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WE MOVED TO

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That’s easy!

Click on over and change your bookmarks when you get there.

Oh give me land, lots of land under starry skies above, don’t fence me in…

Ah morning!

Charities like Rotary become addicts

Charlottetown Rotary, addicted to money

Love of money betrays the cause

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, February 22, 2009

The protests against Jerry Lewis and his MD Telethon by disability activists is typical of a charity gone wrong. The same thing is happening on PEI with the abuse of disabled children by Rotary, Easter Seals and CBC Charlottetown. Well meaning groups have fallen behind the times and get stuck because the money is too good. It doesn’t have to be that way with Rotary on PEI and MDA don’t have to abuse children either. But money is a powerful drug.

When the the Muscular Dystrophy Association started fund raising with Jerry Lewis decades ago standards were different. We were called crippled children back then. We weren’t expected to grow up, get jobs, have sex and children. I’m not sure why. Does one bodily defect mean everything is broken? Fund raisers needed celebrities and the more flamboyant the more money was raised. Hence Jerry Lewis who is so nutty he doesn’t have a North American film audience. Too weird for us but the French love his slapstick.

Myrtle Jenkins Smith week on NJN

With the release of the aging report, I count 5 stories about MJS since yesterday. In her honor, we are naming this “Myrtle Jenkins Smith week on NJN”

If you have a pet peeve, bit of gossip, old boy friend story or picture of MJS for Our Lady of the Week send it along.

Everyone may as well get in on the party. If she’s going to run Robert and try to run us, we at least can have some fun.

How did that happen? Did she get elected? I don’t know…

Using the handy dandy Search feature, you can find 38 stories with references to MJS.

Search – after Pages, Posts and before Categories.

That Healthy Aging Strategy Report in Full

NJN Network, February 21, 2009

To RG
From MJS

Rob, I’m really excited and thrilled to submit our healthy ageing strategy. As you know, “Dead on the Island Today” is by far the most popular section in The Guardian, so I suggest we give this policy initiative a really snappy name like “Getting Decrepit on the Gentle Isle”. This could be a real winner for us.

You will note a big change for us in this report. Normally I believe a 10 point strategy to be the most professional – enough to look serious and committed, yet not too much for the little people to feel they understand. This time I have condensed it into just five points. This is partially because I am anticipating the possibility of a Cabinet reshuffle, and I wanted to allow for the likelihood that you may shuffle Neil to this portfolio on the grounds that being near-comatose and near-dead are pretty much the same thing. I was also mindful of Chris LeClair’s comment that he was tired of policies exploding in his face, so the less there is the less the risk. (He is right that this approach worked very well for you in the first year, when there was no policy at all.)

Law and Order – only more complicated

Myrtle is a plot

Nothing on TV could rival the Myrtle Jenkins Smith story

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, February 21, 2009

I was up way to early and tired of writing so I went into the TV room, yup that’s what we call it. Mostly a place for Hannah and Natalie to hang with the door closed and their friends over. I go in late at night – like 1 am when it may be free. Law and Order came on so I watched this complicated plot about a couple arguing, a woman gets shot, there’s a stripper, her photographer boyfriend, a lawyer with a dead wife, two ex-cons and a 22 caliber pistol. The thing was so complicated then I realized no less strange and complicated than our our Myrtle Jenkins Smith story.

I’ve known Myrtle for decades mostly because Vaughn, her husband, and I were business associates. He’s a pretty easy going guy. Myrtle was always pushing somewhere. When I ran into her as the lead consultant on the Disability Services Review Committee I thought it would be pleasant. She has a good way with people, getting things organized. We seemed to get along but there was something wrong.

Media Dinosaurs Continue Death Cry

Newspaper dinosaur

ANOTHER NEWSPAPER FAILS TO COME TO GRIPS WITH THE END OF TRADITIONAL MEDIA

By The Cournalist, Citizen Journalists of Santa Cruz, CA, USA, February 21, 2009
Some people just never learn.

