Rally Your Troops Like Churchill: "Rally Your Troops Like Churchill
How you can borrow from the British politician's speaking skills to lift the spirits of managers, employees, and customers worried about today's econ"
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Learning from a Social Entrepreneur
leasons for CDN healthcare ?
Learning from a Social Entrepreneur: "Learning from a Social Entrepreneur
To improve access to quality education, a real estate developer aims to puts public schools in commercial buildings—and convince investors her for-profit model works"
"Since most problems boiled down to real estate, I decided to marry my vision of improving access to quality education with my newfound belief in the power of real estate development. "The caveat? I'd become an entrepreneur who did well by doing good, not just while doing good.
Too Good to Be True?
I had my first pivotal idea for how to execute this vision in 2000, after working for the New York City Mayor's Office. During that time I had seen plenty of desirable office space left vacant from the dot-com bust while urban schools continued to struggle to find quality locations. I became convinced schools could be built faster and cheaper if integrated into private commercial buildings. In turn, schools could pay market rents and make great, creditworthy tenants, especially when markets went soft—as they were in 2000 and are again today. Also, it seemed any kid or teacher would far prefer to go to school in a swanky office building than in most traditional schools, which to me often resemble prisons.
At first, investors and government officials thought the concept sounded too good to be true, and assumed the catch was either that schools would drive out surrounding commercial demand or that such facilities would compromise the integrity of school environments.
But I thought I had a win-win scenario for all stakeholders. I just needed to show them it could actually work. In 2003, I received a Gates Cambridge Scholarship. It was a perfect fit because it brought me the credibility to go from being a commercial developer to an education policy reformer, and allowed me to prove my idea was both possible and scalable. After a year of intense research, I had strong evidence that my concept could indeed create enormous benefits to student achievement, including enhanced teacher retention and increased access to professional role models. During that time, I also co-founded my first urban development company, the Christie Wareck Co., returning to New Haven to begin several downtown redevelopment projects with the hopes of bringing schools into them.
"visiting friends who were struggling to make a measurable impact through the traditional NGO [nongovernmental organization] paths. It was then, witnessing their frustration, that I began to see how well-suited my business strategy was to developing countries under pressure to increase access to quality education with extremely limited financial resources. "
When I raise capital, I live the challenge we social entrepreneurs often face of not being easily categorized by philanthropists and investors. Social venture funds assume we're exploiting students or targeting privileged families, neither of which is the case. Conversely, I struggle to convince mainstream investors, distracted by the compelling social outcomes, that they're investing in a commercial real estate deal, not a philanthropic venture. Luckily, some sophisticated investors familiar with emerging markets do indeed get the point. After all, many of them made a killing through microfinance using similar principles.
Still, several investors have asked if I'd set up a nonprofit to accept a donation for a tax shelter rather than make an investment that could yield robust returns. This is disheartening. It shows how many still assume social and economic returns are mutually exclusive.
The silver lining is that the skepticism of others creates my first-mover advantage to seize fringe opportunities they can't yet see. But I suppose that's what all risk-taking entrepreneurs do—arrive unfashionably early to the party and warm up the dance floor for all those watching but too afraid to get their groove on.
Learning from a Social Entrepreneur: "Learning from a Social Entrepreneur
To improve access to quality education, a real estate developer aims to puts public schools in commercial buildings—and convince investors her for-profit model works"
"Since most problems boiled down to real estate, I decided to marry my vision of improving access to quality education with my newfound belief in the power of real estate development. "The caveat? I'd become an entrepreneur who did well by doing good, not just while doing good.
Too Good to Be True?
I had my first pivotal idea for how to execute this vision in 2000, after working for the New York City Mayor's Office. During that time I had seen plenty of desirable office space left vacant from the dot-com bust while urban schools continued to struggle to find quality locations. I became convinced schools could be built faster and cheaper if integrated into private commercial buildings. In turn, schools could pay market rents and make great, creditworthy tenants, especially when markets went soft—as they were in 2000 and are again today. Also, it seemed any kid or teacher would far prefer to go to school in a swanky office building than in most traditional schools, which to me often resemble prisons.
At first, investors and government officials thought the concept sounded too good to be true, and assumed the catch was either that schools would drive out surrounding commercial demand or that such facilities would compromise the integrity of school environments.
But I thought I had a win-win scenario for all stakeholders. I just needed to show them it could actually work. In 2003, I received a Gates Cambridge Scholarship. It was a perfect fit because it brought me the credibility to go from being a commercial developer to an education policy reformer, and allowed me to prove my idea was both possible and scalable. After a year of intense research, I had strong evidence that my concept could indeed create enormous benefits to student achievement, including enhanced teacher retention and increased access to professional role models. During that time, I also co-founded my first urban development company, the Christie Wareck Co., returning to New Haven to begin several downtown redevelopment projects with the hopes of bringing schools into them.
"visiting friends who were struggling to make a measurable impact through the traditional NGO [nongovernmental organization] paths. It was then, witnessing their frustration, that I began to see how well-suited my business strategy was to developing countries under pressure to increase access to quality education with extremely limited financial resources. "
When I raise capital, I live the challenge we social entrepreneurs often face of not being easily categorized by philanthropists and investors. Social venture funds assume we're exploiting students or targeting privileged families, neither of which is the case. Conversely, I struggle to convince mainstream investors, distracted by the compelling social outcomes, that they're investing in a commercial real estate deal, not a philanthropic venture. Luckily, some sophisticated investors familiar with emerging markets do indeed get the point. After all, many of them made a killing through microfinance using similar principles.
Still, several investors have asked if I'd set up a nonprofit to accept a donation for a tax shelter rather than make an investment that could yield robust returns. This is disheartening. It shows how many still assume social and economic returns are mutually exclusive.
The silver lining is that the skepticism of others creates my first-mover advantage to seize fringe opportunities they can't yet see. But I suppose that's what all risk-taking entrepreneurs do—arrive unfashionably early to the party and warm up the dance floor for all those watching but too afraid to get their groove on.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Flaherty budget advice panned;
Brantford Expositor - Ontario, CA: "Ontario is the 'manufacturing heartland of Canada,' but huge increases in spending by McGuinty, along with high corporate taxes, have dissuaded businesses from investing in the province, Flaherty said.
'Since I was treasurer and did the (Ontario) budget in 2001-2002, spending has gone up in the past six years by more than 50 per cent,' he said."
'Since I was treasurer and did the (Ontario) budget in 2001-2002, spending has gone up in the past six years by more than 50 per cent,' he said."
Monday, March 24, 2008
Why the government wnts you to smole secretly
More government gouging and hypocrisy "for the public's good eh" PR
Why Your Government Wants You to Smoke Cigarettes
By Dan Ferris, editor, Extreme ValueMarch 22, 2008
The largest civil settlement in history totaled $246 billion, paid out over 25 years.
The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement was signed in 1998 by four tobacco companies, and it details payouts to all 50 states and six U.S. territories.
In addition to the huge financial burden, the master settlement also prohibits tobacco companies from targeting young people, bans cartoons from tobacco advertising, restricts brand sponsorship of teams and events, eliminates outdoor and public-transit advertising, restricts lobbying, and requires tobacco companies to disclose internal documents to the public.
All 50 states and the District of Columbia prohibit the sale of tobacco products to minors. Idaho and Washington prohibit the distribution of samples to the general public at little or no cost. At least 10 states have imposed bans on smoking in bars (!) and restaurants. In Baltimore's Inner Harbor area, you're not allowed to smoke anywhere, inside or out.
