What's really behind this?

There's got to be something going on here we don't see.
1. The Province is bankrupt,
2. The biggest Hospital, the VG looks like something in the 3rd world with the signs on the sinks, "do not drink the water bottled water available on request" and
3. The city has an antiquated water and sewer system that has to be replaced and
4. The half assed sewer treatment plant is already obsolete according to new federal guidelines
5. All of the overpasses are starting to decay and need costly repair. They did Fairview cove and are now doing the recent one at the end of the BiHi
6. The city is continually cutting back on services
7. The province is cutting education health everywhere and anywhere
Yet Dexter and Kelly are spending money like Drunk Marines in a Cambodian Cathouse on.....
1. conventions centres.
2. monster libraries with no reference department while people are more and more getting books off line with the new electronic readers..
3. A stadium that will cost tens if not hundreds of millions that will sit idle most of the time unless we spend tens of millions more bribing some sporting event to go there.
4. Don't forget Peter Kelly's insane high speed ferry because I'm sure he hasn't.
5. None of this spending makes any financial sense in this at all. Surely to God they aren't stupid enough to think they can spend their way out of debt. Anybody have a theory as to what's behind it because it's not fiscal responsibility.
Bruce DeVenne

news maker? What about the crooks

News maker of the year: Jacques Lapointe


Mon, Dec 27 - 7:32 AM
IT might be a bit of an understatement to name the understated Jacques Lapointe Nova Scotia’s News maker of the Year. You bet he is.
The soft-spoken Mr. Lapointe is hardly a natural-born spotlight-grabber. But when he did grab it in February, it was to shine it not on himself, but into the shadows of the legislature.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Editorials/1219077.html
Shouldn't the news makers of the year be those politicians who, in most people's opinion. stole from the public? Paying legal Ass'n fees why over what was necessary. When the Pemier got caught he suddenly decided is was OK to pay the $350 per year now that it was coming out of his pocket.
The laptops for them and family members, coffee machines, generators, high end digital cameras not needed in their work, you name it and they bought it as long as the public was paying.
The news makers of the year
should be the crooks in government and/or the mounties who can't seem to get any investigation into this matter into gear. If it had been you or me involved we'd be in jail long ago
Bruce DeVenne

The two faces of Mayor Kelly!

From the left hand face we hear, we can afford the new Convention centre despite the hundreds of millions it will cost us.

From the right hand face he tells us we have tens of millions in "short falls" and we will face tax hikes (as always) and service cuts (as always) with no decrease in taxes to match the decrease in service

You have to wonder if either head has a brain that can do basic math and add and subtract!
SOME SUGGESTIONS
We pay for the services leave them in place as mandated
Kill the new Convention centre
Revise the way over priced excessive new library to a sensible building.
Kill the football stadium that will sit Idle most of the year
Kill the high speed ferry from Bedford.
Stop paying to bring money losing concerts and sporting events to HRM.
Cut council numbers in half
Remove the discretionary spending fund.
If Mayor Kelly can't see the savings in this I will be glad to buy him a calculator.

City council hits the wall

Halifax budget: Which wall?

"WE HAVE HIT THE WALL, finance staff told Halifax council in a sobering presentation last week on the outlook for the next two municipal budgets."

Where does this wall come from? Mayor Peter Kelly and his council keep building or trying to build it with our money no less.
The list is long and self evident to almost everybody but our Mayor Kelly lead City Council.
1. The Commonwealth Games
2. The new Convention centre
3. The way over priced excessive new library.
4, A football stadium that will sit Idle most of the year
5. The high speed ferry from Bedford.
6. Paying to bring money losing concerts and sporting events to HRM.
7. Building things like the Bedford rink without waiting for federal financial support.

The answer is simple. Council get your act together and spend money on what you are mandated to do, what the majority of the taxpayers need and that will benefit the majority of taxpayers and stop pandering to the few.
Accept the fact that, contrary to your evident beliefs, the tax well is not bottomless, that there is a limit and you've passed it. Spend money the way we have to and you personally do by accounting for every cent and the need of spending it.
Its not hard to do look at what you have in the bank and use it wisely don't squander money on economic black holes today with the idea that you will cover it with tax hikes and service cuts next year.
If you want to spend money like Moncton. Toronto Vancouver move there and get yourself elected to that council.
Bruce DeVenne
Full article @ http://thechronicleherald.ca/Editorials/1214390.html#comments

Our lipstick on a pig award today goes once again to Mayor Peter Kelly for political and fiscal hairsplitting.

In Sundays Herald he says:

It ( the $35 million they were short) was a "Funding gap,’ not shortfall" and goes on to add," City hall’s latest money woes are certainly challenging but not insurmountable, Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly said Saturday" and " Such fiscal measures as service cuts or increased taxes — or both — could be on the way.
We need to look at the way we do our business," to see if there’s a better method of managing expenses with monies received, Kelly said.
"Funding gap,’ not shortfall" Try being a few thousand short on your mortgage or car payments and see if this hairsplitting works with your bank. NO way so why should it work with the HRM taxpayer? If you were in this mess you could

A Cut back spending and buy less costly goods

B Get a second job

Mayor Kelly and his council won't be getting second jobs to cover the shortfall oops the funding gap and they show no intention of killing the white elephants they plan to spend our money on so get ready for large annual tax hikes and regular cuts in service which seem to be the only way Mayor Kelly plans to work. Remember Mayor Kelly wasn't short the money he just didn't take enough from us but is seems he is ready to remedy this oversight

Full article at http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/1213140.html

Bruce DeVenne

You were warned

From the Herald
'Not a good-news story': Halifax in budget crunch
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/9018742.html
The story starts with:
"Halifax Regional Municipality is facing another cash crunch, and such fiscal measures as service cuts or increased taxes — or both — could be on the way".
What can be done??
1. Not take on the winter games? Too late they've already lost millions on them..The cost was quoted on CTV as just over $35 million almost last springs shortfall to the penny. What services and now much more taxes are you paying to bring us the Canada Winter Games?
2. Dump the convention centre yep
3. Dump the stadium yep
4. Forget about the high speed ferry yep
5.Build a functioning library for 20 million +/- rather than that 55 million + glass monstrosity yep
6. Stop dumping money into losing concerts annually (600 grand on Sir Paul alone) yep
7. Cut council to 12 members Yep BIG savings
8, Take away discretionary spending Yep another BIG saver

I'm sure there are lots more examples but these will do for a start.
9 Do away with the Greater Halifax partnership. Over $1 million annually on a setup that is a duplication, triplication or even a fourplification of existing services in both government and private sectors. This is job creation at it's worst.Yep another good sized saving.
10 Stop sending so many people to council get togethers around Canada send one or two people and let them report back. Better yet let them stay here and run the city with input and attention paid to fiscal reality and the tax payers i.e. plebiscites where needed.

This blog has spoken out against the irresponsible spending by government, in particular the totally out of control spending of HRM council, time and time again. Now even without the economic black holes of a new convention centre and football stadium our warnings have born fruit.

General rule to Mayor Kelly and Council: spend our money the way you spend your own!!!!

