Stephen Harper
The RCMP
...Towards a Fascist State in Canada.

*******Introductory Stuff***************
*NOTE (from kootcoot). The following is a new column written by that concerned Canadian, Robin Matthews. I am going to just post it as I received it and let it speak for itself, which it does powerfully. Thank you Robin, so much, for permission to post it here. For more of Robin's important writing at ViveleCanada click here. It is all important stuff of interest to anyone who cares about Canada as a free and independent nation for Canadians rather than a colonial stockpile of resources for the US of A and the Corporations that think the world was created for their benefit.

*NOTE (from Robin). This column expresses an idea that will be offensive to some people. They might conclude the column is the product of a fevered (not to say insane) mind. Time may prove them correct. Time, unfortunately, may prove they are wrong and that the column is more correct and far-seeing than any of us wish it to be - it attempts to force attention to a real, major invasion of Canadian freedoms which most Canadians are refusing to see.

************************

Begin with Stephen Harper: always a servant of the large, private corporations and now of the US expansionists. In addition, he is a modern Capitalist/Christian Fundamentalist - which means a stalwart in the present war against the poor, the vulnerable, ordinary Canadians, the sovereignty of Canada, policies of social equality, and - of course - against The Infidel anywhere in the world.

To do its work effectively in Canada, the Harper group needs to coerce Canadians into fear and undemocratic submission. That's where the RCMP comes in.

Any organized proto-fascist group moving to take State power into a totalitarian grip needs a repressive police force. And it needs (in the short term) to cooperate with any force - however named - in the society that will ally with it. British Columbia has, by name, a "Liberal" government (which is perhaps the most reactionary government in Canada). A Liberal government should be at odds with a Harper Reactionary government, one might say. But there is a rumour in B.C. that top Liberals in the province are working against a Stephane Dion victory and for a Harper victory in the next federal election. That makes sense. There are spoils to share in the dismantling of Canada and in the development of a fascist state; get in line.

The role of the RCMP in the move to the Right, in the move to close off democratic freedoms has been growing relentlessly, alarmingly, unchallenged and even unexamined in any serious way. The seriousness of breaches of trust in the RCMP is persistently underestimated, glossed over, discounted.

It's role in the Asia Pacific meetings at UBC in Vancouver was proto-fascist and was alarmingly whitewashed in the Inquiry Report by former judge Ted Hughes. That was the only scandal of the list I will mention that has been inquired into - and the Report was a disgraceful, compounded cover-up of RCMP wrong-doing. (Notice the role, in the move towards totalitarianism, of present and retired judicial figures.)

The RCMP role in the B.C. Gustafsen Lake "stand off" with a few dozen Native people is worthy of a major film - to say nothing of its' screaming for an independent Inquiry. The RCMP action was corrupt, military, secretive, fascistic, and "historic". "Historic" in many ways - one being the use of/cooperation with the Canadian military in the "events". One of the most poignant historic moments, in addition, was the statement by a major media liaison RCMP officer - on a film to be used for training new RCMP recruits - that "smear campaigns are our [the RCMP's] specialty".

The role of the RCMP in what I call "the fraudulent investigation and trial of [B.C. NDP premier] Glen Clark" was so questionable that a full inquiry is absolutely necessary. A question hangs in the air - and grows more insistent: did [now premier] Gordon Campbell or did his associates work, with active RCMP cooperation, to effect the fraudulent destruction of Glen Clark and his NDP government on the way to an Ottawa/B.C. proto-fascist movement?

We must return to that question.

First. Two more instances of deep suspicion about RCMP activities. Out of the corrupt sale by the Gordon Campbell cabinet of BC Rail have come criminal charges for fraud and breach of trust against Campbell-appointed cabinet aides. Were the men fingered because they double-crossed their bosses and allegedly were making money on the side? Did honest RCMP officers begin proceedings that couldn't be stopped - and so have to be scuttled?

Whatever the case, an RCMP officer is alleged to have handed information to at least one (family relation) top Liberal in a pipeline to Gordon Campbell. RCMP, moreover, closed all investigations of Liberal cabinet ministers and, it would appear, of other highly placed B.C. Liberals. In addition, RCMP has repeatedly failed to assist or has fallen short when evidence has been required by the Defence in the fraud and breach of trust proceedings.

Response by the presiding judge, Madam Justice Elizabeth Bennett, to the visible, astonishing failure of the RCMP in the matter of the production of evidence has appeared to be slow, listless, ingenuous - there may be other more pointedly descriptive terms.

What is more, Associate Chief Justice Patrick Dohm, who signed the search warrants on December 24, 2003, to allow far-reaching search, has adamantly refused to release the search warrant texts - which he is normally obliged to do when the searches are complete. Justice Dohm "released" a search warrant document nine months after the searches. Pages upon pages of the document are totally blacked out.

Does that mean there is more than RCMP and proto-fascist government co-operation in Canada?

Now headquarters of the RCMP has exploded with corruption and allegations of corruption. RCMP Commissioner Juliano Zaccardelli has been forced to resign in disgrace. Allegations of coercion, of favouritism, of cronyism are heaped on allegations of serious misappropriation and misspending of funds. There is not only suspicion but undoubted fact involved in the corruption at RCMP headquarters.

Serious investigation? Names named? Charges laid? Don't be silly. The opposite. The Stephen Harper government is doing everything it can - from all appearances - to cover up everything illicit there and to paper over all the cracks. And perhaps with good reasonŠ.

A huge question about an open betrayal of democracy is before all Canadians. During the last federal election the RCMP announced a (fraudulent?) investigation into the Ralph Goodale (Liberal Minister of Finance) Income Trust measures. The announcement was unprecedented, was apparently fraudulent, and is alleged to have seriously changed the outcome of the election in favour of the Stephen Harper forces.

Were the Harper forces privy to and a part of the, almost certainly, fake investigation (which was quietly dropped after the election)? Did Harper or the Harper forces make promises to Juliano Zaccardelli in order to "pay" for help with the election? Certainly, Harper seemed to approve of Zaccardelli, promising him an increase of 1000 officers for the RCMP not long after the election.

In fact, until Zaccardelli's disgraceful actions could no longer be hidden, he was solidly supported by Stockwell Day and Stephen Harper. The House of Commons Committee forced (some of) RCMP corruption into public view. The revelations were forced upon Stephen Harper. A full-scale, independent, no-holds-barred inquiry is desperately necessary in this case - and the Harper forces are making absolutely certain such an inquiry doesn't take place.

If there was a deal between the Harper forces and the Zaccardelli forces, it had to be a proto-fascist deal. A political party seeking power working illicitly to use the national police force for political ends with promises of pay-off constitutes treason. Is there an independent commission of inquiry into the RCMP invasion of the last federal election?

If there was a deal between the Harper forces and the Zaccardelli forces, what is the situation now that Zaccaradelli is gone?

The situation may, in fact, be more favourable for a movement to a police forces-supported fascist state in Canada. The exit of Zaccardelli has had strange results. One: Stephen Harper has prevented the absolutely necessary full, independent, public inquiry. Two. He had a limited and carefully contained "review" conducted - a wholly stage-managed "inquiry". Three. He has appointed a political loyalist to be the new RCMP Commissioner - an almost certain guarantee that the force will work for the Harper interests rather than as an independent force working for Canadians.

William Elliott (the new "independent" Commissioner) was quite happy to be a close deputy to Stockwell Day before being named RCMP Commissioner. There is, therefore, no reason to suppose Elliott will tackle the real problems of the RCMP. There is every reason to suppose he won't. As assistant-secretary to cabinet in the Privy Council Office, with responsibility for security and intelligence, he apparently saw nothing wrong with the operation of the RCMP.

The Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP is one of the running sores on the diseased body of law and justice in Canada. William Elliott has made no comment, that I have been able to find, about that disgrace to Canadian democracy.

Now a Task Force will undertake another phony review of the RCMP. It will eventuate in a structure that further releases the force from the legal bonds by which other Canadians are bound. It will very likely chop up the RCMP and policing duties in Canada, the easier to place them under the control of political thugs. It will produce no wrong-doers in the huge corruption at RCMP headquarters; it will increase the "Gestapo" powers of the new policing entities - under the pretence of National Security.

The sickness of the RCMP cannot be over-stated. The announced criminal investigation of the Ralph Goodale Income Trust matter during the last election was - on the national level - an outrage of immense proportions, showing that an unregulated RCMP, apparently, was ready to go into what may very well have been criminal interference with the democratic process (and, as I say, maybe with the approval and support of the Stephen Harper forces). A full-scale investigation of that event is absolutely essential to Canadian democratic freedom.

The present, ludicrous, Kafka'esque killing and "investigation" - on the private level - of twenty year old Ian Bush of Houston, B.C., shot in the back of the head by an RCMP constable in a police office, requires a full-scale, public inquiry now. The contradictory evidence - to put the matter gently - is so alarming only a full-scale, independent inquiry can satisfy the requirements of justice. An independent forensics expert, for instance, insisted the constable's description of his shooting of Ian Bush described an impossibility. An adequate inquiry will not be held.

