Multirculturalism Fails canada

[Wild Bill]

So who do you ~think~ designs those flawed sanitary and water systems, WB? It sure isn't the native people themselves even though there are many professionals capable of doing the design and construction.

On one reserve (this is one example of many) I work with, the Band Council has been trying for 15 years to get approval for funding for a new water treatment plant. The first 8 or so years they were ignored. The government then commissioned a $7 million consultant to "study" the problem. After 5 years of ignoring the findings and recommendations, the government requested that another $15 million study be commissioned in order to include the moist advanced technology possible to deal with the problems. The consultants report recommended a $100 million plant using technology that has never been tried anywhere else in the world. It is an experiment on First Nation children and old people. However, the estimated $100 million price tag does not include hooking up the water supply to houses - that had to be born by the Band. But then the icing: there is no funding available this year or next for such a large capital project. Meanwhile 60% of the households have non-potable water piped from wells that were contaminated from an off-reserve garbage dump, and accelerated by off-reserve gravel pits and quarries.

So who is to blame Bill? The natives for not taking control of their own lives? Hmmmm?

And BTW. The money for all the consultants and the cost of the capital project all comes out of the INAC budget. There are billions of dollars that do not directly benefit First Nations in the INAC budgets.

Cry me a river! Is a zillion dollar handout the ONLY way to get clean water? Third world countries are practicing solutions on a pittance of that money!

Lord knows there are enough "green" magazines and online pages of homebuilt solutions! If natives are such "stewards of the earth" then why the hell don't THEY build backyard solar hot water heaters, homebuilt purifiers, wind generators and the like!

You can buy an osmosis membrane water purification unit from Zenon Environmental for a LOT less than 100 million dollars!

Geez Louise, we've got hippies living in trees in California that can do it! What the hell is wrong with natives?

If I were in their position rest assured I would build something and not sit around on my ass waiting for the 'white man' to do it for me! If natives are supposedly the ones so 'close to the land' then let them prove it! They should be leading US with alternative technologies!

Haven't they developed anything on their own besides putting 3 dead fish around some corn seeds?

[GostHacked]

No. The Europeans were in the "septic disease and torture your neighbour" age.

Oh and by the way. Archaeology has revealed that native people were smelting and working non-ferrous metals more than 5000-1000 years before Europeans stole the technology. And without the Asian victims we would have never developed the technology for gunpowder. Although I do know we had a penchant for cooking women over an open fire in the belief they could place a magic spell over our grand daddy. Might have something to do with being retarded drunks......

How were Europeans supposed to steal technology from a people that they have yet to encounter? We have found that several cultures did develop similar technologies at different stages in their civilizations without having encountered one another. One good example of this is Pyramids around the world. Egyptians, Aztecs, Mayans, ect ect ... all built pyramids at different times, but the technology is almost the same, not to mention these cultures never met each other, as far as we can tell.

It's also possible that the Vikings brought that technology to the natives in North Americia. They have been known to do much oceanic travel centuries before the Brits and most of Europe.

[GostHacked]

So who do you ~think~ designs those flawed sanitary and water systems, WB? It sure isn't the native people themselves even though there are many professionals capable of doing the design and construction.

On one reserve (this is one example of many) I work with, the Band Council has been trying for 15 years to get approval for funding for a new water treatment plant. The first 8 or so years they were ignored. The government then commissioned a $7 million consultant to "study" the problem. After 5 years of ignoring the findings and recommendations, the government requested that another $15 million study be commissioned in order to include the moist advanced technology possible to deal with the problems. The consultants report recommended a $100 million plant using technology that has never been tried anywhere else in the world. It is an experiment on First Nation children and old people. However, the estimated $100 million price tag does not include hooking up the water supply to houses - that had to be born by the Band. But then the icing: there is no funding available this year or next for such a large capital project. Meanwhile 60% of the households have non-potable water piped from wells that were contaminated from an off-reserve garbage dump, and accelerated by off-reserve gravel pits and quarries.

