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by Melissa Brade
Yellowhead candidate for Member of Parliament champions critical issues which effect Albertans Yellowhead candidate for Member of Parliament champions critical issues which effect Albertans by Melissa Brade
Canadian Action Party candidate, Yellowhead. Concern about our countries sovereignty and the future for my children if things continue as they have is my motivation for joining politics. Our country is no longer in our hands, and is instead being controlled by multinational corporations, whose only motivation is profit, with no responsibility to the people or the environment. I want to be pro-active and help turn our country in the right direction and plan on organizing my platform as such, focusing on information and education . People routinely complain about the state of this world but often do not have the tools or willpower to change things. Ghandi said it best.. ”you must be the change you wish to see in this world”. Change can only happen through the collective power of the people. People have to know there is a problem in order to change it and most are being mislead by media, politics, war and distraction. I spend time organizing and facilitating viewings of educational materials and discussion forums on issues effecting our country. My hope is that truth and awareness will drive people to make informed decisions.
I have spent enough years fearing the future and am no longer willing to let the bureaucrats, corporations and politicians strip myself , my children and all Canadians of their inherent rights. I was very impressed by the Canadian Action Party's platform and goals when I first came in contact with the party, and continue to be impressed by the strength and solidarity that Connie Fogal and the other candidates display in fighting for the rights and freedoms of us all. The Canadian Action Party (CAP) is truly enlightened to the precarious situation Canada is in. Nothing less than our sovereignty is at stake. I am very supportive and informed on all the CAP policies. Monetary reform is crucial and an issue most Canadians are not aware of. We are truly blessed to still have control of our Bank of Canada and our government must start to repatriate our national debt back to it, and issue any further national debt with 0% interest government created money. If we accept the North American Union (NAU) and the issuance of a common currency (the Amero) this would absolve our sovereignty and any power we may have had in our Bank of Canada. Sustainable agriculture and energy freedom are a very important focus for my riding. Local farms have been devastated by “free” trade, and rural communities are suffering, losing their traditional employment and family focus. Taxpayer subsidies are the only way small farmers are holding onto their land, while they are forced into the use of chemical pesticides, fertilizers and GMO crops to be eligible for government assistance. These subsidies will go right back into the pockets of the corporations who have created the problems. We must find new, creative solutions and rewards farmers and producers for practices that not only feed the populous but care for our environment. The best example of unrestricted profit mongering and corporate control in Alberta is the unchecked development of the Tar Sands. This is a province wide concern as it has caused a boom in our economy (which will inevitable be followed by a bust). People province wide find employment in Tar Sands operations, and others from out of province flock to Alberta to find no housing, poor infrastructure and unchecked environmental degradation which has decimated Alberta's beautiful natural heritage. With the current development permits our province has issued, the Tar Sands will cover an immense area the size of Florida, and be the world's single largest contributor to CO2 emissions within a decade. The development permits have all had reclamation stipulations, but sadly not even one Tar Sands development has been reclaimed in decades of development. The highly toxic tailing ponds which contain huge amounts of arsenic and other contaminants can be seen from space. These toxic leechings have been making their way into our water systems, namely the Athabasca river and nearby aquifers which supply fresh water to much of Northern Alberta and the Territories. The Deadly toxins introduced into the water systems through Tar Sands operations have caused serious health and environmental problems for the citizens living in the area and upstream. Documentation of these instances includes increased infant mortality, miscarriages and stillbirths, skyrocketing cancer and leukemia rates as well as impacts to the local wildlife. It is quite common to catch fish covered in tumours and deformations. This has seriously impacted the native communities, and compromised their treaty rights to continue a traditional lifestyle, living off the land. Tar Sands development must be halted. The money and resources our government and corporations put into these developments (which are for export to the U.S.), would be better spent on research, development, manufacturing and export of alternative technologies. Technology is being actively suppressed in favour of the profits of corporate giants in agriculture, chemicals, petroleum, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing. Corporate profits are being put before the well being of people and the planet. Under the NAFTA agreements our government cannot even issue legislation to protect the people and environment if such changes may effect the profits of these corporate entities. Under the dispute settlement chapter, our government can be (and is) sued for such actions. This causes government to be complacent in the face of risk to the citizenry and is a major reason we must abrogate NAFTA, and only sign onto trade agreements that are in the best interest of the Canadian people. In my riding we are seeing our politicians disregard the favourable outcomes of alternative technologies, which would create a stable job market, a distributive generation grid and positively reinforce the abilities of rural communities. Alberta could and should be a world leader in the manufacturing, implementation and export on “green” technology. Instead our current leaders are once again following the will of industry and proposing continues fossil fuel exploration and nuclear technologies as the future for Alberta.
