Thursday, June 30, 2005

BONNE FETE LE CANADA!!!!

Bonne fête Canada

En cette période de l’année , différentes fêtes nous interpellent presque toutes les semaines, surtout en tant que parlant français. On a eu la fête du Québec la semaine dernière. Cette semaine c’est celle du Canada. Dans deux semaines, le 14 juillet, on aura celle de la France.

blogglers







Ensuite , il y aura le 28 juillet pour commémorer la Déportation, le premier lundi du mois d’août pour la fête du Nouveau-Brunswick, pour enfin en arriver à l’apothéose de la fête de l’Acadie du 15 août. C’est tonifiant, mais essoufflant!

Mes propos d’aujourd’hui visent principalement à souligner la fête du Canada de vendredi prochain le 1er juillet. Nous sommes plusieurs à penser que la meilleure façon pour nous d’être canadiens à part entière, c’est d’être avant tout acadiens. En nous assumant comme tels, en tant que premier peuple européen installé en permanence en Amérique, et compte tenu de tous les aléas de l’histoire qui ont caractérisé et façonné l’âme de notre peuple par la suite, nous apportons à l’identité canadienne une couleur particulière.

Quand nous étions plus jeunes et baveux dans les années 70 , nous étions plusieurs à boycotter par exemple l’hymne national canadien en restant assis pendant qu’on l’entonnait. Ça se faisait puisque nous étions à cette époque–là dans une démarche identitaire intense. On n’était pas toujours à l’aise d’être canadiens en tant qu’acadiens. Ça s’est nettement amélioré. Certains diront même que sans le fédéral , point de salut, et c’est en grande partie vrai. Mais , il y a encore des combats à mener.

Mais il y a eu un prix à payer pour cela. On a utilisé les acadiens comme de la chair à canon constitutionnelle entre les fédéralistes et indépendantistes québécois. On nous a utilisé à toutes les sauces pour à la fois amadouer l’anglophonie canadienne et mâter les poussées d’hormone autonomiste québécoise. Le summum de ce marchandage infect a été le rassemblement massif de Montréal lors du référendum de 1995, qui a eu plus l’allure d’un “flirt” d’un soir , que d’un engagement amoureux à long terme. En prime, on se retrouve dix (10) ans plus tard avec le scandale des commandites comme fond de scène, méconnu à l’époque et d’autant plus révoltant que maintenant on sait. Il faut créer et définir sur de nouvelles bases les rapports entre les francophonies canadiennes , entre les francophones et les anglophones et entre toutes les communautés multiculturelles de ce pays. Il faut de plus polir et bonifier notre image du Canada à l’étranger.

Nous devons nous ressaisir comme pays. Pour commencer, nous devons essayer d’avoir plus de transparence dans les démarches politiques à venir. Il faudrait peut-être aussi passer plus de temps à imaginer et concevoir des plans d’inclusion plutôt que d’exclusion. Reconnaissons que le Québec est souvent à l’avant-garde du Canada sur le plan social, avec les garderies par exemple , sur le plan linguistique, dans sa façon de traiter sa minorité , ou encore sur les plans coopératifs , ouvriers et autres. On devrait donc continuer d’essayer de faire des arrangements sur des programmes nationaux sans tenter d’imposer ces critères nationaux au Québec, surtout quand tout le monde reconnaît pleinement que le Québec est bien au delà de ces critères.

Par ailleurs, le Québec devrait arrêter de s’exciter à chaque fois qu’à Ottawa , on essaye d’implanter des lois pouvant renforcer l’épanouissement des acadiens et francophones à l’extérieur du Québec. Ça impliquerait donc que de part et d’autres , on arrête de jouer à se tasser dans les coins.. Ça impliquerait aussi que, quand les acadiens et les francophones du Canada empruntent la voie juridique , surtout à la Cour suprême, le Québec ne se sente pas obligé et forcé de venir s’objecter à l’avancée des francophones ailleurs au pays, que ce soient dans les domaines scolaires ou de la santé par exemples. Ça impliquerait également que les francophones de ce pays, qui veulent s’épanouir, ne soient pas systématiquement obligés d’emprunter la voie juridique pour accéder à leurs droits, comme sont obligés de le faire principalement nos frères et sœurs acadiens de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard ou de la Nouvelle-Écosse.

Tentons d’extirper le mensonge dans nos pratiques politiques, comme on commence déjà à mentir dans le dossier de l’épandage des agents orange, pourpre et blanc à Gagetown..

