Tuesday, April 05, 2005

THIS IS THE COLUMN THAT WAS DENIED IN THE DAILY GLEANER! < IRVING PAPER >

Here's the story-




Two different Cities but two different Countries?

In the late 80s, I began to work at the shipyard in Saint John. It was 10 years of good money and a very high standard of living. A few workers would take the bus
to work and we would say - You take the bus??? With all that money you make??? I remember a few workers couldn’t understand the reason that some of our taxes
would go towards the welfare system!

The good old days came to an abrupt end on July 19th, 1996. The Shipyard
closed its doors and many workers received a rude awakening call. Carolyn McNaulty at Romeo House < Soup Kitchen > received many phone calls from many former
shipyard workers in need of help. It was a very difficult financial adjustment. The days of going to the restaurants were over and months afterwards, many
would instead go at the Soup Kitchen.

Saint John always had their share of poor citizens but after the closure of the Shipyard? The amount grew much larger.

On June 17, 2003, I began my six months tent protest in front of the Legislature and I would quickly learned there’s a big different in attitude between the City of Saint John and Fredericton. The Loyalist City has a Blue Collar attitude therefore more open minded than the Capital.

During my first evening, I heard someone shouting towards an individual. The
reason? He was going through a garbage Bin collecting empties. Of course, in Saint John this would be a normal picture and no one will condemn this act.

On July 2nd, I decided to go at Officer’s Square to watch the morning sunrise. While walking near a dumpster someone popped their head like a Jack in the box. He
had a cardboard box over his head. He was collecting empty bottles from the celebration of the evening before. He told me that he only makes $264.00 an month
therefore that’s not enough to survive on. He came by my tent and told me that he collected $92.00 in bottles and went home happy!

It’s called –Survival!

I would soon found out there was a Soup Kitchen located in the Southern Part of the City. Every evening, I would make my little walk to this needy place. Once
there, I notice that the volunteers were very friendly and George Pierce is really in charge of the going on around the Kitchen.

They served two meals a day and I might add you can eat all your stomach can take. While in Saint John, The soup Kitchen would serve you one meal a day between 10:00am and 1:00pm! Even poor people do get hungry in the evenings. I might add that
the St-Andrew-St-David Church serves dinner once a month and the place is full of poor people. Many would ask for seconds to bring home.

I remember in the summer of 2003, I read in the paper that Shirley McAlary announced that the opening of the Harbour Passage was a huge success because they gave away 500 to 800 hotdogs!

Excuse me? PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY!!!

Why do some poor families goes hungry in one City while the other is full? That’s the emotional question?

I would soon find out the Shelter and the Soup Kitchen are the area of the less Fortunate. The poor souls can do their little or alcohol around the building. No
one will bother them as long they stay in that area!

Compare to Saint John, this is a good idea. It’s their property and the Police won’t bother anyone.

I would soon find out that the Transit system is very bad in the Capital compare to Saint John. I heard a sad story of a young girl who wanted to have an interview for a job but she couldn’t because she had to wait 3 hours for the next bus! Of course, the attitude must be the same of my shipyard days?

They must say - You take the bus??? What’s wrong with you? Don’t you have any
bureaucratic friends? The bus system is much better in Saint John.

The Food bank in the Capital is located in a high class neighborhood. In Saint John these helpful locations are located in the area of the poor population. In the Capital, the homeless have no place to go so they can escape the cold winter winds.

In Saint John, the Salvation Army has a place where these poor individual can have a coffee or play some pool! Once a person is evicted from a mall? There’s
not too many place a person can go.

The Salvation Army in Saint John would charge $7.50 a night for accommodation compare to the Capital who will take someone free of charge for a few evenings.

In the Capital, if a person is down on their luck, They have to lower their pride and asked the Government for assistance. They have open cubicles at the Family
Services building where everyone can hear your personal business compare to Saint John were these private conversations are done in a private atmosphere!!

I could go on and on.

Yes! We do live in two different Cities and we have our different way of
the matter the poor are too be treated but from the point I see it? It sure looks like we’re living in two different countries!

WORKERS AT FAMILY SERVICES MUST INVESTIGATE BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!!

First, I would like to apologizes to the Pope for writing that bad grammar update a few days ago!

I read it last night and it was terrible! Hey? At least it’s the thought that counts! Oh well? C’est la vie!

Many of you are addicted to my updates because I receive a few email asking me – Where’s your latest blog? I did my wash yesterday so therefore I was late!

Today is anti-abortion day in front of the Abortion clinic in Frederciton. There were four protesters out front and they always gather around that killing place every Tuesday to voice their objections against those young people who goes in for an abortion!




Lately, I can feel a tension in the air around that place so stay tune!

Ok…speaking of abortion or force abortion?

I confronted a few MLA’S from the Lord’s Government on the issue of the five months old pregnant woman living under the steps under the Soup Kitchen.