In an editorial this past week, the Chicago Sun-Times touted its unraveling of Sen. Roland Burris’s shadowy fund raising for ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich as proof that traditional newspapers will endure.

The facts report a much different story. Newspapers in their current form are dangerously close to extinction. A perfect storm of paralyzed housing and car markets and a volatile economy have destroyed advertising revenue for papers across the country. The wild success of Internet companies like Ebay and Craigslist have only contributed to the mess. Newspaper ad revenue fell 14 percent in the first half of 2008, according to the Newspaper Association of America. Future outlooks aren’t so optimistic.

Protesters with Disabilities Confront OSCAR Chief Over Decision to Honor Jerry Lewis

OSCAR SHOWDOWN

By The Trouble with Jerry, Hollywood, CA, USA, Feb 20 2009

Los Angeles – Nearly 50 activists from across the US protested at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) headquarters in Beverly Hills today, demanding to meet with AMPAS officials and to present a petition signed by over 2600 individuals objecting to the plan to grant Jerry Lewis the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at this Sunday’s Oscar Awards ceremony. The protesters, mostly people with disabilities, occupied the lobby and refused to leave. Finally, AMPAS Executive Director Bruce Davis was summoned to meet with the group, called The Trouble with Jerry. Lewis has long defended the use of pity as a fund raising tactic. He has also described disabled individuals as “half a person” and referred to a wheelchair as “a steel imprisonment.”

School closings the tip of the iceberg on rural incorporation

By Tony Carroll, Kingston, Ontario, February 18, 2009

Back in 1995, there was a Provincial election campaign and during this campaign a report from the Board of Education came out that indicated that the Liberal government had slated numerous rural schools to close. It was a bombshell, and Keith Milligan, the Liberal leader of the time, although denying having an agenda to close rural schools, could not deny that a study was done that recommended rural school closures.

Pat Binns, the Progressive Conservative leader, indicated to the public that he would definitely not close rural schools and the result on the electorate was obvious as Pat Binns was elected with a huge majority and stayed in power for over a decade. During his time in power, Pat Binns’ government kept his promise and rural schools remained opened during his government’s tenure.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA): Disability-related Provisions

$113 Billion to be spent on health, disability and poverty related issues

NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, February 21, 2009
with story from The Arc, Disability Policy Collobaration News

Editor - there will be more than the anticipated $18 billion spent of Americans living with disabilities in the ARRA with health, poverty, housing and disbility related spending combined. Medicaid spending is $87 billion and all other categories are in excess of $26 billion. President Barack Obama has kept his word with the American people to bring social and health issues to the forefront of US recovery efforts. The challenge for Americans is to get the money out to the States and agencies as quickly as possible.

Disability Policy Colloboration News

The ARRA moved extremely quickly through Congress. The Arc and UCP have worked hard to ensure that the economic recovery package signed into law maintained the highest funding levels for disability-related programs and provides for the best possible protections for people with disabilities. The final Bill contains $787 billion in tax cuts and program funding. Most of the funding is intended to grow and protect jobs.

What is the Status of the Legislation?

Jan 28 – passed by House by a vote of 244-188
Feb 10 – passed by Senate by a vote of 61-37
Feb 11 – the Senate – House Conference Committee resolved the differences between the two bills.
Feb 13 – the House passed the conference bill by a vote of 246-183 and the Senate passed it by a vote of 60-38.
Feb 17 – President Obama signed the bill into law.

So where’s the little man these days

Spouse of Liberal Millionaires Club Queen nestled as mole in Treasurer’s office

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown PEI, Canada, February 20, 2009
Some of you may think I a wise guy but my brain is pretty slow. It took a reader to remind me that Myrtle Jenkins-Smith’s hubby is a mole over at the Treasurer’s office. Vaughn Smith is a Chartered Accountant and a nice guy. Myrtle wears the pants and Vaughn, well he’s just Vaughn. He works only one floor away from those other accountants who are in the Auditor General’s office, yeah Colin Younker. Colin’s another nice guy and a Chartered Accountant too.