So who is to blame Bill? The natives for not taking control of their own lives? Hmmmm?

And BTW. The money for all the consultants and the cost of the capital project all comes out of the INAC budget. There are billions of dollars that do not directly benefit First Nations in the INAC budgets.

Here is the kicker, guess how these items gets paid for. Taxes.

[charter.rights]

Cry me a river! Is a zillion dollar handout the ONLY way to get clean water? Third world countries are practicing solutions on a pittance of that money!

Lord knows there are enough "green" magazines and online pages of homebuilt solutions! If natives are such "stewards of the earth" then why the hell don't THEY build backyard solar hot water heaters, homebuilt purifiers, wind generators and the like!

You can buy an osmosis membrane water purification unit from Zenon Environmental for a LOT less than 100 million dollars!

Geez Louise, we've got hippies living in trees in California that can do it! What the hell is wrong with natives?

If I were in their position rest assured I would build something and not sit around on my ass waiting for the 'white man' to do it for me! If natives are supposedly the ones so 'close to the land' then let them prove it! They should be leading US with alternative technologies!

Haven't they developed anything on their own besides putting 3 dead fish around some corn seeds?

Oh Bill you are so inadequate.

Reverse osmosis does not remove heavy metals and industrial pollutants...you know the type of effluent stream that comes out of a DUMP! which is not even under their control!

Where do you think the funding comes for water treatment plant in Brantford? From your property taxes? ha ha ha ha ha. It is funded through public infrastructure budgets allotted by the federal and provincial governments - paid by all taxpayers. Need I remind you that Six Nations and other native people put far more into the Canadian economy and tax base then they receive. Or do you believe in inequality as you demonstrate?

[charter.rights]

Here is the kicker, guess how these items gets paid for. Taxes.

What makes you think that native people do not pay taxes, when 80% or natives live off reserves and native corporations and off-reserve business pay as much as Canadian corporations?

Are you that detached from the world?

[Wild Bill]

Oh Bill you are so inadequate.

Reverse osmosis does not remove heavy metals and industrial pollutants...you know the type of effluent stream that comes out of a DUMP! which is not even under their control!

Where do you think the funding comes for water treatment plant in Brantford? From your property taxes? ha ha ha ha ha. It is funded through public infrastructure budgets allotted by the federal and provincial governments - paid by all taxpayers. Need I remind you that Six Nations and other native people put far more into the Canadian economy and tax base then they receive. Or do you believe in inequality as you demonstrate?

Even if I granted your point about SN putting more into the tax base than they receive (which I DON'T! The question is how much the SN Reserve puts into the tax base! Those off-reserve pay their own way.) you still didn't answer my premise!

There are still things SN and other bands could do by themselves! No one is arguing that government money can move slowly. My point was that natives could and should be developing options on their own. Are you suggesting they should put up with unclean water for centuries, if it takes that long to get the government moving?

You didn't answer why natives have not beome the LEADERS in new 'green' technologies if they are the ones supposedly so close to the 'Earth'! To sit around waiting for something to be handed to them is no different from white 'trailer trash' that won't move their trailer off of a flood plain.

Maybe the problem is that the more progressive natives are the ones that LEFT the reserve! The ones that stay are for the most part unable to cope on their own.

I suspect that of those that seek higher education that stay on the reserves, virtually all are taking law and political science. We see no sign of any physicists, mechanical or electrical engineers, or others that could build their OWN water treatment plants!

BTW, you should really explore the Zenon Environmental website. Their reverse osmosis systems DO remove heavy metals and industrial pollutants! They've been doing it for a couple of decades now. That's their major claim to fame.

You really should expand your knowledge beyond native politics and rude debating techniques. Are you one of these people who can't put a new plug on their lamp? How does a light bulb work? That invention is about a century and a half old! Could you describe how to build a simple motor or generator?

Do you have any practical knowledge at all of how things actually work, aside from a twisted notion of constitutional law and perhaps some Amish traditional agricultural devices?