Nous pourrons mieux célébrer ce pays quand il aura retrouver un meilleur sens du développement équitable pour l’ensemble des régions, et non pas seulement pour le centre et l’ouest canadien. Il ne faut plus que différentes régions de ce pays continuent de se sentir comme des restants de pays, ou des résidus de pays. La bataille épique du premier ministre Williams de Terre-Neuve et Labrador, l’hiver dernier, a été à la fois héroïque et pathétique. On ne devrait pas en Atlantique être obligé de partir en croisade chaque fois que nous voulons obtenir notre part du butin, comme on est obligé de continuer à le faire pour l’assurance emploi, entre autres.

Nous pourrons mieux célébrer ce pays quand il retrouvera ses grands idéaux du temps de Pearson et de Trudeau quant à la place du Canada dans ses rôles de pacificateur et d’accompagnateur dans le développement économique et social des pays en voie de développement. Peu avant son départ, monsieur Chrétien avait enchanté tout le monde en refusant d’embarquer le Canada dans la guerre en Irak et en lançant son opération privilégiée pour l’Afrique. Mais, on dirait que la sauce se gâte depuis ce temps-là.! Monsieur Martin tergiverse et tarde à emboîter le pas pour que le Canada fasse partie du club des nations qui veulent porter leur contribution aux pays en voie de développement à la hauteur de 0.7% de leur produit intérieur brut. Il va se faire chicaner par son ami Bono, et avec raison!.

Le Canada mérite d’être célébré , parce qu’il est définitivement l’un des meilleurs pays au monde. Il nous reste à mieux apprendre à soigner nos enfants et nos aînés, à mieux concilier travail-famille, à donner autant d’importance au BNB ( Bonheur national brut) qu’au PNB (Produit national brut) comme une conférence internationale tenue en Nouvelle-Écosse la semaine dernière nous a incité à le faire. Il nous reste à apprendre à mieux harmoniser nos rapports entre les différentes communautés et les différentes régions du pays. Célébrons ce que ce pays est déjà, mais travaillons à ce qu’il devienne meilleur! Bonne fête Canada!

Jean-Marie Nadeau
jmacadie@nb.sympatico.ca

AGENT ORANGE IN NEW BRUNSWICK CANADA!!!! THE SAD STORIES!!!!!

P.C. MLA < nice guy > is sending me some info about Agent Orange!! I'll past them in this blog!!! Keep on reading!!!!
JODY


Former soldier says he was sprayed with chemicals at CFB Gagetown

Last Updated Thu, 30 Jun 2005 18:23:53 EDT

CBC News www.cbc.ca

A veteran who served at CFB Gagetown, in New Brunswick, has stepped forward with allegations he and others were deliberately sprayed with chemicals in the spring of 1967.

Herb Crowe believes he and others were part of an experiment on humans with the defoliant Agent Orange. Crowe says he decided to speak out after Defence Minister Bill Graham denied such experiments ever took place.

Crowe served in the 2RCHA artillery unit at CFB Gagetown from 1957 to 1985. He says in June of 1967, the same month the U.S. military was testing Agent Orange and Agent Purple at the base, he and several other artillery members were taken out into the woods.

"Once down there we were all ushered into a large tent, took our uniforms off, given coveralls and I don't know if they gave us a respirator, or we had our own with us.

"We were then taken out into the area. We were then put under camouflage net in the trees. [After a] little while then, not sure if it was fixed-wing or helicopter, came along and physically sprayed us while we were there in the woods in the camouflage nets."

Crowe says the soldiers were sprayed several times and then told they had to be decontaminated.

"When the spraying was finished we were taken into the tent, coveralls off, sprayed with some kind of a powder, took a shower, put our uniforms back on and were taken back to the base."

Crowe says he was summoned for a second test in the following days and noticed all the leaves were dead. He now believes he was part of a test conducted by the Americans using Agent Orange and Agent Purple. At the time soldiers were told nothing.

The 69-year-old is in good health, but he says several of the people who were with him on that June day are now dead, or dying. "Some of the people have passed away since then; most of them with cancer and a few still around today have cancer and they were on that test."

CBC News has contacted another member of Crowe's artillery unit who was with Crowe that day who confirms the test took place.

Earlier this week, Defence Minister Bill Graham said he's looked into it and there is no evidence "whatsoever" of tests on humans at CFB Gagetown.

