I must admit that I wasn't certain if I should answer to the reporter questions but he was nice the last time so why not trust the guy again?
He did a good job! Hey? Any way to spread the word!!!
I know in person < Irving reporters > they are starting to respect bloggers and that's a good thing. Maybe the Saint John Police Force can learn a few pointers from the Irving media? < I had to add that line >
We'll see on my court date on November 2nd. Here's the story -
Election bloggers wrap it up By David Gingras
Spinks and PNB chat about their election night chat.
Just minutes before CTV called the recent provincial election, blogger Spinks stated on the bloggers election night chat, "Premier Shawn Graham. I have little doubt. I owe PNB a coke." There you have it folks, the New Brunswick blogosphere was the first to declare the Liberal party victorious. This piece of news didn't quite make it onto the mainstream media (MSM)...until now.
Spinks, along with fellow bloggers PNB and Charles LeBlanc organized another first in this province's political history; they teamed up to form an election night chat for all bloggers along with up-to-date election coverage.
This [here] reporter sat in on the get-together to "see" what everyone was talking about. After a few days passed the three bloggers responsible were asked for their thoughts on the interaction between blogs and the election.
The effect blogs had on the general public during the election is still up for debate, as far as the bloggers are concerned. Both Spinks and PNB saw increased traffic to their sites though, with Spink About It going from 100 unique visitors a day before the election to 300 a day in the last week of the race.
PNB isn't sure whether or not blogs changed any minds, but he adds, "If we made people think a bit about their decision and the issues, then perhaps we made some sort of difference as a collective group." Charles LeBlanc, though also not sure whether he managed to change any minds states, "if I did manage to change one citizen's mind not to vote for Bernard Lord, it was well worth the effort." For the most part, he admits, "people who come to my blog have already decided which party they are going to vote for." PNB adds that there were many good ideas being floated about the blogosphere, and whether a suggestion comes from "a blog or in the opinion pages of the local paper or overheard in a coffee shop," it would be in a party worker's best interest to act upon it.
What do these new developments mean for blogs and elections in the future?
Spinks' view is that all candidates will have running blogs in the next provincial election, that the candidates now know they don't have to fear comment.
PNB agrees, but also cites Taylor and Keir as being "on the leading edge," adding that they "understand what a blog could be to them if employed properly." In fact, PNB believes blogs will be used in the future by aspiring candidates to gauge support and create a profile before even offering for public office.
This reporter kept an eye on the political blogs throughout the New Brunswick election and came to the conclusion that the initial wave of non-partisanship in the blogosphere virtually disappeared in the final week of the campaign. Spinks shares that opinion, naming a number of truly partisan blogs that sprang up to purposefully cover the election, adding he's not entirely sure about their longevity.
PNB found himself caught up in the hardening of political lines. "It's tough for anyone, whether a blogger or Joe Citizen on the street who is engaged in politics, to not pick a side in a political contest." He continues by saying it is simply "the nature of the political beast." Leblanc also doesn't deny picking sides in the final moments of the campaign, stating quite emphatically, "I sure did."
Spinks, PNB and Leblanc took it upon themselves to set up a grand election night finale. Asked how successful the chat was, Spinks explains that he doesn't know how success can be measured but "there were never less than ten people chatting at any one time and they were from all corners of the province: Moncton, Saint John, Fredericton, Miramichi, Bathurst, Edmundston, and Ottawa at one point; Conservative, Liberal and NDP voices were there." Despite some initial technical problems, PNB was happy with the result of election night, including the chat.
"I'd say it was fairly successful. We had a great time and some thoughtful comment and debate as the night went on." Since this was a New Brunswick first, PNB was pleased with how it went but knows that there is always room for improvement.
"I have some ideas on that, for next time."
LeBlanc wasn't as impressed as his partners. Covering the election took his attention away from watching it. "There's nothing better than shouting at the television for a couple of hours." Perhaps not the kind of answer one would expect from a blogger, but it shows the work that still has to be done to compete with the MSM on election night coverage.