Now you know why council likes to work behind closed doors in total secrecy. As always E mail addresses for the Mayor and council members are listed on the left. Speak up or pay up!
Bruce DeVenne

Mayor Kelly confirms deal is money loser

Mayor Peter Kelly says, "It will lose money" On the editorial page this week an article referred to the new convention centre, and government's attitude. It said "although our political system is democratic, derived from the Greek words demos and kratia, which roughly translates to "power of the people" in which elected politicians represent our interests, it is hard not to wonder how much power we, the people, really have". It seems the prime concern of elected officials here in Nova Scotia and HRM are downtown bars, restaurants and hotels.

The cost of this economic disaster will run, when everything is factored in to between $350 and $400 million dollars at which time it will belong to a private company or I suppose we can then buy it for tens of millions more tax dollars. As it stands, based on population HRM taxpayers will pay half the provincial cost and 100% of the civic costs. This would put us on the hook for around $275 to $300 million.

I can't afford nor do I wish to chip in on this kind of a gift for the downtown businesses nor would the vast majority of taxpayers if they were asked in a plebiscite. Better yet establish an "are rate" set so it totally covers all casts of the centre and tack it on to the businesses in the downtown core that will benefit from this deal? You'd hear them scream NO in Amherst. NOT WITH OUR MONEY! We just want to gravy send the bills to John Q Public taxpayer. If its such a great deal let private business build or at least pay for it. If its not a good deal for them its not a good deal for the taxpayer.

We KNOW its going to lose money Mayor Peter Kelly told us so on today's (Wed.) Rick Howe Show. Way to look out for us Mayor Kelly. Remember only Councillors Barkhouse & Watts voted against it. If the taxpayer has any brains these will be the only two returned in the next election.

Bruce DeVenne

Congratulations Brad and Jennifer

Congratulations to Brad Johns for showing enough interest to show at St Mary's last night for to see the speaker on the convention centre and to Jennifer Watts who attended a breakfast meeting this morning on the same subject. While the MLA's excuse was that the house was sitting they could have made the effort to adjourn early in order to attend the evening meeting or they could have attended the one Jennifer attended this morning.. At least I would have expected Estabrooks, Dexter and Kelly to show. We got two councillors out of 75 elected officials involved that's 2.6% of our combined governments, a sad comment on their interest on fiscal reality. Once again congratulations to the 2.6% who showed up
Bruce DeVenne

Heywwod Saunders speaks on convention centres

I would like to take this opportunity, as a member of the executive of the Halifax Homeowners Association to invite you to attend:

A free public presentation with renowned convention centre expert
Dr. Heywood Sanders

to consider questions you have about the proposed convention centre promises.
Is there a business case?
Will it revitalize the downtown?
What are the impacts?

Dr. Heywood Sanders holds a PhD in government from Harvard University, is a professor of public administration at the University of Texas at San Antonio and has taught at Brown University, the University of Illinois, and Trinity University. His research looks at urban politics and development, and includes the 2005 Brookings Institution study of convention centers, "Space Available." Dr. Sanders is currently completing a book on convention center development and politics. An article he published in which he looked at the new Vancouver convention centre can be seen at http://www.governmentripoff.com/005kpmgft.html


It will take place at
Halifax: Monday, November 8th, 7:00- 9:00 pm,
Saint Mary's Sobey School of Business, 923 Robie St
Followed by Q & A

Hosted by: Coalition to End Poverty for Nova Scotia * Council of Canadians-Inverness Chapter * Council of Canadians-South Shore Chapter * Ecology Action Centre * Facebook Group-Save the View from Citadel Hill * Friends of the Halifax Common * Halifax Regional Homeowner's Association * Nova Scotia Heritage Trust * Nova Scotia Public Interest Research Group * Peninsula South Neighbourhood Association * Sierra Club of Canada-Atlantic Chapter * see www.savetheview.ca
Bruce DeVenne

Premier Double D 's government avoids TCC for meetings

When the Trade and Convention Centre opened years ago one of it's pluses, or so we were told, was the ability to be subdivided to take any sized convention, meeting or party. Seems that doesn't impress NDP Premier Darrell Dexter or his government minion's. There was a list published last week showing the top 15 meetings/conventions that the provincial government ran and none of them were at the TCC. Why not? It's not in use that much so it couldn't have been booked for all those nights and, seeing it belongs to the province it wouldn't have cost a cent. Seems NDP Premier Double D is bent on spreading the tax dollars around to the selected few, no different than the other two parties. Here, for those interested in a list of those meetings, who held them, where they were held and what the price tag per event was.

Bruce DeVenne

Lipstick on a pig award

This weeks winner is NDP Bill Estabrooks, He was on the air today with Rick Howe didn't stay around long enough to talk to any members of the public in fact he didn't even mention them in his factless speech. They talking to staff, to council everybody but us the people who will pay for this white elephant. He said its a give and take deal but did not mention that its our money that they are giving and taking. We were told that this would be an "open" deal but he then went onto say that he didn't want to discuss it in public. Remember this party was voted for because they were different. Can you see a difference? I cant. Here is a short article from local free lance writer Professor Stephen Kimber, It calls a spade a spade and equates what is going on to the Commonwealth Games fiasco. Speak up or you will pay up. E Mail Bill, The Premier and The mayor and tell them no you (who will pay for this half a billion deal) can't afford it!

Mayor Kelly kellyp@halifax.ca

NDP Honourable Bill Estabrooks Estabrooksenergyminister@gov.ns.ca

NDP Premier Darrell Dexter premier@gov.ns.ca

Urban Compass by Stephen Kimber

FROM METRO HALIFAX

June 25, 2010 3:50 a.m.


Last Friday, a group calling itself the Coalition to Save the View held a press conference to release its analysis of four reports on the financial viability of a new convention centre for downtown Halifax. Promoters want the province to ante up one-third of its $300-million cost.

You may recall that when those vital-to-understanding-the-business-case reports were first released last winter — following a freedom of information request from (let the record show) the coalition rather than any media outlet — they were so heavily censored as to be unintelligible.

At the end of April, under orders from provincial Infrastructure Minister Bill Estabrooks, the reports were finally released, almost in full.

Initial media accounts claimed the reports supported the convention centre. While technically true, such conclusions, the coalition countered, “can only have resulted from a very superficial reading of the reports.” The coalition’s documentation includes four, small-type pages filled with quotations from the reports, each raising doubts about the case for the convention centre.

Between caveats — one report concedes it was prepared “without the benefit of any primary research” — and quietly acknowledged facts — a “huge supply of underutilized facilities in the U.S.” is forcing convention marketers to deep discount or eliminate rental rates entirely in order to attract ever fewer conventions — the coalition argues the reports don’t actually make the upbeat case they claim to.

The coalition’s own analysis indicates it will cost governments far more to cover the interest on borrowing funds to build the centre than it will recover in additional tax revenues.

“There’s no business case,” the coalition concludes.

