SGC Admin "thoughts", Eco News

Is Jasper Park (Alberta) in danger of being sold?

FYI From The Editor:

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If you have ever been out west to Jasper and Banff National Parks, you likely appreciated the awesome beauty of these fabulous landmarks created by Mother Earth…. 

For many years each of these parks have been a part of what Canada stands for, a connection to Nature. 

Many of us are  aware of the connection all living things have to each other, the trees clean the air, provide homes for wildlife and food for little critters….the lakes and ponds are also homes for many species. Everything has it’s time here on earth and once that time is up the decay of organic beings goes back into the earth and the cycle begins again…. creating and supplying life for all…

As humans we have assumed responsiblity for planet Earth, we believe we are the caretakers,  but EGO pushes us to also believe that we can play GOD/GODDESS and take from nature whenever we feel the need. In the past, before EGO become so powerful people were respectful of the connections and  only took or used what was necessary. 

Now, however we have become greedy, or should I say our Governments and the big corporations have  become greedy, and they believe they own nature and can sell off, use and abuse it whenever they choose. 

Jasper Park is now in trouble, those in power want to sell it off or parts of it off to our neighbour, once that is done we have no control over it, and it is likely those who buy are not buying it so they can preserve it. 

Are we ready to throw it away? I am not, and so in an effort to let my voice be heard for those who cannot speak for themselves, (the wildlife and plant life) I have lent my signature to the a protest against such abuse…. 

If you too, feel strongly about this issue, please don’t be shy, lend your signature also …. 

Please Click Here to become involved… 

SGC Admin "thoughts", News and views

Do you want to work an extra two years before being eligible to collect Canada Pension?

From the Editor: 

Free Clip Art Retirement : Cartoon Angry old woman with a wooden spoon. Isolated Stock Photo

I don’t know about the rest of you but it seems awfully unfair to the working class to make them work an extra two years before being able to collect Canada Pension… But this is what Prime Minister Harper is expecting us to do. 

Please Click Here to view the information online. 

Both hubby and I are disturbed at this news, it smacks of unfairness which doesn’t sit too well with us Libra’s. And so I have done up a letter and sent it off via Email to the Prime Minister’s Office… However, I am aware that Mr. Harper probably won’t read my letter, nor perhaps will he even be aware that it has been sent, unless others flood his office with emails, letter’s and phone calls. 

If you are concerned about your retirement years, or you are fed up with the constant “hand in your pocket” syndrome, then I implore you to send in your email or hand written letter. If you have trouble coming up with the right words, and feel our letter has said what you would like to, you are more then welcome to change our name  and submit it as your own… who knows maybe if they keep getting the same letter from many different people they will get the message… 

I have also emailed a copy of the letter to each political party. 

Please Click Here to Email your letter to Prime Minister Harper. 

Please Click Here to Email your letter to Bob Rea Leader of the Liberal Party

Please Click Here to Email your letter to Interim NDP Leader Nycole Turmel

Please Click Here to Email  your letter to Elizabeth May Green Party Leader

Letters may also be snail mailed to the Prime Minister at the address below. If you would like to snail mail your concerns to the other political parties, please click on the links above to go to each parties website and view contact information. 

 

Office of the Prime Minister

80 Wellington Street

Ottawa,ONK1A 0A2

January 26, 2012

Mr. Prime Minister;

We are contacting you today, after being informed of some of the changes to be made within Canada in order to cut spending, in the effort to ensure a sustainable economic future for our country.

Specifically, we concentrate on the changes to the retirement age.

We are of an age where retirement is within our reach, it is something we look forward to and plan for. We have worked hard, lived within our means, paid our bills and our tax’s, and hope to be able to enjoy a comfortable retirement in the not too distant future.

The changes you are proposing are unfair and wrong.

How long does a politician have to work before being able to collect a pension? And how much of a pension do politicians collect? If those “running”Canada are not expected to work until 65 years of age before drawing a pension, then why on earth would you expect the rest of the population to work past the age of 65? What makes politicians (and our Prime Minister) more entitled then the “working class” to receive money from the people, ahead of the people?

It is not the working class you should be targeting it is the massive waste of tax payer’s money that should be looked into. Waste on every level of government from federal to municipal is rampant.