"There was never any attempt whatsoever of any kind to actually spray individuals or to test material on individuals at Gagetown. That was not the purpose of anything that was being done. It was simply how do we remove the foliage in order for the operation to be more effective," said Graham.

Graham says he's willing to keep looking into it and to hear from people who say it happened.

=================================================================================

The DaiIy Gleaner www.canadaeast.com

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2005
Agent Orange plan in works

Andy Scott says the government will roll out its proposal in the coming days

By JORGE BARRERA
barrera.jorge@dailygleaner.com

OTTAWA - The federal government will announce its plan to deal with the fallout from chemical defoliant tests at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in the coming days, says Fredericton MP Andy Scott.

On Wednesday, federal cabinet ministers discussed a proposal that is expected to go beyond measures already announced by the Department of National Defence.

Scott, who is also the minister of Indian Affairs, said he couldn’t hint at what the proposal contained because it would breach cabinet confidentiality.

“The federal response is days away...” Scott said after the meeting.

“It’s one that I am quite happy with, as it’s playing out.”

Defence Department officials have said the toxic defoliant Agent Orange and Agent Purple were tested in small amounts at CFB Gagetown over seven days between 1966 and 1967.

But the department has said it’s unlikely residents of the surrounding communities were affected by the tests.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has already compensated the widow of one former military officer for illness caused by Agent Orange testing on the base.

Scott, who flew hack to Fredericton on Wednesday, said he will be talking about the matter this week with Oromocto-Gagetown Conservative MLA Jody Carr.

“I am going to discuss this with some friends in the area, including the people who contacted my office,” said Scott.

Carr has been calling on the government to launch an independent review of the entire defoliant program at CFB Gagetown, which he said dates back to 1956. He wants Ottawa to compensate military and civilians who were exposed to the defoliants.

The Defence Department has announced it will conduct environmental studies on Agent Orange and Agent Purple test plots at the base. The department is also tracing all personnel directly involved in the testing.

New Brunswick Southwest Conservative MP Greg Thompson has called for a public inquiry into chemical testing at the base.

Defence Department officials have said there is a tenuous connection between adverse health affects and exposure to Agent Orange and Agent Purple.

While no direct link has been established, other scientific research points to an association between the chemical defoliant and cancers such as soft tissue sarcoma, Hodgkin’s disease and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.



FOR UPDATES ON AGENT ORANGE: www.jodycarr.ca

===================================================================================

ubject: THOMPSON CALLS FOR INDEPENDENT PUBLIC INQUIRY
Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2005 18:02:51 -0300
From: "Carr, Jody (LEG)" View Contact Details View Contact Details

From: Thompson, Greg - M.P. [mailto:ThompG@parl.gc.ca]
Sent: June 27, 2005 4:41 PM
To: Carr, Jody (LEG)
Subject: RE: NEWSWATCH: Andy Scott



Hi Jody

Greg filed a notice of motion in the House of Commons asking for a public inquiry, he asked the speaker for an emergency debate about 15 minutes ago and the speaker said no, he filed 2 notices for the production of papers (1) all studies conducted by the government concerning chemical defoliants CFB Gagetown (2) correspondence between C.O. Gordon Sellar, his widow and DND, Vet Aff, Health, Environment and Justice federal depts. concerning the use of and compensation for use of chemical defoliants at CFB Gagetown. I have attached the press release that just went out.

Talk to you soon.

Fran



From: Carr, Jody (LEG) [mailto:jody.carr@gnb.ca]
Sent: June 27, 2005 12:15 PM
To: Thompson, Greg - M.P.
Subject: FW: NEWSWATCH: Andy Scott

FYI

From: Carr, Jack (LEG)
Sent: June 27, 2005 1:13 PM
To: Carr, Jody (LEG)
Subject: NEWSWATCH: Andy Scott



· CBC Maritime Noon, 12:00 pm, June 27: Fredericton MP Andy Scott says he would support a broad fact-finding mission into the effects of spraying across the country. MLA Jody Carr is calling for an inquiry as a way to find more answers for veterans at

CFB Gagetown in New Brunswick who were exposed to Agent Orange in the 1960s. Comments made by Andy Scott, Fredericton MP

PRESS RELEASE

THOMPSON CALLS FOR INDEPENDENT PUBLIC INQUIRY

Ottawa – June 27, 2005 – Greg Thompson, M.P. for New Brunswick Southwest is asking the Government of Canada to conduct a public inquiry on the herbicidal spraying programs at CFB Gagetown from 1956 to 1984. Mr. Thompson states the inquiry should also have the authority to make recommendations for compensation of all persons affected, both civilian and military.