Edited July 16, 2010 by Wild Bill

[Handsome Rob]

Trying to figure out what this means:

Multiculturalism diminishes the political culture that (created multiculturalism and) accommodated many cultures, while it fails to bring to immigrants an increase in appreciation for building Canada... i.e. racial tolerance...

What ?

Unless they're saying that official multiculturalism fails to appreciate the common-sense version of racial tolerance that came before, this makes no sense. And if that is what they're saying... then why did Lictor quote it ? Certainly he's against all forms of tolerance and racial sensitivity right ?

I think what he is trying to say, is that when people bring baggage from home (Sri Lankan's always out lobbying Ottawa for a state, Sikh's pushing for an independent state and out celebrating the Air India 'martyrs', Muslims pushing for Sharia law, etc) it really creates a sort of negative diversity amongst communities. The stuff from Dosanjh seems to support this, he seems to always be trying to get the sikh extremists to shut up.

[GostHacked]

What makes you think that native people do not pay taxes, when 80% or natives live off reserves and native corporations and off-reserve business pay as much as Canadian corporations?

Maybe you can explain the Status Card for natives. Which allows them to forgo taxes when purchasing items. I don't know the extent of the Status Card, so maybe you can help me out here.

[Handsome Rob]

Maybe you can explain the Status Card for natives. Which allows them to forgo taxes when purchasing items. I don't know the extent of the Status Card, so maybe you can help me out here.

I can pitch in, there are different levels of status card, I know quite a few card carrying natives, mostly metis, that entitles them to nothing and they live just like everybody else.

There may be significant problems on the reserves, but suggesting that it applys to the entire population? Does the poor black neighbourhood in east LA represent the entire black population of the states?

[charter.rights]

Even if I granted your point about SN putting more into the tax base than they receive (which I DON'T! The question is how much the SN Reserve puts into the tax base! Those off-reserve pay their own way.) you still didn't answer my premise!

There are still things SN and other bands could do by themselves! No one is arguing that government money can move slowly. My point was that natives could and should be developing options on their own. Are you suggesting they should put up with unclean water for centuries, if it takes that long to get the government moving?

You didn't answer why natives have not beome the LEADERS in new 'green' technologies if they are the ones supposedly so close to the 'Earth'! To sit around waiting for something to be handed to them is no different from white 'trailer trash' that won't move their trailer off of a flood plain.

Maybe the problem is that the more progressive natives are the ones that LEFT the reserve! The ones that stay are for the most part unable to cope on their own.

I suspect that of those that seek higher education that stay on the reserves, virtually all are taking law and political science. We see no sign of any physicists, mechanical or electrical engineers, or others that could build their OWN water treatment plants!

You are grossly out of touch.

The inequity is evident and you still say, "its their own fault".

"What an ultra-maroon..." Bugs Bunny.

Those who are on reserve ARE professionals in all facets of society - architects, engineers, lawyers, even doctors and teachers. But they suffer from the same problem we all suffer from in any Canadian town or city - capital funding. For major infrastructure capital funding from major sources are required. The province supplies most of that capital, including water plants and schools on either a grant system or a combination of grants and long-term debentures.

First Nations do not have that luxury and every request must go through Indian Affairs who are real quick to drag their feet and turn it into a major long-term bureaucracy. The solutions for water and sanitation problems have been offered by "the professionals" but promptly ignored by the government because they were not "their consultants". There is no way that a community with a median wage below the poverty level can obtain loans or fund such projects by themselves - and that goes for any small community like Caledonia, or St Thomas. So they make requests for funding get approved because there is a need, and build what they can paying back what they can. That is normal procedure for any city or town in Canada.

Now here is something useful you should know. This year Six Nations announced a new water plant. It took over 12 years to identify the need, obtain funding and get approvals. I'm not sure if they are even building yet.

On the other hand, the town of Picton, Ontario also received federal infrastructure moneys to build a new water treatment plant. They had identified their needs in 2007 and gained approval in 2008 and are now under construction.

