Friday 18 January 2013

Stand Up with Ernst and Tell Big Oil to FRACK OFF!!


OK, so there is Chief Spence's hunger strike and it coincides with the INM movement that was about to happen anyway. Well, turns out, she is not as pure as the driven snow, and needs to get back from the limelight. She was never proclaimed as a leader in the INM movement. And if you have any dirt, or the appearance on impropriety, guess what, the Harper Cons are going to exploit it. However much they show their maliciousness, thievery, blatant lies, etc. is just par for the course though.


Check out this link:
The Tyee.ca - Ernst: Frack Update 

Jessica Ernst 

On the other hand here we have a perfectly "pure" (at least pure intentioned; not running for a political seat) spokesperson standing up for all of our rights and taking Encana to task and suing for the contamination of her well water and all others in the area of Rosebud, Alberta. But hey guess what, if she can win (hopefully since the defense is pretty lame), she will set a standard/precedence for EVERYONE in Canada. The precedent will be set and a message will be sent to all BIG OIL Co's. that it is:
Not acceptable to contaminate the drinking water of one or many people!! FRACK OFF!!!
This is the message that needs to go out!!! NO MORE and ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. The groundwater contamination is measurable and has been going on for at least 10 years, while the gov't keeps letting them profit hugely and carry on business as usual and play dumb (it's not proven). If you don't look for the proof of cause and effect, then it will never be "Proven", and further, they say, they have no burden to look for that link (not my job man). Well then who's job is it? I would have believed that it is the regulatory body's - whoever they are - responsibility to ensure the public's and the greater environmental protection. The USA's EPA is trying to skirt this responsibility as well. Again, I would have to ask, what have these people been doing all these years (being paid the big bucks)?
Can we make this stop? Can we support Jessica Ernst? Absolutely!! and it is in EVERYONE's best interest to do so. Piss on waiting for some "talks and meetings" with Harper. This is HERE and NOW. Let's go. If you are in Alberta, show up on the court house steps and DEMAND action. Demand that this hearing proceed without all the stall tactics that are business as usual to all the parties that have something to lose; the ones that want the complainant to either: a) run out of money; b) run out of all support and resources: c) die and/or give up.

Damn them, that they can keep getting away with those stall tactics and the courts support those tactics. Disgusting. I think the gov't (ERCB - Energy Resouces Conservation Board) agency, by stating such a lame defense; that they are "not responsible for a duty of care". Excuse me? If that is not their mandate, whose is it?

Excerpt: (from The Tyee):

How Alberta Will Fight Fracking Folk Hero Jessica Ernst In famous flaming water case, regulator to argue 'no duty of care' to landowners or groundwater.
By Andrew Nikiforuk, 16 Jan 2013, TheTyee.ca

Energy board's 'duty of care' stops where?
A common complaint among Alberta landowners is that the ERCB reacts slowly to public concerns. It was one of the continent's last oil and gas regulators, for example, to table regulations on hydraulic fracturing.
Several recent court decisions also show that ERCB has a history of not upholding its own laws.
In 2010 the Royal Society of Canada, the nation's top scientific organization, criticized the board for 2007 incident in which the regulator spied on landowners and damaged "its credibility as independent quasi-judicial board."
In a court document filed on Dec. 5, 2012 lawyers representing the ERCB argue that a regulator charged to develop oil and gas resources in the public interest owes no duty of care to protect a citizen's groundwater.
Furthermore the Ernst lawsuit does "not indicate omissions on the part of the ERCB but a failure of the ERCB to act in accordance with the Plaintiff's expectations."
Klippenstein says the ERCB's arguments are both unusual and unorthodox.


And then why do we have any of these gov't bureaucracies with a bunch of high paid ass lickers and what do they get paid for? Can I have one of those jobs where I can make good bucks, benefits, and pension without actually doing anything remotely close to what I was hired for?

Talk about who's on "Welfare" which is also considered "Government Payroll"... well there is so much dead wood out there, but yet MSM points the finger at the natives as the ones sucking all the tax money from Canadian taxpayers. I get so frustrated, the more I delve into these matters, the more I find corruption, waste, incompetence, and just plain old BS and lies.

 I thought that INM might be a good movement, but yet.... now I have my doubts. It has been getting sidetracked and derailed, because the natives don't have good strong leadership that are looking out for their interests either (the peoples interests; I'm sure they are looking after their own interests) which is part of the problem. 


