Keep Foreign Aid Money in Canada?

Keep Foreign Aid Money in Canada?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDVZr7z2KVo&t=12s

In North America we have a tendency to want to help out the world. This in and of itself is a great and wonderful thing, as there are many less-well-off countries. The question presented then, is one I have heard a lot lately, since the economic downturn in Western Canada. Is Canada helping other countries at the cost of our own citizens? This is what will be looked into more fully in this article. It is a complicated and tough subject, let us see what the facts tell us and then you can let me know in the comments what you think. First, we can take a look at the Foreign Aid facts and stats, then a couple of places where the funds could go if they were kept at home. After looking at both options you can then decide which option you think is best.

In the 1950’s Canada started to realize that foreign aid was a necessary part of being a cog in the global neighbourhood. Thus, began the foreign aid funding and helping out many developing countries over the years. The percentage of the federal budget spent on foreign aid each year varies, somewhat based upon tragic events across the globe. According to Canada’s Foreign Aid Facts, in 2012 the budget for foreign aid was $5.67 billion, which worked out to 2.5% of the overall budget. Then in 2014 it was $4.9 billion, but if we fast forward to 2018, we see a budget of $6.1 billion, which is an increase of 8.9% from the $5.6 billion in 2017 (according to Canadian International Development Platform). The amount of money spent each year seems to be climbing, but where is this money actually going to? If we take the stats from 2018 and break it down we find that 33.8% went to some of the world’s most impoverished countries, 1.8% was provided to low-income countries, 18.2% can be accounted for lower mid-income places, and the rest has gone to sources that were not based upon the countries income status. If a closer look is given, certain countries consistently receive aid, sadly some of which ends up confiscated by corrupt groups or leaders, when this happens it is often terrorist groups stealing the shipments. The region that received the most money in 2018 was Africa with 38.7%, then Asia with 31%, South/North America 11.6%, and Europe 2.6%. Afghanistan is the country receiving the largest share of foreign aid, with $254 million received last year. If you want to check out these facts/stats and more, just check out the CIDP site as mentioned above.

Now that the numbers are clear, how are these dollars being spent? Foreign Aid money goes to a wide variety of areas. Humanitarian Aid to assist in times when disaster strikes, then governance and infrastructure, an example of which would be helping countries rebound, rebuild, and form proper governments after war. Refugees and debt relief take a big chunk of foreign aid budgets. Transportation, energy sectors and the environment fall into another portion of the budget. Education, health services, sanitation, and the general populations are an essential part of foreign aid efforts. Then setting up economic stability through supporting agriculture, finance, forestry, fishing, trade, and industry building, help countries fix their financial issues. All of these areas are important around the world with so many countries struggling to scrape by and recover from disasters and war times. The question then becomes are we ignoring our own citizens who are in need of these exact same services?

Foreign Aid money is important, but we do have many areas in our own country that fall into these exact same categories, yet we send the money overseas instead. I would also question why we are sending money overseas in a time of deficit and economic struggle in more than half of the country. One area that could benefit from added resources/financing, is the Canadian health care system, which I won’t spend a lot of time, as much of health care spending/funding comes from the province itself. According to CIHI-Canadian Institute for Health Information, the 2017 health spending was around $242 billion, which makes the foreign aid budget, seem like a drop in the bucket. One could still point out that the extra billions could mean a lot of extra equipment or research funding for hospitals, research centers, and universities. Which could ultimately save more Canadian lives, or at least extend life spans over the years of funding adding up. The issue comes when one looks at the huge increase in health care spending over the years, some can be credited to inflation, but certainly not the majority of it. The year 2000 saw a total of around $100 billion spent, while a jump to 2011 sees $200 billion spent, a fairly significant increase in spending. Much of this can be attributed to the baby boomer generation starting to become our elderly population, as well as an increase in those being affected by diseases and illnesses. The increase in spending, makes it seem like this may be a good place to be placing the foreign aid money, if it were to be kept at home, here in Canada.

The other area that could use the extra funding is our housing and homelessness. It needs to be understood that there is no one clear solution for homelessness, it takes a wide variety of approaches, not all government funded. This is a subject that is growing in importance for the country as a whole, but especially Western Canada, with the sabotage of their economy. Homelessness strikes many various demographics of Canadians. Let us look at some of the numbers according to The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. 35,000 Canadians are homeless on average per night. More than 235,000 Canadians will experience homelessness each year. Of these groups 27.3% will be women and 18.7% will be youth. Veterans tend to be hit hard by this due to lack of government support programs, and the mental/physical trauma they experience. In total approximately 2,950 veterans will experience homelessness per year. The elderly is another group hit hard. The number seems to be growing each year. Approximately 24.4% of people coming to shelters will be 50 and over. Families tend to stay in shelters almost twice as long as other shelter users, likely due to trying to keep their children safe. Although our country is made up of only 4.3% Indigenous People, they are over-proportionately represented in shelters, 28-34%, a sad and startling number.