Can you not see the disparity in all of this? What is really comical is that the federal government holds a Six Nation trust account that earns anywhere from $1 billion to $8 billion a year in interest alone that they cannot have access to. Where is THEIR money? Why isn't the government letting them have access to their own accounts? Or did Stephen Harper spend this years interest on his G20 party last month?

[charter.rights]

Maybe you can explain the Status Card for natives. Which allows them to forgo taxes when purchasing items. I don't know the extent of the Status Card, so maybe you can help me out here.

Status cards only provide exemption from income earned on reserve, or goods delivered to the reserve. All the rest of taxes have to be paid just like we all do.Plus native owned corporations pay corporate and excise taxes whether they are on or off reserve, or if a native business is located on reserve and performs the work off reserve they are also subject to taxation.

80% of First Nations people live off reserve and their goods and services and incomes are taxed equally.

There is no doubt they pay their way, but receive little in return.

[Wild Bill]

Now here is something useful you should know. This year Six Nations announced a new water plant. It took over 12 years to identify the need, obtain funding and get approvals. I'm not sure if they are even building yet.

On the other hand, the town of Picton, Ontario also received federal infrastructure moneys to build a new water treatment plant. They had identified their needs in 2007 and gained approval in 2008 and are now under construction.

Can you not see the disparity in all of this? What is really comical is that the federal government holds a Six Nation trust account that earns anywhere from $1 billion to $8 billion a year in interest alone that they cannot have access to. Where is THEIR money? Why isn't the government letting them have access to their own accounts? Or did Stephen Harper spend this years interest on his G20 party last month?

Certainly I see the disparity! SN is a sovereign country! They should not be depending on another country to pay for their needs!

You are either sovereign or you aren't. You can't call your own shots when you are 'on the dole'.

Lord knows the Montours with their cigarette money could buy a water treatment plant on their own!

Also, let me repeat AGAIN because you just can't seem to grasp the point, a $100 million dollar plant is NOT the only way to get clean water! There are villages in Bangladesh that have built their own solutions FAR, FAR cheaper!

It means you have to open some books, surf some web pages, maybe learn some high school math and then get your hands dirty and BUILD IT YOURSELF! Is there a clause under the Indian Act that says you are NOT ALLOWED to do so? Do you have to build a huge central plant? Why can't you build a lot of individual, much smaller ones?

Will the RCMP invade the reserve and force the natives NOT to build some smarter, greener solutions?

Every homestead on SN could solve their water problem for a few thousand or maybe even a few hundred dollars, if they just researched a bit and fabricated for themselves. However, if they keep graduating lawyers and poli-sci majors they will forever be at the mercy of the white man's government.

Hell, I'm a white man and I learned when I was a child that the government is slow, corrupt and usually quite stupid in what it does! Here you are with some kind of child-like faith that government is your ONLY solution!

If you and the natives truly believe that, then you deserve what you get!

[charter.rights]

Certainly I see the disparity! SN is a sovereign country! They should not be depending on another country to pay for their needs!

You are either sovereign or you aren't. You can't call your own shots when you are 'on the dole'.

Lord knows the Montours with their cigarette money could buy a water treatment plant on their own!

Also, let me repeat AGAIN because you just can't seem to grasp the point, a $100 million dollar plant is NOT the only way to get clean water! There are villages in Bangladesh that have built their own solutions FAR, FAR cheaper!

It means you have to open some books, surf some web pages, maybe learn some high school math and then get your hands dirty and BUILD IT YOURSELF! Is there a clause under the Indian Act that says you are NOT ALLOWED to do so? Do you have to build a huge central plant? Why can't you build a lot of individual, much smaller ones?

Will the RCMP invade the reserve and force the natives NOT to build some smarter, greener solutions?

Every homestead on SN could solve their water problem for a few thousand or maybe even a few hundred dollars, if they just researched a bit and fabricated for themselves. However, if they keep graduating lawyers and poli-sci majors they will forever be at the mercy of the white man's government.

