centres of Alberta, Calgary and Edmonton expand at unsustainable rates, and the Oil Sands industry expands at a rate that is unsustainable both in environmental and human resources, it is time to take a look at the way the provincial government looks at our water.

Water in this province is looked at as a renewable resource that will always be there, and has the capacity to provide us with all that we need.

It does, but it is quickly becoming stretched passed its limits even now, and there are no reasonable plans to look in to the future and see what we need to do now, to fix the problems of the past and truly put forward thinking policies in place so our water is there for the springs seven generations down the road.

Our current governing party in Alberta can only see to the borders of the province, and the short-term benefits of the booming economy.

The Deserted Village, A Poem

A time there was, ere England's griefs began,
When every rood of ground maintain'd its man;
For him light labour spread her wholesome store,
Just gave what life requir'd, but gave no more:
His best companions, innocence and health;
And his best riches, ignorance of wealth.

Oliver Goldsmith (1730?-1774)

Even in 1770, In the Dedication of the poem, 'The Deserted Village,' to Sir Joshua Reynolds, Oliver Goldsmith writes: "... it has been the fashion to consider luxury as one of the greatest national advantages; and all the wisdom of antiquity in that particular, as erroneous. Still, however. I must remain a professed ancient on that head, and continue to think those luxuries prejudicial to states, by which so many vices are introduced, and so many kingdoms have been undone."

Is Alberta destined to follow its craving for the luxuries that another oil and gas boom has to offer at the expense of our environment?

It would seem the provincial governments only reason to be, is to encourage and foster more and more growth in the energy sector, with no idea as to the costs we have and will incur in other areas of our lives and society, such as the environment and our water.

One solution to the above problem is to redeisgn democracy in Alberta.

This would involve not only how we elect our provinical governments, but where they work. It would involve rearranging the administration of provinical government as well as the laws, regulations, and the divisions of both the counties and electoral districts.

It would involve setting a province wide set of environmental, planning, and business development laws and regulations.

It would involve folding many regulatory agencies, boards, and departments into one focus. It would involve providing all Albertan’s with one point of contact, whether they are applying to build a hog processing plant, a pulp mill, oil or gas processing facility, drill a well, bury a pipeline, take arable farm land out of agricultural production and use it for an industial purpose, or build homes on it.

It will mean that the EUB, municpal planning boards, county planning boards, renewable resources development authorities would be folded into a new way of doing business.

What I am talking about here is divide the province up into a bioregional management boards, based on the watsheds. It means rearranging the county and municipal districts so their boundaries coincide with the boundaries of the watersheds, and not stradle them.

For too long industrial development organizations or companies have known they can play one county off against another to see who will relax their planning and land zoning by-laws the most. Sometimes a plant could be applying to two counties, yet their plans call for locations the plant on one side of a river or the other.

We forget in this province that when a pulp mill or oil refinery discharges its waste water, or takes its water from a rivier system, that the downstream communities and evnivorns are affected.

We forget that the water sources we can not see, can be affected for miles, if not hundreds of miles around us, either positively or negatively.

This new concept of how we govern ourselves would fold all stakeholders in the various watersheds, or bioregions. It means that the residents can elect their own people to sit on the boards, to deliberate and approve any and all development in the watershed.

This would mean oil and gas activity, logging, residential, industrial and recreational development, in accordance to the environmental, planning, and development laws and regulations.

In addition to the above, our provincial legislature would also change. It would have members sitting in it as MLA’s elected through a Proportional Representation, and they would also be expected to sit on the Bioregional Management Boards as a conduit to the provincial legislature, but not a voting member of the Bioregional Management Boards.

Our current legislature does not have any sort of mechanism for public participation in much of any policy development. In my new arrangement the Legislature would be radically changed, and so will the way it does business.

It’s job will be to create a province wide set of policies, laws, and regulations with regards to the environment.

This set of policies, laws, and regulations would be deliberated, discussed, and proposed through a new system of committees of the Legislature, and sit in public, with their proceedings open to public view via television, the internet, or attendance in person.

Our committees would be mandated to use as a large to net to grab the most up to date, and unpoliticized data, research and opinion as they can.

Their view of a situation that will be used to measure their success, will be how the first nations have looked at things. The first nations have in their tradition, as looking at what they do now, and its affect on the next seven generations.
[1] Swing, John Temple, “What Future for the Oceans?’ Foreign Affairs, Volume 82, No 2, September/October 2003
[2] published by Guideposts for a Sustainable Future, P.O. Box 374, Merrickville, Ontario K0G 1N0 @ $4.95

Water. Water is the essence of all life.

2006-07-20T13:06:00.000-06:00

With out it, humans and all forms of life on earth will not exist.

Water is something men have died for, on, in, and under.

Water or traces of water are the first thing that our astronauts look for when looking for planets and the chance of human life ever being there.

So why do humans continually contaminate their own water, and why specifically do we in Alberta treat water as a throw away commodity as we do with our cars, food, entertainment devices, and lives?

In Alberta like many other jurisdictions we have gotten use to this notion that if we throw it in the rivers or the ground and it goes away, it is no longer our problem. An out of sight it is out of mind out of mentality.

While visiting a conference centre many years ago an elder from a near by First Nations that explained it to me this way. Every one of our seven oceans starts with one small drop from a glacier in the mountains on one of the continent. He went on to say that the reason our oceans are dying, is that the respect for the water far up in the mountains has died as well.

We consider the rivers and waterways our very own flushing system to which we have no connection to as they pass in front of our homes. Or we think we don't.

Rooted in the Greek word ‘oikos,’ meaning living place, are the two words economics and ecology.

2006-07-20T13:05:00.001-06:00

Rooted in the Greek word ‘oikos,’ meaning living place, are the two words economics and ecology.

We have got to understand that the earth is a closed environment system, with what we do in Alberta affecting what happens elsewhere in the world.

Our current government’s myopic view of the world is quickly sending us down the wrong path.

We cannot treat our environment as if it can clean itself of all the things that humans throw in it.

Most people I know that earn their living from the earth they walk on will tell you that their pay-checks are directly related to how they take care of the environment around them.

In his book ‘Seven Generations’[1], Mike Nickerson uses the illustration of wine making and the ecology. He says that the limitation of toleration is shown by the fact that when the yeast eats enough of the sugars in the fruit juices used for wine making, alcohol is excreted as a by-product. When the level of alcohol reaches 14 percent, the yeast can no longer tolerate that environment and dies.

The fact is that Alberta can turn the nozzle down on the current economic growth with virtually no change in the growth of the province's economy, while the growth becomes manageable.

As the two major centres of Alberta, Calgary and Edmonton, expand at unsustainable rates, parallel to the Oil Sands expansion, it is time to take a look at the way the provincial government looks at our water.

Water in this province is looked at as a renewable resource that will always be there, has the capacity to provide us with all that we need.

Our current governing party in Alberta can only see to the borders of the province, and the short-term benefits of the booming economy, and can be given away free to the oil and gas industries.

The Deserted Village, A Poem

A time there was, ere England's griefs began,
When every rood of ground maintain'd its man;
For him light labour spread her wholesome store,
Just gave what life requir'd, but gave no more:
His best companions, innocence and health;
And his best riches, ignorance of wealth.

Oliver Goldsmith (1730?-1774)

Is Alberta destined to follow its craving for the luxuries that another oil and gas boom has to offer at the expense of our environment? Our environment tomorrow or next century?

It would seem the provincial governments only reason to be, is to encourage and foster more and more growth in the energy sector, with no attention paid to the real costs we will incur in other areas of our lives and society, such as the environment.

One solution to the above problem is to redesign democracy in Alberta.

This would involve not only how we elect our provincial governments but also how and where they work. It would involve rearranging the administration of provincial government as well as the laws, regulations, and the divisions of both the counties and electoral districts.

It would involve setting a province wide set of environmental, planning, and business development laws and regulations – in the open and available for input from all Albertans and those that live downstream from us.

It would involve folding many regulatory agencies, boards, and departments into one focus, providing all Albertan’s with one point of contact. This being whether they are applying to build a hog processing plant, a pulp mill, oil or gas processing facility, drill a well, bury a pipeline, take arable farm land out of agricultural production and use it for industrial purposes, or build homes on it.

This also includes any and all by-laws and land use decisions contemplated by the large urban centres.

It will mean that the EUB, municipal planning boards, county planning boards, renewable resources development authorities would be forced to start doing business in a new way.

One small way will be to start using the Triple Bottom Line accounting system, that takes into consideration economic, social and environmental factors when deliberating.

No longer can we have quasi-judicial boards like the EUB with its members appointed by the sitting government behind closed doors, with the power to exclude whomever they want.

Today we see that it is usually the critics of the oil and gas industry being the ones to be excluded that the EUB excludes and needs more in it’s mandate than, ‘the discovery, development, and delivery of Alberta’s resources and utilities.’

What I am talking about here is, dividing the province up into a bioregional management boards, based on the watersheds. It means rearranging the county and municipal districts so their boundaries coincide with the boundaries of the watersheds, and not straddle them.

For too long industrial development organizations or companies have known they can play one county or town off another to see who will relax their planning and land zoning by-laws the most.

We forget in this province that when a pulp mill or oil refinery discharges its waste water, or takes its water from a river system, that both the upstream and downstream communities and environs are affected.

For too long we have seen politicians in one area of the province lure industry by making decisions that they think only affect their little piece of the earth. In fact we are seeing the affects of the decisions made on the oil sands developments poisoning people far away, down stream and away from the eyes and ears of the local politicians. We cannot continue this policy of, ‘out of sight, out of the way,’ of planning.

Not only is it the water we can see, but also those that which we cannot see, can be affected for miles, if not hundreds of miles around us, positively or negatively, for decades if not centuries into the future.

This new concept of how we govern ourselves would fold all stakeholders in the various watersheds, or bioregions into management boards. It means that the residents can elect their own people to sit on the boards, to deliberate and approve any and all development in the watershed. There would be fixed terms, lobbyist legislation, and a whole list of conflict and ethical rules to be followed by all elected to the boards.

This would mean oil and gas activity, logging, residential, industrial and recreational development, will have to conform to the environmental, planning, and development laws and regulations. There would be no meddling by the minister. If the decision is made based on the deliberations of the management board, and it conforms to the standards set by the legislature, then the minister could not intervene.

This set of policies, laws, and regulations would be deliberated, discussed, and proposed through a new system of committees of the Legislature, and sit in public, with their proceedings open to public view via television, the internet, or attendance in person. Behind these policies, laws and regulations must be a set of substantial penalties to be used when the carrot does not.

The set of policies, laws, and regulations would conform to or exceed the set of national standards. It is not only Albertans that are affected by our decisions, but people far downstream or downwind, alive now and in the future that are affected.

Unlike Shelly Willson’s recent comments in an op/ed piece in the Calgary Herald on Jun 9, 2006, our ways of living and how our forests and environmental concerns are managed are not about land use by-laws and some sort of, ‘hierarchy of land uses taken in isolation,’ by the stakeholders in one area of a watershed, or bioregion.

Our thinking must be about the actions taken in an area such as the area west of Bragg Creek that Spray Lakes Sawmills wants to clear cut and what that will do to the entire watershed, as well as the next seven generations from the headwaters of Bragg Creek to where it ends up, the Hudson Bay.

The decision on a situation like the clear cutting of a forest should not just focus on the hikers and their ability to see a, ‘pristine forest,’ or ‘glimpses of moose.’

The decision should be focusing on the bigger picture.

The big picture lies further downstream, and much further in the future.
[1] published by Guideposts for a Sustainable Future, P.O. Box 374, Merrickville, Ontario K0G 1N0 @ $4.95

It is obvious from the falling turn-out at the polling stations at the previous provincial elections,

2006-07-20T13:05:00.000-06:00

It is obvious from the falling turn-out at the polling stations at the previous provincial elections, and the turn off by young Albertan’s towards their elected officials and the institutions that they are supposed to be over seeing on behalf of Albertan’s that there is a problem with democracy in Alberta.

When you consider that Alberta is the garden that Preston Manning sewed the seeds for the Reform Party of Canada, and that the majority of the current MLA’s and many of their constituency associations are card carrying members democratic reform would be a given here.

It is not.

In fact under the Ralph Klein government, secrecy and shrinking democratic practices are the norm, not the rarity.

We have short legislative sittings, that seem to be more of a pest than a place where the Premier and his government bring issues, ideas, and policies to be discussed, debated, and passed into law.

We have no all party committee system here in Alberta, but a system of one party Standing Policy Committees, where only the sound of the voices of the governing party are heard, and where the majority of the legislative business is conducted. Out of the reach of the Legislature, it’s record of proceedings known as the Hansard, and most of all, out of ear shot of Albertans.

Do you know that you can go onto the web site of the House of Commons, the place where you send your M.P.’s to deal with the business of the nation, and search for any and every word that your MP has said, either in the House of Commons or during a committee hearing?

You can watch and read all of the proceedings of the House of Commons, Senate, Committees hearings, and what is being told to them from outside agencies, special interest groups, bureaucrats, and research conducted for specific purposes such as to help develop good public policy?

In fact you can read every word of the presentations yourself and comment on them to the committee. If the committee feels your input is important enough, they can invite you to present your ideas in person, and question you on it? All of this is open to the public, from anywhere in Canada or the world in fact.

We cannot do that here in Alberta.

We can search the Hansard, but your results get kicked back to you in PDF format, to which you must read every word, and search for the information that you had asked for.

This method is archaic and disrespectful to those people that have come before the current governing party and set up our parliamentary and democratic system.

The question that needs to be asked, is why? When a government starts to close its doors along with their lips, you must wonder what they have to hide.

Did you know you could also go to the web site of the House of Commons and watch much of the proceedings in either real time, or from their archives?

This can help you put faces to words and names, and also watch exactly what your MP’s and Senators are doing.

We don’t seem to be able to do that here in Alberta. Is that because we might not like watching our M.L.A.’s reading golfing magazines instead of thinking and deliberating on the more pressing needs and concerns of real Albertans?

You might be want to throw scorn on the Senate of Canada, more commonly known as the Upper Chamber or sometimes knick named as the Body of Sober Second thought, but this group of people have been producing some rather interesting, intriguing and useful research and deliberation into some of the long-term plans and policies this country needs to look at and adopt in some for or another.

Ever seen that sort of work come from your MLA’s? Ever been able to read what your MLA is doing, other than what is sent to the media from the Provincial Public Information Bureau?

Do you know that, someone in the Public Information department reads even your letters and e-mails sent to your MLA? A reply you think is coming from your MLA is really coming from a person in the Public Information department with the only bit of content provided by the MLA is their signature?

Why do Albertan’s not participate in the elections nor really care about how their provincial government operates behind closed doors?

Is it because we have become so self-serving, that unless it is something that affects us directly we really don’t care?

Is it because we have forgotten that we are the government and those people you send to either Ottawa as your MP or to the Legislature in Edmonton, are representing you and should be open to your scrutiny, as you see fit, not how they see fit?

Ralph Klein is an embarrassment to Alberta.

2006-07-20T13:03:00.000-06:00

Ralph Klein is an embarrassment to Alberta.

He suffers from a self-centred and short-sited view of his position in Canada and the place that Alberta can occupy in the history of Canada to come.

Alberta did not suddenly arrive at the enviable position it does not find itself in now, nor did its current position have much to do with whether we had Ralph Klein as premier, Jim Dinning, or Bullwinkle the Moose as premier.

It had more to do with the infrastructure and vision of the political leaders that both Canada and Alberta have had in the past 133 years.

Alberta could not have been, without the vision of someone sitting in Ottawa saying that we needed a railroad from Coast to Coast.

Alberta could not have survived its early history of being a ‘have not’ province in serious trouble of being unable to feed its people, until the first oil well was drilled and completed.

Alberta, except for oil and gas, has little to support it.

Our agricultural industries are fickle at best, at the behest of Mother Nature and world markets. Neither of which Ralph Klein, Jim Dinning, or Bullwinkle can have much power over.

