Praise for questioning authority

I read Joseph Roberts’ Writing on the Wall [July 2009] and couldn’t agree more. I wanted to send my sincere thanks and kudos for all the great articles and information you send out in Common Ground. You are correct in blaming the mass media for being a big part of the problem that we are in globally. As our provincial government works to destroy this beautiful province, yours is the only honest coverage we get. Gordo is laughing all the way to the bank as he sells our rivers and our water to US corporations. It is nothing less than criminal, yet most of the province doesn’t even understand it is happening, let alone fathom the serious problems it poses for our future. Thankfully, however, the winds of change are blowing and people are starting to think and to ask important questions. Keep up the good work and though we might not take time very often to let you know, we truly appreciate all you do for the greater good.
– Laura Dupont, Port Coquitlam, BC

Few see what’s coming

You are right on target when you said, “You name it, land, water or air, massive corporations make a profit from screwing it up.” You should have included our well-being. As Alan Cassels has documented, massive corporations have hi-jacked our so-called health care plans and now profit handsomely from actually making us sick.

I assume you have read The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein (www.naomiklein.org, video). If not, I encourage you to do so ASAP. What is unfolding in front of our very eyes is all part of a well-structured plan. The current massive debt load Canada and the US are incurring is part of a corporatist initiative that will ultimately rationalize privatization of all public resources as the only way of avoiding bankruptcy. The irony is that the massive corporations will use the bailout money our governments handed them to buy our resources. The problem is that few see what is coming down the pipe at us.
– David MacPhail

Government back-stroking in land protection promise

Further to the letter in your previous issue by Eva Lyman [Fish out of Water, July 2009], we have just discovered that the new legal firm hired by our regional district has advised that, in fact, there is no legal avenue we can discover to protect this spawning ground. We feel we are pushed into the position of having to resort once again to public protest. It is patently unacceptable and a demonstration of contempt for the electorate that we have made the effort to elect officials to represent us, who are enjoying a monthly paycheque to do what we must find time, out of our own busy schedules, to do for no pay. These paper pushers who work in offices under the pretence of protecting the environment, public health, fisheries, even tourism – and, in particular, our own regional government – should not be paid for work not done and should be removed from office, just as anyone else would be for demonstrating lack of capacity to fulfill their duties. We must re-write the ‘Right of Recall’ and fire these phonies.

We are calling on all readers of Common Ground and all of their friends and families to contact the federal fisheries with strongly worded letters of protest for lack of attention and action to protect the largest and most important Sockeye run in Canada. We also need phone calls and or letters to local MLA George Abbott: 250-386-9076, George.abbott.mla@leg.bc.ca with a cc to northshuswap@yahoo.ca

This is not a political issue. It is not a local issue. It is a survival issue for the rivers, bears, fish, eagles and orcas. These red fish in the arteries and veins of this Earth are the blood cells bringing health and life to all connecting waterways. There is only one solution I can think of now that they have failed to act within a reasonable time and that is the expropriation of this 30 or so acres to fulfill the pre-election words of our politicians, who said publically there was an intention to buy the land and add it to the provincial park next to it.

I was excited and motivated by your words, Joseph Roberts, in your article Who Gave You Authority to Question Authority? As you point out, it is now or never to get this mess cleaned up, the truth out and replace MM [mass media] with journalism that represents planet Earth and all her beautiful and endless gifts of life.
– Patricia White, local resident; member: SWAT, Shuswap Lake Coalition, Adams River Alliance