Watts Happening?

by Don Pettit for Peace Energy Cooperative www.peaceenergy.ca ph 250-782-3882

How to Vote

o, Im not going to tell you who to vote for. But I will take this opportunity to talk politics and my personal views, hopefully not condemning myself to eternal exile. Its dangerous, I know, but hey, its election time in BC. Time to express views. A few days ago a friend of mine, a well-informed, intelligent professional, said, with genuine concern in his eyes, Well, if the NDP get in, the economy will tank, thats a given. Quickly I assured him that he didnt have to worry. NDP, Liberal, Conservative, all pretty much the same, I said. Business as usual. The NDP will put humanity a bit less behind profit than the other two parties (and thats a good thing!), but fundamental change is not on the agenda of any of the big three. I continued to reassure my friend by pointing out that economies are no longer controlled by politicians, anyway. Economies are controlled by trans-national corporations. We live in what has become a corporate democracy. Governments have become the policy implementation departments of corporations, with a good bit of public relations and crowd control thrown in. THE PLAN: DOWNLOAD COSTS, UPLOAD PROFITS Download costs to the taxpayers, upload profits to the corporations, thats the plan and so far its working pretty well. In northern BC, weve got something they want. We dont have to worry about them not coming in and taking it. The Harper government is a classic example of a government under the influence of immensely powerful corporate interests. Shutting down our world-class climate change research programmes (apparently climate disruption isnt happening as long as you dont know about it); eliminating laws that protect lakes and waterways (wildlife habitat is

not being destroyed as long as nobodys studying it); streamlining environmental assessments (read cheaper, less effective); signing international free-trade agreements in secret that give away our (our!) natural resources; clamping down on journalists and the flow of information to the public; vilifying environmental groups, silencing scientists, discouraging and manipulating the voting process; promoting a culture of fear and scarcity; buying heavily into the military industrial complex . . . this all sounds like a government under the influence to me. I can barely listen to the news. Every day another piece of my cherished Canada is dismantled, and Canadians are helpless to stop it. Do you realize the Conservatives formed a majority government with less than one quarter of eligible voter support? No wonder nobody votes! And no wonder the powers that be love it. Less voting means more power for them, less for us. Perfect! WISH LIST FOR A SANER WORLD Majority governments should be banned. Proportional representation should be implemented immediately across Canada to empower voters and re-invigorate democracy. Our fossil fuel wealth should be re-invested in renewables, creating millions of jobs overnight, cleaning up our environment, reducing health care costs, and re-establishing our global reputation all at once. Environmental research, especially around climate change, should be increased dramatically. Its really, really, REALLY important. We live in an immensely wealthy country. This current philosophy of scarcity and cut backs is ridiculous, and even a brief look at economic history proves that it does not work. You do not run a country like you run your own personal family

budget. They are two very, very different things. Keep our wealth from leaving the country and spread it around a bit instead of letting it all collect at the top, and Canadians would all be very well off indeed. Voting is the little bit of democracy we have left. People around the world are putting their lives on the line for the freedoms we take for granted. Believe me, when it comes to democracy, its use it, or loose it. So of course Ill vote. Usually Green because they are the only party free of corporate and big-union influence (they are grassroots funded), the only party willing to take on real fundamental change (they

actually take environmental issues seriously), and they have truly sound economic policies based on long-term planning (check it out). But this time, in BC, its NDP. Then Ill get back to doing what I can to build a better world, probably without government help. They seem to have other, more important interests. Please note: the views expressed above are entirely those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views held by Peace Energy Coop members or its board of directors.

Watts Happening? Quick

Fact:

BILLIONAIRES BATTLE IT OUT! California hedge-fund billionaire Tom Steyer has pledged to spend his forturne defeating the shadowy forces who finance climate denial. The goal here is not to win, he said. The goal here is to destroy these people.