SHE KNOWS NOT OF WHAT SHE SPEAKS …

 

In today’s National Post, on the Front Page no less, appears a Column by one Marni Soupcoup entitled ‘Tories leave women more exposed’.

As I am about to explain, Ms. Soupcoup is talking about Strippers, so I do not know whether it is she or her Editor that came up with this most amusing title.  Not !

It does not matter though; the issue here is that Ms. Soupcoup is out to lunch, so to speak.

Now the story:

Jason Kenny, Canada’s most able Immigration Minister, came out earlier this week to denounce foreign workers – mostly women – being lured into Canada to work in the Sex Trade. He has promised to put a stop to this.

But Soupcoup sees only evil coming as a result of his initiative.  Let’s look at her own words -

The difference is now they (foreign strippers) will be forced to take a shady underground route that makes exploitation and trafficking much more likely to happen’.

On the face of it, she seems to make some sense, but let’s go behind the scenes and you decide for yourself who is correct.

At the outset, let me say I have some knowledge – indeed, extensive knowledge of this subject.  I personally know someone who worked for Immigration on this very topic. 

Beginning with the fall of the USSR, many young women were made vulnerable to solicitation on the part of unscrupulous elements in the West – Canada included.  Ads were placed for waitresses, dancers and the like but what really awaited them was stripping and prostitution.  The employers were often criminals and to a great extent biker gangs.

When these young women came to Canada expecting legitimate work, they found instead the above activities awaiting them.  Their passports were taken away, and if they protested, they were shot up with drugs.  And if they continued to protest – worse befell them.

They did not go to the police since in their countries of origin, the police could not be trusted.  They were and continue to be – on their own. 

So to go back to Soupcoup’s profound statement that the ‘exploitation of these women will now go underground’ – it begs the question - how so? 

Right now Canada willingly approves the entry of these poor souls – knowing full well their destiny.  Once Canada shuts that door, there will be no underground for them to access.

Unfortunately, I cannot say that this initiative will signal the end of these establishments but what I foresee happening is that these clubs will then try to attract local women who thankfully will be more knowledgeable about their rights and will not hesitate to involve the police.  As such, the working conditions can be expected to dramatically improve.

I also know that the days of sentencing these immigrant women to a life of sex slaves will now come to an end at least here in Canada.

Finally, Jason Kenny wondered out loud why someone before him had not moved on this important initiative.  I can tell Mr. Kenny that my good contact tried to do just that but the Bureaucracy would have none it – better not to rock the boat than protect the young and vulnerable. 

Another example of the real power resting with the Civil Service rather than with our Politicians. 

Now that you know the ‘rest of the story’ – you decide who has it right – Kenny or Soupcoup.

As I see it …

‘K.D. Galagher’

Andy Griffith Dead @ 86

 

It was with sadness and much nostalgia that I read yesterday of Andy Griffith’s passing.

The nostalgia though relates to a much younger Griffith since in recent years he had become an outspoken member of the Looney Left – constantly bashing all things Republican and not surprisingly, a great admirer of Barack Obama.

The Griffith I so fondly remember though is the ‘unarmed’ Sherriff of Mayberry, North Carolina - Andy Taylor, who along with his side-kick, Barney Fife, kept the peace in their one horse town.

We were all Mayberry’s back then in the 1960s – just like the real one – or should I say the Hollywood version, we all felt safe and secure.  Even those who lived in large cities came under the Mayberry Spell, since they grew up in their own little Mayberry neighbourhoods.

In addition to Andy and Barney, were Aunt Bee, Opie, Floyd, Gomer, Goober, Helen, Thelma, Otis (the town drunk), Howard and many more.  They all became honourable members of our own families.

They represented the times and those times were good.

I remember many of the shows today just as they appeared some 50+ years ago, but there is one in particular that is quite fitting for this Blog.