Poverty tends to cost Canadians billions of dollars each year. Raising the Roof paints a picture of some of these costs in 2017. Homelessness Partnering Strategy expansion cost $2.1 billion, $241 million was used by CMHC to better their data collection and analytics program, and $11.2 billion over an 11-year period went, and currently goes to, the new National Housing Strategy. The National Housing Strategy funds research/initiatives that prevent homelessness, and they support the construction and renovations to affordable housing in Canada. Starting 2017 $39.9 million over 5 years and after that $6.6 million per year afterwards, will go to Statistics Canada for new Housing Statistics Frameworks. Next there is the $3.2 billion that is being invested in helping provinces/territories build and maintain affordable housing and rent programming. Extra federal land and buildings are now being made available to housing providers in the form of a $202 million investment. Another way that these budget funding are decided by, is looking at the populations that are the most vulnerable. Northern and Inuit communities struggle with housing, as it is so expensive for everything, a $300 million investment was made towards this. Indigenous people living off-reserve often face challenges with housing, so a $225 million investment was made to help housing providers who serve these people.

Since the start of the attacks on Western economics, poverty is a growing trend in Western Canada, according to Canada Without Poverty. 1 in 7 people in Canada live in poverty, but in Edmonton this stat is 1 in 8. Job fears and job loss has increased by more than 50% over the past few years. Who is most likely to fall victim to poverty? Those with disabilities are more than twice as likely. Nearly 45% of the homeless population consists of those who have mental illness or a disability. Children are also twice as likely to land in this category, living in homes that have social assistance. Canada has 1.3 million children currently living in poverty, 1 in 5, or 1 in 2 if they are a Status First Nations. More than one third of our people who show up at food banks in Canada, will be children, and 1 in 7 shelter-users will be children. With single mothers, 21% will live in poverty, compared to 7% of single fathers. As mentioned before Inuit and Indigenous groups fall into this category, and according to people who live on reserves, this has a lot to do with Tribal Leaders and Chiefs misappropriating funds to line their own pockets instead of helping their people that they are set in place to lead. Also as mentioned above, our elderly, are more likely to fall into poverty, 15% of single elders live in poverty. UNICEF has given Canada a rating of 17^th out of the 29 wealthiest countries with children living in poverty and Canada was ranked 26^th out of 35 for child inequality.

A lot of information, and a lot of numbers to mull over. If the foreign aid money was to be used on our own Canadians, it could make a difference in the country’s homelessness and poverty problem. It could provide additional funding for our veterans, indigenous communities, our homeless shelters, food banks, soup kitchens, poverty support, Inuit communities, and health initiatives. However, this would come at the cost of communities around the world not receiving help that they need. I only caution that if we are to use foreign aid, then more thought is needed. Aid should not be going to countries where terrorists will benefit from the assistance being given. I will let you make the call as to what you think should be done with foreign aid, now that you have the information you need. Remember to let me know in the comments section.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/443787693008469/
https://discord.gg/rBKxjD3

Downing Makes Bold Statement

Downing Makes Bold Statement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOKPSoOjTdY&t=1s

On November 2nd, 2019, Peter Downing, founder of the Wexit Movement, held a Wexit rally in Edmonton. Many people have expressed concerns brought to light by this rally. Leadership seems to be a concern, as well as direction. These concerns came about by the lack of focus the rally held and how the speakers did not seem to be on point and were somewhat scattered in their approaches. Peter Downing himself had been drinking beer before, during, and after his speech, which raised more than a few eyebrows, according to some of the people in attendance. It drew comments like, “Makes us look like drunk rednecks.” An indication at how it solidifies the view many Easterners already have. A professional representation is important for a movement to be successful and to be taken seriously. Especially when said movement has their sights on a federal party. If a federal party is formed, then they will need a strong leader, who is able to show responsibility, be taken seriously, and command respect from the voting population.

This part of the article is meant to be as balanced as possible, not meant to stir up anger, but to show that the impact of your words needs to be thought out before speaking. Now take a look at Peter Downing’s statement that also raised the eyebrows of those in attendance, those who were watching, and of course the already-biased media. The statement being referred to is, “Someone called us the Bloc Rednecois and that’s okay. That’s our term for ourselves. If you’re not from here, you’re just an Alberta-phobic racist anti-western bigot. That’s all you are.” A statement like the one referred to ruffled feathers, as it was intended to. The question is, did it ruffle more feathers than was intended? Although the statement may have been intended for those in the East, it is logical that it would be taken as offensive to people in Western Provinces who are not in Alberta. Logic aside, what were the reactions of fellow Westerners?

One person who was born in Saskatchewan, and worked across many Western provinces over the years, but has been an Alberta resident most of their life, had the following to say about Peter Downing’s statement, “The fact that he wants to create a federal party, with a system that federally already fails. We tried with the reform party and the response we get from the east is always the same. As for his anti-other provinces about Alberta statement, its representative of a feeling in Alberta. Although I think that most Albertans see Saskatchewanians on our side today, in the past this hasn't been the case. When rural Albertans look at the other western provinces, often people see out of province workers who only want our money and don't give 2 shits about Alberta. That if the money runs out, they leave and go back to the province they came from. Although I think it mostly comes from the eastern provinces, it does splash on BC and Saskatchewan as well. I think that most Albertans who want freedom from Ottawa, see this as a fight Alberta will have to win by itself and expects the other provinces to sit on the sidelines until the hard work is done, then will probably join once it looks good.”

