Stadium Trumps Platform Issues

Good afternoon my friends, my family and my followers (some of you are all three in fact). I've been contemplating about what to write about today. Tomorrow being Remembrance Day would have been an easy topic but too much of my time recently has been spent on doing media interviews on the Occupy Nova Scotia eviction last year (not that I mind, media folks, I don't; I appreciate your interest and your time) so I've decided to go in a different direction today. Yesterday I came across this article about the new Mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Mike Savage and his decision to champion for a stadium; yes, champion.

First off I want to say that I like Mike; yes, corny but true. Like many I had and still have some pre-conceived notions about him but I would be lying if I didn't say that after meeting him that some of those notions have been shattered or changed for the better. Time will tell if he lives up to the title of career politician (whatever that might mean to you) or if he will shatter stereotypes and bring some much needed change to HRM.

So, back to the stadium and some thoughts. The first thing that struck me was the fact that this was even a conversation. As a candidate in the election I feel I was pretty well informed on the election and I do not recall a stadium being mentioned during any campaigning (except from some rather entertaining Twitter followers @Seahawk17). You can imagine my surprise to see that this is now not only a priority for our new mayor, but he intends to champion it! What happened to all those platform issues? How about the OurHRMAlliance's Seven Solutions? Where is the discussion on tax reform? When will the loss of downtown businesses become a priority?

I want to take a minute to address something before getting too far into this post; I am not opposed to a stadium (not necessarily supportive of it either). A stadium will do for HRM exactly what I expected Mike to do for HRM: create economic prosperity. Mike is no stranger to business or to politics and his experience in both bode well for such a venture. The prospective economic gains for the municipality are real when it comes to a stadium and I think Mike has the business sense and the political connection to make it happen and make it work. Dexter is just mad that the Federal government probably likes Mike Savage more than they do him; you screwed up Darryl and people just don't respect you anymore and the NDP are on the way out in the next provincial election. 

Back to the issue, the stadium. Where did this come from? Was I in the dark somehow? I like to think of myself as well informed but yet here we are. Our new mayor and council have not even had their first official session yet and here we have Mayor Savage championing for a stadium already. People didn't ask for a stadium, they asked for transparency; they didn't ask for entertainment, they asked for arts and culture. I think a stadium is the wrong item to be championing for before you've even sat in council.

Like I said, I'm not opposed to the stadium, I see the positive benefits that it will bring to the economy and to HRM in general. My problem is that this is the first big 'issue' to be championed for by our new Mayor. A sport stadium trumps accountability, transparency, homelessness, poverty, income disparity, affordable housing, tax reform, transit and infrastructure, arts and culture and every other major and important platform that Mike and his counterparts ran on. How did a stadium become more important than governing?

I'm a little disappointed that this is the first big move to be looked at and to garner media attention. I'm not quite ready to write off Mayor Savage yet; I won't let this (perceived) error in judgment of what is important to the residents of HRM define the next four years; I give you the benefit of the doubt Mr Savage because, as I said, I like Mike and I want to believe that you're not going to live up to that terrible stereo-type of career politician; I want to believe you believed in those crucial and important issues you 'championed' on to become our new Mayor. 

Series: Love Letters

The second letter in a series of real love letters I wrote to the only woman I have ever fallen in love with at first sight; not the only woman I've ever loved. Love is a passionate and blinding emotion; one I hope you've all experienced for better or for worse. The first letter in this series can be found here. Please remember that this is but a glimpse, the tip of an ice burgh of a situation that spans a decade, that unfortunately has since come to an end, but nevertheless lacks context here. Perhaps some day I will share the story and provide you with some.

