Dec 15, 2005

Follow the Yellow--Red--Brick Road #1

The Universities: Centers for Intellectual Exploration of Ideas and Free Speech . . . or are they?

Must staff and students toe the line and voice correct speak -- politically correct thought, for example, on women's issues...as well as on other issues?...Is it possible that there are re-education camps coming? Before you dismiss that as mad, read on. They won't be necessary in Canada, given the pervasive control exercised by a combination of government and other organizations, all with the willing help of right-thinking individuals.

Robert Fulford: Harvard's "Summers performs the loyalty dance" -- "a self-criticism meeting" -- "a defeat for free speech and honest inquiry at the heart of American [as in Canadian] academic life."

Note: "a self-criticism meeting"

Mob rule at Harvard -- "a sad commentary on academic freedom in America" Barbara Kay, National Post, Mar. 2, 05 (or Mar. 1, 05)


[. . . . ]In a classic mobbing episode, the underlying "crime" is typically either trifling or non-existent. The accused at first assumes his friends and colleagues will rush to defend him. But if the critics are able to cast their case in politically fashionable terms -- the fight against racism or sexism, most commonly -- then personal loyalties go out the window. People rush to join the torch-bearing crowd, lest the accused's crimes tarnish them as well.

Mobbing was first articulated as a syndrome by Swedish psychologist Heinz Leymann in the early '80s. He defines it as "an impassioned, collective campaign by co-workers to exclude, punish and humiliate a targeted worker."

[. . . . ] a 12-point profile Professor Westhues has developed to identify true mobbing. Amongst the criteria:

[. . . . ] The only way to combat this pernicious virus is for theorists to shake off their fixation on gender and race equity, the ideological intoxicant that drives normally sober academics to punch-drunk witch hunts. Instead, universities should concentrate on serious efforts to make campuses open to a diversity of opinion.


Meanwhile, instead of undermining his own cause and that of academic freedom, it would help if Summers started acting like a free man, and not a Soviet-era thought criminal.





Follow the yellow--red brick road by going back a bit.

Global Governance and Paul Martin April 3, 2005

http://
frosthitstherhubarb.blogspot.com/
2005_04_03_frosthitstherhubarb_archive.html

Peter C. Newman: "A blueprint for world government " -- Paul Martin's vision for the globe, National Post, Apr. 2, 05

http://
www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/
issuesideas/story.html?id=f9a8498d-c216-42
25-a861-da2d956ab3f3

[. . . . ] Now, as his government's definitive (and much postponed) foreign policy review is set to appear, I went back to my notes of those conversations. These were the idealistic ramblings of an ambitious politician who'd plugged himself into the seismic upheavals shaping the global economy. "We must develop a much stronger conscience in terms of our responsibility to others," he told me. "It's nonsensical, for example, that there is no international environmental organization of stature or a body than can deal with a tragic epidemic like AIDS."

What Martin had in mind was nothing less than spearheading the move toward a limited form of world government. His ambitions recognized few limits. He once confided to me that he wanted to duplicate internationally, especially in the underdeveloped world, what we do domestically, including a global system of equalization payments, free education up to the high school level, the formation of global instead of national health care and a universal banking system. [. . . . ]


A bureaucrat in every pot, via Jack's Newswatch

http://
www.montesolberg.com/2005/
03/bureaucrat-in-every-pot.htm


[. . . . ] Did you know that the cost of our bureaucracy has gone up 77% since 1996/97? [. . . . ]



Defeat of Bills C-31, C-32 -- "the opposition parties joined forces and defeated Bills C-31 and C-32, the bills to split the Foreign Affairs Department and the International Trade Department." -- "things came out of the" Foreign Affairs Committee that caused the critic and the leadership to say they didn't want to support the bills. "-- "there are problems" The Hill Times, Feb. 21, 2005, Kate Malloy and F. Abbas Rana


Dan MacTeague . . . . It's under the authority of the Public Service Rearrangement and Transfer of Duties Act that allows the governor in council to transfer portions of the public service and ministerial powers and duties and functions from one part of the public service or from one minister to another.

[. . . . ] An order in council passed in December 2003 when Prime Minister Paul Martin (LaSalle-Émard, Qué.) took power [. . . . ]


Frost Hits the Rhubarb, March 2, 2005: Originally, that post had an entry "Canadians are Patsies -- & -- UN Global Control Crowd at it Again -- Anti-Canadianism & More -- Updated" . . . but it seems that this, like other things, disappeared into that great maw -- Gremlins. The following is still there:

* Note This! UN -- Women's Rights -- or Wrongs? -- Appropriate Moral Authority? -- & Petition [The link to this petition was . . . changed, rendered inoperable. Citizens making their views known: unacceptable? ]


The last item provides an example of how the global governance crowd through NGO's and the UN are able to bypass the electorate -- before busy citizens know what hit them. This item will be similar to what occurred with the Kyoto Accord, in that the global governance crowd are active again. Think about what Kyoto is [intended] to bring to Canadians, particularly to business; you will pay. Think also of who have something to gain from Kyoto.

Think then, of the women who have the time for international conferences on women's "rights" and women's "health issues"--euphemisms for abortion, etc--and read this. [. . . . ]


Look, for example at what has been the influence of one Canadian who was at the Montreal climate conference on the Kyoto Accord, the UN's Deputy to Kofi Annan, Louise Frechette. [ When a link disappears or is corrupted in a post, it causes me look again and further. ]

FHTR Mar. 2, 05 -- Header: "Cdn. Patsies: UNSCAM-Cdn. Connections, Dingwall-Via Rail-$133,000, Revoke Citizenship Terrorist Fateh Kamel, JC & Dictator, CRTC Head-PQ & PM Friend"

A search for Louise Frechetter brought this. [Note that I mistyped the name, adding an 'r' ]

Gremlins: link missing

LOUISE FRÉCHETTE DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL

http://
www.un.org/aboutun/DSG/dsgbio.htm

Louise Fréchette is the first Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations. A national of Canada, she assumed her duties on 2 March 1998, after having been appointed by Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The post of Deputy Secretary-General was established by the General Assembly at the end of 1997 as part of the reform of the United Nations, to help manage Secretariat operations and to ensure coherence of activities and programmes. The purpose was also to elevate the Organization’s profile and leadership in the economic and social spheres. The Deputy Secretary-General assists the Secretary-General in the full range of his responsibilities and also may represent the United Nations at conferences and official functions. She chairs the Steering Committee on Reform and Management Policy and the Advisory Board of the United Nations Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP), which handles relations with the foundation set up by Ted Turner in support of the United Nations.

Before joining the United Nations, Ms. Fréchette was the Deputy Minister of National Defence of Canada from 1995 to 1998. Prior to that, she was Associate Deputy Minister in her country’s Department of Finance. She served as Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations from 1992 to 1995. [. . . . ]

In January 1991 she became Assistant Deputy Minister for Economic Policy and Trade Competitiveness [in Canada]


Interestingly, the trilingual (Eng. Fr. Span.) Frechette has received an honourary doctorate from, among others, Kyung Hee University in Seoul.


