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Online Petition
I have created an online petition that I urge of all of you to visit and sign.
It is addressed to the Prime Minister of Canada and it is imperative that we get as many signatures as possible to show our outrage and disgust.
The petition is located at:
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/aoalert/
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August 20, 2008
Ottawa under pressure to change criteria for
Agent Orange compensation
Canadian Press
FREDERICTON — Federal Liberals are calling on Prime Minister
Stephen Harper and his government to be more generous with
compensation for victims of Agent Orange testing in New
Brunswick.
Andy Scott, the Liberal MP for Fredericton, says it's unfair that
so many people have been eliminated from compensation due
to the government's decision to limit payments to people still
living on Feb. 6, 2006 - the date the Conservatives came to
office.
Scott says that due to the time limitation, less than half of the
$95 million compensation package has been claimed.
A group called Widows on the Warpath also is pressuring the
Conservative government to change the arbitrary date.
The group says as many as 20,000 widows would be eligible
for the one-time $20,000 compensation payment if the time
limitation was removed.
Ottawa announced the compensation program last year to
help people whose health was damaged by the testing of
Agent Orange and other defoliants at Canadian Forces Base
Gagetown in the 1960s.
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August 17, 2008
From: Wayne Coady
If Canadians are ever to bring about an end to “government” abuse
then they must wake up to the fact that the abuse only exist because
all of the political parties approve of it. For example here in Canada,
bad faith laws such as the Workers’ Compensation Legislation make
abuse legal and if the political parties wanted to bring about change
they would have many years ago.
Politicians have little problem finding the time to introduce legislation
that provides them with more perks and bigger salaries, but cannot
find the time to get rid of bad faith laws.
What should that tell you? So, I am of the opinion that political parties
are not interested in cleaning up the abuse and that they all are
nothing more than a bunch of liars, controlled by the political parties
who OWN THEM .
One also must take into consideration that political parties are
full of lawyers and doctors who are benefiting off the backs of
victims of “government” abuse.
Victims of Agent Orange, Tainted Blood, Mustard Gas and workplace
injuries and Bad Faith Laws introduced into government by all
political parties, will better serve themselves by not supporting any
candidate that is connected to a political party. Tell me why
should you or I support a political system that abuses the very
citizens who pay the bills in this godforsaken country?
I will not support the present political system as all it has done to me is lie,
destroyed my life along with many others, while politicians get fat off of the
abuse. Why should any woman who is being abused by their
partner continue to support that partner, shouldn’t the same be
expected of an abusive political process?
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August 17, 2008
Widows of Gagetown soldiers angry over lack of compensation money
_______________________
August 7, 2008
Market was an experience
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August 2, 2008
Veterans' widows deserve more than the poverty line
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August 1, 2008
London Free Press
CITIZEN ONE
____________________________
July 31, 2008
The Daily Gleaner
Letters to the Editor
Orange Hall an ironic choice of locales
______________________________
July 30, 2008
The Daily Gleaner
Letters to the Editor
Date of death should not determine eligibility for payment
_______________________________
July 28, 2008
The Telegraph Journal
Letters to the Editor
Compensation could have been better
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July 26, 2008
Military Widows On A Warpath Online Petition
Please sign the petition!
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July 25, 2008
http://www.capitalfm.ca/news/
A group speaking on behalf of Agent Orange victims says a letter
from the Veterans Affairs minister is inappropriate.
Art Connolly of Agent Orange Alert says New Brunswick Southwest
MP Greg Thompson sent a letter of condolence to the widow of Jim
Cadger following Cadger's death in late May. Cadger was an outspoken
advocate for victims of defoliant sprays at Base Gagetown.
Connolly says it's peculiar and somewhat out of line that Thompson
would contact Cadger's widow in this manner, yet consistently
ignored her husband.
Connolly says Mrs. Cadger got over 200 messages of condolence,
but Thompson's was the only one that upset her.
Connolly suggests the minister should be doing more for veterans
and their families while they're alive.
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July 25, 2008
Feb. 6, 2006 stands between widow, Agent Orange payout
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July 24, 2008
Letter of Condolences
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July 23, 2008
The Telegraph Journal
Feds will keep unclaimed Agent Orange cash
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July 22, 2008
Please read Art Connolly's most recent column here
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July 22, 2008
London Free Press
Letter to the Editor
http://www.lfpress.com/newsstand/Opinion/Letters/
Covertness by province on PCBs no surprise
Regarding the article Councillors vexed by PCB information (July 15).
It should come as no surprise a PCB community liaison group set up
by the Ministry of the Environment to deal with the PCB cleanup is less
than forthright.
One only need look at CFB Gagetown, N.B. where more than 1.3
million litres and 1 million kilograms of deadly defoliants were sprayed
for 50 years affecting the health of tens of thousands.
The truth was only obtained through the Access to Information Act
and still the federal government denies harm was done to people of
Gagetown.
The federal government went into denial mode.
Should we expect any less from a provincial government?
Art Connolly
London Ontario
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July 18, 2008
From: Michael Christie
The Telegraph Journal
Province seeks input on banning pesticides
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July 17, 2008
From: Michael Christie
Environment
Department seeks public input on use of landscape and
lawn care pesticides (08/07/17)
NB 1053
July 17, 2008
FREDERICTON (CNB) - New Brunswickers are being asked to choose
a preferred option to address the issue of landscape and lawn care
pesticides use in the province.
The Department of Environment today released a public consultation
paper entitled Lawn Care and Landscape Pesticide Use: Options for
New Brunswick, which outlines four options that could be taken to
address the issue. The paper will allow the public, stakeholders and
industry to provide input on the options now being considered by the
government. Consideration will also be given to combinations of the
four options, as well as to all other ideas and opinions.
"It's very important for people to be informed about and involved in
efforts to address environmental issues such as the management of
landscape and lawn care pesticides use," Environment Minister
Roland Haché said. "I urge every New Brunswicker to be a
participant in this public consultation exercise, and help determine
the best approach for our province."
The options are:
* continued emphasis on education, awareness and
voluntary reduction;
* targeted regulatory changes to require the broader
adoption of progressive pesticide management approaches, and
to eliminate the use of combination (pesticide plus fertilizer)
products;
* new provincewide prohibitions with respect to the use of lawn care
and landscape (primarily weed control) pesticides in residential
areas; and
* empowering municipal governments to take a leadership role by
implementing pesticide bylaws.
The 90-day public comment period begins today, and concludes on
Oct. 15. The public consultation paper may be obtained online at
www.gnb.ca/consultation, at any Department of Environment regional office,
or by calling the department at 506-453-3700.
Comments may be provided either in writing or on the Environment
website. All feedback will be compiled in a report that will be
presented to government.
The Department of Environment will also engage in targeted stakeholders
workshops at five locations in the province from mid-September to early
October. The consultations will be managed by an independent facilitator,
and will provide an opportunity for representatives from non-governmental
organizations, industry, municipalities and other stakeholders to express
their views.