And the aged shall be blessed, saith the Lord Myrtle Jenkins-Smith

Myrtle Jenkins Smith, Queen of the Liberal Millionaires Club

Everything we need to know about living on PEI according the the Liberal Millionaires Club

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, February 20, 2009
from PEI Government Press Release

Well, it’s here. The final report on how we are going to age with grace, style and panache. Province Releases New Healthy Aging Strategy. I’m excited. Then I look down and see -WHAAT? – It’s called “Ascent Report”!

Oh God save us please. Another report for our mindless Premier Robert Ghiz prepared by the Queen of the Liberal Millionaires Club – Myrtle Jenkins Smith.

I mean is there a limit to the subjects Myrtle will pretend to be an expert on? She gave us the going-no-where Disability Services Reform Report. It’s also known as – “dust collector.”

Myrtle is the author of that best seller – “How to close rural schools and centralize PEI in Charlottetown and Summerside” or your kids don’t live here anymore, Alice.

We don’t want your stinking Easter Seals

CBC Easter Seals, Bruce and Matt Rainnie the Jerry Lewis twins of PEI

The disabled are not freaks for your freak show

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, February 20, 2009
with a story from FREDA, Jerry Lewis humanitarian award demonstrations set for this weekend

Just like Americans with disabilities don’t want the Jerry Lewis TV freak show, we don’t want your stinking Easter Seals Show on CBC March 1, 2009. We don’t want to be your trussed up little moneys wobbling across the stage at the Confederation Centre so you can feel sorry for us. We don’t want your stinking money. It’s all guilt money.

“Oh look Martha, he’s so pitiful and cute. And he doesn’t drool much.”

Jerry Lewis humanitarian award demonstrations set for this weekend

Jerry Lewis, disability parasite and pariah

Lewis is seen as a parasite by the disability community

From Feminist Response in Disability Advocacy, FRIDA
Los Angeles, Ca. - Disability community leaders from across disability advocacy will protest the decision of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to grant Jerry Lewis the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at this Sunday’s Oscar Awards ceremony. Lewis has described disabled individual is “half a person” and referred to a wheelchair as “a steel imprisonment.

“For more than two decades, disability rights advocates have objected to Lewis’ portrayal of life with a disability as tragic and pathetic. In response, Lewis snarled, “You don’t want to be pitied because you’re a cripple in a wheelchair? Stay in your house!”

Breaking News on Ghiz – Duffy meeting

Guardian didn’t get the whole story again

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, February 20, 2009
with story from the Guardian

You are getting used to hearing the news first on NJN Network. We are happy to report The Guardian confirmed our story of last Friday, Premier Ghiz’s office with Mike Duffy…late Friday night.

Today Wayne Thibodeau reported Duffy, Ghiz meet but fail to resolve differences. Well that’s a week late and a dollar short boys. Let’s see if we agree.

Premier Robert Ghiz and Senator Mike Duffy had a secret, 20-minute meeting last Friday to try and iron out their differences. On Monday, Ghiz wouldn’t confirm the meeting. “If I did, it was private,” Ghiz said. But on Thursday, Ghiz confirmed the meeting did take place but wouldn’t get into the specifics of the meeting.

U2 Album leaked – don’t tell anyone where you got it

No Line on the Horizon

No Line from the Horizon, still U2 but is it Joshua Tree?

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, February 21, 2009

I’m not supposed to tell you how (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) to listen to the “official leak” of U2’s new CD. So I’m not going to print the link that I used.

(link went dead – see the end of article)

Is that it up there? I’m not good at hyperlinks and stuff like that. If you click on it, you have to promise not to give it to anyone else and to buy the CD when it comes out .