The Ian Bush story - "small" and "private" - is the Juliano Zaccardelli story seen through the other end of the telescope. In the case of Ian Bush a (carefully hobbled) coroner's inquest had to be held. (The coroner - upon whose orders? - seriously restricted the jury which should have defied the coroner and made a public report independently.) Gary Mason (Globe and Mail, July 10 07 S1) counts up the contradictions that came out of the inquest: "that Constable Koester destroyed the notes he made of what happened the night he shot Ian Bush; that he huddled with RCMP's chief investigator in the case to craft a short account of the shooting the day after it happened; that he waited 18 days before providing his first detailed statement of what happened. And then there's the fact that it took three months before Constable Koester was interviewed by RCMP investigators who provided him with a list of questions he was going to be asked two days before the interview took place."

The news of the corruption at RCMP headquarters and of the painful contradictions in the Ian Bush killing should fill Stephen Harper and his cabinet with consternation, leading them to a publicly declared determination to (a) find any wrong-doers, (b) to charge them, and (c) to construct a system where such behaviour becomes impossible - after full-scale, wide-open independent public inquiries.

Gary Mason describes a lawless and unregulated police force far, far beyond responsibility to the people of Canada, a force that appears to work happily with the corrupt B.C. Gordon Campbell government, openly and covertly. At the other end of the telescope the failure of Stephen Harper to have a major inquiry into the RCMP corruption in Ottawa - and beyond - confirms that there have to be, I allege, officers in many positions in the RCMP who are - in all likelihood - criminals.

Those ugly facts are exactly, I am arguing, what the Stephen Harper and proto-fascist forces in Canada want. Fascist police forces are not made out of honest men and women.

by Robin Matthews

******************

When I start worrying unduly about all this kind of stuff, I just remind myself to remember that this guy is looking after my safety:

Stockwell Stands on Guard, for Me and Thee!

             Do We Really Need a
Blogger's Code?

Although speech is still free here at freespeechca, words have been in short supply here of late. The call of Spring and the tragic loss of Mr. and Mrs. Coyote's daughter recently have a lot to do with Coyote's absence from these pages. There are few more tragic things in my mind than a parent having to deal with the funeral of a child, the kids are supposed to come to ours, sometime waaaaay in the future. I ran into an article today that I thought should be discussed here though rather than somewhere else. The very name of the blog and some of the discussions with the Sentinel make the following relevant here and now.

Thanks to David Poque, the tech writer for the New York Times I was pointed to Call for a Blogger's Code of Conduct at the blog Radar, blogging home of Tim O'Reilly, publisher of the classic standards in programming so treasured by geeks and so familiar that they are referred to by the animal on the cover of the particular one. Perl in a Nutshell is nicknamed "the Camel Book" The tech writer for the Times is also a much more reliable writer than say Judith "kneepads" Miller and not as prone to putting spin on everything (say for Microsoft or Sony instead of Bu$hco).

The experiences of his friend (and writer) Kathy Sierra prompted Tim to consider the possible need for a code of blogger conduct.

Tim) was quoted in a BBC article a few days ago and a San Francisco Chronicle article on Thursday calling for a "Blogger's Code of Conduct" in response to the firestorm that has arisen as a result of Kathy Sierra's revelation that she's been targeted by a series of increasingly violent and disturbing anonymous comments on her blog and on a series of weblogs that appeared to have been created for the purpose of celebrating cyber-bullying.

Tim proposes seven steps in what he points out "are just a work in progress, and hopefully a spur for further discussion."

1. Take responsibility not just for your own words, but for the comments you allow on
your blog.

There's an attitude among many bloggers that deleting inflammatory comments is censorship. I think that needs to change. I'm not suggesting that every blog will want to delete such comments, but I am suggesting that blogs that do want to keep the level of dialog at a higher level not be censured for doing so.

There are many real-world analogies. Shock radio hosts encourage abusive callers; a mainstream talk radio show like NPR's Talk of the Nation wouldn't hesitate to cut someone off who started spewing hatred and abuse. Frat parties might encourage drunken lewdness, but a party at a tech conference would not. Setting standards for acceptable behavior in a forum you control is conducive to free speech, not damaging to it.

2. Label your tolerance level for abusive comments..

3. Consider eliminating anonymous comments.

When people are anonymous, they will often let themselves say or do things that they would never do when they are identified. There are important contexts in which anonymity is important, for example, for political speech in repressive regimes. But in most contexts, accountability via identity changes how people behave. Requiring a valid email address for comments won't prevent people who want to hide their identity from doing so, but it's one more indication that accountability is valued.

4. Ignore the trolls.

5. Take the conversation offline, and talk directly, or find an intermediary who can do so.

6. If you know someone who is behaving badly, tell them so.

7. Don't say anything online that you wouldn't say in person.

The next time you're tempted to vent your anger or frustration online, imagine you're talking to your mother. Or if you have no respect for your mother, imagine you're talking to a big, mean dude that you met on the street. Or simply imagine the person you're speaking to as a real person, standing in front of you. Would you say what you're saying to them if you were in the same room?

There's a lot more over at Radar, and if you have an interest in blogging, it is well worth checking out the link. David Poque has some interesting comments on the subject in his newsletter for April 26, and I imagine that column can be found at the Times, unless he too is behind the pay wall, like Mo Mo Dowd and Frank Rich. Of course some so called writers like Tom Friedman and David Brooks - I'm so glad they are behind the paywall, make it higher even, for them. O'Reilly ends his posting with:

......frankness does not have to mean lack of civility. There's no reason why we should tolerate conversations online that we wouldn't tolerate in our living room.

A culture is a set of shared agreements that allows us to live together. Let's make sure that the culture we create with our blogs is one that we are proud of.

And Likely It
Will Come
to Canada
Wrapped
In The Same US flag
And Carrying
the Same Cross.

Or The State of Our Democracy
by Coyote

All the changes currently occurring within our capitalist dominant and structured social, economic and political systems, over the period since the beginning of the collapse of “socialized capitalism”, as it evolved in the aftermath of WW2 until the late 1970’s to early ‘80s, and of late around NAFTA, TILMA and the neo-conservative ruling class calls and initiatives for a North American Union (NAU), are having a profound effect on our democracy, or what has at least passed for such to here. And the implications for further modifications and deteriorations are manifold and becoming increasingly obvious.

. "I believe in democracy because it releases the energies of every human being" - those are the words of our 28th president of the USA, Woodrow Wilson," said Bill Moyers in a recent article titled A Time for Anger, A Call for Action.

http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0322-24.htm

Nonetheless, as we are now witnessing, this president of the United States also obviously understood something else about the nature of the class system that capitalism gives rise to, though he might not have chosen to put it quite the way I have, being then a liberal spokesman for it, when he sounded anyway, what can only be interpreted as a warning as far back as his time, (between 1913-21).

In his now-forgotten political testament called The New Freedom, Wilson described his reformism in plain English no one could fail to understand: "The laws of this country do not prevent the strong from crushing the week." He wrote: "Don't deceive yourselves for a moment as to the power of great interests which now dominate our development... There are men in this country big enough to own the government of the United States. They are going to own it if they can." And he warned: "There is no salvation in the pitiful condescensions of industrial masters... prosperity guaranteed by trustees has no prospect of endurance."

Which bears repeating: “There is no salvation in the pitiful condescensions of industrial masters... prosperity guaranteed by trustees has no prospect of endurance." The undoing of which egalitarian prosperity ideas and practise within capitalism was precisely begun with the rise of neo-conservative Reganism and Thatcherism, in the late 70s through early 80s: Here with the Bill Bennett, Social Credit “Restraint Budgets” in BC, and Conservatives Mike Harris in Ontario and Ralph Klein in Alberta, all sounding the early warning death knell of “socialized capitalism”.

Which process has now twisted, turned, wound and evolved its way down to the present, and as Larry Gambone correctly stated, in effect, here in one of the comment threads on Freedom of Speech.ca, to where the new neo-conservative capitalist ideology, influencing virtually all the “accepted and sanctioned” parties of capitalism to one degree or another, is attempting with TILMA and other such legislation and agreements, to cut off any attempt to reform the neoconservative ideology and practice of all levels of goverrnment, or to go back to even postwar“socialized capitalism". And it is doing that, as in the case of TILMA, by formulating inter-provincial and international agreements and legislation restricting what policies and practises, be they trade, monetary, budgetary, or social policy that duly “elected” governments can even consider or pass into legislation and practise. What "the public" might want or choose, where it does not conform to the new neo-conservative capitalism practise, is to simply be incised out of the loop as a possible consideration.