"September 3rd, xxxx

Xxxxx, my love, I'm sitting here alone and I am watching you smile at me; for me. I finally turned on the video I made of you and Yyyyy and to my surprise I do not feel like crying. It reassures me to see you when you break into that smile; the smile you make out of your love for me. I'm sorry that my fears have been getting the better of me recently but like I've said, every good thing that's ever been part of my life has been stripped from me and I was helpless to stop it from happening. I trust you with my life because when I gave you my love, I also gave you my life. I am as naked and exposed before you as I was the day I entered into existence and sometimes it scares me to be so vulnerable. I try not to let it, but it sometimes finds it's way inside my head. I know you love me; I know you'll wait as long as it takes for me; and I know that you are mine yet somehow those thoughts find their way inside my head. It bothers me and I feel guilty because you shouldn't be made to think I doubt or question your intentions; your loyalty; or your love for me. It's not fair to you and believe me when I swear to you that I do not ever doubt those things. I'm sorry if I've ever made you feel as though I did. I never have and nor will I ever. Someday, we will have the life together that we both deserve; and we both deserve it. I'm watching Yyyyy right now and it would be a lie if I said my heart wasn't aching about missing her too. I know most of the time I only talk about how I'm feeling about you and I don't want you to think that anything is different about the little miracle that is your daughter. I miss her little hugs; her little laughs; her sweet happiness. I know you love her above anything else in this life and you want to protect her from any and all hurt and I guess I don't talk much about her because I'm afraid of how you might take it. I know you don't want her being hurt in any way and to be honest with you Xxxxx: I am far beyond attached to Yyyyy. I'm pretty sure you've heard me say I love her, and I do, and when I've said it I immediately kind of wished I hadn't said it. I'm not sure if you ever caught me saying it because I look to you expecting you to have a look telling me I went too far but I wouldn't say it if it weren't true.There are other things I think and feel but I don't know if I should tell you or if they are inappropriate; though I'm sure they will surface at some point. It means so much to me when you get her to talk on the phone to me. My heart melts with joy. I love you both so very much. Our time is coming; our time to be together. Oh, how I wish things were different and I wasn't stuck here, but this is our test; our test of love; of loyalty; of dedication; of strength and when we get through this, and I assure you we will, what we will have will be something the world has never known. Our love will be the envy of the entire world because they will know what love really is when they look at us and they will be envious. This last phone conversation has really helped put my mind much more at ease, though I can still feel some apprehensiveness creeping around up there. Just understand that it's dwindling rapidly with every passing moment. I love you with all my heart and soul and I want to spend the rest of my life with you; loving you and you loving me. I miss you dearly.

Love,

John"

"Remember, remember, the 5th of November..."

Good morning my friends! Today is a very special day; a very special day indeed. Today is a very important day in history that I have only come to awareness about last year but it is one I will celebrate each year for any that remain to me. It is today that Guy Fawkes, a lone Englishman, tried to burn down parliament with a shit ton of black powder; he was caught before he could light it up and was subsequently tried and executed.

I'll provide you with the poem and a little background to the day. Although the poem was meant to remind us that treason is never forgotten, it has taken on a new meaning for this generation. It is now a symbol of freedom and justice thanks to the movie V for Vendetta (which I HIGHLY recommend watching). If you have your Guy Fawkes mask, I encourage you to wear it out today to remind people that it only takes one person to start a revolution. You are free, don't let them take that.

Remember, remember the fifth of November,

gunpowder, treason and plot,

I see no reason why gunpowder treason

should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes,

'twas his intent

to blow up the King and the Parliament.

Three score barrels of powder below,

Poor old England to overthrow:

By God's providence he was catch'd

With a dark lantern and burning match.

Holloa boys, holloa boys, make the bells ring.

Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!

Hip hip hoorah! 

While this is not the complete version, I will provide a link here to the full version. You can go here to see this copy and some of the information that will follow.