Parents run around trying to organize fund drives for supplies that should already be in the class room, provided with the tax money we pay into the system.

People run around trying to raise funds for Cancer research, when the tax’s we pay into the system should be taking care of such things as our health. When people are expected to see specialists in such places as the fracture clinic at the Oshawa Hospital, in a hospital cubicle for a consultation, instead of the privacy of a doctor’s office, there is something wrong.

People are fed up with the taxes that come off of their pay checks but we can’t stop you… Hubby’s pay in January 2012 was less then usual, because the U.I. and pension premiums have gone up; no one told us they would, the money was just TAKEN…

Every time we buy something we are taxed again…. What are you doing with all this money…. ???

People are dying just before they reach the age of retirement, a lot of people, which means they never get to draw on the pension they have invested in… And you expect the people to work two more years!! It’s not right and it’s defiantly not fair.

Young people can’t get jobs because there aren’t any out there, they are living at home with the parents that have worked hard and paid into the system, now those parents have to keep watching their household budget, instead of enjoying it because their adult children can’t find decent work to cover their living expenses.

In short, life sucks for the working person as it is, and you expect people to just deal with it, suck it up and spend another 2 years getting up early or dealing with shift work, commuting, work stress, boss’s who have big egos, and the list goes on,  because you guys in charge have messed things up royally.

You don’t have to deal with life on the working guy’s level; you don’t have to live in cities or towns where finding decent shelter at affordable pricing is getting increasingly difficult. You don’t have to scan the grocery flyers of the local paper to find the best deals. You don’t have to deal with the people coming into this country who think Canada is for them and for them alone because the people running Canada have made it that way. You aren’t living in Northern Ontario where the 1st nations people are living in disgusting conditions not even fit for animals. (1st Nations, the people we stole this Country from). You don’t have to take time off of work to go to see doctors in Toronto who don’t know what they are doing, and who after a five minute visit tell you, you have to take another day off of work to see a different doctor… If no sick days are given with the job, the worker loses one, two maybe 3 days pay and still may not get the answer they seek.

You and your colleges live a privileged life, outside of the working person’s life. Therefore it is not possible for you to understand how it is to make ends meet and run a household while sticking to a strict budget.

We have done that, we have been blessed and we have worked hard and we have a roof over our head. A small humble house that will never truly be ours regardless that the mortgage is paid because until the day we die we have to pay property tax’s. But hey, we got over that…. We have paid our way thank the heavens without (up to this date) having to ask YOU guys for any help… We have done what has been asked of us, and now you want more…

How can you sit back and assume that the working class people are happy to add another 2 year’s onto their working life?

It is the politicians, who have put Canada in the position she is in today.. Mass immigration and the giving away of all the manufacturing jobs to China and India, and the huge amount of waste that goes on in government and government jobs is not the fault of the people, and the consequences of such actions and decisions should not be put on the shoulders of the working class people. It’s your (politicians) mistake you fix it out of your pocket not ours.

Stop immigration, stop the big salaries, stop the perks and bonus’s, stop funding new-comer programs, stop the waste… and you will find the extra that is needed in order to allow seniors to rest at 65.

Oh and while we are at it…. WE DON’T NEED ANYMORE GROWTH…. SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE IT’S ALL GONE

SGC Admin Moon Phase: Current Sun Sign:

Sun moves into Aquarius: January 20 2012

The Sun entered into the sign of Aquarius on January 20. 

Aquarius: Fixed: Masculine: Air: 

Oh where would the world be without the wonderful Aquarian? With their inventive minds and capacity for personal freedom and change, they assist with the evolution of the human species. 

You guys and gals catch on very quickly to the things you need to know, and while you can be a bit unconventional, unpredictable and some may say unreliable, it’s a different story when you get passionate about something or decide to sink your teeth into a project, watch out peeps, cos you won’t be able to change his/her mind and she/he will plow on ahead with focus and determination until the task is done or something else tickles the fancy…. ☺

Have a wonderful birthday and an awesome year ahead: Glenn, Gary, Dave, Samantha and Zsu’s…. ♥

SGC Admin News and views

FYI: AEA invites you to join our Street Team!

2012 sees the opening of a brand new private school in Ajax, Ontario. 

School Teacher With Blackboard Stock Photo - 10519088

Advance English Academy opened it’s doors this month and wants you to help spread the word about this unique new place to learn the English language. 

