Mayor John Morgan

Cape Breton Regional Municipality
320 Esplanade
Sydney NS B1P 7B9

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Dear Mayor Morgan,

We live in the Community of Upper Leitches Creek, near a quarry mined by Alva Construction. Just about everybody in the community has said “no” to Alva’s activity, via letters, a petition, and a partial blockade. It is undemocratic for the government to allow the operation to continue. That said, Alva’s trucks were on the road before 7 a. m. today, again. These trucks break the speed limit, sometimes with double loads of rock (which although not illegal is certainly unsafe on a poorly maintained road, with blind crests, the shoulder washed out by heavy rain, etc.). Furthermore, they often drive on the wrong side (or middle) of the road. Young children live on this road, and we implore you to consider their safety.

Upper Leitches Creek used to be an idyllic forest retreat. That peace has been robbed from us. The joy of walking along the road, encountering wildlife, fishing, etc., have all been robbed from us. The mined land used to be a beautiful forest. There used to be a grove of enormous old pine trees that our forefathers and members of this community treasured. But the whole ecosystem has been totally erased! The profiteering brutality that Alva shows this land ought to be illegal. If Cape Breton Island is to have a future at all, we have to take care of the land upon which we depend.

Our family owns another piece of land, more than 80 ha, next to the quarry, and we would appreciate access to any record of regulatory control. Is the Department of Environment and Labour monitoring the effects on the streams in this area? The residents of Upper Leitches Creek are gravely concerned for the safety of their water supply. Has there been any ongoing environmental standard for this operation? Why do we pay for government departments that do nothing more than rubber-stamp the destructive exploitation of Cape Breton?

If you care at all about the principle of democracy, and if you believe that our community needs a healthy environment, then by all means start taking effective action on behalf of Upper Leitches Creek.

Sincerely,

[guess who]

cc:
David M. Morse, 8994 Commercial St., New Minas NS B4N 3E2
Esmond Marshall, 127 Beach Road, Eskasoni NS B1W 1A5
Gary Lunn, 207 Confederation Building, Ottawa ON K1A 0A6
John Baird, Environment Canada, Ottawa ON K1A 0H3
Keith Bain, 1551 Old Route 5, Big Bras D’Or NS B1X 1B5
Mark Eyking, 383 Confedeation Bldg., Ottawa ON K1A 0A6

Mark Parent, 318B Main St., Kentville NS B4N 1K7

letter just sent to Cape Breton Post

[N.B. I do not subscribe to state sponsored tokenistic multiculturalism. Nevertheless...]

Dear Editor,

I was disappointed to find “Multiculturalism’s war on education” by Elan Journo in your paper. It is appalling to express such a mixture of unbridled racism, bigotry, xenophobia, and sexism. These are not characteristics typical of the Cape Breton Post.
“Western culture,” as expressed by Journo, is not culture. The monocultural economic entity is a predator of society and culture. Those of us in the shadow of the monoculture all have unique histories, languages, origins, music, etc. We do not share a homogenous culture. Furthermore, human societies are similar to other parts of the ecosystem, where diversity is essential for stability and survival, particularly during times of crisis.
Journo misuses the word “they,” painting whole cities, civilizations, and religions with a broad brush: equating scholars with slave traders, etc. These people were different individuals, who shared nothing in common besides the time of their mortal existence.
Journo subscribes to the tired defense of monocultural agriculture, which purports that American-style monoculture yields more than Indian-style traditional polyculture. That argument is blatantly untrue (and if you want sources, by all means contact me). Furthermore, it is based upon the untrue premise that the world needs a greater volume of food. However, the farmers of the world produce far more than enough food for everybody. Unfortunately, food is made unavailable to people by the enactment of unfair economic policies.
American-based globalized capitalist imperialism, i.e., the monoculture, is destroying the planet and extinguishing species at a rate not seen since the extinction of the dinosaurs.It is wonderful and necessary for children to be educated with respect to diversity and inclusion. People in Canada should retain the effort to be tolerant, and place value in the respect and appreciation of other people’s cultures.

