While we here in Canada have been caught up in both our own economic crisis
and our federal election, things have been moving at a rapid pace globally.
On October 1st 2008, a silent coup happened, one that is rapidly bringing the end of America. Think I'm being melodramatic, or crazy in that "don't mind him, he's a conspiracy theorist" kind of way. It's probably tempting to bury our heads and laugh all of this off, but, it would be a mistake to do that. Why would that be, good question and I'll try to lead down a thorny path to some answers.
I'm a follower and armchair commentator of geopolitics, which I've rapidly picked up a small bit of knowledge about. I'm also a rabid opponent to the Security & Prosperity Partnership(SPP) (being re-branded as North American Standards & Regulatory Area, NASRA) and the North American Union (NAU), all of which are direct threats to Canada's sovereignty and ownership of Canadian natural resources, including ownership of business and our own systems, such as our public health care system.
I'm never going to make apologies for being a proud Canadian nationalist and I won't be shy in telling you that Canada should be protecting our resources and assets in this time of globalization. I remember back in the day, fervently marching with the other idealists against APEC, recognizing a bad thing even when I was so young and knew nothing about the world, or those who quite simply want to own all that is worth something.
There is no doubt that American hegemony and their long-forgotten goal of manifest destiny has been at the heart of the United States interactions and agreements with other nations forever. It's funny how for some reason I always remembered about manifest destiny (of all the things I've forgotten from Social Studies), I think it must have been the arrogant presumption of righteousness that offended me even in those tender years, who the hell did those people think they were, anyways?
Over the years I've gleaned many pieces of information and media on the ever-increasing pace of "harmonization" and "integration" of Canada with the US and Mexico, starting with the first Free Trade Agreement (FTA), then NAFTA under Brian Mulroney's (neo)Conservative government, continuing under Paul Martin's (neo)Liberal government and going full steam ahead under Stephen Harper's Conservative government with the SPP, and the NAU.
During this election, we've heard a new bit about Harper's Conservatives plans to "integrate" Canada into the European Union (EU). We only heard about it because it was leaked, Harper didn't bring it up and he isn't showing us the draft agreement. He also didn't tell us about his plans to meet leaders from the EU just three days after the Canadian Federal Election, to go over the agreement that could throw Canada into the garbage can of history as a sovereign nation. It's funny, I kind of think that is an important thing for Canadians to know about, but hey, I'm no Prime Minister, what do I know?
The American Coup: Setting the Stage
In a widely viewed lecture available on Youtube, Naomi Wolf, an American author, gave a talk about her book, The End of America: A Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot. Now, for those of you who know her, Ms. Wolf, a bright, personable, popular writer on topics of interest, mostly to women, never resonated as a rabblerouser, a politico, or even as a major intellectual. That changed for me when I watched this lecture
and I began to see her as a visionary and someone we should all begin to listen to about what was happening in the United States of America. With this lecture, she was putting her neck on the chopping block in a very personal way.
In this lecture, she details very clearly the 10 steps, or the blueprint, for open society's that are being shut down in strategic moves toward creating dictatorships. For her book, she studied the rise of Mussolini, Hitler, Pinochet and other despots to see what patterns could be learned about how they assumed control and turned their countries into nations of people who carried out the unthinkable horrors of
their totalitarian leaders. See here for the 10 Steps to Turn an Open Society into a Dictatorship.
In her lecture, The End of America, Ms.Wolf describes these steps and what it looks like in a society slowly being turned into a dictatorship. We should ask ourselves, is this something we see happening in America and, more importantly, are we seeing some of these things happening in our backyard in Canada, especially under Stephen Harper's Conservative government? I think we are, it's just perhaps more subtle and less overt like it is in the US. Plus, the Canadian media has been in a process of being controlled and concentrated through corporate ownership in a way that has made it more difficult to connect the dots across our vast nation and see the incremental
steps toward this slippery slope.
These are the 10 Steps that Wolf identifies in her book:
1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy
2. Create a gulag
3. Develop a thug caste
4. Set up an internal surveillance system
5. Harass citizens' groups
6. Engage in arbitrary detention and release
7. Target key individuals
8. Control the press
9. Dissent equals treason
10. Suspend the rule of law
It's not too difficult to think of examples of most of these things:
1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy -
The "War on Terror" after 9/11, which was used in both the US & Canada to bring in unprecedented changes to civil rights, leaving it very easy for people to called "terrorists" and locked up, throwing out the usual legal rights of those accused, including the right to even have the opportunity to look at the "evidence" used to make the charges in the first place.
On October 26 2001, the USA Patriot Act was passed by a Congress, which introducted unprecented changes to the civil liberties and human rights of all Americans. Seems interesting how quickly the American government was able to just throw such a thing together in just over a month from September 11th 2001, but I guess they're speedy folks, or were they planning for something just like this to start revoking citizen rights under the American government and Constitution?