AEA offers lesson’s to new comers to Canada and to local Canadians. 

Because Advance English Academy is a private school they have the option of customizing their classes, in this way they are able to put the student first and direct him or her towards achievement of their goal, to learn or improve the knowledge of the English Language. 

The owners of AEA and those who work with them, have a unique understanding that people who are comfortable and at ease will learn  better and have a better chance of retaining that information.

Working as a team for the betterment of the whole community is a top priority at AEA and with that in mind….

Advance English Academy,  invites you to become a part of the AEA Street Team… spread the word about AEA and you will be happily rewarded… Please visit Advance English Academy website for more information or to become a part of the AEA Street Team…. people helping people…. ☺

SGC Admin Eco News

FYI: David Suzuki: What are governments for?

From the Editor: From our Inbox to You: 

The following by Dr. David Suzuki  is a look at the purpose of government and asks the question is our government playing its role? Environment versus Economy? 

Canada Parliament

What purpose do governments serve? Some people think we could do without them, but that’s absurd. Even libertarians agree that some kind of police force and legal system are necessary to ensure that individual freedoms and property are protected, especially when conflicts arise over competing freedoms and property rights. 

Others argue that the ever-expanding economy is our highest priority, and that governments should encourage this unending growth by subsidizing or promoting business and removing so-called regulatory red tape.

At its most basic, a government is there to protect its citizens. That’s more complicated than it seems. What rights do citizens have? Most democratic countries spell those out in their constitutions. Canada’s Constitution, for example, enshrines rights in a range of areas: fundamental, democratic, legal, equality, language, and so on.

As we begin a New Year, it’s worth reflecting on how well our government has looked after the interests of its citizens, and where we might be heading.

According to our Constitution’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, we are legally entitled to life, liberty, and security in Canada. But how can we fulfill that right without protecting the necessary preconditions for life: clean air and water and productive soils to grow food? These all come from and depend on natural functioning ecosystems. We can try to clean up water that has been polluted or grow food in a lab, but those strategies will cost much more than protecting the ecosystems before they are compromised.

Natural functioning ecosystems (let’s just call them “nature”) supply resources that we all depend on to meet our basic needs and to survive. We need nature, including each other, more than anything else. We can’t rely on technological fixes, individual actions, or market systems to protect it. Unfortunately, the negative costs of damaging the environment and the benefits that nature provides are rarely factored into economic equations.

In that light, one of government’s primary roles is to protect nature. Arguments between the so-called political left and right are often summarized as the difference between wanting more or less government. But that misses the point of government.

Governments set priorities, many of them based on where they allocate money and resources. Successive governments in Canada have promoted the idea that a strong economy is the most important consideration and that to have prosperity we must put the interests of corporations above those of citizens. This is backwards.

While continuing to spend tens of billions of dollars on jet fighters, war ships, and campaigns to promote itself and the tar sands, Canada’s government is gutting resources from the programs and departments responsible for protecting our environment, as well as weakening policies and laws designed to conserve nature.

At the end of 2011, we saw our government trying to cajole other countries to pull out of the Kyoto Protocol during the climate change talks in Durban, South Africa. When no one went along, Canada became thefirst country to abandon this legally binding international agreement. Of course, our current government isn’t the only one that has failed to live up to the agreement’s requirements. Kyoto may not have been perfect, but in abandoning it rather than working to strengthen it, Canada’s leadership failed to acknowledge that dealing with climate change is essential to protecting its citizens, and those of the world.

We can only take this administration’s word that it will come up with a realistic plan to cut emissions and fight climate change, but the record of successive governments so far doesn’t inspire much confidence.

Let’s get beyond this false dichotomy of economy versus environment. If we look at economy as a way to provide for the health and well-being of citizens, then it’s there to serve the environment, of which we are a part, and not the other way around. Environmental protection shouldn’t be seen as a barrier to opportunity; it should be seen as an essential part of a healthy economy.

It’s up to all of us to ensure that the governments we elect to look after our interests protect nature because we depend on it for our very lives. That’s what they’re for. 

By David Suzuki with contributions from David Suzuki Foundation Aquatic Biologist Jeffery Young.

Image Credit: Peter Blomert via Flickr