Can we just fire all the politicians and start anew? I suggested this before.... If I were PM for a day.... Everyone is fired!! And then they can come crawling back and beg for their job, and they may get it back if they can prove that they are beyond reproach, not corrupt, and have done something - anything positive for their constituents or for anyone in Canada, and not just lined their own pocket. How many do you think would get their jobs back? I would ball park it at 5-10%. Gee, that means we could cut gov't spending by 90% in year 1 and then build it up again with the kind of people that matter and make a difference!

Alas, I got going on that Utopia thing; have to come back to reality and go stick my dinner in the microwave and remember that I'm kinda just a nobody, and can't make the kind of difference that I would like to see.

But hey... heard a line that I liked - watched the DVD "I AM" by Tom Shadyac the other day. One of the gurus on there said "how do you eat an elephant? - One bite at a time...."



Tuesday 8 January 2013

US EPA Must be Corrupt

This is my response to seeing  this article:

 
EPA Chief Tells Congress ‘There’s No Proof Fracking Is Dangerous’
Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

________________________________________________


Open Letter to:

US Environmental Protection Agency
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
(NRMRL)
Water Supply and Water Resources Division (WSWRD)
Associate Division Director: Samuel L. Hayes

CC: Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator; Cynthia Sonich-Mullin, Director; Brian Kleinman, Acting Deputy Director; whoever else I feel like sending it to, and the Public.

From the Environmental PROTECTION Agency web site:

What We Do

As EPA’s premiere laboratory for risk management research, NRMRL focuses on environmental problem-solving. Recognized as a national leader in scientific and engineering expertise and capability, NRMRL’s research portfolio spans the five goals outlined in EPA’s Strategic Plan, and directly supports efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, manage chemical risks, clean up hazardous waste sites, and protect America's water.
Environmental risk management seeks to determine what environmental risks exist and how to manage those risk in a way best suited to protect human health and the environment. Our mission is to advance scientific and engineering solutions to manage current and future environmental risk.

Research Projects Managed by NRMRL



You need to do your job - according to the description directly under your name (Samuel Hayes) on the web site.

What We Do: WSWRD research supports EPA's systematic evaluations of the primary and secondary regulations for drinking water and pollution control programs for water quality by developing innovative approaches to manage water contaminants that pose a threat to human health and the environment.

________________________________________________
 

You need to PROTECT water supplies and sources, not give them over to oil and gas companies to be exhausted, contaminated and then dumped improperly, compounding the problem and causing contamination of land and water.

Does the agency really need another year to complete an analysis as to the contamination being caused by fracking. I think by now it is public knowledge, and that any 10 year old is able to recognize the connection between ground water contamination and fracking procedures.

Do what you are paid to do. Be a whistle-blower if you need to. There is obviously much corruption going on in the highest levels of this organization. Lisa P Jackson cannot really be that ignorant that she needs PROOF that fracking is causing environmental damage. Besides that, the agency was put in place to PROTECT the environment. Here is a novel idea; How about having the oil and gas companies PROVE that what they are doing is safe for the environment. That is the way I think business should be done and should have always been done. But alas, those in power play dumb and allow the money to be made and then can just say "OOPS, we didn't realize.... there was no PROOF."

What ever happened to common sense? Is it a prerequisite for a position at the EPA to not have any? To be a good soldier and do what you are told and tow the line. I'm sure that that was not the philosophy of the founders of the EPA. Unless of course its history is just that of an appointed body, by the government to give the APPEARANCE of environmental protection to the public.

I selected your name, Samuel Hayes, from the list of many on the EPA's contact list because your division would seem to be the most directly involved in the current issue of fracking, and if it isn't - it should be. I am holding you responsible to do the right thing - to do the job in which you are paid to do - and to hold properly accountable the corporations that are damaging the environment and especially sacred drinking water that belongs to all living things of this earth.

What are you going to drink once all the groundwater is contaminated?

Signed,
An inhabitant of North America that requires uncontaminated drinking water to live in peace; aka Janice Plante


Wednesday 21 November 2012

JUST ANOTHER CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF GREED!!

