Charles Leblanc's Other Blog: 12/26/10

Friday, January 07, 2011

Fredericton Councillor Jordan Graham from Ward 11 chats with Blogger about Robert Burns Statue!!!!

I chatted with the young politician today!!

Before we began the interview? He tried to talk about the issue but I told him to keep quiet until I begin the video!!

I always do it this way!!!

After interviewing the guy? I believe that he has a point!!

Let me know what you think???

Click below -

A warning from a wiseman!!!

The Robert Burns Statue saga in Fredericton - Scottish Association's Statue Struggle a David and Goliath Battle!!!!

Can the City of Fredericton handle a bunch of Drunken angry Scots invading the City???

Time for Something Completely Different by James Clancy, President, National Union of Public and General Employees Tom Mann, Executive Director, New Brunswick Union!!!

Charles,

The new Alward Conservative government now begins its work on New Brunswick’s economy.

A major theme throughout the election for the Conservatives was “politics as usual” no longer worked.

While it is still early, the Conservatives should not walk and talk like previous governments faced with the same economic challenges. They cannot simply turn to old solutions and stay away from seeking a new path.

Maybe it is time for something completely different in approach.

Listening to Don Drummond is one example of the old path. Drummond is one of the prophets of the old thinking. Mr. Drummond’s solutions to our government’s deficit and debt are freeze public spending for maybe as long as five years and/or raise the HST. He offered these “solutions” at the recent Economic Summit where he also said, "the next four years are going to be the worst four years of your life".

How ironic Drummond offered up the same old stuff at the New Brunswick business Council’s “Future NB Economic Summit” which was looking for new ideas and approaches.

What didn’t work then will certainly not work now.

But Mr. Drummond is a well-known economist, a bit of a celebrity in his field, and a recognized “elite” on the list of top influencers of social policy in Canada (Globe and Mail 2008).

While we won't hold that against him, we do resist his arguments that there are only two ways for New Brunswick to deal with its debt and deficit.

Freezing public spending at current rates means a real and dramatic cut in the level of service that the people of New Brunswick currently receive. This includes longer waiting times in emergency rooms, fewer teachers, fewer firefighters, and longer response times for police and emergency responders to name just a few examples.

We have seen this movie before when the federal government slashed social spending in the 1990's. On a global scale, we are seeing this played out on the streets of London, Dublin, Greece and Spain today.

On the other hand, David Ganong recently pointed out at the Economic Summit that the provinces private sector had grown just 4 percent in the recent past despite the lowest corporate tax rate in Canada, cheap power and easy access to large American markets.

Our economy requires both a vibrant sector economy and a robust private sector economy.

Who will do the work if the public sector is reduced? A private sector which has consistently under-performed the past 20 years? How will this really foster true economic growth?

Drummond’s approach of raising the HST as a solution to addressing government debt is a tactic used by provincial governments all across the country with no success. HST goes up and government debt continues to grow.

The true consequence of raising HST is more money leaves the pockets of people who need it the most.

The more affluent have the resources to go elsewhere to buy their big ticket items and avoid HST.

So, what would be something completely different which actually works towards the desired result of addressing debt while improving quality of life?

We feel the overall distribution of the tax burden is unfair. We believe the great majority of people already pay enough taxes. A new approach would strategize revisions to the income and corporate tax rates based on an open discussion of a fair taxation strategy.

Government has a revenue problem, and a fair taxation is long overdue.

According to data from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives in the period from 1982-1992 the share of personal income for richest of Canadians was 21% of the total income pie. That share grew to 25% of pie from 1992-2004 and 90% of the gain in income share went to the richest 0.1% of the new Canadian super rich millionaires.

This was done by lowering the effective income tax rate for this group by 11% while the rest of us got a 1% decrease. It was the largest wealth transfer in the history of Canada. This also helps explain why it is so hard today for average families to manage household budgets and personal debt.

To reduce government services means something. It means cutbacks in health care and education,
continued inability to address poverty and homelessness, a slowing down of our ability to address our deteriorating environment, less resources and cash for cities despite increasing urbanization.

We have the ability to generate enough wealth. We do not have the ability to distribute this wealth effectively for a higher quality of life.

This is the new path.

