’WPCÅ œoĘp7`KĪ5£pD`åt4[ŲrzDµ+Ī 5OM˜ōčõ šApŸRzT9łFcyŽ4Cź„CX‹,ĻČŗ5Ä!Lē«ļ9O}7q7„Ķ Ū 4¼‚—0r„¶į]<+½)Ķ=.Ŗ»`œ8óU[, óWEę&¬7m¢Ļ~żŠ–Cķ©śĆūl8^Č· _æopą/ĻhIÖĘØYŅßFóz3<ˆn<žN‹x}ŻŽó„ł{Č©ćĬ"šDٚÄUßÜ%É>°„üC“oųā¤ö#žž›½ķŃPŁn3·Q}fqŪ¢J½¤“Įś§%/ĶĢīZī„w'‡æļXēņ*=c}Ƃ×üq:ö£{h-¶øšd‰Q3‡źź*=P#T”żÓßōO€¦h4ĪŗĢņ¦;‹)tńÖŲzbeDŪ+Łß„G“S_:eÖoŸ3¬ģFI]M>œžu÷ėĻ+ˆ»©”l½öf‹bIv”#a ŽœlȾœmüµŠ©l,և¢÷»5²5ęvæź€V’oAŚ`1NÖåņ¶}žÄ÷Y-HC“<‹O YHrtĆ;l‚0a-TņęŌö˜ß<=N¦ƒYt©¼™Ź¦ÓĖ€|  #Į¶UNw %Å 06ĖN^ w4"6 m8vO˜Brother MFC-6000,,TT,,0šaź® Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(+G$””ŌCEUSŌ3|xN©;9 g3ź:i¢Ų+00 ’U‹’ĄĄĄ Ų 5 ' all0all .   Ż ƒ+G!ŻŌCEUS.,ŌŻ  ŻŌ_ŌŌ€»nH»XXŌDemocracy€250ą ø ąą  ąą h ąą Ą ąą  ąŠ ° ŠNewcomer€Storiesą ø ąą  ąą h ąą Ą ąą  ąą p ąŠ Ä Šby€Bill€Ō_ŌKrampeŌ_ŌŠ Ų( ŠĢI€heard€the€words€but€at€first€I€did€not€fully€realize€the€implications,€or€rather€theŠ  P Šņ ņņņlegacyóóó ó€of€what€I€was€hearing.€€Former€Premier€Doctor€John€Ō_ŌHammŌ_Ō€was€speaking€inŠ  d Šthe€famous€room€full€of€the€huge€political€portraits,€that€is,€the€Red€Room€of€theŠ ( x ŠNova€Scotia€Legislature€in€downtown€Halifax,€on€Thursday€evening,€September€18,Š < Œ Š2008€for€one€of€the€many€ņ ņņņDemocracy€250€ó óóóevents.€€We€all€know€this€building€by€itsŠ P   Šfamiliar€name:€Province€House.€€This€evening€the€Democracy€250€event€focus€wasŠ d“  Šabout€refugees€and€immigrants€who€have€decided€to€call€Canada€home.€€They€spokeŠ xČ  Šabout€their€experiences,€including€for€some€of€the€speakers,€a€compare€and€contrastŠ ŒÜ  Šperspective€regarding€their€home€country€versus€their€lives€since€arriving€here.Š  š  ŠĢThe€Democracy€250€events€are€all€about€celebrating€250€years€of€democracy€inŠ Č ŠNova€Scotia,€the€first€place€in€North€America€that€witnessed€an€electedŠ Ü, Šrepresentative€democracy,€obviously€an€awesome€leap€in€the€evolution€ofŠ š@ Šgovernment,€to€be€sure.€€Dr.€Ō_ŌHammŌ_Ō€was€recounting€the€earliest€days€of€thisŠ T Šrepresentative€democratic€breakthrough.Š h ŠĢ"The€first€elected€representatives€had€to€pass€a€very€Ō_ŌrigourousŌ_Ō€and€difficult€politicalŠ @ Šlitmus€test.€€They€had€to€be€white.€€They€had€to€be€male.€€They€had€to€be€at€least€aŠ T¤ Šnominal€part€of€the€wealthy€power€structure€in€so€much€as€they€had€to€be€substantialŠ hø Šland€owners.€€And€they€had€to€be€part€of€the€congregation€of€the€Church€of€EnglandŠ |Ģ Šor€the€Presbyterian€Church."Š ą ŠĢWow,€I€thought€to€myself.€€ņ ņņņThe€WASPS€[White€Anglo€Saxon€Protestants]€inŠ ø  Šcontrol!óóó ó€€Of€course€this€used€to€be€what€passed€for€democracy!€€So€what€else€isŠ Ģ! Šnew?€€And€has€the€world€really€changed€all€that€much?€€I€shall€let€the€reader€museŠ ą"0 Šabout€ņ ņņņAtlantica,€ó óóóalso€known€as€ņ ņņņSecurity€and€Prosperity€Partnership.€€ó óóóAtlantica€isŠ ō#D Šall€about€control€and€management€of€Nova€Scotian€society€by€again,€mostly€whiteŠ %X  Šmales€sitting€at€the€helms€of€Lockheed€Martin,€Ō_ŌManulifeŌ_Ō€Financial,€Ō_ŌSuncorŌ_Ō€Energy,Š &l! ŠChevron€and€Wal€Mart.