Not content with the normal limitations of the capitalist class system on what passes for democracy, and such as effectively restricts control and manipulative influence over it into ruling class hands in any case, and as cuts out or limits working class and other social class strata participation, they want to “build in” further blacklists on economic, social and political policy reforms such as will be outside the pale of what can even be raised or considered, by those reformist tendencies as yet may emerge through even the limited “democratic processes”, despite the controlling “Big Money” media and other corporatist influences that effectively “own” it..

While there is a popular social pressure beginning to well up, demanding an opening up and extension of “democratic practises”, and calling for electoral and other reforms, the action that is actually occurring within the New Neo-conservative Capitalist World Order, and arising from its corporate ruling class, is moving in entirely the opposite direction, away from even its own limited past, relatively democratic order practise. All of which represents nothing more nor less than an attempt to prevent any practical possibility of reforms to the new capitalist order of things. There is to be no going back to socialized capitalism. Period. (Though they themselves want to take society back to a time before even it, or back to that future, via a kind of suit and tie "legislated" fascism.) Nor are we to be allowed especially to move forward, away from capitalism, into any other social and economic arrangements, or notions of democracy.

This reactionary vision of our future, which comes out of an insistence on ruling class privilege and prerogatives has to be resisted and fought against with the utmost ferocity and determination.

More

Another
SOAP-BOX OPEN THREAD...

The Mrs and I just had a death in the family, so we have been basically shut down for a few days. I will now begin to work myself back into it here. Meanwhile, whilst I organize some new material, you folks have yourselves a chat here, about anything your hearts desire.

Spring is slowly happening here, but damn, winter just does not seem to want to let go.

More

COMMENT
CONTENT
WARNING

or...The Sentinel for Dummies

Starring

 in his own Words!
Regular readers here will undoubtably remember a dude who calls himself The Sentinel, who single handedly made Coyote and I resort to moderating our comments. We didn't want to do this, but since the SentAnal insisted on posting text pornography under his own moniker and everybody else's he left us no choice. Eventually we tired of the cesspool that spews from his keyboard and told him

"You are a guest here and if you cease to amuse can be easily disposed of..."

To which he almost immediately replied:

Censorship?

Go ahead, it is the natural course for you hypocrites anyhow.

Freedom of speech? Do me a favour!

I should point out that he seems to be spewing here, spewing on other blogs or maintaining his own cesspool at The Sentinel pretty well 24/7. Just his deleted comments from here, which I saved of course, amount to 200 to 300 KBs of data in plain text. The text from the posting illustrated above is hard enough to read on his site thanks to the multi-colored characters on a black background, much less in the reduced size image. However in order to analyze this posting it is reprinted here:

COMMENT CONTENT WARNING

In my ongoing attempt to engage 'opposing' political blogs in debate, I have had the misfortune to bump into some pretty strange types. However, the insults are usually just political and localised. Unfortunately, I have inadvertently stumbled across a couple of very strange, very delusional, very perverted old men. (Who, for example now believe that I am David Icke and refer to me as Dave.) They have left a variety of comments on this blog relating to pedophilia, homosexual acts and other such depravity and post under assorted assumed monikers. I have deleted these disgusting comments as and when I have found them but please be aware that they may be present until I review the blog. The perverted perpetrators belong to blogs (ironically) called: Freedom of speech.ca and House of Infamy and go under the moniker of coyote and kootcoot.(E-mail: kootcoot and coyote)

As to:

I have inadvertently stumbled across a couple of very strange, very delusional, very perverted old men. (Who, for example now believe that I am David Icke and refer to me as Dave.)

The reason we started calling this idiot Dave might have something to do with the fact that he left this comment on one of our blogs.

The Sun is stimulated vibrationally to produce more intense radiation when we are entering a warm cycle and less when we are starting a cooler period. That's what global warming is - a changing solar energy cycle. I have been predicting this and its affects since my first book on these subjects written in 1990 called Truth Vibrations. These 'truth vibrations' as I called them were the very 'magnetic energy' changes that are now causing climate change and I even talked about the weather affects in that book

.

Now to a literate person the statement about would appear to be made by the person who wrote "Truth Vibrations" and since David Icke wrote that book, ergo David Icke = Author of above statement. Of course maybe our SentAnal dude accidentally copied and pasted a statement by Mr. Icke, or willfully and knowingly plagiarized David Icke. However when I pointed this out and asked if the SentAnal was either Mr. Icke or just a plagiarizing liar, he simply wouldn't address the question, as the following exchange will illustrate.

kootcoot said......
......I will give you a multiple choice question to answer, with only two choices - one of them will be true, or possibly even both of them.

Answer (a) or (b)

a. My name is David

b. I am a Liar

No answer still means that at least one choice is true, if not both. So I'll just assume that both (a) and (b) are true, unless you tell me different.

Saturday, March 17, 2007 2:16:00 PM PDT
Delete
coyote said...(this is SentAnal, posing as Coyote)

I warned you about this David and now your talking about another man- thats it I am going to come in both your eyes for this.

So you should be able to see that it is obviously Coyote and myself that are constantly resorting to the "homosexual acts" statements, even if the SentAnal has to impersonate us so we will do so.

Below the fold I will share an unedited section of one of the comment boards that was graced with the SentAnal's presence. Please be warned that the language and subject matter may not be suitable for all people. So click on Read More! at your own discrettion.

Before I share with you the SentAnal in action, here are a couple links to give you an opportunity to see the slimeball in action at his own place and elsewhere. He says in one of his later comments, just before we had it with hime, for us to quit "obsessing" about him. Well you may get confused about who's obsessing about whom when you consider the posting quoted above and this one - nonces-rockspiders, etc. Or perhaps you would prefer to check him out in full troll mode at another Blogger's place as they discuss(?) the squatter's riots in Copenhagen at benno's newsvine.

Also, if you read his drivel titled "Comments Content Warning" you will notice that he claims that:

They have left a variety of comments on this blog relating to pedophilia, homosexual acts and other such depravity and post under assorted assumed monikers. I have deleted these disgusting comments as and when I have found them but please be aware that they may be present until I review the blog.

Well that is so outrageous. I left two comments on his blog that day, and they were both deleted as soon as he found them. But I will let you fair reader be the judge of how disgusting they were. I admit that I did use his own monicker, but since I was just quoting him, I thought that was pretty appropriate. Here are the two comments, which are just copied and pasted from his comments at our place to his.

2 Comments
Close this window Collapse comments

theSentinal said...(really me quoting him - kc)

The Sun is stimulated vibrationally to produce more intense radiation when we are entering a warm cycle and less when we are starting a cooler period. That's what global warming is - a changing solar energy cycle. I have been predicting this and its affects since my first book on these subjects written in 1990 called Truth Vibrations. These 'truth vibrations' as I called them were the very 'magnetic energy' changes that are now causing climate change and I even talked about the weather affects in that book.

18 March 2007 17:58
theSentAnal said...

Correction:

I misspelled my own name. It is supposed to be ----- (kc)

the SentAnal (kc)

18 March 2007 18:02 (the following was left by the Sentinel)

I am exhausted after having spent quite a bit of time 'coming out' on all the blogs I visit, but I just had to let everyone know what I am.

I am still suffering from some odd delusions and think that I am being followed by some guy called Dave, though I still cant think of his surname or actually link him to any real person, probably I suspect because I am making it all up.

Its what I do best- talk shit and suck cock.

- is SentAnal bragging, again?-

So doesn't seem all that disgusting, especially since the SentAnal originally typed everything but the mis-spelling of his name. Get a grip - I think you are the one obsessed. If you quit showing up a spewing potty mouth drivel here and at the House, I'm sure we'll all forget about you in no time.

So just for an illustration of why we got tired of this guy here is the complete comment thread from a posting containing a cool picture of Don Quixote and inviting an "open" discussion. The following is unedited except for the "comments removed by author" and those were deleted by the Sentinel him self (I even have those as they came in my email, before he realized he wasn't happy with his drivel). The parts that are in bold and italics are my comments on the spewing drivel. Other than my added comments the following is totally unedited!

I forgot how many of SentAnal's comments were so crude and off point that Coyote deleted them, but the one's that remain serve to show how off topic and potty mouth crap the SentAnal can bring to the table.

41 Comments
Close this window Collapse comments

kootcoot said...

We could talk about the illustration, of Don Quixote and his pard. It is really cool.

March 14, 2007 2:58 PM
Delete
apathysux said...

Very cool picture. You find some of the coolest artwork, coyote!

As an artist of various mediums, including tattoos BTW, I especially like this type of painting with the various figures hidden within the big picture. Alot like life :-)

apathysux

March 14, 2007 3:44 PM
Delete
bear said...

Yeah, a lot like life indeed Apathysux.

