CHARLES'S COLUMN AND 25 READERS COMMENTS!!!

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http://oldmaison.blogspot.com
MEALS SERVED AT THE FREDERICTON SOUP KITCHEN
SATURDAY
NOON- 80 MEALSSUNDAY- 72 MEALS
SUNDAY
NOON - 90 MEALSSUPPER- 66 MEALS
ENJOY YOUR NICE HOME COOK MEAL AT HOME!!!
Here's a column that I wrote for a paper! Let me know your views???
Two different Cities but two different Countries? In the late 80s, I began to work at the shipyardin Saint John. It was 10 years of good money and a very high standard of living. A few workers would take the bus to work and we would say - You take the bus??? With all that moneyyou make??? I remember a few workers couldn’t understand the reason that some of our taxes would go towards thewelfare system! The good old days came to an abrupt end on July 19th, 1996. The Shipyard closed its doors and many workers received a rude awakening. Carolyn McNaulty at Romeo House <> received many phone callsfrom many former shipyard workers in need of help. It was a very difficult financial adjustment. The days of going to the restaurants were over and months afterwards, many would instead go to the SoupKitchen. Saint John always had their share of poor citizens but after the closure of the Shipyard? The numbers grew. On June 17, 2003, I began my six months tent protest in front of the Legislature and quickly learned there’s a big difference in attitude between the City of Saint John and Fredericton. The Loyalist City has a Blue Collar attitudetherefore more open minded than the Capital. During my first evening, I heard someone shouting at an individual. The reason? He was going through a garbage bin collecting empties. Of course, in Saint John this would be a normal picture and no one will condemn the act. On July 2nd, I decided to go to Officer’s Square andwatch the morning sunrise. While walking near a dumpster someone popped theirhead out like a Jack in the box. He had a cardboard boxover his head. He was collecting empty bottles from thecelebration of the evening before. He said that he makes only makes $264.00 an month and that’s notenough to survive on. He came by my tent and told me that he collected$92.00 in bottles and went home happy! It’s called –Survival! I would soon found out there was a Soup Kitchenlocated in the Western Part of the City. Every evening, I would make my little walk to this needy place. Once there, I notice that the volunteers were veryfriendly and George Pierse is really in charge of thegoing on around the Kitchen. They served two meals a day and I might add you caneat all your stomach can take. While in Saint John, The soup Kitchen would serveyou one meal a day between 10:00am and 1:00pm! Evenpoor people do get hungry in the evenings. I might add that the St-Andrew-St-David Churchserves dinner once a month and the place is full ofpoor people. Many would ask for seconds to take home.
The summer of 2003, I read in thepaper that former Mayor - Shirley McAlary announced that theopening of the Harbour Passage was a huge successbecause they gave away 500 to 800 hotdogs! Excuse me?PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY!!! Why do some poor families go hungry in one Citywhile the other is full? That’s the emotionalquestion? I would soon find out the Shelter and the SoupKitchen are the area of the less Fortunate. The poorsouls can do their drugs or alcohol around the building. No one will bother them as long they stay inthat area! Compare to Saint John this is a good idea. It’s their property and the Police won’t bother anyone. I would soon find out that the Transit system is very bad in the Capital compare to Saint John. I heard a sad story of a young woman who had an interview for a job but she couldn’t attend because she had to wait 3 hours for the next bus! Of course,the attitude must be the same of my shipyard days?They must say- You take the bus??? What’s wrong withyou? Don’t you have any bureaucratic friends? The bus system is much better in Saint John. The Food bank in the Capital islocated in a high class neighborhood.<> In Saint John these helpful locations are locatedin the area of the poor population. In the Capital, the homeless have no place to goso they can escape the cold winter winds.<> In Saint John, the Salvation Army has a placewhere these poor individual can have a coffee or playsome pool! Once a person is evicted from a mall?There’s not too many place a person can go. The Salvation Army in Saint John would charge$7.50 a night for accommodation compare to the Capitalwho will take someone free of charge for a fewevenings. In the Capital, if a person is down on their luck,They have to lower their pride and asked theGovernment for assistance. They have open cubicles at the Family Servicesbuilding where everyone can hear your personalbusiness compare to Saint John were these privateconversations are done in a private atmosphere!! I could go on and on. Yes! We do live in two different Cities and wehave our different way of the matter the poor are toobe treated but from the point I see it? It sure looks like we’re living in two different countries!