It all sounds like more than enough reason to stay away from tobacco stocks.
On the other hand, there's an important detail that most people don't know about the 1998 agreement: The master settlement payments rise and fall with cigarette shipments.
If cigarette volumes go down, the payments go down. But if the volumes go up... payments go up even more. It's a perverse paradox: Your state government hopes you smoke like a chimney, and it – not Big Tobacco – is going to gouge you for the privilege.
Big Tobacco's payments to politicians and lawmakers don't end with the master settlement. Federal and state excise taxes kick the payoff up another notch. The federal excise tax is $19.50 per thousand cigarettes, or about $0.39 a pack. In 2007, combined state and municipal excise taxes ranged from $0.07 (South Carolina) to $3.66 (Chicago) per pack of cigarettes. Last year, 10 states increased taxes, adding another $0.20 to $1 per pack.
Between high state excise taxes and the master settlement, tobacco companies have become a bizarre sort of utility company. Let me explain...
A public utility is really just a good business into whose pockets and affairs the government has permanently intruded, but whose survival is thereby assured. State governments make more money off each pack of cigarettes than anybody. If Big Tobacco fails, municipalities all over the United States fail.
That's no phantom idea, either. There's real leverage here... Back in 2003, an Illinois judge told a Big Tobacco company it had to post a $12 billion bond before it could appeal a defeat in a class-action lawsuit. The company said the move could force it into bankruptcy court and prevent it from making a master settlement payment.
Washington state's attorney general flew to the company's side – seven years after suing it for billions – telling the court, the bond "could deal a significant, unnecessary financial blow to the states." Virginia, California, New York, and Kansas put more than $7 billion in bond issues on hold until the matter was cleared up. The company didn't go bankrupt. On the contrary. It's made more than $50 billion in net profit since then.
Over the years, I've discovered different types of competitive advantages a business can have. One type of competitive advantage stems from "rules and regulations." The SEC's rules and regulations keep Standard & Poor's and Moody's entrenched as national ratings organizations. The Food and Drug Administration and its rules for new drugs keep big pharmaceutical companies entrenched, making it difficult for smaller companies to fund new drug development. Without intellectual property law, Microsoft would be a much smaller company... if it still existed.
Big Tobacco is benefiting from the onerous taxes only it can afford, the master settlement. States demand such high payments, they've put small manufacturers of bargain-priced cigarettes out of business. That's one reason the cigarette business is so profitable. U.S. cigarette sales totaled $70 billion last year. The total profit: $8.8 billion – an impressive after-tax profit margin of about 13%.
The Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, is less delicate even than I am about Big Tobacco's competitive position post-settlement. In a 2000 report, Cato's Thomas O'Brien wrote, "Tobacco companies have purchased, with smokers' money, permission to raise prices collusively and suppress competition."
For investors, this means simply big cigarette companies have an enduring competitive advantage.
Remember, too, cigarettes are not a cyclical business. The economy is bad right now, but smokers will continue to smoke. Cigarettes remind me of what the late, great Lee Garfield, creator of the Baltimore landmark, Lee's Ice Cream Factory, once told me about his business. He said, "I never worry about the economy. When people can't afford to go to the beach or buy a new car, they can still afford to shell out a buck or two for some ice cream."
Cigarettes are like that, too – a cheap, readily available form of daily escape. What's a smoke break but a chance to get away from it all without spending $15,000 and flying to Hawaii?
Given their government-backed advantages, unrelenting global demand, and cheap valuations, buying shares in Big Tobacco will turn out to be one of the best investment decisions you can possibly make right now.
Why Your Government Wants You to Smoke Cigarettes
By Dan Ferris, editor, Extreme ValueMarch 22, 2008
The largest civil settlement in history totaled $246 billion, paid out over 25 years.
The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement was signed in 1998 by four tobacco companies, and it details payouts to all 50 states and six U.S. territories.
In addition to the huge financial burden, the master settlement also prohibits tobacco companies from targeting young people, bans cartoons from tobacco advertising, restricts brand sponsorship of teams and events, eliminates outdoor and public-transit advertising, restricts lobbying, and requires tobacco companies to disclose internal documents to the public.
All 50 states and the District of Columbia prohibit the sale of tobacco products to minors. Idaho and Washington prohibit the distribution of samples to the general public at little or no cost. At least 10 states have imposed bans on smoking in bars (!) and restaurants. In Baltimore's Inner Harbor area, you're not allowed to smoke anywhere, inside or out.
It all sounds like more than enough reason to stay away from tobacco stocks.
On the other hand, there's an important detail that most people don't know about the 1998 agreement: The master settlement payments rise and fall with cigarette shipments.
If cigarette volumes go down, the payments go down. But if the volumes go up... payments go up even more. It's a perverse paradox: Your state government hopes you smoke like a chimney, and it – not Big Tobacco – is going to gouge you for the privilege.
Big Tobacco's payments to politicians and lawmakers don't end with the master settlement. Federal and state excise taxes kick the payoff up another notch. The federal excise tax is $19.50 per thousand cigarettes, or about $0.39 a pack. In 2007, combined state and municipal excise taxes ranged from $0.07 (South Carolina) to $3.66 (Chicago) per pack of cigarettes. Last year, 10 states increased taxes, adding another $0.20 to $1 per pack.
Between high state excise taxes and the master settlement, tobacco companies have become a bizarre sort of utility company. Let me explain...
A public utility is really just a good business into whose pockets and affairs the government has permanently intruded, but whose survival is thereby assured. State governments make more money off each pack of cigarettes than anybody. If Big Tobacco fails, municipalities all over the United States fail.
That's no phantom idea, either. There's real leverage here... Back in 2003, an Illinois judge told a Big Tobacco company it had to post a $12 billion bond before it could appeal a defeat in a class-action lawsuit. The company said the move could force it into bankruptcy court and prevent it from making a master settlement payment.
Washington state's attorney general flew to the company's side – seven years after suing it for billions – telling the court, the bond "could deal a significant, unnecessary financial blow to the states." Virginia, California, New York, and Kansas put more than $7 billion in bond issues on hold until the matter was cleared up. The company didn't go bankrupt. On the contrary. It's made more than $50 billion in net profit since then.
Over the years, I've discovered different types of competitive advantages a business can have. One type of competitive advantage stems from "rules and regulations." The SEC's rules and regulations keep Standard & Poor's and Moody's entrenched as national ratings organizations. The Food and Drug Administration and its rules for new drugs keep big pharmaceutical companies entrenched, making it difficult for smaller companies to fund new drug development. Without intellectual property law, Microsoft would be a much smaller company... if it still existed.
Big Tobacco is benefiting from the onerous taxes only it can afford, the master settlement. States demand such high payments, they've put small manufacturers of bargain-priced cigarettes out of business. That's one reason the cigarette business is so profitable. U.S. cigarette sales totaled $70 billion last year. The total profit: $8.8 billion – an impressive after-tax profit margin of about 13%.
The Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, is less delicate even than I am about Big Tobacco's competitive position post-settlement. In a 2000 report, Cato's Thomas O'Brien wrote, "Tobacco companies have purchased, with smokers' money, permission to raise prices collusively and suppress competition."
For investors, this means simply big cigarette companies have an enduring competitive advantage.
