Champlain Bridge
First, one must better understand what passes as political cultural in Quebec. Montreal is an island. Surrounded by the Saint Lawrence river. As such, one must avoid this cleaning water and cross it to arrive in town. There are bridges and tunnels in place to do this. Now for the last generation, Montreal construction has been governed by corruption, collusion and down right theft of taxpayer money in the form of bribery and kick backs, that has been handed to a select gang of criminals. It is said that Montreal infrastructure cost price-wise 20% more and lasts 20% endurance-wise, less than similar infrastructure would cost in Ontario. The problem in part is two fold; first, pay offs, rip offs, political parties and their “Fund-raising” are all paid for out of the taxpayer wallet and billed for already in the price of these construction contracts. The second issue is the lack of competition brought on by the near insurmountable government regulations designed specifically to keep foreign and other construction companies out of province. The simplest of regulated isolationism, can be seen in the demand that all correspondence be in French only. An American company might be able to do the job cheaper but will they invest the time, money or energy to complete all regulatory requirements and do it in a foreign language.
The Champlain Bridge is the busiest expressway in Canada with constant gridlock because it is overused by the population it serves as they head in and out of the island of Montreal. It is nearing its 53th year, having been built and completed in 1962. So it is in need of replacement. Which is expected to cost 4-6 billion dollars. (Due to time and cost overruns, you can expect that price to double.) At the end, what will have happened? They will take a six lane bridge and replaced it with a new six lane bridge. It could not handle the traffic flow before they replaced it, so it will somehow be better able to better handle it when replaced by something better? You have gridlock with 6 lanes, and soon will have more gridlock on a new bridge with the same 6 lanes of span? Is this somehow anything better? Einstein’s definition of insanity is to repeat the same experiment expecting different results. If you are going to spend this amount of money on a new construction using taxpayer’s money in the first place, then charge those same taxpayer’s a toll to cross on that bridge, why not think outside the box and build a bigger bridge that can handle more traffic and thus reduce congestion, serve the needs of taxpayers using it and grant them service for their money?
This topic is rife with possible serious areas that need and demand people’s attention and discussion, like cost oversight, the basic design itself and the question of tolls after. So then, what possibly could ever be more important than these topic? Why the federal government wanted to name the new bridge after local Quebec hockey star Rocket Richard. They were not going to rename the old structure just the new one, causing a hue and cry in the nationalist camp. Champlain, a man none of them even know anything about but he is a historical hero in Quebec, typical, names not substance politics, ignored universal 24/7-365 until some damn federalists tries to put up a new bridge and do not name it the old one. Sort of like, how dare U2 give away for free their new album. What an insult!
This passes for intelligent conversation in certain nationalist circles of Quebec. Ignoring the real issue, to focus yet again on breed and circus that distracts taxpayers from the government’s boondoggle that will for the next 50 years force people into longer lines of commutes into town (Montreal), as the suburbs increase their population density and the bridge simply cannot, and will not handle the car traffic. only now it is by design to not handle this traffic. Yet precisely because it is just built, no one will dare suggest they make a new one to relieve this pressure, for it works as intended. In other words, once the lobster is in the pot, they slowly turn up the heat until supper is done. In this case, the taxpaper who pays the cost to get a substandard build, based a substandard plan, created by substandard conservative government, based on some substandard thinking, aided and abetted by the local nationalist who could not be expected to see any of these issues as problems. After all, the area of Montreal 450 region, a belt around Montreal using the same single phone area code, is not the homes of the Pure Laine literally meaning pure wool, a term referring to the mythical founding Quebec fathers, who are still pure in thought and mind for the Quebec sovereignty movement. While often mistaken for third generation incest survivors who are only slightly deformed, ignoring the extra arm for flag waving no doubt and clear lack of vision or foresight beyond the end of their own noses, so who cares about them anyway.
This is what passes for politics in Quebec. Lots of heat but very little substance, only fit for bug-eyed, bottom dwelling crustaceans also know as Quebec’s taxpayers. Who considering how high and how much they pay in federal and provincial taxes, clearly deserve better.