€€Executives€from€these€corporations€along€with€governmentŠ 0'€"  Šofficials€and€others€have€been€meeting€in€secret€for€five€years;€one€of€the€mostŠ D(”#! Šrecent€clandestine€gatherings€was€in€June,€2007€in€downtown€Halifax,€Nova€Scotia.€Š X)Ø$" ŠĢĢĢŠ Ø-ų(& ЇThis€autocratic€assembly€wants€to€drain€the€water,€oil,€gas€and€electricity€out€ofŠ ° ŠNova€Scotia€and€the€rest€of€Canada,€while€quickly€dismantling€the€public€healthcareŠ Ä Šsystem,€making€tuition€so€expensive€only€the€sons€and€daughters€of€the€rich€needŠ Ų( Šapply.€€And€forget€about€the€social€safety€net,€with€its€programs€for€immigrants,Š ģ< Šstudents,€women€among€others.€€Gone!ņņņ ņ€€ó óóóAlso€Atlanticaššs€plans€include€doing€awayŠ  P Šwith€whatššs€left€of€the€union€movement.€€So€Democracy€250,€and€democracy€inŠ  d Šgeneral€has€its€challenges,€if€the€will€of€the€people€is€to€be€heard€and€followed.€Š ( x ŠAnyway,€onward€and€forward.€€Letššs€review€what€this€eveningššs€event€was€allŠ < Œ Šabout?Š P   ŠĢTo€begin€with€a€ņ ņņņrant€ó óóówas€displayed€on€the€big€video€screen€in€the€Red€Room.€€ThisŠ xČ  Šlively€and€rhythmic€presentation€was€about€the€history€of€government€andŠ ŒÜ  Šdemocracy€in€Nova€Scotia,€and€beyond.ņņņ ņŠ  š  ŠĢó óóóJoanne€Ō_ŌMacraeŌ_Ō,€chair€of€the€board,€also€office€coordinator€Marie€Kettle€and€stafferŠ Ą ŠLauren€Dale€organized€this€special€evening€in€the€Red€Room€on€behalf€of€ņ ņņņŌ_ŌARISSŌ_ŌŠ Ō$ ŠAtlantic€Refugee€and€Immigrant€Services€Society.óóó ó€€They€did€a€great€job€with€theŠ č8 Šhelp€of€the€evening's€moderator€ņ ņņņStreet€Feat€Editor€ó óóóJuan€Carlos€Ō_ŌCanalesŌ_Ō€Ō_ŌLeytonŌ_Ō,€anŠ üL Šimmigrant€from€Chile€who€has€resided€in€Canada€for€about€30€years.Š ` ŠĢAfter€the€rant,€opening€remarks€and€welcomes€were€conducted,€the€panel€ofŠ 8ˆ Šspeakers€was€introduced:€Dr.€Ō_ŌHammŌ_Ō,€Juan€Carlos,€Maria€Ō_ŌVasilevaŌ_Ō,€originally€fromŠ Lœ ŠRomania,€Christian€Vega€from€Mexico,€Joseph€Ō_ŌNyemahŌ_Ō€from€Liberia€and€Ali€Ō_ŌDualeŌ_ŌŠ `° Šfrom€Somalia€who€made€it€abundantly€clear€how€wonderful€and€precious€democracyŠ tÄ Šis€in€Nova€Scotia€and€Canada.€€It€made€me€pause€a€bit€regarding€my€own€personalŠ ˆŲ Šrant€involving€Atlantica.€€I€thought€if€I€could€see€things€through€the€eyes€of€a€refugeeŠ œģ Šlike€Ali€I€might€be€a€little€more€circumspect€in€my€criticisms.€Š °  ŠĢMaria€Ō_ŌVasilevaŌ_Ō€came€to€Canada€in€2004.€€She€spoke€about€her€life€as€a€high€schoolŠ Ų"( Šteacher€in€Romania€and€how€the€revolution€of€1989€experienced€the€end€ofŠ ģ#< Šcommunism€in€her€home€country.€€"Now,"€she€stated,€"Romania€has€many€freedoms.€Š %P  ŠFreedom€of€speech,€freedom€from€fear€for€many€people.€€Back€during€the€reign€ofŠ &d! Šcommunism€if€you€were€the€victim€of€a€crime€in€many€cases€you€feared€going€to€theŠ ('x"  Šauthorities€more€than€the€criminal€who€victimized€you.