Thompson says; “the public interest can only be served with an independent inquiry removed from the influence of senior officials in Ottawa”.



Appearing before the Standing Committee on National Defence and again at a public meeting at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, National Defence officials confirmed their investigation of Agent Orange and Agent Purple would be limited to “small scale” test periods during 1966 and 1967. Thompson suggests an investigation should not be limited to small scale test plots in a 2 year period, but should extend to the entire spray period from 1956 to 1984. The Government of Canada has silently sat on and withheld information on this spray program issue since 1981, information that could have been helpful to both civilian and military personnel and the surrounding communities at Base Gagetown. In the meantime literally hundreds of civilian and military persons have experienced a negative impact on their health.



Thompson states DND officials continue to ignore medical and scientific evidence on Agent Orange, and have drawn their conclusion on any future investigations yet to be carried out. In their own words DND officials state “In the absence of deliberate ingestion of large amounts of contaminated material, there is virtually no risk of significant exposure related to the spraying among Canadian Forces members who subsequently trained in Gagetown”.



Thompson today introduced in the House of Commons a Notice of Motion that would establish a public inquiry on the use of Agent Orange and Agent Purple and other chemical defoliants used between 1956 and 1984 at CFB Gagetown. The Government of Canada has the moral and ethical responsibility to provide all Canadians with a forum that is public and fair and with the authority to make recommendations for compensation”.



- 30 –



For information contact

Greg Thompson, M.P.

New Brunswick Southwest

613-995-5550




===================================================================================

AGENT ORANGE - "THE HOUSE" - CBC RADIO NATIONAL POLITICAL PROGRAMNew




Anthony Germain of CBC Radio's "The House" plays clips of Kenneth Dobbie, John Chisolm, Glen Stewart and others from last Thursday's public meeting and interviews Jody Carr, MLA on the top story about chemical exposure at Base Gagetown since 1956 on this past Saturday's program.

VISIT WWW.JODYCARR.CA TO HEAR THE PROGRAM AND READ MORE ABOUT AGENT ORANGE USED AT BASE GAGETOWN





YES CHARLES ...ONE DAY YOU MIGHT BECOME AN LOYAL IRVING EMPLOYEE!!!!

cha-Hi

TEMP SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE NEEDS HEARING AID!!!

The dreadful LNG bill just pass but we the people in the gallery heard that NAHHHHH were much louder than the YAHHHHHHH!!! But the bill still pass!!! What happen there????

TOM CRUISE AND CHARLES LEBLANC ARE NUTS???

How come every time that someone speaks out against Ritalin?

They're known as Nutty people!!!

Hey? Maybe this is what the 10,000 kids in this Province needs?

Charles LeBlanc and Tom Cruise side by side against the Lord Government.

If Tom Cruise came to this Province? Would the Irving media cover the story with or without Charles? Here's his interview. Below is a picture of me demanding a pharmancist the amount of Ritalin being prescribe in this province!!!

steve8
TOM CRUISE

WHO'S BETTER LOOKING ANYWAY????...LOL


Cruise spars with Today Show host

Associated Press

Saturday, June 25, 2005

CREDIT: AP Photo/NBC, Virginia Sherwood
In this photo released by NBC, feature film star Tom
Cruise, right, gestures toward talk show co-host Matt
Lauer during the telecast of NBCs Today Show, Friday,
June 24, 2005. The interview became more heated when
Lauer began discussing anti-depressants and
Scientology.

NEW YORK - Tom Cruise criticized NBC "Today" show host
Matt Lauer on Friday when Lauer mentioned Cruise's
earlier criticism of Brooke Shields for taking
anti-depressants. Cruise told Lauer he didn't know
what he was talking about. "You don't know the history
of psychiatry. I do," Cruise said.

The interview became more heated when Lauer, who said
he knew people who had been helped by the
attention-deficit disorder drug Ritalin, asked Cruise
about the effects of the drug.

"Matt, Matt, you don't even — you're glib," Cruise
responded. "You don't even know what Ritalin is. If
you start talking about chemical imbalance, you have
to evaluate and read the research papers on how they
came up with these theories, Matt, OK. That's what
I've done."