Ok - So here are my landlords about to siphon the heating oil out of the tank. They paid initially $417 for the truck to come out and fill it when I first moved in. Then they wanted to charge me $650. Saying that that was how much it costs to fill it from empty. I asked them if they were crediting the extra money to the previous tenant (I see her occasionally in town). Well no - they are not giving her any credit. These guys are so unreasonable and wouldn't give me more time to pay for it - the proper amount. I haven't had any work and can just pay the rent and survive. So now it's getting into winter, and I have no oil, and I can't afford to have the fuel truck come out because there is a minimum charge of $200ish.

The landlords names are Roger and Reg Pellerin from Campbell River. They have this property for sale and are asking way more than it is worth and if affects the other owners here (It's a trailer park) because they can have no long term security and can't sell either because no one else wants to take the risk either. They are do nothing landlords that don't live locally. For example, they would rather siphon the fuel tank rather than fix the stuff that is wrong like the deck that is falling apart, the laundry room that leaks, and check the roof because there was some leaking (it rains A LOT here). For four months the electrical didn't work for about 1/3 of the place. No lights or power at all for 1/2 the living room, 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom. And now my toilet just overflowed for no good reason - it's always run on but now what I'm not sure.

I am so sick and tired of being used and abused by shitty landlords and then having the expense and disruption of moving. I really liked this place but now I am very soured on it and them. The best solution would be if I could find an investor to fund purchasing the property. But the numbers have to work. It is sustainable, but barely, and worth almost 100K less than what they are asking. Don't you just love it when people go out buying properties that don't know what they are doing and affect people's lives without even giving it one thought.

Thursday 15 November 2012

Harper Hasn't Silenced This Scientist Yet!!

How much more evidence do we need to STOP IT!! The worst environmental disaster is taking place and is ongoing. We don't need an oil spill to realize that irreversible damage is being done. If the fish are being that affected, what about the people that are drinking that water?

Federal scientists uncover evidence that oilsands contaminants travel further than expected


Thursday 1 November 2012

Hey it's Party Time - We have a Harper Anniversary to Celebrate!

Guess what today is!! (or was for you in the east) ....
Would you believe that they have the nerve to ask for a donation of $7 or more in order to help them "keep Canada's economy on track"; what's wrong Harper?... have you already spent all the budget on yours and your buddy's lavish travel, zillion $ living out and 2nd home renovation allowance, and $100 breakfast expenses? Click here if you don't believe me that they have that kind of gall; they made a special page to celebrate their 7 years at the trough.

I just keep finding more and more crap on these guys with special attention to my favourite MP - Mr. John Duncan who is in the thick of things as the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development!

At this ATPN link you will find some of his latest performances (dance puppet dance). ATPN.ca-minister-john-duncan. A couple of these announcements were made on behalf of the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification. I believe that these monies come out of the Western Economic Diversification Fund that was set up and funded many years ago and thereby, has already been accounted for and the larger fund earns interest each year in order to fund more projects. He wants to make you believe that they pulled out the cheque-book and provided new money for these projects. 

The truth is that organizations, community groups, etc. apply for these funds from a pool of allocated money each year. They go through an application and approval process that measures all types of means, and usually requires 1/3-1/3-1/3 funding. This means that 33.33% usually comes from the community's coffers, 33.33% comes from the provincial tax payers, and 33.33% + the penny comes from federal tax payers.

You will see his generic statement made in the various locations at the different announcements:

“Our Government is committed to creating jobs, growth and long-term prosperity in our communities,” said the Honourable John Duncan. “By improving facilities such as this, we are helping to boost economic activity and maintain a high quality of life for Canadians.”

________________________________________________

In case you missed it:

Originally posted on November 1, 2012



OK - So I looked up this guy whose smiley face has been in my local paper.... Well, well, well, very interesting when you go to his web site that is on the business card sized ad in the paper; johnduncanmp.com, it does NOT obviously display his party affiliation; what's wrong John Duncan, not proud of being a CONSERVATIVE at this point?.

On closer inspection, he must be a Conservative Party member. How a Conservative won a seat on Vancouver Island is beyond me; must have been due to vote splitting with NDP/Liberals/Green. I deduce that he is a Conservative by this statement on his web page:

"In 2008, John became Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs and Northern Development.  In August 2010, he was appointed Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians, and Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency. After winning the 2011 election he continued his appointment as Minister but under the new title of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development."

