Opinion
Will we spend One Hundred Million Dollars for a faster horse
Henry Ford was supposed to have stated; “ If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” It is often said but never proven, but it is indicative of the situation at the time.
I think of this statement, when I am involved in a survey, a planning committee, a budget meeting or anytime at all, when I am involved with planning.
Ford built cars, precipitated somewhat, to the industrial revolution and turned transportation on it’s ear, among many other things. Studebaker took longer to decide to switch from building horse drawn covered wagons to building gas powered vehicles. Today the decision was obvious, but then it required visionaries to buck the established thought and the status quo.
Do we have any visionaries in Red Deer willing to buck the status quo? Is the decision to spend $100 million on the downtown recreation centre just the same as deciding to retarp the covered wagon. Should we build a new aquatic centre in another location, like the area north of the river by Hazlett Lake?
When the Collicutt Centre was first considered it was also a highly controversial item that garnered strong opinions from all sides. Who today, would say it was the wrong decision to go forward? Especially since it is the most widely used facility in Red Deer and helped spur growth in the south east sector of Red Deer.
That discussion was around thirty years ago. The Collicutt Ctr. Itself is closing in on 20 years of age , now. The city is almost twice the size, as when Collicutt was first discussed, but there is no discussion now, about building an aquatic centre in the north west in the thousands of acres of undeveloped land coming up for development around Hazlett lake north of 11A.
So do the citizens of Red Deer want to invest $100 million in a faster horse downtown, or should we build a gas powered tourist vehicle by Hazlett Lake visible to Hwy2 and Hwy11a, traffic? Can we discuss this? Who will buck the established thought or will we just get our faster horse?
Alberta Sheriffs Branch
Crown appeal against acquitted peaceful protestor Evan Blackman back in court June 19
News release from the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms
The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announces that a hearing date for Evan Blackman’s summary conviction appeal has been set for June 19, 2024. The hearing will take place at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Ottawa.
The Crown’s evidence against Blackman at his trial consisted of a 14-minute drone video, with no sound, and the testimony of one officer from the scene. For nine minutes of that video, Blackman is seen as part of a group of protestors standing across from a line of police officers on Rideau Street in downtown Ottawa. Blackman is shown de-escalating the situation by holding other protestors back and putting his hand up to stop them from confronting the officers. He is then seen kneeling in front of police for the five minutes prior to his arrest. At one point, while on his knees, he takes off his hat, puts his hands on his chest, and starts singing Canada’s national anthem.
The Ottawa Crown Attorney’s Office is appealing Blackman’s acquittal on charges of mischief and obstructing the police relating to his participation in the Freedom Convoy protests, specifically on February 18, 2022, the day police conducted an “enforcement action” – clearing Ottawa city streets following the invocation of the Emergencies Act by the federal government four days prior.
Blackman was acquitted after a one-day trial on October 23, 2023. The Justice Centre provided lawyers for Blackman’s defence at that trial and continues to support him throughout this appeal.
At trial, Mr. Blackman pled “not guilty” to all charges. The judge dismissed the case against him due to limited evidence and the poor memory of a police witness on key elements of the criminal offenses.
After his February 18, 2022 arrest and release the same day, Blackman discovered his three bank accounts had been frozen pursuant to the Emergency Economic Measures Order.
Chris Fleury, lawyer for Blackman, notes that if his client had been convicted, his intention was to bring an application for a stay of proceedings under section 24(1) of the Charter, seeking a remedy for the freezing of Mr. Blackman’s bank account. If Mr. Blackman’s acquittal is overturned on appeal, he intends to file this application.
Chris Fleury says, “The limited evidence available at Mr. Blackman’s trial showed Mr. Blackman attempting to de-escalate a volatile situation between police and protestors on February 18. He pled not guilty to the criminal offences that he was charged with, and the trial judge ultimately agreed and found him not guilty. This appeal is an attempt by the Crown to reframe findings of fact that they disagree with as legal errors. Mr. Blackman and I are looking forward to our day in Court at the appeal hearing.”
From StosselTV
As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump promised to “drain the swamp.” He didn’t.
Trump made government bigger. He hired new employees, doubled federal spending, and started a bunch of new programs. Now the swamp is bigger.
In our new video, Economist Ed Stringham explains the real way to drain the swamp is to cut the spending that swamp creatures feed on.
After 40+ years of reporting, I now understand the importance of limited government and personal freedom.
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Libertarian journalist John Stossel created Stossel TV to explain liberty and free markets to young people.
Prior to Stossel TV he hosted a show on Fox Business and co-anchored ABC’s primetime newsmagazine show, 20/20.
Stossel’s economic programs have been adapted into teaching kits by a non-profit organization, “Stossel in the Classroom.” High school teachers in American public schools now use the videos to help educate their students on economics and economic freedom. They are seen by more than 12 million students every year.
Stossel has received 19 Emmy Awards and has been honored five times for excellence in consumer reporting by the National Press Club. Other honors include the George Polk Award for Outstanding Local Reporting and the George Foster Peabody Award.
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