The Department of Environment is responsible for the implementation
of the Clean Environment Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act,
the Pesticides Control Act, and the Beverage Containers Act through
early planning, pollution prevention initiatives and the administration
of permits and approvals.
08/07/17
MEDIA CONTACT: Michael Wesson, public affairs, Environment, 506-453-3700.
08/07/17
www.gnb.ca/cnb/news/env/2008e1053ev.htm
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July 14, 2008
The Telegraph Journal
'Last ghost' of the Vietnam War
More than three decades after the fall of Saigon, the spectre of Agent
Orange still haunts the estimated three million children and grandchildren
of its initial victims. As Vietnam presses a reluctant U.S. government to
help mop up the damage, the taint of the chemical concoction still lingers
in a sleepy Ontario farming town that brewed millions of litres of the stuff
for the American war effort
(Gagetown is mentioned in this story )
To read story click here
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July 11, 2008
The Daily Gleaner
Letters to the Editor
Widows must tell their stories
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July 9, 2008
The Daily Gleaner
Letters to the Editor
Politicians show ignorance on Agent Orange issue
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July 7, 2008
638 Contaminated Sites in New Brunswick
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July 3, 2008
The Daily Gleaner
Letters to the Editor
CFB Gagetown decisions impacted many negatively
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July 1, 2008
The Daily Gleaner
Letters to te Editor
Feeling stomped on
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July 1, 2008
HAPPY CANADA DAY
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June 28, 2008
The Daily Gleaner
Letters to the Editor
Disappointed in Ottawa's handling of Agent Orange issue
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June 27, 2008
The Daily Gleaner
Ottawa nears 1,500 cheques sent for spraying compensation
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June 25, 2008
The Daily Gleaner
Widows on warpath over lack of compensation
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June 24, 2008
The Daily Gleaner
Letter to the Editor
Agent Orange centre?
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Mon 23 Jun 2008
The New York Times
Arthur Galston, 88, Agent Orange Researcher, Dies
by JEREMY PEARCE
Arthur W. Galston, a Yale plant biologist who did early research
that helped lead to the herbicide Agent Orange, then helped raise
awareness of the military's use of it in Vietnam in the 1960s and
its devastating effects on river ecosystems, died on June 15 in Hamden,
Conn. He was 88.
The cause was congestive heart failure, his family said.
In letters, academic papers, broadcasts and seminars, Dr. Galston described
the environmental damage wrought by Agent Orange and traveled to South
Vietnam to monitor its impact. From 1962 to 1970, American troops released
an estimated 20 million gallons of the chemical defoliant to destroy crops and
expose Viet Cong positions and routes of movement.
Dr. Galston asserted that harm to trees and plant species could continue for
an untold period, and perhaps for decades. He pointed out that spraying Agent
Orange on riverbank mangroves in Vietnam was eliminating "one of the most
important ecological niches for the completion of the life cycle of certain shellfish
and migratory fish."
Then, in 1970, with Matthew S. Meselson of Harvard and others, he made a
case that Agent Orange presented a potential risk to humans. The scientists
lobbied the Department of Defense to conduct toxicological studies, which f
ound that compounds in Agent Orange could be linked to birth defects in
laboratory rats. The revelation led President Richard M. Nixon to order an
immediate halt of spraying.
In later years, Dr. Galston tied his activism to his own early research. I
n the 1940s, at the University of Illinois, he had experimented with a plant
growth regulator, triiodobenzoic acid, and found that it could induce
soybeans to flower and grow more rapidly. But if applied in excess, he
noted, the compound would cause the plant to catastrophically shed
its leaves.
A colleague, Ian Sussex, a senior research scientist at Yale, said others
used Dr. Galston's findings in the development of the more powerful defoliant,
Agent Orange, named for the orange stripe painted around steel drums that
contained it. The chemical, produced by Dow, Monsanto and other companies,
is now known to have contained dioxins, long-lived compounds associated with
cancers, birth defects and learning disabilities.
In the 1980s, Dr. Galston helped introduce popular courses in bioethics for
undergraduates at Yale and in the 1990s was instrumental in founding the
Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics at the university. He explored the risks
and rewards of genetically modified plants and crops, pesticides, stem- cell
research, cloning and other issues as co-editor of two textbooks, "New
Dimensions in Bioethics" (2000) and "Expanding Horizons in Bioethics" (2005).
In other important work in plant physiology, Dr. Galston experimented with
the nutrient riboflavin and its role in enabling plants to absorb blue light,
making a connection that he advanced and published in 1950 in the journal
Science. He also wrote a book, "The Life of the Green Plant" (1961).
Arthur William Galston was born in Brooklyn. He graduated from Cornell and
earned his doctorate in botany from Illinois in 1943.
After teaching at the California Institute of Technology, he moved to Yale in 1955
as a professor of plant physiology. At Yale, he was chairman of the department of
botany in the 1960s and chairman of the department of biology in the 1980s.
Dr. Galston was also a former director of the division of biological sciences at Yale.
He retired in 1990 as a professor of botany emeritus
.
Dr. Galston is survived by his wife of 66 years, Dale. He is also survived by a son,
William, of Bethesda, Md.; a daughter, Beth, of Carlisle, Mass.; and a grandson.
In 2003, Dr. Galston reconsidered the arc of his research.
"You know," he said, "nothing that you do in science is guaranteed to result in
benefits for mankind. Any discovery, I believe, is morally neutral and it can be
turned either to constructive ends or destructive ends."
He concluded: "That's not the fault of science."
© 2008 by the New York Times Company
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June 20, 2008
Agent Orange: A Canadian made tragedy
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June 19, 2008
Public Inquiries in Canada
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June 15, 2008
From: Michael Christie
June 15, 2008
London Free Press
Health risks debated
Health Canada's approval of 2,4-D renews arguments
By PATRICK MALONEY
Lawn-care companies frustrated over Ontario's looming pesticide ban have a new gripe following Health Canada's renewed approval of a widely used weed killer.
The national department's pest management regulatory agency has ruled 2,4-D, the industry's go-to herbicide, meets its health and safety standards.
But 2,4-D is still prohibited under the proposed provincial sales-and-use ban.
That has frustrated some lawn-care companies in London, but anti-pesticide groups say it speaks more to Health Canada's questionable testing.
"It (2,4-D) has been banned in Denmark, Norway and Sweden over concerns about environmental health," said Gideon Forman, head of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment.
Forman, who himself is not a doctor, and his provincially funded group have been among the most outspoken opponents of pesticides.
Questioning the recent Health Canada ruling, Forman said even the spectre of health risks should be enough to justify a sweeping ban.
"We're talking about lawn and garden pesticides -- so even if we're talking about a small risk, why would we take it?" he said.
"If we could save one child from getting cancer, . . . why wouldn't we?"
Forman and other groups spoke at a Queen's Park hearing last week on the issue. He hopes the province will approve the ban on pesticide use and sales in the next few weeks.
