Surrey Syrian Refugee Update - Salam Alaikum

I just wanted to throw out there another real life experience and update on the Syrian Refugee status in Surrey. As I previously mentioned, I was thrilled to discover we had a family of Syrian refugees move in literally next door. So when the Lord asked, who is my neighbour I can truthfully declare, the Syrian refugees are. They have four wonderful young children. Two boys and two girls who are absolutely adorable. Those parents have to be doing something right. Their kids are fun, friendly, polite and respectful. Take my word for it, as a parent in Surrey, you want your kids hanging out with these kids. They are a good influence on our kids.

The kids are always smiling saying hi over and over again and I enthusiastically wave back whenever I see them. I asked my daughter how you say hello in Arabic and she said Salam Alaikum so I tried it out on the oldest boy. I said Salam Alaikum to him and he just looked a little confused. I was worried I didn't say it right so I said Is that right? Salam Alaikum? Then it sinks in and he says yes, Salam Alaikum. I guess he was just shocked I was trying to speak Arabic.

He goes inside, tells his mother and she comes out laughing all excited so I repeat it to her and she eagerly replies Alaikum Salam. She explained when someone says Salam Alaikum to you the customary response is Alaikum Salam. So that's what we say every time we see each other. Literally it means peace be unto you kind of like how in Punjabi you say Sat Sri Akaal which literally means Truth is the ultimate God. I always thought it mean God is good but Wikipedia clarifies it. I met the father a few times and shook his hand telling him he has wonderful kids because he certainly does. Then the other day we get a knock on the door and it's the mother wearing a full Hijab holding her English homework that she's having trouble with.

Through sign language I understand she wants help with her homework. She wanted us to read it out to her. There is a list of phrases: My name is, I am from Syria, In Canada we have four seasons, In Syria we have four seasons and so on. She can't practice it because she can't read the script. She has what the words mean in Arabic written beside each word but that doesn't help her with the English pronunciation. My daughter comes down who teaches English to refugees as a volunteer in her spare time and starts helping her. Then she asked my daughter to come over so she can help her with her homework and I said have at it.

Later my daughter calls me on her cell saying she was having a wonderful time and that they wanted me to come over. I said I'm not going over there unless the husband is home. She says, no the husband is inviting you over. I said sure. Then texted back and said it's getting late and I have to get up at 5 AM so let's make it for tomorrow instead.

So last night they invited us over for dinner and it was amazing. All sitting on the floor around a table full of food sharing a traditional Arabic meal with their wonderful family. It was awesome. It was like visiting the Middle east in my own back yard only better. You don't get those kind of experiences at a hotel or resort. The food was fantastic. They put roasted almonds in the rice. It was delicious. I'm going to start doing that. I worked with a Caribbean chef in London many years ago and he explained they put black eyed peas in the rice hence the name of the rap group. It's awesome. So is roasted almonds in the rice.

One of the things I finally began to understand was the Hijab. When my daughter went over the wife took her hijab off and they just chilled. Turns out the wife is only three years older than my daughter and says they are like sisters. It's wonderful. When I came over for dinner she put the Hijab back on because that is the tradition.

A few years ago my daughter found a funny picture people were sharing on facebook. It was a woman wearing a Hijab at the mall with two different boxes of hair dye in her hand trying to decide which one to buy. Westerners thought it was funny because who cares what colour your hair is when no one can see it. Then a Muslim girl comments and says she is trying to look good for her man not for every dog that looks at her on the street. My daughter laughed out loud and said whoa shots fired! The Muslim girl slammed the infidel. It was funny and made sense.

So next time you see a woman wearing a Hijab remember she doesn't have a bomb. She just loves her husband and doesn't want every dirty old man checking her out. It's that simple.