An insider, along with Maurice Strong and others. Check her part in the UN oil-for-food scandal; she played a part which may or may not have been an acceptable use of her obvious talents. (posts on this site)


Link for the above: Frost Hits the Rhubarb week of Feb. 27 - Mar. 5, 05

http://
frosthitstherhubarb.blogspot.com/
2005_02_27_frosthitstherhubarb_archive.html



Follow the Yellow--Red--Brick Road #2

Note: What follows is lengthy but I believe it has more impact now that some time has passed and an election is in the offing. It is time to consider this government's priorities. The place to start is with the Budget. Anything in green is important or has implications while red is used to draw attention to others. I have commented liberally throughout, usually coloured blue, but not always.

I believe that the first link developed a problem, too, so maybe people did not get the file nor the full impact of the PM & Team's plans. NJC



The Budget 2005: Chapter 6 -- "Meeting our Global Responsibilities" -- the chapter with security information -- Note what is emphasized in chapter 6 -- Budget 2005, Chapter 6: Meeting our Global Responsibilities - the chapter with security information

http://
www.fin.gc.ca/budget05/bp/bpc6e.htm#security

This chapter includes several aspects before it gets to what we usually think of as protecting Canadians' security-- RCMP and CSIS -- "eye-catching blocks. Note what is highlighted" -- much more emphasis on the "global" than on the "national" and this chapter seems heavily weighted in emphasis toward trade and business.




deployment of officers to overseas ports, enhance Canada’s competitiveness, contribute to a more equitable, sustainable, and democratic world, and help protect Canadians, renew the Public Diplomacy Program, an important instrument to gain greater influence for Canada internationally


Search:

contribute to a more equitable, sustainable, and democratic world [Meanwhile, the 'democratic deficit' has not exactly been fixed in government-controlled Canada, aided by the helpful, enabling media ]

Setting a New Course for Canada’s International Policy

Global citizenship

Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)

New Resources for International Assistance

Debt Relief [ I just listened (AM Dec.13, 05) to two female CBC presenters discussing (apoplectic over ) Stephen Harper's plans to spend money on the military, DART, defence and I thought of this budget and PM & Team's emphasis on spending money abroad . . . perhaps in Africa? A much better use of OPM? ]

Canada’s Commitment to Africa [CIDA?]


health and economic development [Read more on the UN influence in Canada -- on this website -- some below, some posted Dec. 6, 05. ]

$300 million in additional funding

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria ($140 million), and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) ($160 million). [Check FHTR, Dec. 11, 05: "Was Maurice Strong at the Climate Conference? Questions: Trent & International Consortium on Anti-Virals (ICAV), Emergency Preparedness & Navy"]

$42 million in funding to support the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) [ Is there any connection between this concern for health and the Africa concerns? See "Pulp MIll Workers Urged to Build Arts Industry" & UNB: World Bank, Industry, Educ. Ambassadorial Reps "Working with Africa Workshop" Is there any connection between GPEI and our Glorious Leader's connection to Medisys? (Stephen Taylor, Toronto Tory, MKBraaten and others.) See an article on this website.

Also note how the UN influences the Atlantic Human Rights Institute, well-meaning people certainly, but I still think manipulated to an extent by government and UN-Speak. Read on. ]

Additional Funds for Peace and Security -- [Check the emphasis in this section.]

Canada Corps will engage Canadians in helping to improve governance in fragile or failed states [Where? China? Africa? ]

Nurturing a Prosperous Private Sector in Developing Countries

[. . . ] Prime Minister Paul Martin and former Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo

"Unleashing Entrepreneurship."
-- [Who is going to unleash it and where? Who are part of this?]

The Martin-Zedillo report


Related: FHTR Mar. 6, 05 - Mar. 12, 05: Compare: "Pulp MIll Workers Urged to Build Arts Industry" & UNB: World Bank, Industry, Educ. Ambassadorial Reps "Working with Africa Workshop" -- or here

the approaches that will best help African entrepreneurs -- [Check a day long workshop from FHTR week of Mar. 3, 05 in which I noted the difference between the power gathered to discuss African needs and the paucity of the help afforded one group of Canadian unfortunates, the pulp mill workers out of work because of the closing of the mill at Nackawic, NB]

Compare: "Pulp MIll Workers Urged to Build Arts Industry" & UNB: World Bank, Industry, Educ. Ambassadorial Reps "Working with Africa Workshop" -- ACOA, CIDA and a few other acronyms, ambassadors and powerful, connected individuals -- e.g. people with academic credentials -- or here

There is another section possibly of interest: New Illuminati, Cdn. Aid to China, China textiles, Bud Talkinghorn: Dear Lou Dobbs -- [The Multiculturalism Hucksters. The Rights Advocates. The Equality-for-All Gang.]

the Canada Investment Fund for Africa (CIFA)

$200 million in private investment into Africa. -- [If it is 'private', why is this mentioned in the budget? Are Canadian taxpayers paying or are private individuals or businesses?]

An initial $100 million allocation

provide risk capital for investment in Africa.

The Forum of Federations -- [What is this? What is its mandate? -- Is this related to the information in a post "Media Hatchet Job in the Maritimes", Dec. 6, 05 which ties in the UN and its influence in Canada? Search: ECOSOC and Summits just below (a few items omitted here) ]

http://
frosthitstherhubarb.blogspot.com/
2005/12/media-hatchet-job-in-maritimes-global.html





World Trade Organization (WTO)
Topic 1: Role of the L20 in Trade Negotiations
Topic 2: Review of the Doha Development Agenda
(UNICEF)
(UNEP)
Topic 1: Climate Change
Topic 2: Biodiversity and GMO's [What are GMO's? ]
United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
Futuristic Committee
2050: World food supply and production capacity have drastically depleted
United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
Topic 1: Building an Intersectional Model
Topic 2: HIV/AIDS, Security, and Humanitarian Response
(UNESCO)


$690 million in new investments

enhance the Government’s capacity in intelligence gathering -- [ Would that connect with UN control of the Internet? Do you suppose our Glorilous Leader is after the terrorists . . . or is it Canadians who catch his Blunderbuss & Bafflegab in the details? You? ]

$1 billion [. . . .] in the areas of emergency planning and

purchase antivirals, a further $34 million [Search: Was Maurice Strong at the Climate Conference? Questions: Trent & International Consortium on Anti-Virals (ICAV), Emergency Preparedness & Navy ]

Canada intends to seek the presidency of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF),

participate in other regional bodies such as the Asia-Pacific Group on Money Laundering and the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force. [ IMHO, Ironies abound.]

intricate networks of financial transactions. . . . FINTRAC

Integrated Proceeds of Crime (POC) . . . RCMP . . . Department of Justice Canada legal counsel

over five years

Container Security Initiative (CSI),

work with the United States and Mexico to increase the security of critical transportation and communications networks [Think about that and whether Mexico has been able to stem the drug dealers on the border with and crossing into the US. Would Mexico make our best partner for security? ]

contribute to a more equitable, sustainable, and democratic world . . . Public Diplomacy Program

Enhancing Our Relationships With Overseas Markets




support new international science and technology (S&T) initiatives . . . India and China. . . . promote collaborative research between Canadian and foreign scientists and technologists . . . the use of cleaner and more efficient forms of energy . . . helping brand Canadian environmental technology abroad.

Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada -- [. . . .] an endowment of $50 million. . . to build networks between Canadian and Asian business leaders, and to unearth potential market opportunities that will benefit both regions. In order to improve and reflect modern governance and accountability practices, the Government will undertake to amend the 1984 Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada Act. [Check that "foundation" and the act by which it came into being.]


global peace operations

Canadian values as a guide

Table 6.2

Meeting Our Global Responsibilities

Helping the poorest of the world -- Total after five years: 3,436 (millions of dollars)

Canada’s commitment to Africa -- Total after five years: 342 (millions of dollars)

Ensuring the security of Canadians -- including: . . . . Total after five years: 433 (millions of dollars)

End of the excerpts from the budget 2005.


Canadians' security $$$ includes building bridges -- so just where does our security fit into Paul Martin & Team's plans for the globe and particularly, Asia and Africa?



Related:

Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada -- Business News and more -- aet up in 1984 -- "APF Canada receives financial support from Foreign Affairs Canada, the Canadian International Development Agency and Western Economic Diversification Canada."

http://
www.asiapacificbusiness.ca/index.cfm


Updates & China Conference-Vancouver Port, Maurice Strong-China Car Salesman, China's Bricklin & Strong, China-Copied Chevy Design?

http://
newsjunkiecanada.blogspot.com/
2005_01_04_newsjunkiecanada_archive.html

There are several posts on FHTR Jan. 4, 2004 that are related to PM's global concerns, for example:




* Business: The China Connection, Canada China Business Council--Founding Sponsors, the Networks, Connections & Other Information
* Canada China Business Council (CCBC) -- its mandate
* Founding Sponsors -- [This list -- includes: Desmarais and Maurice Strong, Li Ka-Shing and many more]


Especially enlightening in relation to globalization:

Philosophical Underpinnings to the Budget 2005 -- "a new experiment in central planning"

Terence Corcoran: Groping in the dark with Ralph Goodale Financial Post, Feb. 26, 05

http://
www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/
news/story.html?id=667aa10b-85
52-433b-8703-4e1c663472ae




Oskar Lange (1904-65), former chairman of the Polish State Economic Council, sometime Stalinist and major contributor to the economics of socialism

[. . . . ] The appendix, known as Annex 4 to the budget . . . .

[. . . . ] "The government intends to go further, and will do so in successive budgets," setting the stage for a new experiment in central planning.

Andrew Coyne's Graph which accompanies his explanation of the budget splurge -- Andrew Coyne on the Budget: A splurge without precedent February 26, 2005

http://
andrewcoyne.com/2005/02/
splurge-without-precedent.html

Martin's Past Choices Create Dire Consequences for Canadian Military says MP Jay Hill on the occasion of Paul Martin's sending Canadian troops to Haiti, March 5, 2004 -- Jay Hill: "The Prime Minister can't brag to Canadians that he slew the deficit yet not take responsibility for the impact of his $20-billion in cuts to Canada's military."

We've become a nation of enablers -- "Clearly, then, Canadian taxpayers are in an abusive relationship with the federal Liberals" -- brilliantly done! Lorrie Goldstein, Toronto Sun, Feb. 27, 05

http://
www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Columnists/Toronto/
Lorrie_Goldstein/2005/02/27/944222.html


RCMP Underfunded, Undermanned -- Marijuana Grow Ops Spread -- Yet Government Won't Address the Problem -- Why? MP Chuck Cadman CPC on the Grow Ops




"Closing an RCMP lab? Government has been awash in cash -- sponsorship, gun registry, etc. Why don't they cut out the waste and corruption before closing an RCMP forensic lab? But this is just one problem. The RCMP are short a minimun 2500 officers . . . . "

Hansard: Mr. Chuck Cadman (Surrey North, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise to debate Bill C-10, this government's feeble attempt to address the possession and production of marijuana in Canada.


Rest in peace, Chuck Cadman. We remember you and applaud your efforts.




Follow the Yellow--Red--Brick Road #3

Follow the Yellow--Red--Brick Road #3


Canadians' Taxes, Globalization and Other Agendas

I hope it will become clearer as you read that Canadians' taxes are being funnelled to use in support of Paul Martin's globalization agenda...and other agendas.

In my opinion, there is the insidious hand of Big Government backed by UN activism in Canada: for example:

* to funnel money to indoctrinate students at university (See FHTR Dec. 6, 05, "Media Hatchet Job in the Maritimes ... Global TV 'News' " -- or a shorter post on it today, the news that started this quest to learn more about political influence in academe."

* to institute child care under the guise of helping parents--child care that excludes parents' desires and especially the stay-at-home parents' wishes; it does not allow them to spend their money on the care they wish, but which will afford Big Government even more avenues to promote right-thought

This matters to Canadians when, Paul Martin & Team want to use taxpayer money to fund institutional daycares (think control--by regulation of the daycare centers, for example, and which will entail another massive bureaucracy ) and, incidentally, the pre-school children may be properly schooled in the proper attitudes / correct thought / right thought from their earliest years -- something their parents might not be adequately trained in. Parents have just done daycare since Adam and Eve--Is that comment too Christian? Would government improve upon parental care? What comes with the need to fund institutional daycare, but not to fund non-institutional daycare? I think it is control over the attitudes and how children think--the control that is insidious because seemingly so benign, so desirous of helping it seems, that hard questions won't be asked. This then moves on--has already--to the schools and then to post-secondary institutions. Much that should be, will not be discussed. Certain topics will be outside the realm of what 'nice' Canadians think, by virtue of their training from earliest childhood.


* to initiate projects which will funnel money to academics which may or may not be a wise use of Canadians' tax dollars if those dollars are intended to help natives, for example, though they might usefully be part of a larger package of attacks upon dysfunction in many areas, from housing to governance to the drug addicted children (about which, more below).

* to enlist well-meaning people, but particularly the UN, in his plans -- The money allotted--and this is only the beginning of it--will have the imprimatur of the UN, based on its stated interest in the preservation of Heritage Languages. This allows Big Government to expand across Canada and in various departments, such as education--normally a provincial concern but with the natives, there is federal input--as well as the Languages Commissioners' Department.

