Similarly, when MP Bill Casey didn’t agree with the way Stephen Harper was screwing the people of Nova Scotia on gas royalties, Harper kicked his ass out of caucus and Casey, whose stance was based on the attitudes and wishes of his constituents, was subsequently re-elected over Harper’s hand picked candidate who he (Herr Harper) parachuted into the area.
Obviously the main problem with politics is that party leaders have allowed power to go to their heads … so much so, that, instead of having any semblance of a democracy, we are governed by dictators who, easily, would flourish in some of the worst “third world” scenarios with which we are all familiar.
The recent thefts from the taxpayers of Nova Scotia by some members of the current (NDP) government as well as those elected from the Liberal and CONservative parties who have been “government” in previous evolutions is indicative of an endemic problem that requires bold action on the part of all Nova Scotians to finally take charge and break the cycle of systematic thefts, by conversion, of public monies that are supposed to be for all things we, as a collective society, require to conduct our lives.
When the provincial premier ( today Darrell Dexter) and MLA’s from all of the parties are helping themselves to two thousand dollar digital cameras (Dexter) and other trinkets, your highways are not being maintained, health care and education goes begging for funding. Thieves and liars like Richard Hurlburt and Len Goucher have the audacity to walk the streets with their heads held high when, in fact, they, and all those who committed theft, should be charged as the common criminals they are. There was a time when they would be placed in stocks and pilloried for their blatant misdeeds.
Fundamentalist Muslims would stone them to death or chop off a hand as punishment.
Dictators, like Nicolae Ceausescu, were shot.
Apparently, MLA’s in Nova Scotia feel the average taxpayer is so stupid, gullible and forgiving that such consequences never crossed their mind when they were helping themselves.
The time for bringing these people to account is now.
Prosecute to the fullest extent of the law all those elected representatives who converted our tax dollars to their own use.
And, the people of Nova Scotia should NOT be required to pay for legal counsel for any of those charged. Further, lawyers who are members of the Nova Scotia Barrister’s Society should not be permitted to defend any party charged … the reason should be obvious. The N.S. Barristers Society is too closely aligned with those past and present provincial governments and government members.
We are even paying membership fees to the Barrister's Society for those lawyers who hold elected office … including Darrell Dexter.
Similarly, prosecutors acting on behalf of the PEOPLE would be imported for the same reasons. There is no judge in Nova Scotia who could be unbiased in his/her ruling if these cases were brought before the court. There is not a judge in Nova Scotia who is not beholden to one political party or another and, consequently, could not be relied upon to administer justice based on the facts. Evidence and history indicates that far more leniency is employed than if the accused were a common member of society. The dynamic is noticeably different when a politician is charged. The most recent case in point was the length of time it took to bring Ernie Fage to trial on drunk driving charges, and the relative slap on the wrist he was given as punishment.
Taxpayers should be mindful,too,that Judges in Nova Scotia are appointed by governments. The Auditor General, whose report has proven so damaging, was appointed by the CONservative government. The word is that this Auditor General’s report was supposed to simply bring down this NDP government … it was not calculated to backfire. Can you imagine the dirt that would surface in a real forensic audit that reaches back 25 years? Heads would really roll.
The “Freedom of Information Act” was not drafted and enabled to protect your privacy. The real reason behind that Act is to prevent the secretive actions of those who would be “government” hide from the prying eyes of a public whose tax dollars foot the bill for its gathering and dissemination.
A government that was above board would not have such an act in place … it wouldn’t be needed.
If the people of Nova Scotia want things cleaned up this must happen.
Then, the people must be made party to redrafting the rules so there are no loopholes in the future that will, even remotely,permit such thievery again under any circumstance.
You will notice we have not sanctioned the hiring of Art Donahoe (lawyer) to act on behalf of the people ... because that's not why he was hired.
Finally, citizens and taxpayers in Nova Scotia, and everywhere, are going to have to make some fundamental changes in the way they perceive government(s) and the current party politics that dictate and manipulate the system to their advantage.
Dispense with this short-sighted, stupid, ingrained idea that only this party or that is capable of providing “your” candidate or “your” government. Political parties are NOT capable and have proved it, time and again that fairness, honesty and trustworthiness is not in their lexicon. So, why would you keep coming back to their game?
That includes any of the “fringe” political parties that currently exist in Canada as well.
VOTE only for an independent candidate who is prepared to represent the wishes of his/her constituency.
Those ELECTED REPS who allow themselves to become pawns of their party or browbeaten by the party leader if they refuse to walk in lock step with his unilateral dictums, is not being effective in the job they were given by their constituents. In such an instance they have in fact, perpetrated fraud by misrepresenting themselves.
In his published book, ”The Perfect Swarm – The Science of Complexity In Everyday Life”, author Len Fischer,Phd., postulates that one of the greatest discoveries of recent times is that complex patterns we find in life are often produced when all of the individuals in a group follow similar, simple rules. And, even if the final pattern is complex, rules are not.
If we accept this premise then, Nova Scotia MLA’s, past and present, who have committed acts of theft and fraud, should not be excused simply because the described “rules within the system are convoluted and/or arbitrary.”
Those who have been identified in the Auditor General’s report knew full well they were stealing but still made the choice to do so.
Fischer’s book offers much more food for thought when he investigates “swarm intelligence” and as it is applied to the science of parties.
Of particular interest were the results of tests conducted by social science researchers who discovered (negative) shortcomings that can easily be applied to dispel current acceptance of the way political parties do things, particularly when they reach majority status in government.
Their conclusions are breathtaking in their simplicity … you get a better outcome when individuals are left to arrive at their own conclusions on an issue … rather than being under the direct influence of a strong leader (dictator) who is determined to project his attitudes on the group (caucus) and, in the setting of the political party, forces or coerces, through humiliation or banishment, conformity to his and the party’s agenda.
This is EXACTLY what was done in New Brunswick with those who oppose the sale of NB Power and when Bill Casey was forced out of his party’s caucus.
This simply is NOT democracy … and you have to change the system.
You will change this when you stop voting for candidates who represent a party that is not prepared to represent YOU.
You will begin to win when YOU stop supporting any political party with your money ... or work on behalf of that party. And the other option is to not bother voting, by doing so ...hopefully we can bring down this dirty abusive political structure.
Like those MLA’s in Nova Scotia who made the choice to steal, the choice is yours to change things by and through your actions.
So tell me, isn't this just a shining example of a democracy?
Wayne Coady
Cole Harbour Nova Scotia . www.hawkeyenews.blogspot.com
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