Remember, too, cigarettes are not a cyclical business. The economy is bad right now, but smokers will continue to smoke. Cigarettes remind me of what the late, great Lee Garfield, creator of the Baltimore landmark, Lee's Ice Cream Factory, once told me about his business. He said, "I never worry about the economy. When people can't afford to go to the beach or buy a new car, they can still afford to shell out a buck or two for some ice cream."
Cigarettes are like that, too – a cheap, readily available form of daily escape. What's a smoke break but a chance to get away from it all without spending $15,000 and flying to Hawaii?
Given their government-backed advantages, unrelenting global demand, and cheap valuations, buying shares in Big Tobacco will turn out to be one of the best investment decisions you can possibly make right now.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Whistle-blower courage
Whistle-blower faced 10,579 questions
$6M Lawsuit; Discovery 'taken beyond reasonable limits'
Shannon Kari, National Post Published: Saturday, March 08, 2008
In their attempt to show that Joanna Gualtieri was not the victim of harassment and reprisals when she made claims of misspending and waste in the 1990s at the Department of Foreign Affairs, federal government lawyers have already required her to answer 10,579 questions in court.
The former realty portfolio manager at Foreign Affairs has been "examined for discovery" for 31 days over the past several years by Justice Department lawyers defending a $6-million lawsuit she filed against the federal government and eight employees in 1998.
Ms. Gualtieri, a 46-year-old lawyer and mother of two boys aged four and two, first came forward in the early 1990s to suggest that millions of dollars of public money were being wasted by Foreign Affairs at several Canadian embassies.
She alleged that she was ignored or thwarted by her superiors and then shunned, harassed and ultimately moved into a position with no assigned duties.
$6M Lawsuit; Discovery 'taken beyond reasonable limits'
Shannon Kari, National Post Published: Saturday, March 08, 2008
In their attempt to show that Joanna Gualtieri was not the victim of harassment and reprisals when she made claims of misspending and waste in the 1990s at the Department of Foreign Affairs, federal government lawyers have already required her to answer 10,579 questions in court.
The former realty portfolio manager at Foreign Affairs has been "examined for discovery" for 31 days over the past several years by Justice Department lawyers defending a $6-million lawsuit she filed against the federal government and eight employees in 1998.
Ms. Gualtieri, a 46-year-old lawyer and mother of two boys aged four and two, first came forward in the early 1990s to suggest that millions of dollars of public money were being wasted by Foreign Affairs at several Canadian embassies.
She alleged that she was ignored or thwarted by her superiors and then shunned, harassed and ultimately moved into a position with no assigned duties.
Monday, February 11, 2008
individual rights?
Parents jailed for not vaccinating kids
Dear Friend, from douglas MD
Vaccines are the most dangerous "accepted" practice in all of medicine. The latest vaccination outrage occurred in Prince George's County, Maryland where – believe it or not – parents were actually told to appear in court and subject their children to on-the- spot, state-mandated vaccines of UP TO 17 DOSES … OR FACE IMPRISONMENT!! What's more, parents who ignored the court's demands were subject to a $50 fine for each day their child was "out of compliance" (i.e., not surrendering their Constitutional rights to the state), or up to 10 days in jail.
Which is more sickening? That this kind of outrage can occur without national outcry, or that it can happen about a 30-minute drive from the front steps of the rotunda of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.? How is it possible that the schools allow this sort of thing to go on? Why is an education system party to such a gross violation of personal rights?
Maybe this next bit of information will clue you in.
The Prince George's County school system is allocated $11,325 per student, per year. This sum comes from a variety of sources, and roughly breaks down this way: About 7 percent ($780) comes from the federal government; 46 percent comes from the state of Maryland ($5,246); and 47 percent comes from local monies such as city budgets ($5,298).
In order for the schools to receive that money, a child must be enrolled in the school. Simple enough, right? Well, according to the state regulations on vaccinations, a kid CAN'T be enrolled if he doesn't have his vaccinations up to date. In fact, he could be expelled.
According to the news report, there were as many as 2,300 hundred kids being barred from school due to their non-compliance with the vaccination policy. If those kids were tossed from school due to state regulations, that would mean the PG County school district would suddenly be out an astounding $26 million in revenue from the state and the city! No wonder they wanted to threaten the parents with jail!
Don't let them suck you in with all that "it's for the safety of the children" nonsense. As always, it's about the almighty dollar.
This is just the kind of issue that gets me going, because it's not only about good health, it's also about the protection of your personal freedoms. And the sad truth is, when it comes to vaccinations, the choice is very rarely yours. Your body – and the bodies of your children – are the property of the government when it comes to vaccines. It's not only un-constitutional; it's downright scary.
Dear Friend, from douglas MD
Vaccines are the most dangerous "accepted" practice in all of medicine. The latest vaccination outrage occurred in Prince George's County, Maryland where – believe it or not – parents were actually told to appear in court and subject their children to on-the- spot, state-mandated vaccines of UP TO 17 DOSES … OR FACE IMPRISONMENT!! What's more, parents who ignored the court's demands were subject to a $50 fine for each day their child was "out of compliance" (i.e., not surrendering their Constitutional rights to the state), or up to 10 days in jail.
Which is more sickening? That this kind of outrage can occur without national outcry, or that it can happen about a 30-minute drive from the front steps of the rotunda of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.? How is it possible that the schools allow this sort of thing to go on? Why is an education system party to such a gross violation of personal rights?
Maybe this next bit of information will clue you in.
The Prince George's County school system is allocated $11,325 per student, per year. This sum comes from a variety of sources, and roughly breaks down this way: About 7 percent ($780) comes from the federal government; 46 percent comes from the state of Maryland ($5,246); and 47 percent comes from local monies such as city budgets ($5,298).
In order for the schools to receive that money, a child must be enrolled in the school. Simple enough, right? Well, according to the state regulations on vaccinations, a kid CAN'T be enrolled if he doesn't have his vaccinations up to date. In fact, he could be expelled.
According to the news report, there were as many as 2,300 hundred kids being barred from school due to their non-compliance with the vaccination policy. If those kids were tossed from school due to state regulations, that would mean the PG County school district would suddenly be out an astounding $26 million in revenue from the state and the city! No wonder they wanted to threaten the parents with jail!
Don't let them suck you in with all that "it's for the safety of the children" nonsense. As always, it's about the almighty dollar.
This is just the kind of issue that gets me going, because it's not only about good health, it's also about the protection of your personal freedoms. And the sad truth is, when it comes to vaccinations, the choice is very rarely yours. Your body – and the bodies of your children – are the property of the government when it comes to vaccines. It's not only un-constitutional; it's downright scary.
Friday, February 08, 2008
freedom of speech infringement?
Canada Christian teacher fights suspension
QUESNEL, British Columbia, Feb. 6 Canadian teacher Chris Kempling is battling suspension of his teaching license after he wrote to a local newspaper in 2003 outlining Christian teachings on homosexuality. The College of Teachers cited him for professional misconduct and suspended his teaching license for a month, LifeSiteNews.com reported Wednesday. He appealed that decision all the way to Canada's Supreme Court, spending "well over" a $100oo dollars in legal fees, he said. After the Supreme Court denied his appeal, he faces yet another citation from the College that might lose him his teaching license permanently. In an e-mail Wednesday, Kempling told supporters he received a letter informing him that he is being cited on numerous counts for conduct "unbecoming" of a teacher, among them being the local representative of the Christian Heritage Party, the nation's sixth largest political party.
