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Topic: Agent Orange Gagetown (Read 7765 times)
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Young Ken
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Fort York - 2 RCR 67-70 * 1 RCR Recce 70-74
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Dear Editor,
In response to "How one file set off Schreiber's string of mystery payments
- Mulroney's Atlantic minister speaks out on proposed arms plant By GREG
MCARTHUR, From the Globe and Mail, March 14, 2008.
Although what I wish to talk about has very little to do with this Mulroney/Schreiber project nor the creation of an arms plant it never the less demonstrates that Ottawa does not always work in the best interest of Canada or for that mater Canadians. Wile spending Canadian tax dollars in their for what can only be described as self interests and suggested rewards from private firms and/or interest groups such as in this case German-Canadian lobbyist Karlheinz Schreiber and later in what has come to be known as the Quebec Ad Scam project, Ottawa has demonstrated that when there is big money and Lobbyists', there is also corruption and side deals at the expense of Canadians.
It goes without saying that when you are talking about the military or political gains or loses there are millions to be made both legally and under the table from things as simple and seemingly benign as letters of intent or as it appears in the case of Mr. Cadman, their vote in the House of Commons.
But all of the above cases have been made public for ordinary Canadians to see only if they are caught in the act and so it bothers me that there must be dozens of others that go un-reported and therefore also neglected by the law as well as Government.
One such case which in my view should have been looked at if for no other reason then the world wide monies and the over abundance of Lobbyists found in almost every countries capitol is Chemical defoliation products used (yes you guessed it) in the Military in such places as CFB Gagetown, why it was for over 50 years a better kept secrete then the US atomic weapons testing and why successive governments absolutely refuse to have any formal (Public Inquiry) body look into the Gagetown Defoliation affair.
It really makes people wonder who if anybodies pockets were lined or toped up for
Canada to have tested these later to be used as weapons in Vietnam by the US
Military, why after discontinuing in 1964 the use of what later came to be known as Agent orange at CFB Gagetown, Canada would invite the US Military to spray it yet again in 1966 and 1967 and even why the affected soldiers have still to this day never been informed of the possible health consciences related to these chemicals.
Yup! Sure makes you wonder.
Cpl. Kenneth H. Young CD (Ret'd).
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Young Ken
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In response to "Harper urges China to 'show restraint' in Tibet," found in
the CBC and CTV News online as well as many more news media throughout
Canada.
Dear Editor,
It is quiet amusing to hear that Stephen Harper and his Conservatives after
Gagetown and the farce of a compensation package announced there would still
believe that anyone out there is even listening to what he has to say. They
have shown their true colors and I guess they have shown how to use that
restraint Mr. Harper is talking about against their own people.
Then again I suppose that Ottawa could always teach China how to defoliate
their problems away or as Liberal MP Kevin Martin puts it, "Do it for their
own good and so that a branch doesn't fall on their heads." I am sure that
the Chemical industry has some left over (one time Ottawa Registered) 2,4-D
and 2,4,5-T or Tordon with Picloram already mixed in storage dumps around
the country which they would be more then happy to sell to the Chinese
Government, for a fee of course.
In my opinion, we (Canada) could send as a demonstration of our friendship
to China Canadian DND spokes persons to teach their counter parts the, "You
can drink it defense," or maybe the, "do you realize how much you would have
to ingest before it became a problem," run-around, if the chemicals are ever
found in the soil followed shortly there after by a CanTox report claiming
how safe the soil is regardless of its content.
Ottawa could show China the math and how it is cheaper to pay off, less then
one percent of any leftover remaining victims after 50 years, forget the
dead and disallow any future victims, rather then do any meaningful
clean-up.
Then Canada could lend China Veterans Affairs Minister Greg Thompson to
teach Chinese officials the ultimate $20,000 ex gratia Government white-wash
maneuver along with the "it was registered," defense, so that like Ottawa in
the case of Gagetown, China can run around, putting on airs, with Holier the
thou attitudes and tell other countries how to show some restraint when
dealing with their people.
Ottawa could write this up, package it and sell it off to third world
countries with population or domestic problems as --- let's see now--- OH
yes--- they could called it the "GAGE-TOWN MANEUVER" with the "EX-GRATIA,"
Government only loop-hole, solution.
Ain't democracy great? We live in a country where even the lowly Politicians
have the right to kill their own soldiers and citizens, as long as they
Ex-Gratia it years later, of course.
Cpl. Kenneth H. Young CD (Ret'd).