2,4-D is used by lawn companies to control dandelions and other weeds.
The owner of one London lawn-care business said if the ban exempted 2,4-D, which Health Canada says "meets Canada's strict health and safety standards," none in the industry would complain.
The pesticides debate has been raging in London since a city-wide ban was proposed in 2005.
http://tinyurl.com/3sdgbd
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June 10, 2008
From: Wayne Coady
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I have never met Jim Cadger, but having followed his passionate
fight for the victims of Agent Orange, to seek out the truth and justice, this man has proven to be the "Salt of the Earth ".
I want to thank the Cadger family for lending us this wonderful caring man.
Thank You!!
Wayne Coady & Family
"The Salt of The Earth" they called him.
Fodder for bureaucracy and injustice.
No questions were asked when the time came
Just "Over the top boys, and battle on ."
"The Salt of The Earth," is now lying at peace.
But his memory lives on.
Bless you Jim Cadger .
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June 9, 2008
From: Michael Christie
Mon 09 Jun 2008
Agence France Presse
Australian government denies Agent Orange test claims
SYDNEY, June 9, 2008 (AFP) - The Australian defence department on Monday denied testing the powerful defoliant Agent Orange in rainforest near a town in the country's far northeast during the Vietnam War.
Defence officials were asked to investigate whether the toxic chemical had been tested near the Queensland town of Innisfail following media reports that it had been trialled there in 1966.
The media reports said that foliage in the area, which is about 100 metres (yards) from the town's water supply, had never properly regrown after the testing.
But the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) said Agent Orange had never been used in or near Innisfail.
"DSTO's search of archived reports shows that no trials have been carried out by defence scientists in the Innisfail area using Agent Orange," a defence spokesman said in a statement.
The military conducted "one small-scale defoliation trial" in an area near Innisfail in 1966 to test the performance of herbicides in regular use in the farming and forestry industries, he said.
"Small quantities of commercially available chemicals, Diquat, Tordon and Dimethyl sulfoxide were used," the spokesman said.
"Contrary to media reports, the herbicide 2,4-D -- a component of Agent Orange -- was not used in this trial."
Agent Orange, widely used by US forces in Vietnam to clear jungle cover, contains the extremely toxic chemical dioxin.
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Ask all you like
Just don't expect any answers under the Harper government's Accountability Act
By Greg Weston
Toronto Sun June 8, 2008
One of the cornerstones of Stephen Harper's successful 2006 election campaign was a promise to enact legislation that would usher in a "new era of openness and accountability in government."
Harper kept his word -- the Accountability Act was the first piece of draft legislation presented by the newly elected Tory government, and a new era of openness it certainly has been.
Three months after the Conservatives were sworn in, John Reid, who was then information commissioner and watchdog of government secrecy, was so moved by the draft Accountability Act that he issued a special "emergency report" to Parliament.
"What the government now proposes will reduce the amount of information available to the public, weaken the oversight role of the information commissioner, and increase government's ability to cover up wrongdoing, shield itself from embarrassment and control the flow of information to Canadians.
No previous government since the Access to Information Act came into effect in 1983, has put forward a more retrograde and dangerous set of proposals."
Two years later, Reid (regrettably) has been replaced.
The latest annual report by his successor, Robert Marleau, shows an 80% increase in public complaints to the information commissioner over federal agencies playing secrecy games.
The largest number of gripes were aimed at federal shops that certainly weren't acting in ignorance -- the CBC, National Defence, the RCMP, and Harper's own bureaucracy.
As anyone who works with federal information these days will attest, the much-touted Accountability Act has proved to be an Orwellian title for laws intended to ensure that what happens in government stays there.
Access increasingly denied
Each time the prime minister is challenged on this issue, he crows that the public can now demand to see files of the CBC, Canada Post and a number of other crown corporations covered for the first time by the Access to Information Act, without mentioning that information requested is increasingly information denied.
We have it on good authority, for example, that since the CBC came under the access laws last September (with only 18 months' warning to prepare), hundreds of requests for specific files have been rejected, ignored or otherwise resulted in official complaints to the information commissioner.
Ironically, one of those requests was for all CBC memos and other records pertaining to the shredding of official documents before the public broadcaster became subject to the Access to Information Act.
So far, no response on that one, either.
It is the same across government. The Harper administration's obsession with secrecy and control has had a ripple effect, overwhelming regular communications channels to the point of dysfunction.
Able information officers are commonly gagged, not allowed to provide even routine stuff without clearance from the prime minister's office, a perpetually clogged funnel that ensures responses to public inquiries are delayed or simply never given.
As a result, journalists, businesses and other Canadians seeking government information are increasingly being forced to file formal requests under the Access to Information Act.
The impact on that process has been predictable -- the system is so overloaded that responses which used to take 30 days are now commonly months late, some more than a year.
According to plan
In short, Harper's promised land of open and accountable government is a sham -- and exactly what his strategists planned.
As a former information official told a Commons committee in 2006: If the sponsorship scandal happened today, there is a good chance the public would never know about it.
So far, the current information commissioner isn't helping matters. A former Commons clerk, Marleau apparently sees his job as being a faceless bureaucrat writing unremarkable reports.
His first report succeeds mainly in offending no one, and is guaranteed to please the prime minister who picked Marleau for the job.
But the problem Marleau inherited was not that his predecessor publicly went to war with the government.
The problem is an administration intent on dismantling 25 years of progress towards open and accountable government under access to information laws.
Standing up to the bullyboys requires more than just wanting to play nice with the other kids.
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June 6, 2008
I have been asked to post the Eulogy that I gave at Jim's service for those who were unable to attend.
Eulogy for Jim Cadger
As presented by Art Connolly
Bev called me to ask if I would say a few words at this service. I am greatly honoured but I must confess I don’t know how one only says a few words about Jim Cadger.
I thought to myself “Where do I begin?” so I did what I often do - I start at the end. I looked at the last email Jim had sent to me. It was a cartoon which showed a caricature of an old man sitting in a rocking chair. The caption said “Now that I am older I thought it was great that I seem to have more patience. Turns out I just don’t give a “Darn”. I censored the word ‘Darn”. It was something a little more risqué. I will let you fill in your own word.
The truth is Jim did give a “Darn”. He showed it in his passion and activism in obtaining the truth for the victims of the CFB Gagetown defoliant spraying program. Jim was a fearless crusader for those who couldn’t fight for themselves.
In case you didn’t know it Jim was very, very outspoken. Someone once told Jim that no one could accuse him of being overly diplomatic. You always knew what Jim was thinking because he told you whether you wanted to hear or not….and Jim could use some very choice words when he was upset.
He once called me upset at Stephen Harper. I am not positive it was Harper but since Jim was always angry at Harper we will assume it was him. I answered the phone and all I heard was Jim ask the question “Art?” All I said was “Yes” and Jim started expressing his disgust with the Prime Minister. After he had finished some time later I said “Jim I don’t think I have ever heard so many consonants at one time."