* to court the good will of natives themselves and that has implications much beyond education -- in areas such as ownership of resources, governance, who represent the natives involved, and more

What is my point? I see more social engineering, more control, more long-laid plans coming to fruition. I have noted more expansion of government into all areas of life. Is what follows a genuine desire to change the lives of natives or is it something more?

Paul Martin needs the good will of the natives in the North; in my view, he must cultivate the people necessary to carry out even further long-laid plans.

Martin's usurping of a sitting Prime Minister revealed him to be a plotter and planner, par excellence. In my opinion, he is using the UN and it is using him.




Follow the Yellow--Red--Brick Road #4

Background: Tracing Threads and Networks

What follow are what I consider the main points of the post Media Hatchet Job in the Maritimes ... Global TV 'News' posted Dec. 6, 05

http://
frosthitstherhubarb.blogspot.com/
2005/12/media-hatchet-job-in-maritimes-global.html

I followed the links from GlobalTV's biased account of their 'news', negative on Conservatives' chances in the Maritimes; I moved backward, to find out where that search would lead, the source of what I heard. Actually, given the interviewees, that news item had threads running from a university course to government funding for UN global perspectives--rights and more--to the Liberal government of Canada and globalization. My search moved:

* through the GlobalTV news and its reporter (Is she a graduate of STU journalism?)

* through the St. Thomas University Chair of the Political Science Department, Thomas Bateman, whose views were featured, along with his students and a few others

* via the course offerings, as described on the university website, heavily influenced by socialist / leftist thinking ... to

* The web of connections through

* STU's Distinctive Programs -- Journalism, Interdisciplinary Studies, CANIMUN leading to a government of Canada Exchanges Program -- That's tax dollars, I believe.

* Research Centres & Endowed Chairs -- Atlantic Human Rights Centre (AHRC) -- Endowed by whom or what organization?

My Comments and Observations as of Dec. 15, 05

Whose rights? Are there discussions:

* of the individual citizen's rights (e.g. to be free of fear, of international criminals and guns, gangs and drugs), the rights of citizenship over the rights of non-citizens, perhaps the rights of our own poor over the far-away poor, such as in Africa or elsewhere

* of national rights, among them being consideration of our own Canadian family, the ones who pay the bills, first?

Or is the emphasis on, e.g. global rights such as

* HIV/AIDS patients' rights to medicines -- e.g. Africa
* refugee rights
-- e.g. to enter Canada with or without documents, with forged documents and still be able to remain and maybe even fight deportation using Canadian taxpayers' money
* Refugee / immigrant rights -- e.g. the right to remain in Canada whatever the wrongdoing (criminality, torture and torture funding, terrorist sleeper activity or those who may be, etc.) instead of being returned to wherever they emanated from, to face what might be torture -- and which is often later found to be lies anyway?

All of this has tended to make it impossible, it seems, for Canadians to protect ourselves against the world's drug and criminal gangs, free loaders, terrorists and other assorted "rights" claimants -- if we follow the Charter which is based on the UN concept . . . or is it the Liberal-government-mediated concept of rights that has emanated from the UN?

Is there a hierarchy of rights with Canadians at the pinnacle in their own country? Or is that interpretation to be left to the undemocratic states presently running the UN?


* Interdisciplinary Studies -- focus on emerging issues -- Which ones and who decides -- on what basis? Did they ask you? They didn't canvass me. I wouldn't be so suspicious if it weren't for the rest; read on.

* Academic Exchanges -- with their President's Travel Awards available to selected students in support of . . .

* The United Nations Association in Canada (UNA-Canada) -- "a national charitable organization" whose "mandate is to engage the Canadian public in the work of the United Nations and the critical international issues"

To that end, UNA uses UN staff "at the National Office and a network of volunteer-driven regional branches.", presumably students, to learn the UN perspective and to give voice to them [See more below] -- Is this indoctrination, perhaps even activism, before students are mature enough? Before learning other perspectives? Students become--activists?--members of committees such as:

* International Court of Justice -- The current president is from NB -- [that globalization / global governance perspective, again ]

* Council of Confederaton -- [ Why should 'confederation' concern the UN? ]

* NGO Network -- [Is it from this that 'student activists', 'protestors', and 'stakeholders' arise like the phoenix?]

* Arab League -- [There are many questions about that inclusion and the exclusion of other areas ]



* Model United Nations

* CANIMUN Sponsors -- a 'tournament' funded by Foreign Affairs (DFAIT, Min. Bill Graham), Dept. of Canadian Heritage (Min. Lisa Frulla) and National Defence (Min. Bill Graham )

Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) has been supporting the United Nations Association in Canada's Model United Nations Programme. . . . the United Nations Association in Canada (UNA-Canada) . . . an international Model UN Conference in Canada for Canadian and international university students.


The United Nations Association in Canada (UNA-Canada) is a national charitable organization . . . [whose] mandate is to engage the Canadian public in the work of the United Nations and the critical international issues . . . . accomplish our goals through a dynamic staff team at the National Office and a network of volunteer-driven regional branches.

. . . . .We work closely with [indoctrinate?] the educational communities in every province and territory to build their capacity to educate young people from a global perspective. . . . .

UNA-Canada's projects also aim to define foreign policy priorities for our government. . . . with a variety of stakeholders . . . peace and security, human rights and sustainable development. . . . Canada's international priorities, and a range of global issues. . . . .


At that point, I realized that all that interest in and activity with students has a very political intent and perspective, Would we--should we--term it social engineering by our government? (See #7 for an exploration of this. ) Another example, check:

ECOSOC and Summits -- Do you recognize any of Paul Martin's buzzwords from this list? Any of his 'priorities'?

World Trade Organization (WTO)
Topic 1: Role of the L20 in Trade Negotiations
Topic 2: Review of the Doha Development Agenda

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
Topic 1: Child Soldiers
Topic 2: Child Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Topic 1: Climate Change
Topic 2: Biodiversity and GMO's
United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
Futuristic Committee
2050: World food supply and production capacity have drastically depleted
United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS

Topic 1: Building an Intersectional Model
Topic 2: HIV/AIDS, Security, and Humanitarian Response
United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Topic 1: Preserving Indigenous, Non-Official, or Second Languages
Topic 2: Proposals for new World Heritage Sites



In Canada's Future: Is it Humanitarians Doing Good ... or Something Else?


Follow the Yellow--Red--Brick Road #5

This section will explore another government project--an academic project, possibly an academic job development and departmental expansion project--using tax money which benefits a few and which, in this case, may not help the natives, but will use the good-will of its participants.

Government projects and initiatives are topics which I have mentioned before on this site. This ties in with what was in post #4 of this series. I suppose one could call it The Government Wanting to Appear to do Good Series


Bear with me; I do have some points not made in my post Dec. 6, 05.

