[jensonj]

<strong>Written By:</strong> jensonj
<strong>Date:</strong> 2005-09-01 09:41:00
<a href="/article/151400503-all-of-those-affected-are-in-our-thoughts-and-prayers">Article Link</a>

Anne McLellan, Canada's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Responsible for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, spoke to her counterpart Michael Chertoff to offer Canada's assistance. I have also written to the Governors of Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi to make the same offer. The Minister of Health, Ujjal Dosanjh, has directed the Public Health Agency of Canada to contact U.S. Health and Human Services and offer any assistance that may be helpful, such as emergency medical supplies contained in the National Emergency Stockpile System.

Canadian and American emergency civil response authorities have been in close touch during this time, and we are prepared to respond to any request made to Canada. Yesterday, the Deputy Prime Minister released the following statement: "On behalf of all Canadians, I wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to those who have lost loved ones as a result of Hurricane Katrina, as well as our sympathies to those who have suffered great losses and personal hardship. During this difficult time, we are offering our support to our friends and neighbours."

Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew echoed the comments made by the Deputy Prime Minister and expressed relief that no Canadians had been reported dead or missing. "We have successfully contacted the majority of those Canadians who are registered with our missions and who may have been affected by the disaster," said Minister Pettigrew. "We are confident that the US authorities are deploying all possible efforts to assist."

The Government of Canada cannot emphasize enough the need for Canadians in the area to heed the instructions of local authorities. For Canadians who are in distress or otherwise in need of Consular assistance, they should contact our 24/7 Emergency Operations Centre in Ottawa at 1-800-267-6788. Those wishing to help should contact a relief organization such as the Red Cross. In the meantime, let us all hope and pray for the safety of our neighbours.

Sincerely,

Frank McKenna
Ambassador of Canada to the United States

[Dr Caleb]

Be thankfull that all we have to complain about today is the category 5 fleecing at the pumps. Some people are really suffering along the Gulf Coast, and my heart goes out to them.

---
"If you must kill a man, it costs you nothing to be polite about it." Winston Churchill

[Wayne Coady]

My god , it is a frigging mess in New Orleans and things are getting worse, looks like Iraq after they bombed it.
I would say that the chickens are coming home to roost, what they have done to other has now fallen upon their house and it was all done as an Act of God. As President Bush would say it was God's will.

I feel bad for the people, they are the poorest, much like those bombed in Iraq, one can only hope they take a message out of the disaster.


---
Good government is not a party government

[Guest]

what i do not understand and no one is talking about this, is.....how can the canadian government and provincial governments, also the oil companies profit from this mega diaster ???????.....gas prices have soared everywhere, but in Hawaii, they have put a price control on the pumps there, so why are we allowing the greed of our government and the oil companies to take place , is this not illegal, to profit from diasters ???? where is the outrage ???? i am writing to my local MP, and MLA, and i strongly suggest everyone do the same and ask this question....

[Guest]

Thoughtful and insightful remarks from the WC!?! Be thankful it is not you, your family, or your friends trying to cope with a natural disaster of this dimension.

[Mr.Can-Euro]

The people involved in this disaster, I hope they can get the help they need. To the people who lost loved ones, my heart goes out to them.

---
"A person who walks in someone elses footprints leaves no footprints." Chinese Proverb

[Wayne Coady]

Ben there and I have become a very harden man. I have worked with injured workers in this country and not one frigging politician , political party or law firm has the will to stop the abuse administered on these injured employees.

So, I know what it is like to go through hard times and the hard times I have had to live through were the cause of a government abusive legislation, citizen tend to wake up when it hits them.

I too feel for those in Iraq who the Yankees bombed the hell out of and all in the name of oil, well look at oil prices now, and remember they are profiting from that oil which belongs to the citizens of Iraq.

Well my friend, my heart has been hardened and your right what goes around comes around. Lets face it American has brought much hell upon other countries, remember what they did in Viet Nam and today the people are suffering from the spraying of agent orange and other defoliants. Myself being a Canadian citizen who served and trained at Base Gagetown , has just learned that when I was there in 66 and 67 the tested defoliants on myself and many other.
So, I felt the vile actions of government, yes I feel sorry for those poor citizens in America, but I also feel sorry for the citizens of ever nation America bombed the hell out too.
If your looking for me to say I sorry for my remarks, you will wait a long time, because my remarks are true and honest remarks.

---
Good government is not a party government

[Jesse]

In theory, gas prices have soared as a result of the US losing 10% of it's oil processing infrastructure (NO is a major port, IIRC), and their costs have theoretically gone up as they route around the problem by overloading their other ports/etc. So, it's not necessarily profit, just higher costs all round. If the prices *Stay* high, then yes, it is an outrage.