Jim laughed and as we often did we talked about our grandchildren. We talked about our cats. We talked about the places we had been. We talked about the places we would like to be. We talked about music. I bet you didn’t know that Jim was a big Creedence Clearwater Revival fan. In particular he was fond of the song “Have you ever seen the rain?” Certainly an appropriate choice for today’s rainy weather.
That was the softer side of Jim that he didn’t show to everyone. He once told me about visiting a veteran 90 years of age and helping him complete his application for the Agent Orange compensation. At one point the old timer reached over to Jim and placed his hand on Jim’s forearm and told him that if he received the money he was going to give Jim some of it. Of course Jim told him that he would not accept any of it that he was just happy to help. Jim also told me that after he had left the old timer’s home Jim had to pull over on the side of the road. He cried and cried because he didn’t know if the old timer would receive the compensation.
Jim was a humble man. He was uncomfortable when you patted him on the back for all the work that he did. Jim received many phone calls from strangers. He would usually receive them after a newspaper, radio or television interview. He attributed the calls to the fact that he has an unusual last name and that the name was easy to remember.
I challenged Jim on this. I stated that people call him because he is probably the most knowledgeable man in New Brunswick regarding the Gagetown defoliant sprayings. I said that people called him because of his high integrity and stellar reputation. I stated people did not call the Base Gagetown and Area Fact Finders for the truth. People did not call Veterans Affairs for the truth. People did not call the Prime Minister’s Office for the truth. They called Jim Cadger. I asked Jim if I was right. He replied humbly “Nah… I think it’s because of the unusual last name”.
Jim was invited to speak to the University of New Brunswick’s Nursing program students about the defoliant spraying program at CFB Gagetown. He did go and speak with the students and was so proud that he had the opportunity to educate them. He was very excited to think that all those young people would be the first to enter the medical field knowing the truth and possible being able to recognize and help the victims. He was so impressed with their intelligence, enthusiasm and interest. He said that he made many new friends that day.
During Jim’s final days he wondered if his efforts and activism made a difference. Since Jim’s passing I have received emails from around the world expressing condolences to Jim’s family and friends.
Bill Dixon-Dodds an advocate with the Royal British Legion wrote to express his condolences. Mr Dixon-Dodds said that Jim’s assistance was instrumental in achieving a pension for a British soldier who had been at CFB Gagetown.
Elizabeth May the Leader of the Green Party of Canada wrote and said…I am very sorry to hear of this loss to the movement….. Never give up.
Peter Stoffer NDP MP called to express his condolences.
So did Jim make a difference?
Ask anyone sitting in this room including the students from the UNB Nursing program who are here to pay their respects. Ask any veterans who asked Jim for help. Ask any reporter who had ever interviewed Jim.
Jim Cadger made a monumental difference and he continues to make a difference.
Jim wanted justice and truth and both will be seen.
In closing I will ask that we all immortalize Jim in our daily lives by telling the truth, by righting a wrong, by having no fear and by loving your loved ones.
If we can do that Jim will surely live on.
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June 3, 2008
It is with deep sadness to hear of the passing of Jim. My heartfelt condolences to his family as I am sure they are suffering a great loss.
I had not known Jim for very long but it seems like I had known him for years. His words of wisdom and teachings will remain with me forever. He would always ask a question which would mean work and think about your decision as I would have to live with the outcome.
RIP Jim, I was glad to have known you - The Battle is Not Over"
Mary Ann Peace
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June 3, 2008
ART
Please accept my condolences on your close friend Jim Cadger's passing.
You must be in so much pain right now.
I have tried three times to post this, I just can't stop crying.
Sorry.
Watching CTV news last night, there on TV was Jim Cadger telling it the
way it is
"IT'S ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY".
With tears flowing down my checks on learning of his death, it was that
piece of a interview that made me smile.
Jim got the last words in, very powerful words.
He fought so long and so hard on the issue of Canadians being poisoned
by the herbicides sprayed on CFB Gagetown,
NewBrunswick and the lack of Government action.
I remember when Jim first joined our group.
The Base Gagetown Fact Finding Project was underway holding public
meeting in small communities around Canadian Forces Base
Gagetown.(without much notice or fanfare)
We all knew it was a shame, Jim took matters in his own hands, he
printed off notices of these meetings.
He drove all NewBrunswick to those small communities posting those
notices, leaving them in stores and personally
delivering them to residents in those towns.
Jim wanted all to be aware that first there were meetings being held and
second for those who's health had been affected by
the years and years of spraying to have a chance to speak up, tell their
story and get informed.
From there Jim would meet with anyone that needed information on this
issue or often just to be a pair of ears.
I gave up, I got tied of this fight, I didn't want to do it anymore,
ticked off I quit the AOAC, it was Jim Cadger that hold
me " You can not quit".
He was right, until the truth, the whole truth is told, no one can quit.
Jim did what our Government should have done, he CARED, for CANADA'S
SOLDIERS, their families and the neighbours
of CFB Gagetown that had been poisoned.
Many of them sick, many of them dying and many with broken hearts.
I had the honour of meeting Jim last year at a AOAC press conference and
it was a tearing eyed Jim Cadger that said
"soldiers who served in the Canadian military do not deserve to be
brushed aside by the government".
"We want truth, accountability and justice"
" We haven't been given the truth".
My condolence to the family and friends of Jim Cadger.
Also my words that are too late, Thank You Jim for all you did.
Nancy Belfry
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June 1, 2008
From: Linda Sheppard
I LEARNED TODAY OF JIM CADGER PASSING WAS VERY SHOCKED AND SADDENED. JIM WAS A GREAT FIGHTER FOR ALL SOLDIERS IN THE FIGHT FOR AGENT ORANGE COMPENSATION . AND A VERY HARD ENDLESS WORKER .
MY DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS WIFE ,CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN OF WHOM HE WAS SO PROUD.
REST IN PEACE My FRIEND.
LINDA
_____________________
June 1, 2008
From: Elizabeth May
Dear Art
I am very sorry to hear of this loss to the movement. Condolences to his family and friends.
Never give up.
Elizabeth
_____________________
June 1, 2008
It is impossible for me to truly express my sadness regarding the passing of an amazing and inspiring GENTLEMAN.
For me Jim Cadger was a driving force for the rights of Veterans and Civilians alike who had suffered the aftermath of our Canadian Government's negligence.
I have had the privilege of meeting and working with Jim on two occasions in Oromocto and Fredericton. Jim helped put the AO issue in perspective for me.
I will never forget Jim and my heart felt sympathy goes out to his family.
For Jim Cadger and all the victims of Gagetown we must continue our fight for justice with renewed vigor.
Gary Goode
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June 1, 2008
Art,
Sorry to read of the passing of Jim Cadger. He will be missed by all who were involved in the campaign for justice for the victims, and those who came to know of his work.