Š <(Œ#! ŠĢĢĢĢŠ  -š(& ЇĢ"So€people€feel€they€can€speak€out€more€now.€€But€there€are€many€freedoms€thatŠ Ä Šaren't€so€good€for€the€everyday€working€people.€€There€are€the€freedoms€involvingŠ Ų( Šcapitalism.€€There€is€the€freedom€of€wild€capitalism.€€There€are€the€freedoms€ofŠ ģ< Šprices€for€the€capitalist€enterprises.€€Thus,€there€is€the€freedom€of€inflation.Š  P ŠĢ"Also€corruption€and€bribery€are€the€order€of€the€day€now.€€To€receive€someŠ ( x Šnominal€health€care,€you€have€to€bribe€your€way€through€the€system.€€The€elites€areŠ < Œ Šin€power€now€and€the€legislative€process€is€often€oriented€to€maintaining€thatŠ P   Šcontrol.€€Poverty€is€rampant.€€The€law€is€skewed€against€the€common€person.€Š d“  ŠSomeone€who€is€hungry€and€might€steal€a€little€bit€of€food€could€conceivably€getŠ xČ  Šconvicted€and€have€to€spend€15€years€in€prison!€€Such€is€the€indication€of€a€lack€ofŠ ŒÜ  Šbalance€in€the€workings€of€the€criminal€justice€process€now.€€Crime€and€sentencingŠ  š  Šare€out€of€balance,€completely.Š “  ŠĢ"But€there€is€also€some€good€news€since€the€ouster€of€communism.€€Some€healthŠ Ü, Šcare€initiatives€are€taking€hold€.€.€.like€free€prescriptions€and€free€vaccinations.€€ButŠ š@ Šthe€shadow€of€rigid€communist€control€still€haunts€society,€even€though€someŠ T Šdemocratic€processes€are€slowly€evolving€.€.€.theyššre€at€the€baby€steps€stage,€now."Š h ŠĢChristian€Vega€had€many€dark€and€disturbing€tales€to€tell€about€life€in€Mexico.€Š @ ŠChristian€immigrated€in€2006,€much€in€part€to€get€away€from€the€violence€ofŠ T¤ Ševeryday€life€in€his€home€country.€€Voting€and€other€forms€of€democracy€have€aŠ hø Šfalse€face,€he€maintained.€€Democracy€in€Mexico€is€a€sham€and€a€false€simulation,Š |Ģ Šhe€emphasized€during€his€presentation.€€Elections€involve€corruption€that€is€huge,Š ą Šespecially€with€many€government€leaders€Ō_ŌcomplicitŌ_Ō€in€Ō_ŌnarcotraffickingŌ_Ō.€€ChristianŠ ¤ō Šstated€that€the€only€real€option€to€seek€economic€relief€for€the€vast€numbers€of€poorŠ ø  Šand€oppressed€people€was€for€them€to€make€their€way€to€the€USA€to€seek€outŠ Ģ! Šopportunities€there.€Š ą"0 ŠĢThe€election€in€2006€was€especially€instructive€regarding€how€things€work€inŠ %X  ŠMexico.€€There€was€much€corruption€regarding€the€Vincente€Fox€PresidentialŠ &l! ŠCampaign.€€He€seemed€to€start€off€as€a€champion€of€the€people.€€He€promised€manyŠ 0'€"  Šreforms,€and€an€end€to€corruption.€€But€then,€a€corrupt€reality€intervened.€€TheŠ D(”#! Šdifference€between€the€winning€side€and€the€losers€was€only€one€half€of€one€percentŠ X)Ø$" Šof€the€voting€totals.€€Talk€about€close!€€The€losers€demanded€a€recount.Š l*¼%# ŠĢĢŠ Ø-ų(& ЇĢVote€buying€was€in€evidence€during€this€campaign,€also€intimidation.