Mar. 8, 2022

Utter disaster of Canada’s politics experienced first hand

This exchange is as a result of my wife and I meeting with our local Member for the Legislature. I had asked in the meeting for an opportunity address the member’s Party caucus to present an overview of the Constitution Act 1982 of Canada that I helped create. This is the reply I received today from the member’s assistant and my reply. 

‘Good morning Brian and Carol, 

I am just following up with you both after your meeting with MLA Walker on February 18th. Adam has discussed with the caucus outreach coordinator the request you have made for a presentation and meeting with a group of MLAs during session. The request has been formally denied based on the inability by you to provide a slide deck to our office for us to pass on to caucus in advance of said meeting. Additionally, the request for a 1 hour meeting has been denied based on the scheduling of session, as the pre-determined times for outreach meetings where MLAs are in attendance have already been filled. 

If you would like me to schedule another meeting with Adam for you, please let me know, as I am happy to do this for you. 

Cheers, 
Claire Stechishin - Constituency Assistant for Adam Walker, MLA Parksville-Qualicum’

‘To: Mr Adam Walker – MLA 

How sad! You cannot even sign your name to a letter to a constituent. 

I remember when I first got elected to a Provincial Legislature and how proud I was to write back to a constituent with my own signature. That the citizen knew I cared enough about his or her issue that I would personally respond and take ownership. And,of course, because I was that person’s elected representative; I was accountable and responsible to my constituent—-he or she paid my salary with their taxes. Your assistant is responsible to you not me. 

When process and red tape becomes the condition on whether a constituent can address your caucus we now know why in my public talks here in your own constituency and on Vancouver Island generally there is such cynicism towards Governments’ ability to confront their issues. You make it impossible for you to hear, to listen, to appreciate, to understand. 

In my particular case I naively thought that you and your caucus would find a process whereby the only living First Minister who helped craft the Constitution Act 1982 would be given some latitude to speak to that Act. This, I thought, would be especially true given this Act contains The Charter of Rights and Freedoms( first time in our history we have a written document to protect the rights and freedoms of all Canadians)  which many contend, including me, has been violated by your Government and by all the Governments of Canada in allegedly mitigating a manufactured emergency. For example, I have actually taken the Federal  Government to court over their particular travel mandate. 

In our meeting your lack of understanding of the Charter was breathtaking. It was as if  I was talking to a by law officer for a Municipality, not an elected Representative of the People to a Provincial Legislature, a position that obligates you to know and understand our Constitution. It was another pothole that had to be addressed.  

Your Government has introduced measures which violate various sections of the Charter including Section 2,6, 7, 15. And no Government has made any attempt to justify their unconstitutional actions. Your Government wrongly believes that they are protected by Section 1 of the Charter but this is a big mistake. Section 1 was not intended to apply to this circumstance. And even if it did, for arguments sake, apply, no Government in Canada, including yours,  has met the four tests of that section —demonstrably justify, with reasonable limits, by law, in a free and democratic society. Nor has any Government addressed the principles underlying the Charter in its preamble: ‘supremacy of God and the rule of law. ‘ 

It was this and many other points that I wanted to discuss with your caucus so that they were aware of the context and the bargain that was  struck in achieving The Constitiution Act of 1982 which involved many other issues like : seventeen months of talks, the Federal Government’s unilateral action half way through the talks that failed in the Supreme Court, indigenous people and their rights, minority language rights, equalization and regional disparity, an amending formula, and non renewable resources.  

 You seemed unaware in our meeting that many people are suffering as a result of your Government’s unconstitutional measures. Your Government has caused people their jobs, families are divided, people have died as a result of delayed surgeries and appointments caused by unnecessary lockdowns, and people have been unable to see loved ones on a timely basis and with compassion. There is even a study out of our own Provincial University, Simon Fraser, by Professor Douglas Allan, demonstrating from 80 studies the harm that has been done. Hundreds of such studies globally validate Dr. Allen’s work. 

Science also opposes many of the things your Government has done, from masks, to PCR tests, to go home and get sicker, to deadly vaccines, all the while undermining the use of adequate levels of vitamin D not to mention the many early treatment protocols that were available and ignored. 

I feel obligated to distribute this exchange widely because the people need to know just how our Provincial  Government works, personified  as it is through you actions in this instance.’

Honourable A. Brian Peckford P.C.
Last Living First Minister Who Helped Craft the Constitution Act 1982 and Chairman, Taking Back Our Freedoms. 

READER COMMENT

Re Brian Peckford's piece on the disaster of Canada's politics, not only are these lackies unfamiliar with Canada's Constitution, they have no idea who you are Brian.
– Gord Bibby