Best regards
Len
Len Aldis. Secretary
Britain-Vietnam Friendship Society
London E3 4NX
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June 1, 2008
Art,
It is with great sadness that I have learned from yourself of the passing of Jim Cadger following a heart attack.
Jim, a tireless campaigner for the rights of veterans in general and those exposed to the scandal that is Agent Orange. When I took up the question of Agent Orange and the British Servicemen who served at Base Gagetown ( I was one of those in 1966) Jim responded to my enquiry for information immediately and over the last couple of years has kept that response up with information as it became available, often adding clarification when I need it.
I read Jim’s submissions to ‘The Forum’ with great interest and on I think the last occasion that I sent Art a letter I was a little down in the dumps as I felt that things had gone quiet – until I read Jim’s ‘Battle Far From Over’ – how right he was!
I believe that this battle with injustice will go on not only in Jim’s name but in the name of all those ex service veterans from wherever.
My deepest sympathy is with Jim’s family at this time.
Bill Dixon-Dodds
The Royal British Legion Welfare Officer
Nottingham
United Kingdom
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It is with great sadness that I report the passing of a good friend Jim Cadger. Jim passed away at Dr Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton NB on Saturday May 31, 2008 with family at his side after suffering a cardiac arrest on Friday May 30, 2008.
In recent years Jim was a driving force in the battle to seek dignity and compensation for the victims of the CFB Gagetown NB defoliant sprayings. His efforts to help and organize the victims as well as educate the public saw him make various trips throughout New Brunswick meeting and assisting people with compensation and veteran affairs applications. Jim was especially gifted at having the ability to just sit and listen and offer a shoulder and hope to those victims.
Jim’s quick sense of humour, dedication, sense of right and wrong and compassion will be remembered by all who knew him. He will be sadly missed.
Funeral arrangements are as follows:
Visitation will take place at York Funeral Home, 302 Brookside Drive Fredricton NB on Tuesday, June 3, 2008 from 7-9pm. A memorial service will take place from York Funeral Home’s T. Gordon MacLeod Memorial Chapel on Wednesday, June 4, 2008 at 7 pm. Interment will take place in the Centennial United Church Cemetery, Nashwaak Village at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Fredericton S.P.C.A or to the charity of the Donor’s choice. Personal Condolences may be offered through www.yorkfh.com
http://www.yorkfh.com/Obituaries/36980/
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May 31, 2008
11:44 AM EST
Jim Cadger needs your prayers
I am saddened to report that Jim Cadger was taken to Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton NB on Friday May 30, 2008 after having a cardiac arrest at his home.
His family reports that he is unconscious at the time of this writing and has been since the cardiac arrest. The family advises he is currently on life support and that they know that he is a strong believer in justice so they know that he is fighting to stay with us and hope that he will come around today or tomorrow.
The family requests that all offer their prayers and best wishes for a full and speedy recovery for Jim.
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New Zealand Apologizes to Vietnam War Veterans
May 27, 2008
ABC News
http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=4943466
WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand formally apologized on Wednesday to its Vietnam War veterans for unfair and harsh treatment they received on their return.Prime Minister Helen Clark, who demonstrated against the war as a student in the 1970s, made a statement in parliament that it was time to acknowledge the service and sacrifices made by the soldiers."The Crown extends to New Zealand Vietnam Veterans and their families an apology for the manner in which their loyal service in the name of New Zealand was not recognized as it should have been, when it should have been, and for inadequate support extended to them and their families after their return home from the conflict," Clark said in a prepared statement, agreed with veterans' organizations.Veterans exposed to the Agent Orange defoliant used to destroy jungle cover used by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong have also received compensation. New Zealand, then a close ally of the United States, became involved in the Vietnam war from 1962 with a non-combat contingent, but later sent infantry and artillery units in the mid-1960s.Nearly 3,900 members of New Zealand's armed forces served in Vietnam. Thirty seven were killed and 187 wounded. The last troops were withdrawn in 1972. New Zealand soldiers posted to Vietnam were professional volunteers, but the deployment was widely unpopular and sparked large nationwide protests for its duration.Clark's centre-left Labor government has made several formal apologies since it was elected in 1999 for what have been seen as historical wrongs and discrimination. These have included apologies to New Zealand's Chinese population, the Pacific nation of Samoa, which New Zealand used to administer, and various indigenous Maori tribes.(Reporting by Gyles Beckford; Editing by Bill Tarrant)
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Hero dishonoured in death
Last Post Fund fails to deliver at the end of a long road
Since 2004, the non-profit Last Post Fund (LPF) has campaigned to ensure that no veteran with wartime service will "ever be denied a dignified funeral and burial for lack of sufficient funds."
That may not seem a big deal to young soldiers, who feel immortal or invincible, but it's a concern for aging veterans who are approaching the end of the road and are strapped for funeral money. They don't want kinfolk to bear the costs of a funeral.
Supported financially by Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), the LPF rule is that an application for funeral and burial assistance can only be made at the time of a qualified veteran's death (usually World War I, World War II and Korea). This has brought considerable peace of mind not only to many aging veterans and their families, but to other Canadians who appreciate the sacrifices made in their name.
This is certainly how Jose van Berkel of Penticton, B.C., felt when her stepfather, Ken Barwise, died in early March.
She's since had a rude awakening and doesn't feel that way today.
FUNERAL CONTRACT
"I was told that Last Post would pick up all funeral expenses, and sign the contract with the funeral home," she says.
As it turned out, the funeral home is charging her some $5,000 "and I have no money to pay."
The LPF paid $966 toward the funeral, but that's it as far as Jose can determine. She's contacted retired Princess Patricias Col. Pat Stogran, now VAC Ombudsman, and says he found it "appalling" that LPF wasn't picking up the tab for Barwise's funeral.
"I was looking after my dad for the past 10 years, and he had very little -- living month-to-month on his pension," says Jose. "His was a hard life."
That's understatement.
Consider: Ken Barwise was one of the few genuine heroes of the Korean War, whose feats at the historic Battle of Kapyong are still talked about in the regiment.
As a 6-foot-4, 250-pound giant of a man, when the Chinese overran a platoon position at Kapyong, he counter-attacked, killed several Chinese, and re-captured a Vickers machingun. His heroism was rewarded with one of only two Military Medals (inscribed "For Bravery in the Field") awarded to the famed 2 Battalion PPCLI, which was also awarded a U.S. Presidential citation.
After a career in the army, Barwise had anything but a soft life of retirement. I was with him and Jose in 2000 on a 50th anniversary visit to Korea where he and I and Vince Courtenay were special guests of then-South Korean President Kin Dae-jung. Barwise was then 300 pounds, and diabetic. He'd just had his toes amputated, was in pain, had difficulty walking, but hadn't an ounce of cry-baby in him and never complained.
He later had one leg amputated because of diabetes, then the other.
He then came down with a serious heart condition, and was discovered to have colon cancer.