As we have seen our lumber and tourism industries have never been reliable in the long term because they rely on many outside influences and pressures, that again Ralph Klein, Jim Dinning, or Bullwinkle can have much power over.

When Ralph Klein, Jim Dinning, or Bullwinkle take a look at all of the things that Alberta gains by being a part of Canada, and can benefit from by not being a skinflint when it comes to equalization payments, something that if Ralph Klein, Jim Dinning, or Bullwinkle are premier, they have much control over anyways.

It benefits Alberta and Ralph Klein, Jim Dinning, or Bullwinkle as premier to have strong provinces with strong post-secondary and health systems.

It benefits Alberta to have a strong confederation with every province being able to contribute in some way to both the past and future of Canada, that it makes you wonder why Ralph Klein’s whining is paid attention to any, but the far closed-minded right wing of his party.

Of the three, Ralph Klein, Jim Dinning, or Bullwinkle, can point out who sees that this sort of pandering to the far right wing of the Tory party here in Alberta is good for Alberta, Albertans, and Canada.

Since Ralph Klein only received 21% of the popular vote when getting the set of keys to the Premier’s office, even Bullwinkle can see that the first leader that offers viable, believable and grown up political vision and leadership, will be able to wipe the Alberta Legislature clean.

Alberta is changing. Alberta is growing up. Alberta is becoming far more cosmopolitan and visionary with a view of the world that obviously Ralph Klein has chosen to ignore.

If any leader, be it Jim Dinning, or Bullwinkle want to lead Alberta into a future that can be endless and a leader of good in the world, then they must remove the blinders that are the trademark of Ralph Klein and his tired myopic Tory party of today in Alberta.

Can Jim Dinning do it?

I doubt it. He is chasing the same people for their support that Ralph Klein chased to get elected so often. Saying little to offend them, and showing no vision to attract the people in this province who have seen no reason to vote, for either the Tories or anyone else for that matter in Alberta’s provincial political landscape.

Jim Dinning should follow the sage advice of Bullwinkle. Always look for greener pastures where no one else is looking. Who knows, maybe Jim Dinning will find his Rocky to lead him to the greener pastures.

Sask. minister raps Alberta water use

2006-06-29T11:31:00.000-06:00

Saskatchewan's Environment minister has fired the opening shot in the war of words over the use of water on the Prairies. John Nilson says Alberta industries have been using water indiscriminately.

He was reacting to a report by two scientists that the Prairies will likely face drought conditions within the next two decades, and that Alberta's booming economy is using up too much water. They singled out the oil industry as a heavy user of water, particularly in the development of the oilsands.
FROM APRIL 4, 2006: Expert sees Alberta water shortage looming ( at foot)
They also pointed out that water shortages in Alberta will be bad news for downstream areas in the Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

"In Alberta, they have been using water indiscriminately in a number of industries," Nilson says.

"It's time to sit down and look carefully at what they are doing. In Saskatchewan, we have been doing that."

Nilson acknowledges there has been some work on reducing water use in Alberta. But, he says, more conservation is needed to ensure rivers flowing into his province don't run dry.
Alberta Energy Minister Greg Melchin denies there's any problem.

"I don't think it's fair to describe Alberta's use in the oilpatch as indiscriminate. There is a very heavily regulated structure as to how much water they can use. No, there is some very good use of water."

Melchin points to the reduction of water use by up to 40 per cent, in recovering oil from wells, as proof the industry is trying to conserve the resource.

At the same time, Melchin agrees that Alberta must do more to conserve water. He is pledging a 30-per-cent reduction in use by 2015.

Expert sees Alberta water shortage looming

Last updated Apr 4 2006 10:48 AM MDT CBC News

The Canadian Prairies are likely to face a severe drought within the next couple of decades, and Alberta should be limiting the number of people who move there, according to a report by two Canadian experts on water.

Dr. David Schindler, an ecology professor at the University of Alberta, says future droughts will likely be far worse than the ones that turned the prairies into a dust bowl in the 1930s.
He says Alberta's booming economy and rapid growth have made it the province most vulnerable to looming water shortages.

Schindler co-authored the study with W.F. Donahue, and it was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Their study indicates that water levels in the rivers of Alberta have declined 20 to 84 per cent in the last 100 years.

Waterways in central and southern Alberta have seen the biggest declines.

Schindler says Albertans get most of their water from these rivers. But, he says, it's also bad news for the Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, or anywhere else downstream, because it means a lot less water for them. He says river beds are already drying up downstream.

Alberta's environment minister, Guy Boutilier, recognizes there's a problem. He says people in Alberta will have to reduce water use by a third within the next seven years.
Boutilier says Albertans need to start turning off the taps now.

"So that 30 per cent improvement is something that I'm looking [to get] help by citizens, and also working in partnership with government."

Boutilier says he recognizes that, if water use isn't reduced, it could lead to fights between Prairie provinces as the irreplaceable resource dries up.

Schindler says Alberta should be limiting the number of industries and residents that are allowed to move there.

The report says, "Continued development [in Alberta] has caused rapid immigration from other parts of Canada and abroad, and even more rapid increases in freshwater use."
Schindler warns that the drought in the 1930s was relatively mild when looked at in historical context.

He says dry periods before that occurred several times a century, and typically lasted several decades.

He says, if climate reverts back to drier conditions and global warming continues, parts of the Prairies that are already dry will probably begin to resemble the near-desert conditions in the U.S. West.

My Bio

2006-06-29T11:30:00.000-06:00

Norm Greenfield was born in the Vancouver area and currently lives and works out of Calgary, with an urge to return to Vancouver or set up a stake in Edmonton and enjoy the new scenery.

Needless to say, he would be interested in hearing from anyone looking for an eclectic mind and collection of life experiences. He has worked and learnt in the field of corporate, marketing and political communications since the mid-70’s.

He has worked in every facet of the communications field, including with politicians, policy consulting, political policy research and development, marketing communications firms, demographic/database communications, printers, newspapers, radio and television stations, as well as photographic labs and photographers, with a brief stint with the Vancouver Coroners department while going to college.

Currently Norm is working in the media and government relations areas, as well as corporate communications, and his client base consists mainly of green technologies, organic and local farming organizations, new and digital media companies, e-learning, and social issues groups. As one of the few that will tell the world, Norm is also a Registered Federal, B.C. and N.B Government Lobbyist.

Along the walking path on between South Glenmore Park and the Glenmore Landing

2006-06-29T11:29:00.001-06:00

? Barry Erskine:

Along the walking path on between South Glenmore Park and the Glenmore Landing, about halfway, there has been a stand of trees mowed down to about two or three feet tall. It is just west of the point where when you head west from Glenmore Landing you reach the fork in the road. You can either use the lower pathway, and people are and do despite the lame attempt to keep them from, or go along the upper pathway. The stand of trees that has been mowed down is about 100 yards west of that point.

It would seem that they have been cut down for no apparent reason by the city. Can you find out why the trees needed to be mutilated like this? There are no power line, no disease in them that I could see from my many times passing them, and encroachment on the path.

If there was a loitering problem in the trees, could a culling of them have been done instead of mowing them all down?

As well there is a 10’ piece of all power pole sitting at the edge of the pathway with creosote on it. Do you know why we would leave something like that so close to the city’s water supply

Heritage Park is about to embark on an expansion project

2006-06-29T11:29:00.000-06:00

Ric McIver:

Heritage Park is about to embark on an expansion project that will cost an estimated $45,000,000. Since the park is a city entity, the citizen’s will back stop their loan, or provide the cash to the park en masse.

To that end, do you not think it is time that the appointments to these boards by city council are done in public so we can see who is spending the $45,000,000?

If not, can you explain to me why I should not be able to know why and who is being appointed to that board by the city? If I am not supposed to know, then why should they be using city taxpayer’s money for their expansion?

If the issue of their names being made public and their backgrounds, then I would like to know why I am allowed to know who you are, and know who your adversaries will be in the next civic election? The argument I get from some at city hall is that this would mean that those with the best qualifications might not put their names forward to be considered for these civic boards. By allowing me to know who you are before I vote for you, does that mean I do not get the best people to chose from for my next council member?

You spend my tax dollars, close to $2,000,000,000 of them.

Catholic School System and Gambling

2006-06-29T11:23:00.000-06:00

What I do not get is the hypocrasy of the Bishop during his current foot stomping episode over the Seperate School Board allowing Catholic schools to use proceeds from gambling to fund the extras.

Does this mean the Catholic Church and all of its various social service agencies are not getting any tax dollars for funding. If they are then some of that money is from gambling, some is from booze, and some is from corporations that manufacture arms and other material for war.

If the Catholic Church really wanted to live by its own moral code that is fine.

In this case I agree with the Bishop, but he is being hypocritical, and this more about a pissing match with Ralph Klein than the morals of the church.

If it were about morality then the church should take over the collection and imposing of taxes on their flock for the school system and raise the rest on their own, from their own flock.

Some of us are tired hearing about how moral the Catholic Church is and how much they want the government to do their bidding when they cannot get their own members to follow their doctrine. This of course is when it suits them.

They are all too ready to stand out of the way and let the government and taxpayers bail them out on issues such as the abuse of natives in the residential schools.

No label required

2006-06-29T11:19:00.000-06:00

Robert Wager may very well be right when he writesthat, 'Requiring labels for genetically modified foodswould be difficult, expensive and would offer nohealth protection for consumers.'The bigger issue here should be, whether I as ashopper should be able to know what the food I ambuying is and contains, and how it was made.If Wager is right that, 'All food products ofbiotechnology (GM food) are examined extensively,...long before the product reaches the market,' then whyhide the fact from the consumer that the food stuffthey are looking at buying is a genetically modifiedfood stuff?Unless there is something to hide?

Basement Suites "Should they be legalized?"

2006-06-29T11:17:00.000-06:00

Diane:

i thought you mike like the following in consideration of your upcoming townhall meeting on basement suites.

Currently, since there are no building codes specifically designed for Basements suites in Alberta, Municipalities have by default, been applying building codes which were originally designed for Duplexes and Apartments instead - which in most cases, means that Municipalities do not have the power to approve basement suites, since they cannot meet these codes
For some people, this is a bit of a “square peg in a round hole” type approach, which has lead to some impossibilities in terms of compliance.

For example, duplex and apartment building codes require an 8 foot ceiling, and a separate furnace in each living unit. Since most houses built decades ago, were not required back then to build 8 foot ceilings in the basement, most basement suites today have ceilings somewhat lower than 8 feet, and thus it is impossible for a homeowner to comply with this requirement (or the two furnace requirement).

Consequently, because municipalities do not have the tools in their toolbox ( appropriate building codes which would allow approval) this forces the municipality to refuse approval of the unit, even though it might be correctly zoned and a perfectly acceptable suite otherwise, and even though affordable housing is always a very big problem.

Thus, society is left with this big dilemma of the so-called illegal suites – suites which have been built without municipal approvals in place, which essentially therefore have not then been inspected and may have other safety and financial issues worrisome to all.

Should these suites be legalized? - if they can be done so in a manner which improves safety and life-and-death requirements, but reduces (or grandfathers) requirements on “nice to have” but non life-threatening issues, such as requiring an 8 foot ceiling? In other words, if we allow lower ceilings in return for requiring installation of smoke detectors, would we then allow - and could we get - homeowners to have their suites approved in a proper manner?

The approach, is to give the power to municipalities through the Provincial building codes, to be ABLE to make a decision on whether or not the suite should be allowed (once it has come to their attention), something they currently cannot do.

In return for more pragmatic conditions of approval, safety improvements WILL be required, such as smoke detectors, and windows large enought to crawl out of. However, these requirements are low-cost, and will greatly enhance safety, and thus are not seen as an impediment when compated to the alternate case. Readers should be aware that this is an extremely controversial issue. In fact, I have been warned many times over the years, that it is political suicide for me to have tackled this issue at all - first on Calgary City Council, and now at the Provincial level.

This is much too important an issue to keep sweeping it under the carpet in my opinion!

NIMBY issues (you can do it somewhere else, just Not in My Back Yard!) seem to be the biggest obstacle, the exclusionary desire to “zone” or eliminate the housing for “those” people as a roundabout way of making sure there are no undesirables in the community, who might threaten the children of the community.

Some apartment owners object and do not want the competition either……and social advocates insist the government should be building much better housing for the poor or buying them their own houses in the first place. Few jurisdictions anywhere in the world have really tackled this issue – although we all know that across North American, millions of people are probably living in such units.

It was pleasure to meet you yesterday at the Global Petroleum Show in Calgary.

2006-06-29T11:15:00.000-06:00

Doctor Oberg:

It was pleasure to meet you yesterday at the Global Petroleum Show in Calgary. As I said I am probably not in your side of the political spectrum but thought I would expand on what I discussed with you last night.

As an aside, I have to admit I am surprised at your association with Grant Doyle.

Grant is a very nice guy, but is considered to be less than that in the business world in Calgary. In fact since he managed somewhat the campaign of Belinda Stronach here in Calgary, it is even doubly ironic that you are using him for your campaign. You may find his history in Calgary to be a hurdle to your campaign. Doyle’s name and business practices are legendary here in Calgary.

I hope you got out to see many of the exhibiting companies, to get a feel for the current situation in the oil patch. Just in that tent there were many people you should have been talking to, meeting with, and getting to know.

There are many scenarios being talked about in the leadership race. One is that Dinning will win flat out on the first ballot.

The second is that he has hit the ceiling and can go no further on the second ballot and the person with the best staying power and second ballot support will come up the middle.

Who that third person is, is still unclear. It could be someone who is not in the spot light right now, or it could be a late-comer to the race. For the latter I have heard several names swirling around.

If the process is going to be one person one vote for the leader and there will be several ballot rounds done, such as the system used for the nomination race Klein was in, then the person with the best ability to muster members for the second and third ballots will be in the best place to win.

It is a benefit that the e-marketing methods in this province are state of the art and can be a significant contributor to the winning teams success. Both at the beginning of the campaign and in to the second or third ballots.

The other issue is that the research is finding the average person, is turning away from politics, politicians, and the political process. To win, you must focus on those people that are not the same group Dinning is working on, and are those that have fallen off the radar of most mainline political parties, politicians and their strategists. It is in the best

interest of these people to focus on the 50% of the people that do vote, because the represents the status quo, and no politician, political party of their strategists want to challenge the status quo, because that pushes them into an unknown territory.

My suggestion is to go where the other candidates aren’t, talk about the issues and policies that you can talk passionately about that the others aren’t, and talk to the people the other candidates are not talking to, on their territory. You will see my theory on the strategy outline I think would work best for you below at Campaign Strategy below.

Here it is, my theories on becoming the leader:

Calgary. 2
Education. 2
Health care. 2
Infrastructure. 3
Senior’s issues. 3
Ecology. 3
Rural Concerns. 4
Post secondary education: 4
High technology. 5
Business development 5
The Province and Confederation. 5
Same-sex marriage. 5
Campaign Strategy. 6
Calgary

You have three things against you in Calgary.
Education
One is the fact you were the Education Minister, and Calgary’s school system has not kept up to the growth in the city. Growth generated and encouraged by the Alberta Advantage.

As Education Minister you can rightfully be painted as the person who could have done much for building the new schools needed, and did not.
Health care
Calgarians are also concerned with the fact that our health care system has not kept up with the city’s growth either.

The solution here is more involved, but I would suggest that if you talked about a ‘health consumer,’ centered health care system you would earn more points than

focusing on the current ‘doctor or bureaucrat centered,’ system we have now. Prevention and inclusion of other alternative health care methods must be looked at as well.

There is a huge potential for savings if the province would get on with ‘smart,’ health care card. I know you have had several plans put in front of previous health ministers, to no avail.