Follow me here... he is currently the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development !!! Wouldn't that be the most closely related Minister to what we are dealing with here on Vancouver Island and in all of BC and especially in the North in terms of oil sands and pipelines and the effect on First Nations??? And somehow he is ignoring the out-speaking of First Nations peoples. Oh but they got a new Cancer Hospital built in the North for them (Prince George); that outta fix that eh? Go figure, I guess we should be expecting a growth of cancer rates of peoples in the North that are drinking the water and breathing the air downstream/downwind of the tar sands.

This is beyond reason. I have not heard a peep from this guy on my news, yet he is my MP, and should be directly involved in what Harper is putting through legislatively right now. I might have been able to cut him some slack if he was an NDP, Liberal, or Green Party member MP. But his action and non-communication to his constituents (kowtowing Harper's line) is unacceptable. Any robo-calls, over-budget campaign $, or polling station shenanigans with this guy???

I am calling you out Mr. (Hon.?; sorry I can't call you honourable) John Duncan. Please explain to us Canadians what the hell you CONSERVATIVES are up to. Actually, too late, I don't care what your damage control (BS spin) explanation is at this point because it is obvious to me that you have either:
     a)  Dropped the ball by being incompetent or,
     b)  You are corrupt and have been paid off or,
     c)  You kowtow (get used to the Chinese expressions) to Harper or,
     d)  All of the Above.
TAKE YOUR PICK - I am going with d) All of the Above.

How much did you get paid off? You definitely do not have the interests of your constituents at heart or even in your mind. Did you not see the protest in Victoria (however misplaced that it was)? That same and bigger protest will be coming to your home and Ottawa.

You, Mr. John Duncan are some special type of coward. I dare you to come back to your riding and hold a rally. Why are rallies only held during election time and then you go off and perform work that you are not mandated to do. You must have been misleading (directly or by ommission) your constituents over a year ago, because there is no way in hell that you would have been elected on this type of platform that has emerged from your leader. As a CABINET MINISTER, you CANNOT convince me that you DID NOT know what Harper's agenda was or the direction it was heading at election time in 2011.

As far as I'm concerned, the entire Conservative Party lied to and misled all constituents across the country, along with some party members having participated in questionable and fraudulent election practices. What more does it take for us Canadians to recall you and your cohorts and demand a new election or at least a referendum on these foreign ownership and treaty issues.

Signed One of Your (involuntary) Constituents.

Oh and I just keep finding more and more good stuff; taken from:

Reference: http://www.wawataynews.ca
 .... 
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development of Canada (AANDC) Minister John Duncan defended the bill before the committee on Oct. 15.
He said Bill C-27 will help build stronger, more self-sufficient First Nation communities, as it will allow community residents to view how band council funds are spent by their elected officials.
“Democracy depends on citizens being able to call their elected leaders to account to ensure they represent the community’s best interests,” Duncan said. “This would ensure that First Nations community members have the necessary information to make informed decisions about their governments.”
Some First Nation leaders have spoken out against the bill, calling it “paternalistic.”...
Again - worth repeating YOUR WORDS:
“Democracy depends on citizens being able to call their elected leaders to account to ensure they represent the community’s best interests,”... 
Bill C-27 is about making public the salaries of First Nations Officials, but Mr. Duncan's words must have meaning and should apply to himself and ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS. I am calling on you, Mr. Duncan, to ACCOUNT for your actions or lack thereof, whichever the case may be.

Monday 29 October 2012

Canada Has Lost it's Democracy

I can't even start to translate what is going on in our supposed "democracy" except to say that I don't see it as a democracy at all anymore. We have been taken over by Harper - that there was hints at his dictatorship type of leadership before the last election. Anyone who voted for the Conservatives should be hanging their heads low right now, of course unless you are part of that 1% - Then you can say "we won".

So many of us have had our noses to the grind stone, that we can't even see what is going on around us, no less any means to act out and try to inform others. And anyway... those that try and make aware are ridiculed and bastardized.

I have, in the last few months even, been looking at a large quantity of documentaries and following bread crumbs that some have been leaving. If you don't have the time to follow these trails, I don't blame you, but trust me when I say that you need to slow down a little and take a good look around and analyze who actually has your best interests at heart. Hint: it isn't any of the current politicians.

Elizabeth May however, was the only one in Parliament to bring the issue of the China trade treaty to the light of day. What is going on with the rest of our elected officials - NDP and Liberal included that did NOT bring up this issue of Harper selling us out to China??