When you think about it, if you're walking down the street in New York City and see an Orthodox Jew wearing his traditional clothing, who cares? That is his right. When you are in Dublin and see a Catholic Nun wearing her traditional clothing, who cares? That is her right. Just like when you see a Muslim woman wearing a hijab in Surrey. Who cares? That is her right. And when you think about it, is it really that different? The traditional clothing looks very similar to that of a Catholic Nun. Harris J - Salam Alaikum. Peace be unto you.



From a distance we look the same.

Surrey Shootings - Update

Kevin Diakiw from the Surrey Now is reporting that there were two more recent shootings in Surrey. One on Monday night and the other Tuesday night (Tonight). "At about 7:45 p.m., Surrey RCMP received a call of shots fired at the busy Newton intersection. When officers arrived, they found evidence of gun violence and later determined shots were fired between vehicles. The suspect vehicle was seen fleeing from the area and the targeted car has since been found. No one was shot in the incident, but a male sustained minor injures from shattered glass."

"At about 2:20 a.m. Monday, police were called to report of shots fired in the 7600-block of 135 Street. Mounties found evidence at the scene but no victim. Moments later, Surrey RCMP received a call from an Abbotsford hospital reporting someone showed up with gunshot wounds saying it happened in Surrey. The two latest shootings bring to 35 the number of shots fired incidents in Surrey so far this year."

Update: News 1130 is reporting that a man has been shot in East Vancouver around 3:00 PM this afternoon (Wednessday) near Nanaimo and Dundas.

Former spokesman for B.C. RCMP charged with sex assault - Update

CBC is reporting that "Tim Shields, a former spokesman for the RCMP in British Columbia, has been charged with sex assault. According to a statement released by the Criminal Justice Branch, the criminal charge has been approved against the former Mountie as a result of an investigation into sexual misconduct alleged to have occurred between 2009 and 2010."

"At the time of the alleged incident, Shields was the officer in charge of strategic communications at E division headquarters. The complainant was a civilian employee with the RCMP. The single charge of sexual assault was sworn in B.C. provincial court today. Shields is scheduled to appear in court on June 27. The RCMP suspended Shields in May of 2015. He retired from the force in December 2015."

Finally. What's surprising is that Craig Callen didn't promote him along with Bill Fordy. Evidently his case was too public for a promotion. Tim Shields has two civil lawsuits for sexual harassment. Bill Fordy and Craig Callen did nothing about the first one. After the second one he was suspended with pay.

Update: Check the dates. CBC is reporting that the sexual misconduct was alleged to have occurred between 2009 and 2010. That's interesting timing. 2010 was the Vancouver Winter Olympics which was a wonderful success. One of the dark incidents that was alleged to have occurred was the RCMP smuggling a prostitute in a hockey bag on board a cruise ship for security personnel and the accusation of a female police officer getting raped by another officer at the drunken party. I would hate to think there were two alleged RCMP rapes that year.

Tim shield denies the allegation. No doubt in his mind it was consensual given the Caligula event. Perhaps he was simply too drunk to realize no means no. However, Global is reporting that the ringleader of that circus, Craig Callen claims it actually happened in the BC RCMP Headquarters. Sounds a lot like Don Ray who was transferred to the BC RCMP Headquarters after his shameful disgrace in Alberta. Birds of feather all get promoted together. How's that new RCMP bar on site doing? I don't see any breathalyzers set up outside for after they drive home drunk from the office.

This all speaks to the climate of unprofessionalism that permeates the force. MaCleans wrote about it and stated "When Montague was named to the RCMP’s integrated security unit for the 2010 Olympic Games, Wright says Montague’s desk was placed in a storage closet, where she was stationed for months, isolated from the team’s male leadership, despite having a senior leadership position as director of communications."

Kinda shows what the climate of unprofessioanlism was like among the RCMP leadership during the 2010 Olympics. It hadn't changed from when Catherine Gallagher was RCMP spokesperson during the Pickton investigation. These are all "Friends Of Craig Callen - the FOCCERS" as they are referred to on the force.