Minister Docherty loses her voice

PEI Tourism, drifting until we drown

Businessman Kevin Murphy will stick up for her

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada February 20, 2009

Why are we paying Valerie Docherty a minister’s salary and expense account, allowing her to fool around with tax payers money only to have Kevin Murphy appear before the Public Accounts Committee? There is no doubt that Valerie has been hiding from the Public Accounts, the press and everyone with those lies about where she is. I’m at the doctors office every Wednesday. No I’m in the Dominican Republic. Give Murphy her job and send her back to the secretarial pool where she has a level of incompetence.

It’s quite a cosy little circle this group. Myrtle Jenkins-Smith, the original Liberal Millionaires Club, is close friends with Kevin Murphy and Tourism Minister Valerie Docherty so he can do that “one lies and the other swears to it” song and dance. Myrtle is the one who screwed up the Alanis Morissette concert and Valerie just had to bail her friend out because, well that’s what friends are for. Uncle Kevin will say those smooth words and make it all seem like a bedtime story.

Trustees vulnerable to legal implications with flawed process.

Grand Tracadie Home and School Association argues school closing process is seriously flawed

By Martie Murphy, special to NJN Network, Grand Tracadie, PEI, Canada, February 20, 2009
Delivered to PEI Eastern School District special meeting, February 17, 2009

My name is Martie Murphy. I have been the President of the Grand Tracadie Home and School Association since 2004.

I am here, again, this evening to speak to the Board of Trustees regarding the violation of the legislation governing the closure of schools in Prince Edward Island as defined in our School Act. Laws or Acts are ENACTED through the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Prince Edward Island. Changes to acts and laws can only be altered through the same process.

Under our School Act, requirements for closure stated in Chapter S-2.1 Sections 3.1 and 3.2 state that the five criteria below “SHALL” be included in the report (Section 4.1 of the Act) submitted by the Superintendent to the Board of Trustees. The term “shall” in the interpretation of an act or statute means mandatory and non-negotiable.

Cancer Survivors More Likely To Lose Jobs

Report: Unemployment Comes From Disability, Discrimination

NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, February 19, 2009
with story from WBALTV Baltimore

People who beat cancer are more likely to be unemployed than healthy people, according to a new study. Researchers from Amsterdam said it was especially true for survivors of breast or gastrointestinal cancers.

Author Angela G. E. M. de Boer found that cancer survivors had a 33.8 percent unemployment rate, compared to 15.2 percent for healthy people.She said that though half of cancer survivors are under 65, they face job discrimination and problems fitting in treatment with a work schedule. She also noted that cancer patients have a higher disability rate than the general population.

Good news from the Province on drugs covered

Cancer, COPD, Osteoporosis Drugs Added to Formulary as Province Begins Modernization of Drug Programs

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI – Prince Edward Island’s drug programs are undergoing a complete modernization review and, as a first step, additional cancer, osteoporosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) drugs are being added to the formulary, the Premier and the Minister of Social Services and Seniors announced today.

The province is investing $1.6 million to cover drugs that will improve the quality of life for approximately 1200 Islanders, with almost three-quarters of the funding being allocated to high-cost cancer drugs.

The funding is being redirected after internal reviews revealed savings in the pharmacy budget, because of increased use of generic drugs and the under-utilization of some programs. The new investment in the formulary will also be incorporated into future budgets.

President Obama arrives in Ottawa

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and U.S. President Barack Obama wave to crowds gathered outside Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, February 19, 2009 11:45 EST

US President Barack Obama has just arrived in Ottawa. He pulled up in his limousine pulled up under the Peace Tower at the Parliament Buildings. President Obama got out of his car, came inside and then went back out with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to wave to the crowd. The crowd roared back.

Why is that so exciting? I’m a hard boiled news person. My dad was a harder boiled newsman and I was an even tougher business man before that. People like Nils Ling who pretend they are liberal minded take shots at me everyday. Bigots and creeps take shots at me. I’ve been physically threatened because I stand up for the disabled and the underdog. I just shrug off those bigoted fools.

So why is Obama so exciting? Because he represents hope. Hope is hard come by any time but in Canada we live in an age of cynicism. Old governments don’t care about minorities. New governments like Robert Ghiz get elected promising to help. As soon as they are in office, they start gorging themselves on money and expensive luxury living. The poor, the disadvantaged, the disabled, minorities of language and race, rural people – all tossed aside by the cynical new government.