Hell, I'm a white man and I learned when I was a child that the government is slow, corrupt and usually quite stupid in what it does! Here you are with some kind of child-like faith that government is your ONLY solution!

If you and the natives truly believe that, then you deserve what you get!

When we steal their land, pollute their water and ignore their plights, then we assume the responsibility for their situation and are obligated for their perpetual care. What about their trust fund money. Would you be willing to forgo new arenas, repairs to roads and degraded hospitals to give Six Nations their own money to take care of these things?

[lictor616]

My statement had nothing to do with how I felt. It had to do with historical Canada, and it's notorious British mentality that anyone who wasn't British was a bloody wog, and thus an inferior. They certainly made no provisions for granting other cultures equal status. They very idea would have stunned them, then set them to snickering uncontrollably.

that very concept would have made OUR ancestors of just 65 years ago react similarly. Incredible what a few decades of nonstop TV brainwashing and the occupation of our universities by revolutionary Bolsheviks can do to a nation!

then again its easy to destroy, difficult to create... multiculturalists and liberals today are destroyers (who pride themselves on how quickly things are changing...)

[Wild Bill]

When we steal their land, pollute their water and ignore their plights, then we assume the responsibility for their situation and are obligated for their perpetual care. What about their trust fund money. Would you be willing to forgo new arenas, repairs to roads and degraded hospitals to give Six Nations their own money to take care of these things?

Is that the future you see for native people? Forever under "perpetual care"? Now who is patronizing and racist??!! A life forever "on the dole"!

And why should I have to forego arenas and road repairs? Indian Affairs gets more than 11 billion dollars a year! Sure it's mostly wasted in bureaucracy and corrupt chiefs but it doesn't have to be! How about a one-time payout? It would be far cheaper to buy every native living on a reserve a condo in Florida with a couple of hundred thousand dollars for his bank account!

Besides, I've already foregone things like road repairs. I live in Hamilton! They flaunt themselves as "The City of Waterfalls" but they are really "The City of Cracks and Potholes". Anyone who drives Hamilton Streets can attest to the truth of my statement.

We had a detour for months here in Stoney Creek (forcibly amalgamated into Hamilton a few years ago) to repair one street that diverted heavy traffic unto a main thoroughfare, ruining it with cracks and potholes. We thought naturally that the city would repair the alternative route but after a year or so it was obvious they had no such intention so the citizen complaints started to be sent in.

The City of Hamilton eventually responded. Halfway down the street they put in a speed bump! Keeps you from hitting the potholes at too fast a speed, I guess!

They would stop me from fixing some potholes myself but I guess I could move somewhere run more intelligently.

Naw, I'll just sit on my ass and what for the government to fix things for me!

Edited July 16, 2010 by Wild Bill

[lictor616]

When we steal their land, pollute their water and ignore their plights, then we assume the responsibility for their situation and are obligated for their perpetual care. What about their trust fund money. Would you be willing to forgo new arenas, repairs to roads and degraded hospitals to give Six Nations their own money to take care of these things?

thank you for frankly conceding that Natives are a dependency race... who must be fed and maintained by other races... because of their simpering helplessness...

you`re making my point for me charter... thank you!

[GostHacked]

Status cards only provide exemption from income earned on reserve, or goods delivered to the reserve. All the rest of taxes have to be paid just like we all do.Plus native owned corporations pay corporate and excise taxes whether they are on or off reserve, or if a native business is located on reserve and performs the work off reserve they are also subject to taxation.

80% of First Nations people live off reserve and their goods and services and incomes are taxed equally.

There is no doubt they pay their way, but receive little in return.

So why not hit up your pals who live among the rest of us, for some donations?

[justme]

In the US:

"Our cities will not be flooded with a million immigrants annually. Under the purposed bill, the present level of immigration remains substantially the same. Secondly, the ethnic mix of this country will not be upset. Contrary to the charges in some quarters, S500 will not inundate America with immigrants from any other country or area, or the most populated and economically deprived nations of Asia and Africa. Only haters would make such assertions." -- Senator Edward Kennedy (Chairman of the Subcommittee that conducted the hearing on the 1965 Immigration Bill)

What happened?