But it didn't just stop there. Once the information of citizens from other countries, such as Canada, was in the hands of US corporations, the US government could access this under the Patriot Act, without the parties ever knowing.
In BC, in 2006, Gordon Campbell's BC Liberal government passed amendments to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act in 2006 that allowed the disclosure of citizens' personal information outside Canada "to an individual who is a service provider of the public body... if the information is necessary for the performance of the duties of the individual in relation to the public body."
When combining this with the privatization of government services and information and technology contracts awarded by the Campbell Liberal government to American and transnational corporations(who often paid hefty lobbying fees and donations to the BC Liberal party), a great deal of personal and private information of Canadian citizens became easy to access by the US government.
In 2007, an audit by the U.S. Justice Department found that the American FBI committed "serious misuses of national security letter authorities" to access confidential records, and withheld information from Congress on how often businesses were forced to turn over customer data.
Here in Canada, fear was also used to motivate changes to our civil rights and an immediate re-organization of governmental departments into one monster Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Preparation (DPS), similar in scope and work to the American Department of Homeland Security (DHS). There is more on this below, as well as a timeline of the changes.
Security measures since 9/11
The changes wrought by the terror attacks of September 11 to Canada's laws and practices vis-à-vis refugees and immigrants are significant. Political pressure to tighten the Canadian border has resulted in the promotion of a vaguely defined 'security perimeter' that would encompass perhaps the whole of North America. As part of this project, the Canadian government has moved towards greater harmonization of immigration security policies and practices with the U.S., including cross-deputation of intelligence and policing agencies.
The Canadian government in this period also signed the Safe Third Country Agreement with the United States, which enables the rejection of refugee claimants at the border and their return to the United States for processing, and passed the Anti-Terrorism Act, or Bill C-36. Bill C-36, passed mere months after 9/11, allows for the arrest of terror suspects without a warrant, compels individuals to give testimony at secret hearings, and enlarges the scope for state surveillance and ethnic profiling.
Dec. 18th, 2001 - The Anti-Terrorism Act became part of the Criminal Code. It was hustled through parliament by the Liberal government using their majority and procedure to shut down debate and stop amendments by the opposition.
The changes to the code are "aimed at disabling and dismantling the activities of terrorists groups and those who support them." It allowed citizens to be arrested and detained for up to 72 hours if they are suspected of planning a terrorist act.
The Three Primary Provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act (Bills C-36 and C-42)
* suppress existing terrorist groups
* provide police with new investigative tools
* strengthen prison sentences for terrorists
For a much deeper analysis, read this by Anil Hira and Douglas Ross of SFU:
Canada After 9/11: A Land of Deep Ambivalence
The Divergent Canadian Response to American Primacy and the 'War on Terror,' But Ever Deeper Continental Economic Integration
Canada's Military Budget
Under the Stephen Harper Conservative government, Canada's military budget has ballooned out of control and instead of sending our troops abroad on NATO and peacekeeping missions, Harper changed our Forces mandate, a proud Canadian heritage, and instead sent Canada into Afghanistan into an American war over oil, under the guise of ousting the Taliban.
It was only during this October 2008 Federal Election have Canadians learned that Harper's mission in Afghanistan has cost us $7.7 billion dollars over the past six years, and could reach $18.1 billion dollars by 2011. However, due to "a lack of government consistency and transparency" it is difficult to fully estimate
how much this American war will cost Canadians, both monetarily and in the lives of our Armed Forces serving there, for a false war.
2. Create a gulag - Guatanomo Bay. Let's quickly review how this relates to Canada. Stephen Harper, as Canada's Prime Minister, has allowed a Canadian child, Omar Khadr to be abused, tortured and imprisoned for YEARS in Gitmo. When all other nations had reclaimed their citizens from this gulag, Harper has left Omar there and his ignored the child's rights under United Nation conventions and treaties. Stephen Harper's heart is as black as his soul for that. And being a father himself, he is a sorry excuse for a human being to fail to stop the abuse and torture of this Canadian child, who has now spent a quarter of his life imprisoned and abused by the American government. Shame on Stephen Harper, Shame on the Conservatives and they've brought shame on Canada for their abandonment of this Canadian child.
Omar Khadr Project
In Canada, we have both federal and provincial jails. Thankfully, Harper hasn't branched out and started contracting out to build new prisons the way the Americans have in creating their prison industrial complex.
3. Develop a thug caste - Blackwater - A company that has reaped multi-million dollar (over $800 million in contracts) for mercenary work for the US in Iraq. The US government (the State Department ) has contracted out military operations. They operate outside of the law, they have been alleged to kill civilians and they are accountable to no-one.
Apparently they also have contracts to work inside the US too. And, a Blackwater-linked company is training Canadian troops. They are also involved in intelligence gathering. For whom they are doing that is a big question.