It's interesting to hear comments about art. Everyone has such unique and yet at times common takes on the same peice. I have worked in clay to pour forms in bronze and it is always of animals. Often it is the animals that are struggling to survive in the harsh realities of today...ie grizzly bears, wolves and so on… I have often wondered how or if my art would change if it was a perfect world for all. Would I have enough "anx" (sp) or passion to work intensely on each one of my pieces? Would my heart come through if I tried?? Or would I be too comfortable…hummm

I love coastal art intensely, and many FN's art styles, so I absolutely love many different styles of art, but I do stay true to my path...

Tat's are beautiful Apathysux... Over the years I have appreciated them more and more. Such personal art... I haven't got any on me, but this primal art continues to fascinate me. Cool art.

This picture is provocative. Many personalities and emotions put down with an interesting use of light...

Anyhow, ranting on... Thanks for the time 'Yote Kootcoots and friends :-)

Peace all,

Bear

March 14, 2007 7:24 PM
Delete
kootcoot said...

Hey there bear, I think you mean "angst." Not trying to be a know it all, just so you can get it right the next time, it is a meaningful word.

March 14, 2007 7:52 PM
Delete
Coyote said...

My arms are covered with tattoos, apathysux. Mind you, they are now old and faded like myself, and not nearly as good, I think, as some of the work being done today, but I never regretted it. In my day, not many folks had them.

But being a sailor at the time, it was practically mandatory. :-)

If I had the bucks, I'd try and get some of these ones I have cleaned up and improved upon-, if possible.

Eh, glad you guys found the time to stop in and use this open thread. I like the concept myself.

And the Quixote pic is fantastic, isn't it.

I actually spend quite a bit of time looking for art and pics to add to, what would otherwise be, or could be, the tedium of endless type. I think art helps add interest and colour to the place.

Take care, sisters and brothers. :-)

I also like having koot out there, making little improvements to the site.

March 14, 2007 8:36 PM
Delete
The Sentinel said...

"But being a sailor at the time"

Oh, I see. Your a sailor now. Not a soldier in the elusive "Colonial Canadian Armed Forces."

Next week you'll be a fighter pilot, or fireman.

What do you really want to be when you grow up?

March 15, 2007 7:21 AM
Delete
Coyote said...

I agree Koot, weird shit at his site. Classic Aryan garbage collection, as one might expect from this goose stepper. And that fondness for fascist black of the Blackshirt wannabe. Very Mosely, English.

Catch ya's later. :-)

March 15, 2007 8:28 AM
Delete
apathysux said...

Coyote,
Tattoo's can always be touched up and improved upon it if they are faded. the pigments used nowadays are incredible! Some of my best clientele have been over 65 years old. If you ever find yourself in Haida Gwaii....

Bear,
I would love to work in clay again. Awesome medium, to just watch it grow in your hands!
I used to paint in oils and always loved watching the painting morph. I wish I could sketch like that more often, no time to it seems. Mostly I do a lot of custom designs and I get to do alot of Haida & FN artwork, (my husband is part Haida and we have done a bent wood box and a paddle so far, painting a drum next). I am currently drawing a polar bear on a pile of skulls for my hubby's arm, black and gray is my forte'. I am also working on a portrait of my mom to tattoo on my leg. It will be the first time I tattoo a portrait. I can draw them but do not yet have the confidence to recreate them on skin.
I am also learning to airbrush, my husband wants bigger tanks for his Fatboy and wants me to paint them. Wish I could paint and draw full time, unfortunately it doesn't pay the bills, at least not yet. ;-)

apathysux

March 15, 2007 9:41 AM
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apathysux said...

Coyote,
Tattoo's can always be touched up and improved upon it if they are faded. the pigments used nowadays are incredible! Some of my best clientele have been over 65 years old. If you ever find yourself in Haida Gwaii....

Bear,
I would love to work in clay again. Awesome medium, to just watch it grow in your hands!
I used to paint in oils and always loved watching the painting morph. I wish I could sketch like that more often, no time to it seems. Mostly I do a lot of custom designs and I get to do alot of Haida & FN artwork, (my husband is part Haida and we have done a bent wood box and a paddle so far, painting a drum next). I am currently drawing a polar bear on a pile of skulls for my hubby's arm, black and gray is my forte'. I am also working on a portrait of my mom to tattoo on my leg. It will be the first time I tattoo a portrait. I can draw them but do not yet have the confidence to recreate them on skin.
I am also learning to airbrush, my husband wants bigger tanks for his Fatboy and wants me to paint them. Wish I could paint and draw full time, unfortunately it doesn't pay the bills, at least not yet. ;-)

apathysux

March 15, 2007 9:41 AM
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This post has been removed by the author. (SentAnal made a boo-boo)

March 15, 2007 9:42 AM
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The Sentinel said...

coyote,

Hey fantasist!

You are responding to thin air!

"koot" didn't say anything. (Apparently and fortunately this asshole isn't
reading Coyote's e-mail)


"And that fondness for fascist black of the Blackshirt"

So any black background is "fascist" now is it?

It must really hurt when you try to think.

You would be probably be happier just imagining a new past military role for yourself- say Napoleon this time.

March 15, 2007 9:44 AM
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apathysux said...

ooops...sorry for the double post :-0

March 15, 2007 9:45 AM
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apathysux said...

hey sentinel...this was a nice open thread where the current discussion is art...so unless you want to join that part of the discussion...fuck-off and take your shit to another thread.

March 15, 2007 9:47 AM
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kootcoot said...

Fuck you too sentinel, you don't know what coyote was responding to, this ain't the only place either of us exist. As usual you are talking through you posterior orifice.

" The Sentinel said...

Fuck yourself anonymous-or is it just really 'coyote' and 'kootcoot' making up space? "

speaking of non-existent people, who is this anonymous that you are referring to or can't you tell the difference between apathysux and anonymous, I know it involves some of the same letters.

You seem like an angry little man with an angry little mind - emphasis on the little, in all respects.

March 15, 2007 10:53 AM
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bear said...

First...Hey Sentinel, again, the topic is "ART". What do you think of when you think of ART Sentinel? Are you drawn to a style, a medium, or a texture in art? If you have nothing to add in this warm and comfortable conversation... Fuck Off Dude!!

Keep up the Good Work kootcoot, and thanks for the spelling correction bud. :-) Peace man.

B.

Apathysux...!

Cool on the art choice, and understandable given your hubby is part FN’s. I love Haida, and other coastal art. It makes me feel good. The paddle and the drum sound’s amazing... If I was to tat-up, I would consider asking permission to use coastal art for sure.

A Fat Boy eh...awesome. My hubby has what started as a 88b softail, and now is a fire-breathing 116inches of unreliablity :-D Lol. Cool bike though. I am getting a new sportster N 2007, blacked out edition. Ride On...!! Painted tanks an absolute consideration for both of us. Anywhooooo, lots of fun, and summers coming. :-)

Yeah apathysux, three dimensional is a what I do best, but I do understand and enjoy drawing. Clay, is very grounding for me though, and as you said, a great medium indeed. I think the same heart can do either...flat work or 3-dimensional. In fact I think if we lost our hands we would likely use our feet :-) … never know.

Peace to you apathysux,

Bear

March 15, 2007 1:32 PM
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Coyote said...

Sorry for the glitch, Bear. Blogger must have read my mind, re the troll nutbar here, and up and enabled the "Moderating" function. Which meant I had to approve all posts. :-)

Beauty, the surge of power it gave me, at least insofar as one could control these troll wreckers. Unfortunately, it also creates other problems with you "good folks" as well. :-)

Still, there is more than one way to skin a cat-, or a troll. B-D lol

March 15, 2007 2:57 PM
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bear said...

"Yote,

Understandable given... Thanks my friend, I appreciate all your efforts very much :-)

Yeah...skin a troll 'Yote, a troll... :-)

Cheers,

Bear

March 15, 2007 3:13 PM
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Larry Gambone said...

Apathysux, what's it like running a Harley on Haida Gwaii? I have never been there but it seems like there wouldn't be a hell of a lot of traffic and you could really have the place to yourself - a bikers dream! Course it rains alot though...

March 15, 2007 3:28 PM
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March 15, 2007 3:31 PM
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March 15, 2007 3:36 PM
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Coyote said...

Folks may want to check out the somewhat changed definition of the parameters for this blog, at the top in the main banner. (You gotta do what you gotta do)

Nothing is ever absolute.

:-) Love 'n peace, brothers and sisters.

March 15, 2007 5:25 PM
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Coyote said...

Though it is great to see the interest in this open thread idea. I've always liked the concept, going back, as I've said before, to one of my favourite US blogs, from whence I've stolen the concept, even if it is a little too Democratic Party beholden in its underlying prejudice, Daily KOS.

Ehhh, we all have our underlying "prejudices", or predilections.

March 15, 2007 5:35 PM
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apathysux said...

Sentinel...Actually using MY moniker makes you a troll in my opinion. Also ,hijacking a thread about ART by being an asshole also makes you a troll.