This past year I have been very active in informing my community and province about the dangers, health risks and environmental impact of the nuclear technology proposed for my riding. I have connected with several environmental groups and anti-nuclear foundations and have been a prominent voice in local meetings. (much to the dismay of the energy-sector). Myself and other concerned area residents formed a Group called The Tipping Point Project. We have sponsored several internationally acclaimed experts on nuclear technology, such as Dr. Gordon Edwards, Paul Gunter, and Dr. Jim Harding, to help inform area residents so that they can make an informed decision when the issue comes to plebiscite. The Alberta nuclear proposal is being motivated by corporations intentions to further export energy from Alberta to the USA. A 500kv transmission line from central Alberta through Montana and then California is being pushed through the legislative process with the sole intent of securing more Canadian energy for U.S. need. (they get more of our energy, we get dangerous nuclear waste.) Provincially, Bill 46 has recently been passed. This bill further speeds the provincial regulatory process in regards to energy infrastructure and development. The bill severely limited landowner rights and eliminates landowners rights to legal representation, giving unopposed access to the development of private property for corporate gain in the energy sector. This would include transmission lines, pipelines, power plants (coal or nuclear) and exploration. I regards to nuclear development I have great concern about our federal governments recent sign on to the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP). This Agreement commits Canada to accept and dispose of the nuclear waste from countries we have exported our uranium to. The Canadian Shield is proposed as a potential site for the long term storage of radioactive waste, waste which has no proven safe method of long term storage or disposal, waste which will remain deadly for hundreds of thousands of years. The GNEP connects with the CANDU ACR-1000, which is being designed to run on MOX fuel. (A blend of Depleted Uranium and Plutonium). The Plutonium would have to be extracted from the initial waste through reprocessing, whereby a miniscule ¼ of 1% of the original waste is separated. The rest (99.75%) is still highly radioactive and in a slurry of boiling nitric acid, much more unstable and difficult to dispose of and to keep separate from the environment. I consider this all an unacceptable risk, especially with the successful advancement and proven reliability of alternative technologies such as wind, solar, geothermal and distributive generation.
The nuclear agenda for Alberta is highly Interconnected with our energy policies and trade agreements. The encompassing issues are all highly complicated, but we are working hard to inform Albertans. My hope is that once people are educated the proposal will be exposed for what it truly is, another blow to our sovereignty. Another exploitation of our country and its resources. The CAP envisioned moratorium on the use of Depleted Uranium (DU) was very personal to me, given my strong interest in the effects and impacts of nuclear technology. The DU moratorium was one of the fist connections I made with the CAP, as they are the only party calling for the stop of such criminal actions. I have been vocal against the war in Iraq and found out about DU while I was researching weaponry. It disturbed me on a human level that I can’t describe. As a mother I am absolutely sickened to know the true suffering we have subjected others to in the name of war! We as a country propagate war crimes internationally and our activities within the UN are despotic. Our actions are further compromised by our support of the “war on terror” and the US ambition abroad, including the integration of our military systems through US-NORTHCOM, NORAD and the Ballistic missile defence system. Our actions within the global community must be made public so that Canadians can become aware of the egregious use of their tax dollars. I strongly feel DU, Atomic Weapons and the warfare that propagate their use are one of the biggest threats to humanity. The repercussions of our actions in these few years will last for incomprehensible lengths of time and will continue to cause horrific impacts for future generations, long after “the war on terror” is exposed for what it truly was. (an inside job) I have never heard a politician acknowledge such problems within our government until I came in contact with the CAP. I found it very heartening to know that there was a political party I could become involved with, without compromising my moral values as a parent and citizen who wishes to keep this planet in a healthy state for future generations. Canadian access to alternative healthcare and natural health products is very important as the pharmaceutical companies have a huge influence in our current politics and the healthcare options we are given. The Implementation of the Codex Alimentarus by 2009 (which will make vitamins, nutrients, minerals and natural health products illegal) is a horrific example maniacal profit mongering.
People must become aware of such agreements and their implications on our health, freedom and democracy before more of our rights are infringed upon by unaccountable, unelected, elitists. My motivation to help facilitate much needed change in the consciousness and critical thinking that is currently lacking comes from my background. I am a mother of 2, I live with my husband and children in a rural community in north- central Alberta. I have always loved nature and the outdoors and thank my upbringing for instilling a strong respect for our country and its environment. I have been exposed all my life to the economic structure that drives the fossil fuel industry in my province, and have witnessed firsthand this profit driven enterprise and its environmental impacts. From 2000-2005 I was employed in infrastructure doing road construction surveys with a local engineering firm. This helped me build a strong character as I was one of the few women onsite in a tough business consisting of mostly men. After this I worked locally in Legal Surveys so that I could have more time with my young family. In 2006 I had my youngest child and have since devoted my time to education and activism. Independently I study anything I can get my hands on . I am very interested in environmental science, economics, natural health and politics. Nuclear energy technology, weapons proliferation and effects of radiation have been a strong focus of my studies and a keen area of interest in my pursuit of knowledge. I would consider my beliefs about the state of our country and world “unconventional” by popular standards but feel this is due not to “radical thinking” but the willingness to educate myself in a free and informed way. Education is key, and much is lacking in the current public education system, which is geared towards creating complacent, unquestioning, consumers. We must all take some time from our busy lives and begin to truly question the motivations and agenda of the system we are governed by. A lot that needs to happen and a lot that needs to change. Canadians must be given back their rights! The rights to their sovereignty, freedom, money, health and resources. I believe the CAP will help this to happen, we are not scared to tell the truth, to reveal just how much is at stake and how much has already been lost to us all. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be a candidate for the CAP, the only party who truly represents the best interest of all Canadians, their families, and the sovereignty of this beautiful country!
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