To do something completely different means look at the income tax system and see how we could create a new model to grow our investment in people, community and economy. New Brunswick has the opportunity to be the first on this new path, and create the environment and quality of life would make New Brunswick a jewel in Canada.

James Clancy, President, National Union of Public and General Employees
Tom Mann, Executive Director, New Brunswick Union

Thursday, January 06, 2011

Officer's Square in Fredericton is open for skating!!!

Our Native Buddy from Saskatchewan enjoying the Beautiful City of Fredericton!!!

Nice crispy walk around the Bridges in Fredericton tonight!!!

Beautiful day in Fredericton New Brunswick Canada!!!

The City of Fredericton gives the Scots their Scottish Statue!!!

Native Carpenter from Saskatchewan looking for work in Fredericton

Click below -

Blogger interviews Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Niece of Scottish poet Robert Burns!!

Made this one today!!!

Click below -

MAYBE THE ROBERT BURNS STATUE IN FREDERICTON COULD GET FLOOD RELIEF MONEY FROM THE GOVERNMENT???

ANGRY SCOTSMEN TO ATTACK CITY HALL IN FREDERICTON!!!

If the Province is proud of its Scottish roots shouldn't the City of Fredericton do the same???

Maybe Fredericton Councillor Jordan Graham is uneducated on the Scottish issue???

Is Mayor Brad Woodside proud of our Scottish culture or a Fraud???

NB Minister of Public Safety Robert Trevors Says Laying Charges Against Sackville Bus Company "Inappropriate"

MEDIA ALERT

NB Minister of Public Safety Says Laying Charges Against Sackville Bus Company "Inappropriate"

(Bathurst, NB - January 5, 2010) - The following is a statement from Isabelle Hains of Bathurst, NB in response to a letter received late today from New Brunswick Public Safety Minister, Robert Trevors, regarding the failure to lay charges against Prestige Bus Service of Sackville. (See original correspondence below).

"As we suspected, there will be no charges laid by the New Brunswick Department of Public Safety in the Sackville Prestige Bus Service incident where 60 children from Marshview Middle School were driven to Halifax on two separate charter buses with bald tires in late November, 2010.

Citing "precedent" the Minister of Public Safety, Robert Trevors, has declined to lay charges because Nova Scotia has already laid charges in the incident. According to Minister Trevors, proper procedures and policies were followed and the investigating officers "concluded that further charges for the same violations would be without precedent, and inappropriate."

We'll tell you what's inappropriate: it's inappropriate that three years after the Boys in Red tragedy, students in the province of New Brunswick are still being transported in buses with bald tires in winter and the crime goes unpunished.

Nobody at the Department of Education paid a price for this incident either as employees there also followed proper "policy", according to the Minister of Education, Jody Carr. To quote: "I am satisfied that appropriate policies were followed by District 2 and Marshview Middle School to ensure student safety while on an out-of-province field trip," Carr said on December 3.

We say that any time childrens' lives are endangered by unsafe transportation practices and policies of the Department of Education that precedents MUST be set to prevent it from happening again. In 2009, Brice Noel, a volunteer coach / bus driver from Jacquet River was charged and fined $172 by the Department of Public Safety for failing to keep a log of his pre-trip inspection. We assumed that the actions of Prestige Bus Service of Sackville warranted similar, if not more severe treatment, given the number of buses and children involved.

Apparently, the Boys in Red tragedy wasn't enough to set precedent. Almost three years to the day and the people with the power and authority to improve student transportation safety haven't learned a thing. Prestige Bus Services and the senior administrators at District 2 didn't even get a slap on the wrist. Laws, policies, rules and regulations can be violated and nobody is held accountable. It's shameful and borders on criminal endangerment because the message is clear: in New Brunswick, it's all right to transport children in winter on buses with bald tires.

Meantime, we are still waiting for word from the Minister of Education, Jody Carr, regarding his proposed student transportation stakeholders "committee" which was raised in our December 1, 2010 meeting in Fredericton. With the 3rd anniversary of the Boys in Red Tragedy just days away, we believe the Minister of Education must show good faith and strike the committee with a view to dealing with the concerns and issues of safe student transportation without any further delay."

Isabelle Hains

Click below for their Website!!!

VAN ANGELS WEBSITE!!!

