May 18, 2006: Memory Lane & Questions

Memory Lane:

No wonder the Kyoto and arts activists / networks and those who had a close relationship to Liberal government(s) are unhappy ...... Like the media, they don't have the close ties to the new Conservative government and some of them comment to the media, which should reveal these close relationships, where it is relevant.

Some Background: Within the last two weeks, I have posted on some of this.

Think of the activists, providers of quotations to news media against the Conservatives' position on the arts (such as Canadian content regulations) and on Kyoto.

There is more information: via Frost Hits the Rhubarb: May 12, 2006 "Networks, Trojan Horses & Compliant Mainstream Media" which mentions John (Jack) Wiebe, ex-Liberal MP and Senator appointed by Liberal ex-PM Jean Chretien.

I had explored some revealing background on Mr. John (Jack) Wiebe's connections, since it was reported that he was dissatisfied with the Conservative government's action on the climate change, the Kyoto Protocol (signed by a Liberal government), and I made the suggestion that he is not exactly a disinterested observer. His connections and background were not made clear in the newspaper article, nor is there adequate investigation and reporting of the biases of others who speak so readily to the media.

FHTR May 5-May 12, 2006
[Scroll for:]

May 11, 2006: #1 -- This makes the cynic in me question .....
Kyoto gets some surprising support from Canadian industry Mike De Souza, CanWest, Saturday, May 06, 2006"

May 10, 2006 Update 2 -- several items including mention of another activist group, "the Globe Foundation here: www.globe2006.com/" and "John [Jack] Wiebe, President and Chief Executive Officer, GLOBE Foundation of Canada"
http://frosthits
therhubarb.blogspot.com/2006/05/
may-10-2006-update-2_10.html [Place on one line.]

There seemed to be cross-pollination and political connections when I check the activists and spokespeople for the arts (Remember the UNESCO protocol signed by Paul Martin Nov. 23, 05 for the arts, culture and language?) and climate change / Kyoto. It is instructive to see who belong to these activist--sometimes chosen members of--groups close to former government(s). It remains to be seen what the future will bring. However, whenever I check, the connections, the networks and the threads leading in many directions, I have found the present activism against the government may have a more political than idealistic impetus.

Another look at a list from the past, the Circumpolar Tour with ex-GG Clarkson

Consider the following and note:

* Which provinces and areas have overwhelming representation and why? How many come from the Prairies and the East, for example? How many from Quebec, Ontario, the North? Count the number from the Yukon, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador.

* How many representatives were from the areas overwhelmingly represented, and how were they chosen? (e.g. from 26,000 citizens who live in the North)

* What are the groups and networks to which these chosen representatives belong and what are their political or business connections?

There are other questions one could ask; it usually proves intriguing and informative.

Exceptional lineup of Canadians to accompany Governor General on State visits to Russia, Finland and Iceland September 10, 2003

QUEBEC CITY– Denys Arcand, Maurice Strong, Mary Simon, Peter Irniq, Roméo Dallaire, Yann Martel, Sheila Watt-Cloutier, Arthur Erickson, Édouard Lock, Bob Rae, Jane Urquhart, Measha Brueggergosman, Michael Ondaatje ...These are just some of the prominent Canadians who will showcase Canada as a modern northern nation as they accompany Governor General Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul on State visits to the Russian Federation, the Republic of Finland and the Republic of Iceland from September 23 to October 15, 2003.

[....] The official delegation accompanying the Governor General will be led by Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion in Russia and [ex] Environment Minister David Anderson in Finland and Iceland, along with a multi-party delegation of parliamentarians representing both the Senate and the House of Commons. In addition to the official delegation, the Governor General and John Ralston Saul have invited leaders of northern communities and scientists, authors and architects, filmmakers and fishers, artists and academics, and musicians and environmentalists to join in this effort to reach out and strengthen Canada's links with the circumpolar world. The full list of delegates for Russia (September 23 to October 1) and for Finland and Iceland (October 6 to 15) follows.

[....] Cultural events such as the Russian commercial premiere of Denys Arcand's Les invasions barbares and other film screenings, public readings by Canadian authors, concerts by Measha Brueggergosman, Shauna Rolston and Heather Schmidt in Finland and Iceland, the opening of a photo exhibit by Edward Burtynsky in Helsinki and the presentation of La La La Human Steps' Amelia in Moscow will reflect and explore the modern, creative cultures of Canada and the host countries.

[....]

STATE VISIT TO RUSSIA – LIST OF DELEGATES

WORKING IN THE NORTHERN ENVIRONMENT

Pita Aatami President, Makivik Corporation Kuujjuaq, (Nunavik), Québec
Yves Bégin Director, geographer and researcher, Centre d'études nordiques, Université Laval Quebec City, Quebec
Gérard Duhaime Professor and sociologist, Department of Sociology, Université Laval Quebec City, Quebec
Franklyn Griffiths Professor of political science, University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario
Maurice Strong Under-Secretary General and Special Advisor to the Secretary General, United Nations Lost Lake, Ontario [A Sinophile and with a connection through his UN position to Tongsun Park and a $1-Million plus cheque, Strong actually spends most of his time in China now, I believe ... something to do with a Chinese vehicle and/or water, perhaps Zenon. Check]
John Wiebe President and C. E. O., Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and GLOBE Foundation of Canada Vancouver, British Columbia
Mary Williams Ice engineering specialist and Director General, Institute for Marine Dynamics St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador [Would that be connected to oil, gas, off-shore drilling? fishing?]