"I'm dismayed," Kempling told LifeSiteNews Wednesday. "I'm dismayed that activities entirely outside of the scope of my job and which have engendered no reaction or complaint would result in an additional citation...I'm dismayed that their reach is extending so far into my private life, and overriding the very clear provisions in the Charter for political freedom and for freedom of speech."
QUESNEL, British Columbia, Feb. 6 Canadian teacher Chris Kempling is battling suspension of his teaching license after he wrote to a local newspaper in 2003 outlining Christian teachings on homosexuality. The College of Teachers cited him for professional misconduct and suspended his teaching license for a month, LifeSiteNews.com reported Wednesday. He appealed that decision all the way to Canada's Supreme Court, spending "well over" a $100oo dollars in legal fees, he said. After the Supreme Court denied his appeal, he faces yet another citation from the College that might lose him his teaching license permanently. In an e-mail Wednesday, Kempling told supporters he received a letter informing him that he is being cited on numerous counts for conduct "unbecoming" of a teacher, among them being the local representative of the Christian Heritage Party, the nation's sixth largest political party.
"I'm dismayed," Kempling told LifeSiteNews Wednesday. "I'm dismayed that activities entirely outside of the scope of my job and which have engendered no reaction or complaint would result in an additional citation...I'm dismayed that their reach is extending so far into my private life, and overriding the very clear provisions in the Charter for political freedom and for freedom of speech."
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Hidden From History-Recent Government “Compensation” Plan to Residential School Survivors
Hidden From History-Recent Government “Compensation” Plan to Residential School Survivors: "A Chronology of Deceit: Phases in the United Church's 'Spin' Campaign around Crimes in Indian Residential Schools
by Kevin D. Annett / Eagle Strong Voice
'No-one can rule guiltlessly'
Niccolo Machiavelli
Rulers of Church and State have known for centuries how to continually rewrite history in order to conceal their bloody deeds and make their obvious crimes appear virtuous. In Canada, such rulers have had ample opportunity to practice this occupational skill in relation to their bloodiest act: the extermination of non-Christian Indians."
" this shows how the special interest groups nd righteous can abuse and cover up their mistakes- srary" PR
by Kevin D. Annett / Eagle Strong Voice
'No-one can rule guiltlessly'
Niccolo Machiavelli
Rulers of Church and State have known for centuries how to continually rewrite history in order to conceal their bloody deeds and make their obvious crimes appear virtuous. In Canada, such rulers have had ample opportunity to practice this occupational skill in relation to their bloodiest act: the extermination of non-Christian Indians."
" this shows how the special interest groups nd righteous can abuse and cover up their mistakes- srary" PR
institutional nightmare-genocide alleged
Claims of 'genocide'
A former United Church minister says a longtime residential school in Brantford may hold evidence of "genocide" against young natives. Kevin Annett wants burial sites at the former Mohawk Institute investigated as part of a campaign to expose the hidden history of residential schools across Canada.
The Mohawk Institute operated for 140 years until it closed in 1970. The site later became the Woodland Cultural Centre. The institute's purpose was to instill in its pupils English-Canadian language, culture and the Anglican religion.
Survivors long have talked about beatings, poor food and clothing and other serious physical and sexual abuse. Annett takes these facts a step further. He claims the government of Canada and the Roman Catholic, Anglican and United churches, which ran residential schools, engaged in genocide, deliberately "culling" native children through occasional murder and intentionally exposing children to fatal diseases.
Annett elaborates on these claims in a book, Hidden from History, and a documentary, Unrepentant, part of which he presented to Laurier Brantford students on Tuesday.
Annett plays hard ball to back his demands for, among many things, an international tribunal into genocide in Canada. His website - www.hiddenfromhistory.org - urges his supporters to boycott "genocidal institutions," the Catholic, Anglican and United Church, to withhold tax payments to the government of Canada and to support an international boycott of Canadian tourism and goods.
Big is not beautiful -pr
A former United Church minister says a longtime residential school in Brantford may hold evidence of "genocide" against young natives. Kevin Annett wants burial sites at the former Mohawk Institute investigated as part of a campaign to expose the hidden history of residential schools across Canada.
The Mohawk Institute operated for 140 years until it closed in 1970. The site later became the Woodland Cultural Centre. The institute's purpose was to instill in its pupils English-Canadian language, culture and the Anglican religion.
Survivors long have talked about beatings, poor food and clothing and other serious physical and sexual abuse. Annett takes these facts a step further. He claims the government of Canada and the Roman Catholic, Anglican and United churches, which ran residential schools, engaged in genocide, deliberately "culling" native children through occasional murder and intentionally exposing children to fatal diseases.
Annett elaborates on these claims in a book, Hidden from History, and a documentary, Unrepentant, part of which he presented to Laurier Brantford students on Tuesday.
Annett plays hard ball to back his demands for, among many things, an international tribunal into genocide in Canada. His website - www.hiddenfromhistory.org - urges his supporters to boycott "genocidal institutions," the Catholic, Anglican and United Church, to withhold tax payments to the government of Canada and to support an international boycott of Canadian tourism and goods.
Big is not beautiful -pr
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
domestic buying?
Business group calls on Canadian governments to enact domestic buying rules
OTTAWA - Canadian governments' boy scout approach in failing to enact Canada-first policies on major infrastructure and mass transit projects is costing the country dearly in lost jobs and business opportunities, says a new industry study.
In a position paper being released Thursday, the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Association is calling on all governments to act quickly on the issue to help out the beleaguered manufacturing sector.
The report, which says Canada is among very few countries without buy domestic rules on tax-funded projects, says there is urgency to address the matter because of the massive amounts - $33 billion in seven years from Ottawa alone-governments have committed to infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges, and mass transit expansion.
"This is not protectionism," said CME president Jayson Myers. "This is levelling the playing field.
OTTAWA - Canadian governments' boy scout approach in failing to enact Canada-first policies on major infrastructure and mass transit projects is costing the country dearly in lost jobs and business opportunities, says a new industry study.
In a position paper being released Thursday, the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Association is calling on all governments to act quickly on the issue to help out the beleaguered manufacturing sector.
The report, which says Canada is among very few countries without buy domestic rules on tax-funded projects, says there is urgency to address the matter because of the massive amounts - $33 billion in seven years from Ottawa alone-governments have committed to infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges, and mass transit expansion.
"This is not protectionism," said CME president Jayson Myers. "This is levelling the playing field.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
the dream team - who are you?
Key Team Personality Types by Jeff Palfini
Much like characters in a role-playing game, everyone on a successful team plays a unique part. When certain challenges arise, you need to know whose strengths will best match the task. Here are a few key personality types to look for.
The Agitator
Strength: Questions the status quo, outspoken
Weakness: Abrasive, needs prodding to work well with others
Weapon: Impatience
Battle cry: “What I cannot create, I do not understand.” — Richard Feynman, physicist
Defining moment:
The Agitator is the flint that sparks innovation within the team. An unwillingness to accept things as they are and propensity for speaking out can often trigger real and important change.
Hero: Virgin founder and CEO Richard Branson
The Wild Card
Strength: Skill and dedication, if you can find the key to motivating him
Weakness: Lackluster performance if you can’t
Weapon: Latent energy
Battle cry: “Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I’ll remember. Involve me and I’ll understand.” — Confucius
Defining moment:
The Wild Card has a moment of clarity when he realizes the importance of the company vision and feels invested in its success. After that, you might mistake him for the Workhorse — or even the Expert.
