Vancouver City Council Consulted Red Chinese Consulate "Stakeholders" in Planning Ant

Written by Paul Fromm

Monday, 18 July 2011 03:51

Vancouver City Council Consulted Red Chinese Consulate "Stakeholders" in Planning Anti-Free Speech Bylaw Opium addicts coined a phrase "chasing the dragon" to describe the desperate addict smoking his opium way to ruined health and elusive bliss. For six decades, some Canadian politicians have chased the dragon in trying to curry favour with the communist Chinese. Occasionally, it was real support for communism -- in the case of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. In most, it was unprincipled greed -- the vision of billions of dollars in trade with China dancing before their eyes. For more than a decade, indeed, for more than 2,600 days, members of a strange Chinese group of dissidents have maintained silent vigil, day in day out, through rain and sunshine, outside the Red Chinese consulate in Vancouver. Globe and Mail correspondent Gary Mason picks up the story: " Ever since adherents of Falun Gong, a spiritual movement banned as a cult in China, began a silent protest vigil outside the Chinese consulate in Vancouver in 2001, it was little secret that diplomats from the communist power weren’t amused by the group’s presence. When the protesters erected a wooden shack to shield them from the elements during their round-the-clock remonstration, the protest camp became an even bigger embarrassment for Chinese officials stationed in the city. In 2006, then-mayor Sam Sullivan decided that the shack and banners had to go because they contravened local ordinances. Naturally, the matter ended up in court. The B.C. Supreme Court upheld Vancouver’s decision in 2009 (and the hut was dismantled), but, in October of 2010, the B.C. Court of Appeal reversed the ruling on the grounds that the city’s bylaw was unconstitutional. The court gave the city six months (with April 19 as the deadline) to rewrite the bylaw."(Globe and Mail, April 14, 2011) In mid-April," city staff presented Vancouver City Council with a new draft bylaw that would bar political protest structures in residential areas – site of the Chinese consulate – but would allow them in commercial and business zones. The draft ordinance also proposed charging licensing fees for those who wished to erect political protest structures. Mayor Gregor Robertson, uncomfortable with the plan to levy fees and with wording he feels could lead to the eviction of the homeless from certain locations, asked staff to take another run at the bylaw. A revised version is expected to be debated next week. While the proposed bylaw has ignited a free-speech debate, it’s the Chinese government’s involvement in the process that has some people even more upset. Count me among them. As it turns out, Chinese diplomats in Vancouver were consulted on the proposed new bylaw, allegedly on the grounds that they are a ‘stakeholder.’ Consulted how? What was said? Apparently, we’ll never know. City manager Penny Ballem says those discussions are confidential." Let's get this straight: democratically elected officials of a major Canadian city consulted representatives of a brutal dictatorship on how to limit protest rights of Canadians right here in Canada! Foreigners are now considered "stakeholders" by the Vancouver City Council and, of course, this is secrecy riddled Canada, and we're not permitted to know what was said. _____________________________ Unsubscribe / Change Profile: http://ymlp95.net/u.php?id=gmjhqsqgsgbbqghm Powered by YourMailingListProvider

 

Vancouver City Council Consulted Red Chinese Consulate "Stakeholders" in Planning Ant

Written by Paul Fromm

Monday, 18 July 2011 03:51

Vancouver City Council Consulted Red Chinese Consulate "Stakeholders" in Planning Anti-Free Speech Bylaw Opium addicts coined a phrase "chasing the dragon" to describe the desperate addict smoking his opium way to ruined health and elusive bliss. For six decades, some Canadian politicians have chased the dragon in trying to curry favour with the communist Chinese. Occasionally, it was real support for communism -- in the case of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. In most, it was unprincipled greed -- the vision of billions of dollars in trade with China dancing before their eyes. For more than a decade, indeed, for more than 2,600 days, members of a strange Chinese group of dissidents have maintained silent vigil, day in day out, through rain and sunshine, outside the Red Chinese consulate in Vancouver. Globe and Mail correspondent Gary Mason picks up the story: " Ever since adherents of Falun Gong, a spiritual movement banned as a cult in China, began a silent protest vigil outside the Chinese consulate in Vancouver in 2001, it was little secret that diplomats from the communist power weren’t amused by the group’s presence. When the protesters erected a wooden shack to shield them from the elements during their round-the-clock remonstration, the protest camp became an even bigger embarrassment for Chinese officials stationed in the city. In 2006, then-mayor Sam Sullivan decided that the shack and banners had to go because they contravened local ordinances. Naturally, the matter ended up in court. The B.C. Supreme Court upheld Vancouver’s decision in 2009 (and the hut was dismantled), but, in October of 2010, the B.C. Court of Appeal reversed the ruling on the grounds that the city’s bylaw was unconstitutional. The court gave the city six months (with April 19 as the deadline) to rewrite the bylaw."(Globe and Mail, April 14, 2011) In mid-April," city staff presented Vancouver City Council with a new draft bylaw that would bar political protest structures in residential areas – site of the Chinese consulate – but would allow them in commercial and business zones. The draft ordinance also proposed charging licensing fees for those who wished to erect political protest structures. Mayor Gregor Robertson, uncomfortable with the plan to levy fees and with wording he feels could lead to the eviction of the homeless from certain locations, asked staff to take another run at the bylaw. A revised version is expected to be debated next week. While the proposed bylaw has ignited a free-speech debate, it’s the Chinese government’s involvement in the process that has some people even more upset. Count me among them. As it turns out, Chinese diplomats in Vancouver were consulted on the proposed new bylaw, allegedly on the grounds that they are a ‘stakeholder.’ Consulted how? What was said? Apparently, we’ll never know. City manager Penny Ballem says those discussions are confidential." Let's get this straight: democratically elected officials of a major Canadian city consulted representatives of a brutal dictatorship on how to limit protest rights of Canadians right here in Canada! Foreigners are now considered "stakeholders" by the Vancouver City Council and, of course, this is secrecy riddled Canada, and we're not permitted to know what was said. _____________________________ Unsubscribe / Change Profile: http://ymlp95.net/u.php?id=gmjhqsqgsgbbqghm Powered by YourMailingListProvider

 

Hear Paul Fromm -- The Fighting Side of Me: Surviving Minority-itis

Written by Paul Fromm

Monday, 18 July 2011 03:49

Hear Paul Fromm -- The Fighting Side of Me: Surviving Minority-itis Host Paul Fromm: Blasts Canadian donut chain Tim Horton’s for race mixing propaganda ad; Refutes Globe and Mail columnist Marcus Gee’s equating non-support for a Gay “Pride” parade with “hate” and bigotry; Reminds Ontario infrastructure planners that the reason for huge costs and gridlock is uncontrolled immigration; Laughs at privileged minorities in conflict: Toronto “hate squad” and homosexual lobby get Jamaican Rasta singer Capleton cancelled for queer critical lyrics. http://reasonradionetwork.com/20110705/the-fighting-side-of-me-surviving-minority-itis _____________________________ Unsubscribe / Change Profile: http://ymlp95.net/u.php?id=gmjhqsqgsgbbqghe Powered by YourMailingListProvider