We need to get the health care system refocused back onto the consumer and focused on the prevention model.
Infrastructure

Calgary is drowning in oil and gas money, but none of the benefits of the Alberta Advantage flows down to the city fast enough to help keep up with the demand for new or more housing and infrastructure. In fact much of the oil and gas development takes place out of many of the larger centres and flows directly to the provincial bank account. The pulp mill in Athabasca, the oil sands developments and plants near Fort McMurray, and the Lakeside processing plant, are all outside of the town limits they are next to. The towns are faced with developing new housing and facilities to house the employees but have to rely on their tax base, which does not rise as fast as the demand does.
Senior’s issues
As for the senior’s issues, I would suggest that first leadership candidate that apologizes for the poor care being provided to seniors in long term care facilities, will garner points. As well they must promise to impose all of the recommendations for a new formula for funding it, as well as a new method of making sure the seniors in the system will not be subject to abuse either through neglect or lack of care.

Any MLA that tells me they did not know some of or any of the problems brought to light recently about the conditions in certain nursing homes is either blind or a liar.
Ecology

If you are listening when you visit with your constituents, you will know that they have a concern over water.

If you are studying the health trends in Canada and Alberta you will know there are certain health concerns that are on the rise.

You will also know that the growth in Alberta is going to quickly become unsustainable especially if some of the planned population growth over the next 50 years comes to fruition.

In the youth ecology is becoming a big issue. Hence the growing number of voters voting for the Green Party both provincially and federally.

With farmers ecology is a big issue. This I saw with my own eyes with the three leader tours I organized for Jim Harris (federal Green Party of Canada leader) here in Alberta. This happened in both the big cities and small town Alberta.

Preston Manning sees the light, and it is greening fast.
Rural Concerns
Your rural friends, who earn their living from the land, are tired of how they are treated in the energy pie. Their land and their place in the process of this province getting the oil and gas to market is a disgrace and they are increasingly getting riled up.

Land surface rights are a problem in this province.

The use of water by the energy industry at a cost that is close to if not free is another agitator.

Coal Methane gas will be a problem to rural Alberta as it will make certain land holdings worthless after the farmer decides to sell or retire.

Help to develop a local organic and farm gate agricultural industry.

Help to diversify the agribusiness into new markets, and new value added processes.
Post secondary education:
In regards to post secondary education my daughter had an interesting point of view over the idea of funding students at university. She is working towards a medical degree and figures it would make more sense if the provincial government would start to reward her for her marks in her first and second years, by refunding or rebating her tuition over her third and fourth years. She figures this sort of system would reward the students who really deserve the reward, and help weed out the students that really do not want to be at university.

We need to create an aggressive program for the provincial government to fund completely the education of certain PhD candidates if they move to Alberta, in select disciplines other than that energy. This way we can diversify not only our research community but also watch the spin off benefits flow out into the province.

High technology
The province needs to create special high technology zones in the major centres other than Calgary and Edmonton, with investment tax treatments, provincial infrastructure investment, and such things.

Currently our government’s efforts are directed too much on the energy sectors, and the two major urban centres when looking at the high technology industry.
Business development
As for business development, I personally favour a policy that encourages high technology industries to locate in centres other than the two major centres. It will help to keep the local high technology students in their hometowns, and help to rejuvenate and diversify the smaller centres away from the agribusiness and oil and gas sectors. A cap put on the amount of development of the oil sands will help as well. The oil sands are driving the provinces inflation and worker shortages. The oil will be there today, tomorrow, and long into the future so developing it now, for the sake of short term gain and pain, does not make sense.

The heated demand on everything in the province is driving up the cost of housing, creating labour shortages in other sectors of the province’s economy, and just not a smart industrial development strategy.
The Province and Confederation
A premier that sees by working with the other provinces within confederation will see that the other provinces can be the solution to our worker shortage. It is their trades training programs that we will benefit from, not by choking them off through the equalization system. Alberta does not need in to import workers from outside of Canada; it needs to work with both the other provinces and the federal government to solve the worker mobility problems within Canada.

I personally believe that the province is in a place in its history that we can put the effort and actions behind the empty rhetoric about diversifying our economic base, and start processing and adding value to what we seem want to ship elsewhere. Why shouldn’t our farmers be encouraged to process their own beef or grain here in Alberta? We saw the problems caused by the BSE situation with one major market buying most of our beef from only two or three processing plants in the recent few years.
Same-sex marriage
As far as the same-sex marriage thing, it can be fixed without new laws or regulations. It can be solved tomorrow. The religious leaders have to get out of the business of issuing marriage licenses.

No license-issuing agent can refuse to issue a license or other government document, if it is something the government has legislated. If you allow one license agent to refuse to

issue a legislated government document, then you set a dangerous precedent. It means any judge, police officer, or enforcement officer is now allowed to enforce the law as their religion or personal beliefs determine. That means you are endorsing a theocracy,
Campaign Strategy
As for getting your message out, don’t rely on the main line media, as they do not command the majority of the eyes, ears, and minds of Calgarians. Which could is the 70% of the people who did not vote in the last election, provincial or federal.

If you are looking for union support you should be taking a strong look at the Teamsters Union. From previous work with them on the federal stage, the Teamsters local here in Calgary influences all of the unions, especially the trade and public sector unions. It will not be for the politicians faint of heart, and to build these sorts of coalitions you will need people who see past the initial façade of the groups and see who they can bring to you.

While the co-chair of Joe Clark’s Election Readiness Committee in Calgary Centre in 2000, as well as sitting on the board of directors of the Calgary Southwest P.C. riding how effective joining in forces with groups like the Mormons can be for political gain.

Jim Dinning is doing much of the same thing, but with the old guard is missing an entire demographic in his leadership campaign. He has many of Klein’s organizers on his team, and they are following that path in their strategy.

Go electronic and go direct/database E-marketing.

Remember that Ralph Klein became Premier with about 25% of the eligible voter in this province. That means 75% of Albertan’s did not vote for him, and 50% of the eligible voters did not show up to vote at all. Close to 80% of the younger voter, 18 – 35 did not show up to vote. The major media are having the same success in bringing in those same people. You need to go where the non-voter is and talk to them about their issues, not yours. You need to show those non-voters you have your own ideas, and want to hear about them, and show you are open to altering your position.

There is no reason that with the right thinking and creative thinking that Alberta could not be the centre of a discovery of a cure for many of the cancers found today, and why we can not be the province to lead the way in fixing the environmental issues that are starting to grow.

You need to come out with good, big, and innovative ideas. Then you can grab hold of the agenda's rudder. Don’t follow Dinning; lead him into your agenda. Show the province that being outside of the government for too many years can be detrimental.

There is no reason that Alberta cannot be a world leader and centre for many things.

There is no reason why Alberta cannot be the province to lead Canada back on to it previous spot on the world stage.

As far as working on your campaign, I couldn’t do it for free, nor could I work on it while you have Grant Doyle there. You would also have to accept the fact I am a member of the United Church of Canada and not a conservative or born again Christian, albeit I am a committed in my faith and do try to follow the path that Christ would want me to.

Thank you

Norman Greenfield
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
403-807-1251

Re: Daily Digest June 24, 2006

2006-06-29T11:13:00.001-06:00

So Harper thinks the debate over the use of the word nation by Quebec is purely a 'semantic debate,'? So what does that mean when he uses the word nation or nations when he refers to our First Nation's people?

Bishop Henry is Right

2006-06-29T11:13:00.000-06:00

Gambling or any sin is either right or wrong in your religious teachings.

Either your religion has a doctrine and is going to stand and live by, or it is not.

If some do and some don't, and the leaders of the religion say nothing, then what are they a leader of?

Bishop Henry is right to put his foot down and draw a line in the sand.

On the other hand if his church doctrine says no to gambling, then it also must be ready to step up to the plate for the money that is raised via gambling for the schools involved.

Living up to your religion's expectations and doctrine is not easy and it comes with some cost.

The World of Trellisses and Arbors (Arbours)

2006-06-29T11:12:00.000-06:00

Further to my suggestion of what might be possible on your back balcony.

The word I was looking for to call what I was trying to tell you is an arbor, or some call it a trellis.

Basically what you are doing is building a structure out of wood (preferrable red cedar or regular cedar, untreated of course) that lets in indirect sunshine, and some direct early day sunshine, but keeps out the really strong direct high noon and mid-afternoon sun shine.

It also provides you with a structure that you can grow creeping vines, train other plants to grow along so that when they leaf out, they also provide some added shade from the sun. It also can provide some cooling affects too, when the plants mature.

Yes, there are grape vines that will grow there. Some if not most are just ornamental, but there is one variety that will produce grapes that can be used in jelly or wine. You also grow something like currents, raspberries, strawberries, snow peas, peppers, or a variety of patio or roma tomatoes as well.

Sort of like a, 'Ms Ellie's Garden.'

You could put the right combination of plants in it that would bring butterflies and such that would also help your yard of flowers (weeds) as well. How this works would be explained in your medical text books on the subject of the birds and the bees. There are also bat houses you can build and put in your arbor that will attract the very small bats who eat pounds and pounds of bugs.

With the right combination of plants and herbs, you can also minimize the bugs and pests you will get too. Organically.

There are other ways of building an arbor that do not entail the cedar lumber, but need a bit more work and inegnuity. You can use twigs and small dimensional trees that are laying on the forest floor, or you can use bamboo stems. This method entails lashing them with natural string, and being a bit more of an architect than I am. You basically would be using the methods to build this way that were used in building a teepee.I have built chairs, tables and baskets from them, but that is about it.

Another way would be to look at installing bent iron structures such as hanging baskets and put plants in them that will grow large and bushy. This might include sweet peas and such. Then you run into the problem that sweet peas do emit a fairly strong sent espeically at night. It is natural, but might be too much for you.

The cedar wood will be fragrant too, and if you get the untreated wood, (which you must if you are an evnironmentalist) it will be a natural smell.

Cedar is a smell I love to smell, but it might be too strong for you.

Anyways, there is a book/magazine on this subject that Rona sells in their project resource centre.

You could make your patio into a very nice little ecosystem with the right planning and methods. And a lovely source of some natural food and herbs.

Klein's exit hands Libs rare opportunity

2006-05-23T11:16:00.000-06:00

Alberta politics is a strange duck.

So is the game of politics in Alberta.

The opposition parties stand with that look of righteous indignation shaking their fingers at the Tories for their latest outrage.

The current band of merry men trying to get their hands on Ralph's throne are the very ones that could have put in place the very democratic reforms, or environmental protections that they are now speaking of in the thirst for power.

What the opposition provides is just the words. As was shown in the last election King Ralph won and they did not.

It seems that the people of Alberta are provided with no real alternative to King Ralph.

If they were, and it was one of the two traditional opposition parties, then they would be bigger and even stand a chance to challenge ralph Klein's lack of democracy and interest in anything other than touring the province and world on his 'farewell tour.'

It would be interesting to see how well Albertan's take to the Liberal's "Alberta Horizons" campaign, since they did not take to the Liberals in any large way during the last election or any of the previous elections since the one Ralph won as Premier.

What is lacking on both sides of the floor in the Legislature is vision.

The Conservatives have none, and the Liberals and NDP have a vision of the world by way of a rear view mirror that does not stray too far from the old idea of throwing more money at the problems.

Thank you

Norm Greenfield

This week's question

2006-05-18T10:57:00.000-06:00

Considering you have your wife for life, it is in your best interest to do as she has asked, and to support her. You did take vows to be blissfully married to her, through thick and thin, and all that.

Your own history with the company will not compare to the future you have with your wife, if you do not support her in this endeavour.

I am sure if the spat you had with your boss was that big of a thing your spouse would have heard, and would have thought better of having you along with them at the company gala event. Obviously if they know of the spat, they don't see a problem, or the spat is a bigger thing in your mind than in reality.

Suck it up, button your mouth and go support your spouse.

You can assuage you ill feelings about my former employer, by eating expensive food, drinking fancy liquor, and enjoying yourself at their expense. It will be cheap therapy to help you get over it.

Thank youNorm Greenfield

Pte. Robert Costall

2006-05-18T10:56:00.000-06:00

Saw this in the Globe and Mail's letters section today and just had to comment:

Can we please stop calling it "friendly fire", asks Lawrence Martin. What's so congenial about it? Killing one of your own is a lot of things. It is negligent, careless, reprehensible, reckless and quite likely idiotic. Since when is it friendly?
Although it is sad a Canadian soldier, Pte. Robert Costall, died in a battle we have to remember he was in a dangerous situation. We also have to remember that friendly fire deaths are not uncommon. War, peace making, and beating off a Taliban night attack does not go like they do in Hollywood. There are no second chances, and there are no directors to tell the soldiers what is going to happen in the next scene.

Death by friendly fire is not new, and will not stop until either we stop sending our soldiers to war, or start to fight war by way of video games.

Pte. Robert Costall was killed along with an American soldier and eight Afghan soldiers as coalition forces beat off a Taliban night attack at a forward operating base near Kandahar. It is more than likely the unit was ambushed on two sides, or moved in between two factions fighting each other and were caught in cross fire.

No, Pte. Robert Costall's death is not something we should be pleased with, but we should not spend hours of second guessing or LazyBoy quarterbacking about the situation.

It is not new, and Pte. Robert Costall will not be the last Canadian soldier to die from friendly fire.
Thank youNorm GreenfieldCalgary, Albertawww.provocostatusquo.com

Shut down of the Red Mile debate

2006-05-18T10:54:00.000-06:00

The Red Mile should go ahead. In keeping with Bronco's user pay intitiative with the building industry, I am sure the bars and Flames owners will pony up the dough for the reported 300 police officers that are going to be put to work for the event.

If the various concerts and festivals must pay for police, a rate ($80 per hour per officer) and number determined by City Hall that is non-negotiable, I am sure this will not create a precedent.

300 officers for an eight hour shift at this rate would be $192,000 per day they are needed.

No one can tell me that the city brings in that much extra in taxes.

The city gets nothing of the sales tax on the booze, nor do they get any of the income tax paid by the bar owners either to either the provincial or federal government.

Ken King's Flames pay nothing to the city from the increase in ticket prices to the city. If he does not want to pay for the police, then maybe the taxpayers don't want to also pay for this new arena.

The taxpayer already paid for the first one.
Thank youNorm Greenfield

Calgary Soo - Beluga Whales

2006-05-18T10:51:00.000-06:00

The story and quote attiributed to the head of the Clagary Zoo on the inclusion of Beluga whales in the new and extravagant addition to the Calgary Zoo is ludicrous.

Who would think that an animal that spends its life roaming the Arctic Ocean would consider living in a phone booth as living in the, 'most natural setting?'

If the zoo boss, council members, MLA's, and corporate sponsors who will be asked to support this idea all think it is a good idea, then they should be made to live in a telephone booth for a year. That means eating, sleeping, urinating, deficating, breathing, and procreating in that confined space.

I would like to know how anyone would consider this humane, good research, and something they would do to themselves or their own pets.

We as a province and city have laws on the methods people can keep and treat their animals, either in their conditions or confinement, which we have enforced against citizens in the past.

Why do we think that some whale should be exempt, purely to feed the ego of a misdirected bureaucrat?

If in fact this addition of a whale to the zoo is for public information and education, then why doesn't the zoo take people to the Arctic and study the whale in their natural habitat.

Researchers would not study humans kept confined in a phone boots and consider the data useful for anything more than the lining of a birdcage.

We have better things to spend our money on.
Thank youNorm Greenfield

How to Stop Your Woman from Bitching

2006-05-18T10:48:00.000-06:00

As you probably know, communication failure is one of the leading factors contributing to relationship destruction, in our society.

There’s only one way to avoid ending up a statistic.

Have you ever tried speaking a language that you never knew existed? If you’re a man, and you’re in a relationship, you’ve already been doing it. Well, at least, you’ve been ‘attempting’ to make heads or tails of this curious lingo. According to many of the experts, women speak in a different format than men. Some studies suggest that females use something called ‘cryptic talk’ instead of ‘direct’ communications, once they're in a relationship. The unfortunate part about this, is most men can't decipher this language. So, how are men supposed to know what their mates are trying to say, if women don’t speak direct? Do we really need a communication translator in order for both genders to comprehend each other? If so, one doesn’t exist, yet…well, at least, not one that plugs into a wall, or uses batteries.