€€People€wereŠ Ä Šharassed€regarding€for€whom€they€would€vote€and€also€frightened€in€such€a€way€toŠ Ų( Škeep€them€from€the€voting€booths.€€The€main€federal€elections€organization€thatŠ ģ< Šfacilitated€the€national€vote€refused€to€entertain€the€request€for€a€vote€recount.€Š  P ŠBecause€corruption€prevailed!€€Then€a€second€request€was€rejected,€also!Š  d ŠĢThere€is€only€a€patina€of€democracy€in€Mexico.€€A€superficial€PR€representation€of€aŠ < Œ Šfair€and€equitable€government.€€If€you€are€one€of€the€lucky€ones€protesting€thisŠ P   Šhideous€corrupt€state€of€affairs,€you€are€branded€a€traitor€and€jailed.€€The€unluckyŠ d“  Šones€are€simply€murdered.€€Violence€and€murder,€Christian€was€explaining,€are€theŠ xČ  Šorder€of€the€day.€€So€far€in€2008,€there€have€been€2000€murders€and€these€are€theŠ ŒÜ  Šresult€of€intrigues€involving€political€corruption€and€Ō_ŌnarcotraffickingŌ_Ō.€€ActuallyŠ  š  Špolitical€corruption€and€Ō_ŌnarcotraffickingŌ_Ō€go€hand€in€hand,€with€respect€to€manyŠ “  Šgovernment€officials.€€Back€in€2000€there€was€some€talk€of€cleaning€up€government,Š Č Šbut€in€the€end€the€status€quo€remained.€Crime,€complicity,€organized€intrigues€withŠ Ü, Šthe€drug€cartels€prevailed,€and€still€prevail.Š š@ ŠĢBut€there€has€been€some€evidence€of€the€enforcement€of€law€and€order€in€all€of€thisŠ h Šmess,€so€at€least€there€has€also€arisen€a€little€bit€of€hope.€€It's€the€good€guys€againstŠ ,| Šthe€bad€guys€now,€said€Christian.€€On€one€side€is€the€left€and€the€poor.€€On€theŠ @ Šother,€the€rich€elites€who€control€everything.€€Š T¤ ŠĢSo€mostly,€despite€a€few€glimpses€of€positive€change,€democracy€is€simply€€notŠ |Ģ Šworking€in€Mexico,€Christian€lamented.€€If€you€speak€out€you€are€jailed€orŠ ą Šmurdered.€€Thousands€of€supporters€of€the€opposition€are€now€in€jail.€€To€seek€aŠ ¤ō Šbasic€normal€life,€the€only€viable€strategy€is€to€flee.€€To€the€border€with€the€USA,€orŠ ø  Šbeyond.Š Ģ! ŠĢJoseph€Ō_ŌNyemahŌ_Ō€came€to€Canada€from€Liberia€in€2005.€€His€home€countryŠ ō#D Šexperiences€compare€and€contrast€with€those€in€Canada,€that€is,€his€observations€ofŠ %X  Šgovernance€and€social€organization€in€both€countries.€€But€when€it€comes€to€Š &l! Šelections,€he€has€watched€the€tremendous€violence€taking€place€in€Liberia.€€TheŠ 0'€"  Špoliticians€in€opposition,€are€often€the€victims€of€much€intimidation,€and€thus€theŠ D(”#! Šcorrupt€incumbents€always€triumph.€€This€is€mostly€because€they€have€unfairŠ X)Ø$" Šadvantage:€they€have€much€largesse€and€access€to€all€kinds€of€mechanisms€andŠ l*¼%# Šdevices€of€the€nation€state€at€their€beck€and€call,€according€to€Joseph.Š €+Š&$ ŠĢŠ Ø-ų(& ЇĢAnd€one€of€the€most€disruptive€influences€against€a€fair€and€proper€democraticŠ Ä Šfunctioning€of€government€was€the€15€year€civil€war€fought€on€Liberian€soil.€€ThisŠ Ų( Šwar€did€much€to€skew€and€scuttle€the€attempts€at€building€democracy.