Blackwater mercenaries are operating inside the United States, as well as training Canadian troops down in Virgina, home of the FBI.
The Privatization of Fascism: 60 minutes piece on Blackwater
BlackWater-Lobby Canada Tory Government for Secret Funding?
http://www.freewebs.com/habeascorpuscanada/grounds.html
Blackwater training some Canadian troops
David Pugliese, CanWest News Service Published: Saturday, September 29, 2007
Select Canadian soldiers have been sent to Blackwater U.S.A. in North Carolina for specialized training in bodyguard and shooting skills. Other soldiers have taken counterterrorism evasive-driving courses with the private military company now at the centre of an investigation into the killings of Iraqi civilians and mounting
concerns about the aggressive tactics of its workers in the field.
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=414820f7-998a-496f-b41d-c033e5d6d168
Blackwater-linked firm to train Canadian troops
Aug 27, 2008. Woods. Ottawa Bureau: The Star.
The military gave notice this week of its intention to award an $850,000 contract for advanced counterinsurgency training to the Terrorism Research Center, a Virginia-based firm that specializes in terrorism training for military and law enforcement officials. The contract is for one year with the option for a two-year extension.
The counterinsurgency school, which boasts close links to the U.S. government, is listed as a branch of Total Intelligence Solutions, a company that is run by former director of CIA counterterrorism Cofer Black and Erik Prince, a former U.S. Navy Seal.
Blackwater Shadow Army: Youtube videos on Blackwater's "work"
4. Set up an internal surveillance system - Some of us with suspicious minds can't help but wonder at the timing of the proliferation of the new social world many of us inhabit - MySpace, Facebook, Yahoo, Google, Microsoft.
It is now possible for any of us to have our most personal information gathering and surveilled by anyone with mad skills enough to hack our accounts.
Within one generation, millions of citizens around the world are putting vast quantities of personal and private information out onto the Internet through social networking sites and in other ways that are easy to trace and observe by those with the intention and skills.
The ability to track people's movement online and in the real world have become easy ways to keep track of what people are doing, with whom and when, what they are buying and where they live. Another example that comes to mind, many people aren't aware that the new I-Phones have a built-in GPS so you can track people's whereabouts.
An interesting story has circulated around the web about Microsoft Vista is that they've built a backdoor which, if activated, opens one's computer up like a vault for people to take a peak. They've also been busy little bees developing technology to help law enforcement and security personnel access information from people's computers. Aren't you feeling oh so safe as you surf around the web?
Microsoft Gives Vista Backdoor Keys To The Police
Microsoft device helps police pluck evidence from cyberscene of crime
By Benjamin J. Romano. Seattle Times technology reporter
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoft/2004379751_msftlaw29.html
Many of the websites I get information from that are "off the beaten track" are regularly hacked and have their servers taken down. Sometimes this happens in unison to several of them at once. Videos are often removed faster from the 'net than people can get to see them, especially ones put out by those trying to get the word out about our rapid erosion of freedom, democracy and civil rights.
There isn't a doubt in my mind that me and some of my other activist friends are on some sort of "list" and are being watched online. Hell, I've been videotaped by police department members going to political events (everyone entering was
videotaped). This is a democratic, legal, local party meeting, here in Canada and our local police are recording citizens participation in these meetings. If that doesn't scare you I don't know what will.
Video - Marketing the Police State in Canada: Technology to Scan License Plates
Intelligence & Surveillance: Canada's No Fly List
Even though we don't hear much about it anymore, let's not forget Canada still has a "No Fly list." And once you're on that, even if it is a mistake, you're never coming off of it. And if US Customs has your name, you are flagged and searched. I don't even try to go down there anymore.
Passenger Protect: Canada's No Fly List
The government of Canada has created its own no fly list as part of a program called Passenger Protect.[40]
The Canadian list incorporates data from domestic and foreign intelligence sources, including the U.S. No Fly List.[41]
It contains between 500 and 2,000 names (that we're aware of).
Two main components:
1. "Specified Persons List" which includes the name, birth date, and gender of individuals believed to pose a security threat;
2. "Identity Screening Regulations" requiring all passengers who appear to be 12 years of age or older to present valid
government-issued ID before they are allowed to board a flight.[1] The list itself contains 1250 +- 750 names.
American Terrorist Watch List
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) also keeps a ACLU Terrorist Watch List Counter, which has well over 1 million Americans being "watched" by various US agencies, including the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Justice Department
"Among those caught up by the no-fly list are many infants and small children." Imagine for a second your child being identified and placed on a "terrorist list" by your own government.
There's no doubt in my mind that Canadian authorities have their own "intelligence" and surveillance watch lists, Harper & his minions taken virtually every page of Canada's strategies from the Bush administration.