Rather than responding to the substance of those arguments, Halifax Herald business columnist Roger Taylor began his day-after-the-press-conference column this way: “It must be difficult for a group calling itself the Coalition to Save the View to argue that its opposition to a new convention centre in Halifax is anything other than an attempt to prevent high-rises from being built in the downtown.”

Huh?

Taylor coupled his swipe at the coalition’s motives — he didn’t mention that one key report in favour of a new convention centre was written by the executive director of Convention Centres of Canada, a convention industry-promoting agency — with a no-numbers, no-analysis attack on its conclusions. “The coalition’s effort to fight the project on economic grounds,” he wrote, “fell short.”

Of what exactly?

The convention centre is beginning to sound like the Commonwealth Games all over again. With promoters and the puff press urging us to drink the Kool-Aid — without wanting to tell us what’s really in it.

– Stephen Kimber, the Rogers Communications Chair in Journalism at the University of Kings College, is the author of eight books.

Bruce DeVenne

Will the REAL NDP please stand up (or showup)

A couple of controversial news items in the last few days and, of course our fearless leader, NDP Premier Darrell Dexter, is winging his way around the world again like he did when the expense account scandal hit. This time its the convention centre and biomass fuel for the Power Company. Studies have shown that convention centre business has been dead for years with exception of annual shrinkage in income for centres. These studies and other news stories are available at http://www.governmentripoff.com/001.html
Biomass burning for power generation produces for carbon over the long run than coal studies show and the state of Massachusetts has done an about face on allowing it according to a news article included at the end of this article. Meanwhile those Nova Scotians who voted NDP to see things done the proper way are scratching their heads asking, what happened.
Long time opponents of the cooperate welfare bums system in play with the Liberals an PC parties the NDP no sooner got into power and they were handing out tens of millions to multi billion dollar companies. They were also caught with their hands in the cookie jar with respect to the expense scandal and now seem to have forgotten their long term seemingly phony call for a
greener Nova Scotia.
Seems they are no different, say whatever it takes to get elected then....business as usual.
Bruce DeVenne

Massachusetts Sees the Light on Biomass Power
Posted by Nils Bruzelius in Biofuels, Featured Articles, climate change on July 9, 2010


By Mary S. Booth, Ph.D., and EWG Executive Editor Nils Bruzelius

In a sharp about-face, Massachusetts officials have decided that biomass-fueled, electric-only power plants do not qualify as renewable energy sources because of the growing awareness that these facilities actually boost greenhouse emissions for decades, rather than helping to combat global warming.

The turnaround came close on the heels of a state-commissioned study by the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, which produced a “deeper understanding that the greenhouse gas impacts of biomass energy are far more complicated than the conventional view,” wrote Ian A. Bowles, the state’s secretary of energy and environmental affairs in a July 7 letter.

The decision indicates that critics of biomass-fueled power plans are gaining traction. Environmental Working Group and others have issued reports and studies pointing out the negative consequences of turning to wood biomass as a way to limit carbon dioxide emissions and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The Massachusetts decision could prove to be a turning point in reappraising long-standing state and federal policies and laws that have encouraged biomass-fueled electric power with tax breaks and other incentives.

Like many states, Massachusetts has adopted legislation that mandates a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a plan that is supported by increasing the amount of renewable power generated by or purchased by the state each year. Until now, the state’s “renewables portfolio standard” (RPS) – the suite of technologies that are considered to provide renewable power – had included utility-scale biomass plants, and proposals for three large-scale plants are currently seeking state approval. Such plants consume hundreds of thousands of tons of wood a year – literally the equivalent of millions of trees – to produce power at very low efficiencies. (The efficiency a new biomass plant tops out around 24 percent, considerably worse than even an average coal plant at 33 percent.)

The Manomet study determined that even after 40 years of forest regrowth, net carbon dioxide emissions from biomass burning are still higher than from coal. EWG’s report reached similar conclusions, finding that pending climate change bills in Congress and state renewable fuels policies would “send a massive 4.7 billion ton pulse of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere that would accelerate global warming as it drastically erodes forests’ ability to pull carbon out the atmosphere.” The EWG study also found that these policies would lead to “the equivalent of clear-cutting between 18 million and 30 million acres of forest” to supply fuel for currently proposed biomass plants.

Massachusetts has now recognized that biomass electric-only plants can only make climate change worse. Under the new policy, only small-scale combined-heat-and-power (CHP) biomass plants will be allowed as part of the state’s RPS, and they have to use fuels that won’t result in carbon emissions above what would be produced from other uses of those fuels.

That means, for instance, that some waste wood may be considered permissible “low-carbon” fuel, but to qualify for the renewables portfolio, even CHP plants will have to show that they emit no more than 50 percent of the carbon of a new combined-cycle gas plant over a 20-year life cycle.

These progressive, science-based regulations – the first of their kind in the nation – are the new gold standard for carbon accounting for biomass power. But all across the rest of the nation, a massive ramp-up in biomass power is occurring, both at new plants and at coal-burning plants that “co-fire” biomass. EWG has already documented that existing and proposed biomass plants and biomass co-firing will inevitably use whole trees as fuel – the industry admits it.

Kudos to Massachusetts for moving swiftly to counter this threat to forests and modify its policy in response to the best available science. It makes no sense to encourage renewable power that makes climate change worse.

Lipstick on a pig award

This weeks Lipstick on a pig award goes to NDP Premier Darrell ( yeah I bought a camera and laptops for me and my kid so what?) Dexter.
Darrell earned this award while insulting every Nova Scotian as he told us what a great deal this was. It was good for HRM, good for Nova Scotia and good for all of Atlantic Canada. He also added that this would put us on the map. How stupid does he think we are. The people who cared enough to study the convention centre business in North America know this for what it is an economic white elephant costing $350 million plus (that's right not the low figure the Premier is tossing around).

The scary part is the possibility that he believes this manure pile. Scary to think that somebody that gullible, that misinformed that disinterested in financial reality is the leader of our province.

I would imagine the next winner will be Mayor Peter Kelly when he announces that his total indifference to the financial needs of the residents of HRM has seen him sign onto the deal. Expect the same inane manure pile from him in selling it.

Remember they are doing this with no money from the fedsleaving us on the hook for that much more.