Bear, The new sportster models are nice. Have some great options. Not such a girls bike anymore. I just got a 2003 Hugger with the 1200 kit and all the modifications that I would ask for, except I, too, would like a bigger tank.

So true, I work alot with my hands but not so much with sculpture. Something I would love to aspire to tho. Always wanted a pottery wheel and a kiln. I have been getting into beading, and enjoy creating with leather. I've been working on medicine bags and moccasins. Did some designs in leather for my husband's regalia for his clan's potlatch. I'm part Cree so I am using some of those traditional artforms such as beading to transfer over into the coastal art. Experimenting.

Larry...The weather here hasn't cooperated much but when it does the ride here can be pretty awesome. We're a little short on highway, only about 190 kms all together but they are some very nice kms with a great range of curves and a nice long straight stretch to reallly stretch your legs. For some real riding we try to get off island once a year. Last year we rode to Stewart...beautiful! This year it is to Watson Lake and circle through FSJ and Hudson Hope. Nothing like checking out BC's beauty on a bike.

apathysux

March 16, 2007 7:01 AM
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apathy_sux said...

Now my moniker is no longer 'anonymous'.

March 16, 2007 7:21 AM
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apathy_sux said...

Bear...BTW...blacked out is my fav.

Eventually I want to black wrap my exhaust, either that or black ceramic with chrome covers. Maybe consider some black powdercoating if I ever have to rebuild the engine. Love the minimalist look when it comes to bikes, Russel Mitchel style.

apathysux

March 16, 2007 9:15 AM
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March 16, 2007 9:45 AM
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apathy_sux said...

Oepn thread or not, we were having a pleasant discussion about art before you rudely interrupted.

"Actually it is; and so is 'bear's: It doesn't link to a profile, but more importantly a blog."

And so does yours...point???
My point is now you can no longer sign in as me. Regardless as to whether or not you or anyone else knows my true identity or anyone else's for that matter,you can NO longer fuck with my blogger identity.

apathysux

March 16, 2007 10:33 AM
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March 16, 2007 12:10 PM
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March 16, 2007 12:13 PM
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kootcoot said...

Apathy_sux, do you mean from Tlell to Port Clements when you mention the long straight stretch? I used to live up there in the 70's and know some folks that are still there.

I haven't been back for decades, but I did drink from St. Mary's spring, so can't die until I get back there. Maybe that's why I'm delaying it. I almost went up with the Walkers in the early nineties, but had another vacation that I was already in the middle of doing.

The Sentinel is a lot like crotch itch don't you think? He's about as useful as crotch itch also, except maybe less.

March 16, 2007 1:14 PM
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March 16, 2007 1:26 PM
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apathy_sux said...

done proving your point asshole?
good for you now you have blogger account with my moniker. (He doesn't)

Like it is difficult for those who read this blog to tell the difference between the real apathysux and you. No matter what name is used personality speaks loud and clear.

Whatever...you are such a waste of my time.

Anyway...kootcoot...yep that's the staight stretch I meant. It's a little warpy...but you can really test your legs. I haven't drank from St. Mary's spring but I do intend to die here ;-)

me....apathysux

March 16, 2007 1:39 PM
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bear said...

Sentinel said: "Anonymous in blogging terms doesn’t mean giving out real credentials but being authentically bound to some online identity. Empty monikers are a popular trick to propagate otherwise empty comment boxes and especially to lend an air of unity and moral backing when used to attack other commentators in a pseudo-third party fashion..."blah-blah-blah...

Con-fusing :-\

Anyhooo, apathysux, thanks for the posts and I like blacked out for the simplicity, and lack of upkeep. I would think it would be good for high precipitation or coastal (salt) areas too eh? Although my hub's bike is black with a powder coated front-end also in black, he still shines, shines, shines any chrome that is left :-D . EXILE is beautiful, and my hubs fav... And oh, he likes bigger tanks too :-) On his bike is a 7 gallon stretched fat-bob tanks mostly 'cause we likes to go on long rides. Haida Gwaii would be a wonderful ride as we love the rainforest and all it smells of life... Rainforests---"tis where we will hang our hat one day for sure...

A pottery wheel and a kiln absolutely...so functional too apathysux. I think of doing sculpture in clay and firing it as a one off piece, but to do my own dishes would be wonderful... A kiln is on my wish list one day.

Interesting as I too am part Cree, and love the arts that you mentioned... I have a medicine bag done by Mary Williams of the Xeni Gwetin'people near Williams Lake. I love the combination you have approached bringing together the two forms of art from the two FN's groups. Beautiful concept apathysux. By the way, what does the polar bear and the skulls tattoo signify if it is not too personal?

Nice visiting… Peace and love,

Bear

March 16, 2007 1:54 PM
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apathy_sux said...

Bear...wish it was that deep...My hubby just likes it and the picture I found to use will be beautiful in black and gray. Actually the plan is a sleeve of animals au-naturalle, except the skulls of course, and all haida style animals, totem poles, etc. on the other arm. We have thrown a dragon in there too somewhere. The skulls are just our dark side coming to the surface, our eternal fascination with death...or something like that ;-)

It would be awesome to see you here one day...this is an absolutely beautiful place to live.
Self sufficiency can definitely be accomplished here.

me...apathysux

March 16, 2007 2:35 PM
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March 16, 2007 3:27 PM
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March 16, 2007 3:34 PM
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bear said...

Hey apathysux...with this Sic MF Blog Troll, this is going to get weird. Right on about the sleeve tat's for your hubby, they will be a wonderful peice of living art apathysux.

Talk soon sister, Peace :-)

Me...Bear


Coyote,

No problem 'Yote, I am sure you'll get it straightened out bud. Thanks for all...

----------------------------------

Below, not me....

(bear said...
Now I am really confused. Who are you?

WHO AM I????????)
----------------------------------

March 16, 2007 4:15 PM
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March 16, 2007 4:47 PM
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March 16, 2007 4:49 PM
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kootcoot said...

Hey Sentinel, do you cross dress in meat space too, or do you just impersonate women online?

March 16, 2007 5:36 PM
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The Sentinel said...

It couldn't possibly be me.

I was emphatically told "you can NO longer fuck with my blogger identity" and someone with that much profanity and conviction couldn't be wrong, could they?

Besides, it is you or the other one (or both) inventing these "commenters" isn't it?

Go on, be honest for once.

Is meat space all you have in your vocabulary?

Is it because you like meat in your space, you dirty old slag?

March 17, 2007 5:47 AM
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Child labour in early capitalism - USA

TILMA: The Neocon Agenda
Completing the Destruction of The Post-WW2 Socialized Capitalist State
by Coyote

There is no real mystery or rocket science here, to the agenda that underlies the recently signed TILMA Agreement between British Columbia and Alberta, or what the intentions are of the two neo-conservative administrations of these two western provinces, one nominally “Liberal” and the other overtly “Conservative”. The hope additionally being expressed by the parties that it will soon include Saskatchewan and spread westward across the entire country. Indeed, “Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty has already discussed bringing TILMA to his province with B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell, while groups such as the Canada West Foundation are pressing Saskatchewan and Manitoba to join the agreement.” ( Source from an article by Wayne Peppard, in a special written for the Globe and Mail.).
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070314.wcomment0314/
BNStory/National/home

All that it is really necessary to know and understand are the basics of the deal, and the essential political/ideological characters of the parties to the agreement, if one does not already.

“TILMA is the BC/Alberta Trade, Investment, and Labour Mobility Agreement. This agreement, which goes far beyond existing trade agreements, was signed by British Columbia and Alberta in April, 2006, after zero consultation with the general public. Although few people realize it even exists, it will come into effect in April, 2007. “

But according to Ellen Gould a consultant who has advised various local governments, consumer groups and other organizations on the potential impacts of trade agreements, TILMA’s purpose, in the spirit and intent of NAFTA and the NAU at the level of bi-lateral relations internationally, between Canada and the US, is really much more far reaching and sinister in its implications for the economy, the Canadian and provincial state apparatus, and the hereto relatively more benign dominant ideology which has underpinned Western World Capitalism since the end of WW 2: being the ideological notion of a Socialized Capitalism. This notion hereto even, having enjoyed generally wide support amongst the working class and other of its lower class strata, here and in Western Europe.

“TILMA limits government’s ability to govern at both the provincial and local levels. The agreement is essentially a long list of things governments will be prohibited from doing, regardless of whether they are acting completely within their jurisdiction. Even if a majority of citizens in a province are demanding a new government initiative, the government will be blocked from acting if the initiative would conflict with TILMA. TILMA enables private investors to challenge governments, allowing commercial interests to trump the public good.”

Hmmm. Beginning to sound familiar of the neoconservative capitalism period and the times as we have all come to know it since the late 1970s?