Hero: Director Quentin Tarantino
The Leader
Strength: Execution, ability to get team on board and invested in new ideas
Weakness: Often gets all the credit for the Agitator’s ideas, can be subject to swollen ego
Weapon: Esteem
Battle cry:
“Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want a chance to change the world?” — Steve Jobs
Defining Moment:
Any opportunity to address the troops. An ability to inspire the rest of the team with a clear and dramatic vision puts momentum behind ideas.
Hero: Jack Welch
The Workhorse
Strength: Focus, work ethic, dogged determination
Weakness: Can sometimes be slow to adapt to new ways, resistant to change
Weapon: Follow-through
Battle cry: “Victory belongs to the most persevering.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
Defining moment:
Reliable and determined, the Workhorse is the finisher and will ensure that the job gets done.
Hero: Baseball’s ultimate everyday player, Cal Ripken, Jr.
The Glue
Strength: Communication — the glue that brings the team together, especially in difficult times
Weakness: More effective in times of crisis than when things are running smoothly
Weapon: Charm
Battle cry:
“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic but creatures of emotion.” — Dale Carnegie
Defining moment:
When rifts appear in the team or progress has stalled, the Glue smoothes things over or suggests who might be able to get the wheels turning again.
Hero: eBay CEO Meg Whitman
The Expert
Strength: Vast knowledge of a subject area, its major players, and its most useful sources of information
Weakness: Information doesn’t always translate to innovation
Weapon: Encyclopedic brain
Battle Cry:
“The desire of knowledge, like the thirst for riches, increases ever with the acquisition of it.” — Irish writer Laurence Sterne
Defining Moment:
When an intellectual or informational snag is slowing the process, the Expert has the solution. However, team members often need to approach him, since his active mind is frequently occupied.
Hero: Java engineer James Gosling
Much like characters in a role-playing game, everyone on a successful team plays a unique part. When certain challenges arise, you need to know whose strengths will best match the task. Here are a few key personality types to look for.
The Agitator
Strength: Questions the status quo, outspoken
Weakness: Abrasive, needs prodding to work well with others
Weapon: Impatience
Battle cry: “What I cannot create, I do not understand.” — Richard Feynman, physicist
Defining moment:
The Agitator is the flint that sparks innovation within the team. An unwillingness to accept things as they are and propensity for speaking out can often trigger real and important change.
Hero: Virgin founder and CEO Richard Branson
The Wild Card
Strength: Skill and dedication, if you can find the key to motivating him
Weakness: Lackluster performance if you can’t
Weapon: Latent energy
Battle cry: “Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I’ll remember. Involve me and I’ll understand.” — Confucius
Defining moment:
The Wild Card has a moment of clarity when he realizes the importance of the company vision and feels invested in its success. After that, you might mistake him for the Workhorse — or even the Expert.
Hero: Director Quentin Tarantino
The Leader
Strength: Execution, ability to get team on board and invested in new ideas
Weakness: Often gets all the credit for the Agitator’s ideas, can be subject to swollen ego
Weapon: Esteem
Battle cry:
“Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want a chance to change the world?” — Steve Jobs
Defining Moment:
Any opportunity to address the troops. An ability to inspire the rest of the team with a clear and dramatic vision puts momentum behind ideas.
Hero: Jack Welch
The Workhorse
Strength: Focus, work ethic, dogged determination
Weakness: Can sometimes be slow to adapt to new ways, resistant to change
Weapon: Follow-through
Battle cry: “Victory belongs to the most persevering.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
Defining moment:
Reliable and determined, the Workhorse is the finisher and will ensure that the job gets done.
Hero: Baseball’s ultimate everyday player, Cal Ripken, Jr.
The Glue
Strength: Communication — the glue that brings the team together, especially in difficult times
Weakness: More effective in times of crisis than when things are running smoothly
Weapon: Charm
Battle cry:
“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic but creatures of emotion.” — Dale Carnegie
Defining moment:
When rifts appear in the team or progress has stalled, the Glue smoothes things over or suggests who might be able to get the wheels turning again.
Hero: eBay CEO Meg Whitman
The Expert
Strength: Vast knowledge of a subject area, its major players, and its most useful sources of information
Weakness: Information doesn’t always translate to innovation
Weapon: Encyclopedic brain
Battle Cry:
“The desire of knowledge, like the thirst for riches, increases ever with the acquisition of it.” — Irish writer Laurence Sterne
Defining Moment:
When an intellectual or informational snag is slowing the process, the Expert has the solution. However, team members often need to approach him, since his active mind is frequently occupied.
Hero: Java engineer James Gosling
Monday, January 28, 2008
Police Blotter: Breath test code must be disclosed | Tech News on ZDNet
Police Blotter: Breath test code must be disclosed Tech News on ZDNet: "Police Blotter: Breath test code must be disclosed
By Declan McCullagh, News.com"
lets give citizens an equal playing field
By Declan McCullagh, News.com"
lets give citizens an equal playing field
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Taxpayers federation urges Ottawa to reduce tax brackets, personal income tax - Yahoo! Canada News
good idea -and would generate real savings by getting rid of the administrative burden of collections groups-PR
Taxpayers federation urges Ottawa to reduce tax brackets, personal income tax - Yahoo! Canada News: "Taxpayers federation urges Ottawa to reduce tax brackets, personal income tax
By Steve Rennie, The Canadian Press
OTTAWA - The Canadian Taxpayers Federation wants Ottawa to lower personal income taxes and cut the number of tax brackets in half as the first step toward a single tax rate.
In a study released Thursday, the federation recommends the federal government move to two income tax rates of 15 per cent and 25 per cent by 2012, down from the current four brackets.
The federation suggests Canadians earning between $15,000 and $80,000 be taxed at a rate of 15 per cent, while those earning more than $80,000 be taxed at 25 per cent.
The group says the eventual goal should be a single tax rate.
'We actually began this process trying to actually achieve a single tax rate for all Canadians. We concluded, though, it just wasn't do-able,' said John Williamson, the group's federal director.
'What we're trying to do is put forward policy here that a political party that was interested in promoting lower taxes could adopt in the immediate term.'
Doing so, the federation says, would remove about 1.4 million low-income Canadians from the tax rolls since their income wouldn't be high enough to tax.
The group says its plan would result in a $25-billion cut to personal income taxes by 2012.
However, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Finance Minister Jim Flaherty have cautioned against expectations of any major new tax cuts or spending programs in this year's budget because of the expected slowdown in the Canadian economy"
Taxpayers federation urges Ottawa to reduce tax brackets, personal income tax - Yahoo! Canada News: "Taxpayers federation urges Ottawa to reduce tax brackets, personal income tax
By Steve Rennie, The Canadian Press
OTTAWA - The Canadian Taxpayers Federation wants Ottawa to lower personal income taxes and cut the number of tax brackets in half as the first step toward a single tax rate.
In a study released Thursday, the federation recommends the federal government move to two income tax rates of 15 per cent and 25 per cent by 2012, down from the current four brackets.
The federation suggests Canadians earning between $15,000 and $80,000 be taxed at a rate of 15 per cent, while those earning more than $80,000 be taxed at 25 per cent.
The group says the eventual goal should be a single tax rate.
