Flemming Holm's Blog

Dear Prime Minister:

I must have been asleep at the switch – or wherever I was at the time – to have missed Silver Donald Cameron’s article in the NovaScotian on July 30. But the letters in today’s Chronicle Herald have raised my blood pressure and disturbed my Canadian soul to its roots. And then today my son, who is visiting from Toronto, and reads other newspapers, expressed extreme pessimism concerning Canadian sovereignty because of the “Security and Prosperity Partnership” and similar agreements. How despicable of the Federal Government, and of those who pull its strings, to schedule its ratification in the middle of vacation season, particularly when there has been no debate in Parliament on the subject and the public is largely ignorant of its existence. What would John A. Macdonald say?

Recently one of my relatives in Denmark wrote me concerning Canada’s position on Hans Island; he couldn’t understand how we could oppose Denmark’s claim to sovereignty of the island. So I wrote him about it, and I am enclosing a translation of my letter. Anyone who knows anything about the reasons for building the CPR will understand what I am saying.

The US is using security (and 9/11) as an excuse for empire building. It is a wonderful country, with many good qualities and ideals. But it is more and more being ruled by Big Business – economic imperialism – government has to support its business interests abroad, if it is to be reelected – a subversion of democracy. This is a feature of capitalism, not necessarily a policy of government. “Government of the people, by the people and for the people” must not be allowed to perish in our country. I am happy that we in Canada have put caps on individual and corporate political donations. Let us not circumvent such safeguards. There are other ways of securing peace than by subverting our democracy and letting the business interests of another country control us. Giving in to the US in this matter will ensure that our water supply and our public health system will be privatized and that American controlled business will reap the benefits. (I am all for supporting other countries, but let it be the poorer nations – not the wealthiest.)

Enough of my tirade for this time. I will find other excuses for writing you another time. (Blessings on Silver Donald Cameron, Harry Bruce and Ralph Surrette! They speak truth to power!)

The Hon. Monte Solberg,
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Government of Canada.

Dear Monte Solberg:

Just in case you missed it, I am enclosing a copy of a recent article published in the November issue of The United Church Observer, in support of those members of the United States Armed Forces who have taken refuge in Canada.

Many of them joined the Forces under the mistaken impression that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction and was connected to the 9/11 attack on New York. Or they thought they were recruited only to provide humanitarian aid and assist in reconstruction following natural disasters or to defend against invasion by foreign powers. It has been said that in any war the first casualty is truth. In this case the American Government flagrantly contributed to the demise of truth, and as the truth has dawned on these military people they have found themselves in an untenable position, where they are expected to murder the innocent. How many more such members of the Armed Forces have given in to military commands, and so are suffering pangs of conscience and debilitating mental stress as they follow orders to kill? And how many innocent civilians have been massacred in recent years because of those orders?

Canada must do the right thing!

I realize that if every person who comes to Canada seeking refugee status were to be successful in his quest, our present balance in countries of origin would be seriously affected and we would be letting in some criminals or potential criminals. But because our refugee panels consist of only one person and there is no appeal, these panels are the only courts in Canada that can send an appellant to his death on the decision of one person. I am sure that hundreds – perhaps thousands – of would-be Canadians have been sent to their deaths by such panels.

Yours for a more compassionate Canada.