Remember all this when they come around next time looking for your votes (you'll have the tax increases to remind you)

Bruce Devenne

Kiss the NS tax cap good-bye

Contrary to his and his party's election promises of no tax hikes Premier Darrell Derter's derriere hardly had the legislative chair warmed when they announced they were increasing the sales tax taking millions more out of the pockets of Nova Scotians. His unquenchable thirst for our money has all but shut down the retail gas business in Amherst as people cross the border to get cheaper New Brunswick gasoline. I suppose he had to pay for all those GPS systems, cameras, laptops and all the other goodies our elected officials seem to feel they are entitled buy with our money. Premiere Double D is now teaming up with that other well known spender, our Mayor Peter Kelly. They are teaming up to bring us even more horrendous costs with little or no benefit to the tax payers.
The province will trade the old convention centre to the city for city owned land. No indication yet what land but I have the funny feeling HRM will get the shorter end of the stick once again. The city will turn this into offices (suddenly we need that many offices?) at what costs we can only imagine. They will then build the new convention centre. The old one was a provincial owned deal but now, in true Liberal fashion, Premier Double D will download a portion of that cost onto us the ratepayers in HRM. That's right people you will pay your portion of the provinces cost and absorb even more because you live in HRM.
How will that financial Vaudeville team of Peter and Darrell pay for this? We were recently given a hint, the removal of the tax cap! They mentioned it, there was no great outcry so before too long you will see it vanish and your home taxes will sky rocket.
Remember the blended sales tax was tossed around, then signed into law as a voluntary thing but the good old Liberals under John Savage latched onto in and took hundreds of millions of more tax dollars from our pockets annually.
Remember they have to pay and subsidize the new convention centre. Mayor Peter Kelly wants $55 million plus for a new library while St. John NB can build a police station for $22 million plus and don't forget about Peter Kelly's high speed ferry that's still lurking in the background.
There seems to be no limits to their imaginations when it comes to spending (read squandering) our money and end to the ways and amounts they will take from us.

If you don't think the new convention centre is an economic hole in the ground take 15 minutes or so and read what the rest of North America says about them without the hype and unfounded statements that you get from you politicians. http://www.governmentripoff.com/001.html

Remember the lies and waste when this bunch both civic and provincial come knocking next time looking for you votes.
Bruce DeVenne

What happened to the charges?

What ever happened to the criminal charges against the selected
few MLA's singled out as guilty? After years of sanctimonious
breast beating by the NDP they finally gained power only to
be caught in the same expense account scandals as the rest.
Strangely though some skated free as underlings claimed responsibility for "mistakes" in record keeping. How did Premier
Darrell Dexter manage to swim through the net? He bought himself a very high end digital camera (his hobby is photography) and not one but two high end laptops, one that was in use by his kid at school.
They think the funds are there to use as a personal Christmas fund. Why should we buy them GPS systems? They found their way around the riding to get elected (at that point they would have had to pay for the system out of their own funds) and if they can't find their way to the legislature without a taxpayer paid for GPS system fire them!

There is nothing in the job descriptions of MLA's that says they must take pictures and nowhere does it say use public funds to buy electronic toys for you family yet out Premier walked away after buying himself a $2100 cameras and both himself and his kid laptops. How can he walk away from this? Where is the equal justice in this country.

I guess it's true we are all equal some are just more equal than others.
Bruce DeVenne

NDP worst yet???????

This was all done under the NDP government lead by our Primer Double D. It seems that, now that we have a chance to see them up close and in power they are no different than the Liberals and Conservatives. One bright spot was Peter Stoffer but he finally succumbed to the toe the party sheep lie mentality. If you're going to vote, vote independent.

Companies connected with Nova Scotia Business, Inc board member James Kehoe to receive $585,688 in rebates approved by NSBI

"In March, while James Kehoe was a board member at Nova Scotia Business, Inc., the province's business development agency, that board approved over a half million dollars in payroll rebates for companies associated with Kehoe. Those payroll rebates were approved by the Dexter government on July 27."

"The day before, July 27, the Dexter cabinet issued several orders in council, approving a series of payroll tax rebates that had been approved by NSBI's board of directors on March 31. One payroll rebate, in the amount of $332,188, was awarded to Polysteel Atlantic Limited; a second, for $253,500, went to North-Air Window & Door Limited.............. The Joint Registry of Stocks lists James Kehoe as president of both companies. '

Full story at http://www.thecoast.ca/halifax/companies-connected-with-nova-scotia-business-inc-board-member-james-kehoe-to-receive-585688-in-rebates-approved-by-nsbi/Content?oid=1780882
At again thank God for Tim Bousquet the only reporter it seems who does his homework and looks under the rocks for all the slimy things found there.

Bruce DeVenne

Beware of Koodo

If you are considering changing Cell Phone providers or connecting for the first time I would advise you to beware of Koodo company. The phones we bought are junk! If I get called on my Koodo cell when I answer it, it doesn't work. The ringer is all but non existent you can't here it and when you try to deal with the company the fun really begins.
They want numbers off government documents (drivers licence) it's next to impossible to deal with the company. I've been trying to cancel my service for three months. I asked to speak with the Head office only to be told they (the Koodo reps) don't know how to get in touch with them (a phone company with an unlisted number). Finally today I got somebody that said there was a cancellation section I would have to talk to. I waited for 15 minutes plus listening to "Girls Just Want To Have Fun. Finally the guy I was talking to came back on to tell me that oops their system was down start over again tomorrow. I told him to write down my account number and do the cancellation after the system came back up. He claims that NOBODY there has a pen or pencil or paper to write on.
Like I said BEWARE OF KOODO

Another class action law suit brewing thanks to Harper, Dexter, MacDonald et. al

Today's headlines tells us that there is "No money to test new MS treatment" and adds, " Experts doubt method works, feds advised". This is the same story that resulted in thousands of Canadians being infected with Hepatitis C through the blood. The Canadian Red Cross refused to add a screen being used by the rest of the industrialized world because they couldn't get money to give it a "Canadian Content test" with the result that for years Canadian Content in blood meant Hepatitis C.
What test does the MS treatment need? We've seen it work on TV one guy was awake for the procedure and felt the difference immediately. They say we study history so we don't make the same mistakes again. I assume that history is not a part of poli-science courses. How many thousands of Canadians will suffer and die from MS while Harper, Dexter, Maureen MacDonald and our other leaders twiddle their thumbs over this proven treatment? One has to wonder how many of our Political and Medical leaders and experts own stock in the companies who make billions selling the drugs presently used top treat MS and what this does to ability to make a rational decision. I can see no rationality in what they are doing, just another massive class action law suit to enrich a gang of lawyers.Darrel Dexter just handed tens of millions to the Irving family and a Korean multibillion dollar company yet can't find a few cents to test a proven treatment to relieve thousands of Canadians? Remember this next election folks.
Bruce DeVenne

New Civil Servants

Curtis & Leroy saw an ad in the Kentville Advertiser Newspaper in Kentville , N.S. and bought a mule for $100.

The farmer agreed to deliver the mule the next day. The next morning the farmer drove up and said, "Sorry, fellers, I have some bad news, the mule died last night."

Curtis & Leroy replied, "Well, then just give us our money back.."

The farmer said, "Can't do that. I went and spent it already."
They said, "OK then, just bring us the dead mule."
The farmer asked, "What in the world ya'll gonna do with a dead mule?"
Curtis said, "We gonna raffle him off."
The farmer said, "You can't raffle off a dead mule!"
Leroy said, "We shore can! Heck, we don't hafta tell nobody he's dead!"

A couple of weeks later, the farmer ran into Curtis & Leroy at the Co-Op grocery store and asked: "What'd you fellers ever do with that dead mule?"

They said,"We raffled him off like we said we wuz gonna do."
Leroy said,"Shucks, we sold 500 tickets fer two dollars apiece and made a profit of $898."
The farmer said,"My Lord, didn't anyone complain?"
Curtis said, "Well, the feller who won got upset. So we gave him his two dollars back."