There is no democracy or justice left in this system in Canada. I will no longer be a Canadian if this is allowed. Australia, with a comparable population and set of values has said NO to this type of exploitation.

This is insane to allow Harper to continue on this path unchallenged. Who voted for this? Was this in his mandate when he ran for election? Did anyone have any idea what he had planned? NO NO NO. For issues this large that will affect our democracy, and Canadian's decisions on what we want to do with the Tar Sands should not be decided for us by 1 person that is intimidating all the rest that are collecting their pay cheque from the government coffers.

The tar sands or any other resource belongs to the population of all Canadians. Why would we want to allow any politician the ability to sell that out. Every resource that lays in the ground of Canada should belong to every Canadian. As a Canadian, do you believe that you are benefiting from that extraction? I don't believe that I am or anyone else is, unless they have a job that is directly related.

The extraction of resources in the West here is becoming catastrophic. Corps that are making HUGE profits are not concerned about all the people downstream of their operations and they are getting away with HUGE environmental damage.

The extermination of peoples.... I would compare it to no difference to Hitler's extermination, or Sadam Husein's poisoning of his people. There is knowingly contamination of water sources of people (especially First Nations) all along the Athabasca. I knew the river as a turquoise most beautiful thing I had seen in Canada (1983), clean and pure fed from glaciers. From what I have seen now, I am disgusted.

Can we recall Harper? Wasn't there enough anomalies with the election process to allow for the question of whether Harper should have a "majority" government right now? I demand that we have a new election. It's not that unusual to have an election within the 4 year mandate, especially when the government is suggesting something  outside of the mandate that was proposed at their re-election.

Further, let's make it law that no leader can propose laws and meaningful changes to the Canadian form of business values without that being at least on the mandate at election, or then proposed as a referendum!!!


Wednesday 24 October 2012

Earthlings: A Film about the Human Use and Abuse of Animals

This film deals with humanity's use and mistreatment of animals in food, clothing, as pets, entertainment, and in experimentation.

Earthlings - Watch the Documentary <~ see video - Director Shaun Monson


Earthlings.com <~  Nation Earth web site

Anybody and everybody that consider themself to be an "animal person" or eats meat and/or dairy products probably needs to see this. I have no affiliation except that I have watched the film.

WARNING: It is disturbing and DO NOT allow children to see it that will be sensitive, because it will likely give them nightmares!!! Seriously - I'm 46 and having a hard time dealing with a few of the images.

The only thing that I saw in the film that is debatable is the fur seal slaughter. I believe that that is not done anymore. White coats/baby seals are no longer harvested, but adult seals are. They call it a sustainable hunt. My jury is out on that one. Feel free to make comments to this post after watching the film or about the general use and abuse of animals in our world.

It's hard to deny the images. There is nothing that I can tell is fake, and it doesn't really matter what all the #s and statistics are. These things do happen. The proof is in the video clips. It is really disgusting how some people can be so callous to other living things. And I do believe that the slaughter house type of abuse goes on ALL the time EVERYDAY. Think about the recent meat recall from Excel Foods, an Alberta meat packing house [link to that story below]). There is no denying that there are thousands (up to 1 million per year) of shelter pets being put down and disposed of as garbage. The disturbing pictures of animals being kept in horrible conditions, killed, and skinned (while still alive in some cases), all for someone's vanity of a fur coat are unacceptable.

I realize that this film is intended to create an awareness that is aimed at growing the Vegan movement. Regardless of whether you intend to be or are Vegan, or if you want to continue eating meat and dairy products, we should all be aware of how animals are treated in the food production system. We need to all become more aware and pressure all involved along the chain of production to do better.

There needs to be a change in the way all domestic and wild animals are treated. The corporate model only tries to seek more and more profit and efficiencies, without regard to the animal's welfare. And then the live transport to the slaughter house, where again the workers are forced to manage a production line that is too fast to properly deal with the animals in a humane and respectful way.

Animals that are raised and kept for the intention of food need to be respected and revered while living and for eventually giving the ultimate sacrifice of their lives for human benefit. We need to ensure that they are treated humanely and with respect in every step of the production line, including ample sized pens or cages, fresh air, natural feeds, and the most natural existence we can possibly provide.