Is all that follows the sign of a caring government funding professionals to ameliorate a situation or . . . what? Is the emphasis placed in the most useful area and thus likely to be successful? Is it a subtle way of expanding more federal government control through creating a network that will live off this project . . . and more of a similar nature?


Is this a genuine desire to help the addicted, glue-sniffing children of addicted and ineffectual parents? Will this change that dysfunctional situation? Helping them by having them gain pride in their language, perhaps through "Linguistic Development of a Heritage Language: Innu-aimun" -- With the imprimatur of the UN? . . . Or are more long-laid plans coming to fruition? More expansion of that department which has been termed the Bill 101 for TROC (the rest of Canada), the area outside Quebec?

What would be more Prime Ministerial--more Paul Martin--than getting the backing of the UN for what the power people want to do anyway? It satisfies a few, but a powerful few. So, in my opinion, the PM leans on the UN, as it leans on him in pushing its agenda. I hypothesize that this aspect of the UN's influence in Canada has far-reaching import:


United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Topic 1: Preserving Indigenous, Non-Official, or Second Languages


Consider the pressure to develop Canadians' sensitivity: sensitivity to immigrants and to native issues, for example, to develop curricula or dictionaries as a prelude to curricula in native languages--undoubtedly a prelude to even more costly and ultimately, programs that separate Canadians--even though Canada's immigrants who succeed must learn one of the two official languages--and do--accomplishing their entrance to mainstream modern society rapidly in the process.

Why is Canada's government so intent on promoting languages which will not help natives leave their dismal lives to live in the real world, but which will give work for academics and language program(s) development? Consider the number of heritage languages that could be developed across Canada, and the expansion of the Department's reach, the expansion of need for more sub departments or branches to handle the other linguistic developments.

The next section will deal with the the initiative in the Newfoundland-Labrador area and in particular with the Sheshatshiu Innu and Natuashish, the Institut Culturel et Éucatif Montagnais in Quebec. Would any of this be under the aegis of Canada's Language Czar / Tzar Dyane Adam's department? Or is it the Department of Heritage? The term "heritage languages" will give a hint. The UN supports Heritage languages.

Did Dyane Adam, China, and business, at least to a degree, have anything to do with this Heritage Languages initiative? The cynic in me asks since alcohol and drug dependency would seem to be more pressing problems.



Digression -- but eventually, reason for its inclusion will be evident. The push for "heritage languages" will give a hint.

News Junkie Canada, Dec. 23, 04: "Lang Tzar-China" -- Scroll down to "Lang Tzar-China, Ecstasy-Busts, China-Workers, Libya-Plot-Saudi, UN-Saudi 'Activist'. RCMP-Counterfeit, BC Rail, FINTRAC, Sikhs-Threat, Fat Police"

http://
newsjunkiecanada.blogspot.com/
2004_12_23_newsjunkiecanada_archive.html

Commissioner of Official Languages, Dyane Adam: "Official's China trip includes a holiday" Kathleen Harris, Ottawa Bureau Toronto Sun, Dec. 22, 04 -- 4 days for biz, rest for fun -- Bad Optics, Dyane

http://
www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/
News/2004/12/22/793233-sun.html


OFFICIAL LANGUAGES Commissioner Dyane Adam used a four-day government business trip to Beijing to tack on a three-week China vacation with her husband. Adam's senior adviser, whose spouse also tagged along on the Asian pre-conference holiday, brought the total taxpayers' tab to $13,657 for flights, accommodation, meals, registration fees and taxi fares. [. . . . ]

Adam's travel costs for the September conference on law and language were almost twice the amount billed by Auditor General Sheila Fraser for a trip to the same destination this summer. In July, the federal spending watchdog claimed $3,512 for her business trip to Beijing, which included a $1,942 economy ticket. [. . . . ]


When you consider what I predicted in that December 2004 post, it was almost precient, given events since.


My comments -- at the time, Dec. 2004:


Watch for this -- grand announcements during Prime Minister Paul Martin's trip to China -- new business deals with China involving oil, mining, or some other important Canadian assets -- and the businesses will require the use of French! .... The Chinese aren't stupid; they know who to court and what province runs the government. [Check the key ministries and who head foundations and crown corps. and other powerful groups, before dismissing this idea.]

[In Dec. 2004], think China-MinMetals' due diligence on buying Noranda-Falconbridge; the offer hasn't happened [at that time], but the door has not been closed....China needs metals. Think Stelco. Think China's recently announced desire to buy Husky Oil, Li Ka-Shing's company. Note that Newfoundland-Labrador [had not then] not been able to budge the PM [until he desperately needed to win last year's election] on their share of the offshore oil revenue money. Do you know what companies are involved in searching for oil in the area? Check a little. Of course, there is the North. Think of the fast tracking of land claims settlements with the Natives in the North and murmurs about circumventing the need to go before Parliament, perhaps. Think the desire to develop the North, the diamonds, et cetera . . . . and it goes on.

Canadians shop for Christmas. The ones who stand to make money have other plans.

Watch for the big announcements.




The busy Christmas season has come around again for 2005. Watch for developments ... any that have not already taken place ... and are just waiting for Canadians to crown this PM again.

Why do you think Paul Martin is displaying such desperation to remain in office? He will spend any amount of Canadians' tax and windfall profits tax money to remain in office. Follow the yellow--red--brick road.




Follow the Yellow--Red--Brick Road #6

Linguistic Development of a Heritage Language: Innu-aimun

Memorial's Department of Linguistics and Faculty of Education, working in partnership with Labrador Innu communities, are developing tools that will aid in the enhancement of literacy of the Innu in their own language, Innu-aimun.

The primary endeavour of the group will be to develop a comprehensive tri-lingual (Innu-aimun, English, French) dictionary. The research team, led by Dr. Marguerite MacKenzie, head of Memorial's Department of Linguistics, was awarded a Community-University Research Alliances (CURA) grant of $996,992 over five years from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for the project Knowledge and Human Resources for Innu Language Development.

[Note, in the face of a native area's incredible dysfunction:

"The primary endeavour of the group will be to develop a comprehensive tri-lingual (Innu-aimun, English, French) dictionary." ]


"With my co-investigators Barbara Burnaby, Faculty of Education, Philip Branigan, Linguistics, and Marie-Odile Junker, Carleton University, we will be developing tools for promoting literacy in the Innu language . . . . "The first year or two of the project will focus on building on the existing Montagnais-French dictionary compiled by Quebec linguist Lynn Drapeau, adding English translations and Labrador words, so that it can then form the basis of creating and revising literacy documents such as readers, classroom materials and other teaching aids using a common spelling system." . . . .

"We are also aiming to sensitize English and French speakers to the complexities of Innu-aimun. . . . ."


Another part of the project includes the creation of a Web site that will serve as an archive of information about the Innu language, including texts written in Innu, bibliographies, student theses and, eventually, the dictionary. [Check, but I believe this is for natives who had no WRITTEN language nor books. ]

The group will be partnering with the teacher training programs and other training programs in the community . . . .