So, how can men and women cohabitate together, peaceably, if they can’t even understand what each other is saying? There's only one way to avoid becoming a statistic. Learn each other's language! Enter the new translator, ‘How to Stop Your Woman from Bitching -- A Man’s Complete Guide to Understanding Women,’ available on http://www.cyberread.comFortunately, thanks to thousands of women who were anxious to enlighten the opposite sex about the inner workings of the female brain, men can finally understand the mysterious language women use. Even better, the male population no longer has to guess how to respond appropriately to the plethora of comments, tests and questions, women tend to toss their way. The book demystifies the cryptic language, for the male population.

According to the author, Rana Adamchick, and founder of www.getogethersafe.com -- a premier online dating site, “Most men usually end up feeling stumped, shortly after a relationship gets past the infatuation stage. This is due to the variance in the way the two genders speak. In other words, men simply can’t figure out what their female counterparts are trying to say. It’s no wonder, many relationships are doomed before they even get off the ground, and why the divorce ratio is so high." Ms. Adamchick explained that "Women tend to speak in this ‘cryptic’ language, to avoid arguments with their significant other. However, it seems the language is an inaudible format to the male species. For some reason, the way a woman puts her words together, just doesn’t register inside a man's brain. That could very well be, the main reason, a breakdown of communication occurs and the relationship comes to a screeching halt.

After all, who wants to listen to something they can’t understand?” In addition, participants of the author’s dating site tested out the translations in the book, in order to find out if they actually worked, in real life situations. Repeatedly, test subjects returned with excellent results. Look

Ma, no more arguing! To make life even easier, the author created the book using a dictionary type of format. Thus, men can reference the material, when a particular dilemma presents itself. So, now, if you’re a man (or a woman who wants her mate to understand what she’s saying,) there is help. Yes, you can finally avoid the pitfalls that could lead to relationship stress, a night on the couch, or even a divorce!

Fair Vote Forum

2006-05-18T10:45:00.000-06:00

First of all, I have not said anywhere I don't think or never thought the Green Party can't become a force in the House of Commons with MP's sitting there. If it were the contrary I would not have put so much effort into the last two leadership tours of Alberta. Nor helped Mark to make sure there was a full slate of candidates in Southern Alberta.

I am not disputing the fact anything is possible, and I am also not disputing the fact that these changes will happen. In fact I worked with Joe Clark on several projects and speachs outlining his visions and views on changing the way things need to be done in Ottawa. This is something he saw in 1975 when I first met him and started to work with him on.

If you talk to anyone in Alberta that I have spoken to or helped organize in the Green Party, you will find I had an expectation we would have the first Green Party MP elected here in Alberta. With the right choice of a new leader, the Green Party could very well make a difference in the next election to the point of electing three or four MP's who might well hold the balance of power in a pizza parliament.

The key to it will be to motivate and mobilize the voters that are not voting, and the 18 to 35 year old voters. Whether or not the political system is changed or not. The only way to make concrete change in the system is to get people on the inside with the vision and stamina to get the changes put through and adopted by law.

The fall of the Berlin wall was predictable.

Check out the governments that have adopted PR in Europe where the Green Party is sitting as members of a parliament. You can do a google search on the subject. All of the provincial democratic reform commissions currently running in Canada, have identified this issue as one that needs to be looked at and whether lowering the threshold from 5% to 4% will help or hinder the democratic process. There is an interesting book on the subject called 'Strengthing Canadian Democracy,' published by the Institute for Research on Public Policy.

What must be a part of this whole situation is to promote the need for people to get out to vote instead of sitting at home, despite the fact the system is wieghted against their votes. The only way to get the changes we want to the system to show the politicians that there is a ground swell of voters that want real change and those same votes do show up at the polls. There is a need to motivate the young voters that this process of changing the way politics is being done is one that needs work on several fronts and it is not just one thing that needs to be changed.

None of the steps are hard to do, but they do need to be taken.

Sense of Humour

2006-05-18T10:44:00.000-06:00

I have read and reread the messages I have sent you and cannot find anything in them, except for my eclectic and unique sense of humour, as to why you have anything to fear. The inference or words you might have thought you read or heard in them might be over-reacting in my opinion.

In respect to the comments you made to me while leaving our brunch a couple of weeks ago, I don't see the reason for the fear they seem to have grown in you. It is much like sitting at brunch or on the phone listening to a particular female comment on the men walking around her. It is just something that is part of the make up of the person and is either accepted or ignored. At some point it will lead to not being around that person if it becomes something that is unacceptable. I won't try to change them as that is them.

My sense of humour is me, and mine alone. It is something that has been honed, formed, and shaped over the past 48 years and is unlikely to change much. It is something that contributes to my work and allows me to protect myself and remain sane from the world around me.

If one wanted to they can read worries and concerns about anything into everything. It takes up a lot of needless energy but it can be done.

So to what I believe are your unfounded concerns, I say stop.

They are just that, and my sense of humour is just that.

The remarks on your red skirt (dress) or not, was in reaction or a remark based on something you had said a while back and had no hidden meaning to it. It was a complement, maybe in a backhanded way, that you look good in that skirt. Whether you in that skirt, would incite me to rape or assault you, or to look upon you in some demeaning way, or in someway other than being an intelligent and intriguing female, may be a figment of your fertile imagination.

I have managed to contain my animal lust for 48 years without having to resort to rape or assault.

Do I find you an attractive female? Yes.

Do I find your mind and its various levels attractive? Yes.

Other than that, there is not much more.

Yes, there is a physical attraction to you, because you are a physically attractive female. There is, though, nothing to worry about.

I have many females friends and acquaintances I work and play with, that I am attracted to in a mental and or physical way. They on the other hand have no fears of me to the point where they trust me explicitly. Despite my sense of humour.

That being said, some are friends of mine and we are both suppliers of the benefits each of us desire without the ties or strings attached. Nothing is taken all is given freely.

I have had females over for dinner parties who have gotten too drunk to drive home who have spent the night in the second bedroom with no fears.

So I guess we are at a cross roads here, and it will mean whatever I write is going to be under a magnifying glass.

It makes it kind of difficult to figure out what I can say, when people see what is not in something I write and allow fear to creep in between myself and them.

Norm

Letters To The Editor - Press Gallery Hissy Fit

2006-05-18T10:43:00.000-06:00

Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2006 2:46 PMSubject: Letters To The Editor - Press Gallery Hissy Fit
What is a fact, is that most Canadians could not care less what in the current Ottawa Press Gallery's Hissy and Whining Fit is about, and are showing this by not reading, listening to, or watching 90% of what comes from their lips, typewriters and vocal chords.

It is rather amusing that at the same time the Press Gallery is having its hissy fit about having their lazy 'pack journalism,' access to the cabinet members as they walk out of the cabinet, there has been a decade long drop in voter interest and turnout, and a growing lack of interest in the, 'old grey mass media outlets,' as a source for Canadians political information or news of any kind for that matter.

Maybe it is time for the Press Gallery members to actually go out and dig up real news, and to dig up sources that can help the journalists to explain to us the Canadian voting public the background to what is going on in Ottawa, and how it affects me here in my home and at work.

All those that can say that a reporter like Mike Duffy can't use the exercise raise their hands.

It might be an idea to move the Press Gallery offices to the basement of the Parliament Building. Then they could sell tickets to the Parliament's New Wine Cellar.

Thank you
Norman Greenfield

Kill Bill 208

2006-05-18T10:42:00.000-06:00

Bill 208 is nothing more than Ted Morton appealing to the intolerant right wing of the Alberta supposedly Progressive Conservative Party for his leadership bid. It is settling to the lowest point of politics, and not trying to raise the bar of politics and democracy in this province.

It is crass.

It is small minded.

It is also something that if the Premier wants to leave a lasting positive legacy, will, can and should be killed in the caucus room.

Ted Morton would be better off to ask all of the religious leaders in the province to stop issuing marriage licenses and keep to their own religious marriage rites and ceremonies. That way they need not deal in the area's of the law they do not agree with in regards to same sex marriage.

It also makes one wonder while Ted Morton is working as an MLA, runing in the leadership race, and coming up with this sort of tripe in Kill Bill 208, if he is also still pulling in his salary from the University of Calgary.

Thank you
Norman Greenfield

The Family Guy

2006-05-18T10:40:00.000-06:00

Subject: The Family Guy
Paul Brent does a good job in his article titled, ' The Family Guy,' outlining the obivous dumbing down of the male in advertising and marekting.

He does not point out some obvious other truths to the equasion. Or maybe he does not want to face reality. Or maybe he is afraid to.

The fact of the matter it is the, 'white' dumb Dad that has become the foil in either sitcoms or advertising.

The advertising industry would be falling all over itself to fix commercials, promotions, or marketing material if they portrayed any other identifiable group in Canada, even before the rath of the avenged minority group began.

They will not do the same for the white male.

Keeping in mind that the white male represents less than 50% of the voters showing up to vote, and to buy.

The worst it seems today is either the idiot they have on the new Canadian Tire commercials or the idiots they have in the advertising for erectile dysfunction drugs.

All you have to do is weigh the volume of money that is raised and spent for breast cancer research and prevention against the amount of money raised and spent in the area of Prostate Cancer to find out that Adult men, and in particular fathers, really have gone, have gone from ' hero to zero .'

Maybe men should take this upcoming fathers' day and stop shopping or doing business with those companies that are the offenders.
Thank you

Norman Greenfield

Election After Math

2006-05-18T10:38:00.000-06:00

The election polling industry in this country is nothing more than cheap fodder for the news sections of the country's newspapers, radio and television news departments.
Instead of examining the issues, talking to the people on the street, or grilling the favourite candidates of the news organizations in question, you get cut and paste journalism.
The election coverage should really be put in the sports section as it is now just the reporting of a horse race.

Polling now, is not representative of much more than the people who were either unfortunate enough to pick up the phone when a telephone solicitor calls, or are lonely and speak english. Having a heart beat is an option.

Think about it.

The pollster asks a simple question or set of questions to an issue as important and difficult to answer or figure out as solutions to our health care system, our national unity, education, or the environment. These are questions that our elected leaders down the ages have not been able to easily solve.

It leaves out those that have only a wireless cell phone, aren't home because they are out working, going to school or clubbing, and those that don't speak english.

If the phone call comes during the day, it leaves out those that work during the day. If it comes at supper-time, you get people giving answers quick and not thought out, so they can get back to their Kraft Dinner while it is still hot.

How can a poll of 1,500 randomly selected people, give any sort of snap shot of opinion of a country of 35,000,000, stretching from sea to sea, to sea? It can't. The polling company does not spend anytime doing any sort of demographic clustering so they get a sampling of the proper make up of Canada.

How can polling be accurate when it does not call back the same people from week to week, to track their opinions and how they might have changed? What issues made them change their minds, or solidify their choices?

How can a poll be reported on without reporting the number of undecided, or the number of people who just aren't going to vote, or their reasons for not voting or for being undecided?

Would it not be interesting to find out what it would take to get those people who aren't going to vote, back into the voting booth?

Keep in mind that the people doing the telephoning get paid for the most part by the number of completed surveys. Not by the quality nor the following of good statistical best practices.

The polling industry has only been masterfull in dousing any sort of vision our politicians may have for Canada in the future, because of the addiction they have built in their users for the false sense of security put in the polling results.

Thank you Norm Greenfield

Liberal Leadership Race

2006-05-04T11:26:00.002-06:00

Sent: Monday, May 01, 2006
To: Ottawa Citizen
Subject: Liberal Leadership Race

Since it looks like the Liberal Party has not learned much from its most recent past and is content to have nothing but white middle aged men from Toronto running for the leadership, by and large, what will make the other stand out from the crowd?

Could it be the first to offer an apology to the Canadian people for the recent scandal, bad government, disrespect for the Canadian voter and tax payer, the inertia of 12 years of Liberal Government, combined with the brilliant plan of trying to buy the votes of Quebec residents through organized crime?

A party that insists on looking inside the GTA for its next leader, and not look across Canada for fresh blood from the outside will be mean a continued future in the hinterland of Canadian politics. It will be much like, 'death by incest.'

Thank you

Norman Greenfield

Election After Math

2006-04-04T15:30:00.000-06:00

The election polling industry in this country is nothing more than cheap fodder for the news sections of the country's newspapers, radio and television news departments.

Instead of examining the issues, talking to the people on the street, or grilling the favourite candidates of the news organizations in question, you get cut and paste journalism.

The election coverage should really be put in the sports section as it is now just the reporting of a horse race.

Polling now, is not representative of much more than the people who were either unfortunate enough to pick up the phone when a telephone solicitor calls, or are lonely and speak english. Having a heart beat is an option.

Think about it.

The pollster asks a simple question or set of questions to an issue as important and difficult to answer or figure out as solutions to our health care system, our national unity, education, or the environment. These are questions that our elected leaders down the ages have not been able to easily solve.

It leaves out those that have only a wireless cell phone, aren't home because they are out working, going to school or clubbing, and those that don't speak english.

If the phone call comes during the day, it leaves out those that work during the day. If it comes at supper-time, you get people giving answers quick and not thought out, so they can get back to their Kraft Dinner while it is still hot.

How can a poll of 1,500 randomly selected people, give any sort of snap shot of opinion of a country of 35,000,000, stretching from sea to sea, to sea? It can't. The polling company does not spend anytime doing any sort of demographic clustering so they get a sampling of the proper make up of Canada.

How can polling be accurate when it does not call back the same people from week to week, to track their opinions and how they might have changed? What issues made them change their minds, or solidify their choices?

How can a poll be reported on without reporting the number of undecided, or the number of people who just aren't going to vote, or their reasons for not voting or for being undecided? Would it not be interesting to find out what it would take to get those people who aren't going to vote, back into the voting booth?

Keep in mind that the people doing the telephoning get paid for the most part by the number of completed surveys. Not by the quality nor the following of good statistical best practices.

The polling industry has only been masterfull in dousing any sort of vision our politicians may have for Canada in the future, because of the addiction they have built in their users for the false sense of security put in the polling results.

Thank you

Norm Greenfield

RE: CanadianAlly http://www.canadianally.com

2006-04-01T18:23:00.000-07:00

Joe:

I think it is time we brag a little about what Canada has done in conjunction with, or on our own in either the war on terror, or in other areas of concern in the world. Many, with out the help or interest of the American Armed Forces or the American peopleor media.

If you take a look at the recent events that have happened with our troops in Afghanistan alone, the American media does not notice, does not care, nor reports on them.

I get immediate newsers from Canadian Press and watch CNN for anything about them. Nothing.

Taking the word to the people in Washington DC is a step in the right direction.

Making sure the American media are reporting on these issues, and spends more time on just how good of a neighbour we really are, and that we are helping them secure the border, as best we can. The leaks and holes in the border and homeland security are more of a cause due to the American's not spending their money wisely.

As for the report this past week on the amount of dope crossing the border and that it is fueling or could be fueling either organized crime or terrorism is a laugh. Drugs are how the Americans fuel friends in Columbia, and funded the war in Serbia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and Vietnam. They have a long track record of using drugs to fund the CIA's work to install puppets and it backfiring against them.

It is rather interesting that the Al Queda's fight against the US in Iraq and Afghanistan is funded by the opium crops that make heroin to sell on the streets of New York and L.A.

Canada has nothing to be ashamed of, and much to be proud when it comes to the work our military does in the world now, in the past and will do in the future. We need to tell their stories better, to both Canadians and the world.

The military must get out of their current mindset in the way they talk to Canadians about what they do, and start taking thier stories to the streets and schools.

Norm

Alberta Green Party - Costing of Policies or Program Ideas

2006-03-26T15:46:00.000-07:00

Alberta Green Party Costing of Policies or Program Ideas

One thing that concerns me when a government or opposition party attempts to cost out a plan is that they use nefarious mathematics to do so.