"The US added at least 40 million immigrants after 1965. Before 1965, 95% of the new immigrants had come from Europe. After 1965, 95% came from the third world. The 1965 Act has transformed American society and had consequences exactly the opposite of what were promised." -- Steven Dillon (Dean of the Honors College of Oklahoma University - 2006 gathering of the American Immigration Control Foundation)

Source: State of Emergency by Patrick J. Buchanan

In Canada

Although Trudeau officially announced his policy of multiculturalism on October 8th, 1971, the immigration point system went into effect in 1967 while Pearson was Prime Minister - a year before Trudeau took his place. Trudeau's immigration act was created in 1976 and went into effect in 1978.

"As late as 1966, 87 percent of immigrants were of European origin, but by 1970 that had dropped to 50 percent."

Source: http://www.international.gc.ca/history-histoire/world-monde/1968-1984.aspx?lang=eng

Notice that the 1967 change in Canadian immigration closely followed the deceptive 1965 change in US immigration with similar results.

It is interesting to note that Trudeau was reduced to a minority government in 1972.

Today:

More than 80% of the nearly 250,000 immigrants in 2008 came from developing countries. From 1999-2008, the top three source countries by far were: China, India and Philippines. Although immigration came from more than 165 countries in 2008, the top three countries made up nearly a third of all immigration. Despite the fact that the US is our neighbour with which we share close ties, history and values, from 1999-2008, 3-6 times more Chinese were granted permanent resident status than Americans.

Source for immigration numbers: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/research-stats/facts2008.pdf

In the UK:

Unless policies change, over the next 25 years some seven million more will be added to Britain's population, a rate of growth three times as fast as took place in the Eighties.

Such an increase is simply unsustainable. Britain is already one of the most overcrowded countries in Europe. But now look at the real reason why this policy was introduced, and in secret. The Government's 'driving political purpose', wrote Neather [speech writer for Tony Blair, Jack Straw and David Blunkett], was 'to make the UK truly multicultural'.

It was therefore a politically motivated attempt by ministers to transform the fundamental make-up and identity of this country. It was done to destroy the right of the British people to live in a society defined by a common history, religion, law, language and traditions.

It was done to destroy for ever what it means to be culturally British and to put another 'multicultural' identity in its place. And it was done without telling or asking the British people whether they wanted their country and their culture to be transformed in this way.

Spitefully, one motivation by Labour ministers was 'to rub the Right's nose in diversity and render their arguments out of date'.

Even Neather found that particular element of gratuitous Left-wing bullying to be 'a manoeuvre too far'.

It also conveniently guaranteed an increasingly Labour-voting electorate since, as a recent survey by the Electoral Commission has revealed, some 90 per cent of black people and three-quarters of Asians vote Labour.

In Neather's hermetically sealed bubble, the benefits of mass immigration were so overwhelming he couldn't understand why ministers had been so nervous about it.

They were, he wrote, reluctant to discuss what increased immigration would mean, above all to Labour's core white working class vote. So they deliberately kept it secret.

This more than any other reason is why Nick Griffin has gained so much support. According to a YouGov poll taken after Question Time, no fewer than 22 per cent of British voters would 'seriously consider' voting for the BNP.

That nearly one quarter of British people might vote for a neo-Nazi party with views inimical to democracy, human rights and common decency is truly appalling.

The core reason is that for years they have watched as their country's landscape has been transformed out of all recognition - and that politicians from all mainstream parties have told them first that it isn't happening and second, that they are racist bigots to object even if it is.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1222977/MELANIE-PHILLIPS-The-outrageous-truth-slips-Labour-cynically-plotted-transform-entire-make-Britain-telling-us.html

Do the racist bigot accusations sound familiar anyone?