Curtis and Leroy now work for the NOVA SCOTIA government. They're overseeing DEXTER/STEELE'S Harmonization Sales Tax Plan.

How do we get fiscal responsibility out of our politicians

How good a job is Peter Kelly doing spending your money. The facts say
he's doing a very pood job. Read on, peruse the studies and decide
for yourself.

Another 3P3 deal It should read 3Ps cubed because the P3 is there three times.
1 Public Purse Pays
2 Private Pockets profit
3 Pork-barrel politics personified.

Here are three items I found on the new “needed” Vancouver convention center. The post building reality is a lot different than the pre construction hype. You have to wonder if these companies that go around finding the great needs for these projects aren’t simply highly paid yes men. This is just as big a pile of manure as the Commonwealth Games were and, like those games, the same question should be applied! If this is such a great deal why doesn’t private business build it? If you read nothing else on this site read, “A Consulting Group's Fairy (KPMG) Tale Spurred Construction Of $883,000,000 Vancouver Convention Center.”

Some of the more compelling and telling quotes from this article include…“Although the supply of available convention-centre space has obviously grown, the demand has clearly not kept up.” And, “ Although supply has boomed, convention and trade-show attendance for North America has fallen and remains below the levels of the late 1990s” . Followed by. “ Even as these other cities dole out discounts, their own convention business has been on the decline. Portland's Oregon Convention Center, for example, expanded in 2002, almost doubling in size. Still, its convention and trade-show attendance declined from 286,410 in 1999 to a mere 161,791 in 2006 (the latest year reported).”


Vancouver and many other cities were all lead astray by this or similar companies turning out studies based on outdated and unreliable information and statistics. Read the full account of this written by Heywood Sanders, a public-policy professor at the University of Texas–San Antonio and a leading expert in convention-centre economics at http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2668571251704638303&postID=2795376566124335643

One article from Vancouver asks the question, "Were they on crack? Are they stupid? Or were they just lying to the public?" Full article at www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2668571251704638303&postID=1130779936544874956. Looking at the facts I think we should be asking similar questions.

Lipstick on a pig award to Peter Kelly

This week's lipstick on a pig award goes to Mayor Peter Kelly for the following quote, Mayor Kelly a convention centre backer, said "the proposed structure needs to be more than just a meeting place for delegates from large organizations. He suggested it could be part convention centre and part performing arts centre and also include other elements in its design." In the Herald. He's Hell bent to make this economic black hole look like something beautiful. Peter give it up the people know the reality. Conventions have been flat lined with no growth since the early 90's.

Darrell The Red

Trevor was in the fertilized egg business. He had several hundred young pullets and about ten roosters, whose job was to fertilize the eggs. The farmer kept records and any rooster that didn't perform went into the soup pot and was replaced.
That took an awful lot of his time so he bought a set of tiny bells and attached them to his roosters. Each bell had a different tone so Trevor could tell from a distance, which rooster was performing. Now he could sit on the porch and fill out an efficiency report simply by listening to the bells.
The farmer's favourite rooster was a Rhode Island Red he named Darrell The Red, and a very fine specimen he was too. But on this particular morning Trevor noticed old Darrell's bell hadn't rung at all! Trevor went to investigate.
The other roosters were chasing pullets, bells-a-ringing. The pullets, hearing the roosters coming, would run for cover. But to farmer Trevor's amazement, Darrell had his bell in his beak, so it couldn't ring. He'd sneak up on a pullet, do his job and walk on to the next one. Trevor was so proud of Darrell; he entered him in the Hertfordshire County Fair and he became an overnight sensation among the judges.
The result?
The judges not only awarded Darell the No Bell Piece Prize but they also awarded him the Pulletsurprise as well.
Clearly Darrell was a pullitician in the making:
Who else but a pullitician could figure out how to win two of the most highly coveted awards on our planet by being the best at sneaking up on the populace and screwing them when they weren't paying attention.
Do you know any Pulliticians like Darrell The Red.?

You're not going to believe this

In the latest edition of Frank we are bought up to date on the trials and tribulations of a local developer, Arthur Rhyno, who, in good faith bought a section of land to develop then had it taken from him evidently with no compensation in an action initiated by then NDP MLA Kevin Deveaux. Citing a 1912 law he said that "it was imperative to insure Cow Bay Lake remains Crown property". It was originally purchased in 1785 and has been privately owned since. This means that the last time this was "Crown land" the crown was on the head of George the Third of the house of Hanover and the United States had declared independence nine years earlier and Canada was still 91 years in the future. Full article at
http://www.governmentripoff.com/jaccuse.html?1271448531875
Bruce DeVenne

It's Ross Landry's job bring in police

These are faxes I've sent and or received involving various federal ministers and agencies over the past few weeks about the expense scandal. The start with a fax today to Ross Landry and run back through Revenue Canada and RCMP commissioner William Elliott's letters. The bottom line seems to be that it is up to Ross Landry to start any investigation but in real life (you and me) Revenue Canada would be all over this without any government assistance or involvement in fact somewhere there must be government involvement holding them off in my opinion.
Bruce DeVenne
If you haven't already done so please sign the petition calling for a full investigation at http://www.petitiononline.com/BDeVenne/petition.html

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fax to Ross Landry today April 13

Bruce DeVenne
E Mail b1devenne@ns.sympatico.ca

The Honourable Ross Landry
Justice Minister for NS
Legislature
Fx. 424-0510

Dear Minister,

Included in this fax are letters I faxed to Revenue Canada, the Honourable Rob Nicholson, The Honourable Victor Toews and RCMP Commissioner William Elliott. They all concern the ongoing expense scandal and, more importantly, the total lack of action with respect to any criminal investigation by the RCMP and or Revenue Canada.

As you can see from the E Mail I received today (Tuesday April 13, 2010) Minister Nicholson’s office states very specifically that this falls under the provinces responsibility, in particularly yours and your department,

If this had been a private citizen both the police and Revenue Canada would have been involved long age. How much longer do the people of Nova Scotia have to wait until their elected officials are treated equally under the law?

It is evidently your responsibility to investigate this properly when can we expect such an investigation (done by outside agencies not the government itself) to begin?

Yours truly
Bruce DeVenne
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


E Mmail from the office of Rob Nicholson today April 13

Dear Mr. DeVenne:

On behalf of the Honourable Rob Nicholson, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, I acknowledge receipt of your correspondence of February 10 and 16, 2010, concerning the Nova Scotia legislature. The office of your Member of Parliament, Mr. Peter Stoffer, has also forwarded a copy of your correspondence on the same issue. The Constitution of Canada divides jurisdiction between the federal and provincial governments, and each level of government has autonomy to act within its sphere of jurisdiction. As Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Minister Nicholson is mandated to provide legal advice only to the federal government. I hope you will understand that, for this reason, he is not able to intervene in, investigate or otherwise become involved in matters as you describe. It may be helpful for you to know that, while the Parliament of Canada is responsible for enacting criminal law, the administration of justice is the responsibility of the provincial governments. Therefore, if you have not already done so, you may wish to share your concerns with the Honourable Ross Landry, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Nova Scotia, who is responsible for the administration of justice in your province. The office can be reached by mail at 4th floor, Terminal Building, 5151 Terminal Road, P.O. Box 7, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2L6 or by email at justweb@gov.ns.ca. I note your questions with regard to the RCMP and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). As you are aware, the RCMP falls within the purview of the Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety, to whom I note you have already written. Matters concerning the CRA fall within the purview of the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of National Revenue. I have therefore taken the liberty of forwarding a copy of your correspondence to Minister Ashfield for his information and consideration.