"For aboriginal people in Labrador to take advantage of economic opportunities like Voisey's Bay they have to have a minimum level of ability to function in English." [The Innu French dictionary is being prepared first. See another article on FHTR on learning Inuktituk in Paris below.]...


Dr. MacKenzie and her team have been closely collaborating with the Sheshatshiu Innu Nation, the Innu Education Authority in Sheshatshiu and the Institut Culturel et Éucatif Montagnais in Quebec. "The research will be focused on establishing an ongoing relationship between organizations in the community and the university," explained Dr. MacKenzie.

"Groups such as Labrador Legal Services, the Newfoundland and Labrador Legal Aid Commission and the Sheshatshiu health and social services organizations on the one hand and faculty members from departments within Memorial on the other hand will establish teams to promote improved skills in Innu and English language in their specific domains. Thus, the results of research can be given back to the community so that members of the community can be trained to participate in research that is in their interest." [to alleviate the dysfunction? ]


"SSHRC's CURA program is designed to bring researchers and community groups together to work on issues of joint concern," said SSHRC President Marc Renaud.


Labrador school board, band councils, teachers, community leaders, federal Department of Native and Northern Affairs, and the Innu Nation. . . . creating and implementing a model to identify learner diversity, as well as creating avenues for long-term professional development to assist with capacity building . . . .

[. . . . ] There are endless research opportunities, and this could be the beginning of an interesting partnership . . . . sensitivity is required when dealing with preservation of language and culture.


More here



Note the following: Philpott Study: "plunged into an alien culture and language. . . . consultation with aboriginal educators and leaders to develop a culturally appropriate, language sensitive model . . . . at least 35 per cent of children . . . . fetal alcohol syndrome . . . . a dialogue among the stakeholders


Doesn't all that just warm the cockles of your heart -- to have contributed to such a development for the underachieving students--the glue-sniffing or otherwise addicted kids? Do you suppose they they might yet get to work at Voisey's Bay?

What is being done to address the alcoholism, the parental inability to parent because of addictions, children born with fetal alcohol syndrome, the drugs that have come into the North (besides the glue for sniffing and the alcohol) into Labrador?




Innu -- "They don’t want to see us get well. They make money from us.”

PARLIAMENT-HILL CHEAP February 09, 2005, John Lofranco

http://
www.maisonneuve.org/blog/
index.php?itemid=811

. . . hundreds of millions of tax dollars gone to waste. . . . the “healing strategy,” a government program to fix social problems in a Labrador Innu community. . . . move 700 Innu from Davis Inlet to the new, entirely government-built town of Natuashish, in an effort to stem rampant alcohol and drug abuse? Two years later, those problems still exist, and the massive government spending has produced few obvious results. Record keeping by the feds is so poor . . . not getting much of a return on the government’s investment: [. . . . ]

So where is the money going? The report noted that the band council was not immune to the community’s problems, showing evidence that Innu leaders were involved in the drug trade.



In whose interest would it be to appear to have a perhaps well-meaning group dialoguing with stakeholders, attempting to address a massive dysfunction with a a linguistic program, to be researching and preparing reports, dictionaries, curricula . . . sensitive . . . while in the background are those who would take advantage of dysfunctional peoples too addled and addicted to realize that they have just been given incredible powers over the resources in the lands they call home?

Oh, there was also a hurried land settlement by regulation--not via Parliament--involving the Minister, Andy Scott.

What do you think will happen? Who will benefit? Have you heard of immigration Minister Volpe's plans to bring in 40,000 immigrants? How many will be business immigrants with interest in oil and minerals?


I have mentioned plans on this site before. So many stakeholders to accommodate.

"The Canada of minorities is the Canada of tomorrow"

Our government, the helping professions and the long-term planners . . . working together . . . to improve lives . . . and the world . . .


FHTR June 29, 05
http://
frosthitstherhubarb.blogspot.com/
2005_06_26_frosthitstherhubarb_archive.html

Captain's Quarters, April 10, 2005 -- a speech by Serge Joyal

Take a look at these excerpts from a speech made by Trudeau's last Secretary of State. The speech was made in French to The Acadian Association of Nova Scotia on November 13, 1982. (This Association is funded to the amount of half-a-million dollars per year by you the Canadian taxpayer.) A copy of the speech which, was not printed in any English newspaper, was sent to me by one of the few members of Canada's Parliament who had any inkling of what was happening in Canada, or cared. The relevant excerpt fom Mr. Joyal's speech are as follows: [. . . . ]

"The Canada of minorities is the Canada of tomorrow." [. . . . ]


Do not miss reading the rest.



FHTR week of June 26, 2005

http://
frosthitstherhubarb.blogspot.com/
2005_06_26_frosthitstherhubarb_archive.html

The Canadian Geographic: Global Citizen edition, Nov./Dec. 2004
Education: Language of love
Why are there more students of Inuktitut in Paris than in Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver? Ask their teacher, a feisty Quebecer


by Michel Arseneault, 132

[Michele] Therrien learned Inuktitut in an odd way. When she first went to northern Quebec in 1969, Quebec's Ministry of Education was setting up schools to counter federal English-only institutions. The new provincial schools were eager to teach Inuit children in their own language, but there were no Inuktitut-speaking teachers around. So the Ministry recruited francophones, including the young Therrien, who ended up in the little town of Salluit on the northern Ungava coast. She taught all her lessons in French, and an interpreter translated every word. "I'm not sure that my pupils learned very much," she confesses. "But by hearing my own words repeated over and over again, I ended up learning Inuktitut." [. . . . ]

French President Jacques Chirac was the first head of state to visit Nunavut, barely five months after it was created in April 1999. [. . . . ]


Search: Institut National des Langues et Civilisation Orientales



I await "Canada's African aid: PM & Team's humanitarian series" to get into full swing. . . . Perhaps it has already . . . Search: Africa Workshop -- or here



Follow the Yellow--Red--Brick Road #7

Globalization and UN activism in Canada with Big Brother and the Enablers

"UNA-Canada's projects also aim to define foreign policy priorities for our government"


Quote from the United Nations Association in Canada. Is our government social engineering? Indoctrinating? Practicing thought control in the service of globalization and the UN? I believe so.

Our government's inordinate respect for the United Nations, about which so much chicanery has been revealed, raises my cynicism to the point where I read further. The Global TV news item (Dec. 6, 05 "Media Hatchet Job in the Maritimes") is partly responsible for my quest and, like Topsy, the quest for more information "just grew and grew".