LIVING IN THE CIRCUMPOLAR WORLD

Piotr Dutkiewicz Professor and Director, Institute of European and Russian Studies, Carleton University Ottawa, Ontario
Peter Irniq Commissioner of Nunavut Iqaluit, Nunavut
Steve Iveson Executive Director, Negotiations Division, Northwest Territories Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs Yellowknife, Northwest Territories [Negotiations Division?]
Norma Kassi Chair, International Gwich'in Steering Committee Whitehorse, Yukon
Bob Rae Chair and President, Forum of Federations Toronto, Ontario
Mary Simon Ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs,Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) Kuujuaq, (Nunavik) Quebec
Sheila Watt-Cloutier Chair, Inuit Circumpolar Conference Iqaluit, Nunavut

MODERN CULTURE

Dyane Adam Commissioner of Official Languages Ottawa, Ontario [and Quebec?]
Denys Arcand Filmmaker Montréal, Quebec
René-Daniel Dubois Playwright Montréal, Quebec
Édouard Lock Choreographer and Artistic Director, La La La Human Steps Montréal, Quebec
Yann Martel Writer Montréal, Quebec
Kevin McMahon Documentary filmmaker Toronto, Ontario
Michael Ondaatje Writer Toronto, Ontario
Arlene Perly Rae Writer and Editor Toronto, Ontario
Denise Robert Cinema and television producer Montréal, Quebec
Linda Spalding Writer and Editor Toronto, Ontario
Mark Starowicz Television documentary Producer Toronto, Ontario
Fibbie Tatti Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

STATE VISIT TO FINLAND AND ICELAND – LIST OF DELEGATES

WORKING IN THE NORTHERN ENVIRONMENT

Arthur Collin President of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society Ottawa, Ontario
Henry Friesen Chair of Genome Canada,Senior Fellow at the University of Manitoba's Centre for the Advancement of Medicine Winnipeg, Manitoba
Jon Grant incoming Chair of the Nature Conservancy of Canada, and Chairman of CCL Industries Peterborough, Ontario
Chris Sloan Fisher and member of the British Columbia Council of Professional Fish Harvesters, (C.P.F.H.) Qualicum Beach, British Columbia [a fisher, then?]
Patti Sloan Fisher, Owner/Operator of Wild West Coast Seafoods and member of C.P.F.H. Qualicum Beach, British Columbia [a fisher?]

LIVING IN THE CIRCUMPOLAR WORLD

Roméo Dallaire Special advisor on war-affected children for the Canadian International Development Agency [more plans ... for CIDA?] Quebec City, Quebec

Shelagh Grant Arctic and Inuit historian Peterborough, Ontario

Peter Irniq Commissioner of Nunavut Iqaluit, Nunavut

Peter Johnson Chair of the Polar Commission and professor of geomorphology at the University of Ottawa Ottawa, Ontario

James McDonald Professor and Chair of the Department of Anthropology at the University of Northern British Columbia Prince George, British Columbia

Mary Simon Ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs DFAIT Kuujuaq, (Nunavik) Quebec

François Trudel Director of the Inuit and Circumpolar Study Group (GÉTIC) and Professor of anthropology at Université Laval Quebec City, Quebec

Sheila Watt-Cloutier Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference Iqaluit, Nunavut

MODERN CULTURE

Pat Bovey Director of the Winnipeg Art Gallery Winnipeg, Manitoba
Measha Brueggergosman Soprano Fredericton, New Brunswick [Actually, while born in NB, she is married to a German and lives in Europe, I believe]
Edward Burtynsky Photographer Toronto, Ontario
Arthur Erickson Architect Vancouver, British Columbia
Wayne Johnston Author St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Wajdi Mouawad Author and Playwright Montréal, Quebec
Shauna Rolston Cellist Toronto, Ontario
Gilles Saucier Architect Montréal, Quebec
Brigitte Shim Architect, professor of architecture at the University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario
Heather Schmidt Pianist and composer Calgary, Alberta
Jeffrey Spalding Artist, Director and chief curator of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia Halifax, Nova Scotia
Howard Sutcliffe Architect Toronto, Ontario
Jane Urquhart Author Toronto, Ontario

CANADIAN WINE PROMOTION

Linda Bramble Assistant professor at Brock University's Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute St. Catharines, Ontario
Anne Desjardins Food and Wine Writer Montréal, Quebec
Anthony Gismondi Wine critic and writer Vancouver, British Columbia
Gary Koestler Trade negotiator, Department of Agriculture and Agri-food Canada Ottawa, Ontario
Tony Stewart Chair of the B.C. Wine Institute and co-proprietor of Quail's Gate Estate Winery Kelowna, British Columbia
Donald Triggs Co-founder of Jackson-Triggs Vintners, and CEO of Vincor International Toronto, Ontario
Elaine Triggs Owner and manager of Delaine Vineyard Toronto, Ontario

What was the stated purpose of this trip and what was the unstated, real purpose? Any plans for the future being put into place even then ..... plans that the election of a Conservative government might upset?