La ministre Bertram a perdu notre confiance

ÉDITORIAL

Par Jacinthe Laforest, La Voix Acadienne

De plus en plus, le dossier de Rustico se précise. En plus de prendre une ampleur politique, il prend maintenant une tangente juridique. Au cours de la dernière semaine, l’idée de retourner se battre devant les tribunaux s’est imposée comme une possibilité.

Si la communauté, les parents et la Commission scolaire de langue française sont o bligés de considérer cette option, ce n’est pas de gaieté de coeur. Ils y sont forcés par les actions de la province et en particulier de la ministre responsable des Affaires acadiennes et francophones, Carolyn Bertram, députée du district électoral qui inclut Rustico.

La SSTA ne peut accepter la décision du conseil des ministres

C’est avec beaucoup de déception que la Société Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin a pris connaissance de la lettre du ministre Greenan au président de la Commission scolaire de langue française, Robert Maddix, en ce qui concerne le projet du centre scolaire communautaire de Rustico. Cette lettre, datée du 15 janvier dernier, annonce les travaux de planification de la construction d’une nouvelle école élémentaire pouvant accommoder 65 élèves (de la maternelle à la 6e année) pour l’école Saint Augustin sur un nouveau terrain. La SSTA a appris que la lettre du ministre faisait suite à une décision du Conseil des ministres de ne pas aller de l’avant avec le projet d’un centre scolaire communautaire à Rustico, lequel étant nécessaire et réclamé par le Conseil acadien de Rustico depuis plusieurs années.

La Société Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin cannot accept cabinet’s decision

Refusing French school-community centre for Rustico

RUSTICO – Feb. 17, 2009 – The Société Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin (SSTA) was deeply disappointed to learn about the content of a letter from Education Minister Gerard Greenan addressed to Robert Maddix, chair of the French Language School Board, in regards to a project for establishment of a French school-community centre in Rustico.

This letter, dated Jan. 15, announced that planning work for the construction of a new elementary school to house 65 students, from kindergarten to Grade 6, for Saint Augustine, on a new lot. The SSTA learned that the letter from the minister had been sent following a decision by the provincial cabinet to refuse the proposal for a school-community centre in Rustico, which had been deemed necessary and lobbied for by the Conseil acadien de Rustico for several years.

UPEI disabled parking is too far to walk

The law says as close as possible but not more than 50 metres

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada February 19, 2009

If 50 meters from the parking to the building door is the standard, how does UPEI measure up?

Main Building which had 3 accessible spots right by the door before last summer is now 128 meters from the visitors lot or 158 meters from the back lot, or 78 meters beyond the law.

PEI Rural Alliance needs strategy

PEI Rural Alliance needs a strategy and it’s not putting a muzzle on Peter Llewellyn of Georgetown. Changing public opinion is your only hope.

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, February 19, 2009

Here is how this battle’s shaping up. We’ve got a government with law and power on its side. It can do whatever it wants and your recourse is to the courts and the next election. They already thought of that. The Courts will likely side with the government. PEI Courts are some of the most conservative in this country. If you had 10 years to fight to the Supreme Court of Canada like the French School Board, you might win and that’s a slim might. Most lawyers will take your case for the fees or on enthusiasm and empathy. All a court challenge will do is cost you money and waste your time. You don’t have any time to waste.

The next election is beyond September 2009 so that’s no help. Ghiz intends to close the schools this fall.

Public consultations on school closings phony as $3 bill

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, February 19, 2009

PEI Rural Alliance better circle the wagons because the end is near. Can’t you smell it.