€€The€warššsŠ ģ< Šconsequences€destabilized€well€intended€efforts€at€creating€good€government€inŠ  P Šgeneral,€and€in€trying€to€normalize€its€institutions,€in€particular.Š  d Š€ĢJoseph€also€articulated€the€problems€with€democracy€and€society€here€in€NovaŠ < Œ ŠScotia€and€in€Canada.€€Civic€participation€is€in€trouble€what€with€the€stats€regardingŠ P   Švoter€turnout,€especially€among€young€people,€which€is€partly€why€the€entireŠ d“  ŠDemocracy€250€event€was€planned€in€the€first€place.€€Access€to€resources€of€allŠ xČ  Škinds€for€the€everyday€working€person€often€proves€problematic,€and€there€is€theŠ ŒÜ  Šproblem€of€subtle€racism€and€various€forms€of€discrimination€alive€and€well,Š  š  Šunfortunately.€€Joseph€also€sees€many€issues€dealing€with€class€divisions€in€CanadaŠ “  Šand€in€Nova€Scotia.Š Č ŠĢJoseph€mused€about€transferring€social€and€political€ideas€back€home€to€Liberia.€Š š@ ŠBut€he€maintained€that€such€an€intention€was€fraught€with€problems.€€Like€the€one€ofŠ T Šelitism.€€That€he€might€be€dismissed€by€the€common€people€as€being€elitist,€himself.€Š h ŠMany€people€back€home€suffer€from€class€divisions€and€a€lack€of€education€muchŠ ,| Šmore€extremely€than€in€Canada.€€And€people€who€protest€unfair€treatment€byŠ @ Šgovernment€are€the€targets€of€intimidation€and€violence.€€People€often€complainŠ T¤ Šabout€being€Ō_ŌmarginalizedŌ_Ō€by€the€unequal€and€unfair€application€of€law€by€the€powersŠ hø Šthat€be.Š |Ģ ŠĢThere€was€another€point€Joseph€hinted€at€but€did€not€fully€explain,€yet€it€did€kind€ofŠ ¤ō Štickle€the€political€imagination.€€About€the€idea€that€democracy€should€not€be€seenŠ ø  Šas€a€one€size€fits€all,€off€the€shelf€endeavour,€and€that€the€advanced€industrializedŠ Ģ! Šcountries€did€not€possess€all€the€answers.€€But€Joseph€spoke€of€a€different€idea.€€TheŠ ą"0 Šidea€of€a€Canadian€democracy,€a€Nigerian€democracy,€a€Liberian€democracy,€etc.€Š ō#D ŠThat€in€maybe€each€of€these€democratic€configurations,€that€the€specific€needs€of€aŠ %X  Šcountry€be€taken€into€account,€forming€more€of€the€foundation€of€governance,€that€isŠ &l! Ša€needs€driven€formulation,€rather€than€a€textbook€recipe€from€university€campuses,Š 0'€"  Šor€the€applicable€government€ministries,€perhaps?Š D(”#! ŠĢĢĢĢŠ Ø-ų(& ЇĢAlso€he€questioned€about€what€he€has€learned€in€Canada€and€whether€these€ideasŠ Ä Šcould€be€taken€home€to€Liberia?€€Several€points€were€emphasized:€access€to€allŠ Ų( Škinds€of€resources€for€the€average,€everyday€man€and€woman.€€Also,€civicŠ ģ< Šparticipation€is€a€huge€issue.€€But€one€of€the€barriers€to€civic€advocacy€is€whether€orŠ  P Šnot€the€general€population€is€ready€for€the€exercise€of€democracy?€€Or€educatedŠ  d Šenough€to€begin€to€accept€the€idea?€€Because€there€are€issues€with€respect€to€theŠ ( x Šdifferent€ethos€in€the€land.Š < Œ ŠĢThe€ideal€in€Canada€is€that€if€you€dream€it,€you€can€make€it€happen.