OK,,,,WHAT YOUR VIEW ON THAT ONE???
Here’s a email from a girl who just lost her Uncle. There was no funeral because that’s the way he wanted it! In her words-
Actually he was 79 with one lung. I know that he was up in age, and I know that he had a good life. But people like him are far and very few in between. If I could have met a man like him, I would never have settled for the piece of shit that I did marry. He was a gem. He was there for my family through the roughest part of our lives, when my grandmother died. He was there. Through everything he was there. And even when we hadn't asked him to be, he was there anyhow. He was always there, like an angel. I have to say that heaven scored this time. They really do have a TRUE angel up there now. Right up there beside my grandmother. You know, I don't know one person that could ever say anything bad about him either. And if he had have had a funeral, you probably would have had to pick a number or buy tickets to get in to see him. I'm positive that it would have been a full house. In fact I would bet my life on it and the lives of my children. He truly was a living angel. I wish that you had met him. You would have called him a saint. We feel for him, probably the same way that you do the priest. We are very close, and we love him a lot. So, whether he was 79 with one lung or not, this truly is quite a loss. BELIEVE ME!!
OK..HERE’S SOME COMMENTS FROM SOME READERS---
1- Another Irving story for your mailing list: "On April 3, 1986, two meetings took place in Perth Andover, New Brunswick. One meeting was quite large. Over 250 farmers crowded the school gym to talk about the price support programs for potatoes, a national marketing plan, and the stand New Brunswick had taken on these issues. These farmers were worried about the future of their farms and over their own place in an increasingly McCain dominated potato industry. Hazen Myers, New Brunswick's Minister of Agriculture, was supposed to attend this large public forum but backed out the day before. The other meeting was quite different. A few shippers and representatives of the Seed Growers Association met discretely in a small motel with members of the New Brunswick Potato Agency. Three conservative MLA's were in attendance. The purpose of the meeting was to work out the details of administering the newly announced potato diversion program that had been put in the hands of the agency. The next day, the Saint John Telegraph Journal published an upbeat story on this much smaller meeting under the headline "New Brunswick Potato Farmers Get Help". The minister was applauded in quotes from members of the potato agency: "the agency thanks the Minister".. and so on. The Irving controlled Saint John daily did not even mention the much larger meeting of farmers that took place in the same town on the same day."
2- Charlie, here's a good article you may want to add to your mailing list, it's from the book "People, Resources and Power". I doubt things have gotten better since it was written:
"In the summer of 1971, the crew members of six ships connected to the Irving empire were trying to get their union certiifed as their bargaining agent. The workers on the ships believed that they were employed by an Irving controlled company and their union acted on this assumption in its application to the Canada labour Relations Board. As the boards hearings proceeded through the autumn, however, it became apparent that the corporate structure was so intricate that not only did the workers and their union not know who employed the seamen on the six ships, but many management employees of the company did not know either. If one followed the ownership chain up through the corporate maze, it became apparent that the employer, ultimately, was Irving. Legally, however, the matter was so complicated that the identity of the employer could not be ascertained. The workers on five of the six vessels could not organize or bargain collectively because they simply could not find out who their employer was...."
3- I was talking with someone about the subject of Bush and Iraq and the economy...People in our neighborhood are mostly frustrated and upset about Bush.....
4-CHARLES HERE…I FOUND THIS EMAIL FUNNY AS HELL!!!
Hi Charles
Could you do me a teensy favour for all the favours I done to you?
Could you add the following email addresses to you mail list?
???????? and ????????I'm getting spam from this asshole, and want to make him pay...by getting your updates!!
Seriously, if you don't mind, please send them to this jerk
Thanks
5-: PAUL MARTIN...ESTEEMED LEADERSubject: Paul Martin - our leader On a recent public relations trip through Orillia, Prime Minister Martin visited the Rama Casino. He met with the elders of the Mohawk Nation and said he had a plan to improve the income of every Native Canadian by $60,000.00 a year. Details of the plan were not presented despite frequent requests to do so. Martin also informed the elders that he favored every Native Canadian issue proposed or sent to him for his signature. Martin was adopted as a member of the Mohawk Nation and given the Name Walking Eagle. After the Prime Minister left, one of the elders was asked the significance of the name Walking Eagle. His response---" Bird so full of shit it can't fly " <>
6- Hi Charlie. Hopefully you will post it on your blog site. The person insuniated that I was racious msyself because of making statements about the Premier and etc. I want him to know that I have the paperwork if he wants to see it. I also took the liberty to open my own blog site, for a number of reasons. If you do not mind what is on there perhaps you can list my address, http://bernardlordsucks.blogspot.com/, on your blog site also as you appear to have a great following there.Thank and have a good weekend whatever you decide.