Thank you for writing.

Yours sincerely, L. Bisson Manager Ministerial Correspondence Unit c.c.: The Honourable Keith Ashfield, P.C., M.P. Minister of National Revenue, Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway Mr. Peter Stoffer, M.P.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fax to Revenue Canada

Revenue Canada
St. John’s NFLD
Reporting tax cheating
Fx 1-506-636-5316

To Whom It May Concern,

It has come to light earlier this year that lawyers who are sitting members of the Nova Scotia House of assembly (MLS’a) have their annual membership dues in the NS Barristers Association of $3,500 paid for them by the government (taxpayers) yet these expenditures don’t appear in their financial statements recently released by the Auditor General of Nova Scotia Mr. Jacques Lapointe. If it is true that they have this fee paid annually by the taxpayer isn’t it income?

Minister Hurlburt paid over $9,000 for a generator from tax funds, it was worth $1,000 where did the extra $8,000 plus go?

This raises a number of possible problems…..

Since there seems to be no record of this money was it added to the MLA’s T4’s?
If it was not added to the T4’s then isn’t it income tax evasion.
Did the MLA’s then deduct the receipt for the dues from their taxes as if they paid the fees themselves? If so that would be tax fraud.

The list goes on and on and involves dozens of MLA’s one with 5 cameras and a dozen printers. The Premier with a $2,100 digital camera (his hobby is photography) and two $2,600 laptops one of which his son used at school according to a local magazine.

Please investigate this matter fully with all the thoroughness, vigor and aggressiveness as you would if these people were not elected politicians. Like you did here http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20100401/w5_taxman_100403/20100403?s_name=W5

Yours truly
Bruce DeVenne
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fax to RCMP Commissioner William Elliott Feb 16

February 16, 2010
Bruce DeVenne
E Mail b1devenne@.s.sympatico.ca


RCMP Commissioner William Elliott
1200 Vanier Parkway
Ottawa Ont.
K1A 0R2
Fx. 1-613-993-0309

Dear Sir,

I am writing concerning the ongoing and growing scandal in the Nova Scotia Legislature. The latest sentiment from the premier is, “No need for expenses inquiry”, the full article in on line at http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2010/02/11/ns-spending-scandal-report.html This and other articles go on to say that the Speaker of the Nova Scotia Legislature will investigate the wrong doings in the speakers department, a direct conflict of interest and that the Auditor General will decide is any charges are warranted.

With all due respect to the Auditor General, he is an accountant not a lawyer of criminal investigator. If this did not directly involve so many elected politicians and high level civil servants an investigation would have started months ago based on the original audit’s findings.

The people of Nova Scotia are fed up with being stolen from by their elected officials and are also outraged because it is evident that nothing will ever be done about except whitewashing the entire thing. You can gauge their outrage from the comments on the site that contains a petition calling for a complete RCMP investigation into this fiasco found at http://www.petitiononline.com/BDeVenne/petition.html

I find it impossible to believe that, in a country where everybody is supposedly equal, a country ruled by laws and the application of those laws to everybody that this can be happening. How can the people of Nova Scotia get a proper investigation started? If this didn’t involve elected officials it would be a matter of going to the local RCMP office and filing a complaint. Will this work in this case? If not what do I (we) have to do to start an full investigation? If nothing why not?

Please reply to either E Mail or Fax number to save time.

Yours Truly,
Bruce DeVenne
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Faxes to The Honourable Rob Nicholson and The Honourable Victor Toews

February 16, 2010
Bruce DeVenne
E Mail b1devenne@.s.sympatico.ca

The Honourable Victor Toews
Minister Responsible for the RCMP
227 Main St.
Steinbach Man.
R5G 1Y7

Fx. #1 1-204-345-9768
Fx. #2 1-613-995-1049

Dear Sir,

Rather then repeat myself I have included a copy of my letter to RCMP Commissioner William Elliott and ask you the same questions as the Minister responsible for the RCMP.

I would also add that the prevailing attitude in government circles here seems to be, give it back or pay for it and all is forgotten and forgiven. Meanwhile generators have vanished, big screen TV’ shave been destroyed in floods that nobody other than the MLA involved seem to remember. Premier Dexter said that neither of the two $2,500 plus laptops he purchased went to his son yet his son’s schoolmates remember him having that laptop in class according to a local media outlet.

The voter has lost what little respect they may have had for Nova Scotian politicians but if the RCMP or Ottawa allows our MLA’s to walk away from this then there will be no respect for any of our elected or appointed officials only fear of retribution.

As you will see if you look at the petition site listed in the Commissioners Fax, the people are fed up and want justice not a fast double shuffle and a coat of whitewash.

To save time please respond using either the E Mail or Fax number listed in salutation.

Yours truly
Bruce DeVenne
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 16, 2010
Bruce DeVenne
E Mail b1devenne@.s.sympatico.ca

The Honourable Rob Nicholson
Minister Responsible for Revenue Canada
2895 St. Paul Ave.
Unit 11
Niagara Falls Ont.
L2A 5F6
Fx. #1 1-905-353-9588
Fx. #2 1-613-992-7910

Dear Sir,

Included with this letter are copies of two letters faxed to Minister Toews and Commissioner William Elliott of the RCMP.

While they express the concerns of Nova Scotians very well I would like to emphasize the fast that the local government is working to bury this as quickly and deeply as possible. If I am caught after robbing a back there is now way that I’m going to be told give it back and everything’s A-OK. They use “inappropriately” spent it was stealing. and I am asking you, on behalf of all Nova Scotians, to step in and make sure a full police investigation is held and all criminal charges are laid.

Consider if a lower level civil servant or a member of the public was caught doing this and treat the politicians the same way we would be treated. To assure maximum speed in communication please respond via the enclosed E Mail address or Fax number.

Yours truly
Bruce DeVenne





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Revenue Canada
St. John’s NFLD
Reporting tax cheating
Fx 1-506-636-5316

To Whom It May Concern,

It has come to light earlier this year that lawyers who are sitting members of the Nova Scotia House of assembly (MLS’a) have their annual membership dues in the NS Barristers Association of $3,500 paid for them by the government (taxpayers) yet these expenditures don’t appear in their financial statements recently released by the Auditor General of Nova Scotia Mr. Jacques Lapointe. If it is true that they have this fee paid annually by the taxpayer isn’t it income?

Minister Hurlburt paid over $9,000 for a generator from tax funds, it was worth $1,000 where did the extra $8,000 plus go?