One group will use math to prove the immediate benefits, while only including the immediate and upfront costs to a program or policy idea.

As the Alberta Green Party we have pledged to uses the Triple Bottom Line in our governing. This also must include a long range plan that looks 10 years into the future and provides that as background information to all plans, ideas, programs, or policies.

Just as in the environment, sometimes the expenditure or support of an idea through the tax system by a government has an affect that is more like dominoes, with affects felt far down the line.

An example of this might be the royalty holiday the Alberta Government gives the energy companies involved in the Oil Sands development. There is also a very good tax treatment by the federal government on the investments that the oil companies are making, and there will be money from both the Federal and Provincial governments awarded to the companies involved in the building of the MacKenzie Pipeline project.

If we take a look at the lowly pipefitter, we can see what I am talking about. A ticketed and experienced pipefitter here in Calgary can garner about $25.00 - $40.00 hour with benefits with an employer. A pipefitter works on both commercial and residential construction putting the pipes in that carry the hot water heat, natural gas, and water in and around a building. This includes homes, apartment building, commercial buildings, hospitals and schools.

Right now a pipefitter is in huge demand in the oil sands and can earn up to $80.00 per hour plus benefits over and above than what they can earn here in Calgary or Edmonton.

That means the contractor here in Calgary or Edmonton must increase their bids to the local authorities and general contractors building our homes, apartment building, commercial buildings, hospitals and schools. This increases the costs in Calgary, Edmonton, or Lethbridge not only to the private sector but to government services as well.

This means that not only do the tax payer give up revenue to the oil and gas companies involved in the oil sands development, we face increased costs on the building our infrastructure as well.

That is why we need to include what I call, the domino costs, of public policies.

We also need to as a party establish a realistic, modern, well funded, and futuristic employment planning and development ministry that will take a world-wide view of what a policy, program, or plan that a government in Alberta might want to implement will have.

Currently we are facing an employment shortage in many of the trades, and will continue too, when the oil and gas industry comes to maturation on the east coast of Canada, and the various huge pipeline projects take shape in Northern Canada, Asia, and Russia.

Are we investing the money we need in our various post-secondary institutions to meet this demand, and are we as a province attracting the kind of immigrants we need to help fill these positions, and become real, contributing members of Alberta society, and not just visiting workers?

As a Party we need to be willing to cost a project, plan or policy both as something the private sector could provide or do, or something the public sector should do.

We need to look at what exactly are the recoverable costs of an industry being attracted or, lured to Alberta to set up.

In the incident of the Alberta Pacific (AlPac) pulp and paper mill in Athabasca, the question as to whether the company is paying the true costs of what it consumes in its taxes, and to whom they pay that.

In AlPacs case they pay their property taxes to the province through the county. The town of Athabasca is shouldered with the costs of increasing and improving its infrastructure to accommodate the influx of people to staff the mill. Without the access to the steady income stream of the property tax of the mill. They must go cap in hand to the province for a grant. The town also has the major highway running right through it that the logging trucks take to the mill, and many trucks on their way to Fort MacMurray take.

The town of Athabasca gets little or no benefit of the gas or tire tax, or the road taxes commercial trucks pay to the provincial government. They must go to the province for an annual grant for the highway upkeep that runs with in their town borders. This includes fire and rescue, wear and tear on the local business district the trucks impose as they drive through, as well as town owned pools, libraries, and leisure centres.

It again is a domino cost imposed on the town, caused by a tax holiday and incentive package offered to the owners of the mill by the provincial government.

When the two pipeline projects that are on the horizons for Alberta and northern Canada are started, what will that do to the already hype-hot steel market in Canada and North America. The current rising costs in steel are currently contributing to the increases in the cost of public infrastructure building costs now.

Norm

FW: 100364KCMM

2006-03-26T14:45:00.001-07:00

To: Henry Goldbeck
Subject: RE: 100364KCMM

I would like to know why you kept my information on any database without my permission? It is not legal to do that. How much of the rest of the information on your database is similar in its roots? Any and all of the information you have gained this way is tainted, and any of your clients that you use the information in order to fill their positions, should be warned.

You spend a lot of time putting that new popular silly disclaimer at the bottom of your e-mails, why not spend a simlar amount of time in bringing your personal information privacy procedures up to the 21st Century?

I guess the other question should be, with my last name being Greenfield, and I assume you have read my resume, tell me why I would be the least big qualified for the position in the newsletter?

I assume it is because you did not read my resume and were purely harvesting resumes so you can make your database look large to your potential clients.

What a sillly way to do business.

-----Original Message-----
From: Henry Goldbeck [mailto:HenryG@goldbeck.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 10:49 AM
Subject: RE: 100364KCMM

Dear Norman, We have deleted your resume and all of your contact info from our database. We have never provided your information to any person or organization. We merely sent you a newsletter regarding positions available. As you had been looking for employment we thought you may have been interested. I regret that this has upset you. There is nothing else we can really do here other than promise to never contact you again. If you choose to pursue this through any of the relevant authorities then that is your prerogative and I guess we will hear from them in due course. Good luck in your career search.

Regards

H e n r y E. G o l d b e c k, CPC
President, Goldbeck Recruiting Inc.
510 - 475 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC, V6B 4M9, Canada
Phone. 604.684.1428 x 102
Toll Free. 877.684.1428
Fax. 604.684.1429

To: Karen Chan; Henry Goldbeck
Subject: FW: 100364KCMM

I assume by your silence to my message below that I am to file a complaint with the Priacy Commissioner?

-----Original Message-----

Subject: RE: 100364KCMM

I know I sent you my resume. For a specific position. Not to be put on or in any sort of database. It is illegal to do this, without asking permission. Permission is not given purely by someone sending you the information. It is also a waste of the time of the recipients to send them spam for positions that bare no resemblence to their backgrounds. Both point to your organization as being very unprofessional at the least.

Past of my lobbying work was with both the Federal, Alberta, and BC government on the privacy legislation.

You should not be accumulating person information this way.

-----Original Message-----
From: Karen Chan
Sent: Friday, March 03, 2006 6:33 PM

Cc: Henry Goldbeck
Subject: FW: 100364KCMM

Hi Norm.

For your information, you submitted your resume to Goldbeck Recruiting on February 12, 2006. Please see below message you sent to me.

Please kindly note that your email is now removed permanently from our database as per your request.

-----Original Message-----

Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2006 4:28 PM
To: Karen Chan
Subject: 100364KCMM

Please find attached a copy of my resume. My background covers all facets of corporate and marketing communications with a good grounding in the real estate industry.

Norm Greenfield

K a r e n C h a n, CPC, MA, BComm
Senior Associate, Goldbeck Recruiting Inc
Suite 510, 475 West Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC, V6B 4M9, Canada
Phone. 604.684.1428 x 104
Fax. 604.684.1429
Toll Free. 877.684.1428

Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2006 10:39 PM
To: Karen Chan
Subject: ****SPAM**** Re: Goldbeck Job Alert v1025 CA

Karen:

Can you tell me where you got my e-mail address from? Can you tell me how the jobs below meet anything in the copy of my resume you illegally put on your database? Can you tell me where to address the carbon copy of my complaint to both the federal and BC privacy commission?

Why The Canadian Myopia on Port Deal in USA?

2006-03-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

Subject: Why The Canadian Myopia on Port Deal in USA?

Here is an editorial from the Vancouver Sun, published February 28, 2006. Are we that servile to anything that Bush does we will not question this from a Canadian perspective?

' While there are serious concerns about the threat of terrorist attacks involving ports, including our own in Vancouver, they have been submerged in this case by political posturing for mid-term congressional elections and jingoistic paranoia.

The company at the centre of the storm, P&O Ports, also leases a container terminal at the Port of Vancouver through a subsidiary, P&O Ports Canada. P&O Ports is being taken over by Dubai Ports World, which is controlled by part of the government of the United Arab Emirates. '

Why are the Canadian media missing the Canadian connection in the sale of the US ports to a foreign government. The company selling the US ports to the Dubai government controlled and owned company is including container facilities in Canada in the deal.

Should Canada be in this discussion?

Has anyone asked our new Prime Minister if he will march lock step with President Bush in this matter, or will we have a Canadian opinion on the matter?

Does it affect Alberta and the rest of Canada? It sure does. We saw the affect a small little illegal strike of the truck drivers can have on the economy of Canada last year. Vancouver is but one port in Canada. It is Canada's larrgest port, and its gate way to the booming Asia market.

Do we want to be in control of it, or do we want someone else, alone a foreign government to be in control of it or any part of it?

Thank you

Norman Greenfield

Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Media and Government Relations
Corporate, Marketing and Political Communications
New and Old Media
E-Learning/E-Democracy Business Development
Registered Federal, B.C. and N.B Government Lobbyist

Life Is Metaphor

2006-03-26T08:56:00.000-07:00

How many times have you heard someone say, "Please, just give me a sign!"? Often, what follows is a subtle sign that the person misses while they're waiting for a shooting star or to be struck by lighting. Most of the time, our lives seem mundane and full of the "ordinary." What we don't realize is that some of the most seemingly ordinary occurrences in our lives are vehicles to the sacred. If we're paying attention, they can connect us deeply and profoundly to our center, to our soul. How many of us miss those little "signs" in our lives, those little psychic pushes in one direction or another, while we're waiting for something dramatic or wonderful to happen to steer us down the path of life? We're looking outward or upward, instead of inward. In college, a professor said the words: "Life is metaphor". My entire body became a tuning fork resonating with that phrase. I understood it and believed it, but it wasn't until recently that I started truly seeing and applying this idea, watching it at work not only in my life, but in the lives of others around me.

To see the world metaphorically, you have to be paying attention to both the physical world and to what's going on internally. You have to recognize that metaphor is about meaning. While you shouldn't concretize it, metaphor can make your life richer and fuller. I've often seen metaphor working in the lives of others. A co-worker of mine, Cathy, had been talking for weeks about whether or not she should move in with her boyfriend. He was very eager and insistent, but she had been debating, unsure of whether she wanted to make that kind of commitment. One day I was in an area of our workplace that was without a clock, and just casually, I asked her if she had a watch. She told me no, but then proceeded to relate an entire story about all of her watches. Apparently, every single watch she owned had stopped on the same day! Knowing her life circumstances, I was struck instantly by a metaphoric meaning in this. Curious to see if she saw it as well, I asked her, "I wonder what that's all about?" She just shrugged.

Metaphors in life are usually subtle and simple, and that's the beauty of them. It's not at all like being struck by lightning... but yet, like my entire being vibrating with the idea of life as metaphor, it can be a moving experience, a revelation, something to make your eyes widen, to make you gasp or say, "oh my gosh!" if you learn to recognize them in your life. Melissa, a friend of mine, was struggling with writing a paper for a class we had together. The more time she spent on the endeavor, the more laborious the task became. In the midst of this undertaking, a bird emerged from the chimney flue and into the house. She spent a good hour attempting to capture it without hurting it and then setting it free. Melissa, however, unlike Cathy, was able to recognize this metaphor in her life, so much so that she sat down at the computer and began her paper with her struggle, relating the story of the bird's capture to her own "capturing" of her ideas for her paper, and the ultimate freeing of her imagination.

Seeing or recognizing metaphor in your life can open your eyes to the path your life is taking. We often believe that we are traveling down the path of life toward a goal, and we are attempting to "attain" that goal. Once you recognize that being on the path itself is the goal, seeing the world through metaphor allows a deep part of the self to be reflected in the physical world. There comes a sense of truth and wholeness, and suddenly there is less separation between you and the outer world. The growth of the soul transcends the limits or concerns of the ego. You are part of a huge pattern, and seeing the world through metaphor allows you to glimpse that larger pattern and also helps show you the individual path you're standing on. There are no ego-boundaries any longer, there is a shattering of everyday assumptions, and often an awakening into some bigger and brighter universe.

This kind of seeing can cause huge transformations in your life, or in the direction you think your life is heading. My marriage was slowly falling apart for years while I wasn't paying attention, and there came a point when I came to feel very discontent and didn't understand why. It took a lot of time for me to realize what it was and work through it. Very often I would say, "I feel transitional right now," as if something were waiting to happen. One day in the middle of summer, a butterfly flew into the house and landed on the skylight a good fifteen feet up. I spent all day, off and on, attempting to get it to fly out of the house. I tried a ladder, but it wasn't tall enough. I tried nudging it with a broom, but it wouldn't budge. My husband arrived home from work, and the kids, who had watched me struggle all day to set this butterfly free, immediately told him about it. He took the broom from me and on the first try, got the butterfly to hop right onto it! Then he took it outside and set it free. Here I was, feeling transitional, struggling, just a caterpillar myself going through the long, painful, messy process of change, simply unable to free the butterfly. Eventually, she was freed, and he let her go... literally, and metaphorically.

Seeing the world this way is simply a tool, a way to get you to recognize the ordinary as sacred, a vehicle that allows you to travel down that road. It can connect you to your deeper self, your soul, in ways you never imagined possible. It often initiates change, transformation, and great personal growth. It opens the world up, and instead of walking down that path blindly, or looking upward to the sky for guidance, seeing the metaphors that occur in our lives, within ourselves, and making those connections, gives us a richer meaning to our existence on this planet. It's necessary that we pay attention, individually and collectively, to the metaphors that appear in our lives, from metaphors as strong as every single one of your watches stopping on the same day, to metaphors as seemingly benign as, "I'm hungry." They're trying to tell us something, if we don't dismiss them as mere coincidences, and if we simply allow them to exist as meaningful incidents that help us navigate our way down that path of life.

Norm

Opposition Party Registers, Now Twelve Legal Parties - Kazakhstan News Bulletin, March 24

2006-03-25T00:43:00.001-07:00

Subject: Opposition Party Registers, Now Twelve Legal Parties - Kazakhstan News Bulletin, March 24

KAZAKHSTAN News Bulletin

March 24, 2006

Opposition Party Registers, Now Twelve Legal Parties

Opening of First Meeting of Democratization Commission Shows Wide Eagerness to Move Reforms Ahead

Next Religious Congress Will Also Include Political Leaders

Kazakhstan’s Largest Bank Considers Foreign IPO This Year

Nauryz Celebrated as Holiday of Harmony and Renewal

Honoring a Kazakh “New Year”

Say it in Kazakh:

Happy Nauryz! --- Nauryz qutti bolsyn!

Opposition Party Registers, Now Twelve Legal Parties

The Naghyz Ak Zhol (True Bright Path) Party was registered on March 17, bringing to twelve the count of political parties legally operating in Kazakhstan.

A representative of the Registration Service Committee of the Ministry of Justice announced the news at a court hearing in Astana on March 21.

The Naghyz Ak Zhol split from the Ak Zhol party in 2005 following disagreements among its cochairmen regarding how best to oppose the current government. Ak Zhol fielded its candidate, Alikhan Baimenov, in the December 2005 presidential election, while the then unregistered Naghyz Ak Zhol supported Zharmakhan Tuyakbai, a candidate of the “For a Fair Kazakhstan” movement.

The number of political parties in Kazakhstan may change further with the expected arrival of a new Green Party and possibly others.

Under Kazakh law, a party needs to have at least 50,000 members and be evenly represented in all regions to be able to register and operate legally. Kazakhstan has a population of 15 million people, and more than one million people are thought to be members of a political party.

Opening of First Meeting of Democratization Commission

Shows Wide Eagerness to Move Reforms Ahead

The first session of the State Commission on Democratization opened in Astana on March 24 revealing Kazakh desire for meaningful dialog about the future political life of the country.

“We fully intend to continue democratic reforms and political modernization of our country,” President Nursultan Nazarbayev said opening the meeting. “Our main goal remains the same, to strengthen the foundations of an open, democratic state with the rule of law which embraces both universal democratic customs and traditions of our multiethnic and multi-religious society.”

The commission was established by presidential decree earlier this month as the vehicle to flesh out the many ideas about how to move forward with democratization, developing a comprehensive program of political reforms.