When asked if he could be with someone at this stage
in his life who doesn't have an interest in the Church
of Scientology — girlfriend Katie Holmes has said
she's embracing the religion — Cruise told Lauer:
"Scientology is something that you don't understand.
It's like you could be a Christian and be a
Scientologist."

"It is a religion. Because it's dealing with the
spirit. You as a spiritual being. It gives you tools
you can use to apply to your life."

Cruise, 42, and Holmes, 26, went public with their
romance in April, smooching and posing for
photographers in Rome. They recently became engaged.

Many have doubted the romance. The words "publicity
stunt" have rained down on the couple like an alien
invasion as Cruise has been busy promoting his new
film, "War of the Worlds," directed by Steven
Spielberg, which opens on June 29.

"You know what? There's always cynics. There always
has been. There always will be," said Cruise, who
hasn't been shy about displaying his affection for
"Batman Begins" actress Holmes. "I have never worried
... about what other people think and what other
people say."

"I have to tell you. It's just a great time in my
life," Cruise said. "I'm really happy. And, you know,
I'm engaged. I'm going to be married. I can't restrain
myself."

The actor, whose marriages to Mimi Rogers and Nicole
Kidman ended in divorce, declined to say what Holmes
has brought to his life that wasn't there in the past.

"I don't want to compare things," Cruise said. "It's
that thing where you just — in life when it just
happens. ... You meet someone. And it's — I can't even
describe it."

THE IRVINGS SUPPORTS VLT'S?????

Put this on your blog site if you like.
The Moncton Times and Transcript
News, Wednesday, June 29, 2005, p. A3
Provincial News

VLT-Loaded




NBers may be asked for their views on VLTs
Gov't reviews gambling policy as opposition pushes for public input

BY MARY MOSZYNSKI TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF

FREDERICTON - NDP Leader Elizabeth Weir wants New Brunswickers to be given an opportunity to voice their concerns over VLT usage in the province.

Government is reviewing its gambling policy and Weir said those affected by gambling should be able to tell their stories.

"I think there should be an opportunity for those affected by the province's gambling policy to come forward and speak directly to New Brunswickers through a public hearing process," she said yesterday.

Finance Minister Jeannot Volpé said he'll consider Weir's suggestion. The province's review of the gambling policy should be completed by the fall, he added.

"I said it was a good option and what I'm ready to do is bring it to our group when we discuss reviewing our gaming policy in New Brunswick," he said yesterday.

Families who have lost loved ones to VLT addiction met in Nova Scotia Monday to call on government to act quickly and eliminate the gaming machines.

While New Brunswick's politicians decide which direction to take its gaming policy other provinces have already cut back on the number of VLTs in their bars.

Newfoundland announced a plan this spring that would reduce the number of VLTs in the province by 15 per cent over five years.

Quebec is removing more than 2,500 VLTs from neighbourhood bars and putting them into centralized gaming parlours.

Meanwhile, the Ontario government has imposed a moratorium on casino expansion, British Columbia has said it won't put VLTs in bars and lounges, and Alberta has set a goal to reduce the number of locations with VLTs up to 15 per cent.

Manitoba is one of the only provinces that seems to be moving in the other direction, with recent plans to add to its stock of VLTs.

In Nova Scotia, the provincial government has said it plans to reduce the number of VLTs and their hours of operation, but is not considering an outright ban.

Yesterday's news conference in Halifax demands government take action on VLTs, Weir said.

However, Volpé said he isn't feeling any pressure from the other provinces to reduce the number of VLTs in New Brunswick. The minister also said government isn't sold on the idea of introducing racinos.

"We've got one of the lowest addiction rates across the province, we've got the lowest number of machines per capita," he said. "Can we improve? There might be some potential for us to improve and reduce even more that rate of addiction."

(With files from The Canadian Press)

IRVING'S SHIPS IN SAINT JOHN HARBOUR!!!

SHIPS2
SHIPS

Charlie:

Here is a picture of the new Irving NOR EASTER.

Built in Korea, Under flag of convenience, Chartered from Maersk line. Painted Irving colors!

# 2 is due along shortly.

It's a sad state of affairs when someone can export hundreds of jobs and then have the nerve to sail into harbour with a ship built by foreigners and ask you to support him at the pumps so he can do it to you all over again! The local longshoremen aren't even allowed to tie the lines!

Charlie. Spin this story any way you want. Just don't put my name to it!

Have a good one.