An Albertan living in BC had a bit of a different take on it. “My initial thoughts about Peter Downing’s comment during his Edmonton rally was, “Oh well that’s great. The other western provinces come together to show support and solidarity to Alberta, and Downing shits on us for it”. This comment shows the public that Alberta is narrow minded, and doesn’t give a second thought to the other provinces who are not only hurting in their own way, but standing with Alberta through it. Which if you talk to Albertans, is untrue. Albertans love the support they have been getting from the neighbouring provinces and it’s with this support that has helped build Alberta up and helped Alberta share it’s voice. It seems to me that the head of this movement is trying to eat the body of this movement. The Bloc hates on the rest of Canada and still gets seats in Quebec, this being said, hating on the rest of Canada will never get the Bloc a PM. If Downing ever has dreams of becoming PM, calling people (especially your allies) names is NOT the way to do it. While we are on the topic of running for PM, this is NOT what Alberta or any of the west want. We do not want to fight for Wexit party to become the ruling government in Canada, the west wants action or the west wants out. Personally, as an Albertan living in BC, I want a unified west. A unified whole west. Alberta can’t and doesn’t want to do this alone. Downing might want to be all alone in his Alberta, but the rest of us don’t think that BC, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba are “Alberta-phobic racist anti-Western bigot(s).”

A Saskatchewan resident had this to say, “That’s a little extreme and I don’t appreciate that someone had the audacity to say something like that. This tells me that they don’t actual care about my opinions and are only thinking of themselves.  Something that right now is not what we need in an already divided country.  It definitely makes me lose respect for that person and also if he’s supposed to be representing Alberta or the WEXIT movement than I have lost some of my respect and agreement in what they stand for.”

A statement like Peter Downing’s needs to be considered carefully. How can it be taken or construed? Questions like this one need to be asked before making any speech. Did he have his speech written or did he just “wing it”? Writing a speech down and having someone review the content is vitally important, to avoid statements like this from slipping out. It is felt that the speech was not written down. If it had been written down a comment like this one, that reveals a person’s true feelings in this regard, would not squeeze their way in, even though they may not have wanted it revealed. If the speech was written down, did Peter go off-script? When having ambitions for politics, off-script is not a wise way to go. Or was this line written down, and he fully intended to use it? No matter what, the intent behind the comment itself must be looked at.

When garnering support to make a run at a federal party position, the power of words is something that needs to be taken into serious consideration. These words are a political career-killer. No thought went into this statement of Peter’s, if he had thought about his words, they never would have been uttered. Speaking out against the very provinces you are looking to gain the support of, calling them “Alberta-phobic” and “racist” will only work to shove them farther away. These statements of hate only work to further widen the gap, not unite. The power of these words is that of division.

The term racist is over-used in today’s society, and used in this particular manner is not accurate. Racism, is acts/words of hate against a race of people, whereas discrimination is the word he is actually wanting to use, as it is acts/words of hate against someone based upon location, religion, lifestyle choice, etc. Even if this actually applied to the way the other western provinces felt towards Alberta, correct terms are important. The truth though is, other western provinces do not hate Alberta, they want to see Alberta succeed. They want to help Alberta in their battle against an Eastern government that actually does hate the province of Alberta, but also hates the rest of the west. The only western portion that this claim could apply to is the Vancouver-Victoria region. The rest of the western provinces deserve to be treated with respect, especially when the support of those provinces, means a united West, instead of being trapped on an island all alone. Alberta is not alone in this fight, at times it may feel that way, but at some point, in everyone’s life, they will feel alone, even if it is just something the human brain tricks itself into believing.

The purpose then, becomes choose words carefully. Think about them. Words have the power to divide, the power to encourage, the power to destroy, but they also have the power to heal, the power to show love, the power to reach out an olive branch. A branch of forgiveness. Western Canada may have had their differences over the years, but none that should make Alberta doubt how much the rest of the West wishes them to succeed and become prosperous again. Put aside angry words. Put away divisive words. Family forgives, family moves beyond problems, and family works together. Though Peter’s words are not appropriate and do not show the foresight of a true leader, that does not mean that provinces need to let this wedge grow. Put it aside, join in the battle for a better tomorrow. Work together to make changes, save our Nation. Find a leader who has the skills to guide, the foresight to think about their words, their actions, and their reactions. Most importantly think, always think. Think before you speak, think before you type, think before you act. Educate yourself, so as to make informed decisions. Learning, and an open mind while learning, are what will lead to positive change. Change the West fights for together, as one. By working together, these provinces can fix what Trudeau and his Liberal Party, with the support of much of the East, the UN, and clandestine American organizations, has set out to destroy. Stick together, just use caution when choosing whom to follow. Pay attention to the words chosen, the actions taken, and how much respect they show for those around them.

Forgiveness is here. Move forward. Make tomorrow a better future for the next generations.

