Oh Canada, my home and native land: You're being split up into bits and pieces, all of which will be privatized.

The Security and Prosperity Partnership, which our esteemed Prime Minister has signed behind closed doors with the U.S. and Mexico, will facilitate this process. It‚s already happened with our military and our border being under the control of our southern neighbour. We now need to learn about the Civil Assistance Plan--not to be confused with the Canada Assistance Plan, which was passed in the federal government when we had some semblance of democracy left in our country.

Our main media have not written about what the SPP means and what all of the implications are. Luckily, the internet has helped to educate some people. And locally the meeting organized by our federal MP, Catherine Bell, and the local Council of Canadians got the word out to the huge crowd on February 9.

But now the federal budget continues the trend of giving big business and our southern neighbours lots of scope for getting more control of our lives. Our health care is being given to profiteering businesses.

My home and native land used to care about helping our most vulnerable citizens. In 1989 our federal Parliament unanimously agreed to wipe out child poverty by the year 2000. But the statistics show a dismal failure. In fact, poverty and homelessness are on the rise.

Our decades-old wish list includes a national child care programme. And affordable housing programmes. For seniors, a national Home Support programme with national standards˜among other things.

But, oh yes, the Olympics are coming, and more development of the tar sands in Alberta. Oh boy. Oh Canada. Oh oh.

Sincerely,
Gwyn Frayne
Courtenay
338-6265