And why are the Democrats dragging their feet with regards to the millions of illegals entering the country? Like the way Labour wants the immigrant vote to make white people less relevant in the UK, the Democrats want the latino vote to counter the number of white people that vote Republican.

Political correctness is used in an attempt to limit free speech and further advance this agenda. Of course, this limit doesn't apply to the left when they openly attack the people that built this country as exemplified by Margaret Wente:

No one was surprised when Shibani Pushparajah became prime minister. The brilliant second-generation immigrant, who was born in Mississauga, belongs to Canada's second-largest ethnic group. But really, she's a citizen of the world. The last white male prime minister lost his seat in 2043. The only white man in Ms. Pushparajah's diverse cabinet is the minister of agriculture.

Since the turn of the millennium, all of our population growth has come through immigration, mostly from China, India and the Philippines. In the thriving megalopolis of Greater Toronto (population: 12 million), people of European descent make up less than a third of the population. The biggest culture gap isn't between competing ethnic and linguistic groups, though. It's between the vibrant, globally minded, multiracial cities and the shrinking white ghettos of the Atlantic provinces and the rural hinterland.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/margaret-wente/immigration-old-age-and-technology-to-rule-wentes-canada-47-years-from-now/article1625258/

[Jack Weber]

Is that the future you see for native people? Forever under "perpetual care"? Now who is patronizing and racist??!! A life forever "on the dole"!

And why should I have to forego arenas and road repairs? Indian Affairs gets more than 11 billion dollars a year! Sure it's mostly wasted in bureaucracy and corrupt chiefs but it doesn't have to be! How about a one-time payout? It would be far cheaper to buy every native living on a reserve a condo in Florida with a couple of hundred thousand dollars for his bank account!

Besides, I've already foregone things like road repairs. I live in Hamilton! They flaunt themselves as "The City of Waterfalls" but they are really "The City of Cracks and Potholes". Anyone who drives Hamilton Streets can attest to the truth of my statement.

We had a detour for months here in Stoney Creek (forcibly amalgamated into Hamilton a few years ago) to repair one street that diverted heavy traffic unto a main thoroughfare, ruining it with cracks and potholes. We thought naturally that the city would repair the alternative route but after a year or so it was obvious they had no such intention so the citizen complaints started to be sent in.

The City of Hamilton eventually responded. Halfway down the street they put in a speed bump! Keeps you from hitting the potholes at too fast a speed, I guess!

They would stop me from fixing some potholes myself but I guess I could move somewhere run more intelligently.

Naw, I'll just sit on my ass and what for the government to fix things for me!

So....

You're a fan of Mayor Fast Freddy?

[Wild Bill]

So....

You're a fan of Mayor Fast Freddy?

Ah...no!

However, as a suburb city we are a conquered people and there's nothing we can do but grumble. Hamilton was always a financial basket case on its own and so Mike Harris forced Amalgamation on the suburbs so they could be bled to pay Hamilton's spendthrift ways!

Look at the nonsense from Mayor Fred over the new stadium! He thought he could use the Tiger Cats as a lever to FORCE people to come to the west harbour! Poor access and no parking but he thought if they wanted to see a game they would have no choice and he would get to renew his crappy old downtown!

Of course, this would have guaranteed that next to nobody would ever have gone there and Freddy couldn't seem to see that Bob Young was hoping to some day make a profit, instead of being forced into bankruptcy or moving the team to another city! Thank heavens Mr. Fenn the mediator had some common sense and has suggested a better location.

This is the perpetual problem with Hamilton and why it never seems to get anywhere. Its council always seems to be dominated by the unionist leftwing types who take business and jobs for granted and think that so many have pulled out of Hamilton just to be pricks and hurt the union movement, for the sheer glee of it! They have no idea that a business has to stay profitable to survive and don't really care! Mayor Fred was actually quoted in the local newspaper complaining that the TiCats didn't properly appreciate the need to help revive the older parts of the city. How the hell could they do that if Fred got his way and they couldn't make any money?