MOE ASKS FOR MEETING, TRUDEAU IGNORES

https://news.nbcm.ca/moe-asks-for-meeting-trudeau-ignores 

October was a month of frustration in the Western portion of Canada, something Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has experienced first hand. Premier Scott Moe does not seem ready to give up on the Prime Minister’s office. The Saskatchewan Premier has given what seems like the last chance for the Liberal Party to make changes that would be advantageous not just for the province of Saskatchewan, but the western provinces as a whole. On October 23rd Scott Moe sent a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau. In this letter he quotes Prime Minister Trudeau’s comment in a statement to the western provinces, “I’ve heard your frustration. I want to be there to support you.” To which he outlined just how the Prime Minister could put action to his words. First, he asks that the federal carbon tax be cancelled, second, he asks that a new and fair equalization plan be put in place for Alberta and Saskatchewan, and lastly, he requests that efforts be made to find a way to get western products to market, particularly stating pipelines. Demands that are not seen as unreasonable by the majority of westerners. No reply was given to these demands by the Prime Minister’s office, despite Moe’s claims, “We have reached out many many many times.” Brook Simpson of the Prime Minister’s office responded with, “No date set yet.” She claims that the Prime Minister has been calling mayors, premiers, and Indigenous leaders to discuss making life affordable, building a “stronger middle class”, and “working collaboratively toward a stronger country”. These discussion points, don’t really cover anything in regards to Moe’s letters.

On October 30, 2019 Moe wrote a follow up letter to the Prime Minister, after growing tired of receiving no date for a meeting with Prime Minister Trudeau as promised. The follow up letter covered the same requests as the first letter, only in more detail. He did add that he would like the carbon tax to be paused until federal and provincial governments can agree on terms. He also continued his request for an in-person meeting with Prime Minister Trudeau.

Premier Moe brings up the fact that Encana, an energy company, pulled out of Alberta. One could also direct attention to Husky layoffs, Norway’s largest pension fund pulling out of Alberta oilsands, and many other hits the western provinces have taken. These economy-crushing events add fuel to the fire that Moe is offering to extinguish with a “new deal” for the West. Part of this “new deal” would be a reform of the equalization formula, which has Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador paying money instead of receiving, despite economic struggles. He also requests a “one-year pause” on the carbon tax so that Saskatchewan and the Federal government can review and alter Saskatchewan’s “carbon emissions plans.” Moe claims that Saskatchewan’s plans will assist the federal government in reaching their goals without the use of a carbon tax, which has hit Canadians, especially farmers, hard.

Another request that Moe has presented is a firm plan of action on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion projects. Those in the West feel that a pipeline will allow their economies to begin a rebound.

Saskatchewan NDP leader Ryan Meili has chosen not to back Moe in these requests. Instead he attacks Moe claiming that his letter is simply “convenient”, Meili accuses Moe of using it as a distraction from other problems he believes the Sask Party has caused. He furthers his accusations by stating that this is Moe’s way of taking on a government he did not want elected. Meili does not think that Moe’s letters will accomplish anything, which is a sentiment most Westerners would agree with. The problem then becomes, why is Meili not bringing up a solution, instead of just crushing the efforts of the Sask Party? He has suggested going back to the drawing board to make up a “made-in-Saskatchewan plan”, but does not offer any real solutions, or even a recommendation on what this “plan” could be.

Saskatchewan residents would prefer a united front between Saskatchewan politicians of all levels at this point. While Moe attempts to get Prime Minister Trudeau to look at a “new deal”, he should have the opposition party helping in this matter. Meanwhile Saskatchewan residents have joined Alberta, British Columbia, and parts of Manitoba in demanding separation. What one would think would be an eye-opener to the Liberal Party, but has instead been met with mockery, and disdain from the Liberal Party and its fellow Eastern supporters. And so, the question still remains, when will Trudeau accept a meeting with western Premiers to discuss referendums on Equalization and electoral reform?

Tony Peters

First Article Published

http://mallarduk.com/trudeau-to-say-more-as-his-thinking-evolves-tony-peters/?fbclid=IwAR3yxM1Id52Cl8sG1APnN8FrfC2pAvcFhQ-Nb57phihqEhyb5vcRzgRY_tY This is the link to where you can find my first published article

Fundamental Issues of Canada (the article)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DrMz0zzSaU&t=495s

Journal Entry Oct 23/24, 2019 Fundamental Issues of Canada

I want to start by stating that although some of the things I state may seem slightly offensive at first glance, but before getting upset and worked up about it, I encourage you to think, stop, and really think. Don’t be offended so easily, it only gets in the way of progress. Changes are made by people stating opinions and meshing all of these opinions together, this is what makes up our World, and more importantly our Great Nation of Canada. Everything I say, is said with the most utmost respect. Often, we search and crave to find offense where none is intended. Open your minds, open your eyes, don’t be so narrow in your thoughts.

Here in Canada, we have several basic and fundamental issues, like all other countries. Our problems, sadly, start from the top and work their way down to the bottom. These problems are as follows, and I will cover each of these problems throughout this essay.

1.      Our electoral system is outdated and needs reform

2.      Equalization Payments

3.      Amount of power focused in 2 provinces

4.      Unequal equality

5.      Lack of leadership

6.      Lack luster immigration policies

 In our electoral system, we use a first-past-the-post system. This type of system works in theory, so long as the seat distribution matches the populations of the whole country. That means that the population bases that are small should have less seats in Parliament. In Canada, however, this is not the case. Our representation does not reflect the population of Canada, which show the Conservatives had a small victory in obtaining the popular vote, but lost by a couple of dozen seats to the Liberals in our 2019 election.