I wondered for example, why the UN's Kofi Annan was invited--or did he ask--to speak to Canada's Parliament? Why was he accorded such respect when heads of state are not? When interference in our election makes the news at present and everyone criticizes any foreign involvement, why is our government honouring the views of an organization led by a man who ignores evil and terrorism, even when it is staring him in the face? Read Daniel Pipes' article on Kofi Annan's selective stupidity concerning the Palestinians' map which omits Israel; it is not on the map. Why do Annan and the UN not react to the Muslim states who state openly that they would obliterate Israel and Israelis? (National Post, Dec. 15, 05). Then I remembered Arafat's appearance with a gun at the UN. Note too that the Arab League is active through the UN in Canada. Our government is honouring all that? It boggles the mind. This government did not ask the rest of us.

I question the dictates of this self-serving body--not every country nor its representative--but the current movers and shakers of the UN, a body whose survival depends upon convincing enough member states that its influence and the good it does--such as it is--warrants not only its survival, but its expansion, its reach. It is this expansion of influence into into Canada with the Liberal government(s) complicity that I question.

UN expansion is achieved with a willing Paul Martin & Team through allowing and approving with funding, UN activism and influence over what are considered acceptable topics for discussion, along with delineating what are acceptable attitudes -- attitudes which, in effect, have placed some questions beyond debate altogether.

At the national level, a compliant-to-UN-speak Canadian government, using the UN to advance its own plans as well, has narrowed the range of debate in compliance with UN-speak. What follow are just a few examples:

* Consider the Kyoto accord: There has been one perspective on climate change that has dominated for years, compliments of taxpayer funding, with the likelihood of much more if the Paul Martin government is successful with its plans, the government-&-UN-approved position. Yet, there are other perspectives from scientiests who have not received the same wide publicity, not being the recipients of taxpayer largesse. Since government and the mainstream media are supportive of each other (in an enabling relationship, as Lorrie Goldstein might phrase it.), the non-government-approved and non-UN-approved science information has not been disseminated adequately enough to be included in the debate. See the example I posted on this website detailing how difficult, how impossible, it is to get a public hearing for your research if government is against it--if it goes against what Big Government wants to do.

FHTR: Week of May 8-13, 05 -- Kyoto: triggering government funding & "broadcast quality" -- Government information control is insidious.

http://
frosthitstherhubarb.blogspot.com/
2005_05_08_frosthitstherhubarb_archive.html

CFP: Kyoto Protocol--Propaganda or Censorship? -- How to keep information from being broadcast to Canadians if it contradicts the line the government is pushing by Garth Pritchard, Canadafreepress.com, Saturday, May 7, 2005

http://
canadafreepress.com/2005/cover050705.htm

Last Thursday, I received a telephone call from Douglas Leahey, Ph.D., representing a group of Canadian scientists under the umbrella of "Friends of Science." It seems that they had been talking to Peter Worthington of the Toronto Sun, and he had mentioned to them that they should get in touch with me.

[. . . . ] Then I found out what their documentary was about. The story was incredible: it documented scientists--from Canada--speaking out against the $10-billion scam known as the Kyoto Protocol.

Yes, the very same Kyoto Accord that our government has committed Canada and Canadians to support.

[. . . . ] The Canadian government created an entity known as Telefilm and the Canadian Television Fund--a $250-million slush fund of taxpayers’ dollars. A bureaucracy that in theory provides funds for the creation of Canadian programming. Hidden in this monolith are a few interesting rules: [. . . . ]



These scientists were so hamstrung by the rules that they could not get a film--that they, themselves, had paid to make--into the television media so the rest of us could see and hear for ourselves. This is engrossing and shows Big Brother in action. Do you ever wonder about the "news" that is "allowed" to be heard through the Liberal Propaganda Organs? Unbelievable government interference!


Nothing substantive came out of the Kyoto and climate change conference recently held in Montreal; it fact, other countries are re-thinking this slavish following of what the UN wants. (Think of UN pressure for Western guilt geld in the form of Kyoto pollution credits, credits which will facilitate economic and other expansion in countries such as Russia and China, particularly China, which will continue polluting using Canadian energy sources and minerals. All this will be achieved on the backs of businesses and Canadians' who will be paying; we will be penalizing our own businesses, while the worst polluters gain.)

* Consider what are termed women's issues. Some perspectives and some NGO's receive government funding; others do not. Compare the taxpayer funding given, along with government recognition of their views as acceptable--hence the chosen group gain a certain credibility (though government has lost enormous credibility ). Those holding accepted views become stakeholders. Consider these two organizations:

* Women's groups such as the National Action Committee on the Status of Women (NAC)--more in the past than recently, resolutely fought for women's rights, but not men's rights. In fact the whole movement has devalued men, sometimes denigrating the need for men and fathers in children's lives. Organizations like this successfully get special status, in effect, for women. NAC, non-denominational, particularly non-Christian, at least in regard to abortion and the legal position of the foetus, has been able, using taxpayer money, to publicize its views and has gained government approved status as a high-profile stakeholder.

* Compare their position with that of REALwomen unable--unacceptable?--to be an NGO to the UN conference on women's issues and family because it did not have government-approved views. REALwomen's views are from a Christian perspective, from what I can gather in reading. Caveat: I know too little about both organizations but I do hear enough to get an idea of the relative influence of each on government and the resultant publicity and taxpayer funding received. It is quite evident to which organization our government has listened. REALwomen has views that, I suspect, are more in tune with a large number of Canadian women, but they remain unrepresented at international symposia.


Non-elected NGO's with a government-approved perspective have had much more influence. Canadians have not voted to determine who will represent Canadians' views on the family internationally. Citizens have no vehicle to make their views known with the UN, for example, except through their government. Those who do not accept women's groups such as NAC as representing their views have had no means of input. Liberal governments have been elected to reign and then they chose. There is no debate, except outside government, and with lack of airing in mainstream media, the non-government views (e.g. pro-choice) have had little or no influence over government(s).

Public discussion is, effectively, over, about which perspective, and hence which NGO's, deserve funding, get to decide the agenda and to represent some Canadians' views internationally. The National Action Committee on the Status of Women perspective prevailed in Canada's input to the UN, though, heard from less and less, now that it has served its purpose for those with an agenda, in my opinion. Do Canadians have access to information about past funding? Who chose / chooses what views will prevail? That is one of those dark and murky areas of our (mostly Liberal) government(s), I suspect. (Check further. Also, I have read something lately about REALwomen having some rise in status as intervenors, but not officially as an NGO, but, again, check further.)

As for the message, defining women's "choice" has been the province of women who agree with the prevailing 'right to choose' viewpoint pushed by such as NAC; other views have been outside the realm of even being considered any more. 'Choice' now means not just a right to health and security of the person, a laudable goal, particularly in the world of women's being subject to the rule of men in the Muslim world, which runs a gamut from oppression to a degree of freedom from the dictates of men. Yet the health issuue as promoting security of the person and of a woman's free will has today become the right to abortion without limits in Canada.

