Tuesday, July 03, 2007
STORIES CONTINUES FROM MY SIX MONTHS PROTEST IN FRONT OF THE NEW BRUNSWICK LEGISLATURE!!!!
In the middle of July, a commissionaire named Tom Dunphy asked
me where I was born and if I knew Father Brien?
I told Tom that I knew Father Brien and why would he mention
his name?
He told me that Father Brien was at the Legislature 30 minutes ago and he asked Tom - Who was the guy in the tent?
Tom explained to the Priest that I was a protester name Charles LeBlanc and told him that I was from Saint John.
Father Brien said- Ok; It’s not the same Charles LeBlanc that I know.
My God? I was the same Charles LeBlanc, and my brain cells
went back in time to a period in Memrmamcook. Pere Brien who we call a Saint and everyone in the Valley loves that man.
He’s the most respected Priest in my time in the Valley. While I was a child in the early grades, Pere Brien used to come to the classes and preach the words of the Lord with his guitar.
I was very close to Emery Brien. Before I rode my ten-speed
bicycle across Canada and the United States in the late 70's, I used to train hard with this priest.
We used to ride our bikes around all over the place.Emery
was transferred to the Acadian coast in Nova Scotia years later. I remember they held a good-bye party for this near Saint Priest at L’Ecole Abbey Landry in 1980 and close to 2,000 people showed up with tears in their eyes. It was the biggest good-bye party ever in
the Valley of Memramcook.
Around 10 years ago while visiting Yarmouth, I heard that he was stationed in that area and it was the first time that I had seen
him in ten years.
I located his church and through a side door, I listened to Emery preach to the Acadians in the South Western coast. He used to have black hair but it turned white.
It was inevitable to be a happy reunion and we did have a good chat. This time around it’ll be another 10 years until I see Emery.
He was stationed in the Capital and I didn’t know that he returned to this Province from Nova Scotia. I left a message on his answering machine and he showed up a couple of days later. I hugged him and said- Forget this protest Pere Brien. Lets go for a nice walk near the River.
We sat down on a picnic table and chatted away for over one hour.It sure was nice to see him again and it was the first time that I discussed the issue of ADHD with Emery.
It explained a lot of my actions as a child and I felt like I was giving a
confession to a Priest in a church; we walked slowly toward my tent and I said- Father Brien??? I’ve been in the tent for over one month? Be honest with me Emery?
AM I DOING THE RIGHT THING??? He stared at me and said- Yes Charlie! For the kids? You are doing the right thing.
I know for a fact that maybe I don’t act like someone who believes in the Lord but trust me?
I’m 100% religious. I believe there’s someone watching over me and the support from a near saint priest would enforce my battle for the next few months.
Days later, I noticed a crowd of reporters surrounding a politician near the building of the media.
The guy was Bernard Lord and I never seen the man since my
protest. While he was talking to the media,
I stood in the background and once he seen me? His eyes popped
out and he continued by talking about insurance insurance and insurance.
I proved that I wasn’t a media hound because I never said a word. Once the interview was over I approached the Premier with the same line- Bonjour Bernard!
He always reply - Bonjour Charles!
He told me that he was in a hurry and asked me to walk with him towards his office.
He always seem to be in a rush but I guess that's the life of a Premier.
I told Bernard that I wasn’t going to waste his time talking about my
protest because he knew all about the issue of ADHD.
I phoned the Premier on many occasions on talk shows and
in public.
I told the Premier that someone came to my tent the other day and praised him.
Since Bernard came close to losing the election a few weeks before, he was very interested to know who praised him?
He asked – Who was it? I said- Pere Brien.
In a very surprised outbust he said- Hey Charles?
You know Pere Brien? You’re from Memramcook!
I told Bernard that I’ve known Emery for 40 years and once he found
out that I was here, He quickly came to see me.
I told Bernard he said that the Premier goes to church and he
wasn’t a show off in the house of the Lord.
During the Communion of his son- Sebastien, Bernard politely
asked Emery to take a picture.
I continued by asking Bernard if he wanted to know the Priest's views on my protest?
I told the Premier that the Priest said - Yes Charles! For the kids? You are doing the right thing!
I lifted both arms in the air and said - ALLELUIA!!!I I HAVE THE LORD ON MY SIDE! I was inches from Bernard’s face and said- NOW? IF I CAN HAVE THE OTHER LORD ON MY SIDE? I’LL BE ALL SET!
We both had a good laugh over that little story.
