I Love Snow!!!!

I am Canadian. I love snow. I love to play in the snow. See Don play. Play Don play. Actually this is not me, but I know what I am doing tonight!

Horray...The're Home...and Goodbye See Ya Soon Mom!

My daughter Debbie just got back from Pheonix last night. She went with her cousins to visit Opa. The three ladies had a wonderful time. They went all over the place. They spent a day in Mexico, bartering for goods. My wife like Hair Clasps and now has a large collection. I like Mexican Blankets and they got me a really cool one. Its so nice to have them back. I always worry when seperated from those I love. I need to get over that. The three ladies looked so good. Young, pretty, intelligent, self confident and well adjusted. I am blessed and I imagine Opa felt quite blessed as well. Deb paid for her ticket with her own money. She worked hard and the flight wasnt cheap. She really loves her Opa and I am sure it was a trip that they will never forget.

So now my mom leaves for Kyrgyzstan today. In fact she is probably getting ready for customs as we speak. She will visit with my brother and the crew and she has a wonderful project that she is working on. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to say but nonetheless she will be a very positive influence and help in many ways. My Mom is a special woman, so I ask you to join me as I pray for her safety.

Lord God, thank You for how you have blessed me with family and friends. Lord God, I pray that You would protect and encourage my mom and brothers family. Lord God would You continue to bless us, and Lord may we be a good testimony of Your love and faithfulness and would You give me the courage to shout Your name from the highest hilltop.

amen

Reading On.....

So I read in the bath tub for a couple of hours last night...prune..yes

I came across a number of other views on the "Rupert River" loss. As Rink Rat pointed out, there are 2 sides to every coin. In support of that notion, here are some quotes I found at National Geographic.

Namagoose, now the executive director of the High Council of the Cree, defends the agreement against some environmentalists' claims that it is a sale to the devil. "They want us to go down fighting for the sake of environmental protection," he said. "[But] every nation should be allowed to benefit from the extraction of its natural resources. That's the concession we see in our present situation."

So in other words, we do it all the time. Why cant they? Interesting but true.

"The Cree people are living in what can only be described as extreme poverty," said David Boyd, a professor of environmental law at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia. "Their leaders made a decision—a very difficult decision, I'm sure—to sacrifice some of the environment to reap the economic benefits of development in their region."

I also read that the output of the Hydro project is the equivilent of XX number of Nuclear plants. (cant rememebr but is was mid boggling) Do I like Nuclear power...no. So we get into a "best worst scenario" Where the hydro going to come from to fuel our demand?

In the National Geographic article, they suggest going to the people who are creating the demand. Where there is demand, there is sale. And we have proven time and again that we are willing to sell our futures for today... Am I willing to change my lifestyle? I want so badly to say yes, but I fear the answer is no. Is this the heart of the issue?
Have the Cree people already given up on their way of life?
Does the leadership represent the people?

I will read on.

Waskaganish - Goodbye Rupert...I'm sorry

A few years ago I heard a very compelling interview with an Indian Chief regarding the impact of “turning off” the Rupert River. This chief was part of a community of around 2000 people who lived up on James Bay where the Rupert River meets James Bay. This is a Cree village and is one of many such villages scattered around that area.

As you may or may not be aware, Hydro Quebec is proceeding with another phase of the James Bay Hydro Electric Power Project. This phase of the project will involve redirecting the Rupert River to the newly to be created reservoir. The diversion will apparently result in an 80 decrease in the river flow.

As a friend and I were exploring the possibility of a grand road trip up the James Bay Highway, I realized in geographical terms, the extent of this hydro project. I also learned that not only was a major paved highway installed, but that roads had been put in to reach these otherwise remote Cree Communities.

As I looked at the map, I recalled the interview with the Indian Chief. The community is known as Waskaganish. The access road was built in 2002. Older maps refer to this Community as Rupert House. A light bulb went off. Suddenly I remembered my Canadian History and Geography. Turning back to the history books, I learned or remembered how this was the location of the first Hudson Bay Trading Outpost.

This outppost was established in 1668. The ships would come from the old world brining goods and supplies to the Trading Post. The Crees and other Aboriginal groups would bring pelts to trade for goods. This was the beginning of our nation.

This land was “given” to Prince Rupert and much of early Canada was known as Ruperts Land. The Rupert River marks the spot of our first real meaningful and cooperative interactions with the Native people. This spot at Waskaganish is a very relevant to me as it reflects a more accurate ownership of this land….the Cree people.

Call me a tree hugger, but when the Rupert River gets turned off, that will mark a dark day for us all. Our insatiable appetite for electricity will result in the loss of true Canadian and perhaps more importantly True Cree Native identity. These people lived off this land for 1000’s of years. Crees have been living off rivers like the Rupert as a way of life.

Thanks to the “soon to be destroyed” Rupert River, We will all be able to run our airconditioners all day even when we are not there. We will be able to leave every light on in the house with no concern of the cost. We will be able to get bigger and better TV’s, more appliances and other magical electrical devices….Shame on us.

And when I go and visit Waskaganish, with great shame, I will go to the Chief and apologize. It wont bring the river back and it wont restore the Crees way of life. My apology will not address our years of bullying these people. It wont address the loss of habitat and wild life. It wont address the years of hardship and unknown results of our “progress” My apology wont do what I really want…….and neither will my tears.

Goodbye Rupert….I’m sorry