Speaking at the session, the President noted that “the challenges of the 21^st century demand a more dynamic modernization of the entire system of political relations” and “will require enormous efforts and extraordinary approaches from the authorities, political institutions and institutions of civil society.”

The commission follows in the footsteps of previous groups exploring the path of democracy in Kazakhstan, but there are significant differences. The new group has the highest stature. President Nazarbayev now chairs the commission himself demonstrating his commitment. The commission includes Kazakhstan’s Secretary of State, deputy speakers of both houses of parliament, representatives of political parties and public associations, leaders of parliamentary caucuses, and prominent statesmen. The Government has been commissioned to provide financial resources for the commission while the presidential administration was tasked to assist its activities.

The agenda for the meeting included enhancing the role of Parliament in forming the national government and holding it to account, possible reforms of the executive and strengthening public control over all branches of power, the introduction of elections for district mayors and of local self-government, as well as promoting the development of NGOs and news media.

The Embassy will shortly run an edition of “Kazakhstan’s Echo” on the commission with in-depth coverage of the scope of proposed political reforms.

Next Religious Congress Will Also Include Political Leaders

The second gathering of religious leaders from across the world in Kazakhstan will take place this fall in Astana and have an added dimension as political leaders are also invited to take part.

The first gathering, called the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which took place in Astana in September 2003, led to condemnation of terrorism by all participating religions and their agreement to pursue further dialog. A total of 120 delegates attended the first Congress from 17 different religious groups, including Islam, Russian Orthodox Christianity, Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism, Judaism, Buddhism, and Taoism.

Invitations to attend the second Congress were sent to 36 leaders of world religions and 32 honorary guests from the political life, Nurtai Abykaev, head of the organizing committee for the Congress said.

Abykayev, who also serves as the Speaker of Kazakhstan’s Senate, said the upcoming gathering would be “devoted to the major issues of religion, society and international security” and would have three plenary sessions. The Congress is expected to result in final communiqués and resolutions, he said.

The new Palace of Peace and Harmony, now being built in the capital will be the venue for the Congress. The Palace was designed by Sir Norman Foster, a renowned British architect. It is in the form of a huge shining pyramid of steel and glass, will different sections allowing followers of different religions to follow their own ritual.

Kazakhstan’s Largest Bank Considers Foreign IPO This Year

Kazkommertsbank, Kazakhstan’s largest private bank is considering floating 17 percent of its stock in an initial public offering (IPO) on a foreign stock exchange later this year.

Kaznommertsbank’s Chief Executive Nina Zhusupova told reporters in Almaty on March 20 the bank, which currently has 375 million ordinary shares, plans to issue an additional 200 million shares and sell half of that amount to existing shareholders.

“As for the second half (of the 200 million issue), we will decide whether we will go ahead with an IPO and sell a small stake on the foreign markets, or it will be sold to shareholders,” she said.

One hundred million shares would be roughly 17 percent of the total stock. Russia’s Aton brokerage said in a note, “At the current share price (the bank’s) share issue, if exercised in full, would be valued at around $1.2 billion.”

Kazkommertsbank is the latest company from Kazakhstan to announce IPO plans following successful share listings by mining firms Kazakhmys and KazakhGold at the London Stock Exchange in 2005. Kazakhmys, which listed its shares in October 2005, rose to join the FTSE-100, the list of one hundred largest listed companies by value, by December of last year.

Nauryz Celebrated as Holiday of Harmony and Renewal

People across Kazakhstan celebrated Nauryz, the traditional holiday dating back 2,500 years, on March 22, the day of the spring equinox, as a holiday of friendship, harmony and renewal. There are many ways to celebrate Nauryz including parades, concerts, theatrical performances and discotheques in the street, traditional Kazakh sporting competitions, the best yurt or the largest baursak contests, fireworks, and lavish feasting.

President Nursultan Nazarbayev addressed the people at the celebrations in the largest square of Almaty, saying: “Nauryz has become the contemporary of our independence which gave us back this spring holiday.” Nauryz, which is a blend of two Farsi words, “nau” (new) and “yryz” (day), was restored as a holiday in Kazakhstan in 1990.

“On this day people should forgive the wrongs to all, hug each other and say we will walk together into the spring and the summer and will keep these good relations through faith, friendship and mutual understanding,” the President said.

People in the northern city of Kostanay witnessed the best yurt contest in their main square with a 100,000 tenge top prize (approximately US$600). For great celebrations, a yurt, the traditional nomadic felt house, is richly decorated with ornate rugs and chests.

People in Ust Kamenogorsk in the east enjoyed their biggest baursak (fried doughnut) contest. Baursaks usually are the size of a ping-pong ball, but sometimes people can make them huge.

Also in Ust Kamenogorsk, Nauryz turned out a great day for the Koreshkov brothers who led Team Kazakhstan in the recent Turin Olympics ice hockey competition. Each of them got a brand new white gleaming car from the local governor who is also the chairman of the Kazakhstan Hockey Federation.

Most of the feasts that day offered one unifying dish, the Naryz kozhe, a refreshing yogurt based drink with a total of seven “mystical” ingredients, including meat, barley and corn.

People celebrated Nauryz not only in Kazakhstan and other countries of Central Asia, but also in Austin, Texas. Following is an article by Lauren Kent from the March 21 edition of The Daily Texan of the University of Texas at Austin.

Honoring a Kazakh “New Year”

Students commemorate and feast during

the spring equinox celebration of Nauryz

On the eve of the spring equinox, students and curious spectators played games and enjoyed a feast Monday near the South Mall to commemorate Nauryz, the Kazakh "new year" holiday. The celebration originated more than 2,500 years ago in Persia. Eventually other areas of the world adopted the tradition, and today some form of Nauryz is celebrated in Kazakhstan, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Iraq, parts of China and Russia and other Eastern European countries.

Nauryz is meant to symbolize beginnings and good luck for the coming year. Family members gather to give blessings, forgive debts and end quarrels. Events that occurred in the first 13 days after the New Year are believed to indicate how the rest of the year will go, so forgiveness and kindness are encouraged.

The feast is an important part of the celebration. A few traditional dishes were offered at the festivities, such as Plov, a rice dish with meat and vegetables. These dishes are typically made with seven ingredients representing the blessings of health, wealth, joy, luck, wisdom, speedy growth and heavenly protection. The feast commences at noon, is opened by a prayer honoring the family's forefathers and is closed by a blessing, or bata, by the eldest family member in attendance.

“Food for your mind” was also encouraged at the event. A table set up next to the food offered traditional recipes, papers about the holiday and a poster describing Abai Kunanbaev, a man known as the “father of Kazakh poetry.”

This year is the first that the Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies organized a Nauryz celebration on campus. Allegra Azulay, the outreach coordinator for the center, said the goal was to make the Central Asia region “more available to students.” However, some of the gaming that is usually held on Nauryz had to be modified to fit the surroundings.

“We wanted to have falconry and camel races on the South Mall,” Azulay said. “But we couldn’t get the University to agree to that. So we decided to have a slightly modest version of the traditional races.”

The modified version included a contest to see who could toss a stuffed toy camel closest to an urn of tea.

Azulay also hosted a quiz on Kazakh sayings, which were spoken first in Kazakh by Dana Abizaid, a graduate student in Russian, East European and European studies. Those from the region had a one-up on American students when guessing the endings to sayings such as: “Do not mention birds of prey –” the end of which is “in the presence of cattle.”

Cynthia Buckley, a sociology professor who specializes in Central Asian studies, said she also hopes to generate more student interest in the region. She said the University will be trying to add Kazakh language courses to the curriculum again.

“Kazakhstan is [a] very important country to the United States,” said Buckley. “It is a land of burgeoning markets, vast oil reserves, cultural diversity and incredible natural beauty. It isn’t just of interest to ‘West Wing’ fans.”

Things to Watch:

The Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht will visit Kazakhstan from March 26 to 28. Kazakhstan seeks the rotating chairmanship in the 55-member OSCE in 2009. Kazakhstan will be the first country visited by De Gucht on his tour of Central Asia.
A new crew for the International Space Station will blast off the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in the Soyuz capsule on March 30, 2006. The crew includes U.S. astronaut Geoffrey Williams, Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov and Brazil’s first astronaut Marcos Pontes.

Norman Greenfield

Calgary, Alberta, Canada
403-807-1251
www.provocostatusquo.com
http://provocostatusquo.blogspot.com
Media and Government Relations
Corporate, Marketing and Political Communications
New and Old Media
Registered Federal, B.C. and N.B Government Lobbyist

URGENT: Tabling of Health Care Letter

2006-03-25T00:43:00.000-07:00

Subject: FW: URGENT: Tabling of Health Care Letter

Kelly FitzGibbon

What is happening with this letter of mine? Is it being tabled in the Legislature or not? If it isn't, because it advocates for privatizing some of the heatlh care system such as the Calgary EMS services, I would like to know. If you don't include it, then it taints the letters you are submitting, as they do not represent the entire nature of the letters members of the Liberal Party receive on the health care issue.

Norm Greenfield

-----Original Message-----
Subject: RE: URGENT: Tabling of Health Care Letter

It would be interesting to see just how many people on your lists actually sent you a letter in support of the Liberal Party's position on the new health care bill. I didn't. My letter or e-mail to Laurie Blakeman was about helping the private nursing homes in Calgary to have our ambulance by-law changed that creates a monopoly for the Calgary EMS.

A letter that was sent to all members of the Legislature not just to Ms Blakeman.

A request for action that was turned down by all parties.

In all of the things the Ralph Klein's government has done that I don't agree with, this attempt at trying to put forth changes to the healthcare system is the only one I do agree with.

I would take the Klein Healthcare reform nay sayers and fear mongers more seriously, if they were not from the side of the argument that already has their noses and faces in the healthcare industry trough, and are worried their share will be cut into. It is time we look at fixing the health care system now so it serves the needs of the users, rather than keep shovelling more money into it after bad money hoping more money being spent inefficiently is going to solve the problems.

If you want to put my letter on record I would love it, but I do not agree on the premise that the Alberta Liberal Party has any concrete idea of plan to, 'improve health care through long-term planning and proper management,' other than making sure the doctors keep their place at the trough and their share of the money.

Instead of the fear mongering, why doesn't the Liberal Party of Alberta come up with some concrete plans with costing and forecasting as an option to the Health Care Reforms that Mr. Klein has put forward? Put that on record.

You do have permission to table my letter and comments regarding the privatization of Health Care in Alberta, even if it is about increasing the privatization in the health care field.

Thank you

Norm Greenfield

-----Original Message-----
From: Kelly FitzGibbon
Importance: High

Firstly, we at the Alberta Liberal Opposition would like to thank you for taking the time to write to Laurie Blakeman, the MLA for Edmonton-Centre and Official Opposition Critic for Health and Wellness, regarding Health Care in this province.

We are requesting permission to table your letter and comments regarding the privatization of Health Care in Alberta.

When a document is tabled in the Legislature, it means that it will be incorporated into the Alberta Hansard and become public knowledge. The public will have access to this letter. As such, if you are in agreement with allowing Laurie Blakeman to table your letter, we would require written permission from you. Your agreement to this would be very much appreciated and would assist us in lobbying this government to improve health care through long-term planning and proper management.

Sincerely,

Kelly FitzGibbon

Administration

Alberta Liberal Opposition

Parkland's new book on health insurance

2006-03-25T00:37:00.001-07:00

Parkland Institute released its newest book, today:
The Bottom Line: The Truth Behind Private Health Insurance in Canada
By Diana Gibson and Colleen Fuller

This book is available from the Parkland ($12.65 including GST and shipping) and at a bookstore near you.

Co-author, Colleen Fuller, and Harvey Voogd, provincial coordinator for the Friends of Medicare, will be on a 7 city Alberta tour beginning this Thursday, March 23. Details below.

Book overview, order form and poster for the tour are available for download from our website at http://www.ualberta.ca/parkland

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARCH 20, 2006

Albertas health care system under threat
Governments Third Way will cost more, and be bad for patients new book

EDMONTONA new book warns that the Alberta Governments proposed changes will actually make the provinces health care system more expensive, and provide less choice to the majority of Albertans. The best path to better health care for Canada is to strengthen and expand the public health care system.

Diana Gibson, co-author of The Bottom Line: The Truth Behind Private Health Insurance in Canada and Research Director of the University of Albertas Parkland Institute says Experience in Canada and other countries is clear: privatized health financing costs more, not less. A myriad of wasteful administrative costs afflicts the private system: marketing, higher CEO salaries, shareholder profits, and lacking economies of scale. The book notes that private health insurance administrative costs are triple those of public systems.

Ms Gibson says If you look at the actual numbers behind the governments spin, you will see that our public system is financially sustainable: costs have not grown as a proportion of GDP. Where the costs have grown sharply is where the private sector is most involved: pharmaceuticals and private insurance.

Private health insurance systems are also worse for patients. Colleen Fuller, co-author and President of PharmaWatch, says the majority of patients would have less choice, not more, under a private system. Experience with private health insurance in other countries and with supplementary private insurance in Canada shows that many people are unable to obtain adequate coverage. Those who are elderly, or have a history of illnesses, are often rejected by private health insurers, leaving them with no health insurance. Ms. Fuller notes that almost half of personal bankruptcies in the United States are due to medical costs.

Private health insurance is also bad for the medical profession. American doctors routinely lose 15-30% of their billings because private insurers deny their claims. In Canada before medicare it was not uncommon for doctors to lose tens of thousands of dollars per year in unpaid medical bills.

The Bottom Line also clarifies the confusion that has been deliberately created around the Supreme Court of Canadas recent Chaoulli decision. The Courts decision actually does not apply outside of Quebec and does not rule against public health care insurance. The ruling in fact leaves open a wide range of avenues to reduce waiting times entirely within the public system, options the Bottom Line authors explain further. The Courts decision also states that there is no single European model of health care financing, directly contradicting the Alberta governments public relations efforts.

The book points out that adding a parallel private system of health care financing would make public system waitlists longer, not shorter. A for-profit system would drain medical practitioners and healthier patients from the public system, while leaving the sicker and more costly patients behind. The authors note that this would eventually result in calls to fix the public system by fully privatizing it.

The book concludes with a 7-point agenda to protect the rights of patients by strengthening and improving the public health financing system. The book launch will be followed up by a seven-city speaking tour. Details of the tour are in the accompanying flyer.

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SPEAKING TOUR

Parkland Institute and Friends of Medicare present a seven-city speaking tour by Colleen Fuller (co-author of the upcoming Parkland book "The Bottom Line: The truth behind private health insurance in Canada") and Harvey Voogd (Provincial coordinator of the Friends of Medicare). Ms. Fuller and Mr. Voogd will speak on The Third Way scheme for private health insurance. Find out more about the Alberta governments plan to make Albertans rely on private insurance for health care they need and what it means for the future of Medicare.

Tour dates and locations:
March 23, 7:30 pm, Room D208, Grande Prairie Regional College, Grande Prairie
March 24, 7:00 pm, ETLC 007, University of Alberta, on 116 Street between 91 and 92 Avenues, (use East Entrance) Edmonton
March 25, 2:00 pm, Margaret Parsons Theatre, Red Deer College, Red Deer
March 27, 7:00 pm, Sawridge Hotel, Ft. McMurray
March 28, 7:00 pm, Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Centre, 1320-5th Ave NW., Calgary
March 29, 7:00 pm, Medicine Hat Public Library "Theatre", 414-1 St SE, Medicine Hat
March 30, 7:00 pm, Sandman Inn Hotel, 421-Mayor Magrath Drive South, Lethbridge

FW: New IRPP study / nouvelle étude de l'IRPP

2006-03-25T00:37:00.000-07:00

Subject: New IRPP study / nouvelle étude de l'IRPP

The IRPP recently released "Strengthening Canadian Democracy: The Views of Parliamentary Candidates," which examines the views of candidates in the 2004 federal election on a range of topics related to democratic reform. These include electoral reform, the balance of power between the judiciary and Parliament, and the representation of women and visible minorities in Parliament. The authors of this wide-ranging study, Jerome H. Black (McGill University) and Bruce M. Hicks (Université de Montréal), compare the views of candidates from the Liberal Party, the Conservative Party, the New Democratic Party, the Bloc québécois and the Green Party with those of the general public.