What’s that smell in this room? Didn’t you notice it? Didn’t you notice the powerful and obnoxious odor of mendacity in this room? Tennessee Williams, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

That’s what we got going on here in this little backwater Province of PEI. We got ourselves the stink of lies, of swamp water in the hot deep south. We got an autocratic Premier who wants to close rural schools. He hires his favorite hired gun Myrtle Jenkins Smith to write a phony report. We got a school superintendent Sandy MacDonald with a doctorate in mendacity. You have to keep a list on the fridge of all his lies. List of sneaky and dishonest acts by Eastern School District

That Sandy he’s got the agenda all laid out so you parents don’t upset his September 2009 start up.
Timelines:

January 7, 2009 Release of School Organization Plan
January 7 to May 12, 2009 Receive Feedback
February 12 to April 21, 2009 Public Consultation Meetings
May 13, 2009 Review and consideration of feedback begins
No later than May 31, 2009 School Board decision forwarded to Lieutenant Governor in Council
After May 31, 2009 Create Transition Teams to oversee any changes that will become effective as of September 2009

There’s no doubt. The decision is made. You’re just delaying it.

Bloodletting at Guardian and Pioneer begins

By Stephen Pate, NHN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, February 19. 2009
With story from Canada Press

This is not news – we’ve been predicting it for months. When you need to make tens of millions of dollars and your audience and advertisers desert you, tough times are ahead. The layoffs at Transcontinental have started as reported by CP yesterday, 1,500 employees across North America. That represents 10% of their workforce. The Guardian and the Journal Pioneer are asking employees to take an unpaid week of leave.

“It’s the first time we have endured such a drastic situation,” founder and chairman Remi Marcoux said Wednesday ahead of Transcontinental’s annual meeting. The Montreal-based company faced little impact and resorted to minimal cuts during recessions in 1981 and the early 90s. But the rapid deterioration of the economy this time has reduced spending by its customers, with commercial printing projects, direct mail projects and magazine ad placements cancelled or postponed.

Recessions aren’t new as Marcoux notes; however this one is deeper than we’ve ever seen, because few of us were alive during the depression. I hadn’t realized how bad things were until I watched Frontline program Meltdown on PBS. Did you know the world banking system stopped, as in didn’t function in September 2008? After the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers Holdings on September 15th, 2008, banks stopped lending or doing any business with anyone. Fear had entered the market. You can watch the story on line at Frontline Meltdown.

Ann Corcoran must watch for accessible parking

No one else is

By Ann Corcoran, special to NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI Canada, February 19, 2009

Editor – Ann’s experiences are typical. The PEI COD and local police have fallen asleep at the wheel on enforcing disabled parking.

Stephen,

I know how dedicated you are regarding parking spaces and disabilities. When L and I went to find a parking space one day on Kent St., the space was in front of a telephone pole which put him in the line of traffic to get out of his van. It was my first act in the role of traffic control.

My very first letter to the editor went earlier regarding the parking space in front of the liquor store on Queen St. I always try to take note with blue spots. There was a police car in a disability parking spot. I really don’t care if they had an issue or not within the liquor store. The cop car did not need to be in that space.

Important decision on future Provincial Museum announced

by Heritage Guy, special to NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, February 19, 2009

Mayor of Brighton Robert Ghiz and Minister of Most Things Carolyn Bertram today announced the future home of the new provincial museum and artefactory.

“We have come to an arrangement with the Cymbria Lions Club in Rustico” announced Ms Bertram. “This is highly appropriate as the Cymbria Lions are very public-spirited and made me, er I mean The Province an offer we couldn’t refuse. Some ungrateful little people in the francophone community may object, as it seems the new inlet we are dredging for mooring access to the museum may drown their new French school, but I always thought Acadians were experts in building dikes, which I believe is aboutox in French. Visitors will be especially impressed by the period feel of the building – toilets from an earlier century and the tasteful worn linoleum of a different era.”