If we then take a closer look at this system, we find that the Maritime provinces, which have much smaller population bases than many ridings in the West, yet PEI has 4 seats representing them in the House of Commons for just over 142,000 voters, where the Western ridings have one seat for much larger population bases. This leads to inequalities in representation and unrest in the areas, like Western Canada, who feel that their voices are not heard. A good point, considering that by the time that the election is closed for Eastern voters, the election has already been called, the West just determines Minority or Majority, but sometimes not even that. All ridings that have less than 50,000 voters, need to be combined with surrounding ridings, so that it better reflects other ridings, with the exception of the Territories of course. This is exactly what has led to this disconnect felt between the Eastern and Western halves of this Great Nation we call Canada.

You may be thinking, “What then does equal representation really look like?”. Equal representation would involve taking a closer look at where the country has the greatest population bases, and awarding the appropriate number of seats, then taking away seats from less populated areas, combine these ridings to match that of the more heavily populated areas. So give PEI, for example, 1 seat in Parliament instead of 4. Making representation accurately reflect the voter base in these areas, will mean policies that actually reflect the views of Canadians as a whole, not just 2 provinces. It will also mean parties and leaders elected that actually reflect popular vote. Equal representation would also reduce the occurrences of our Prime Minister Trudeau openly declaring war on the Western Provinces. He has done this by his speech right before the election, saying he will fight the oil industry, pipelines, and anyone who fights for them. A Prime Minister should not EVER say this about the economy that has supported and propped up this country financially, and should be encouraging all parts of the country. The fact that he still won re-election, speaks volumes about the lack of equal representation. In addition, the implementation of the Carbon Tax, was a direct shot across the bows of the Western ship. This has only been implemented for a short period of time and yet it is costing farmers, businesses, the oil industry, truckers, and each individual a tonne of money that few can afford. The adding of a Federal Tax on the Carbon Tax, is also repulsive, charging a service tax on a tax the majority of Canadians feel is a complete disservice? To top that off, as usual Trudeau has completely ignored the complaints of the Western Provinces and of many Canadians against the tax. He claims that it is helping Canadians through rebates they get, but it is actually causing more harm than good, these cheap parlor tricks of rebates, is a smoke screen to lessen anger, but does not cover the fact that it does not replace the immediate cost of the tax, and the devastation it is causing our industries that are supposed to be supplying money for the country as a whole. Proper distribution of representation, would mean the voice of the majority is heard and acted upon. To add insult to injury the Federal Government has completely ignored the suicide rate rise in Alberta since the oil field collapse. These deaths lay mainly at the hands of Trudeau and his American backers.

The next issue is the “Equalization” payments. These payments do not accurately represent the amount of money each province brings in each year. This was originally set up with the intent of providing money to keep the “have not” provinces afloat. Instead it has been abused and ignored by numerous Prime Ministers of all parties. Payments like these, need to changed and adjusted each year based on profits, or done away with completely, so that this abuse is not done so easily. Either do away with it altogether, so that each province supports themselves, or make them truly reflect the money each province has. It is not right or just to have 2 provinces like Alberta and Saskatchewan, more so Alberta, hemorrhaging funds after provinces they support through equalization payments, use that money to destroy these provinces. Quebec is certainly not a “have not” province, and should be PAYING equalization payments, not taking the largest slice of them, over 13 billion a year. Alberta and Saskatchewan have been in deficits since the Liberal Party bought and then failed to proceed with the pipeline developing, that would keep their economies strong, just because a VERY SLIM margin of people in a microscopic portion of the country, want it stopped.

Which brings me to my next point that needs addressing right away. The amount of power that two provinces out of 13 provinces and territories, have over the rest of the country. I had touched on this briefly before, but will look at it a bit more closely now. Ontario and Quebec determine who is in power, and influence/decide all of our policies as a result. In our 2019 election, the Bloc Party was elected heavily in Quebec. This means that they will further push through policies, with the Liberals, who are packed with Francophones sympathetic to Quebec, that are in Quebec’s favour. Their leader, in his speech after the election, stated that he will only work with the government on a case-by-case basis, and only if he feels it benefits Quebec. This self-focus is detrimental to our Country’s unity. The greed from Quebec has drained the funds from our Nation’s accounts for far too long. Why does one province dictate terms and make demands that the rest of the country cow-toes to? Ontario and Quebec need to start thinking about Canada as a whole, not focus only on themselves. We are a COUNTRY, not a collection of people bred to serve and feed 2 provinces. All Canadians deserve a say and should be able to influence policy, deciding how our country is run, and how funds are spent. One province, Quebec, should not be given special rights and regulations, separate from the rest of the country, they are not above the rest of us. We are all equal, a part of Canada, not meant to be walked all over. Every province, territory, and member of our Great Country, deserves the same rights, laws, and freedoms, if Quebec does not like living by the same rules and regulations as the rest of us, then let them leave, instead of forcing the West to leave. We live in a wonderfully free country, and are not here to serve the interests of only Ontario and Quebec.