Their analysis brings out the differences between the views of political parties and those of the population as a whole, but also among the parties. With respect to divergences among the parties, the authors note that "in many cases the views of Conservative candidates were in stark contrast to those of candidates from the other parties." Among other things, the authors conclude that although the candidates do not agree on the ways to reform our democratic institutions, most of them agree that change is necessary.

The study is available in .pdf format on the IRPPs Web site (www.irpp.org). If you would like to obtain a paper copy, please contact Virginie Leduc by e-mail at vleduc@irpp.org or by telephone at 514-985-2461.

LIRPP a publié récemment une étude des points de vue des candidats aux élections fédérales de 2004 sur une grande variété de sujets dont la réforme du mode de scrutin, léquilibre des pouvoirs entre la magistrature et le Parlement, et la représentation des femmes et des minorités visibles au Parlement. Les auteurs de cette vaste étude, Jerome H. Black (Université McGill) et Bruce M. Hicks (Université de Montréal), comparent les opinions des candidats du Parti libéral, du Parti conservateur, du Parti néo-démocrate, du Bloc québécois et du Parti vert à celles de lensemble de la population.

Leur analyse fait ressortir les différences de points de vue qui existent entre les partis politiques et la majorité des Canadiens mais aussi entre chacun des partis. En ce qui concerne les divergences entre partis, les auteurs observent notamment que « dans plusieurs cas, les candidats conservateurs affichent un point de vue radicalement différent de celui des candidats des autres partis ». Les conclusions de létude démontrent également que, bien que les candidats ne sentendent pas sur la façon de réformer nos institutions démocratiques, la plupart sont daccord avec lidée que des changements simposent.

« Strengthening Canadian Democracy : The Views of Parliamentary Candidates » est disponible en format pdf sur le site de lIRPP (www.irpp.org). Si vous désirez une copie papier de létude veuillez communiquer avec Virginie Leduc par courriel vleduc@irpp.org ou par téléphone au 514-985-2461.

How to Eat an Oyster

2006-03-25T00:35:00.000-07:00

Eating oysters in an art that dedicated enthusiasts can master with a bit of practice, perhaps some exercise and most importantly, a willing partner. First of all, given the tender delicacy of the oyster, it is understandably protected by a hard, seemingly impenetrable shell. Before you can delight in the wonderful flavor and texture of the oyster, you must open its shell. Often, this is a difficult step; however, with the correct tools the shell can be easily opened.

While some may try to force their way through the shell or try to pry into it with their tool, a more patient approach is much more amenable. Often a steaming bath will relax the resolve of the most prudish of shells. This is definitely enhanced with generous quantities of an alcoholic beverage: beer will work, but wine is so much more dignified.

When opening the shell, especially the more reticent ones, it is best to do so in a dim light, preferably candlelight. While not always withdrawn, the best oysters are served in a romantic light. Just consider the glistening elegance of eating by the flickering light of a candle, or nearby fireplace.

Once you have properly set the mood and the oyster lies delicately open before you, take a moment and savor the sensation. Breathe the gentle beachfront aroma softly rising from the elusive folds. Feel the subtle heat emanating from the moist flesh and observe the glimmering light as it reflects from the center of your attention.

Before you move, just imagine the tantalizing texture as it teases your tongue; try to picture the taste as your tongue travels the titillating length of its delightful cleft. Let the thought float in your mind as you get lost in the aura of this oyster.

This is not meant to be eaten quickly, not gulped and swallowed whole, no this delicacy must be eaten slowly. Take your tongue, run it gently through the sinewy creases and feel the wonderfully slick texture, the beautifully pliant smoothness, the sensuous daintiness of its form. Trace its length, from first the perimeter working softly inward. Notice the layers of elegant texture undulating beneath your tongue as you move toward the center.

Once you find the center, surrender to the delicate briny flavor. Search for the subtleties in the taste, the sweet curve, the tangy depth, and the salty wetness. Let these sensations envelop your tongue as you probe the intense deepness of pleasure.

Draw the folds between your moistened lips and slide along their curving length. Memorize the glistening landscape with your lips as you draw it, ever so gently into your mouth. Then slide upward with your tongue, parting each fold, upward, further upward. With your fingers, hold the folds open as your tongue moves past.

You search for the pearl, the perfect jewel of every oyster, the slightly hard, but so lusciously smooth bud that almost quivers beneath your breath. As you find it, feel it, almost imperceptibly, move to your touch. Linger on it; circle it with your tongue and then pause.

Hold your head back and notice it gleam in the faint light, watch it pulse as you breath hotly over it, and then take it again, sucking it into your lips. Feel its texture with your lips, savor its warmth, and wet it with your tongue. Feel the intensity increase as the pearl moves silently beneath you, listen for your moans of pleasure as you absorb every nuance of this delight.

Then, quickly return into the folds, downward, deeper into the morsel. Again taste the very center of existence, as the light grows strangely brighter and the waves seem to approach you. Know this liquid pleasure as it intensifies, feel the taste flow over you, wetting your tongue, your lips, your mouth. Let it flow down your chin in the intimate motion of life.

Devour the pearl, pinch it between your lips and then dive into the flavor. Swallow; swallow the wet, the moisture, the flowing light as it undulates to you. Ride each wave, its crest and valley; know the rhythm as it slows once again. Gentle, gently rise, and lick your lips, still savoring the taste. Breathe the fragrance, the humid air and watch the candlelight flicker, reflected in the wet.

Quietly catch your breath as your eyes slowly adjust to the dim light again. Pause a moment and reflect upon what you just finished. Look up lovingly from the oyster and then politely ask, May I please have another?

A Philosophical Treatise on Women...

2006-03-25T00:33:00.000-07:00

"Blond, hard body, bit tits," has been a common description of the idealized woman, this example coming from American Psycho, a novel by Bret Easton Ellis, (A very intriguing book).

I don't find a strong attraction to this particular lot of the female population, they aren't unattractive, but I do find something terrifically boring about them. Fashion models don't appeal to me: angular bony, tall and thin, it makes me feel as if I might have an eye poked out by an elbow or shoulder.

This having been said, what do I like? I like women who are alive, who could very well kick some one's ass, not body building bronzed breast-less women, but not the feeble or sickly. I like women whom feel good when you hug them, whose skin and flesh are supple and tender, that have an actual warmth to them. I like women that would actually survive the idea of 'survival of the fittest,' who'd be around if it were still for cruel evolution.

Having mentioned breasts, I face the inevitable problem where one must choose between the two schools of thought concerning size: 'the bigger the better' and 'a handful is enough.' Although opposed to addressing that argument directly, I will do so in a more round about fashion: I like women that are natural, that don't seem like they are going to fall flat on their face due to the lop sided nature of their figure, I like women who don't have to complain about back pain due to breasts. Every one enjoys some cleavage, but all things in moderation, one neither wants to believe they are looking at the chest of a twelve year old boy nor feel as though they are going to be crushed by two huge, globes seems like an accurate synonym, that seem to movie independently of a woman's body or seem as though they have to catch their breathe and then follow a woman when she turns around. Several of these thoughts were brought into the foreground by the recent movie/musical, Chicago of which I felt scared for my life upon seeing Queen Latifah's breasts.

That being said, if I had to die, and had the choice between dying from some boring method or from the onslaught of two big breasts, I would choose the latter of course. It is much cheaper while at the funeral home to get rid of a hard on and smile, than a frown.

Let us move away from breasts for a moment. Never let them go completely from ones mind though. They are the meaning of life, and they can be the first thing a guy gets to see in this world, when his vision finally comes into focus after birth.

I like women that well rounded, this is a very cheesy pun in reference both the physical and intellectual aspects. I don't by any means say that I desire a woman that is approaching spherical by any means or that obesity is a turn on for myself. I want to feel flesh and not bone though when I run my hands down her sides and hips, warmth, I don't want to be able to run my hands down her glaringly visible ribs like a xylophone. Legs are something I admire, strength in them too, from ankles, to calves, to the bad of the knee, to soft warm thighs: yielding and resilient to the touch but strong below.

Plump is good. Extra padding is good. And so is a woman with more than that, if she is proud of herself.

Another part of the female anatomy that I find extremely sexy is the back, its often ignored as the other side is often preferred, but there are women whom I would kill to give a 'friendly' back rub, to please them and to knead their flesh along the largest expanse of uninterrupted skin on the human body, the muscles bellow, stretched liked cords under the skin, cool skin is something I love, not that I mind the hot and sweaty variety but the tingle both members get with the touch is wonderful, feeling the skin warm under ones hand, to replace the emptiness with one's presence, all is supremely erotic.

Like many others I find myself very similar to Ruben, the painter, whom we derive the word 'Rubenesque' from, meaning buxom used to describe supple women, although virtually all of the euphemisms fall short and carry an edge of insult under them. Ruben was also fascinated with the backs of women, not the 'baby got back' kind of back but the reverse side of the torso down the hips. He would paint these luscious women with their elongated backs, sitting coyly facing away from him. To touch a woman's back is a wonderful thing and I can still remember when I would become physically aroused at the feeling of bare or lightly covered flesh under my hands.

Now, I have called this 'A Philosophical Treatise on Women,' and I've only spoken of the physical and in vague terms. I have expressed these thoughts in measurements or other inhuman assessments of a woman's appearance, not 36DD or 34-25-32 or anything like that, because they don't mean anything really to me, it's the touch of a woman that I savor the most and not their status as Victorian mock-ups or trophies, it is the feel when one embraces that matters. I have also left out specifics: race, skin color, hair color, eye color, freckles and so forth. I don't find these details necessarily meaningless, but I don't feel that I have developed a particular taste for such in my so far short life and that it is really a one-at-a-time basis that I find to judge this, the combinations and possibilities of attractive women are infinite and not reserved to a single set of lips, of hair, of eyes, of breasts and so forth.

Now there is a difference between the back of a woman and the buttocks. The latter is something I have been researching for years. The variety of bums, their form, function, and how they relate to the mind of a woman and how she might perform in the area of carnal delights.

Unfortunately I am unable to find any research grant money for this research as when I mention that it is more of a sexual gratification thing, I get shown the door.

Probably means that the halls of academia are filled with people who are not ass men.

Most of all I have not touched upon a woman's emotions or thought, these things evade me and will always continue to do so, though their external factors give men glimpses at times.

I consider my interest in the female form, either brain or body, as a work in progress. Searching for the answers but knowing it is a work of pleasure and can lead to joy or sorrow, but nearly always a learning experience.

A Theory or Philosophy

2006-03-25T00:31:00.000-07:00

Had an interesting little get together last night.

She was cute, blonde, smart, funny, and insightfull.

She even keeps track of what I say and is not afraid to get in my face.

Our converstation brought to mind I can sit there and talk to a woman about things other than getting into her pants, panting at the site of her cleavage, or important and deep stuff.

She did not even snicker when I told her I had been working on my homework for a course I am taking at the University on Shakespeare.

Something that was said, brought to mind something I have been working on over the years of studying people. Or maybe it is the recurring theme of metamorphisis in Shakespeare.

It is this.

Some people are reluctant to change thier lives, their habits, or themselves because of a comfort level.

It is like being lost in the woods or forest.

The rule is you sit and wait.

Most don't, since they figure that if they walk back the way they came, they will be found, find their camp or car, or be better off than sitting their waiting for the bears to come and eat them.

Doing something, anything is what they feel comfortable.

Whether it is the right thing, or whether they have thought of the path they want to take logically is something that has not entered that picture yet.

Now the person or persons will start to walk, some end up going in circles and being worse of and now are really lost or meeting up with the bear sooner then they have planned.

I figure that walking in circles becomes safe and comfortable to them, and they decide not to try different paths that might lead them to their cars, because it is a path of the unknown.

They in fact stay walking in the circle because they are comfortable.

They are comfortable, but not making progress and no better off than if they had just sat and waited.

Some people I meet are on that circle. They go along in life thinking they are going to be able to change or make an improvement in their lives, but in the end they do not have the courage to try one of those new paths that might lead them into some really new ground, past the bear who is so dangerous and into the hands of something better and more satisfying in their lives, for their the rest of their lives, and for their souls.

On Redheaded Women

2006-03-25T00:30:00.001-07:00

The redheaded person is a rarity because the genes for red hair are recessive. This means that each person with true red hair must have received the gene from both parents, which is unlikely since this gene is rarer than almost all other genes for hair color. The only one rarer is the gene for absolutely platinum blonde hair.

Naturally, this makes the redheaded person rare, and of course rarity and being different in itself typically results in a predictable pattern of teasing and ridicule while the person is young, and as time goes becomes more accepted and even admired for their unusual features. It should be noted, however, that typically it is women who are more admired for having red hair than men. (Although certainly redheaded men have their ardent admirers as well!)

This will serve as a study of the redhead, but will focus on females, since as a heterosexual male, I am infinitely more interested in redheaded women than redheaded men. Much of what you will find here applies to redheaded men as well, but not all; and some of it necessarily must be different, since men typically do not have developed breasts or vulvae, which I will also be discussing. So, let us continue and I will convey what I have observed in my time as an admirer of the naturally redheaded woman.

To begin with, there are two major classes of redhead. Those who have unmistakably red hair, and those who do not. All too often I am told by someone who knows of my attraction to redheaded women that "there is a redhead over there, see her?" but I do not see this redhead to whom my eyes are being directed. Typically, I notice a redheaded person immediately after they come within range of my sight, so if I have not noticed them, chances are they do not fit my definition of redhead. The problem exists because there are "redheads" and there are "almost redheads". Almost redheads include auburn hair and some "strawberry blonde" types. People, for a true admirer of natural red hair such as myself, if you can't pick it out in a crowd, it's not really red! I will not be discussing "almost red"s here.

True redheads have enough red in their hair that it becomes easy to differentiate them in a crowd. These people are rare. They make up a population density of approximately 2%. That is to say, out of every one hundred people chosen at random, there will usually be two who are true redheads. Sometimes there are more, sometimes there are less, but it averages out to about 2% of the population.

Likewise, true redheads do not have to tamper with their hair color to achieve their status although there is a rare subclass of people who have all the characteristics of a redhead, except the red hair on their heads. Dying one's hair to achieve redheadedness is a doomed effort, since there is far more to being a redhead than simply hair color. There are also temperament and a number of other physical characteristics to consider.

Of the true redheads, then, there are three major subtypes. In order of commonality, these are:

Type 1: Red hair, pale skin, no freckles. (Rare) Type I redheads are the most common. They typically have very red hair of one of three shades, sunburn with extreme ease, and produce skin flushes readily.

Type 2: Red hair, pale skin, freckles. (Very rare) The Type 2 redhead is identical to the Type 1 redhead with the exception that they have freckles. Due to the particular characteristics their freckles may have there are subtypes of this group:

Type 2a: This person has small freckles that are sprinkled over their body in places where sunlight reaches. Their freckles are almost always a pale brownish color, and may range from being almost invisible to fairly noticeable, but are not overly prominent. This type of person may appear to have no freckles at all if they spend significant time out of the sun.

Type 2b: This person has small freckles in places the sun reaches only, but their freckles are more prominent and noticeable than those of the previous classification. Type 2b people typically have freckles visible regardless of exposure to the sun. Their freckles are usually light to medium brown.

Type 2c: Identical to Type 2b except that the person has freckles that are noticeably reddish in color, instead of predominantly brownish.

Type 2d: This person has large freckles which may be from about the size of a U.S. dime to large splotches of skin that appear darker than the surrounding skin, even as large as a hand span. These are typically a reddish brown color. This person typically has freckles even where no sunlight reaches, and they do not go away or fade much regardless of exposure to the sun.

