With all the talk about crosswalks and the deaths of a few citizens in Nova Scotia and the future deaths that will happen in East Saint John? < I pray it never happens >
I wish to share with the readers a little experience I had 15 years ago.
I was living on Mount Pleasant Avenue in East Saint John.
During the frigate program, this was a very busy road. Especially being a blind hill? It was very dangerous.
I saw old citizens crossing the road to take the transit bus.
There was also a school located near-by and kids were crossing this very busy street.
I notice a 5 year old running across and slipped on a piece of ice.
He fell down hard and I quickly came to his rescue.
The little boy was crying and crying.
I told him to come inside
and my girl would put a band aid on him.
He said- NOOOOO...My mom told me not to talk to strangers...wahhhhhh....and walked away crying his little heart out.
WEll? That did it!!!!
I decided that I was going to have a flashing crosswalk in that location.
People in the area told me they have live here all their life and there's no way in the world I'm going to succeed in having the City install a flashing crosswalk in the area.
I was told by the City that in 10 years from now? There will be a overpass by the main road. 15 years later, there's still no overpass.
I began going door to door and I collected 500 names on my petition.
I also wrote many letters to the editor about this issue.
I must write a little funny story while going house to house.
I knocked at this door and a old guy answered the
door.
I told him that my name is Charles LeBlanc.
He quickly said- Not the guy who writes letters to the editor?
In those days, I received that comment all the time and the funny part? it was in the year 1991 and I was just beginning to write letters to the editor in Saint John. 
I ended up writing 500 until the Irvings with the help of Peter Haggert ordered the paper not to print my letters.
OK...never mind that.....The old guy invited me inside and ordered me to sit down.
He asked me - Do you smoke Mr.Leblanc?
I told the old citizen that I did indeed smoke.
He came back with a nice brand new package of smoke.
He continued by asking me if I drank?
I told him that I indeed enjoy a nice drink.
He came back with a cold Alpine beer.
He said - I haven't had a drink since my best friend died a few months ago.
Do you mind if I have a drink Mr.LeBlanc?
I told the nice guy that it was his house.
He took a big bottle of hard liquor from under the kitchen sink and made himself a drink.
He took a nice drink and stared at me.
After a few minutes, he said - So?? You're Charles LeBlanc???
I felt a little embarrassed and he said- I have been reading all your letters Mr.LeBlanc!
I taught you were an old man but you're just a young mutt!!!!!
I reminded the old guy that I hear that line all the time.
It felt good in those days because I had a view on different issues and I had a high paying job at the Shipyard.
Looks like my style haven't change 15 years later...lol....
Going back to the old guy?
He said - I invited you into my home, gave you a pack of smoke and a nice beer for all you to keep Mr.Leblanc!
I told the guy that it was very nice of him.
He raised his voice and said - BUT THERE'S ONE THING YOU MUST UNDERSTAND ONCE AND FOR ALL MR.LEBLANC????
I said - What is that now?
He continued - THIS IS WHAT YOU MUST UNDERSTAND???
WE THE MEMBERS OF THE C.O.R. PARTY ARE NOT THAT BAD!!!!
..lol..I started to laugh because I wrote many many many letters against the C.O.R. Party and I will say that I was right on certain issues especially the part of removing the Acadian flag at the New Brunswick Legislature.
I was right on with that issue because once they got a few C.O.R. members elected? They demanded the Government removed the Acadian Flag from the Legislature.
I showed up at that meeting and the rest is history.
I collected 500 names and appeared in front of the Saint John Common Council and the citizens in that part of the City got their crosswalk.
I might add that I had some help with the Mayor of the day.
To this day? The crosswalk is still there.
I’m long gone from that area but you can say that I did leave a little land mark that the citizens can remember me by?
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
YOU COULD SAY THAT I LEFT MY MARK IN EAST SAINT JOHN???
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
Yeah! They should put up a little monument there for you. God damned so self-conceited.
When you die, Charles, I have no doubt there will be a small statue in most New Brunswick cities honoring you. Perhaps a little bronze one with an Alpine in one hand and a pack of smokes in the other.
I heard they already reserved a space for you at the Assumption monument in Rogersville.
500 letters to the editor? That's more than enough for one person for an entire lifetime. Other people deserve the chance to have letters printed and THAT is why your letters aren't printed anymore. You wrote way too many. Ever heard of quality, not quantity?
Hey? It was the same as this blog. I wrote about different issues and they got printed.
I wrote supportive letters of the Irvings and letters against the Irvings!
It was an open forum and it was great until the Irvings gave the orders that only praising letters of the Irving Empire will be printed.
Once I got the phone call from the publisher on this new police? I aid Bye bye..it's over!!!
Where's the final report of the Senate on the Irving's monopoly?
Former Irving lawyer Joe Day must be delaying it?
Nothing better than having a lawyer in the Senate eh?
Your letters are usually meaningless hyperbole.
Please spare the readers of those papers. You have created enough pollution on the net already.
well???? Why do you read them???? That's one question that really bothers moi????
Why do you come to this site???
Irving or Government employee????
Hey? It was the same as this blog. I wrote about different issues and they got printed.
No, it's not the same as this blog. This blog is YOUR blog and you can write 500 letters about 500 topics per day or more with no publication limit. In one way your blog is exactly the same as the newspapers - when people post comments on your blog, you are censoring them and not publishing everything. How does that make you any different than the Irvings?
Let's say a newspaper has 20 letters to the editor per week - why on earth would people want to continue reading if 5 of those 20 were from the same person? Don't begrudge other citizens their chance to have letters published.
hey i remember that crosswalk cuz i lived at Mt. Pleasant rd in those days! people can joke and throw sarcasm all they want but putting a flashing light there was really needed. it was dangerous, esp. for kids!
raincheck
Charles, do you have copies of all your letters saved? We'll want to put them with your monument when you die.
Perhaps we could post a few near the crosswalk so people could appreciate the hard work you put in.
Do you have them????? ... lol... I hope so < old germany > !!!!
Post a Comment