Which leads me to my next point. And before I continue, let me reiterate not to get offended and fly off the handle at me. Read it, think on it, I am not trying to offend, nor insult any groups, races, religions, nor genders, only to summarize the feelings and sentiments I have heard, researched, and am now reflecting on. In Canada we have many groups asking for and demanding equality, and equality is the best thing for the world and our country. That being said, the groups we have demanding equality, and this is the part that may get people defensive, but think about the truth behind the statements before getting upset, they already have many more rights than the rest of the country. Equality means that every person is “equal” and is entitled to the same rights, freedoms, and opportunities, and follow the same laws. This, however, is not the case. First and foremost, we have Quebec, as mentioned before, who have far more rights, privileges, and their own set of laws that they abide by, somethings that no other province has the ability to do, yes we can make some of our own laws, just not to the extent that Quebec is able to. They force people to speak French mainly, and have French signage or they are unable to set up a business. If other provinces were to try to implement regulations like this in regards to English, which we would never do, there would be a huge uproar from the Francophone community in Canada, as there should be. This is a free country, English and French are our official languages, and as such, are entitled to the same rights. People of any language have the right to have signage in their language and to speak whatever language they choose, whether English or French. That being said, you do have to still be respectful of the main language of the area, and try to communicate as best you can, with the area’s language. Quebec should also not have separate tax laws, and get special treatment/funding for their colleges/universities. Just read today, an article in which Liberal MP Steven Guilbeault has inaccurately stated through Twitter that 70% of Canadians voted for Carbon Tax in the past election, and then goes on to rub in the Western Provinces faces, that fighting the tax was lost in court twice. Accuracy is key, and if he actually looked at the votes, he would see that in actuality, more Canadians voted for parties that oppose it, but that isn’t really what the election was about, it was about, and as a politician he should realize that elections are about more than one point on a platform. Rubbing the tax in Western Canadian faces is not the way to create unity and heal wounds, especially since he gladly accepts the equalization payments that get shipped his way from the West.

The next group that is demanding equality, and deserves equality, is our nations forefathers, the Aboriginal or First Nations people. With these different tribes, it does get complex with different treaties and agreements between tribes. Many live on reserve land and yet many still live off of the reserve, choosing to work in other cities or towns. This applies to all, though mostly those still on reserves. They are given special rights due to the aforementioned treaties, that were signed long ago. I am not saying that they do not deserve the status they have; all I am saying is that these treaties are outdated. Both sides need to come together and make new treaties that are more modern and suited to our current situation and standards. We as Canadians embrace all people, it is what makes our country the wonderful place it is. With that though comes responsibilities. Each group needs to be dealt with fairly and with EQUALITY in mind. To get back to treaties, special hunting rights should be changed to meet the hunting/fishing rights of ALL Canadian citizens. Money should not be given just to attend school, even if said person only attends the bare minimum of classes. Handing money out each month is not the right move, along with reserving spots in programs/professions. Removing all at once is not a good solution, it has to be done gradually, with respect for the individuals involved. Help our fellow Canadians, and your tribal members, become self-sufficient and have a true pride in themselves and their heritage. Taking handouts, no matter who the person, breeds laziness, no matter which group/race/religion/gender/age. Take a look at our welfare system for example, and how many on welfare don’t even have the pride or desire to go out and find jobs, again some people have no choice but to be on the program, just too many abuse it, so it also needs reformation.

Aboriginal heritage and culture are both fascinating and intriguing, filled with much positive and some negative, just like every single cultural group on the planet. We have all had bad things happen to us, and each group has also had negative moments in the millennia we have existed. Forgive the past, don’t forget, just forgive, let it lie there. Allow yourselves to move on and better yourselves, by focusing on the positives of your wonderful culture. Getting stuck focusing on the negative parts of history and your lives makes it impossible to move beyond. Trust me, I have had a lot of awful things in my life, which have caused PTSD, but I have had to accept, forgive, and move forward. Never forget, as it is a part of you, but don’t let these events distract you from what you need to do to move ahead. Positivity is the only way to get through life and make changes in your life, or the life of your people. It will greatly improve your people’s lives and their current situation.

Another group of people is our immigrants, who do fill necessary roles in our country and workforce, but when you come to Canada, take on customs and traditions, work to fit in to our society as a whole. Too many, and no I am not saying all, expect us to accommodate their beliefs, customs, and traditions. Complaining about our holidays and our laws regarding their clothing while working, voting, etc. These customs, beliefs, traditions, holidays, and laws, make up what it means to be Canadian, something we should take pride in, and not be willing to compromise on. I don’t move to a foreign country and expect them to change everything that they are as a country or people, just to accommodate me. I implore you to not come to our country and alienate us, you are quite welcome to our country, just don’t force changes on my country. Stop taking advantage of our hospitality, and more importantly, don’t take advantage of a Prime Minister who is weak.