---
Every time you complain about the moderators, god kills a kitten.

[Guest]

"I would say that the chickens are coming home to roost, what they have done to other has now fallen upon their house and it was all done as an Act of God. As President Bush would say it was God's will."

I think it says a lot about the people who frequent this site that the above post has a "Good" rating. The subsequent statement about feeling "bad for the people" was a transparent attempt to cover up the stench of the preceding piece of nasty schadenfreude. I'd wish for "God" to do some bad things to you, but that would only drag me down to your level.

[Dr Caleb]

I have to question the little pie charts at the pump too. 38% tax, 1% profit? Strange, I see oil company revenues every quarter, and I don't recall seeing 38X that in taxes reported by the finance ministers.


---
"If you must kill a man, it costs you nothing to be polite about it." Winston Churchill

[whelan costen]

As we watch helplessly as this story enfolds, you can't help but wonder why, they didn't do more to get people out of the area? They knew what was coming, and they did tell people to get out, but what they didn't seem to address was that for many people, there was no way out, no vehicle or other transportation, and those who were told to go to specifics locations, were met with no leadership, no food, water or other provisions! The people of the U.S. are expressing outrage, and many are criticizing their governments actions, I think it will be interesting to see how this plays out for the top guys.

Another point being made, on CNN no less! Is that the majority of these people are poor and black, and that if they were rich and white, things would have been handled differently. I think the colour issue may not be as true as the poverty side. Very sad situation for all the people involved, and for their families. I also don't think it is a matter of being politically correct to compare the devastation in Iraq which was imposed, and this act of God, so to speak, it may be insensitive, but it is also a very real comparison. Bush, talked very little about the human crisis, but did ensure that people knew how the energy sector was being protected and rebuilt! It is strange to see a country as large, mighty and willing to impose devastation on other countries, and yet how unable they seem to be to help their own people. Reassuring people about the state of oil, hardly seems appropriate when all they need and want is some clean water, a bit of food, some shelter and medical treatment, and they need it yesterday. To hear that 'we are doing everything we can and military police will be on the scene asap...but food and other necessities are on the way someday.

Also zero tolerance for looting, and when the white house spokesman was asked to clarify, because some people may loot or steal in order to survive, and would they be excempt, the answer was to reiterate, 'zero tolerance for looting!' That does tell you something about the situation, I mean nobody seems able to get them aid, but if they help themselves, they will be prevented by whatever means necessary! The reality is that most have no money, they are not near their homes or relatives, so the only way they could get water, or food etc would be to steal it, so what options do they have? Die gracefully? This is really sad. Really!

---
If I stand for my country today...will my country be here to stand for me tomorrow?

[Guest]

That is the way most "governments " work, they are not organized and like to show their authority over those who are the victims.

Here we have one of the richest countries in the world, that does not have a plan to help it own citizens, but yet is spending billions fighting a war, over oil. The Bush administration better wake up or he will have a real war right in his own back yard.

The Canadian "government" should have been fast off the make to give at least $1 billion in hard cash towards this disaster, it the very least we could, after all we chased their ancestors out of Canada to live on this flood plain.

So come on Prime Minister Martin dig into the Employment Insurance Fund and offer up $1 billion so these suffering citizens can rebuild. SHOW THE CANADIAN FLAG Paul Martin .

[Guest]

<i>I have to question the little pie charts at the pump too. 38% tax, 1% profit? Strange, I see oil company revenues every quarter, and I don't recall seeing 38X that in taxes reported by the finance ministers.</i><P>That is because the other 60% or so, the "production costs" are about 45% profit. You see the same company owns the refinery ... and the tankers ... and the license to pump crude in Saudi Arabia's fields or wherever. They only pay a fractional <b>fee</b> to the local field owners (mostly governments) on each barrel they pump out. So when they say 1% "profit" that is on the <b>final</b> stage of the journey, after they took their profits earlier in the queue. They are simply vicious liars.

[Wayne Coady]

How much do the Saudi's paying for their gas at the pumps, please convert into US dollars? If we in Canada are a member of OPEC, as are the Saudi's, shouldn't they be paying the same or near to the same as other OPEC members? or are we the only suckers in OPEC?

---
Good government is not a party government

[Guest]

These figures are in gallons and they are : Kuwait City $.68 , Cairo $.59 , Caracas Venezuela $.12 , Saudi Arabia $.92 . Do your math and break those numbers down to liters, man we are getting skinned and Saudi Arabia ,Caracas Venezuela and Kuwait are all members of OPEC too.
SOMETHING STINKS