Ellen Gould argues that Canada’s most ideologically right-wing provincial governments have, in fact, joined forces in an agreement that erodes their own powers- ,and now they are trying to sell other provinces on the deal. Ellen Gould argues that the rest of Canada would be well-advised to reject the deal as an attack on their very right to govern.

So why would right wing governments erode their own powers and ability to govern, you might well ask?

Most succinctly put, leave it to private enterprise. Particularly global/continental corporate enterprise of course.

Despite the bullshit Western Canada boosterism being used to sell the agreement to an unsuspecting public. its real intent is to complete the destruction of the old Socialized Capitalism State that arose out of the working of even then class limited democracy, in Post-WW2 western capitalist societies-, and to replace it with a new kind of gangster/fascist state model, isolated and “protected” from the influence of the people and their organizations, and beholden only to corporatist interests and imperatives. (Which is really not a “new” model at all, of course, but a return in fact to a much older model of Dickensian Era capitalism such as existed during and before the Victorian period .)

On a recent CBC news programme I listened to within the last couple of days, for example, getting public reaction around the most recent Harper Conservative government’s budget, one especially neocon representative, whose name and organization I cannot recall at the moment, was really pissed at even the few crumbs it tossed to the public, in order as he rightly claimed, “…to buy the next election.”

What he and his conservative businessmen’s group were advocating for was, the making it illegal for any government, six months in advance of an election (during a period when, especially in the case of a minority government, “the people’s” influence is at its highest, with the best opportunity to wring concessions out of a majority seeking government) to bring in any new social legislation or spending programmes. The intent being to further staunch the people’s influence and benefit during a period of capitalist state vulnerability, within even the current limited democracy potential anyway, and prevent it making concession to the ordinary citizenry.
TILMA is fundamentally that kind of legislation. It is to tie the hands of the Capitalist State and its functioning, to limit its scope for serving “the peoples” interest, and to put much of the decision making and ability to function for the good of “all society”, such as had previously existed in the now passing Socialized State model, into the hands of the new corporate “private enterprise” sacred cow.

Again as consultant Ellen Gould said in a recent article:

“A study done for the BC government in the late 1990s pointed out that trade barriers among the provinces are actually very low, meaning that, contrary to the recent claims of Hansen and Mar, “efforts to liberalize inter-provincial trade will have almost no effect on inter-provincial trade flows.” Any projections of TILMA-related economic growth are, consequently, iffy at best. The agreement is certain, on the other hand, to result in deregulation, private sector challenges to government programs and policies, and the termination of economic development initiatives.

Far from being a recipe for prosperity or a stronger Canadian union, this agreement in fact represents a major step towards deep integration with the US—the process of harmonizing Canadian and US policies and regulations.”

The full reality is that TILMA is an extension of the NAFTA and North American Union process already well underway in this country. Indeed, TILMA is in fact more dangerous than NAFTA in its threat to, at least, even nominally democratically controlled capitalist governments.

“Already, NAFTA suits launched by private investors have meant that Canada has had to pay millions of dollars in compensation because it refused to export PCBs (which would have been a violation of its international environmental commitments). And the Canadian government is now in danger of losing a NAFTA challenge to Canada Post launched by UPS, the American parcel delivery firm. Less obvious is the damage done by the “chill effect” from the threat of investor lawsuits under NAFTA, such as when the federal government backed away from requiring plain-paper packaging of cigarettes or when Ontario and New Brunswick were dissuaded from introducing public auto insurance.

TILMA, however, goes even further than NAFTA in creating legal jeopardy for governments. The grounds that private investors can sue over are limited in NAFTA to clauses in Chapter 11 (investment) and Chapter 15 (state enterprises). In contrast, a private investor can take a government to a TILMA dispute panel over “any matter regarding the interpretation or application of this Agreement” (emphasis added). “

TILMA is but one more extremely dangerous step in the process begun with NAFTA in the “harmonizing” of the regulation and legal regime of this country with that of the US Empire. Indeed, as we have seen it is more really a further “deregulation” step, designed to facilitate the absorption and burying of this country into the US initiated greater North American Union.

TILMA is but one more nail in the coffin of the notion of an independent and self-sufficient Canada , possessed of its own sovereign State, and possessed of the powers to serve its own people’s interest, and be subject to their will.

This is, simply put, a traitorous crime being committed against this country and our people, in the name of a goddamn continental, corporatist serving “free enterprise”.

Girl child factory labour in early capitalist USA

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The Raid - A Novel. By Ken Merkley

Anyone walking past Trafford Publishing in Victoria could drop in, pay $30., and have them print up a copy of Ken Merkley's book, The Raid - A Novel.

I was so eager to see the book, I paid the extra $15 to have it Priority Posted to me. After all, the cover shows the famous photo of the police carrying file boxes out of the B.C. Legislature on 28 December 2003. The cover also says "RCMP Corporal Tim Murphy uncovers inter-connected criminal activities leading him to a shocking secret with major implications for the Province of British Columbia and all of Canada." The back cover talks about a major federal political party which may have used the proceeds from drug sales to pay membership fees for thousands of new party recruits. With tragic ramifications for B.C. and Canada. Doesn't this sound like a book about The Legislature Raids?

Well, it isn't.

Not until the reader gets to Page 377, with only 2 more pages to go, does it become perfectly clear that those of us who search for the significance of the Legislature raids ... have been sucker-punched. Forget minor annoyances such as crossing "Georgia Straight" or hearing from "legal council". Forget where Tim chats up Tomm. Let's just go to where the hero (Tim, not Tomm) meets a political analyst who explains corruption, p.377. This is the nub of the story. Tim, our hero, has just arrested Mr Big and is being asked if he thought Mr Big would have got away with his evil schemes, if Tim hadn't caught him.

The analyst (Tim explains) says yes, with the political climate in B.C. "at a stage where it is feasible for someone like [Mr Big] to succeed ... where the stage has been set by many years of corrupt business-oriented governments being in power in the province and across the country. Especially in B.C., their policies have made the electorate truly cynical, apathetic, defeatist. When you combine that with a monopolistic media that supports their agenda, the voters feel that they can do nothing to change the situation and are truly open to manipulation."

RCMP Corporal Tim Murphy (believe it or not) continues: The political analyst "said you have to look at the effects of privatization and globalization ... wages and benefits have been driven down ... businesses increasingly manufacture their products offshore. Then they put in place laws that remove the right to strike for most public sector workers, destroyed the public health care system, and cut back on pensions and workers' compensation benefits. This created an atmosphere of fear amongst the working class.

"Naturally" continues our mythical hero, "you would expect them to turn to pro-labour parties to form an alternative government, but the media has hammered away at the dastardly consequences should they ever again obtain power ...

"Next you add corruption. Voters witness greedy governments and businesses working together to reward each others' friends." Legislating huge salary increases for themselves, switching parties, with punishment for blatant infractions going only to minor players or whistle-blowers. "This, in turn, causes the public to determine it is fine to take advantage of the system ... in fact, this political analyst thinks the political climate is now such that a majority of the electorate believes it is permissible to accept money for casting their votes and it's especially okay to be paid for voting for a particular party.

Not everybody feels this way, says Tim. "But enough do, that the same governments continue to be re-elected no matter how greedy and corrupt they are." [Which sounds like the story-outline for a really good book! - BC Mary]

So Tim has captured Mr Big, "the first to take advantage of this business-dominated political climate to attempt to obtain total control of the government anywhere in Canada. And if we don't learn quickly from this lesson, he won't be the last."

But Corporal Tim, his friend asks, "You say it is the first, but wasn't there a similar episode a few years ago that started out the same with a raid on the legislature?

"Yes ... some of the circumstances were the same, including the police pinpointing a couple of cabinet ministers' aides who were accused of taking advantage of their positions to better themselves economically. But it turned out they were just a couple of two-bit players who may have been trying to benefit from the provincial sell-off of a Crown corporation by feeding insider information to one of the bidders. I don't even remember what, if anything, they were charged with, but it pales in significance to this operation."

"So," says Tim's friend, "you wouldn't put Mr Big's scheme in the same category?"

"No," says the Corporal (soon to be Sergeant) Tim. [Now pay attention, folks, here's the big clue about this book ...] "Over the last 10 years matters have become a good deal worse than they were then. People are willing to play for keeps and be very brutal to get what they want when the rewards for success are so much more meaningful. After all, this is 2013."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ken Merkley is a retired senior military officer living near Victoria, B.C.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Posted By BC Mary to The Legislature Raids
The Legislature Raids

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Gordo getting ready to sail off, pillage, rob and
rape his way acoss B.C.

Neocon-Liberal Piracy of The People's Treasure...
BC Hydro, Our Creeks and Rivers

Below is an article sent to me by a reader of Freedom of Speech.ca, from a published source unknown to him or us. It is of an issue we have dealt with here many times of recent, and of sufficient interest that I am going to print it anyway. Should the author come across this article, contact me at jerry_coyote@yahoo.ca , and if he or she disapproves, I will certainly withdraw it. Otherwise I will put up such additional credits and links as this author might wish.


by Austin Boyd


A select few industrialists and their politician friends are withholding vital information about BC Hydro that could destroy the Crown corporation and send power prices soaring. Billions of dollars worth of electric power contracts are being negotiated in secret and supporting legislation passed through orders in council, with no public debate.

