Cumberland BC: The Cumberlander Articles Section
Regional · 19th February 2009
Editor - Dwayne Rourke
Click HERE to watch a short video of the Cumberland portion of the current round of CV Regional Growth Strategy Open House presentations that occurred Wednesday Feb.18, 2009 from 6 - 9 PM at the CRI.
Turnout for the event was meagre and if I was responsible for organizing it, I would want to know why. Those of you with insights about this are welcome to submit your comments, below.
Personally, I think the whole process is flawed from the get-go. Mandated as it is, by a provincial government that aspires to perpetuate a failing economy in the face of its obvious, global, systemic failure, the process is being sold as the way to the most inclusive view concerning the future of the Comox Valley. Rather, the whole notion of "growth" itself needs to be questioned. Too often it is primarily about making sure that those who have money, make more money, and lots of it.
But money is not real wealth.
The current financial melt-down has revealed what a house-of-cards the fractional reserve money system is and people everywhere are now seriously questioning its fundamental assumptions. We need to do the same here in the Valley and we must cast our net farther than Victoria for inspiration and guidance as to what is really important to look at.
I, for one, am looking to David Korten, whose newly released book, Agenda For a New Economy : From Phantom Wealth to Real Wealth explains in depth, why the prevailing economic view is obsolete and must be replaced if we are to navigate successfully into a sustainable way of life in the 21st Century.
As Korten says in a recent article:
When economic failure is systemic, temporary fixes, even very expensive ones like the Wall Street bailout, are like putting a Band-Aid on a cancer. They may create a temporary sense of confidence, but the effect is solely cosmetic. Politicians and most pundits are looking only at the tip of the economic iceberg. Pull away the curtain to look behind the headlines, and we find a potentially terminal economic crisis with three defining elements:
Excess human consumption, which is accelerating the collapse of Earth's ecosystem. Unconscionable inequality and the related social alienation, which are advancing the social collapse manifest in terrorism, genocide, crime, and growing prison populations.
An economic system ruled by financial markets, global corporations, and economic theories devoted to increasing consumption while rolling back real wages and benefits for working people to make money for the richest among us.
This is a time for decisive action. The financial meltdown has shaken public confidence in the people and institutions now in charge. The transition to new political leadership creates an opening for bold action.
_____________________________
Thoughtful readers will benefit from watching a video of Korten's recent keynote address delivered to the Trinity Institute in the heart of New York's financial district. Watch it HERE. ( 1 hr. 30 min.)
See also, an interview with David Korten on Democracy Now!, HERE. (45 min.)
Turnout for the event was meagre and if I was responsible for organizing it, I would want to know why. Those of you with insights about this are welcome to submit your comments, below.
Personally, I think the whole process is flawed from the get-go. Mandated as it is, by a provincial government that aspires to perpetuate a failing economy in the face of its obvious, global, systemic failure, the process is being sold as the way to the most inclusive view concerning the future of the Comox Valley. Rather, the whole notion of "growth" itself needs to be questioned. Too often it is primarily about making sure that those who have money, make more money, and lots of it.
But money is not real wealth.
The current financial melt-down has revealed what a house-of-cards the fractional reserve money system is and people everywhere are now seriously questioning its fundamental assumptions. We need to do the same here in the Valley and we must cast our net farther than Victoria for inspiration and guidance as to what is really important to look at.
I, for one, am looking to David Korten, whose newly released book, Agenda For a New Economy : From Phantom Wealth to Real Wealth explains in depth, why the prevailing economic view is obsolete and must be replaced if we are to navigate successfully into a sustainable way of life in the 21st Century.
As Korten says in a recent article:
When economic failure is systemic, temporary fixes, even very expensive ones like the Wall Street bailout, are like putting a Band-Aid on a cancer. They may create a temporary sense of confidence, but the effect is solely cosmetic. Politicians and most pundits are looking only at the tip of the economic iceberg. Pull away the curtain to look behind the headlines, and we find a potentially terminal economic crisis with three defining elements:
Excess human consumption, which is accelerating the collapse of Earth's ecosystem. Unconscionable inequality and the related social alienation, which are advancing the social collapse manifest in terrorism, genocide, crime, and growing prison populations.
An economic system ruled by financial markets, global corporations, and economic theories devoted to increasing consumption while rolling back real wages and benefits for working people to make money for the richest among us.
This is a time for decisive action. The financial meltdown has shaken public confidence in the people and institutions now in charge. The transition to new political leadership creates an opening for bold action.
_____________________________
Thoughtful readers will benefit from watching a video of Korten's recent keynote address delivered to the Trinity Institute in the heart of New York's financial district. Watch it HERE. ( 1 hr. 30 min.)
See also, an interview with David Korten on Democracy Now!, HERE. (45 min.)
Process, process, process .....
Comment by carol on 22nd February 2009
Ah...another feel good planning get together. No, I am not participating in the Comox Valley Regional Growth Strategy process.
What is it that we need to plan? How to force amalgamation on our residents? How to enable all of the large former FLR land developments to happen in a "cohesive" way? Where are all of the big players in this process? After all, it is hardly worth getting all of the mice together to make a big plan if the big cats are in their own room with their own master plan.
I am starting to feel like I am at a bad rock concert where the star shouts out to the audience.
"How are you doing Comox Valley? Tell me what you want?!?"
At which point the poor resident audience yells louder and louder at each go around, never to be heard by the host.
As a Cumberland resident I have NO interest in being amalgamated into the big piece of homogenized cheese.
Hint: It might have helped if our Cumberland OCP was respected by the elected politicians here.
Thanks.
Ah...another feel good planning get together. No, I am not participating in the Comox Valley Regional Growth Strategy process.
What is it that we need to plan? How to force amalgamation on our residents? How to enable all of the large former FLR land developments to happen in a "cohesive" way? Where are all of the big players in this process? After all, it is hardly worth getting all of the mice together to make a big plan if the big cats are in their own room with their own master plan.
I am starting to feel like I am at a bad rock concert where the star shouts out to the audience.
"How are you doing Comox Valley? Tell me what you want?!?"
At which point the poor resident audience yells louder and louder at each go around, never to be heard by the host.
As a Cumberland resident I have NO interest in being amalgamated into the big piece of homogenized cheese.
Hint: It might have helped if our Cumberland OCP was respected by the elected politicians here.
Thanks.