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Young Ken
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In response to the article, "Ottawa to pay farmers $50-million to slaughter
hogs," by PAUL WALDIE AND JOE FRIESEN, found in the Globe and Mail on April
15, 2008.
Dear Editor,
Stories that he federal swine plan to pay hog farmers up to $50-million in
total to slaughter as many as 150,000 breeding politicians... opps I think I
must have misspoke and have somehow got that reversed and I sincerely
apologies to any and all Hogs who were wrongly identified with those
unprincipled facsimiles who work in Ottawa, have again angered Gagetown
Victims. Some Victims went so far as to suggest that the ruling party, would
prefer their Gagetown soldiers like the Hogs dead and that Hogs like
Gagetown soldiers are worth more to Ottawa dead then alive.
Ottawa offering Farmers four times the current worth of a breeding Sows, but
only after the entire herd has been slaughtered was somewhat of a surprise
to Gagetown Victims because Ottawa, not long ago refused to pay any
compensation to anyone foolish enough to have died before Stephen Harper
came to power at least when it came to Gagetown Chemical contamination. Then
again Soldiers who can no longer fight for Ottawa are worth nothing as far
as they are concerned and four times nothing is exactly what Ottawa offered
the Victims.
In any case it is all hog wash and Ottawa would like both us Gagetown
Victims and the Hogs herds totally wiped out and forgotten about for the
next three years.
Cpl. Kenneth H. Young CD (Ret'd).
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Young Ken
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In reply to all the, "Maxime Bernier," stories.
Dear Editor,
When there is an election, want-to-be MP's make promises to the people and based solely on the promises that they have made, voters will inevitably decide to elect or reject their bid for office.
When MP's are sworn into office they make pledge to serve their voters and to do what is in the best interest Canadians and Canada.
When Cabinet Ministers make oath to serve this country and the people in it as well as to perform their duties in accordance with accepted standards for National and international security and secrecy.
Yet Canada and the Canadian Voted are treated to a seemingly endless trail of lies during elections, MP's who after election vote with the cooperation's against the best interest of the Canadian public and then there is Maxime Bernier playing fast and loose with documents related to the NATO summit in Bucharest.
So far all that seems to have been required of him was his resignation from Cabinet. He hasn't left office, no one is looking at his breach of Oath and the PM continued on with his daily routine as if it was just another day in Canadian politics.
With Prime Ministers who in my opinion outright lie to the Canadian Public for no other purpose then to get elected with absolutely no repercussions, (Chrétien with his famous, "If I am elected we will remove the GST," and Harper with his infamous " If elected I will help all the Victims of CFB Gagetown toxic chemical spraying.") is there any wonder that the people under them feel no need to follow regulations, Oaths or responsibilities to the Canadian Voter?
If Canada can't trust the words of either the Party leaders or their Prime Minister what make us think that we should have any trust in their underlings? If the Verbal contracts which MP's give to us during an election are neither actionable nor can be upheld in a court of Law, what's the point of elections and their campaign speeches?
If Mp's can brake their oath of office without repercussions why are soldiers expected to stick to theirs, why are witnesses in a court expected to tell the truth and why do we even bother to have oaths in the first place?
Couldn't all Oath breakers claim the Bernier, Greg Thompson, Stephen Harper and / or the Chrétien defense, or better yet the, "Opps sorry Misspoken," Canadian Parliamentary Defense.
Cpl. Kenneth H. Young CD (Ret'd).