Growth hormone treatments need to be abolished. Growth hormone is not allowed in Canada’s dairy industry, but I believe it is still being used in the USA. It is a horrible injustice to the cow and causes unnecessary infections and suffering and therefore, more antibiotics, which all filters into the milk, cheese and butter. The use of antibiotics and hormones has been linked to other effects down the food chain and into humans and our water supply, including antibiotic resistant diseases in animals and humans.

I want to advocate going back to the local family farming model that can allow the animals to live a decent natural and social life, where there is less disease and stress and thereby allows the animal to be healthy and not require ongoing antibiotic injections, and less vaccinations. The meat we eat will be purer and more natural and not cause unforeseen cancers or side effects down the road. As well, the government needs to allow for more local abattoirs (slaughter and meat cutting) where consumers can see the cleanliness or humanness of the operation. Until we conduct the business of food animals in a transparent manner, we should all be worried about the animal products that you are feeding to yourself or your family members.

National Post XL Foods to Reopen Slaughtering Plant After E-coli Recall





Check the date: 24/7/01?

Sunday 21 October 2012

Protect Marine Sanctuaries

Avaaz - Save the Southern Ocean   <~ click to sign quick and easy petition

We need this same thing for the Arctic Ocean as well. They are all just chomping at the bit for more of the sea ice to melt so that they can open it to shipping. So that tankers carrying everything from food to oil, can navigate the northern route. And then what happens when the inevitable occurs - tankers run aground. 

Environment over profit; sure would be nice, but are the leaders there yet? I don't have a lot of faith that they are. 

We absolutely need marine park sanctuaries to allow fish stocks and the entire ecosystem to recover from overfishing.

The Usual Suspects - Stifling Solar Energy

Avaaz - China Solar Panels - <- click to sign a quick and easy petition.

So this is not very encouraging... that the government would worry about protectionism of economic factors over protectionism of the environment. When will they figure out that the economy will cease to exist without a healthy environment and that everything will function properly once we get on the proper path towards integration of all factors towards living in balance with nature?

The entire premise behind free/global trade was to allow certain countries to specialize, so that whoever was more efficient or better equipped to produce any particular good, would do so and that it would all balance out and there would be more efficiency worldwide. Well, if that is or was the case, then why would we want to penalize China - of all places - that has soaring growth and energy demands, from producing low cost solar panels that could benefit all of us in addressing the most pressing concern of climate change? I'm going to take a wild guess and say that BIG OIL and COAL are no doubt the ones lobbying for the tariffs.

It's sick but apparently true that alternative energy is still being stifled and has been for MANY years. The only difference now is that we are ONTO them and how they have been manipulating us for decades!! Thanks to the internet, we can suss out these schemes and inform each other and not believe in what the controlled bought and paid for mainstream media tell us or more importantly, what they don't tell us!

Send an EMAIL to voice your opinion directly to those in charge!   <~ click to send email
or send email later to:   trade-solar-dumping@ec.europa.eu

Wednesday 17 October 2012

Shell Oil Parody - iphone app

Yup its funny except it's not.

Shell Oil Parody
 

Stop Oil Subsidies

This was my exact idea when I started this research project!! If we put just those dollar$ that are going to oil subsidies instead into alternative energy R&D and promotion, we could really make a dent in our carbon emissions, or at least be on the right path. Does anyone believe that there is not enough profit going to oil and gas companies that they should be subsidized?

Our government is also SPENDING our tax dollar$ (I read somewhere $25 MILLION) on propaganda campaigns that are PRO-OIL/TAR SANDS. If you haven't seen some of these ads, they paint a very pretty, rosy picture of the entire industry and make claims about responsible resource development and environmental standards, remediation, and all the jobs of course, etc. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

I guess "Responsible Resource Development" requires firing all the scientists (see earlier blog post) and "Streamlining the Review Process", which really means skipping steps that should be taken to protect the environment.

Please go to the link below and very quickly and easily sign the petition to STOP subsidies to BIG OIL and COAL. And to rather invest those dollar$ (1 trillion it claims) into sustainable energy.

G20 - A New Plan to Save the Planet

 

Malalah - One Strong Girl

Malalah is the 14 year old girl who was shot in the head on her way to school because she had been outwardly promoting the education of girls in Pakistan. This was an outrageously cowardly act of the Taliban who claimed responsibility for shooting Malalah and said that they would do it again.