5. Harass citizens' groups -
There has been widespread reports of the infiltration of community and activist groups and agent provacateur's being part of crowds during demonstrations on things such as the WTO, SPP and other anti-globalization meetings.
From Wolf's article:
There are reports in the US that anti-war, environmental and other groups have been infiltrated by agents: a secret Pentagon database includes more than four dozen peaceful anti-war meetings, rallies or marches by American citizens in its category of 1,500 "suspicious incidents". The equally secret Counterintelligence Field Activity (Cifa) agency of the Department of Defense has been gathering information about domestic organisations engaged in peaceful political activities: Cifa is supposed to track "potential terrorist threats" as it watches ordinary US citizen activists. A little-noticed new law has redefined activism such as animal rights protests as "terrorism". So the definition of "terrorist" slowly expands to include the opposition.
In Canada, we know so little about steps our own government has taken to infiltrate and harass citizen and community groups. I think most Canadians also know little about how our government has organized, or re-organized our external and internal defense, safety and emergency planning systems since 2001.
Department of National Defence (DND) and Canadian Forces
December 2003 - The Canadian government undertook a reorganization of the federal government, DND was in charge of emergency preparedness and response in Canada.
The Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness was created in 2003. Liberal MP Anne McLellan was the first Minister under Paul Martin, Liberal Prime Minister.
DPS's "responsibility is for protecting Canadians and helping to maintain a peaceful and safe society....The department is in many ways similar to the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, though it does not cover the protection of maritime
sovereignty." What this did was re-organize a number of Canadian agencies under one department, with one Minister.
Also in 2003, the following departments were placed under DPS's mandate and control:
* Canada Border Services Agency
* Royal Canadian Mounted Police
* Canadian Security Intelligence Service
* Correctional Service Canada
* National Parole Board
In March 2003 Day and Harper co-wrote a letter to The Wall Street Journal in which they condemned the Canadian government's unwillingness to participate in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Day later appeared as a speaker at a "Canadians for Bush" rally in the Niagara region, organized by controversial right-wing minister Tristan Emmanuel.
April 4, 2005 - The Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Act came into force.
Feb. 1, 2006 - Canada Command was formed, which is the Canadian Forces organization responsible for all routine and contingency Canadian Forces operations in Canada and continental North America. What operations are they undertaking in Canada & the US?
February 6, 2006 - Conservative Stockwell Day was appointed Minister of DPS by Stephen Harper. Things go from bad to much, much worse.
I think it is fair to ask on what grounds does Day have the experience, knowledge, or intelligence to be in charge of such an important department. This is a man whose highest level of education is high school. He was unable to finish
bible college (Vanguard), or university (Univerity of Victoria).
In his work, prior to using his daddy's political connections, he was an assistant pastor and school administrator in a fundamentalist Christian school, which came under fire for exposing students to anti-semitic teachings in the small community in Alberta. While sitting as a provincial MLA, the Government of Alberta had to pay out $792,064 in taxpayer funds to settle a defamation suit brought on by Day's words toward a lawyer. He also frighteningly was a believer of the Young Earth creationism, whose adherents often "believe that the scientific evidence supporting evolution, geological uniformitarianism, or other theories which are at odds with a literal interpretation of the Genesis creation account, is either flawed or misinterpreted."
February 14th 2008 - The Civil Assistance Plan (CAP) was signed between Canada (Stephen Harper) & the United States(George Bush), US Northern Command.
The purpose of the Canada-United States Civil Assistance Plan (CAP) is to provide a framework for the military of one nation to provide support to the military of the other nation in the performance of civil support operations.
Stephen Harper, Conservative Prime Minister signed this agreement secretly, without ever telling Canadian citizens about it. Canadians only found out when it was announced in the American media. Harper has now tied Canada to an agreement where American troops can come across our border at the call of the Canadian government and Canadian forces can cross the border to operate on American soil in case of a civil emergency.
There is no information available to the Canadian public whether American armed forces in Canada will be subject to Canadian laws, civil, or military. There is no information available about who American armed forces would be under the rule of, who they are accountable to, or what body Canadian citizens could make complaints about their conduct while they are operating in Canada.
It's fascinating to read a story like the one mentioned below when placing it into context that Canada has a fundamentalist Conservative Minister in charge of the RCMP. So, in spite of reliable, expert research, review and articles published by
world reknowned peer reviewed medical journals, we have our national police force contracting Conservatives to do research to refute the findings of real research efforts that support the continuation of a medical program that has scads
of real evidence to demonstrate Insite is working and in what ways.
RCMP Quietly Funded Study Critical of Insite Effort
Tory minister cited report in effort to close safe injection clinic.
By Monte Paulsen (Wednesday, October 8, 2008). Thetyee.ca
See Part 2 for More.
6. Engage in arbitrary detention and release
7. Target key individuals
8. Control the press
9. Dissent equals treason
10. Suspend the rule of law
