Month: August 2013

Just Say “No”

say_no_to_drugsNo!

I was told over and over again that drugs were bad and to just say “no” if I was ever offered any.

I had my chances. I was around drugs at parties and friend’s houses, particularly when I was in university. But I never took any. I didn’t see the benefit, and I didn’t want it in my body. I guess the campaigns worked to some degree.

Yet, this week the popular thing seems to be politicians coming out of the closet about their past drug use. To what benefit? None that I can see. Well at least to the general public.

Justin Trudeau has come out in favour of legalizing weed. The same week a study came out telling us that when teens use, it can seriously impact brain development at a crucial stage.

“No problem!” says Trudeau. “Legalizing it will keep it out of the hands of the youth!”

Sure it will… just like our youth never get access to alcohol.

Look, I don’t care if you took a toke one time back in university and you’re all fine now, it’s not that way for everyone.

Tell that to the families of the two under-age teens I’ve buried in the last two years who mixed alcohol and drugs. Tell that to the young adults who’s brains are burnt and are hooked on stronger drugs today, eliminating themselves from the work force because of it, and damaging relations with their families and friends.

It doesn’t take much to find the ugly side of the story. I’ve seen it up close and personal. I’ve seen how a couple of simple tokes lead to a life of self-destruction, and even death.

So instead of telling me how you’re going to make it acceptable to ruin people’s lives, and instead tell me how you are going to help those who have destroyed their lives and the lives of others through their addictions.

Then maybe I’ll consider voting for you… when you decide to help people instead of your own personal image.

Anyone up to the challenge?

I’m not sure, because no one out there is showing me they want to.

The Value of an Education

schooldaysThe first day of school is just around the corner.

And it appears as though our education system is attempting to save money. They are squeezing everywhere they can.

But sometimes (many times) they squeeze too hard or in the wrong places.

Sometime over the last year the Department of Education decided it would centralize it procurement operations for the province. They decided it would be a good budget decision to have all purchases of in-school equipment go through Halifax.

And it does make some sense.

Except when they get really cheap.

In the news this week is how the all text book orders have been awarded to an American company. I guess I should get used to my kids saying ‘zee’ and forgetting their ‘u’ in words like favourite and neighbour, which they already do on a regular basis.

The other problem with this centralized procurement system is that it shuts out the local business. Several office supplies stores in Cape Breton were the suppliers of paper, pens, staplers, whatever your office needed… but that is no more. These small businesses have lost their largest customer, and they are going to have to lay off employees because of it… at the very least. A couple may even be forced to re-evaluate the future of their business.

So yes, I am in favour of saving money.

But not at the cost of impacting local economies which depend on the business. Not at the cost of losing teachers in the classrooms instead of bloated school board administrations.

Centralize to save money? Yes!

But maybe we should be looking at something like how many school boards and staff we have rather than who supplies the pencils and paint brushes.

Reboot. Escape. Discover… sometimes…

parks canadaParks Canada has it right on the front of their website.

Reboot. Escape. Discover.

But it appears you can only do these things when they want you to.

Over the last two years Parks Canada parks have had huge cutbacks to their budgets, and it is clearly impacting their operations.

In late June I took a good friend who was visiting from Toronto to the Fortress of Louisbourg during it’s 300th anniversary year. I’m sure you’ve seen the advertising going on all year. Imagine my disappointment when I couldn’t show her the entire “Fortress experience” because they were very short staffed and not all buildings were open, including the beautiful chapel which hurt for two clergy to miss. Keep in mind that the day we were there, the place was full of cruise ship visitors. I felt bad they couldn’t get the full experience either.

Now there is word that the Alexander Graham Bell museum will be shutting it’s doors early this season to save money. Again with more cruise ships on their way and Celtic Colours festival still to come, which brings a huge amount of tourists to Cape Breton each October.

Leah at Dream Big Cape Breton has the view from the Baddeck side in her post “what’s going on at the Bell Museum?” A very good question indeed, and a good question for all of our national treasures across Cape Breton and the rest of Canada.

In her post, Leah has contact information for those who are concerned about these cutbacks. Contact them if you care, and also get in touch with your own MP. Not sure who represents you in the Government of Canada in the House of Commons? Check here.