Category: Federal

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Federal

O Canada, We stood on guard…

Watch the following video released a couple of days ago.

I’m padre for the local Royal Canadian Legion. I talk to veterans old and young. I talk with those who are diagnosed with PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and with those who probably should have been diagnosed with it.

I hear of the images they describe of what they have seen in theatre. I hear their stories about how the nightmares shake them awake at night. I hear how their wives need to leave the house for weeks at a time, just to be safe. I hear stories of deep depression and the potential for self-destruction. And I hear how they struggle with where to go for help.

I also hear how the staff at the local Veterans Affairs office help them get their lives back on track. I hear how these amazing, caring individuals talk to these veterans to get them the resources and help they so desperately need. Help they would never receive if it wasn’t near by.

Yes, our country is trying to save some money in the budget. But I can think of many other ways to save than to cut vital resources for those who have bravely put their lives on the line in the name of freedom and peace for our country and for other nations around the world.

Categories
Federal Government

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.

 

 

Categories
Federal Government

The Land of Milk and Honey

Well, it was bound to hit the fan at some point.

Politicians at all levels of government have been caught time to time with their hands in the cookie jar, accepting payments, making claims, all sorts of financial “magic” to get the most they are entitled to.

PHOTO BY DEVAAN INGRAHAM / THE CANADIAN PRESS
PHOTO BY DEVAAN INGRAHAM / THE CANADIAN PRESS

This week it’s Senator Mike Duffy.

Next week it will be someone else.

Yes I know it’s not each and every one of them, it’s just a percentage, and probably most of them are dedicated, honest, hard working people. But here’s what gets me.

They let it happen!

There’s no accountability. There’s not one of their peers standing up and saying “This is wrong!” It’s all hush hush and no one is talking about it.

It reeks if you ask me.

I live in a town with big unemployment issues. No jobs. Drugs and alcohol are huge problems. Welfare families with inadequate housing. Single moms struggling to raise their children. The list goes on and on.

And I read the news where government officials are getting very large housing allowances, even if they don’t live very far from the office. I read where Duffy gets a ninety thousand dollar cheque written for him because he broke the law???

Meanwhile, we are fighting, literally fighting, to get a lunch monitor for our school which does not have one. A school right on the main street of our town. The funding formula tells us we should have two. Instead we have none!

Yet the money keeps flowing to big businesses and those on the “inside”. The rich keep getting richer!

It’s not right.

This is not the land of milk and honey, at least not from my perspective. Although it sure does seem that way to the politicians!

I’m going to say something about it.

Join me?