Walkerton, Mike Harris' GDP and Social Capital

Walkerton, Mike Harris' GDP and Social Capital

Nipawin - Saturday, June 30, 2001 - by: Mario deSantis

fascism

"Perhaps the greatest threat to freedom and democracy in the world today comes from the formation of unholy alliances between government and business. This is not a new phenomenon. It used to be called fascism"--George Soros, international financier

economic
activity
It is strange how a country as rich in natural resources as Canada can be mismanaged by our elitist leadership of any political colour. Our Canadian waters are contaminated and we are increasingly focusing our attention on the economic activity to increase our Gross Domestic Product (GDP), for example, by selling safe water packaged in small bottles or by contemplating the wholesale of our waters.

blame
The Walkerton's E.coli outbreak last year caused the death of seven people and more than 2,000 people became sick. At that time, Premier Mike Harris, chief executive officer of the Common Sense Revolution of Ontario, blamed the previous incompetent NDP administration for loosening water quality standards and announced a public inquiry. Today as Mr. Harris testified in the Walkerton's inquiry we understand that his own government was partially to blame for this tragedy.

ignored
repetitive
warnings

In fact, as the Commons Sense Revolution took power, they slashed half of the budget of the Ministry of Environment, fired seven hundred-fifty employees, implemented in three months the botched down loading of water testing to private laboratory, and ignored repetitive warnings that these spending cuts would affect the health and safety of the public.

We need governments who are responsible to the people and who work for the people; and these governments must stop the mantra that the GDP is the measure of our well being while in reality we experience the depletion of our social and natural resources.

Walkerton, Mike Harris' GDP and Social Capital

Nipawin - Saturday, June 30, 2001 - by: Mario deSantis

*fascism*	"Perhaps the greatest threat to freedom and democracy in the world today comes from the formation of unholy alliances between government and business. This is not a new phenomenon. It used to be called fascism"--George Soros, international financier

economic activity	It is strange how a country as rich in natural resources as Canada can be mismanaged by our elitist leadership of any political colour. Our Canadian waters are contaminated and we are increasingly focusing our attention on the economic activity to increase our Gross Domestic Product (GDP), for example, by selling safe water packaged in small bottles or by contemplating the wholesale of our waters.

blame	The Walkerton's E.coli outbreak last year caused the death of seven people and more than 2,000 people became sick. At that time, Premier Mike Harris, chief executive officer of the Common Sense Revolution of Ontario, blamed the previous incompetent NDP administration for loosening water quality standards and announced a public inquiry. Today as Mr. Harris testified in the Walkerton's inquiry we understand that his own government was partially to blame for this tragedy.
ignored repetitive warnings	In fact, as the Commons Sense Revolution took power, they slashed half of the budget of the Ministry of Environment, fired seven hundred-fifty employees, implemented in three months the botched down loading of water testing to private laboratory, and ignored repetitive warnings that these spending cuts would affect the health and safety of the public. We need governments who are responsible to the people and who work for the people; and these governments must stop the mantra that the GDP is the measure of our well being while in reality we experience the depletion of our social and natural resources.