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ranrad
Ron [Andy] Andrews
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I fully agree Ken, and tho i hate the thought of doing the right thing , investigating ..properly, and if required federal charges being laid, in order that those breaching the law are brought to justice... it is beyond the time that it be done..this is no small matter, it creates an aura of un ease amongst all citezens, and i believe Mr Bernier must be investigated thoroughly.. and.. if charges are warranted .. they be laid.. and ,yes , i believ the penalty of death by firing squad is still on the books for crimes such as those alleged here.. gruesome??? no dang doubt it is...but.. the Nations Security restws on this...terrorism?? it is happening from within the corridors of our own House of Parliament...lets do what is right and necessarry...ranrad
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RCAF,CAF, converted RCR?,1RCR 74-77 CD: SSM (Nato);CPSM,;UN-Cyp.; UN- Golan
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Young Ken
Veteran 300+ Member
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Posts: 397
Fort York - 2 RCR 67-70 * 1 RCR Recce 70-74
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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=359&objectid=10513138 Tears at long-awaited words 5:00AM Thursday May 29, 2008 By Claire Trevett Colonel John Masters, here with wife Alison and Government Helen Clark. Photo / Mark Mitchell. Yesterday retired Colonel John Masters finally heard the words he had waited for so long. Colonel Masters _ the last commander of 161 Battery Royal NZ Artillery in the Vietnam War _ was one of about 50 veterans present as Prime Minister Helen Clark formally apologised for the lack of recognition afforded to New Zealand's Vietnam servicemen. The apology included acknowledgment of the poor treatment meted out to many soldiers on their return to New Zealand, and included further apologies for the refusal of successive Governments, over 40 years, to acknowledge the veterans' claims. The veterans, many of whom were in tears, watched as MPs from across the political spectrum stood to endorse the apology. Many of those MPs had, in younger years, protested against the war. There was, too, a formal acknowledgment of the folly of reports which suggested New Zealand forces were never exposed to Agent Orange, and a vow from both Labour and National to repudiate those reports. Colonel Masters played a pivotal part in the Government's ultimate rejection of the Agent Orange denials. Maps he owned showing Agent Orange spray zones disproved the 1999 Reeves Report and 2003 McLeod Report research, which said New Zealand troops were not in areas where Agent Orange was sprayed. The formal Crown apology is part of a 2006 agreement between the Government and veterans, which includes grants of up to $40,000 for those with a small range of specific health issues _ including cancers and skin disorders _ known to result from Agent Orange exposure. It also set up a trust for veterans and their families, which can give out about $500,000 a year in grants. Of around 3300 New Zealanders who saw active service in Vietnam, 38 were killed in action; 616 (nearly 20 per cent) have died since returning home. For Colonel Masters _ now deaf in one ear, battling cancer and depending on a walking frame to move around _ it had been a long wait. ``Many people would say that it came far too late. ``I would say, yes, I agree, I think it came too late. But it came. It was said. ``For me it was a great moment.' Yesterday's apology also acknowledged the war's effect on Vietnam, and the damage inflicted on its people, cities, ports and countryside. National leader John Key said the war had been a period of ``bitter sentiment' against those who served. ``But the New Zealanders who were asked to serve in this war were not responsible for the decisions taken by politicians at the time and they should not have been treated as if they were.' Returned Services Association president Robin Klitscher _ an Iroquois helicopter pilot in Vietnam _ acknowledged not all former servicemen would be happy with help now given to veterans, but it was an important and ``appropriate' moment. ``The controversy that surrounded our participation in that war took a blender to the normal standards and values that normal soldiers would have expected and those soldiers expected when they came home, and didn't get.' Margaret Jubb _ a nurse in the war from 1967 and 1968 _ said the unanimous voice with which the politicians spoke made it mean more. ``I think most of the veterans here felt the same way. I think it's given people ... who have problems [an opportunity] to know they will be heard and their request dignified and given consideration.' ************************* Cpl. Kenneth H. Young CD (Ret'd).
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Mike Blais
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A ROYAL CANADIAN "NEVER PASSES A FAULT"
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Spraying compensation crusader dies
Published Tuesday June 3rd, 2008
A3
By MICHAEL STAPLES
An outspoken advocate for chemical spray compensation at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown is being remebered for his dedication to the cause.
Jim Cadger passed away Saturday at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital - one day after suffering a heart attack.
Cadger's involvement over the last few years with the Agent Orange Association of Canada, and more recently through Agent Orange Alert, kept the issue in the forefront and provided veterans and others with an important contact.
"In recent years Jim was a driving force in the battle to seek dignity and compensation for the victims of the CFB Gagetown N.B. defoliant sprayings," said colleague Art Connelly of Agent Orange Alert. "His efforts to help and organize the victims, as well as educate the public, saw him make various trips throughout New Brunswick meeting with and assisting people with compensation and Veteran Affairs applications. Jim was especially gifted at having the ability to just sit and listen and offer a shoulder and hope to those victims."
Cadger was critical of the federal government last fall when it announced a $95.6-million compensation package for veterans and civilians affected by Agent Orange spraying by the U.S. military at Gagetown during the 1960s. Those who qualify and meet a number of medical requirements are eligible for a one-time $20,000 ex-gratia payment.
Cadger, who maintained that a public inquiry was needed, said the package fell short and left too many people out.
In an April 22 letter to The Daily Gleaner, Cadger declared that the battle for compensation was far from over.
"It is a crying shame that the limp attempt at resolving the issue by giving a very limited number of people a small amount of money has the general public convinced that it is all over and there is nothing more to be done," Cadger wrote. "Much is being done as the battle for a truthful recognition of the situation continues daily on many fronts."
Gloria Sellar, the woman who sparked the Agent Orange controversy, said she was saddened by the news of
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