By clicking on the link below, you can join Avaaz.org - The World in Action and sign a petition, and learn more about the issues.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/malalahopenew/?cJnEBdb

This next link goes to I am Malalah page of The Office of the UN Special Envoy for Global Education

http://educationenvoy.org/press
 

Tuesday 16 October 2012

In wake of Amanda Todd suicide, MPs to debate anti-bullying motion

Here is the CTV background story just in case you live under a rock and don't yet know what the issue is about.

In wake of Amanda Todd suicide, MPs to debate anti-bullying motion | CTV News#commentsForm-334552
 

Potential Solution - Amanda's Law

 
This is an open and public letter written by: Janice Plante
TO: Anyone that cares to read it.
If you either share or republish the letter, please do so in its entirety or excerpts with proper quotation, and credit to Janice Plante with the use of the idea/concept or portions of the actual text.

OK so I got an idea.... on the subject of Bullying and Amanda Todd.

Everyone of all ages need protection from people who would republish any type of nudity/personal photos created for their eyes only. Anyone of any age might at some point do this and it should be illegal to then distribute that photo without that person’s (the subject of the photo) written or any other type of CONSENT.

It needs to be adopted into the Criminal Code and not just a tort/civil action that would require litigation. It could be classified in the Criminal Code under sexual assault/exploitation. Without going into too much legal detail here, the limitations of the existing statute allows for the type of abuse that haunted Amanda and others.

Write the statute so that consent to publish is NEVER implied and that explicit consent needs to be made in writing in order for anyone to publish any photo involving nudity in which they are not the subject.  This could go further to say that no one would be allowed to possess pictures of nudity in which they cannot prove consent. eg; if someone downloaded pornographic material from a web site, for money or free, then they are not criminally responsible, but the web site needs to prove consent. However, the person who downloaded that material, MAY be held criminally responsible if they REPUBLISH without the consent of the person that is the subject in the photo, or the source of the material.

This type of law would not limit the age of anyone involved or their position of authority; Just a blanket, simple law that everyone can understand.

NO ONE CAN PUBLISH ANY PHOTO THAT INVOLVES ANY NUDITY, IN WHICH THE PUBLISHER IS NOT THE SUBJECT, AND THAT NO OTHER PERSON BESIDES THE PUBLISHER IS IN THE PHOTO, WITHOUT THE EXPLICIT WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE SUBJECT(S) IN THE PHOTO/VIDEO/PRINT MEDIA/INTERNET STREAM/ETC.

Dany Morin of the Federal NDP Party is trying to present a motion on a strategy to prevent bullying. Well, that's all fine and good, but it still doesn't address the problem in an effective manner. We don't need more studies, or more delay until the public forgets about this latest instance. What we need is to provide funding on the ground to the front lines in providing grassroots support for anyone of any age that is being exploited or blackmailed, embarrassed and humiliated by the actions of a scorned boyfriend/girlfriend or anyone else’s use of media in which they are not the subject, that is negatively affecting someone else.

There should already be some legalities in place, but they are not in the public’s knowledge and they definitely are not being enforced. Law enforcement needs to be educated and empowered to assist people who are facing exploitation and defamatory libel.

Maybe because these things are occurring on the WWW/internet, there is confusion about jurisdiction.  At first, there were some reports that the harassers of Amanda were in the USA. An International or at least a North American covenant could be conjured up and accepted, or jurisdiction by jurisdiction enact laws and statutes that deal with this issue and allow for cross-border prosecution. Let’s leave the door open for every local politician to claim some kudos by putting forward some motions to amend the law.

And so, that is my idea of a PARTIAL solution.  It does not completely address teenage bullying, but it does put a lid on what has become an issue for a significant amount of young people. As well, it is easy to provide evidence through cell phone and computer technology. To me, it would seem like an easy fix to just expand some of the discourse in the Criminal Code to include this new type of exploitation through social media. Social media and the damage it can cause is a modern issue that now needs to be addressed. It will only become more and more prevalent as those who grew up with it use it to its maximum abilities to their own benefit or to the detriment of others. Let’s nip it in the bud and not allow this type of media to be used by spiteful or otherwise ill-intentioned people. This technology has the potential to be a substantial influence and allow for awareness when used properly. Let’s hold those accountable that chose to abuse the freedom of expression and limit it to their own expression and not what others may have disclosed in a moment of vulnerability!