Ok…Today was exactly one month ago that Tim Smith left the Capital of Fredericton after receiving some positive information that his suggestions would be LOOKED INTO by the Lord Government!!!
You can see his picture in my photo files!
In today’s update, I’m going to dedicate the whole update to Tim Smith. Tim left his daughter at Family Services so he could protest against the VLT’S!
Her picture is on the front page of the website! Isn’t she a cutie?
Ok…I emailed TIM SMITH some questions to answer and this is a first for me? I never did this in the past! Hey? Maybe I can do the same to the elected officials? Any Elected officials wish to be interview by Charles LeBlanc?
Send me a note! < I doubt that very much > Here’s Tim Smith answers to my questions? Enjoy and please fell free to leave a comment!
My name is Timothy Smith, I held a protest in Fredericton from January 12th to January 20th 2005.
I went on a hunger strike to bring attention to the growing problems in our Communities in New Brunswick and Canada with Video Lottery Machines (VLT,S)and the crisis it is causing among the population in general.
This weekend I was asked to answer a few questions so I have agreed to do so and to answer completely and honestly to Charles’s questions!
Charles LeBlanc - Question #1:How are you feeling since your protest 1 month ago this weekend?
Tim Smith - Answer-
Well? Things are slowly coming together in the financial aspect of my situation and I’m attending regular weekly meetings for a 90 minutes sessions down from 2 hours at the beginning.
My relationship with my children has come together very well and I’ve found out that as long as I keep myself very busy which at the present isn’t very hard helps
me tremendously!
Question #2:How is your relationship with your youngest daughter been going since returning home?
Answer-
My bond with Sheana has improved to the point where I
no longer torture myself with thoughts like - Am I doing enough or
Interacting enough with her????
I enjoy her so much more know that I sleep better at night and have more energy to cope with my daily duties as a caring parent.
The difference of having a bit of money in my pocket to take her
out more and to do some of the simple things we used to do is very
rewarding to me.
I also have found that her and I have begun to enjoy the closeness that is gaining in strength to where it used to be!
Question #3:Have you played or thought of playing (VLT,S)since
coming back home?
Answer-
That is something I struggle with everyday being involved with and talking to
people each day when I’m out. This helps me a lot!!! As I’ve said earlier keeping busy is another tool I use, Also I keep convincing myself everyday that this could
be the day I will hear an announcement that the Government has set a date to lift the time as was mentioned in my suggestions!!!!
This is a reality I use as a as a starting point for myself, my friends and the many thousands of New Brunswickers who suffer from this affliction.
Question #4: What memories do you have of your protest & what to you were the highlights?
Part"A" Well the memories I think about the most would be.
1.I think I will always remember my new friend Charles Leblanc
with whom I still communicate on a regular basis and read his updates which by the way are improving by the day!
To the people who don’t really know him he comes across as a bear who forgot to hibernate for the winter but I’ve had the time to get to know that bear and inside he’s no more than a rabbit to the people he cares about on a
personal level (On the outside it’s the protester in him so be patient!)
2. How friendly the people of Fredericton where to me!!
3. How great the media was in their coverage and in helping
me have the courage to stand up for what I believed was a very Important cause.(walking me through tremendous nervousness)
4. But the thing I think about the most were the families of the people
who had committed suicide that thanked me for what I was trying to do for them and and myself which gave me an unbelievable energy to deliver the message to the
government that something has to be done.
Part "B"
1. I have to say one of the highlights for me was the meeting with the 4 ministers in particular Mrs.Margaret-Anne Blaney and the sincerity I felt from her as a parent as well as a politician regardless of the reputation politicians have she went far beyond that point with me she had a genuine concern for my cause & my well being and I will always remember how she stood by my side and came with me to the cafeteria to have my first meal in 8 days as she teared up with real emotion and again expressed here feelings about myself and my family
2.Another highlight for me was how supportive the public was to this issue and how people still come up to me today to talk and saying to keep up the good work and tell me they too are praying for a date for change so they will have a new hope for most of their friends that are going through this and so they won’t feel so helpless in trying to help them.
Question #5:The day your protest ended, you seemed very optimistic
that the government would act on your concerns and suggestions, do
you still feel the same way?
Answer - This is a question I think about a lot as time passes, with not hearing from the members of Legislator as often as when I first got back and with this issue not making it on the news as often as it was all though it still does here and in other provinces I still try to keep a positive outlook that change will take place sooner than later, I also believe that the honorable members know that a lot of people are keeping their ear to the wall hoping for a chance at escape and a new beginning!
Question #6:If nothing is done on your suggestions? Are you planning to RETURN to the capital to continue your protest on this issue?
Answer-
Although I try not to even imagine that being the case, knowing now just how huge this issue really is and the number of people I’ve since found out that it effects just in my area alone and to hear about 20 of my own personal friends tell me if I was to go back not counting people I’ve never met before tell me also that they would stop everything they’re doing to go with me without hesitation.
I will most definitely go and do it all again and knowing I will be
returning with more support than I could have imagined would only increase my determination to get it right this time.
(Lie to us once? Shame on YOU!!!! Lie to us twice???? and the blame on YOU)
Question #7
Do you believe it is better to protest in the cold of winter or the heat of summer?...LOL…STUPIS QUESTION!!!...LOL
This is a bit of a different question which I really don’t know how to answer?
I didn’t choose the cold of winter it just turned out that it was time to act out of absolute desperation to have something done about the addiction to VLT,S that was killing me and already done so to Others, But in saying that I do believe that the sub zero temperatures did help drive the point that this issue was important enough that there was no difference between Hot & cold and that time is not on the addicts side for change to these machines. And I suppose one could say that the quick response of the media and the government could be attributed to the fact that this protest happened in the cold of winter.
I hope this will answer some of these questions and I would again like to thank people who stop and give me support and encouragement to try and make a difference and please help keep this issue alive and in the forefront, Peoples lives are depending on it every morning we start our day.