Premier Gordon Campbell is not allowing the public, or even municipal governments which most closely represent the public, to have input on any private hydroelectric developments, following passage of Bill 30. As a result, various stakeholder and citizen groups are now organizing their own meetings to examine the facts.

On March 22, World Water Day, we need to talk about dividing resources among the populations of Earth as corporations increasingly “buy” public water assets. Canadians are no different from the people of Congo or Bolivia. To believe we are immune to water thefts will cost us dearly. Former prime minister Brian Mulroney started it when he agreed to a NAFTA provision which included water as a commodity, after promising Canadians he would never sign away our water.

If readers take nothing else from this article, they should be aware of this: The people of BC have been receiving 100 percent of the benefits from BC Hydro because of a system put in place in the 1950s. Now we will get only three percent because of private power purchase agreements. BC Hydro is being loaded with enormous debt, enough to eventually bankrupt it as future income from hydroelectricity is being diverted into private contracts.

The BC energy plan was imposed on us without debate and utility rates will never stop rising because of it. The Ashlu River power licence, for instance, was sold to Ledcor for $10,000. The public overwhelmingly rejected Ledcor’s zoning application to the regional district. The BC government signed a power purchase agreement between Ledcor and BC Hydro that guarantees that the people of BC will buy power from the licensee at inflated prices for 40 years. After that the licence holder can sell BC power for whatever the market will bare anywhere in North America.

Water licences come with ownership of adjacent lands plus the dams, turbines, tunnels and other facilities will belong to the company in perpetuity. If the Ashlu River project gets connected to the grid, it will initially generate at least $50 million per year in income to the private owners.

Whether or not you know about TILMA, SPP, NAFTA, WTO or the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, BC is very close to an energy catastrophe. Hundreds of rivers are at risk and we will never get back to an efficient, functional BC Hydro if we don’t act now.

The BC Utilities Commission found that the premier’s offer of $203 million per year in perpetuity to Alcan for power was not in the public interest. The profit was 1,320 percent and there was an extra gift of $100 million as a signing bonus for Alcan.

Currently, there are private purchase orders with BC Hydro worth $24 billion, which need public scrutiny. The rule of law makes us different from other places in the world. It is time to invoke the rule of law. A fully transparent inquiry is necessary to avert what has the potential to become BC’s crime of the century. In the simplest of terms the people of British Columbia are being defrauded of their energy sources and their water.

All across the province, work crews are assembling for an assault on more than 500 wilderness rivers and the premier is still trying to give Alcan the Nechako River. When Campbell announces his next move soon, he will say the Natives are supportive of the government. A public inquiry would allow time for the truth to come out, which is that the indigenous people of BC are not nearly as supportive of these private hydro deals as the government would have us believe.

Replica of Actual Flag of Blackbeard

Time for Citizen Concern
About the Betrayal of
The Province and The Country to US Corporate Interests

Resources:

www.worldwaterday.org
www.ourrivers.ca
www.hydrofactsbc.ca
www.publicpowerbc.ca
www.canadians.org
www.citizensforpublicpower.ca

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"Gord and His Scribe" by Bruno The Hairdresser

A blank piece of paper for you kiddies to scribble on, while Daddy is away tending to what has to be done today. Entertain yourselves and behave.

Be nice to each other, and don't worry about trolls or bogey men. Daddy has checked under the bed and in the closet, and vanquished all Evil. :-)

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NOT JUST CUTE, CUDDLY
NATIONAL COPS!!

What's wrong with this picture?

RCMP
The National Police Force Gone Bad

Something leaps out at you.
by Robin Matthews

RCMP team leader in December, 2003, "of the investigation into whether any fraud or breach of trust offences were committed in relation to [the sale of ] B.C. Rail" was Sergeant Debruyckere "brother-in-law of then-Executive Director of the B.C. Liberal Party, Kelly ReichertŠ. [who was] on the Provincial Liberal Party Election Campaign Team with [Finance] minister [Gary] Collins and acted as the Campaign DirectorŠ." (pp. 6-7)

In 2004 a leak of information was recorded regarding "star" crown witness against Basi and Virk, Eric Bornmann. "Specifically, the leaked information pertained to Mr. Richert knowing that Mr. Bornmann had been granted immunity from prosecution in exchange forŠinformation against Messrs. Basi and Virk." (p. 7)

This, and more, is in the Application for Disclosure of February 26, 2007, filed in the Supreme Court of B.C. by the Defence in the Basi, Basi, Virk matter of the legislature search warrant "raids" on Dec. 28, 2003 which seem - more and more - to be the tail that is wagging the dog in the dirty (perhaps criminal) sale of B.C. Rail by the Gordon Campbell government.

The implications of Liberal/RCMP connections to the legitimacy of the sale, to the role of Gordon Campbell and leading cabinet ministers, and to the focus on the three men charged may well turn out to be enormous. Ominously, the Application for Disclosure (item 62, p. 8) reports that finance minister Gary Collins may have been guilty of telling Dave Basi to inform U.S. OmniTRAX - a supposed bidder for B.C. Rail - that a "consolation prize" would be awarded if they would fake continued interest. Collins then met with OmniTRAX "Executives privately at Villa Del Luppo Restaurant" on December 12, 2003. Nonetheless, "the RCMP elected not to conduct further investigation of Minister Collins".

Before the search warrant "raids" on the legislature on December 28, "RCMP", according to the Application for Disclosure "were focused on developing a major communication and public relations strategy to be executed following the search of the Legislature". That, says the Application, involved "a massive media campaign, talk of the "cancer of organized crime", and an RCMP "media release and televised briefing on December 29 [which] drew a clear connection between Mr. Basi, Mr. Virk and organized crime." (item 59, p. 8)

We have to keep in mind that the Application for Disclosure comes from Defence which wishes to bring forward material demonstrating their clients are not guilty of crimes. The presentation to the court, however, pointing to evidence that is apparently solid must be taken seriously, for it is not in the interest of Defence counsel or of their clients to be frivolous or to appear to be misleading the court.

Perhaps to understand fully what a "major communication and public relations strategy" for the RCMP might entail we should look at a little history and experience.

What follows is information that suggests the RCMP has had highly questionable relations with the Liberal forces of Gordon Campbell, that the relations go a long way back, and that they appear to suggest the RCMP has gone bad and needs total national reconstruction from the top down. A point that has to be born in mind, of key importance, is that there is no effective RCMP oversight body in Canada. None. (The reasons for that go back to the McDonald Report in the 1980s).

The system which involves the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP (the ONLY review organization) is patently ridiculous, an obvious, expensive game of smoke and mirrors. The Commission - let us say - agrees an investigation should be made. The RCMP investigates itself. The Commission may interpret the investigation. The result goes to the top levels of the RCMP for consideration. RCMP has no obligation to do anything, to mete out penalty, to censure officers, anything. It usually writes a little note back to the Commission ( saying "get lost" in one way or another).

My own complaint concerned the RCMP investigation of Glen Clark, BC premier, charged with having accepted "favours" for influence. The RCMP alleged they had begun the investigation I asked for - the RCMP investigating the RCMP. I received a letter from an RCMP officer a few months after my complaint saying they had 28 or 29 volumes of "evidentiary material" and they were terminating the investigation. Period. I wrote in protest and heard absolutely nothing.

More than three years after I had lodged the complaint - having received not a single word for years - I received a telephone call from the second-in-command at the Commission saying they had completed their investigation and I would be receiving the report after it had been sent to the top level of the RCMP and had been finalized. It arrived with the conclusion that two experienced RCMP officers had WRONGFULLY terminated the investigation. The Commission recommended better training of officers to prevent such things happening, with which the RCMP top brass had no quarrel. And the Commission stated it would leave to the discretion of the RCMP whether they would re-open the investigation or not. The RCMP chose not to do so. For all intents and purposes there was no investigation whatever. The result is that I may fairly retain my conviction that the British Columbia RCMP worked with the Gordon Campbell forces to fake a case that could be fought against Glen Clark with the intention of destroying his political career.

The Glen Clark case arose out of the politics of the time - Liberals under Gordon Campbell, in fact, fighting to break the hold of the NDP on B.C. (More of that to come.)
A totally non-political complaint receiving the same kind of insane treatment as mine involved an ordinary citizen in the Kelowna area who believed he had very important information about the (still unsolved) Mindy Tran murder case. The RCMP refused to take his testimony, coerced him, and much more. The Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP took years to do nothing whatever about his case. Find out about all that at <www.transfixed.net> or at <www.mindytran.com>

I cite the two widely different cases to show that the Commission for Public Complaints is not a genuine oversight body. Whatever it thinks it does, in fact it provides a cover for RCMP wrong-doing because it gives the public the impression that RCMP illegalities and other kinds of misbehaviour are dealt with - and they are not. As a result, the RCMP can work - legally and illegally - for political forces of its choice and face no penalty or serious review.