Even when you watch council meetings on the local cable channel they all sound like a union/company negotiating meeting at one of the steel mills! For the most part, they just haven't got a clue. They say they want new business to come to the city. I can just imagine some Yankee CEO coming up to check out Hamilton. Here's what he would probably report when he got home to the rest of his management team;

"What a city! They have the highest taxes anywhere, cracks and potholes in all the streets and skyhigh electricity and water costs compared to any other municipality! Their transportation corridors are marginal at best and their public transit only works along the lower city, being inadequate if you need to travel from the upper and lower city levels.

But wait! The good thing is that they put flowers in all their street medians! They're beautiful! Forget all that stuff that has to do with money and profitability! Because of those flowers we should move our entire operation to Hamilton tomorrow!"

Sometimes it just breaks my heart...

[Jack Weber]

Ah...no!

However, as a suburb city we are a conquered people and there's nothing we can do but grumble. Hamilton was always a financial basket case on its own and so Mike Harris forced Amalgamation on the suburbs so they could be bled to pay Hamilton's spendthrift ways!

Look at the nonsense from Mayor Fred over the new stadium! He thought he could use the Tiger Cats as a lever to FORCE people to come to the west harbour! Poor access and no parking but he thought if they wanted to see a game they would have no choice and he would get to renew his crappy old downtown!

Of course, this would have guaranteed that next to nobody would ever have gone there and Freddy couldn't seem to see that Bob Young was hoping to some day make a profit, instead of being forced into bankruptcy or moving the team to another city! Thank heavens Mr. Fenn the mediator had some common sense and has suggested a better location.

This is the perpetual problem with Hamilton and why it never seems to get anywhere. Its council always seems to be dominated by the unionist leftwing types who take business and jobs for granted and think that so many have pulled out of Hamilton just to be pricks and hurt the union movement, for the sheer glee of it! They have no idea that a business has to stay profitable to survive and don't really care! Mayor Fred was actually quoted in the local newspaper complaining that the TiCats didn't properly appreciate the need to help revive the older parts of the city. How the hell could they do that if Fred got his way and they couldn't make any money?

Even when you watch council meetings on the local cable channel they all sound like a union/company negotiating meeting at one of the steel mills! For the most part, they just haven't got a clue. They say they want new business to come to the city. I can just imagine some Yankee CEO coming up to check out Hamilton. Here's what he would probably report when he got home to the rest of his management team;

"What a city! They have the highest taxes anywhere, cracks and potholes in all the streets and skyhigh electricity and water costs compared to any other municipality! Their transportation corridors are marginal at best and their public transit only works along the lower city, being inadequate if you need to travel from the upper and lower city levels.

But wait! The good thing is that they put flowers in all their street medians! They're beautiful! Forget all that stuff that has to do with money and profitability! Because of those flowers we should move our entire operation to Hamilton tomorrow!"

Sometimes it just breaks my heart...

Well...

Re. The stadium issue...

I fully agree...

I thought they should have put it in Confederation Park or maybe up at 20 and Mud(the old Speedway Park site),but the East Mountain location is pretty good.The mayor tried to ram the Rheem site down Bob Young's throat,forcing the Cats to potentially foot the bill for Fast Freddy's "Urban Renewal" plan...Of course,not realizing the main tenant of the building,the Tiger-Cats,actually have to make money at the site.My father and I were talking about this last week and I said that if they want to keep the Cats in a stadium with little to no parking and in a residential neighbourhood,they might as well keep the team at Ivor Wynne and spend the 50 million or so refurbishing it!If The Cats move to the West Harbour site,they will be in an even worse neighbourhood with even worse access than where they are now!

I noticed at the meeting at city hall last week,after Mr.Fenn's findings,alot of the aldermen were basically throwing the mayor under the bus and distancing themselves from the West Harbour plan...Even the idiot Sam Merulla!!!The same Sam Merulla that said the team was basically a city welfare case!!!

There's a lengthy thread on the Ti-Cat website about this...