He died on the operating table, still uncomplaining, certain that his affairs were in good order. The PPCLI co-operated in a military funeral.
Barwise left virtually no estate. The Last Post Fund says if a veteran dies with assets of over $12,300 he should pay for his own funeral. If he dies with insufficient money to meet funeral expenses, the Last Post Assistance Fund will pay the difference.
That's for married veterans, or those with dependents. Widowed veterans, like Barwise, are considered single, and their estate pays for the funerals, with LPF picking up the difference. Otherwise the LPF "Standard" program pays whatever the funeral costs are for married vets -- usually $5,000-plus.
Jose says Barwise's monthly pension was "around $3,400," more than half of which went to pay the mortgage. "My dad didn't have an easy life, but I don't regret anything I tried to do for him. He was a great man, and I thank God for the help given by his regiment, the Patricias, and the Korean Veterans Association. I couldn't have managed without them."
She is bitter and bewildered at Veterans Affairs, which has not been helpful and which funds the LPF.
"When I complained to the VAC Ombudsman's office, I was told there was nothing they could do but that I could appeal. The Penticton office of the LPF couldn't care less, and also said I could appeal. Appeal what? I've not been told anything, not received any written reasons, and don't know what it is I'm appealing.
"I suppose I could have put my dad in a care facility that the government would have paid a lot more for. But I had our house fitted with access ways to accommodate his wheelchair, and which VAC paid for."
Ronald Rowdon, branch manager of the B.C. Last Post Fund, says Jose should never have signed the contract with the funeral home without first consulting the LPF. Jose says she contacted only the PPCLI, and they contacted the funeral home, and told her LPF was paying the costs. Due to miscommunication or whatever, Jose signed the funeral contract for which she is now responsible.
Rowdon says because Barwise's wife died in 2003, he was viewed as a single man and whatever assets he had would go to pay for his funeral -- including Barwise's $1,000 refund from this year's income tax, his $2,500 Canada Pensions Death Benefit, and his monthly pension cheque, minus the mortgage payment on his house.
Rowdon said Barwise's assets were about $7,000, and "federal government rules are quite clear that he was not entitled to have full funeral expenses paid."
LPF picked up the difference owed for the funeral, which in Barwise's case was around $900.
Jose's error, according to Rowdon, was not contacting LPF to make arrangements before her stepdad died. That conflicts with the LPF website, which states clearly: "At the death of a person for whom LPF benefits may be a consideration, the next-of kin ... should contact the nearest LPF office as soon as possible..."
Not before the death, but "at the death."
Again: "At the time of death, the LPF will enter into a contract with a funeral director... The family of the deceased may only apply at the time of death and a decision on eligibility will be made prior to the funeral and burial."
More: "Application for assistance may only be made at the time of a veteran's death..."
Mr. Rowdon insists Jose should not have waited until her stepdad died before contacting LPF. A misunderstanding, perhaps. Tough bananas, Jose van Berkel.
If all this sounds petty and somehow a shabby way to treat a genuine Canadian war hero, well, it is. The victim is Jose, who has a job from which nearly 80% of her monthly pay now goes to pay the mortgage. She is trying to sell her home that was modified for her stepdad's wheelchair, and sell the specially equipped second-hand van she bought to transport her dad.
"Of course I'm upset," says Jose. "I'm frantic with worry about how to pay, or how this mess developed, and I see no way I could have done otherwise than what I did. I wonder how many others have had the problems that me and my dad had?"
TREAT VETS THE SAME
Jose may soon find out. Others may have had similar problems. Maybe LPF rules should be amended to treat all veterans who die with limited resources the same, and not discriminate against those who are without dependents.
John MacNeil, who served with the artillery in Korea, is president of the Cape Breton KVA and an adviser to veterans with problems.
He says it's there "all in black and white" in the Veterans Affairs Act 5.(1)(9.1), which reads: "On the death of a pensioner ... the minister may pay last sickness and burial benefits if a need is shown to exist. These may include ... the cost of funeral and cemetery charges ... and the placing of a gravemarker if the burial takes place in Canada."
MacNeil, who is from Glace Bay, N.S. and genetically outspoken, says: "This is the least they should do for a veteran who received the Military Medal for an act of bravery in one of the biggest battles that took place in Korea.
"Our comrades who were buried in Busan, had $9 deducted from their pay and allowances to pay for the grey blanket they were buried in. I'd like to see Ken's case written in the sky, so every Canadian can see how our fallen comrades and their families are treated."
Pity the system can't honour old soldier Barwise without penalizing his daughter.
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May 25, 2008
Cancer in New Brunswick
1992 - 1996
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May 25, 2008
From: Donna Porter-Barsalou
Hi Art,
good news... my mom called me last night to say she got her $20,000.00 from the government yesterday for her claim against agent orange and living in Oromocto 78 Laurier Drive... they had said there was no records with stats canada saying we lived there... LOL... so I found our old telephone number written inside my old WEL-A-MOOK-TOOK year book.
She gave that to them and when checked with the old books (which you told me about) they could confirm... also she contact after DVA for dad's service records... anyways she got it & at 76 yrs they could sure use the money to enjoy life a bit!
Donna
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May 20, 2008
From: Paul Thompson
Veterans Exposed To Agent Orange Have Higher Rates Of Prostate Cancer Recurrence
ScienceDaily (May 21, 2007) — Veterans exposed to Agent Orange have a 48 percent increased risk of prostate cancer recurrence following surgery than their unexposed peers, and when the disease comes back, it seems more aggressive, researchers say.
- See full story at
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070520091858.htm
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May 20, 2008
From: Jim Cadger
Via Rail's freebies for military not just altruistic, documents suggestPublished Sunday May 18th, 2008 Dean Beeby,
THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA -
Via Rail's offer of free train tickets for Canada's military during the month of July was partly a business decision to help boost revenues during a slow travel period, an internal document suggests.The offer, announced with fanfare at the Halifax railway station on March 26, was publicly touted as a way for the Crown corporation to express its gratitude to military personnel. "We just wanted, simply, to say thank you . . . for everything they're doing for us," Via's chairman Donald Wright told a news conference, also attended by Defence Minister Peter MacKay.
But an internal planning document, obtained by The Canadian Press, suggests there was more than altruism at play. July is traditionally the slowest revenue month for Via Rail, as business travellers and students disappear, especially in central Canada, and as more tourists choose to travel in May, September and October. "Historically, July has been Via Rail's poorest month by passenger load in Via 1 (first class). That trend dates back to 1997," says the Dec. 11 proposal for the military freebie. "In comfort (economy) class, July has traditionally been 20 per cent lower than August." The offer to military personnel and veterans, and for civilian employees at National Defence, included a 50 per cent discount for family members travelling at the same time in the same economy class - a potential source of fresh revenue on otherwise half-empty trains.