Type 3: Red hair, dark skin, no freckles. (Extremely rare) The so-called "dark skinned redhead" was thought to be a myth until one was spotted in the Western United States recently. They are also rumored to exist in the area of the Mediterranean. These people are a mixture of two races with different skin types. One parent will have lighter skin, and one will have dusky skin, usually. Combinations that might possibly produce this type of redhead include White with Hispanic, White with Middle Eastern, and White with Mediterranean. A redhead of White/Middle Eastern descendant is probably safe to classify as "mythically rare" since Middle Eastern genes typically have dominant black or dark brown hair without any chance of a red hair gene.

This type of redhead is the only known type able to achieve a tan instead of burning. Since they have darker skin, they may be challenged to prove they are natural redheads.

There is logically also a fourth category, which is:

Type 4: Red hair, dark skin, freckles.

However, to date, I have neither seen nor even heard of such a person. Thus, Type 4 redheads are classified as "Mythically rare".

At this point, I would like to address some common misconceptions about true redheads. The first is that if the eyebrows are not at least reddish, the person is not a natural redhead; and the second is that if the person does not have at least reddish pubic hair, they are not a natural redhead. Both of these ideas are false. A true and natural redhead can indeed have brown, blonde or black eyebrows and/or pubic hair, and still be a natural true redhead. It is more common to see true natural redheads with off-color eyebrows than off-color pubic hair, but it does happen. Likewise, it is possible to find people with true natural red eyebrows and pubic hair who do not have true natural red hair on their heads.

For men, it is possible to have true natural red hair in the beard without the same on their heads (I fit this classification), and vice versa, with true natural red hair on their heads without having a red beard. Also note that a beard is as likely to be all one color as it is to have two, three or even four or more hair colors in it. My own, for instance, shows red and brown, predominantly, with some dark blonde thrown in whenever I let it grow.

True natural redheads have certain features aside from hair color which mark them as being redheads. Some of these typically include the pale skin and/or freckles. However, there are others as well.

Due to the typically pale skin a true natural redhead will have, these people are easily burned by the sun and literally turn cinnamon to lobster red when they are burned. A sunburned redhead is unmistakable. They are usually the ones using the highest rated sunblock for that reason. (SPF 50,000,000 sunblock, anyone?) Likewise, pale skin makes skin flushes easier to see, and so when they are angry, embarrassed, or aroused, they will usually turn red in the face, ears and neck. This flushing is quite readily apparent. This trait makes true redheads somewhat easier to follow than other people, since body language coupled with a facial flush will usually tell you exactly what's going on, even if they will not. (Very useful for determining her level of arousal.)

The true redheaded woman typically has two specific differences to her body than most women have, not considering the color of her pubic hair. The first is the color of her aureoles; and the second is the specific "configuration" of her vulva. Most female natural redheads with red pubic hair, however, typically have a full triangle of it, and sometimes it will even extend onto the upper thighs a bit. It is rare to find a natural redheaded woman with less than a full triangle of pubic hair, and very nearly mythically rare to find one who has her pubic hair growing in any shape but a triangle.

The aureoles of a redheaded woman are almost always round (as opposed to oval), and will typically be of medium to slightly bigger than medium size. Medium sized aureoles, by the way, are about the size around tof a US quarter, and the "slightly larger" would be about equal to the size of a US half dollar. I have never seen or heard of a redheaded woman with oval aureoles to date.

The aureoles of such a woman are also distinct in their coloration. They are always ranging from reddish brown to so pale that they literally become invisible. About one third to one half of natural redheaded women, as best I can tell, have this extremely pale type. It is unusual for a redheaded woman to have distinct and solid aureoles, and very rare for them to be darker than light medium brown.

Women who have natural red hair on their heads typically have nipples that are small to medium sized, with medium sized being about the size of a typical unused number 2 pencil eraser. No other type of woman has such a tendency to have small nipples as does the natural redhead, but even among these, small nipples are unusual, as are small aureoles (smaller than the diameter of a US quarter).

The vulva of a naturally redheaded woman usually displays a pair of protruding labia minora. Her labia majora are typically not large and are almost never puffy. Usually, they are not raised above the typical level of the flesh around them, and they will be a rosy pink in color most times. Some few will be a dusky reddish brown, and a very few will be as pale as the skin surrounding them, effectively rendering the labia majora uncolored. An estimated 65% of all true redheaded women have protruding labia minora, which can in some cases protrude to a significant degree and length. Pulling this type of labia apart in the directions they naturally go produces what looks like a butterfly with pink wings.

The color of the vulva of a true redheaded woman is almost always pale to deep pink. Sometimes you will find a redheaded woman who has brown or brownish tips to the labia minora where they most protrude beyond the labia minora. Totally brown labia minora are rare.

On this kind of woman, the clitoris is typically medium sized or slightly smaller.

Redheaded women seem to fall into two distinct camps sexually. There are those who can easily achieve orgasm, and those who cannot. There is almost no in-between on this point. Those who cannot easily achieve orgasm usually require a lot of stimulation and stimulation for extended periods of time to achieve orgasm. These women are almost never interested in sex for their own enjoyment in the same sense as someone who can more easily achieve orgasm; either they will be fairly uninterested, or they will derive their pleasure from the intimacy of the act, or their partner's pleasure or both. I have never encountered the type of redhead who could easily achieve orgasm, so I cannot comment on them; but if any such woman happens to read this, I should like to interview her.

There is more I could say, but it would be more speculation and limited experiences than much of anything else if I continued, so I will put my essay to rest here. Keep in mind that this is definitely not a scientific study, but my personal experiences from having seen hundreds, possibly thousands of redheaded women naked (gotta love Internet porn) and a couple I have dated.

To those of you reading this who are natural true redheaded women, please feel free to contact me to add to this, correct me, flirt with me, propose marriage, or just flash me.

On Monogamy and Polyamory

2006-03-25T00:30:00.000-07:00

Monogamy is such an ingrained part of our culture these days. One partner to each person, right? But what if that just doesnt work for you? Let me explain. I can be very attached to someone, even love them, and after awhile my eye still roves. It doesnt mean I want my original partner any less, but instead that I want a taste of something new. And as a bisexual, should I be monogamous, I am denying half of my sexual identity. Call me greedy if you like, but a little extra-monogamous activity might just keep most relationships healthy for a lot longer. I do want to get married, to have a husband or wife, kids, a house. But my having a husband, by todays standards precludes my having a girlfriend. Or does it? Polyamory is my solution.

What is polyamory? It is when each partner in a relationship has other partners and relationships. You have your primary relationship (well use husband or wife for this essay), and then you each have a secondary relationship. An approved boyfriend or girlfriend, so to speak. This secondary relationship is not something to invoke lightly however. It is just as serious a relationship as your primary one, except that your primary partner should have some primacy over your secondary partner. It does, however, give you extra emotional space. You have a second person to cuddle with, complain to, go to the movies with, etc. When your primary is deep in finals, that major account, or what have you, they get the space they need and you still get the attention you need.

What isnt polyamory? It is not a cheap excuse to sleep around on your partner. It isnt something that your partner should be unaware of. If you have a secondary relationship that your partner is unaware of, you are cheating. It is also not an easy way to be promiscuous. You dont get to fuck everything that moves, plus your partner, and call it polyamory. It is a serious second relationship. In other words, you are not only doubling your joy, you are doubling your potential headaches.

How does it work? Generally, you and your primary partner must agree that this is something you both want and intend to participate it. It rarely works when one partner is practicing poly and the other is staying home and not being involved, although I do know of one case where it is working, due to the exceptional individuals involved. You each agree that it is something you want and are very clear about what you expect to retain as rights of the primary. For example, should the primary have an exceptionally bad day (were talking I got fired, my car was towed and my cat died bad day) they can invoke their status to have the other primary over, even on a day that belongs to the secondary. However, each partner must respect the rights of the secondary. In other words JEALOUSY DOESNT HAVE A PLACE IN POLYAMORY. I cant stress that enough.

What happens when a partner is jealous? Allow me to give an example from my own life. I was involved in a very entangled poly relationship. The Primary Couple was comprised of Mike and Jane, and I was Mikes secondary. To make things more interesting, my roommate Nick was Janes secondary. There was no stress between myself and my roommate. However, one weekend, the four of us and another one of Mikes secondary girlfriends, Jill, all went out to an event. Now, Jane and Nick wanted some time alone. Although Mike had two other girlfriends present to give him attention and to give attention to, he got very jealous and (in my opinion) acted like a spoiled toddler for the rest of the day, causing everyone else to be uncomfortable. Shortly afterwards, both myself and my roommate ended our relationships with Jill and Mike for our own reasons. When a partner is jealous, it affects everyone, and it is destined to failure.

This is not to say that some modicum of jealousy isnt normal. Every once and awhile its normal to get a little cranky and want the other person to yourself and only yourself. However, I find that the occasional bout of jealousy or discomfort is more than balanced by the presence of your secondary partner. The secondary partner keeps you faithful in a rather odd way. Because you are splitting your week between yourself, two partners and your friends, you rarely have time to get bored with anyone, or want something new and different.

What happens if you fall for your secondary partner? Well, on one hand you should be in love with both your partners. It is normal to go through a period of only wanting to be with your secondary partner. The honeymoon period of every relationship is like that. I advise you to wait it out, and really think about what not having your primary relationship would mean. How would it affect your life? And, quite frankly, does your secondary partner really want the responsibility of being your primary or only partner? Many people, myself included, are quite happy as the secondary partner of two or three people. I have a busy life and I dont want or need the type of entanglements that come of being a primary partner.

Do you eventually go monogamous? That is a question that is answered very differently by every person. Ive met people who go cold turkey into monogamy when marriage comes into play, and had it work for them. For others, it ends in divorce. And for others, they go back to their poly ways soon after the vows, if they ever stopped. Other people merely dabble in the poly lifestyle and then choose to leave it, discovering that they dont have the right temperament for it, or the right partner(s) for it.

Then there are those like myself. In part, I would like a solid, monogamous marriage. Thats the idealistic aspect of myself speaking. In reality, Im not certain I could carry out my part of that particular bargain. Im not certain where that leaves me on the poly scale. Am I a lifetime practicing poly? Right now Im not even dating, so just one person sounds nice right now. But from experience I do worry that after a month or so, Im going to get a little itchy and start wondering what another he or she might be like in bed. In other words, Im completely on the fence on this one. And what I think would work in theory may not actually work in reality.

The one thing I do know for certain is that our outdated concepts of what constitutes a healthy relationship or what even constitutes marriage are obsolete and must be changed. With each generation since the turn of the last century there have been loosening of rules, changes in dating etiquette, and major changes in what constitutes a family. However, what constitutes a marriage has not undergone these radical changes. A monogamous couple is still the integral part of the definition of marriage. And until that changes, I cant help but see the divorce and failed relationship rates continue to climb.

Movie Showing: THE TAKE

2006-03-25T00:26:00.000-07:00

The Sherwood Park Greens latest video showing:

Come see the screening of:

The Take

When: March 28th at 6:30pm

Where: Strathcona County Library (104, 2020 Sherwood Drive, Sherwood Park).

About the film (from http://www.nfb.ca/trouverunfilm/fichefilm.php?id=51363)

The Take is a political thriller that turns the globalization debate on its head. The film follows Argentina's radical new movement of occupied businesses: groups of workers who are claiming the country's bankrupt workplaces and running them without bosses.

With The Take, director Avi Lewis, one of Canada's most outspoken journalists, and writer Naomi Klein, author of the international bestseller No Logo, champion a radical economic manifesto for the 21st century. But what shines through in the film is the simple drama of workers lives and their struggles: the demand for dignity and the searing injustice of dignity denied. (87min)

Questions? Comments? Want to help? Contact Giselle at 464-2871.

Everyone is welcome to stay after the movie for a short discussion. Admission is by donation (proceeds go to the Green Party of Canada, Sherwood Park campaign fund).

Hope to see you there!

FW: Conservatives have to deliver on their port security promises

2006-03-24T09:29:00.000-07:00

Subject: Conservatives have to deliver on their port security promises

Not only must the Conservative deliver on their port security promises they must also deliver on their promise to give more power to the lowly MP. To this end, they could start by allowing the MP's to have a free debate on the issues around our ports and whether the takeover by Dubai Ports World, which is controlled by part of the government of the United Arab Emirates of P&O Ports, which also leases a container terminal at the Port of Vancouver through a subsidiary, P&O Ports Canada. is a good thing for Canada.

Lets not let Prime Minister Harper fall back on this promise as he has with allowing certain Liberal MP's to cross the floor right into plumb Cabinet appointments.

Our ports, their security and our sovereignty of being an independent nation depends on this first step.

Thank you

Norman Greenfield

www.provocostatusquo.com
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Canada's brand runs cold

2006-03-24T09:19:00.000-07:00

Subject: Canada's brand runs cold

Alan Middleton is right when he says 'Canada's brand runs cold.'

One reason is that Canada has lost its creativity, initiative, and ability to think big. By losing that, Canada has also lost it's will to brag about what we are, who we are, and what we have done that is important to the world.

If you look at it, the big cities that have the largest piece of the tourism pie, are ones with panache, pumped up chests, a thin veneer of respectability, and an ability to brag about themselves.

Canada must push out its chest, lift up its shoulders, square its jaw and tell the world why we matter.

We matter because of what has come from Canada, that now is the underlying basis of most of the modern economic boom in the world today.

Both the cell and telephone, internet, banking, trading, shipping long distances, communicating long distances, Blackberries, 24 hour journalism, much of what matters in Hollywood all find their roots in Canada.

Branding is good, marketing is better, but bragging is the ultimate way in which Canada can become known as the little country that can.

Canada has everything it needs to be a self-sufficient, independent country with limitless possibilities as to where it can go next.

What we need is thinkers, visionaries, and braggarts.

Norm Greenfield

Calgary, Alberta

403-807-1251

provocostatusquo@hotmail.com

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http://resume.provocostatusquo.com

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FW: High-speed rail way off track

2006-03-01T21:30:00.004-07:00

Subject: High-speed rail way off track

Sitting behind an editor's desk does give one a certain perspective on the world, that in the case of the, 'High-speed rail way off track,' editorial in the Calgary Herald of February 23, is wrong and myopic.

Who ever wrote the article dispensed far too quickly the report and study done by the Van Horne Institute on the Edmonton/Calgary high-speed link. Or spends no time driving the current QE 2 with their eyes wide open.

The editor looks at one side of the equation, the cost of the Edmonton/Calgary railine. The writer does not look at what it will cost to fix the QU-2, or to upgrade it so that the traffic needed to feed the Shell's Athabasca Oil Sands Project, Syncrude Canada's oilsands expansion, plus the possibility of a new refinery being built.

The writer does not look at the idea that using rail to transport large machinery and products to and from the oilsands via rail makes sense when you look at how efficiencies can be attained, that are not available via roads.

The writer does not look at the idea the high speed link could be one part of a puzzle to fix the problems of getting to and from the Fort MacMurray for not only the machinery but the human capital that will be needed. The high speed rail link should be the start of the province looking at the use of and improvement of the railway system in a larger picture. The widening of both the QU 2 and highway from Edmonton to Fort MacMurray should be compared to the costs and investment needed to improve the rail links.

The writer is right that, 'building a rail won't eliminate the need for roads.' Building a rail could help improve the ability of the province to eliminate the need for upgrades to roads that will not meet the provinces true future needs.

We should not look at ideas for infrastructure in such a narrow view as the writer of the editorial wants us to. The editorial does prove the writer's intial premise, that ' Junk in, will equal junk out.' In the case of the editorial it would be half of the truth in produces a poor and ineffective editorial opinion based on no reality.

I would suggest the editorial writer needs to get out more, and risk seeing reality without the benefit of the protection of their desk.

Thank you

Norman Greenfield
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
403-807-1251
www.provocostatusquo.com
http://provocostatusquo.blogspot.com
Media and Government Relations
Corporate, Marketing and Political Communications
New and Old Media
E-Learning/E-Democracy Business Development
Registered Federal, B.C. and N.B Government Lobbyist