Year: 2014
Lone Wolf
The question presented after last week’s tragedy, must be how to prevent it in future. The Prime Minister feels that additional power to security services and arming CSIS, (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) is the right way to go. For the fear is not that other groups will infiltrate and act in a mass assault, but single, one person sprees of violence will occur. Similar in nature to both of last week events, but echoed around the world. Such as an ax welding maniac attacked police in New York City, or the school shooting on the Left Coast or any number of previous such innocents. Even the FBI is claiming that such events are on the increase. Sadly, read the newspaper and it is true, there is no escaping the problem. There is also, to date, no effort to understand the problem either. Thus far, the issue has been that of law enforcement, bravado and big speeches of “We shall fight them on the beaches” not seeking solutions or even answers except in that narrow focus. All of which grab headlines and fuel ratings. They do nothing to sort out and solve the problem. And until they do, you can be sure more and more such incidents will occur. And no amount of new powers or adding weaponry to any agency will curtail or stop.
It earns votes for a politician to be tough on crime, and promise more punishment and better service to protect people. The TV stations love such events; they cancel programming and go straight to on the scene of the events. “Live” as the manhunt continues. Report rumour and events as fast as things occur, glue viewership to their screens and radios all day. Even the average citizen, seeing such events, root for the good guys to catch the evil doer and then demand extreme forms of punishment for said entertainment. Sadly, this is nothing more than a modern day Inquisition, to ferret out the false evil doings and bring them to God’s Judgment, (as if she needed any help to do that) only now they can win the ratings war or get re-elected to boot. Win, win for all concerned. Except for all the people hurt. The killer is killed, His victim is dead, and at least one man shall burden his soul with the taking of a human life, no matter how legitimate, and necessary it is, it shall always remain a burden that will wake him at night. Oh and the self radicalization? Happens not in some dark room with voices from hell? No, it happens on TV, right in the same living room. These people are using ad hoc weapons they have access to and going wild from what they see on TV and movies. If the lone wolf is at this point where TV is going to generate their copy-cat attack, then we have already failed them.
So then what the solution? It is not sexy and won’t win any votes, ratings or anything but it will solve the problem. The lone wolf is not alone. They are in the community and with a little help from government using scarce tax payer resources could provide additional medical help and intervention, as well as counselling and crisis centers, we could take care of most of the mental health issues. In fact, the more of these events, the more the common denominator is the person was bipolar. Their break from reality while, tragic, is entirely predictable and treatable with the right training and resources. Mental illness however is a taboo topic, shunted to the side and left in the closet rather than front and center to help solve the problem. This is a medical health issue, not law and order. We need Dr. Kildare, Marcus Welby, M.D. and Dr Mark Green not Rambo, James Bond or Joe Friday.
Medical treatment would uncover the lone wolf before they grow teeth, and proper treatment would remove them from the path to radicalisation simply by treating the underlying issue. By offering treatment not judgment, the people who might “go off” like a destructive whirlwinds, may be prevented from their insanity, thus saving lives in the long run including their own. But sadly, present government efforts are not geared to help solve the problem; it is about new powers to police, guns for CSIS, re-election of government, and TV ratings.
Response one (Thanks M)
So many Lone Wolfs are not necessarily mentally ill as mush as they are “Outcasts” from society. They do not fit in so it must be the existing society that is at fault, not them. A poor mindset is not mental illness as currently defined and not treatable.
I reply
From Norway, Anders Behring Breivik (Norwegian greatest mass killer ruled insane) to the Unibomber, Ted Kaczynski, to nearly all the other people, lone wolves in the headline news, they all show symptoms of being bipolar, and in fact many have been seeking treatment, had treatment or even in treatment. The first thing that comes to mind when you hear of such an attack is, “that guy is crazy” and in fact that is where we need to deal with this problem. Not that they are outcasts but why they feel this way. Once they becomes a police issue, it is too late! There is a crime done, someone is hurt or property damage. if we can take care of the mental health problems and keep in on that level, then we eliminate 85-90% of the lone wolves, a good first step. If we arm police more… what good is two pistols per cop, isn’t one enough? And isn’t their response is only after the grenade went off? A doctor with medication, need not wait for anything to go off, but ask any of them; they need more people, more resources, and more money… you can spend that tax dollar only once, the cops already have the guns and have failed thus far. Not for want of trying, but a failure to grasp the scope of the problem. Lets try something new. It may not help but we will not be repeating the same experiment over again, which is Einstein’s definition of insanity.