In addition, as July trains filled up, more non-military passengers would be forced to travel in June or August, or would have to upgrade to more expensive seats in first-class or even sleeper cars. "The additional revenue would be welcome," says the document. "If the offer is successful we could experience a surge in demand in July, which could spread our summer business over three months. "Additionally regular coach passengers may be encouraged into purchasing upgrades . . . and there should be a noticeable increase in on board revenues." The proposal concluded: "Overall the downside of this offer is very low. It will generate trial (business), and new business. The upside, particularly in media exposure and in goodwill, could be massive."
A spokeswoman for Via Rail said the offer was never designed as anything more than a thank you to the military. "This appreciation fare is not about revenues, it's not about statistics," Catherine Kaloutsky said in an interview. "What it's about is saying thank you. It was about finding a simple way to show appreciation to those who have served our country and who are currently serving our country."
About 26,000 reservations have been made under the program so far, Kaloutsky said, though she could not indicate how many were freebies and how many were family discounts. Via Rail's Ocean (Halifax to Montreal) and Canadian (Vancouver to Toronto) trains are almost fully booked for July, but there are still seats in the central Canada corridor trains from Windsor, Ont., to Quebec City.
The Crown corporation has been struggling in recent years with poor on-time performance, cheap competing air fares in central Canada, and frequent equipment failures, especially in its geriatric F-40 locomotives. The high Canadian dollar has also cut into its tourist business. The federal government had to cover a $200-million operating deficit at the Crown corporation last year - or about $48 for every passenger. Via Rail's trains are, on average, only 55 per cent full and almost a quarter of them arrive late. The money-losing corporation's military freebie drew some criticism when it was announced. "Since when is it Via's mandate to expend funds to support DND employees?" said one e-mail respondent to a national news agency's online report. "I hope the auditor general slams Via and everyone along the line who had a part in this decision."
Internal figures suggest the freebie is generating new revenues. An analysis dated April 16, or three weeks after the offer was made, shows Via Rail booked about $370,000 in revenues for July under the Canadian Forces family appreciation fare, the half-price tickets for military family members travelling together. An official estimated bookings for the eastern and western services were between three and five times higher than at the same point in 2007. The Via Rail documents were obtained under the Access to Information Act.
The corporation carries about four million passengers each year, most of them in the busy Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto corridor. Last October, the federal government announced $516 million in capital funding over the next five years, much of which will go to rebuild the F-40s from the ground up, giving them 15 to 20 more years' of service.
Cancer link to Agent Orange to be probed
May 18, 2008 07:00pm
Article from: AAP
REPORTS that the toxic herbicide Agent Orange was secretly tested near the Queensland town of Innisfail more than 40 years ago must not be covered up, local authorities said today.
Cassowary Coast Mayor Bill Shannon called for a full investigation after the alleged testing was revealed by researcher Jean Williams who found details of tests at Innisfail in Australian War Memorial archives.
The spraying allegedly happened close to the town's water supply between 1964-1966 and Ms Williams, who found several files on the tests, claims another “too disturbing” file was missing.
Concern has grown in the north Queensland area since Queensland Health Department figures showed 76 people had died from cancer in the town of almost 12,000 in 2005, 10 times the state's average and four times the national average.
A Defence spokeswoman said tonight the department would review the Agent Orange allegations but could not comment further while a Queensland Health spokesman said media reports the rate of cancer in Innisfail was ten times the state average were false.
Mayor Shannon said he was “very disturbed by revelations military scientists tested the chemical on nearby jungle in 1966 and called for a full inquiry into the issue.
“I'm certainly very disturbed, what I don't want is a cover up of any sorts, I just want the full facts to come out and for this allegedly missing file to be found,” he said.
“We certainly don't want anything other than a full investigation of it.”
He said the revelations were still filtering throughout the town but anticipated residents would be alarmed.
Agent Orange was sprayed by Australian and US troops during the Vietnamese war to defoliate jungle in an effort to limit the cover available for North Vietnamese troops.
It contains a cocktail of toxic chemicals and has been linked to forms of cancer, birth defects and other health problems.
Mr Shannon said residents had long believed the town had an unusually high cancer rate.
“As a lay person you do hear people talk about high rates of cancer in this part of the world, but whether there is any truth to it I don't know.”
Fairfax newspapers this morning reported scientists sprayed Agent Orange on a site located on a ridge about 100 metres above the Johnstone River, from which Innisfail draws its water supply.
Jungle on the site began dying within days and has never regrown, it said.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said the Government would investigate claims of a higher cancer rate in Innisfail.
“Any concerns these residents have can and will be investigated thoroughly just as we have when there's been complaints about unusual cancer rates at workplaces,” Ms Bligh said in Brisbane.
“I would encourage these residents who have any concerns to talk to the Environmental Protection Agency.”
Ms Williams found three boxes of files in the archives with one file marked “considered sensitive” showing the chemicals 2,4-D, Diquat, Tordon and diemthyl sulphoxide (DMSO) were sprayed on the rainforest.
“It was considered sensitive because they were mixing together all the bad chemicals, which just made them worse,” she said.
Ms Williams claims a file which could indicate much wider testing in a project called Operation Desert had gone missing. The contents were marked “too disturbing to ever be released”.
“Those chemicals stay in the soil for years and every time there is a storm they are stirred up and go into the water supply,” Ms Williams said.
Queensland Health Tropical Population Health Network Director Brad McCulloch said a review of Queensland Cancer Registry figures showed the incidence of cancer in Innisfail was the same as the rest of the state.
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May 16, 2008
From: Cheryl Holmes
I wonder if anyone may able to direct me to a website or other information regarding affects of Agent Orange/DU contamination of the clothing and gear returning troops brought home with them?
My Dad returned home from Nam with all his gear, clothing contaminated after serving 3 or 4 tours in Nam starting in the early 60's. He also served in the Korean War. He was a lifer in the 82nd Airborne and in the 101st. (Nam) . There are 5 of us kids who were born between the Korean War and the VietNam War. 4 of my sisters were born after the Korean War and before Nam. I was born during the Korean War. All of us were exposed to whatever he carried home on his person, in his gear. All of us have varied autoimmune diseases that are not genetically found in either mom or dad's side of the family.
Dad died of his Agent Orange exposure, the medical issues associated with his exposure. The govern ment compensated him for his exposure.
I am wanting to know if anyone has ever studied the after effects of secondary exposure like we experienced and what autoimmune disorders may be associated with this type of exposure.
Thank you very much..
Cheryl
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May 12, 2008
ECOSPECTIVE: Londoner calls for inquiry into Gagetown Agent Orange
http://www.londontopic.ca/article.php?artid=9096
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May 10, 2008
Belleville Intellligencer Editorial
Our troops deserve proper care
The ribbons and posters urging us to support our troops are everywhere, but it appears a critical kind of support is not being provided properly in some cases.
Fredericton psychologists Robin Geneau and Joyce Belliveau are demanding an audit of patient files at the mental health clinic at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown to determine if soldiers are getting the help they need.