Onto the next group. This one deserves a short statement before it. I am all for women’s rights, 100% behind that. Women and men should have equal pay, equal opportunity, and everything else that the other gender has. With that though comes making sure you are not demanding more than then equality, not special rights, like having positions reserved in schools or at workplaces. School openings and jobs should be reserved for whomever, despite race, gender, religion, or lifestyle choice, is most qualified. If that happens to be a woman, great, this would be the case in many situations, but you need to be more qualified and deserve it more based on merit. There would only be a few exceptions to this in fields that involve a certain race, gender, religion, or lifestyle choice, then those would be the ones who should be singled out for that particular job.

The final group that I will focus on is again, not meant to attack, or knock down this group. I am referring to those in the pride movement. I am just fine with you taking a firm stance for your beliefs, lifestyle choice, and your rights, even if it isn’t my lifestyle choice. We all have our lifestyle and beliefs we are entitled to. I do have a problem with a religious institution being forced to perform marriages when it goes against their beliefs and lifestyle choices. Your beliefs and lifestyle are not better than anyone else’s, forcing yours on someone else does not bridge any divides. In fact, what it really does is cause divides and makes these groups more set against you. We all need to understand that we are each unique and wonderfully created, and quit forcing our choices on others. We are all equal, we all deserve respect, but it has to go both ways, and that is not to say the Pride movement is the only party guilty of this, no quite the opposite, it has to come from all Canadians. Forcing causes prejudice and anger. Many of the things being demanded are not about equality but about special rights and privileges. Equality should be the goal, as is claimed, not gaining special treatment. The problem also comes with parades and weeks set aside for Pride weeks, or even other racial weeks. Why should this be done for one group of people, and not for every other group of people? When suggested by a few people jokingly, that they need a heterosexual parade or particular day/week, they are deemed prejudiced and against Pride groups in general, which is not the case. Discrimination has nothing to do with this at all in most cases, it is a feeling like they are being cast aside and discriminated against in return, they don’t want things shoved down their throats, as the Pride groups do not want anti-pride sentiments shoved down theirs. If this movement goes against personal beliefs or religions, it is discriminatory and antagonistic to expect them to change their beliefs or religion just to accommodate, whether Christian, Jewish, Muslim, etc. This is a matter of differing stances and everyone’s right to believe in their own religion/lifestyle. I do commend everyone in the Pride movement for having the incredible courage to come out and stand up for yourselves, though in many cases this could be done with more tact, bringing the desire for TRUE equality in mind, not special rights.

This all comes down to one thing. We are all Human, we are all Canadians, we are all uniquely different, but we are all EQUAL, and as such, no one deserves special treatment. Each human has the same value, as such the same rights, laws, and opportunities should be given to all. We all deserve what we are promised, equality.

On to the next point. I spent more time on equality than was intended, it is just so important that we all are equal and treated as such. Lack of leadership is a HUGE issue in Canada right now. Our leader does not speak with confidence, bumbling through sentences, dodging questions completely, never bothering to answer Canadians as a whole. He does not lead with confidence either, just a cocky arrogance he inherited from his father. His integrity and ethics are yet to be located. Caught insider trading, defrauding Canadians out of tax dollars to boost his personal residences, accepting bribes in the form of trips and vacations, forcing caucus members and the attorney general to do his bidding, accused of groping a woman, accused of pedophilia, and a blatant disregard for the wishes of his people, Canadians. He continues to ignore most of Canada and never fulfills promises, then jokes about it later, and can’t balance a budget. Never mind meddling in the ethics committees that investigate him, abuse of power with no accountability.

He claims to be a feminist, but women who leave his party claim the exact opposite. He embarrasses Canada abroad in every country he goes to, bringing shame upon our proud country, making us the laughing stock of the world. Then we get to all the foreign deals he has failed us on, money he has cost our country by spending without restraint, giving Canada it’s largest deficit in years, easily corrected by fixing our farming and oil industries. Finally, his mismanagement of our resources has been detrimental, and his actions have driven a further wedge into the divide and disconnect our country feels. He will be the cause of our nation’s folly, it’s ultimate destruction. Which is what the American organizations backing and secretly funding Trudeau desire, a humbled Canada, allowing them to shut down all of our resources, to bolster their own agendas.

The final point is our lack luster immigration policies. I won’t spend a lot of time on as I covered some of this before. Immigration is a good thing in moderation. Our unique diversity makes us Canadian and gives us pride as a nation. We do need to have strict guidelines and rules for it, as we used to, but Trudeau and the Liberal Party have weakened these guidelines and rules. We now have far more immigration than our country and economy can realistically support. We also have made it too easy to sneak terrorists into the country, not vetting more strictly in known terrorist-supporting countries (same with buying oil from them, when we know exactly where the money goes to). This has endangered our Canadian citizens, as well as our neighbors to the south. We have also diluted our own traditions to the point of losing our identity of what it means to be a Canadian. If asked what it means to be Canadian, I would struggle to come up with a clear picture. Some immigration is a wonderful thing, it just needs to be cautiously and in moderation.