"Words of "Remember Remember" refer to Guy Fawkes with origins in 17th century English history. On the 5th November 1605 Guy Fawkes was caught in the cellars of the Houses of Parliament with several dozen barrels of gunpowder. Guy Fawkes was subsequently tried as a traitor with his co-conspirators for plotting against the government. He was tried by Judge Popham who came to London specifically for the trial from his country manor Littlecote House in Hungerford, Gloucestershire. Fawkes was sentenced to death and the  form of the execution was one of the most horrendous ever practised (hung ,drawn and quartered) which reflected the serious nature of the crime of treason."

Occupy Nova Scotia: An Open Letter To Mike Savage

Good morning my friends! Today I am going to share a letter that I wrote but have not sent. It is my own letter and not meant to be misinterpreted as representing the voices of any of the people charged last November 11th, nor to represent the Occupy movement or Occupy Nova Scotia; these are my own words and represent myself and my involvement with the movement. I would seriously like to see this issue addressed and will be working towards applying pressure and pursuing avenues to make it happen. So, without further adieu, here we go.

"Mayor-Elect Mike Savage,

I would like to start this letter off by congratulating you Mr Savage, on being elected to the mayoral seat in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Although my own run was not nearly as successful, I am looking forward to being actively engaged in municipal politics over the next four years and seeing what positive changes you will be bringing to the people of HRM.

Though it should be noted that you will see at times that I might criticize you and your decisions, after having met you several times over the course of the election, I believe you have honest intentions to better this city and the municipality as a whole. The onus will be on you to demonstrate the strength of character I believe I saw in you. Despite my personal opinion of your personal character, which is a positive one, we will disagree on political matters and this is nothing against you or your character. Who knows, perhaps I will find nothing to disagree with but this is, however, politics. 

On that note, I would like to bring up a political issue to which you will soon have the ability to address. As mentioned, I have met you several times and I also followed your campaign and have heard your disdain for the treatment of the Occupy Nova Scotia movement last year. As you are aware, and asked me of a few times, I was a member of the Occupy Nova Scotia movement. It is about this issue for which I am writing this letter.

You are, as many others, aware of what happened that day, the ensuing media frenzy and of course the charges laid on 14 of the protesters that day. After months of delays and push-backs, last May the charges were withdrawn by the prosecution (the HRM) due to lack of evidence to convict. There was some brief media coverage and the matter has since remained quiet however it is far from resolved. I will take a moment to explain myself.

The charges, as mentioned, were withdrawn. What does that mean? It means that HRM could, at any time in the future, decide to reopen the case and proceed with the charges again. In a metaphorical sense, this is an admission of guilt of wrongful arrest without having to acknowledge it, say it or accept responsibility for it. We were given the option of accepting Adult Diversion as a plea and I, like most of the others, rejected this offer because we felt strongly that we would win our court battle; apparently so did the prosecution. It was shortly after this rejection of their offer that our charges were withdrawn.

I am writing you to ask you to address this situation. I stand by my actions from that day and no court of law, regardless of evidence or illegal charges will ever convince me otherwise. This is what I would like from you, as my new Mayor and someone in a position to do something:

1) Have the charges officially dropped. I am not asking for an official apology, though it would be nice, but I would like to have closure. With charges being simply withdrawn it is as though they are being held over my head all the time; following me, and 13 others, wherever we go; living with the fear and knowledge that our lives can be turned upside down at any moment. Drop them and let us be free of our chains of burden that we carry still to this day; almost one year later.

Bring closure to this despicable act of deceit and violence. You have met me and you have commended me for the work I was doing; you showed me respect and you have seen, as I have shown many others, that I am a competent, informed and passionate individual. Again, I'm not looking for an apology from you, from City Hall or from the HRPD (though again, it would be a nice gesture); no, what I want is that part of my freedom back. My rights were violated that day and a part of my freedoms locked up with me in a jail cell; I have since been released, but my freedom still rots in a cell.

I urge to please consider this request on my behalf and on behalf of the 13 others who carry this unnecessary and unjust burden upon their shoulders everywhere they go. Give us back the freedom that was so wrongfully and painfully stripped from us.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

John Thibeau"