7- That's the bad side....The are alot of Rich people also.....and alot of poor people...They say the rich get richer and the poor get poorer...The man that I was talking to yesterday....>works for GM...he lives about 2 hours away...On the subject of raises>>>he says that they don't give him much and want him to do the work of two people and he doesn't get the credit...>>only the higher ups get the big raises for inflicting the lower (pee-ons) more work and less pay; because it increases their profit and the big guys get all of the credit!!!
8- It sounds like you are getting alot more people on your side....This is the army of strong individuals,,, starting not to be afraid to speak !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
9- Hi Charlie;
I hope that you will post this reply to a statement relating to my note, about Bernie (the Beggar) Lord and Not To Honest Brad Green, that was posted on your blog site. The item, (4- The same way that person critized you for printing an email about TJ is the same thing that person did when she flat out said lies about Bernard Lord and Brad Green and you still printed it because it is your right to do that...), apparently does not think too much of me calling them, Lord and Green raciest and dishonest. Well the raciest remarks by Bernie was well published so if the person can read at all he has to believe that.The one relating to my statement about Begging Bernie and B. Green can be well documented also if the person has the ability to ask me for copies of the statements. My e-mail address is birdsteeth@hotmail.com. My remarks relate to an incident whereas the Premier and Justice Minister screwed a you female worker that worked with the department of AFA/APA. I, like you, have found that the Irving controlled newpapers of this province do not want to print anything that makes Premier Lord and his government look bad. If they did the newspapers would not have enough paper to print any other news.And I surly do not mind if my name is mentioned.Robert (Bev) Stack
10- Haven't seen anything since Friday, so maybe you need to put me back on? <>
11- In response to your request, I would just say that thegovernment of Canada ought to investigate the efficacyof Ritalin in a test apart from the clinical trialprocess.
Such a test is necessary because many clinicalresearchers who conduct clinical trials receive stockin the funding company, which is usually the companywhich will produce the drug. The possibility that theresearcher may see economic benefits - even anincreased quality of life - should they publiclyendorse the drug can lead to very real bias, includingmisrepresentations of the data from the trial.
There have been studies with regards to the levels ofbias in clinical trials & even in the most reputablemedical journals bias in clinical trials exceeds 80%.Which is to say, over 80% of the published trials arebiased owing to the researchers predispositions tofavour the tested drug.
I hope that's clear. Good luck Charles. Happy New Yearand a Very Merry Perihelion to everyone.
12- ADD Sonby Sad Mother Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2005 at 7:32 PM I enjoyed reading your story, Every night my son and I struggle with homework. He tells me that he is stupid, and I try to tell him he's not, he just needs to try harder. He is very smart, just can't get it on paper, he is more worried about playing. He was on meds and I took him off. Told his teacher we changed them, and to tell me if she sees a differents and she has not, his been off of them for 3 months now. and I see no differents at home. He is a very sad little boy and I don't know what to do for him.
13-
Someone was in a bad mood and His or Her comments were so negative towardsyou that you must be making progress. Keep up the fight. As far as TJgoes, you didn't write it and not everyone will like everything thats saidanyways. You don't seem like the type to worry about who's toes that youare stepping on thats for sure. Too many things goes unsaid and whosuffers and who gets away with it? Things have got to change and you aredoing a good job at it with your update. I do not mean that I agree witheverything that you say but you have a awful lot of good, valid pointswhich alot of people share but would never come forward with, With theinternet being new to the political world it brings a new light on thesituation. Thanks Again!
14- Was that a Government employee who replied to your comments? I hope not.You should consider running for something within the Government and thenyou would be right there to deal with the different issues. Not everyonethinks that you are off the mark on the page.