These politicians were-

Keith Ashfield < Minister >
Brenda Fowlie < Minister >
Rose-May Poirier < Minister >
Madelaine Dube < Minister >
Trevor Holder


It’s sure is nice to speak French and English because I told them in both languages - They should contact Family Services to investigate this emotional issue!

Hey? Even the unborn should have rights?

I was told by the pregnant woman that Supply and Services told her to move out from under the stairways by today?

She sounded upset but there is one thing that bothered me.

She asked me - Where will my two friends < Males > and I go???

Well? I really don’t care where the males are going to land but I do care for the unborn child!

I guess these Social workers are only trained to go into people homes and find out who is making $264.00 an month and who are they living with?

Maybe these workers at family Services are only trained to degrade people who asked for help in those open Cubicles? Who knows?

Someone called Family Services about this unborn child but no one left the building of Family Services to investigate this girl!

The question is why? Hey? A few suggested that she’s not pregnant? Why don’t Family Services investigate this issue???

Someone told me this Department will take the child away from the Mother once she gives birth but what about until that happens?

Maybe it’s Family Services who told Supply Services to order the woman out from under the steps????

Many questions that needs some answers!!!!

Someone suggested that it’s easier to live in Prison than trying to survive on the streets???

Is this where our poor New Brunswickers heading to?

Prison to survive? Think about it?

Free rent, Television and meals! You don’t have to worry where your next meals is going to come from?

Myself? Too hyper to be in there!!!...lol…

But seriously? Are many New Brunswickers committing the crime to do the time? I wonder? Much less stress in there than on the streets if you asked moi???

After the budget was announced at the Legislature, I was walking from the Library, I heard many people laughing in the hallways!

I wonder why everyone was such in a happy mood? I am certain that the people on welfare weren’t happy about the 2% raise they are going to receiving on their welfare check!

Hey? I found a neat site on the web. Check this site out

target="_blank">Charles
Blog



Go on the top of the left hand side and click on the pictures. It from my old birth place of Memramcook and it sure bought me a lot of memories. Ever since that I had to get rid of my vehicle? I haven’t been to my home town for four years! C’est la vie!!

Yesterday, I received a little flashback from a few years ago.

Josh Beuthel < My Favourite political Cartoonist > printed a book about Frank McKenna and he sold copies at the Liberal Provincial Convention in Saint John Harbour Station in May 1998!

I decided to give Josh a helping hand selling his book! I bumped into J.D. Irving and asked him if he wanted to buy a book?

He told me that he would! I was surprise because as a man of his word, he was at the counter asking Josh for a copy of his book!

He bought the book and left the area but it was the story that I heard afterwards that I found funny!

He gave the lady a $20.00 American bill and demanded the exchange in Canadian cash!

A Billionaire could have said - Keep the change but I guess this is the reason these people are Billionaires I guess?

Some people around the table found that kind of action insulting but this is the Irving way!!!! Money control money control money control!!!!

I never wrote about this issue in the past. I guess that I didn’t believe that it was no big deal!!!

Hey? Guess what I saw on CNN a few days ago? They had a commercial promoting the drug Concerta for adults with ADHD!

Totally Ridiculous! Why would these commercials be allowed in Canada anyway?

I chatted with an elected official from the Lord Government and the issue to study the issue of Ritalin should be official during the next few days! Lets see what’s going to happen!

Bernard Lord is on television all week telling the television audience that he will be a guest on Voice of the Province < television talk show > on Thursday at 8:00pm!

My God? What does he want? A war on television????

You know what? I don’t believe that I will bother to call in because it’s just a big waste of time and effort from my part!

He will always say- Hey? If the Doctors prescribes the pills? Than it must be ok??? Yeah? That’s the reason we have a huge drug problems in this Province.

Yesterday, a 24 year old male robbed a shopping Drug Mart in Moncton and took a cab to Riverview< across the river>

The spoke person for the police was laughing with the media of the way the guy plan his escape! But you know what? It’s no laughing matter!

The guy robbed the store in the early part of the morning so I presume he wanted his fixes! < pain killers >

I’m telling you one thing, Prescription drug is totally out of control in New Brunswick and it’s a darn shame that the Lord Government didn’t listen to me 6 years ago about this issue because we’re in a big mess in today’s standard!
Sh@t!!! Over 1,100 words already????

Ok…excuse the style and grammar of this update because I just write the darn thing and send it along the information Highway! Bye bye

WE MUST TELL TIM SMITH THAT HE WAS RIGHT!!!

WE MUST TELL TIM SMITH HE IS RIGHT!!!

This statement coming from MLA Mike Murphy of the Liberal
party Friday during a meeting in the Legislature on VLT addiction.


In this Province, we must confirm Mr. Smith's comment on the hours of operation of these machines and the allotted time for hopelessly addicted persons of New Brunswick to not have these machines blocking their path every minute of the day if in fact they are for entertainment purposes only!