They say those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a debilitating condition which can be triggered by exposure to traumatic events such as combat, are getting "lost" in the mental health system.
"Clients are being forced to spend long periods of time in 'treatment' with unqualified staff," Geneau told the Fredericton Gleaner newspaper.
The pair believes the needs of soldiers with operational stress injuries aren't being met at the Gagetown mental health clinic.
"Somebody needs to go in there and do an audit of their files and identify who has received treatment and who hasn't received treatment and where the clients are at," Geneau said. "They will never admit that people are falling through cracks, but we have heard these falling-through-cracks stories."
Every file at the clinic needs to be pulled and all soldiers listed within contacted to find out how they're doing, Geneau said, adding it must also be determined whether they're in treatment and, if not, why.
A probe of the situation by the military ombudsman's office was requested last year by Geneau and Belliveau, but never happened.
"Our concerns are exactly the same now as they were then," Geneau said.
Military spokesperson Lt. Isabelle Rich‚, meanwhile, said the Canadian Forces wouldn't comment now or in the foreseeable future.
If the psychologists' concerns are true, officials need to address it. Military staff sacrifice a great deal in order to perform their duties, and many suffer for it on many levels.
Post-traumatic stress can itself be traumatizing for both the patient and those around him or her, and everyone involved needs support.
If we expect these people to face awful things and endure a variety of hardships in the field, we must be equally committed to helping them cope with such work.
Belliveau and Geneau took their concerns to a House of Commons defence committee this week to make their case. Staff of the ombudsman's office should also be called to appear to explain why it didn't, at the very least, conduct a review of such a serious allegation.
Canada, especially in recent years, has made significant progress in how it treats its military staff. A greater understanding of the pressures of military life and war has led to a greater support network and treatment system for those ordered into harm's way.
In the First World War, for example, Canadians and other soldiers were shot for "cowardice" or "shell shock" and other offences now believed to have been symptoms of post-traumatic stress.
Former general Rom‚o Dallaire, whose leadership of the failed United Nations peacekeeping mission in Rwanda led to his own case of PTSD, has fought a very public battle with the disorder. His case helped raise awareness of the condition and the need to address it.
But in spite of growing compassion and care for those with mental health problems, the psychologists continue to have serious concerns about the care for people in uniform.
Statistics have shown increased stress and suicide rates in the Canadian Forces. Now is not the time to abandon our military members.
Mental health care for them, like any other Canadians, must only improve.
That means the review of the Gagetown clinic must occur, and steps to prevent shortcomings must be implemented
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May 4, 2008
From: Jim Cadger
So much for accountability, honesty and integrity
The Canadian Press
Updated: Sat. May. 3 2008 7:38 AM ET OTTAWA — The federal Conservatives have quietly killed a giant information registry that was used by lawyers, academics, journalists and ordinary citizens to hold government accountable.The registry, created in 1989, is an electronic list of every request filed to all federal departments and agencies under the Access to Information Act.
Known as CAIRS, for Co-ordination of Access to Information Requests System, the database allowed ordinary citizens to identify millions of pages of once-secret documents that became public through individual freedom-of-information requests over many years.
But in a notice last week to civil servants on the Treasury Board website, officials posted an innocuous obituary: effective April 1, 2008, "the requirement to update CAIRS is no longer in effect.''
A spokesman for Treasury Board confirmed Friday that the system is being killed because "extensive'' consultations showed it was not valued by government departments.The consultations concluded "the valuable resources currently being used to maintain CAIRS would be better used in the collection and analysis of improved statistical reporting,'' said Robert Makichuk.
Public Works, which has operated the database, spent $166,000 improving it in 2001. As recently as 2003 federal officials had been working on a publicly accessible, online version.
Monthly paper lists have also been made available since the 1990s for public consultation at a central federal office in Ottawa.
In the meantime, a Canadian academic put the database on his website and opened it to public use, allowing citizens to quickly search thousands of requests for key words.
Alasdair Roberts, a political scientist at Syracuse University in New York, built a version of the database by requesting the CAIRS electronic records through an Access to Information Act request, and updated the site monthly.
CBC journalist David McKie took over the work in 2006 using another publicly accessible website (http://www.onlinedemocracy.ca).
Users searching key words cannot access the documents themselves, only the wording of the original access-to-information request, the date, the department, a file number, and general information about the requester, whether media, business, academic or other.But by citing that file number, a citizen can approach the appropriate department and request copies of the already released documents.
CAIRS was originally designed as an internal government tool to manage the flow of often embarrassing information. Particularly sensitive requests from news media or opposition politicians would often be red-flagged for special handling that frequently delayed release.
But requesters soon began to mine the database to discover obscure documents, fine-tune the phrasing on new requests, and even to do statistical studies -- effectively turning the tool against government.
If departments and agencies are no longer required to update the CAIRS database with new requests, its value as an accountability tool will quickly diminish, critics said.
"This is terrible and I consider this to be yet one more step in making records less accessible,'' said Michel Drapeau, a lawyer, frequent user and co-author of a standard reference work on access law.
"To do this now after the CAIRS' usefulness has been proven over and over again is indicative of the extent to which government will go to stifle the access regime.'' New Democrat MP Dawn Black, whose office uses the database regularly, condemned the Tories for shutting down the system."It's another example of the Harper government's talk about accountability and transparency -- they talk the talk, but they don't walk the walk.''
The Conservative government has a mixed record in the area of freedom of information. The Federal Accountability Act broadened the access legislation to cover new entities, such as the CBC, Via Rail, Canada Post and even the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada, who's the ombudsman for the system.
At the same time, long delays for responses, along with heavy censorship of documents, have become endemic. The number of complaints received by the information commissioner in 2007-2008, for example, soared to 2,387 -- more than 1,000 higher than the previous year. The level is the second-highest on record, next to the 2,821 received in 1988 -- 2,242 of those from a single complainant.
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April 29, 2008
From: Michael Christie
Ontario Pesticide Lobbyist List Growing
Ontario Office of the Integrity Commissioner - Lobbyist Registration (as of April 29, 2008)
www.tinyurl.com/5caepe
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April 26, 2008
Forgotten Military Widows on a War Path Forgotten Military Widows on a War Path is a group of ex military widows in Oromocto, NB who feel they have been excluded from the Agent Orange ex gratia payment offered by the federal government. Widows whose husbands passed away previous to the date (February 6, 2006) that the Conservative Party of Canada took power are not eligible for compensation. The aim of the “Military Widows on a War Path”, is to fight for the soldiers who lost their lives before 6 February 2006 and ensure they receive the recognition and compensation they deserve, for the pain and suffering they have went through. And also ensure, they are not forgotten! As diligent soldiers, their husbands served faithfully. As wives of military men these widows served Canada beside their husbands.
Why do they now have to fight for respect for both their husbands and themselves? The Government of Canada has shown its true colours by disrespecting these widows! Why are they not receiving the respect they deserve? | |