€€If€you€aspire€toŠ d“  Šsomething,€you€can€achieve€it.€€In€Liberia€your€social€and€economic€station€isŠ xČ  Šdetermined€by€your€ranking€at€birth.€€People€from€elite€families€are€born€into€powerŠ ŒÜ  Šand€wealth,€and€they€experience€an€unfair€advantage€when€seeking€the€much€soughtŠ  š  Šafter€opportunities€in€work€and€life,€compared€to€the€average€person.€€ObviouslyŠ “  Šhuge€challenges€still€exist,€and€much€hard€work€needs€to€be€done.Š Č ŠĢAli€Ō_ŌDualeŌ_Ō€came€to€Canada€10€years€ago.€€He€spoke€passionately€and€powerfullyŠ š@ Šabout€democracy€in€Nova€Scotia€and€in€Canada.€€Coming€from€his€home€country€ofŠ T ŠSomalia,€it€is€not€much€of€a€stretch€to€understand€why€he€felt€so€deeply€about€ourŠ h Šgovernmental€processes€and€democratic€way€of€life.€€In€Somalia,€he€never€once€hadŠ ,| Šthe€chance€to€vote€at€any€time€for€any€person.€€Most€of€the€rest€of€the€world€do€notŠ @ Šhave€a€chance€to€experience€democracy€like€it€is€Ō_ŌpracticedŌ_Ō€here€with€freedom€ofŠ T¤ Šmind,€and€freedom€of€thinking€your€own€thoughts,€let€alone€freedom€of€speech€andŠ hø Šthe€many€other€freedoms€that€people€enjoy,€according€to€Ali.Š |Ģ ŠĢAli€is€concerned€that€many€Nova€Scotians€and€Canadians€are€familiar€with€the€wordŠ ¤ō Š"democracy"€but€do€not€really€know€what€it€means.€€In€Somalia,€governance€is€allŠ ø  Šabout€power.€€He€asserted€that€colour,€religion,€language€really€make€no€difference.€Š Ģ! ŠIt€is€all€about€power.€€The€families,€the€tribal€groupings€are€what€it's€all€about€inŠ ą"0 ŠSomalia.€€There€is€no€democratic€government.€All€tribes€are€unique€and€they€allŠ ō#D Šwant€power.Š %X  ŠĢAccountability€is€something€Ali€spoke€about€as€well.€€He€lauded€the€nature€ofŠ 0'€"  Šholding€people€and€government€accountable.€€There€is€no€accountability€in€Somalia.€Š D(”#! ŠIf€one€is€lucky,€one€is€born€a€king,€lives€the€life€of€a€king,€dies€a€king€but€along€theŠ X)Ø$" Šway€there€is€no€accountability.€€However,€for€those€born€a€follower,€that€unluckyŠ l*¼%# Šperson€or€family€is€always€and€forever€a€follower.€€And€then€there€are€refugees.€€"AŠ €+Š&$ Šrefugee€is€the€lowest€form€of€human€being,"€said€Ali€quite€sombrely.€€"I€am€aŠ ”,ä'% Šrefugee€from€Somalia.€€And€I€arrived€in€Canada€without€knowing€a€single€word€ofŠ Ø-ų(& ŠEnglish.Š ° ŠĢĢ"With€Democracy€250€we€have€much€to€celebrate,"€said€Ali.€€"In€Canada€I€am€a€freeŠ ģ< Šhuman€being,€a€respected€human€being.€€There€is€so€much€to€celebrate€due€to€thisŠ  P Šfact.€€I€am€a€free€human€being€in€Nova€Scotia,€a€free€human€being€in€Canada.Š  d ŠĢ"If€I€ever€go€back€to€Somalia,€I€have€much€to€tell€my€friends€there.€€I€have€learnedŠ < Œ Šso€much€about€equal€and€fair€alternatives€to€everyday€life€compared€to€Somalia.€€If€IŠ P   Šever€go€back€I€have€much€to€teach€to€those€oppressed€and€less€fortunate.