This raises a number of possible problems…..
1. Since there seems to be no record of this money was it added to the MLA’s T4’s?
2. If it was not added to the T4’s then isn’t it income tax evasion.
3. Did the MLA’s then deduct the receipt for the dues from their taxes as if they paid the fees themselves? If so that would be tax fraud.

The list goes on and on and involves dozens of MLA’s one with 5 cameras and a dozen printers. The Premier with a $2,100 digital camera (his hobby is photography) and two $2,600 laptops one of which his son used at school according to a local magazine.


Please investigate this matter fully with all the thoroughness, vigor and aggressiveness as you would if these people were not elected politicians. Like you did here in this W5 story from Safurday night past http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20100401/w5_taxman_100403/20100403?s_name=W5

Yours truly
Bruce DeVenne

Best name for this photo

Keystone Cops in The Legislature or the Three Stooges at Work

THE SOUND OF MONEY

WELCOME TO A PREVIEW OF THE SOUND OF MONEY

Starring Darrell Dexter as Premier Von Trapp, Karen Casey as Maria Von Trapp and various members of the Nova Scotia Legislature as the sweet but mis-guided Von Trapp children.

Hear Premier Von Trapp sing, "How Do You solve A Problem Like An Audit"!

How do you solve a problem like an audit?
How do you make an invoice disappear?
How do you solve a problem like an audit?
The AG's away let's hope it a trip for a year!

Thrill as the group sings, "My Favourite Things".

Cameras and printers and big coffee makers,
Big bonus pay outs and new generators,
Collecting double for each lunch we eat,
These and a few of the things that are neat!

You'll be overwhelmed with such hits as, "Climb Every Mountain"

Climb every mountain,
I'll never miss
I will always get there
With my GPS!

Yes the hit of the season. The songs will stay in your mind as long as the Debt these people built up over the years hangs over your head....forever.
The good news is tickets will be free you've already donated enough to the cast via their expense accounts.
Bruce DeVenne

The entitled are entitled to their entitlements. When you make the rules behind closed doors it’s easy to look after yourself like this. The question is, if you left under clouds of suspicion would you walk away or face criminal investigation, possible prison and loss of you pension? We paid $9000 for a $1000 generator for Hurlburt. Where did the rest of the money go? Wilson’s employees say they didn’t get those fat bonuses. Where did the money go? Why isn’t the Premier calling in the RCMP? Could it involve a super high-end camera, high cost laptops and self-preservation? Who got what and where did the missing money go? That’s what the public wants to know yet there seems to be very little interest in finding that out being shown by the bunch on Hollis St. Has anybody else refused to appear before the AG or gone and refused to answer questions? How many others are talking to lawyers and checking their pensions ready to bail out? If it’s any consolation this is not the worst example of pensions. That goes to Fred MacGillivray and his pension plus reported payout exceeding a million. Not bad for running a hotel and a rink that lost money annually is it? They love our taxdolars!

The Lighter Side Of Darrell Dexter

Hey don't worry about it Nam it's only tax dollars lots more where that came from! Man you should have seen Sydney Steel, I've got a loooong way to go to match that!

NDP Premier Darrell Dexter and Nam Sang
Tae, CEO and President of Daewoo share a
Laugh!
Is this the start of another Sydney Steel? Mercator (Gerry's boat)? Clairtone TV? Gulf refinery? Heavy water plant? To quote Sonny and share....and the beat goes on, and the beat goes on. One question we have to ask ourselves (and it would be nice if Darrell would answer it) is why?
Why are we giving a company this rich tax dollars? If this was a truly feasible venture it appears they could do it from petty cash.
Profits last year were over 150 million. Again, why? (From Deawoo’s financial statement) South Korea’s Daewoo International Corporation on Thursday reported its all-time high revenue and operating profit gained last year. Daewoo International announced 2009 cumulative revenue of 11.148 trillion won (or $10.08 billion CDN), larger than that of 11.046 trillion won in 2008, via its release of tentative annual earnings for 2009. The corporation’s operating profit for last year upped 9.6 percent from 156.3 billion won ($141,334,172 CDN) in 2008 to 171.3 billion won ($154,898,250 CDN). The company said it has reaped record revenue and operating profit, adding that it has also sustained a growth streak for five straight years from 2005 to 2009.
Daewoo International’s earnings are analyzed to have reached all-time high led by strong performances in the primary material industry such as steel and metal. The info is from their web site http://www.daewoo.com/english/index.jsp

WHY???

Bruce DeVenne

If you're not outraged you're not paying attention (Rick Howe)

They’re getting away with it!! The list is long and detailed but they have pared it down to Dexter's legal fees. What about Hurlburt who charged us over $9000 for a $1000 +/-generator? Where did the "extra" $8,000 go? How many auctions took place in Bedford that Goucher donated a carload of printers and cameras? Samson in Arichat who ate supper then double billed us? Is it true: in Nova Scotia if caught you return stolen goods and you're off free; that the suspects investigate themselves and decide if the police are needed? Not if it was you and I! Darrell Dexter, like the rest, wanted only the best when the taxpayer was paying the bill now that he’s paying? $250 annually non-practicing dues are fine. He made the choice for the higher fees let him pay back the $3,250 annual difference at least. What should also bother us is the fact that nobody federally, MP’s Stouffer, Savage, MacKay, Keddy etc. nobody with clean hands in the legislature and no local politicians, Wardens, Mayors, Councillors have spoken up calling for a proper investigation. The white wash job seems acceptable in all the halls of elected officialdom.
DON'T LET THEM WALK AWAY FROM THIS! Speak up. Sign the petition @ http://www.governmentripoff.com/ demanding a full police investigation and justice for the Nova Scotian taxpayer. It was and is YOUR money not theirs, demand full legal accountability!

PS

A former Conservative MP once known for his tough stance on drugs received a "break" when cocaine possession and drunk driving charges were withdrawn in a plea bargain, an Ontario judge said Tuesday.The deal, with Rahim Jaffer convicted of the lesser offence of careless driving, sparked an angry exchange in the House of Commons after Liberals accused the government of hypocrisy.In convicting Jaffer and fining him $500, the Ontario court judge said he would not interfere with the joint submission by Crown and defence."I’m sure you can recognize a break when you see one," Justice Doug Maund told Jaffer.
Don't you wish you lived under the laws our elected officials do? Don't forget Ernie Fage!
Hold your politicians feet to the fire and you will get better government
Bruce DeVenne

Rebuttal to Kelly Regan’s demand that we have faith in our elected officials.