Wednesday, January 05, 2011

Scotsman Danny Taylor is interviewed by the Blogger about the Robert Burns Statue in Fredericton!!!!

I made this interview today!!!

Click below -

CANADA LOSES TO THE RUSSIANS AT WORLD HOCKEY JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP!!!

They deserved to lose because they came into the Third Period leading 3-0 but played like a bunch of wimps!!!

Maybe the 3rd period should have been played like this!!!

No hitting whatsoever!!!

What a bunch of wimps!!!!

This is for one of the commenter -

I used to be a very hyper and rough goalie!!!!

Billy Smith and Hextall were my heroes!!!!

img_5398
Originally uploaded by Oldmaison

My hero was Hextall!!!

God first made the Devil then Billy Smith and afterwards Hextall!!!

Pictures taken 10 years ago...

I was very hyper in the crease...I loved to slid those pads!!!

SOLD!!! NEW WAY FOR THIS BLOGGER TO MAKE EXTRA MONEY????

SCOTSMEN TO FIGHT CITY HALL IN FREDERICTON FOR ROBERT BURNS STATUE!!!

I wonder if City Hall knows there's nothing more stubborn than a *()^&%^ SCOTSMAN!!!!

Here's an idea!!!

NOW!!!! THIS IS GOOD!!!!

I wonder how the snobs in Fredericton would treat this guy???

Son of exiled shah of Iran dead after apparent suicide . Alireza Pahlavi, 44, shot self in Boston!!!!

WOW!!!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/04/alireza-pahlavi-suicide-i_n_804347.html

Man has been charged with threatening to kill Beauséjour MP Dominic LeBlanc!!!!! William Kolacek is sent to Restigouche!!!!

I made this little video during the last Federal Election!!

What's with this anyway???

What ever happened to the old LeBlanc ways in Memramcook of having a good old fashion fist fight???

Someone says something awkward and it's a threat!!!

Too bad that Dominic LeBlanc was raised in Ottawa!!

He would have handle the situation the old fashion LeBlanc way!!!

WIMP!!!!

Scottish Blogger Charles McLean becomes a member of the Scottish-Cultural Association!!!!

It's not a proud Gene that I'm proud of because this is the reason I'm so stubborn!!!!

Me mother is from Glasgow Scotland and we know there's nothing more stubborn than a *(&(*) Scotsman!!!!

I asked my good Priest to perform an exorcism on my to remove my Scottish Genes but he denied my request because he loves me for the way I am!!! Stubborn and Hyper < ADHD >!!!

This is a rare breed!!!!...:P

I might add that I don't like the new look of the Statue!!

Here's the email I've received a couple of days ago!!!!

Charles,

Charles for all you help I would like to offer to you a free membership to the New Brunswick Scottish-Cultural Association ( NBSCA). The NBSCA is the provincial Scottish group with over 3000 group and individual members belong. If you are interested please forward to me your mailing address and phone number and I will up date the Association distribution list. For more information about the Association I invited you to visit the Association website www.nbscots.com

Happy Hogmanay!

Dan Taylor

Just got this comment -

Charles: Welcome to the wonderful world of Scotland and its vibrant cultural heritage, only one of which is the Bard "Robbie Burns"!!

I love Scotland and its people. They are the most interesting, honest and capable people I have ever met. They have struggled for centuries to assert their distinct national and cultural heritage and, like their relations in New Brunswick, are well deserving of every respect and consideration.

That is why it is important for New Brunswickers of Scottish descent to unite and speak out about the Robbie Burns statue debacle here in Fredericton, NB.

This beautiful statue was a gift to the City and Province of New Brunswick by the Scottish people of New Brunswick. It has been at the same location on The Green since 1906 and not only was it a tourist attraction and an inspiration to Scottish New Brunswickers, but it's a part of our history: taking down the Robbie Burns statue and putting it in storage is NO WAY to treat the BARD!!

Let's hope that the City of Fredericton and the Scottish Cultural Association can come up with an agreeable solution and we can once again see this beautiful statue on the green again. It really is quite a site to behold.

Meantime, here's hoping that you have a great year as one of the NB Scottish Cultural Association's newest members. You might even learn a thing or two about the Scots.

Melynda Jarratt (descendent of Scottish Frasers and Urquharts)