€€TheŠ d“  Špeople€of€my€home€country€must€learn€from€my€stories€about€living€in€a€free€society,Š xČ  Šlike€how€life€is€lived€in€Nova€Scotia€and€in€Canada."Š ŒÜ  ŠĢAlso,€Ali€is€the€first€black€African€Canadian€firefighter€in€Ō_ŌHRMŌ_Ō.€€Much€of€hisŠ “  Šsuccess€in€landing€such€a€job€he€attributed€to€the€kind€and€generous€help€of€anŠ Č Šimmigrant€friend.€He,€said€Ali€"Has€been€a€mentor€and€a€nurturer€for€me€while€IŠ Ü, Šhave€been€struggling€to€settle€down€in€Nova€Scotia.€€He€has€been€such€a€greatŠ š@ Šfriend.€€When€I€first€heard€about€the€job€on€the€Canadian€Broadcasting€Corporation'sŠ T Šcall€for€more€minorities€in€the€fire€department€and€elsewhere,€I€Ō_Ōhesitated.MyŌ_Ō€friendŠ h Šencouraged€me€encouraged€me€to€apply.Š ,| ŠĢThe€Ō_ŌfriendŌ_Ō€nurtured€Ali€through€the€entire€process,€until€he€successfully€landed€theŠ T¤ Šjob.€€This€has€turned€out€to€be€Ali's€first€full€time€job,€as€well.Š hø ŠĢFinishing€off€the€evening€were€several€stories€of€immigration€to€Canada€from€peopleŠ ą Šin€the€audience€as€well€as€Juan€Carlos's€experiences€about€what€motivated€him€toŠ ¤ō Šleave€Chile€and€come€to€Canada€30€years€ago.€€It€was€all€about€governmentŠ ø  Šcorruption.€Š Ģ! ŠĢJuan€Carlos€was€enjoying€a€successful€career€in€the€Ministry€of€Chilean€FolkloricŠ ō#D Šactivities€when€he€found€out€about€a€billing€scam€involving€Ministry€administratorsŠ %X  Šwhen€it€came€to€cashing€cheques€of€clients€who€had€discontinued€their€participationŠ &l! Šin€the€folkloric€programs,€for€whatever€reason.€€They€were€making€out€like€a€banditŠ 0'€"  Šuntil€Juan€Carlos€notified€officials€in€the€government€about€the€abuse.€Š D(”#! ŠĢĢĢĢŠ Ø-ų(& ŠŌ_Ō‡ĢĢWhat€happened€was€a€real€eye€opener€for€him,€and€a€civic€lesson€he€will€neverŠ Ų( Šforget.€€He€was€let€go,€and€the€folkloric€program€was€shut€down€in€an€act€ofŠ ģ< Švengeance.€€The€guilty€parties,€however,€were€transferred€to€another€posting€inŠ  P Šgovernment,€like€no€problem.€€Juan€Carlos€was€outraged.€€But€what€could€he€do,Š  d Šwith€the€present€configuration€of€such€a€corrupt€system?€€He€thought€about€lookingŠ ( x Šelsewhere€for€a€place€to€call€home.€€His€mind€began€to€drift€northward.€€NorthwardŠ < Œ Što€Canada.Š P   ŠĢOne€of€the€final€stories€was€this€writer,€Bill€Krampe's€accounting€of€he€and€his€wifeŠ xČ  ŠKristinššs€immigration€journey€to€the€promised€land,€Canada,€in€1974.Š ŒÜ  ŠĢ"My€story€is€all€about€economics.€€It€is€not€a€tale€of€corruption,€like€so€many€weŠ “  Šhave€heard€tonight.€€There€were€no€threats€of€imprisonment€or€torture€due€to€ourŠ Č Špolitics€or€because€of€how€we€cast€our€ballots.€€There€were€no€police€thugs€comingŠ Ü, Šinto€our€home,€beating€us€into€submission.€€Nor€government€secret€agents€trackingŠ š@ Šour€every€move€and€every€telephone€conversation€and€harassing€us.