Racism and bigotry fostered at highest level on PEI

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, February 19, 2009

The recent decision of Premier Robert Ghiz to refuse Federal funding for the French cultural centre is another brick in the wall of PEI’s officially sanctioned bigotry and discrimination. Ghiz is the leader of the Liberal Party which implies some sort of liberal values like tolerance and respect for human rights. It was Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau who gave us the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Of course, the Charter was based on Conservative Prime Minister Diefenbaker 1960 Bill of Rights. However, Ghiz finds it politically expedient to cancel those linguistic rights in the face of opposition from the Cymbria Lions Club. I can’t think of another occasion when minority rights have been thrown out the window for such a frivolous and slight reason.

Leaders are supposed to lead, to lead people to a higher plane. President Kennedy exhorted young people to “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” President Obama encourages us to put the old ways behind us, to believe in a better fairer world. Yes we can says Obama. Premier Ghiz campaigned on respect for minorities and change to a better way on PEI. He has slipped into some of the worst regressive policies in PEI history. Can he pull out of it or will he go down in history as scandal ridden and bigoted?

Dear President Obama

Dear President Obama,

When you come to Canada would you ask the Prime Minister of Canada to treat Canadians with disabilities better.

We don’t have a Canadians with Disabilities Act so employers, schools, universities, governments, public and private institutions abuse our human rights.

We don’t have an Equal Opportunity Commission to help enforce the law either. If we try to fix that, we have to hire expensive lawyers to take them to court.

When the Canadian Government came up with its stimulus package, it didn’t budget anything near the $18 billion you are spending on the disabled.

Please just put a bug in their ear. We need help.

Yours truly,

Stephen Pate
PEI Disability Alert

Is Wade MacLauchlan a disability bigot?

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, February 18, 2009

Nils Ling, a reader, has reacted to Wade MacLauchlan UPEI President Disability Bigot with the following questions and challenge to my logic. I like to refrain from direct responses since they can be inflammatory and this one is attempting to prick my ego.

You know, Stephen, I get that you see yourself as a Champion of the Underdog. I get that you are passionate about your efforts, and sometimes feel frustrated when people don’t see things as you do. And I respect your commitment and dogged determination to expose what you believe is “right”.

But I think sometimes you are careless with language. First, to lay the decision about parking spots on Wade MacLaughlan’s desk seems a bit of a stretch. If UPEI functions like any other bureaucracy – as it almost certainly does – the decision would have come from a committee of what he considered to be qualified people, and to ignore or fail to act on that decision would have been the wrong thing to do.

The survival of rural schools

By James Rodd, Leader of NDP, February 11, 2009, West Prince Graphic

The Island New Democrats congratulate the members of Rural Alliance for raising the debate over the survival of our rural schools. The Alliance has brought to light the broader issue that must be addressed – the survival of our rural communities.

For well over 50 years, Liberal and Conservative governments have been reluctant to play the kind of pro-active role that governments must play to protect our rural communities. The threads of our rural fabric have been allowed to unravel.

Mexican standoff in Montague

Council won’t meet with mayor – again

By David MacDonald, Eastern Graphic, Montague, PEI, Canada, February 18, 2009

Three Montague town councillors say they won’t attend a meeting called by Mayor Pat McGowan and the other three won’t commit to be there Wednesday. The meeting was intended to discuss a stand off between the mayor and council and follows the mayor’s refusal to meet with council at their request last week.

Montague, PEI

The issue came to a head at the last regular council meeting when council abruptly made a motion to adjourn. The adjournment came after Councillor Janice Taylor demanded an apology from the mayor following an incident at the December meeting when Mayor McGowan would not allow her to put forward a motion.

The mayor ruled Coun Taylor out of order and the meeting was quickly adjourned.

Three councillors, Ms Taylor, Bernie Crawford and John MacFarlane, say they have prior commitments and cannot attend Wednesday’s meeting. Councillors Marion Robertson and David Mabon said they wanted to find out what the other councillors were planning before they made their decision.

Plea for help from friends of Kate Poole

NJN Network, Denise Reiser, 16 February, Charlottetown, PEI
Dear Friends of Kate Poole,

Some of you might be aware that Kate has been dealing with a resurgence of symptoms of her breast cancer. She has been gone through the gamut emotionally and physically, and though her symptoms seemed to ease with her cleansing regime and the chemo she underwent last spring…her symptoms have resumed with a vengeance. Steroids have helped alleviate the pain (headaches) and given her a boost in energy. She is undergoing more tests, and will soon be advised about treatments by her doctor.