There are other issues omitted from discussion:

* That women are the bearers of children, thus have responsibilities transcending the self

* That women have responsibilities to that foetus / child, to the father of that child, and to the child to see that the bond with the father is not broken

* Whether the foetus is considered a person from conception, or some time after that

* Whether the foetus deserves to be protected by legal rights, as well

* That a parent has responsibilities to a child but also to a community, particularly since today society pays for the care of those who bear children and have insufficient income, for whatever reason, to care for them

* How much input those who pay may have -- for example, in the case of alcoholics or drug addicted women who become mothers again and again

These issues have not been aired adequately; they have not been part of the official debate
, and, as Kim Campbell put it, an election is no time for reasoned debate (roughly remembered). What she should have added is that our media are listening for the sound bite, the wounding shiv, anything but reasoned debating points. Logical arguments do not make the news; media wouldn't want to interfere with people's watching the mindless TV drivel which supports the media and the mindless shopping. Hence the non-debate about Canada's lack of abortion law and our government's leader and team huffing and puffing over women's sacred bodies . . . and votes.

At the time of the push for women's issues, came the perfect poster boy for men's violence against women which fit in well with the anti-male bias of the last ten to fifteen years, if there were success in hiding its origins, the influence of a father and the fanatacism that entered Canada with him from Algeria, along with his Muslim, sharia-inspired despicable treatment of women.

Into the breech, the need for women to rise on the backs of those they could denigrate, came Gamil Gharbi / Marc Lepine. His atrocity became an excuse to paint men in general as violent against women, and there was the subsequent tilt by the courts toward women, for example, in the treatment of men as fathers. Yet fathers have rights which affect their children if ignored or belittled. Compared with the treatment of women in divorce, there has arisen an imbalance in the courts' treatment of men in divorce and child custody issues.

There has been a concomitant and not-too-subtle acceptance in the advertising world of men's second-rate status. All this has risen in parallel to a quest for 'equal status' for women--women as judges, as MP's--in all areas that government could influence. It has come to mean not equality, but preference. Enough. Let merit be the guide.

There is too much concerning women's issues which has moved outside the realm of public debate, yet the subjects need reasoned discussion by all, not just with government-approved groups.

Too much power has been arrogated to those with the government-approved perspective, in this, and in other areas. At whose instigation? Who approved use of Canadians' tax dollars for one view, but not another? Have we in Canada moved beyond debate, particularly if it diverges from the government-approved position? Has the debate over the foetus, like the one over Kyoto agreements, been settled by those whose ideas have prevailed, those who see choice as the right to abortion with no limits--that a perspective which includes the (generally Christian) concern for the foetus as having rights, for example, is no longer even to be discussed? That it is settled? Those who disagree have not even had the democratic right to a referendum on this contentious issue. The playing field has been gerrymandered by a government which agrees with the NGO's pushing women's choice--by the ones who want no control over abortion at all. That is how to get funding and publicity and why an NGO (NGO's?) represents Canadian women at international and UN conferences on women's issues. It just happens to be the view of Maurice Strong, our Prime Minister's mentor, as well.

It is fair here to state my own biases. I do believe that Canadians who pay should have input, not just those who agree with the government.

As for abortion, my mind has run the gamut of views--from what anyone feels when hearing of rape's progeny or a child of 13 or 14 pregnant, to being utterly appalled at descriptions of partial birth abortion. I believe that society and humanity do have an interest in the unborn child, that the result of a night of abandon, a fling, stupidity, naivete--or whatever--is not solely the province of the woman, either to keep or to abort. Society has been paying, and will be, for the offspring of those who do not think or plan ahead so society deserves too, to have some input into if and where it will draw the line, to be discussed openly. The issue encompasses more than the idea that the woman's womb is hers to do as she wishes.

The more I learn, the more I see that complete freedom of choice in this, as in other areas, is not an unmitigated positive, that the societal and personal costs may be too high, but we are not discussing this at all. Society has a right to at least discuss what values contribute to the long-term health of society. I do not know how to solve the dilemma, but refusing to discuss it is ridiculous, since society will pay, whether for the children born, for the abortion or for the single mother*, for the mental health problems that may ensue whatever the decision, and more. No woman is an island, either. (* Fathers seem to be missing too often, though women's freedom to hook up might be impeded if we discussed why. It might open a can of worms, might it not? )

When government(s) refuse to allow civilized debate, democracy is finished. More and more that has become PM & Co's Big Government way, in Parliament and in all spheres. Governments coerce behind the scenes, use a compliant media to get out a one-sided message, and effectively forbid differences to be expressed and explored before a vote which is controlled at the behest of a PM/PMO. Most of us can live with the results of a free vote; we can no longer afford Big Brother's control.

Why I support the inclusion to the debate of groups with which I might not even agree:


I believe that one does not even necessarily have to agree with everything REALwomen stands for to believe that it has a right to make its point publicly, without being denigrated and treated disdainfully, as I have heard mainstream media members do, if they mention REALwomen at all. MSM have ignored their views and those they represent . . . or the group has been treated as old-fashioned, out of step with the times, not deserving of the media elites' respectful hearing. That is wrong.

Too often the government and media are in concert as to what warrants nothing more than an amused or disdainful glance before ignoring the arguments altogether.

The media have been ignoring some news and become a pro-government cheering team for other news. Besides what I have mentioned, the media have been complicit with government in their treatment of the US, with their negative attitude to the US Republican President and government, but relatively positive in their treatment of the visit to Montreal by the PM-Propping Billy, the I-did-not-have-sex-with-that-woman Democrat, William Jefferson Clinton. Media glee at the photo-op was that of supporters for PM & Team.

I join others in preferring presidents whose attention is focused on the job, for example, the chance of capturing Osama before 9/11 occurred, which Bill let slip by. (Perhaps the chance which he was offered, detailed on FHTR, occurred when he was distracted by other 'service'.) I rather cotton to leaders who realize that the Oval Office is not the place for sexual dalliances, if one does not want to risk putting the office of President, itself, into disrepute. Bill failed on both counts; he is hardly a poster boy for PM & Team, if they had thought about it at all -- or did Bill's charisma win out again?

What must change in Canada is the disenfranchisement--the exclusion from discussion--of the views of Canadians whose positions differ from those of the current government, the mainstream media located in Canada's centre, and those who live off the work and taxes of others. . . all those--erroneously--known as 'elites'. Government funding and perquisites do not an 'elite' make.

While I have considered Kyoto and women's issues as incomplete explorations of societal concerns, as well as mainstream media and government's complicity in narrowing debate, it is the UN's influence in all this in Canada that presently concerns me. With this perspective in mind, look again at the list of UN committees operating in Canada, influencing students and others' minds, with the help of our government and Canadians' taxes.

Canadians do not pay taxes for indoctrination nor for control on the part of Big Brother -- not for their pre-schoolers nor for their university students, nor for the citizenry who are neither. It isn't just the West that wants in; we all want in.