Nanaimo-Ladysmith ndp nomination Meeting
Jackie Moad, RN
...presentation in Nanaimo
Nanaimo-Ladysmith NDP
All Candidates Nomination Meeting
Sunday, October 5, Nanaimo Conference Centre
October 5/14
My friends,
I stand before you, honoured that a nurse, farmer and lifetime advocate for conservation and the environment, might be considered to be your representative and take your concerns, hopes and dreams to Parliament.
But first I want to thank the Snuyneymux people, and to acknowledge that we’re on their territory - lands recognized under Douglas Treaty rights of 1853 ...which still need to be resolved and respected.
Hych’qa.
So my friends, I was drifting off last night, and you know how you get those profound thoughts sometimes ...so I kind of reached over and scribbled a couple of words down, and had a look this morning when I was just waking up ...It said,
"Hypnotise New Democrats", and that was all. Which kind of left me hanging. I mean, 'what was I thinking?'
Y'know, like ((holding up a pen and swinging it like a pendulum)),
"You will vote for Jackie Moad, you will vote for Jackie Moad...."
At least, those were my waking thoughts, and then it hit me...
"It's about honesty, stupid". I was watching the news just before bed, and I was thinking I should do something that Harper's never done...
- Be Honest!!
And ...measured against Harper's record, Honesty would be sure to catch everyone's interest!
And Hey! It's renewable, and it comes back to you. You're honest with people, and they're honest with you ...unless you meet Harper of course, and then you count your fingers after you shake hands with him!
And while we're on the subject, let me just take a moment for a little survey ...just a few questions ...okay...
- who believes Harper did the right thing by meeting secretly behind closed doors, and locking us into a 30 year Free Trade Agreement with China - FIPA?
(Let's ask the people on the streets of Hong Kong for the past week whether they think trusting China is a smart thing to do?)
- okay, who believes that the secret plan to send F-18 fighter jets to Iraq, is a good and well-thought-out Canadian plan?
- okay, and who believes that Harper didn't make a secret deal ...yup, behind closed doors, to pay off Mike Duffy, so he'd lie to Parliament about Senate expenses??
- annnddd, y'know, who believes the Earth is Flat, and pigs can fly??
(That's not really part of the survey ...I just thought I'd throw it in for a little comic relief!)
I mean, aren't you getting sick of all the secret deals behind closed doors??? Proroguing Parliament whenever Harper faces serious questions, ...or the constant abuse of the "royal prerogative" to sign secret free trade deals like FIPA with China, ...or doing away with the (Navigable) Waters Act and protection of Canadian lakes and rivers through Omnibus legislation ...?
I mean what's next? Harper's abusing our trust and using our democratic rules against us.
Isn't it time to draw a line in the sand, say enough is enough ...and let the Prime Minister and his cronies know that they aren't going to be allowed to do whatever they want...
Isn't it time we Canadians told Harper that we want an open, honest and democratic government in Canada - period! We want public participation, accountability and the public interest to be front and centre when decisions are being made.
We want our rights upheld and respected, and placed before the interests of multinationals and transnational corporations and foreign governments.
We want the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to guide the government of Canada - - here at home, and in all our overseas dealings.
And we want social and environmental considerations to be treated equally and to be fully integrated with economic deals, growth and development.
In short, Canadians deserve better than Harper.
We are a better people, a better society and a better light for freedom and democracy than Harper would have us be. We don't deserve to be dragged into the mud with the likes of Harper and his corrupt Conservatives.
And if we're to stand proud again as Canadians we need to start finding ways to re-build and restore the institutions and spirit of our country as we approach the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017.
And so, with climate change threatening extreme weather events - and the economic and social damage that follows, we need to start planning now ...with our children's future in mind.
This week's report, that we have lost 50% of our wildlife on Earth in the last forty years, raises the stakes for us all.
And we can do this, make change for the better, starting right here in Nanaimo-Ladysmith.
Our fisheries, forests and farms offer renewable dividends for our coast and Island. ...Our tourism and service sectors, and health care and senior's programs provide ongoing and growing opportunities. ...And our university and educational institutions provide professional assessment, research, training and skills that will bring us new and innovative approaches.
And our growing and increasingly diverse business sector brings talented commerce and development expertise ...which makes me hopeful that we might offer ourselves as a centre for green technologies, zero waste, wind and solar energy manufacturing and product development ...all which can be marketed to Victoria and Vancouver as they pursue their sustainability and green city goals.
We're in the right place, at the right time ...and if the world is not exactly our oyster it is at least possible for us to grow the oyster business in the restored and rejuvenated waters of the Salish Seas. And the same holds true for our coastal lands, and their promise of sustainable development.
So, my friends, fellow new Democrats, I do - honestly - believe we can make a difference. I believe we have the chance to turn this country around, restore our democratic institutions, ...and the programs that have served us well in the past.
But first we need to see the end of Harper (and his reign of terror), and expose the neo-conservative agenda of corporate welfare for the lie it is. And to do that we need to get down to brass tacks, and to speak the honest truth amongst ourselves and with our friends - to build momentum that will tell it like it is ...no equivocation, hedging or maybe's.
Let's commit to work together, to get things done for the betterment of or families, coast and communities ...and the country. This is not the time to sit back and hope that someone else will carry the flag.
...And if you agree with my approach, and my priorities, I hope you will consider sending a nurse to Parliament.
Thank you.
Jackie Moad
Thistledown Farm, Nanaimo, BC, V9X 1K3
(250 722-7223) <[email protected]> (http://jackiemoad.weebly.com)
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