€€Yet€there€wereŠ T Šand€still€are€abuses€of€power€in€my€home€country,€but€all€this€pales€in€comparison€toŠ h Šthe€stories€we€have€heard€this€evening.€€At€the€time€of€our€immigration,€my€wife€andŠ ,| ŠI€lived€in€Seattle,€Washington.Š @ ŠĢ"I€was€born€and€raised€in€New€York€City,€and€my€wife€was€born€and€raised€inŠ hø ŠSeattle.€€Anyhow€our€motivation€to€come€to€Canada€was€all€about€economics.€€MyŠ |Ģ Šwife€and€I€realized€we€were€running€out€of€money€and€also€running€out€ofŠ ą Šemployment€prospects:€we€had€to€find€jobs.€€And€to€do€this€we€had€to€get€out€ofŠ ¤ō ŠSeattle.€€Poor€Seattle€was€all€but€a€ghost€town€with€the€huge€layoffs€at€BoeingŠ ø  ŠAircraft,€the€biggest€employer€in€the€region.Š Ģ! ŠĢ"We€decided€we€liked€living€in€the€Pacific€Northwest€region,€especially€on€theŠ ō#D Šcoast.€€So€I€bought€an€old€beater€Buick€and€we€hit€the€road.€€Oregon's€mainstayŠ %X  Šindustries€in€the€woods€did€not€provide€relevant€employment€opportunities€for€us,Š &l! Šand€obviously€nor€did€Washington€State.€€So€our€third€choice€was€British€Columbia.€Š 0'€"  ŠThird€choice!€€It€doesn't€sound€like€we€came€to€Canada,€do€or€die.€€A€life€and€deathŠ D(”#! Šstruggle€like€so€many€who€come€here.€€But€our€job€search€motivations€were€real,Š X)Ø$" Šnevertheless.€€And€British€Columbia€was€boomin'€baby!€€That's€it!€Š l*¼%# ŠĢĢŠ Ø-ų(& ЇĢĢš šWe€jumped€through€some€hoops€for€our€immigration€papers€to€be€filed,€ourŠ Ų( Šnumerical€assessments€to€be€calculated€(age,€education€and€career€path€counted€forŠ ģ< Šso€many€points,€as€did€other€factors€in€the€numerical€grading€system).€€AlsoŠ  P Šinterviews€had€to€be€conducted€and€our€applications€had€to€be€reviewed.€€Finally,Š  d Šwe€passed€muster€with€all€the€requirements,€and€the€rest€is€history.€€Š ( x ŠĢAs€for€me,€after€receiving€landed€immigrant,€or€permanent€residence€status,€I€laterŠ P   Šdecided€to€make€Canada€my€home,€permanently,€and€applied€for€CanadianŠ d“  ŠCitizenship.€€I€went€before€the€Prince€Rupert,€B.C.€Citizenship€Court€on€January€22,Š xČ  Š1980€and€gratefully€received€my€Canadian€Citizenship€certificate.€€As€time€went€on,Š ŒÜ  Šhowever,€eventually€my€wife€and€I€made€different€plans,€and€as€a€result€have€sinceŠ  š  Šgone€our€separate€ways;€she€living€in€British€Columbia,€me€in€the€wonderfulŠ “  ŠMaritime€Province€of€Nova€Scotia!šš€Š Č ŠĢYes,€I€bitch€and€groan€about€the€Nova€Scotian€power€elite€and€the€questionableŠ š@ Šgovernment€responses€to€issues€of€the€day,€but€I€am€glad€to€be€here€at€home€in€NovaŠ T ŠScotia,€Canada.€€Yet€I€still€maintain€that€ņ ņņņAtlanticaššs€ó óóóreach€is€long€and€broad€and€theŠ h Šthreats€to€our€democratic€way€of€life€is€real.€€This€free€trade€strategy€is€eating€awayŠ ,| Šat€and€eroding€democracy€here€more€and€more€and€turning€it€into€a€strange€andŠ @ Šunfamiliar€thing,€a€beleaguered€thing.€€Holy€jumpinšš€catfish,€as€they€say€in€NovaŠ T¤ ŠScotia.Š hø ŠĢ[3000€words]Š ą Š