'We actually began this process trying to actually achieve a single tax rate for all Canadians. We concluded, though, it just wasn't do-able,' said John Williamson, the group's federal director.
'What we're trying to do is put forward policy here that a political party that was interested in promoting lower taxes could adopt in the immediate term.'
Doing so, the federation says, would remove about 1.4 million low-income Canadians from the tax rolls since their income wouldn't be high enough to tax.
The group says its plan would result in a $25-billion cut to personal income taxes by 2012.
However, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Finance Minister Jim Flaherty have cautioned against expectations of any major new tax cuts or spending programs in this year's budget because of the expected slowdown in the Canadian economy"
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
» Ten threat predictions for 2008 | Threat Chaos | ZDNet.com
» Ten threat predictions for 2008 Threat Chaos ZDNet.com: "Richard Stiennon Bringing order to threat chaos through news, views and analysis Subscribe Alerts Bio Mobile
Categories: Bank security, CyberCrime, Data Security, SOA, Security Industry News, Spyware, State Sponsored Hacking
ThreatChaos Predictions for 2008
1. Facebook widgets will be used to distribute malware"
be vigilant in 2008 - pR
Categories: Bank security, CyberCrime, Data Security, SOA, Security Industry News, Spyware, State Sponsored Hacking
ThreatChaos Predictions for 2008
1. Facebook widgets will be used to distribute malware"
be vigilant in 2008 - pR
» Ten threat predictions for 2008 | Threat Chaos | ZDNet.com
» Ten threat predictions for 2008 Threat Chaos ZDNet.com: "Richard Stiennon Bringing order to threat chaos through news, views and analysis Subscribe Alerts Bio Mobile
Categories: Bank security, CyberCrime, Data Security, SOA, Security Industry News, Spyware, State Sponsored Hacking
ThreatChaos Predictions for 2008
1. Facebook widgets will be used to distribute malware"
be vigilant in 2008 - pR
Categories: Bank security, CyberCrime, Data Security, SOA, Security Industry News, Spyware, State Sponsored Hacking
ThreatChaos Predictions for 2008
1. Facebook widgets will be used to distribute malware"
be vigilant in 2008 - pR
» Ten threat predictions for 2008 | Threat Chaos | ZDNet.com
» Ten threat predictions for 2008 Threat Chaos ZDNet.com: "Richard Stiennon Bringing order to threat chaos through news, views and analysis Subscribe Alerts Bio Mobile
Categories: Bank security, CyberCrime, Data Security, SOA, Security Industry News, Spyware, State Sponsored Hacking
ThreatChaos Predictions for 2008
1. Facebook widgets will be used to distribute malware"
be vigilant in 2008 - pR
Categories: Bank security, CyberCrime, Data Security, SOA, Security Industry News, Spyware, State Sponsored Hacking
ThreatChaos Predictions for 2008
1. Facebook widgets will be used to distribute malware"
be vigilant in 2008 - pR
Thursday, December 20, 2007
The CEO Poll: Crime and punishment | Managing | Strategy | Canadian Business Online
The CEO Poll: Crime and punishment | Managing | Strategy | Canadian Business Online: "The CEO Poll: Crime and punishment
Joe Castaldo
From the December 24, 2007 issue of Canadian Business magazine
A federal judge in Chicago sentenced fallen media mogul Conrad Black to six and a half years in prison for fraud and obstruction of justice. He must also pay a fine of US$125,000 and forfeit US$6.1 million. Investors aren’t looking for Canadian courts to sentence white-collar criminals as severely as U.S. courts do, according to Michael Watson, director of enforcement at the Ontario Securities Commission. But the 137 Canadian CEOs polled in a survey conducted by Compas Inc. disagreed strongly with that belief.
The majority of business leaders surveyed want our securities regulators to catch fraudsters with greater regularity, and want Canadian courts to impose tougher sentences on white-collar criminals. Canada is no more compassionate than the U.S., the CEOs believe, and Canadians certainly wouldn’t complain if lengthier prison sentences were handed down. In a previous Compas poll, some respondents indicated that our weak securities laws also act as a deterrent to foreign investment. “We have world class companies and world class executives. It is a shame that we are considered an easy country [in which] to get away with fraud,” wrote one respondent.
The CEOs were also asked to grade the effectiveness of certain mechanisms in place for making Canada a safe haven for investors. Our securities laws in general received a grade of 57%, while the OSC received 53%. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission fared better with a score of 68%."
Joe Castaldo
From the December 24, 2007 issue of Canadian Business magazine
A federal judge in Chicago sentenced fallen media mogul Conrad Black to six and a half years in prison for fraud and obstruction of justice. He must also pay a fine of US$125,000 and forfeit US$6.1 million. Investors aren’t looking for Canadian courts to sentence white-collar criminals as severely as U.S. courts do, according to Michael Watson, director of enforcement at the Ontario Securities Commission. But the 137 Canadian CEOs polled in a survey conducted by Compas Inc. disagreed strongly with that belief.
The majority of business leaders surveyed want our securities regulators to catch fraudsters with greater regularity, and want Canadian courts to impose tougher sentences on white-collar criminals. Canada is no more compassionate than the U.S., the CEOs believe, and Canadians certainly wouldn’t complain if lengthier prison sentences were handed down. In a previous Compas poll, some respondents indicated that our weak securities laws also act as a deterrent to foreign investment. “We have world class companies and world class executives. It is a shame that we are considered an easy country [in which] to get away with fraud,” wrote one respondent.
The CEOs were also asked to grade the effectiveness of certain mechanisms in place for making Canada a safe haven for investors. Our securities laws in general received a grade of 57%, while the OSC received 53%. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission fared better with a score of 68%."
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Trends and opportunities HBR
The Biggest Management Challenges in 2008
By Sean Silverthorne
Seven years into the 21st century the world of business and management is certainly going through, if not revolution, at least evolution on a speedy scale.
Traditional business models are getting turned on their heads (Anyone seen Google’s share price lately?), resources and markets are available on a global scale (Medical tourism), and technology continues to be both the manager’s best friend (CRM) and worst enemy (Blackberry = 24×7 availability).
What do you think will be the big challenges for your business in 2008? asks Harvard Business, which is building a crystal ball around responses from readers. Some early comments:
The Network as Platform. “The most important trend in networking in 2008, indeed in all of IT, will be the emergence of the “network as the platform” for productivity, profitable growth, resource management and innovation. This trend will play a key role in helping determine success in business as well as in other areas of society (healthcare and education).”
Eco Business Opportunities. “As private and public entities respond to the extension of social responsibility, many new service provider opportunities will explode in the finance, e-waste, recylcing, remanufacturing, supply chain industry, and service entities.”
New Geopolitics. “Politically, between US election, China’s coming out party (summer Olympics), and Russia’s new (old) president, 2008 would be an interesting year. Economically, the battle for supremacy between central banks, sovereign funds, and the “real” economy could be on the headline in various disguises.
Volatile Markets. “The biggest challenges for the managers in the short term is to counter the impact of weakening dollar, rising crude, declining productivity in US and Europe, and outsourcing as competitive strategy.”
Dollar Decline. “For European businesses the continued decline of the US dollar against the Euro will remain one of the toughest challenges. It will be the catalyst for many changes related to repositioning within market segments, relocation of manufacturing to no-Euro zones and acceleration of innovation drive.”
