So why move forward with an agreement that purports to do away with these perceived trade barriers when no one, including the liberals, can identify them in the first place? Why the unprecedented and punitive act of allowing corporations and individuals to sue for a perceived impairment or restriction to their ability to make money? We have been seen as inconsequential to these decisions and without any forethought as to how this agreement will impact our communities and society as a whole. This government has blatantly told British Columbians they do not matter. Not only will our communities be under attack, our very dignity and quality of life will also suffer.

In an article by Susan Howatt, Canadian Perspectives Spring 2007 (COC), "At the World Water Forum at The Hague in 2000, in Kyoto in 2003, and in Mexico City in 2006, Canada refused to declare water as a human right. And in 2002, Canada was the only country to vote against a resolution by the UN Committee on Human Rights to appoint a Special Rapporteur to promote the right to water, stating, "Canada does not accept that there is a right to drinking water and sanitation." If we don't have the right who does? Surely as human beings living on this planet we are entitled to clean drinking water, decent food and shelter. These are not the luxuries of life, they are necessities. It is an offensive display of self-importance for a government to think they own and are therefore entitled to use our natural resources in any way they see fit. We neither need nor deserve this kind of insolence from our leaders. What we need, and are very clearly lacking, is people who have the character, integrity and dignity required to serve in office and who will act, above all else, in the very best interests of citizens at all times. We need leaders who know the meaning of respect.

The liberals are splitting hairs when they say municipalities, crown corporations, etc. won't be sued. The only way to remove potential lawsuits is to remove decision making from those same municipalities and crown corporations. It will fall directly into the hands of the provincial government who will simply remove the 'offending' regulation regardless of the impact to communities or society as a whole. If we do not act they will drag their heels long enough to hold us at bay, and they will have accomplished what they set out to do. To so entrench TILMA that we will not be able to change it. It's not true of course, but that is what they believe. Remember, just because our political leaders, of all stripes, let us down we still have a voice and the power to exact change.

TILMA in action:

On March 19, the B.C. Legislature introduced the Community Services Statutes Amendment Act (Bill 11). It allows the B.C. government to create areas for mountain resort developments without approval from regional district boards. The Vancouver Sun ran an article on April 11 titled "Instant Town on Drawing Board" by Randy Shore. It is about a Whistler-style resort near Sechelt. Steve Dunton, CEO of Columbia National (the developers) states, "The resort municipality legislation is going to allow us to build a resort on that hill". And, "We just happened to have lands that fit right in". What a coincidence, a less trusting person would think that the government has had a hand in this all along and that happenstance was really more of the same collusion that has accompanied this agreement from the outset.

From the same article, "The new legislation is a framework that paves the way for remote communities to develop resort infrastructure without troubling (my emphasis) the legislature to pass new enabling law as was the case with Whistler, said ministry spokeswoman Anne McKinnon. The law is geared toward creating "instant towns" to develop alpine resorts in sparsely populated areas where there are few other economic drivers, she said. In the absence of those factors, proponents of resort developments are expected to work with local governments, she said."

"I told the [Sunshine Coast Regional District] to have a close look at this legislation," said Powell River-Sunshine Coast NDP MLA Nicholas Simons, "because I can foresee the impact of this legislation on the ability of local government to have any say in their area."

"CNI seems to think that they don't need to bother the good folks at the regional district any more about their plans," said Simons, a New Democrat. "It seems to me there should be a process where the local people and government have some input, particularly since this land is in the watershed."

In a letter to the Union of B.C. Municipalities, Hansen writes "TILMA is not intended to constrain local governments' ability to establish or maintain bona fide (my emphasis), non-discriminatory measures such as zoning bylaws, height restrictions or rules applying to signage. Working with your full participation at the negotiators table, it is our intention to ensure the interests of local governments, their residents and the business communities." What negotiators table? They must mean the one whereby the liberals tell municipalities that they will be stripped of their powers. It's why Translink, for example, is firmly back in the hands of the provincial liberals. No pesky municipalities having input as to how and where infrastructure will be built and by whom. The same will happen with the ALR (admittedly a little trickier but then they've had a few years practicing the art of collusion and deceit). Bye Bye Barnston. Not to mention the more than 200 hectares of farmland that will be lost to the massive Roberts bank development. Hello, pollution.

Bona Fide: 1) honest, sincere; lawful, legal; or, 2) spurious, deceitful, false. Is it this liberal government's contention then that municipal rules and regulations created for the benefit of society as a whole are both deceptive and fraudulent? It appears they've succeeded in turning the word into an oxymoron.

Public Health Care - "Private Vancouver emergency clinic reopens", CTV.ca, Apr. 9/07 "The clinic which was initially open to everyone, closed its doors to B.C. residents after the province accused it of contravening the Canada Health Act and threatened legal action. Now the clinic has apparently found a loophole in provincial public health care rules that allows it to reopen for B.C. patients. Godley, who opened the clinic with several investors, said the facility has now hired out-of-province doctors. By hiring emergency care doctors who never enrolled with the B.C. Medical Services Plan, they are allowed to levy private fees. As reported by The Globe and Mail, Health Minister George Abbott said "it appears the private clinic is operating within the law". Does anyone believe that our liberal government didn't have a hand in this? Does anyone believe they came up with this solution all on their own?" It appears the 'conversation on health care' was nothing more than a sham. No surprise, no surprise at all.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the actions by both our provincial liberals and federal conservatives (the SPP) are tantamount to acts of treason and both political parties should be removed.

More to come.

Janice