On July 17th, I woke up at 6:30am. You ask why so early? Listen to this one! I was very tired last night and went to bed at 11:00pm.I was
sleeping like a baby until I heard a voice at 1:15am
asking if someone was in the tent?
It was the voice of a female so I felt it was safe! < Lets not forget that
I’ve been in the tent for a long time without the
companionship of a female > ...LOL....
While half naked under my blankets, I opened the zipper of my tent halfway and there in front of me in the dark was a woman in her
40s < After a close look she could have been in her 60s > with a shopping cart full of clothes and a white cat on top of the cart!
Her name was J and she hitchhiked from Vancouver with her cat and stuff to escape her husband who knocked all her teeth out.
It took her close to 50 days to make it here.
Trust me that’s a very long time. Anyway? She asked me if she could put her tent near mine. I told her that I was protesting on behalf of the ADD/ADHD kids and I don’t believe it was a good idea for her
to pitch her tent.
She gave me a smoke and fell asleep on my chair.
She woke up and slept under a light house near the river. She woke me up early and I couldn’t fall back asleep.
She showed up early the next morning and being a stranger in the Capital. I suggested that she go to the woman shelter but she denied.
She slept near the river and was hinting to set her tent near mine. I sort of gave her the attitude that she couldn't stay on the ground of the Legislature. She slowly walked away with her head down from the
Legislature with her cart and white cat.
Her plans were to hitch hike to Sydney,Nova Scotia,I had a very
sick feeling in my stomach but there was nothing that I could do. I had to concentrate on my protest and that was that!
This is the second incident that someone approached me to put a tent up.
One other guy was a former inmate from Renous!
His name was Robby and he came with his girlfriend on a bicycle. He said- Hey man? I have ADHD. This is cool what you’re doing man. I’m going to put a f@cking tent here man! It’s not f@cking cool what they’re doing to kids Man. Yeah man, I’m going to put a
f@cking tent right near yours.
I had many people agreeing with me on the issue of ADHD but I had to be extra careful not to attract the wrong crowd.
He asked me for a smoke and I gave him one.
When you’re protesting?
You cannot be rude but you have to tell these people that they cannot camp with me. I might add that the reason that I gave them some of the little amount of smokes that I had?
If I was ignorant with those people? Once I left the area of the
Legislature? My tent would be gone or damage. I’m getting more people believing that this is a park!
Once again, a photographer from the Telegraph Journal-
Noel Chernier took a picture of me and my tent but still no story. I like Noel very much and he's a very talented photographer.
He just goes on with his businness and his life is behind a camera. Nothing better than being paid for doing something they really
enjoy.
By this time, I’ve been here for too long and I didn’t really care if the Irving Newspapers covered my protest or not. My job was to educate the public of the going on with the kids with ADHD and that’s
exactly what I am going to do.
On July 29, A radio station in this City is suppose to bring my petition
up to light and lets hope that more parents with children with ADD/ADHD will come to sign my petition.
Andrew Holland who I might add was the only reporter to cover this protest from the begining wanted to do an interview via the net. It sort of went this way- What do you plan on doing with the signatures?
I'll give it to Bernard Richard and Shawn Graham wants to meet with me to discuss the ADD/ADHD and see exactly what I want! I collected close to 1,100 so far and lets not forget? This is done from total
strangers!
How long will you stay in Fredericton camping out?
I guess the manner that the Government is totally ignoring me< praying that I go away! > I'll stay till the fall!
What should the province do to address the issue or Ritalin and ADHD?
I had many concerns of the use of Ritalin among the Native people and a committee must be form to travel the Province and listen to ADHD kids, doctors, teachers, former users of Ritalin and parents! It's a social problem that must be addressed. I organized a
meeting 4 years ago and 30 people showed up with their
emotional stories!!!
How many Ritalin pills are prescribed each year?
I had a good chat with a pharmacist who has been in this field for a long time and giving the amount of Ritalin that prescribed in the Saint John area? It was our calculation that the amount is close to 500,000
pills a year. It's more prescribed in the North Shore among the Acadian population! The bottom line is that any kind of drug given to to children isn't good!
The end result on the radio station was this -
A Saint John man continues his demonstration on the grounds of the Legislative Assembly.
Charles LeBlanc has stayed in a tent for more than a month now,
raising the issue of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
LeBlanc started a petition which now has over 11-hundred names, which he will present to the opposition Liberals and meet with party leader Shawn Graham.
He says ADHD is a social problem that must be addressed, noting half a million Ritalin pills are prescribed in New Brunswick each year, mostly to children.