Response 2 (Thanks F)
The many events with the U.S. Postal Service which they coined the phrase of “going postal“ … include the Oklahoma Massacre by or the Columbine shootings, the Sandy Hook shooting etc. The list goes on. Where it stops, no one knows, but clearly more bad law wont help, since the many laws we have now are not able to help. “Lets try something new. It may not help but we will not be repeating the same experiment over again, which is Einstein’s definition of insanity.”
Reflection on a Terrible Week in Canada
It has been the sort of week that demands reflection. Not one but two good men, were cut down for no other reason then doing their duty. The first, run down for daring to wear his uniform to get a coffee. Injuring a second man in the process, who will, thankfully, live. Sparking a second even more vicious attack, that ended with a Hollywood style leap into the air, twist and firing before Kevin Vickers landed to kill the suspect, worthy of John McCain of Die Hard fame. And all the praise thus forth received. Why did he feel such a need to risk his own life? In past times, they would have waited for a surrender, but a suicide vest and he would take out half of the house of Parliament. The Threat had to be stopped at any cost. Another man, and his team, who risked his life to save others. Sadly the first man, doing his duty, was not so lucky.
At the Ottawa War Memorial, Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, was shot in the back and killed in a cowardly ambush. Let us shed no tear for him, he would ask for none but let us offer all praise and celebrate him and his life of duty. For this was what he wanted to do. What he was most proud of doing, and to his his end, he died doing his duty. Guarding fallen comrades that he would all too soon join was his post. He stood his post to the last. When told he was selected to be there, I am very sure, that he leaped for joy, This is the kind of duty that is given only to the best of the best. Getting it, said in the eyes of his superiors, he was worthy of such an assignment. Basically getting the military gold medal. An honour in itself to be selected to serve in this fashion, to guard, all compete fiercely for the honour. Yet with all duty, they bring a burden. His post was to guard and so he did, to the end of his life. A life now fitting to be the first name added to our Hall of Hero’s, where his gunman met his end, not soon enough for Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, but his end did come.
The assailant, Michael Zahaf-Bibeau, bipolar, self medicating his condition with drugs saw the earlier events and snapped. He was not getting help or treatment so he would force them to treat him. In a very destructive version of a child acting out, one man was killed and a nation in shock. Yet some conclusion must be drawn.
First, in what can only be seen as the greatest irony since John Lennon, “Happiness is a warm gun” was killed by said gun violence. The open question is where did he get such a weapon as the long gun he carried. The irony is, the answer might well be in the long gun registry abolished by the same government that he may have been trying to kill.
ISIL, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claimed him as their revenge. So as I understand they wish to send bipolar, self medicating druggies, to ambush and back shoot in the most cowardly of ways as their harbinger of vengeance? I suspect that says more about their methods and organization then anything about Canada.
Lastly, the repercussions of it all upon our nation. First, all the grand theater and Churchillian Rhetoric, “We shall stand on the back bencher’s, we shall stand in the Red Room, We shall never surrender,” left aside. This was no attack upon Canada. This was no vengeance mission from a far off place. This was merely a tragedy for all involved. Keven Vickers, took a life. Never a burden one would want to carry. Cpl. Nathan Cirillo killed before his life could fulfill its promising start and last Michael Zahaf-Bibeau, a life devastated from his start by his malfunctioning mind.
The Canadian military has ordered that no persons should wear uniform unless on official business, to prevent further attacks. Uniformly, (SIC) they have obeyed their orders but expressed defiance of it.
So I declare that this Remembrance Day, November 11, 2014, all people wear Camouflage of any sort to say, we will not be cowed, we will not run, and we will not be intimidated.
poetoftruth 