Kelly Regan tells us we must have faith in their elected officials. No Kelly, they must earn it: they’ve destroyed it. Liberal’s in particular.
Liberal Premier John Savage told us amalgamation was cheaper. I doubt if even he believed it. Logic would say no. It was a matter of the Liberals downloading provincial financial responsibilities onto the city taxpayers. He was told that there were studies (it’s in Hansard) from Toronto, that showed super-cities to be economic disasters but he ignored them.
He replaced our Trans-Canada highway system with toll highways despite collecting hundreds of millions annually in gas tax, licensing, registration fees and GST on cars. Ottawa’s Liberals and three Liberal run provinces signed onto the GST deal that took $1.8 billion more from people in those provinces ($600,000,000 in Nova Scotia). This demands faith?
Add P3 schools, costing us a fortune and I notice are part owned in some cases by EX Liberal party executives. This demands faith?
The Conservatives. Conservative Premier John Hamm spent his short time as Premier creating new user fees and jacking those already there sky high. He was one of the better examples, in my opinion, of the politician who, at election time can shake your hand, look you straight in the eye, call you by your first name and say whatever he thinks will get him a vote. They do this because they know legally campaign promises don’t exist after the election. Morally or ethically perhaps but we don’t see those traits in our elected officials to often.
Premier Rodney: What do you have to say about that bunch after you say Ernie Fage?
Now the NDP who take the gold medal in hypocrisy. They forced an election because the PC’s were going to use money, set aside for the debt, in general funding. After they were elected they did it themselves. Their excuse (from one long time NDP’er), “it had to be done”. If that’s the case why didn’t they let the PC’s do it and save the cost of an election?
The NDP, while sanctimoniously condemning the other parties from the position of third party and opposition, had their snouts into the trough just as deeply as the rest. Now that they are caught?….WE’LL look after it. WE’LL have the speaker investigate the speaker’s office and an Ex MLA look into the rest and WE Will decide if police action is warranted. How many ways can you spell conflict if interest? No matter how many there wouldn’t be enough to cover what is going on in the Legislature right now.
Add to that the election contribution scandal with it’s many twists.
Before Ms. Regan so casually tells us to have faith in our elected officials I would suggest she go to my petition page via http://www.governmentripoff.com/ and read some of the hundreds of comments put there by the public .It will amaze her how out of touch with them she and many other elected officials are.

Lipstick On a pig award

This Lipstick on a pig award is co owned by Premier Darrell Dexter. The Speaker of the House and Art Donahue

The arrogance or perhaps attitude of our elected officials can well be seen in the remarks Art Donahue made on the news. He gave the impression that all was well and the scandal was behind us. Of course he added there are a few who want to see them (MLA's) stood up against a wall (and shot?). Bull! What the vast majority of the people want to see is a full investigation by the RCMP, criminal charges laid where possible and justice for the taxpayers. In other words to see their elected officials treated the same way we would be treated. Full credit to the speakers office who is investigating itself, Art Donahue, and Premier Darrell Dexter they are doing a great job with the whitewash brushes and giving a strong impression that all is well, that all is fixed and that fairness and justice have won out. Don't let them bury this issue. Sign the petition at http://www.governmentripoff.com/ demanding a full police investigation and use any and all sources like these comment pages to keep the demand alive in the media.

Congratulations to Mayor Peter Kelly and the City Council on their decision to keep the RCMP and Welcome home to:

OUR RCMP
Bruce DeVenne

Keep The RCMP in HRM

Here we go again. Drastic changes with no public input. Again Mayor Kelly who cried and whined about the secrecy of council meetings when he was a councillor makes Howard Hughes look like an exhibitionist. Why do away with the RCMP? They do a great job and for the most part live in and are part of the community they police.
What will the change cost?
We will have to build and maintain and staff depots.
We will have to buy and maintain vehicles.
We will have to hire, train, outfit and maintain the police force.
Where was the PUBLIC INPUT into this?
It's our money they seem ready flush it down every economic black hole they can find.
Presently $30,000,000 in the hole.......
With a $46,000,000 bill coming up next year from the Canada Games
Almost $3,000,000 to buy an old rail spur that we now must pay to turn into a trail, maintain said trail and police it.
This council's spending is out of control and it's time we spoke up.
Tell them to leave well enough alone. If it isn't broke don't mess with it leave the RCMP where they are. It's our money and the vast majority of the people are happy with the RCMP.
The arrogance of our Mayor and the council can best be seen in their attitude in this matter when the Mayor tells us there will be no public input.

Speak up it's your money and your community, Contact your councillor and or the Mayor by using the E Mail index on the left of the screen.
Bruce DeVenne

Halifax wrestles with financial shortfall

Mayor Peter Kelly and City Council were stopped from bringing us the total econimic disaster of the Commonwealth Games so they seemingly did the next best thing (in their minds) the Canada Winter games. Original estimated costs? Around $46 million
(see breakdown here http://www.novascotialife.com/chartermembers/2011-halifax-canada-games ) and we are already $30 million in the hole. Bad news is the games haven't been held yet. What will the final cost be? I doubt if Council can or will tell you but they'll roll merrily along spending money they don't have, running up horrendous debt against future increased tax grabs. Yes another year under their belt putting us deeper and deeper into debt. In addition to this city council just spent $2,802,339 buying an old rail spur. Now they will have to fork out money to develop it into the trail they are dreaming of and then there will be the cost of regular maintenance. How do we get it through our politicians heads, we are not made of money!!! If you want to save money divide HRM into 5 districts with 2 reps per district. 13 councillors gone and savings of millions of dollars a year. You can tell Mayor Kelly how thrilled you are with his spending habits at kellyp@halifax.ca
Full aeticle on debt at http://thechronicleherald.ca/Metro/1169114.html
Bruce DeVenne

City Hall's "Hidden" Money

Is the hidden money of HRM councillors every accounted for? Every councillor (I don't know about the mayor) has a discretionary fund of over $60,000 per year that they can spend as they see fit. After seeing what went on in Province house we have to ask ourselves just how do they spend it. It is public money yet as far as I know there is no public accounting or accountability for it. They could just as easily spend it on themselves the way the provincial people have been doing. Drop a bit here and a bit there so people will say, "we got money from councillor so and so", but how do the taxpayers know exactly where it all goes. At least force an open accounting of this public money, every cent or, better, stop the practice all together and save the Halifax ratepayers over $1,00,000 per year. I don't like to tar every politician with the same brush as I am sure they do not like being tarred with it, therefore let them stop spending our money in secret and show where every cent of this annual largess is spent or stop it all together.
Visit http://www.governmentripoff.com/
sign petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/BDeVenne/petition.html

Bruce DeVenne

Justice For Nova Scotia tax Payers Petition

Justice For Nova Scotia tax Payers Petition

Off to a poor start????

NDP Premier Darrell Dexter's clean up and transparency campaign isn't off to a very good start it appears. Until today they have been saying 28 people were caught. They claim to have released all the names yet if you look at the CBC URL http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2010/02/04/ns-mla-expense-claims.html there is only half that. How are we supposed to put any faith the governments word when the first promise or statement is this far out of whack? Secondly an EX MLA will fix it. To most Nova Scotian's that's like hiring a fox to guard the henhouse. Why isn't there somebody private involved in it. Somebody from a well established citizen's advocacy group like the Halifax Homeowners Association's president or a member of their executive with no political ties? Actually the investigation part should be done by the RCMP with any possible charges being laid. Richard Hurlburg is gone, others should follow him.
Please visit my main web site at www.governmentripoff.com and take the time to sign the petition calling for a full open police investigation into this whole affair.

Bruce DeVenne