15-FROM A MOM IN FREDERICTON-
Hi Charlie,AGAIN I am fighting with ????s school. On Friday they sent a note home saying that they have a teacher's assistant in to work with ????l SPECIFICALLY for a half an hour every day. I was unaware of this until I received the note home on Friday. When I asked my sonl about it, he told me that Mrs.????? works with him and none of the other class mates. HE KNOWS THAT HE'S BEING SINGLED OUT!!!!! This could cause him psychological damage if this continues. I AM FURIOUS!!! I sent a letter to the school today about my inappreciation of them taking the initiative and making decisions about my son with out notifying me first and without my permission. I'm telling you... when I sent him to Kindergarten, I assumed that it was supposed to be a wonderful experience for him. Now I'm fully aware, that instead of sending him to Kindergarten that I have in FACT thrown my child to the wolves!!! I am so angry, and FED UP!!!! My poor, poor child. What can I do?
16- I hope that wasn't the Human Rights Commission answer to your complaint.Whoever it was has a beef with you Charlie. That person might not seethings the same way that you do..........but alot of people see it thesame.

17- great link - I am covering this story- so now I can put a pic to it!
18- When are you coming to Saint-Jean again..I owe you a beer !! (LOL)

19- i am in Florida Lakeland
20- I was a little too harsh, I think. I'm sorry I was rude. I think you're very wrong about the Holocaust and Hitler comparisons, and wrong about the NB Human Rights Commission, and I'll keep holding you accountable, but I am sorry about the name-calling, and I won't do that again.
Here's why I feel so strongly: I know Holocaust survivors, and I know it hurts them deeply when people compare things to the Holocaust or compare politicians to Hitler. Lots of Canadian politicians and business people have been bad for people, especially workers and the poor, but none is comparable to Hitler. Second, I know people who have worked for the Human Rights Commission. They work their hearts out for victims of discrimination, and they're not corrupt, and I hate to see you treat them all with such disrespect. Third, I know two people who've won their human rights complaints, so I know if there was no Commission (like you wish for), people like them would have nowhere to turn.
Not trying to take back my apology, just trying to explain where I'm coming from.
21- Whew who wrote the rant Charles?!
Just 2 points on that ball of fire- I sure you'll get a few---my response inred
>6- FACTS- The verdict was suppose to come out on a>Friday and Carl White <> hung up on>me while I phoned his home to find out the verdict!
I agree with him/her on this one---you can't call a guy at home- we mightnot like all our politicians but he has a life and family too and can't workfor 24 hours...whether or not he gets paid a little or a lot---people arehuman...and home time should be off limits to the public- I respect hisright to privacy- we are not in a communistic dictatorship yet- so no matterwho the guy is, no matter what party, race, or creed= he needs a life too.
Fact: The point of a human rights commission is thatit's not political. That way, they don't worry about what the majoritywants, they protect minorities.
Um well everyone has a slant--it's human nature, we are all biased in someway---and if they vote they are political----also when a minority starts tosqueeze out the majority with law changes and going against the majoritieswill in a country because an appointed court decided and NOT thepeople----it's called apartheid, remember that one. 1/4 white ruled over 3/4blacks in South Africa----
22- Yes, I agree with the writer. THAT SAID "YOU LOVE IT AND THE ATTENTION YOU GET FROM WRITING THE UPDATES.."
23- You are starting to effect people and are starting to get somewhere!!
24- Rights Commission
1)Fact: Outside Charles LeBlanc's little world there aremany real and serious human rights abuses all over the planet. Much more tragic than losing one job, or losing one complaint, or not getting a letter to the editor published.
___This is frightening statement if it is coming from Human Rights Commission. If there are “serious human rights abuses all over the planet’ does that mean discrimination which leads to loss of one’s job in NB is OK. Oh please! All the more reason that HRC needs to be re-hauled so that it protects people’s rights and not brow beat them. Mr. Lord is having impact on every institution of this province, as he is good at brow beating especially that of victims of Lord Govt such as Mr. Burke. Yes current Commission should be abolished and real one should be established.
_____________________________________________
(2)
Fact: The point of a human rights commission is thatit's not political. That way, they don't worry about what the majority wants, they protect minorities.
__
Would Commission like to give some examples where it actually protected minorities? Is that minority Govt of the day? As they are fewer in number than entire population of the province. Yes Commission does protect Govt if it qualifies as a minority. We need to abolish the Commission, as it exists today, and put one in place which is sincere to its mandate and is able to carry out its mandate. Talking about politics, current chair has deep Tory connections.
--Posted by Anonymous to Charles LeBlanc ADHD Activist at 1/28/2005 02:01:28 PM
24- Could you PLEASE take me off your distribution list. I think I've requested this before, I'm really impressed about all thestuff that you're doing only I don't need to know about all of it.
Thank you much