In B.C. - to trace a single, revealing line - we may ask if the RCMP has not only obstructed the court proceedings in regard to the Basi, Basi, Virk charges, but has it been working for Gordon Campbell Liberal interests over more than a decade? And has it been perfecting "major communications and public relations" strategies that involve what has come to be called (using RCMP phrasing) "smear and disinformation" tactics?

In the mid-nineties (with Ujjal Dosanjh in the Attorney General position), an almost insane "war" was conducted against Native people and non-Native supporters (about 30) at Gustafsen Lake. (read From Attica to Gastafsen Lake, by Splitting the Sky and Sandra Bruderer, self-published, 2001). The incident involved the RCMP, the Canadian Armed forces, and, it is alleged, wildly illegal activities on the part of "the forces of order". Of particular interest was one RCMP officer who had a significant place in the set of events.

His name is Sergeant Peter Montague. At one point he convinced CBC radio to give special emergency time to broadcast into the Gustafsen Lake community because, apparently, of an impending crisis involving threat to human life. Professor Anthony Hall, a Native Studies expert, and another researcher, concluded the supposed basis for impending crisis argued by Montague was, almost without question, a fabrication.

RCMP Media Relations officer, Montague was a very busy man throughout the operation. At one point in the set of events he was caught on an RCMP videotape - parts of which are missing - saying with a smile "Smear campaigns are our [the RCMP's] specialty" (p. 435, >From Attica to Gustafsen Lake). His words were echoed by Sergeant Dennis Ryan who admitted in court to his statement caught also on videotape that plans were to employ "smear and disinformation". Ryan admitted in court, also, that the RCMP "illegally used juvenile criminal records of some of the militants they believed to be in the camp" with the purpose of discrediting. (p. 435, From Attica to Gustafsen Lake)

At one level the Gustafsen Lake "standoff" was a huge experimental chamber for "smear and disinformation" tactics, RCMP/media collaboration, government complicity, and try-outs of illegal activity to further policy ends. I have barely touched on the astonishing story.

Ujjal Dosanjh made his way to the premiership after (as Attorney General) he had publicly reported the criminal investigation of Glen Clark who, then, resigned in the appropriate fashion. What ensued I call "the fraudulent investigation and trial of Glen Clark, premier of B.C." Dosanjh's New Democrats lost the election to Gordon Campbell (as I saw it, almost as if that was what Dosanjh wanted). Probably for the first time in Commonwealth history, a premier (Dosanjh) announced nearly a week before the election that he expected to lose it. In a short time Dosanjh was working for the Liberal Party. He became a part of Paul Martin's B.C. "dream team" and went to Ottawa to become a federal Liberal cabinet minister.

Peter Montague's transformation is equally interesting. He was twice wooed by Gordon Campbell, it is reported, to run for the B.C. Liberal Party, but refused. After Gustafsen Lake, however, he joined the branch of the B.C. RCMP that conducted the "investigation" of Glen Clark, becoming "the chief investigator in the Clark corruption case" (Globe and Mail, Oct 30 02). He was a part of the strange search warrant "raid" on Glen Clark's East Vancouver home that was marked by the presence of BCTV, filming what became in the minds of many people part of a smear campaign, part of - you might say, to quote from the February 26, 2007 Defence Application for Disclosure in the Supreme Court of B.C. - "a massive media campaignŠ." Glen Clark (in 2002) described the BCTV event as "a carefully orchestrated strategy to maximize media exposure".

Clark's comment was made in the context of a special retirement luncheon for Peter Montague held by journalists on October 29, 2002. Robert Matas, in his Globe and Mail story the next day, wrote "The Vancouver television crew that filmed former premier Glen Clark in his kitchen during a controversial police raid gave a retirement gift yesterday to the chief investigator in the Clark corruption case.

Gary Hanney, a cameraman with BCTV, made the presentationŠ. Senior BCTV reporter, John Daly, who was at Mr. Clark's house during the police raid on March 2, 1999, was also at the luncheon.

Both Mr. Daly and Mr. Hanney refused to explain why they presented a token gift to Staff Sergeant Montague."

Calls have been made in both cases - the Gustafsen Lake "stand-off" and the Glen Clark investigation and trial - for full-scale public inquiries. They have not been forthcoming. As a result, the RCMP feels more and more at ease in its behaviour and practice. On April 10, 2004, the Vancouver Sun reported "RCMP Commissioner Guiliano Zaccardelli and members of Canada's diplomatic corps win honours as big spenders of expense accounts for cabinet ministers and top civil servants". (p. A9) Fallen into disgrace over his conduct involving the RCMP and Maher Arar three years later, Zaccardelli seems to have continued his grand "lifestyle". The Globe and Mail reported in March, 2007 that the "RCMP paid a communications consultant almost $25,000 to help Guiliano Zaccardelli prepare for parliamentary hearings that ultimately led to the former commissioner's resignation." What would he have said if he hadn't the benefit of $25,000 worth of help?

We should not forget that at RCMP headquarters the very large pension trouble and misuse of money commented upon by the auditor general involved misuse of expense accounts, "rampant" nepotism in human resources, miss-sourcing of contracts for $2 million, misuse of consultants, and a case in which "an officer was promoted after working on his superior's house". (Vanc. Sun, Sept 23 07 A4). Notice that no discipline or penalty was meted out to any of the people involved. But innocent Glen Clark, we remember, was charged, investigated for months and months in full public spotlight, tried for 136 days, and ruined for a rumour that he might have thought of giving a favour to someone who worked on his house. Was that whole piece of history the result of a carefully calculated "smear and disinformation" campaign?

Does the RCMP live in a world of double standards? Is it free to commit crimes, certain it will never be penalized? Does it work increasingly for and with - legally and illegally - particular political parties on the Right? The answer to all those questions seems to be: Yes.
Careful Globe and Mail columnist Lawrence Martin did something of a summary of RCMP lows on December 7, 2006, listing many large fiascos - but neither the Gustafsen Lake nor the Glen Clark scandals were among them, perhaps because there are too many RCMP violations of integrity to keep track of. Martin gives room for "honest mistakes". Then he adds: "But too many of the RCMP's recent activities haven't had the look of honest mistakes" (A19). Will the "B.C. legislature raids" be added to the list of large, shady (perhaps criminal) undertakings by the RCMP?

Replacement (temporary?) for the disgraced Guiliano Zaccardelli is former top B.C. RCMP officer Beverley Busson. She was a senior officer and then top officer during many of the events described here. She was top officer when a brother-in-law of a leading B.C. Liberal was "the team leader of the investigation into whether any fraud or breach of trust offences [especially, of course, among Liberals] were committed in relation to B.C. Rail". (item 49, p. 6) She was top officer during the time when - some have alleged - there has been an appearance of a concentration upon the charges against Basi, Basi, and Virk and a parallel RCMP neglect, perhaps, of investigation and (maybe) charges against senior legislature and non-legislature Liberals. She was top officer when Defence was arguing that the RCMP was not cooperating and, perhaps, was blocking evidence necessary to the conduct of the trial presided over by Madam Justice Elizabeth Bennett.

And so we come back to the Supreme Court of B.C. where the Basi, Basi, and Virk trial is imminent, though motions to stay proceedings and/or to call them invalid in the light of Charter violations must still be heard. Bets are still being taken on the likelihood of the trial going ahead. Madam Justice Bennett has said all documents not universally bearing a publication ban will be available to the public. The public's high interest in the case, she declares, must be served. That is reassuring, but it is relatively easy to say.

Much, much more difficult to say is how plain and direct have been the laying of charges and the pursuit of justice in the matter. Could the case against the three men charged have been purposefully fudged (a) to take attention away from the real malefactors? (b) Could it have been purposefully fudged in such a way as to be destroyed by a Charter challenge, declaring violations of the men's fundamental rights in a search for evidence? (c) Could it all be smoke and mirrors prepared by the Gordon Campbell forces and the RCMP working together? And could we all wake up some morning soon to be told the trial has been stayed, no charges exist, and no one will be found guilty of anything? And, in fact, might we be told that the Crown has decided the waters have been so muddied the best thing to do is to turn completely away from the whole matter And Get On With Building British Columbia?

Have the RCMP and the Gordon Campbell Liberals (and the Crown?) worked successfully together in the past to prevent justice from being done, or worse, to engage in acts of injustice (called "crimes")? If so, what is to stop them from being as successful in the present?

Robin Matthews frequently contributes to Vivelecanada
http://www.vivelecanada.ca/

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