On the evening of July 30th, I had a good evening last night at a couple’s apartment. What was I doing there you ask?
I was in my tent during a major lighting storm in the Fredericton area. The rain was hitting against my tent with the heavy rain! Suddenly
a car came close to my tent and a couple shouted—Charlie? ARE YOU IN THERE?
I ANSWERED - Yes! I’M HERE!!!
They ordered me to jump in the car and bought me in their home.
They knew that lighting+trees+tent=TROUBLE!
I really enjoyed myself and they have a plan on their phone which allows them to phone all over the Province at a fix price. I made
many phone calls and it sure was nice to chat with loved ones who I haven’t heard from me over a month.
It was a evening to relax from all the people who wanted to debate the issue of ADD/ADHD and at easeI
I was. The next day I wrote this little note in my update-I’M VERY
VERY VERY PARANOID!! TOMORROW IS AUGUST 1ST!!! IT’S
MY BIRTHDAY!! MY UNLUCKY NUMBER IS 4 AND I’M GOING TO
BE 44 YEARS OLD! I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NUMBER
44TH YEAR OF LIFE ON THIS PLANET!!!
Wait till you read what happened to me?
I walked down the street and I noticed a vendor market. People from all walks of life were selling crafts and one of them was Native.
I walked in there and I was introduced to two natives- Wills and Christopher. These people were very proud of their crafts and I might add that they did very good work in their line of trade I noticed a huge
picture of a Native in the background and I wouldn’t know the true story behind that picture for months later. July 11th could have
been a killer and a big wake up call for this protester.
We should be very happy that we live in the Maritimes.
I noticed big dark, low clouds heading towards the Legislature. If we would have been in the states? I would have shouted –TORNADO!!!
I quickly covered my tent and waited inside for the clouds to pass over
the Capital.
Suddenly this heavy rain came in a flurry and I might add that I was certain that the wind was going to blow my little tent away!
The bolts lit up the skies and I said to myself that tent+trees+Lighting=Charlie is in big trouble. I waited till the rain eased off and made a run in the Legislature.
As you know that I’m not allowed in the house of Quebeckers but in this case they didn’t mind that I made a safe run behind the doors at the Legislature.
Anyway, This City isn’t Saint John with their hot weather and sudden rain!
On July 13th, a young girl name Sarah McLain from Maine got struck by lighting last night while playing soccer. I felt bad because I did witness the huge lighting bolts hitting the ground.
One of them hit a double blow! It could have been the one that hit the poor girl!
On my side of the river, it didn’t rain at all! During the next few
days, I didn’t feel like confronting the public on the issue of ADHD!
I sat under a tree and read a book and newspapers! Religion seem to play a major role during my protest during the weekend of July 13, I noticed a small group of teens gathered in a circle in a park
across the street!
I said to myself? I might get around 40 names for my petition? The head guy confronted me with this question?
Do you believe in God?
Well? The conversation lasted around 20 minutes! I noticed a friend of mine –Marc walking by and I shouted at him to come over! Marc is homeless and he walks around the city just to pass the time! He’s a
very nice guy and very quiet!
Well the preacher looked like someone on television who preaches the word of God. He asked me and Marc if he could pray with us?
Myself, I’ll never deny a prayer so we did! He bought tears in my eyes with his word of the lord! Afterward he gave me a 50 dollar bill and told us to go buy a meal!
I was shocked and told him that we didn’t want his money! But he insisted!
Hours earlier, I was down to my last 2 bucks and Dorothy Dawson gave a friend from this area 20 bucks for me. I never asked
Dorothy for money and I really appreciate their help.
My God! Good timing because I bought a big can of tobacco and I’m all set for the week! Strange things have been happening around my tent.
I seen Andy Scott walking by and he seen my Rogers shirt and hat and said - You must be Charles from Saint John?
He was in a hurry and promised to come back and chat with me!
I told him that if he didn’t come back? I would confront him on Voice of the Province with Andrew Holland on Cable 10! He said that he had no doubt in his mind that I would do that. We’re going to sit
down and see what can be done with the Irvings control of
the media!
I wrote 500 letters to the editor and now they put a stop to it!
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1 comment:
Bravo Charles from Memramcook!! I loved reading this story and I love that you and Pere Brien keep crossing paths....a wisp of destiny I think.
Our personal journeys are much more enhanced when our roots are touched by others who believe in us, and by knowing what we personally believe in.
I also think it's VERY interesting and a bit absurd that your ADHD has provided you with focus on your journey. Life is a great mystery isn't it?
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