Social Networking. “Companies must learn to effectively utilize social networking tools both inside and outside the companies to keep up with what the younger workers grew up with — fast and furious communication tools like texting, facebook, My Space, You Tube, etc. that spread the word now. Not in the next quarter, next month, next week or even next day, but NOW.”
Soft Skills. “The development and implementation of ‘soft skills’ will be one of the greatest management challenges in the future. With changing attitudes and values it will become increasingly necessary for organisations to undergo cultural change in order to attract and retain high quality young staff and to appeal to the changing values of society in general. The establishment of a culture of community which values all stakeholders, gives a strong sense of belonging and offers flexibility within a secure and diverse environment will be important.”
What do you think?
By Sean Silverthorne
Seven years into the 21st century the world of business and management is certainly going through, if not revolution, at least evolution on a speedy scale.
Traditional business models are getting turned on their heads (Anyone seen Google’s share price lately?), resources and markets are available on a global scale (Medical tourism), and technology continues to be both the manager’s best friend (CRM) and worst enemy (Blackberry = 24×7 availability).
What do you think will be the big challenges for your business in 2008? asks Harvard Business, which is building a crystal ball around responses from readers. Some early comments:
The Network as Platform. “The most important trend in networking in 2008, indeed in all of IT, will be the emergence of the “network as the platform” for productivity, profitable growth, resource management and innovation. This trend will play a key role in helping determine success in business as well as in other areas of society (healthcare and education).”
Eco Business Opportunities. “As private and public entities respond to the extension of social responsibility, many new service provider opportunities will explode in the finance, e-waste, recylcing, remanufacturing, supply chain industry, and service entities.”
New Geopolitics. “Politically, between US election, China’s coming out party (summer Olympics), and Russia’s new (old) president, 2008 would be an interesting year. Economically, the battle for supremacy between central banks, sovereign funds, and the “real” economy could be on the headline in various disguises.
Volatile Markets. “The biggest challenges for the managers in the short term is to counter the impact of weakening dollar, rising crude, declining productivity in US and Europe, and outsourcing as competitive strategy.”
Dollar Decline. “For European businesses the continued decline of the US dollar against the Euro will remain one of the toughest challenges. It will be the catalyst for many changes related to repositioning within market segments, relocation of manufacturing to no-Euro zones and acceleration of innovation drive.”
Social Networking. “Companies must learn to effectively utilize social networking tools both inside and outside the companies to keep up with what the younger workers grew up with — fast and furious communication tools like texting, facebook, My Space, You Tube, etc. that spread the word now. Not in the next quarter, next month, next week or even next day, but NOW.”
Soft Skills. “The development and implementation of ‘soft skills’ will be one of the greatest management challenges in the future. With changing attitudes and values it will become increasingly necessary for organisations to undergo cultural change in order to attract and retain high quality young staff and to appeal to the changing values of society in general. The establishment of a culture of community which values all stakeholders, gives a strong sense of belonging and offers flexibility within a secure and diverse environment will be important.”
What do you think?
Friday, December 14, 2007
Tax watchdog wants Ontario Northland subsidy reviewed; annual reports absent - Yahoo! Canada News
Tax watchdog wants Ontario Northland subsidy reviewed; annual reports absent - Yahoo! Canada News: "TORONTO - An 'essential' Crown corporation that has failed to disclose its annual reports for the last five years will right that wrong shortly, Northern Development Minister Michael Gravelle said Friday as he tried to deflect 'pot shots' about subsidies for the money-losing Ontario Northland Transportation Commission.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation wants the province to reconsider nearly $20 million in annual subsidies for the commission, which operates bus, freight, passenger rail and high-speed Internet services in northern Ontario.
The company has issued regular financial statements, but hasn't released an annual report since 2002, and has previously shown losses of as much as $1 million a month, said Kevin Gaudet, director of the federation's Ontario chapter.
Given that, the government ought to reconsider whether its investment is worthwhile, Gaudet said.
'We don't have much insight into how well (the annual subsidy) was being spent or how well we think it ought to be spent.'
In 2006, Ontario's auditor general also expressed concerns about a lack of annual reports being filed by the province's Crown corporations and said regular public reporting was 'of paramount importance.'
'Doing so in a timely manner enhances the transparency of the actions taken and the results achieved by the agencies, thereby strengthening agency accountability,' Jim McCarter wrote in his 2006 report."
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation wants the province to reconsider nearly $20 million in annual subsidies for the commission, which operates bus, freight, passenger rail and high-speed Internet services in northern Ontario.
The company has issued regular financial statements, but hasn't released an annual report since 2002, and has previously shown losses of as much as $1 million a month, said Kevin Gaudet, director of the federation's Ontario chapter.
Given that, the government ought to reconsider whether its investment is worthwhile, Gaudet said.
'We don't have much insight into how well (the annual subsidy) was being spent or how well we think it ought to be spent.'
In 2006, Ontario's auditor general also expressed concerns about a lack of annual reports being filed by the province's Crown corporations and said regular public reporting was 'of paramount importance.'
'Doing so in a timely manner enhances the transparency of the actions taken and the results achieved by the agencies, thereby strengthening agency accountability,' Jim McCarter wrote in his 2006 report."
Overhaul the RCMP
It takes an unnecessary death to get proper action for the good . Be reminded of the following
"When generals are weak and lack authority, instructions are not clear, officers and soldiers lack consistency, and they form battle lines every which way; this is a riot." Sun Tzu's warning to military leaders is great advice to politicians. Deploying police or any public service people who don't have a consistent, repeatable process and who are not "on message" costs monumental amounts of wasted motion and leaves wheelbarrows full of money on table after table. We at PR strongly support the overhaul report calling for much needed reform. Might is not right, particularly if not wisely lead or used PR
Overhaul RCMP, task force says JESSICA LEEDER Globe and Mail Update
December 14, 2007 at 3:24 PM EST
TORONTO — A federal task force convened to help overhaul the RCMP recommended major structural changes for the 133-year-old force today, including granting the Force separate employer status from the government, the adoption of a civilian oversight board and the creation of a new, more powerful complaints authority.
The task force, led by Toronto lawyer David Brown, set a strict two-year deadline for the changes to be fully made, and asked that a special civilian body be set up to oversee their implementation, which will set the foundation for an additional 45 recommendations outlined in his task force's report, titled “Rebuilding the Trust.”
RCMP Commissioner William Elliott quickly embraced the report, saying he would use it to launch a necessary renewal of the federal force, including changes in its senior levels.
“It's an important document that will serve as one of the key drivers of change as we go forward. The report is, I believe, an important turning point,” he said.
___________________________________________________
Related Articles
Recent
Remarks by David Brown
Kelowna RCMP apologize to man hit twice by taser
RCMP to curb taser use
Mounties brace for high-level shakeup
RCMP should restrict taser use immediately: report
Watchdog needed for RCMP: MPs
From the archives
CSIS, RCMP co-operation improved since Air India attack, probe told
RCMP backup policy expected to cost 'tens of millions'
Internet Links
Full report (pdf)
Task Force
___________________________________________________
Mr. Brown said the task force realized through its consultation and research that “continuing to simply treat the symptoms ailing the RCMP was not going to fix anything and would only serve to compound the issues for future generations,” he said.
The five members of the task force spent five months travelling across the country to speak with RCMP members at all levels. Mr. Brown said his panel encountered “fierce pride in the Force” paired with “despair, disillusionment and anger with an organization that is failing them.”
He outlined a number of alarming trends his panel uncovered.