A stranger came into Mayberry one day and called all the folks he met them by their first names.  He knew all about each of them and he knew everything there was to know about Mayberry. They on the other-hand did not have any idea who he was.  Finally, Andy took the initiative and confronted this chap admitting to him that they did not have a sweet clue who the fellow was.  The guy then quickly apologized and admitted that this was his first visit to Mayberry and yes, he had never met any of the folks.  He had served overseas with Gomer, as I recall it, and Gomer had told him so many stories about Mayberry and the town’s people that he had simply come to believe he personally knew each and everyone of them.

I think we all identified with the Stranger – we too would have acted in this fashion had we been able to find this mythical place.

I will leave you with one other story I read about which I believe to be true.

In one episode, the storyline had ended with a few minutes to spare.  The Director suggested that Andy and Barney simply sit on Aunt Bee’s porch step and talk out the final minutes out bout nothing in particular.  The minutes were quickly used up but they continue to chat.  The crew then packed up and left the lot – leaving them talking and believing that neither was aware that the filming had ceased.

I like to thing of them now – sitting on that stoop talking about things of interest to them, such as an upcoming double date with Helen and Thelma Lou.  It brings me peace.

As I see it...

‘K.D. Galagher’

To Jaw Jaw ….

 

Is Preferable To War War

So said Winston Spencer Churchill in 1954.

And he knew a little bit about both.

There has been much wringing of hands of late concerning the sorry state of the United Nations…not only here in Canada – but in the United States as well.

As Canadians, we are still smarting from UN observer criticism of the “third world conditions” many of our natives are living in and the charge of “human rights abuses” against those spoiled little brat students in Quebec.

So is the UN dysfunctional? 

Of course it is.  One need only look at the Tyrant Leaders heading up or having membership on the UNHCR – the organization’s Human Rights Section.

And the recent appointment of Zimbabwe's Mugabe as the UN’s Tourist Ambassador – he, who is banned from visiting many of the world’s nations.  (I guess he will have to satisfy himself with brochures).

That does not even deal with the UN’s massive fraud and corruption nor does it include the Body’s complete failure to Keep the Peace around an ever more violent world.

Okay Galagher – ‘why hold on to this expensive charade’?

Because Churchill had it right – talking trumps fighting – most of the time.  There does come a time when action is needed but for the most part the need for action (war) can be averted / delayed through negotiations.

To do that you need to have a forum where these characters come together – and fortunately we have one – the same United Nations.  We also have 3 Countries on their Board of Directors with absolute veto power – the US, Britain and France.  Not a bad thing to have when dealing with the UN’s large number of corrupt and tyrannical member nations.

From my perspective then, if the UN did not exist – one would need to be formed, if for no other reason than to allow all the nations of the world to come together and sound off regardless of how bizarre some of their rantings may be.

The one thing countries like Canada must refrain from doing is putting up the lion’s share of the cash to fund this circus.  We need to be frugal in our offerings because we know that our donations will be misdirected and often wastefully spent.

Even though there is value in retaining a dysfunctional organization like the UN – that of course is not the whole answer.  We need a world organization that has greater merit than merely providing a place to talk.  We desperately need an Organization of Democratic States (ODS) which need I have touched on in earlier Blogs.

There are two primary reasons for this need:

First, to counterbalance the once again growing influence of the Dictatorships – China, the Middle East, Pakistan, and even Russia.

The second and perhaps of greater importance, is the need for a Body that actually makes decisions that will benefit all mankind.

In recent years the G 7-9 group of nations has been performing that function – but this group needs to be expanded and formalized.

It would contain an exclusive group of nations that not only promote Democracy but also the Rule of Law since you cannot have one without the other. That is why I would not allow Russia into the club – they purport to be Democratic but when it comes to the Rule of Law they are found lacking.

With strict adherence to that definition, the ODS would begin by being an Exclusive Club.  But over time, it would foster other nations – Associate Members -  in developing their institutions so that they too would one day qualify for full membership.  The Mugabe's of this world would be left to look in from the outside.

Everything we strive for – freedom, social rest, strong / vibrant businesses and a healthy environment, – would blossom and one day even China will welcome the opportunity to join the club.

 As I see it …

‘K.D. Galagher’