On the brighter side, Kate’s mental and emotional state has become far more peaceful, joyous, and strong over the last month, she is not feeling the fear that can be undermining. Her newfound strength is a blessing.

Bigotry – Wall of Shame

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, February 18. 2009

I’ve been thinking about this for some time and today is the day we start our Bigotry Wall of Shame. which will be located on upper right hand corner.

The dictionary definition of bigot is “stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one’s own. 2. the actions, beliefs, prejudices, etc., of a bigot.”

Bigotory can be racism, the dislike and discrimination of people of other races. Bigotry can be sexist, as in male sexist pig – a guy who doesn’t see women as equal and treats them with disrespect. Zenophobia, when used to discriminate against new comers, is a form of bigotry. Disabilitity bigotry runs throughout PEI society especially at official levels. Bogotry can also be reversed when the minority gets some rights and starts to discriminate against others it perceives as weaker.

A reprimand for law enforcers

Letters to the Editor, Ann Corcoran, February 18, 2009, Charlottetown, PE, Canada

What is the ultimate disgrace by law enforcers? It was seen on Queen Street today – a Charlottetown Police car parked in a designated parking spot. Another a few weeks ago was a car parked in a designated spot and ignored by a meter person.

The tangled web of Cymbria Lions and Minister Carolyn Bertram

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, February 18th, 2009

There’s a tangled web between Cymbria Lions Club and Minister Carolyn Bertram. Why else would she risk offending the Francophone community and their English supporters. Yes there are plenty of Canadians who support Acadians in renewing their language and culture. Some are Charter supporters. Some have French in their heritage although they don’t speak French. Some are looking at their careers and their children in the Federal civil service where functional bilingualism is required at almost every level.

Lions thought they had enough clout to torpedo the whole thing, school and all. There is a rumor they have more on Bertram than just the vote threat, but heaven knows what it could be. Apparently Bertram was poisonous at the meeting and Gizmo not much better. Way unprofessional. The brain trust thought they’d be able to double cross both sides but keep them quiet with “the Solomon fix”. At this stage the Lions strategy has focused on torpedoing the cultural centre. Maybe they think the Conseil and other groups will still use them. I think hell will freeze over first. Could this nonsense happen anywhere but PEI?

Marcia Carroll, stooge for Ghiz not working for disabled.

Premier Robert Ghiz, PEI COD Executive Director Marcia Carroll, he's got her under his spell

Payoffs in not-for-profit sector

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, February 18th, 2009
When Marcia Carroll got the position of Executive Director PEI Council of Persons with Disabilities I hoped it was a fresh start for PEICOD. It’s actually been more regressive than the former administration of Barry Schmidl. Carroll is a personal friend of Premier Ghiz who has turned out to be a disability bigot. Ghiz is using her personal loyalties and grants to keep the PEICOD from advocating on behalf of the disabled. That makes Marcia Carroll a disability bigot as well. They’re in fine company these Liberals. People like Carroll are really parasites, living off the disability of others while pretending to help them.

Sandy MacDonald, our doctor of deception getting edgy

Our PhD

Sandy MacDonald, glib answers barely hide the deception

of prevaricating caught in the act

By Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada, February 18th, 2009
PEI Eastern School District superintendent Dr. Sandy MacDonald has been up to his eyeballs in lies and deception recently as he tries to hoodwink the PEI populace in closing 11 rural schools. Along with his hostile body language he was barely able to contain his contempt for the public meeting last night at Charlottetown Rural. The meeting room was packed with parents who made several good points.

Apparently the school board is planning to break ground on the expansion of Montague Intermediate without disclosing it in the supplementary report. MacDonald said the cost was buried in the capital costs of the high school which left everyone in the dark.