“With remarkable but disturbing consistency, we heard of chronic shortages of people and equipment, of overwork and fatigue, of issues of wellness, health and even safety,” said Mr. Brown.
“We learned about basic human management systems that haven't worked for years: mandatory unpaid overtime; discipline and grievance systems that don't work; a promotion system with little or no credibility; a sometimes embarrassing record of accounting to the people they serve.”
Mr. Brown said he found that rank and file members are “struggling to do their best under the tremendous burden of an inefficient and inappropriately structured organization.”
The task force's recipe for remedies begins, Mr. Brown said, with changing the relationship between the government and the RCMP, allowing the force to become a separate entity with separate employer status. Mr. Brown said the RCMP is not “just another federal department” and should be “free from unnecessary government constraints.” The force must be allowed to control its own finances and manage human resources decisions instead of being forced to contend with the federal bureaucracy, the task force suggests.
“A modern-day police force cannot spend its days mired in endless bureaucracy and administration with the federal government,” Mr. Brown said.
The addition of the new responsibilities should be governed by a civilian Board of Management, which Mr. Brown said would be responsible for overseeing financial affairs, resources, services, property, personnel and procurement. The Board will be accountable to the Minister of Public Safety and to Parliament.
The task force also recommended “radical changes” to increase accountability and transparency inside and outside of the force.
“A modern-day RCMP will shed its cloak of secrecy while protecting the fundamental rights of Canadian citizens,” Mr. Brown said.
The most radical of those recommendations includes scrapping the “inadequate” External Review Committee and the Public Complaints Commission, the two separate bodies that currently handle complaints related to the RCMP.
To replace them, the task force is calling for new legislation to create the Independent Commission for Complaints and Oversight of the RCMP (ICCOR), a non-police body. Under the task force's plan, ICCOR will operate like a sort of hybrid ombudsman. It would deal with both internal and external complaints and be given the powers to conduct investigations, summon witnesses and compel testimony.
It would also report publicly on recommendations and findings, which would be put before the new Board of Management. And, unlike current practices, the Commission's findings will be binding on the RCMP Commissioner.
Mr. Brown said the public should be given a progress report on the changes by June 30th, 2008. He also said his task force hopes to see the board of management and independent complaints commission up and running no later than December 31, 2009.
He asked that legislative changes required to enact the task force's recommendations be “sped along as quickly as possible in Parliament”, and suggested the Force be granted special one-time funding from the federal government to aid their rebuild.
“I am confident that the recommendations we have made today will rebuild this national icon into a modern-day police force,” he said. “I believe that the lost trust among rank and file members will be restored.”
"When generals are weak and lack authority, instructions are not clear, officers and soldiers lack consistency, and they form battle lines every which way; this is a riot." Sun Tzu's warning to military leaders is great advice to politicians. Deploying police or any public service people who don't have a consistent, repeatable process and who are not "on message" costs monumental amounts of wasted motion and leaves wheelbarrows full of money on table after table. We at PR strongly support the overhaul report calling for much needed reform. Might is not right, particularly if not wisely lead or used PR
Overhaul RCMP, task force says JESSICA LEEDER Globe and Mail Update
December 14, 2007 at 3:24 PM EST
TORONTO — A federal task force convened to help overhaul the RCMP recommended major structural changes for the 133-year-old force today, including granting the Force separate employer status from the government, the adoption of a civilian oversight board and the creation of a new, more powerful complaints authority.
The task force, led by Toronto lawyer David Brown, set a strict two-year deadline for the changes to be fully made, and asked that a special civilian body be set up to oversee their implementation, which will set the foundation for an additional 45 recommendations outlined in his task force's report, titled “Rebuilding the Trust.”
RCMP Commissioner William Elliott quickly embraced the report, saying he would use it to launch a necessary renewal of the federal force, including changes in its senior levels.
“It's an important document that will serve as one of the key drivers of change as we go forward. The report is, I believe, an important turning point,” he said.
___________________________________________________
Related Articles
Recent
Remarks by David Brown
Kelowna RCMP apologize to man hit twice by taser
RCMP to curb taser use
Mounties brace for high-level shakeup
RCMP should restrict taser use immediately: report
Watchdog needed for RCMP: MPs
From the archives
CSIS, RCMP co-operation improved since Air India attack, probe told
RCMP backup policy expected to cost 'tens of millions'
Internet Links
Full report (pdf)
Task Force
___________________________________________________
Mr. Brown said the task force realized through its consultation and research that “continuing to simply treat the symptoms ailing the RCMP was not going to fix anything and would only serve to compound the issues for future generations,” he said.
The five members of the task force spent five months travelling across the country to speak with RCMP members at all levels. Mr. Brown said his panel encountered “fierce pride in the Force” paired with “despair, disillusionment and anger with an organization that is failing them.”
He outlined a number of alarming trends his panel uncovered.
“With remarkable but disturbing consistency, we heard of chronic shortages of people and equipment, of overwork and fatigue, of issues of wellness, health and even safety,” said Mr. Brown.
“We learned about basic human management systems that haven't worked for years: mandatory unpaid overtime; discipline and grievance systems that don't work; a promotion system with little or no credibility; a sometimes embarrassing record of accounting to the people they serve.”
Mr. Brown said he found that rank and file members are “struggling to do their best under the tremendous burden of an inefficient and inappropriately structured organization.”
The task force's recipe for remedies begins, Mr. Brown said, with changing the relationship between the government and the RCMP, allowing the force to become a separate entity with separate employer status. Mr. Brown said the RCMP is not “just another federal department” and should be “free from unnecessary government constraints.” The force must be allowed to control its own finances and manage human resources decisions instead of being forced to contend with the federal bureaucracy, the task force suggests.
“A modern-day police force cannot spend its days mired in endless bureaucracy and administration with the federal government,” Mr. Brown said.
The addition of the new responsibilities should be governed by a civilian Board of Management, which Mr. Brown said would be responsible for overseeing financial affairs, resources, services, property, personnel and procurement. The Board will be accountable to the Minister of Public Safety and to Parliament.
The task force also recommended “radical changes” to increase accountability and transparency inside and outside of the force.
“A modern-day RCMP will shed its cloak of secrecy while protecting the fundamental rights of Canadian citizens,” Mr. Brown said.
The most radical of those recommendations includes scrapping the “inadequate” External Review Committee and the Public Complaints Commission, the two separate bodies that currently handle complaints related to the RCMP.
To replace them, the task force is calling for new legislation to create the Independent Commission for Complaints and Oversight of the RCMP (ICCOR), a non-police body. Under the task force's plan, ICCOR will operate like a sort of hybrid ombudsman. It would deal with both internal and external complaints and be given the powers to conduct investigations, summon witnesses and compel testimony.
It would also report publicly on recommendations and findings, which would be put before the new Board of Management. And, unlike current practices, the Commission's findings will be binding on the RCMP Commissioner.
Mr. Brown said the public should be given a progress report on the changes by June 30th, 2008. He also said his task force hopes to see the board of management and independent complaints commission up and running no later than December 31, 2009.
He asked that legislative changes required to enact the task force's recommendations be “sped along as quickly as possible in Parliament”, and suggested the Force be granted special one-time funding from the federal government to aid their rebuild.
“I am confident that the recommendations we have made today will rebuild this national icon into a modern-day police force,” he said. “I believe that the lost trust among rank and file members will be restored.”
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