Regardless, bloggers still believe they will have greater influence on future elections. But, as the thread below taken from the election night chat suggests, some people are already benefiting: PNB: And my wife is happy. She didn't have to listen to me all evening! Spinks: Mine too!
By David Gingras
4 comments:
Blogger to argue police violated his Charter rights
Khalid Malik
Telegraph-Journal
SAINT JOHN - A lawyer for a blogger charged with obstructing a peace officer at the Atlantica conference earlier this year will use the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to defend his client.
Harold Doherty served notice Wednesday when he appeared in Provincial Court to set a trial date on behalf of Charles Joseph LeBlanc.
"It will be a very interesting trial," Judge William McCarroll said as he set aside a full day for the proceedings to take place on Nov. 2. "I am looking forward to it."
LeBlanc, of Fredericton, and Andrew Morgan Webber of Halifax, were charged with obstructing a peace officer during a protest at the international Atlantica conference held in the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre in late June.
Webber initially pleaded not guilty, but changed his plea to guilty and apologized. He was granted an absolute discharge because it was his first offence.
Doherty supplied a brief to the court when the judge asked how he planned to use the Charter for the defence.
Doherty said he will seek a stay of proceedings under a section of the Charter because LeBlanc's rights were breached under three different sections. He said his client's rights were violated when LeBlanc was arrested arbitrarily and without justification.
His rights were also breached when a police officer retrieved LeBlanc's digital camera from the floor after his arrest and, without a search warrant or reasonable grounds, viewed the images in the camera and then deleted them, his lawyer contends.
Doherty said the "intentional deletion of images" was in fact a deletion of evidence that might have assisted LeBlanc in the presentation of his evidence for his defence.
He said the photographic images were of the events, people and places that had figured in his arrest.
The lawyer also said in the brief that LeBlanc's arrest, search of his camera and deletion of images, constituted a breach of a section of the Charter that guarantees freedom of thought, belief, opinion and experiences, including freedom of the press and other medium of communication.
In a letter to this newspaper, LeBlanc maintained that he wasn't a protester at the conference. He was covering the Atlantica conference for his blog and happened to be in the area when the protesters ran through the doors at the Trade and Convention Centre.
Bloggers are the journalism style of the future and the trial will determine how bloggers should be treated in New Brunswick, he said in the letter.
LeBlanc has been banned from entering the provincial legislature or its grounds by a committee of provincial MLAs. The committee said he was banned for showing disrespectful behaviour and harassing legislature and security staff and members of the general public.
IRVING to hire Charles as CEO.
The Halifax Shipyard has signed contracts to build two luxury cruise ships for Pearl Seas Cruises, a Connecticut-based company.
The value of the deal, signed Tuesday, was not made public.
Pearl Seas president Charles Robertson said the company chose the Irving Shipbuilding Inc. operation because of the workers, facilities and geographic location.
The vessels will carry between 165 to 210 passengers.
The first one is expected to begin service in July 2008
NIce post above. Wouldn't it have been nice if there was still a Saint John shipyard!
Biker barks back
(Noel Chenier/Telegraph-Journal)
‘I have children, everyone in this chapter has children, we all work. My kids go to school ... I work six days a week.' says Matt Foley, a Bacchus club member.
Jeff Ducharme
Telegraph-Journal
SAINT JOHN - After a weekend media report that connected the Bacchus Motorcycle Club to a drug bust on Pitt Street, the club has decided to break its years of silence.
The raid took place at 56 Pitt St., next door to the clubhouse and wasn't connected to Bacchus.
Outside the clubhouse and anxious to talk, Matt Foley sits at the picnic table in front of the setback grey-sided house. It's the clubhouse for Saint John's only motorcycle gang - Bacchus. The only thing that identifies the house, other than the Harley-Davidsons often lined up out front, is a crest with Bacchus on it - the Roman god of wine, women and song - hanging over the front door. The yard is clean, but gravel replaces where most people have grass and a tent covers the picnic table and a barbecue. The only thing out of place is a dishwasher pushed up against the wall of a neighbouring house.