To conclude, this is a beautiful country. A country I love and would hate to leave. Canada is a country in great turmoil, A country that is so full of division, and frustration, and very little respect between the divisive parties, that it threatens to tear apart our Great Nation. If nothing is done to fix this division, Canada will not survive. Our Nation will simply implode, splintering the Confederation that our forefathers fought to create and keep together. If changes are not made to show that every province, West or East, matters and that their voices are heard, we will lose our Canada. Canada will become a memory, a folklore, a story passed on to our future generations. I, along with many others in this Nation, call for our Prime Minister to step up, listen to the voices of Canada, for one moment in your life. Prime Minister Trudeau, do not be the cause of our Nation dissolving. You are already to blame for this growing discord between the halves of our country. Show Canada that you truly know how to care about something beyond yourself and not just act at it. Believe it, your actions speak volumes, the same actions that right now are speaking hate. Show Canada that you care, that you are even capable of showing true concern. Give all provinces and territories proper representation, consider ALL of our resources and show RESPECT for those who make up our Great Nation. We are ALL Canadians.

Book Review- Stuart Woods- Capital Crimes

Stuart Woods- Capital Crimes (Signet 2004) 3.75 Stars

A killer with a political agenda is on the loose. He has already killed a conservative politician and is moving on to other targets. Now Kate must hunt down this killer and locate his targets before he completes the mission he has set out for himself. The killer thinks his objective is worth dying for and he intends to use all of his skills, which seem to be endless, to at least kill his main target. Can Kate figure out this man’s plan before he succeeds? She must use every resource at her disposal or she may loose the life she so enjoys.

Usually I do not enjoy political books, but this one had enough mystery and murder for me to enjoy this novel. The first section was questionable until the man ended up being killed by a sniper, with that I was hooked. The plot was quick moving and kept you guessing what was going to happen next. The ending was not entirely unpredictable, but was decent enough. Kate and her team of feds were good characters, although not extremely deep. I did not feel that the reader really gets to know anyone particularly well, which to me is a negative as I like to connect with the characters. Overall though Capital Crimes was good thriller that I feel good about recommending to thriller readers.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Laurence Klavan- The Cutting Room

Laurence Klavan- The Cutting Room (Ballantine Books 2004) 3.25 Stars

Roy Milano is a movie trivia buff, he knows everything there is to know about movies and there actors. After his fellow movie buff calls him up and tells him he has the Holy Grail of movies, The Magnificent Ambersons, he finds the man dead. Now he is on the hunt for who stole the movie, not caring so much about the murder.

I enjoyed reading this mystery. It was interesting to see a main character investigating, who is not a professional in any manner. His clumsy methods make for an entertaining read, and it is nice that the man wasn’t trying to investigate the murders, he just wanted the movie. This book covers politics, murder, theft, and intrigue, it’s got it all. I would have liked to see a better beginning and maybe some of the clues being harder to get, sometimes it felt like they just fell into place too easily. Overall I did enjoy this novel though.

I recommend The Cutting Room novel to mystery fans.

For more of my reviews check out my website, http://www.tonypeters.webs.com/

Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Book Review- Andrew Pepper- The Last Days of Newgate

Andrew Pepper- The Last Days of Newgate (Weidenfeld & Nicolson 2006) 3.75 Stars

This is the first book in the Pyke mystery series and it is a great starter. Pyke is a Bow Street Runner, or basically a plainclothes policeman. He is not exactly the most honest individual, but when he stumbles upon the bodies of three brutally murdered people he is determined to find the guilty party. Quickly he discovers that it may not be just as it seems, there may be a political agenda involved that could end his life.

The Last Days of Newgate is not a book for the weak stomached reader, it has some gore that some may not wish to read about. I enjoyed all the different concepts involved in this book, intrigue, politics, murder, theft, conspiracy, and the fact that it was in the pre-Victorian London/England in general. It had some explosive action scenes, and it was believable in the fact that not everything Pyke tried succeeded, in fact some of it ended in disaster. The plot was very well-done and involved a lot of surprises. The end was kind of predictable though. Although I do not like Pyke’s character, he is not designed to be likable, and Pepper did a good job of creating Pyke.

I would recommend this book to strong-stomached mystery fans, thriller enthusiasts, or people who enjoy politics.

For more of my reviews check out my website, http://www.tonypeters.webs.com/

Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/KidsonaCase.html

Book Review- Michael Connelly- Angels Flight

Michael Connelly- Angels Flight (Warner Books 2000) 4.75 Stars

Harry Bosch returns in Angels Flight, a great thriller/mystery. Bosch must deal with politics as he is being restrained by the department’s tense relations with the public. A lawyer who makes money suing police and the police department turns up dead along with another civilian. Suddenly the public is ready to riot and are pointing fingers at the department. Meanwhile Bosch is trying to get to the bottom of it, whether or not the department likes his methods.
Angels Flight was very intense as is to be expected from a Harry Bosch novel. I loved the way the novel just gripped my attention early on and would not let up for a second. Bosch is such a deep character that I feel there is always something new to learn about him. I did figure out early who was responsible for the crime, and yet I still loved the twists and turns Bosch had to take to get to the culprit, weaving through political hoops. The end still managed to come as a surprise, not ending the way I thought it would. The case had a lot for the reader to follow and yet I found that the way it was written I could easily follow what was happening.
I would recommend Angels Flight to Harry Bosch enthusiasts, Michael Connelly followers, and mystery/thriller lovers!

For more of my reviews check out my website. http://www.tonypeters.webs.com/

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html