Re: the provocateurs at SPP protest

I am delighted by the nerve of David Coles. He unmasked the police agents provocateurs at the anti-SPP protest.

http://ottawa.indymedia.org/en/2007/08/5315.shtml
http://www.cbc.ca/cp/national/070822/n082290A.html

I have witnessed provocateurs at other protests in the past. It takes a honest middle-aged man to communicate this message to the older population in Canada. Canadians never would believe the younger activists, who have been the target of this injustice for many years.

This unmasking could become part of a new tactic. However, we must take care not to unmask our more militant allies!

email fired off to Harper regarding the SPP

Dear Prime Minister Harper,

I oppose the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) because the SPP meetings could result in the watering-down of human rights and environmental protections (such as they are) in Canada. I am particularly concerned by the deregulation of pesticides and food-related innovations, and by the possible development of polluting and land-destroying natural resource industries.

Do you need me to remind you that it is your job to defend the people and the land from such predatory exploitation?

The community in which I live is not surviving the current economic climate of rubber stamped environmental assessments, non-unionized workers, and unaccountable natural resource industries that do not pay the community for damage to our properties and roads. You must take the bull by the horns, and do not sell us out to profiteers!

Do you need to be reminded that the desires of the SPP attendees do not represent the desires of the majority of people in Canada? Please give priority to democracy, human rights, and land conservation.

I look forward to receiving your immediate and positive reply.

Lic. Octavio Alberto Orellana Wiarco

Fiscal Especial para la Atención de Delitos Cometidos contra Periodistas
Procuradoría General de la República
Av. Paseo de la Reforma #211-213
Col. Cuauhtémoc, Del. Cuauhtémoc
C.P. 06500, México D.F.
MEXICO

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Dear Sir,

I have been made aware that Alberto Fernández Portilla, (the director of Semanario del Istmo and producer of BBM Noticia on Radiorama-XEKZ) was shot at his home in Oaxaca State on August 5th. I am concerned for the well being of his colleagues Daniel Pérez Espinoza and Edwin Meneses Santiago. Both have received death threats. These grave threats may be related to their recent radio and press reports on drug trafficking, allegations of stealing of oil from the Mexican oil company pipelines, and reports of corruption in the union representing workers at the oil company.

Please ensure that these journalists receive protection. Please guarantee their safety, in accordance with their wishes.

There ought to be a full, prompt, and impartial investigation by the federal authorities, in order to create a climate in which journalists can exercise their right to freedom of expression without fear of reprisal.
Sincerely and Respectfully,

A link and a letter

A link

This is where I learned that NATO has approved a nuclear strike against Iran.

and a letter

Prof. Al-Zubair Bashir Taha
Minister of Internal Affairs
Ministry of Interior
PO Box 281, Khartoum
Sudan

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Dear Minister,

I am increasingly concerned for the well being of Abdallah Abdelgaum, Alam Eldin Abdelghani, Dr Mohamed Jalal Ahmed Hashim, Osman Shamat, Imad Mirghani Sid Ahmed, Saad Mohamed Ahmed, Raafat Hassan Abbas, Abdulaziz Mohamed Ali Khairi, Osman Ibrahim, and Mujahed Mohamed Abdallah.

I understand that all the detainees are being held in Debek Prison, north of Khartoum. Conditions are very poor there, especially this rainy season, due to swarms of mosquitoes and flies. Please give all of the detainees immediate and regular access to their families and lawyers.

When Osman Ibrahim (The Secretary General of the Committee Against the Building of the Kajbar Dam) was arrested, he had only recently left hospital. He was being treated for diabetes, but the security forces refused to allow him to take his medication with him. Dr Mohamed Jalal Ahmed Hashim also suffers from diabetes. In any case, please give the detainees immediate and regular access to any medical treatment they may require.

Furthermore, I encourage you to release all of these detainees unless they are to be charged promptly with a criminal offence.

Please repeal Article 31 of the National Security Forces Act, which allows detainees to be held for up to nine months without access to judicial review.

Sincerely and Respectfully,