"The people next door get raided for drugs and there's a little blurb about them and the rest of the article is about us. To me, I don't find that fair." said Foley, massive gold rings on each finger of his right hand and tattoos peaking out from under his shirt collar.
Convincing some residents the clubhouse is anything other than a gathering of law-breaking bikers riding earsplitting-loud motorcycles is akin to pushing a boulder up the side of the CN Tower.
Well-spoken and media savvy, Foley is still the personification of a biker - big and intimidating.
In September 2006, the release of the Criminal Intelligence Service New Brunswick report on organized crime said the province is home to more than 50 organized crime groups, including the Bacchus motorcycle gang.
"The Bacchus motorcycle club itself is 35 years old and there's never been a member charged with murder," said Foley.
On the CSIS website, the club is flagged as an Outlaw Motorcycle Club listed among far more notorious gangs such as the Hells Angels, The Bandidos, The Pagans and The Outlaws - Canada's big four.
"We are an outlaw motorcycle club," said Foley in a matter-of-fact voice. "We don't hide that."
From the police point of view, outlaw motorcycle gangs are involved in organized crime - drugs and prostitution. Bachus members see the term differently - outlaw by lifestyle and not by profession.
"I have children, everyone in this chapter has children, we all work. My kids go to school and they get ridiculed by other kids. I'm not a drug dealer, I work six days a week."
In fact, Foley was on his way to Fit for Life to get weighed and then on to open his uptown tattoo shop. A regular life, he said.
"We don't claim to be saints. I chose this lifestyle. I'm not sniveling about it. I know the crap that comes with it. The (expletive) in the paper, if it has got something to do with us, write it."
The wake-the-dead roar of the bikes is something he said they can do little about. He thinks most of the complaints come from King Street East residents.
"It doesn't matter, if it's not us, do you know how many guys go racing by here on bikes or little Japanese cars with those mufflers, fire trucks and sirens going every five minutes?"
The 20-year plus bike gang member said he'd even be willing to sit on a neighbourhood committee to try and act as a liaison with residents.
"We're not even really thinking about (moving), but if these people are upset with us, buy the place, we'll move."
Foley said they'd rather be out in the country, but couldn't say what the asking price might be, though, the clubhouse does have a pool table and a bar as selling points.
Under surveillance by police and residents, Bacchus also watches with its own video surveillance pointed out into the street.
"We're not the neighbourhood police. We're not going to go kicking doors in and kicking dealers out. But if you do (expletive) in front of our house or on our block, you're going to hear about it."
Bacchus doesn't do itself any favours. It's chapter president in Hillsborough is currently up on charges for possession for the purpose of trafficking.
"I only speak for this chapter, I don't speak for the whole organization. As a club, we're a group of guys that ride together. We're not a criminal enterprise as they paint us to be. We don't do anything as an organization like that - if somebody does something illegal, he does it on his own."
Foley, who was the president of the now-defunct Loner motorcycle gang and a member of the nefarious Satan's Choice in Ontario, has a lengthy criminal record.
But those days, he said, are past. Other than a noise charge, the 44-year-old maintains his record has been clear for more than a decade. The same amount of time he's been free of cocaine, a drug that used to run his life and almost ruined it.
"I (had) to turn my life around, but I still like riding and I like the club theme."
Police contend that Bacchus is an affiliate club of the world's biggest and nastiest motorcycle gang, The Hells Angels. The gang's criminal exploits are legendary, subjects of sensational books and B-movies.
In 2005 and 2006, the Angels came to town and were hosted by Bacchus. They came and left without trouble, other than the deafening roar of their bikes.
Tiny compared to the Angels' more than 3,000 full-fledged members worldwide, Bacchus only has 15 members that are known to police. Foley wouldn't discuss numbers or open the clubhouse doors.
"They're just friends. We're not a puppet club or anything"‰"..."‰I don't like to talk about the Hells Angels"‰"..."‰that's their thing."
The Angel's thing, according to police, is prostitution, drugs and murder.
"This is a whole different scene than Ontario, this is Saint John, New Brunswick, know what I mean?"
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