This same climate of unprofessionalism permeated IHIT during the Surrey Six investigation. First we had the charges split because one of the officers had an affair with one of the witnesses. Not surprisingly his coworkers covered it up like always. During the Surrey Six trial one witness admitted on the stand that she engaged in sexual banter while drunk with the police officers. She said that was OK because it was consensual. Didn't occur to anyone how unprofesional that might be when conducting an investigation of that magnitude.

One has to wonder why it really took over 6 years for criminal charges to be laid in this case. Did they pull a Jim Brown and give him paid leave until he had enough years in to retire with a full pension? If we want to address the climate of unprofessionalism within the RCMP, Craig Callen and Bill Fordy have got to go. That's all there is to it. Until that happens, all we are gettinging is more lies and disinformation as more people join the class action lawsuit.

Fentanyl Fatalities

CBC is reporting that drug overdoses are still rising in the interior mostly due to Fentanyl.

Gatekeepers patching over to the Hells Angels in Nova Scotia

Rumor has it that a few Gatekeepers in Nova Scotia are patching over to become Hells Angels today. Dave "Hammer" MacDonald from the London Ontario Hells Angels is suposed to be in town for the event. Most of the Gatekeepers are just low level wannabes. Perhaps some of the presidents will get patches. It will be interesting to see how the hammer falls so to speak. It will also be interesting to see if the government steps in to seize their clubhouse (again).

The London Free Press reported that "The Gate Keepers in London trace their origins to longtime London biker David (Hammer) MacDonald. He controlled a group called the H-Crew Motorcycle Club and in 2013, had those members patch over to the Gate Keepers, according to testimony at a liquor licence hearing involving a Hells Angels member." H-Crew stood for Hammer Crew. He must be a fan of MC Hammer. David MacDonald left the Outlaws as its president in 2001 and patched over to the Hells Angels. L&R sold out to the highest bidder.

Vancouver Gang shooting

CTV reported that there was a gang related shooting at Oxford Street and Skeena Street in east Vancouver last Tuesday. "A man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds was found in the backyard of a home."

The Peace Arch News reported that the gang unti arrested two people in a White Rock residence last Tuesday. "During a search of the premises Tuesday night, police found substances and paraphernalia consistent with what is believed to be an illegal synthetic drug lab."

The Prince George Citizen reported that Jamie Wade Fatum, 24, has been charged with attempted murder against a suspect in relation to last Friday's shooting outside a Prince George apartment building.

Postal Banking in Canada - Update

CBC is reporting that the Liberal government has created a pannel to hear from Canadians about the future of Canada Post. Saving door to door delivery is on the table. So is the possibility of creating a Postal Bank. I oppose the privatization of Canada Post not because I'm a dinosaur but because I oppose increased taxes. Canada Post is a cash cow for the government. It is an efficient company that makes profit and pays dividends. If they privatized Canada Post they would lose all that tax revenue and have to raise taxes to make up the difference.

Yes I used to work at the Post Office. I used to be a Letter Carrier for over 10 years. I was metaphorically, a child of a mixed marriage. My father was LCUC and my mother was CUPW. I could speak at great lengths about the shotgun wedding between the two very different unions and the subsequent animosity and raiding. Yet like any other child from a bad divorce, I recognize that every parent and every person has good and bad. I want to remember the good from both my parents and move forward in a positive direction. Increasing business revenue is a good thing.

When I was with Canada Post I launched a group called CUPW New Vision. It was to trade unionism what nouvelle cuisine was to the culinary arts - a new refreshing way to look at the classical traditions. At the time I mentioned the possibility of creating a bank at Canada Post to increase business revenue. France, Germany and England had already done so. Why not us?

It appears that the new union has picked up on the idea and have embraced it. That is something I can support. We need to think of ways to reinvent ourselves so that we are productive and profitable in the new market. The music industry certainly has. We can too. The Huffington Post claims Canada Post operated a savings bank for 100 years, between 1868 and 1968. The National Post claims it was disbanded in 1968 after the banking industry objected to the infringement on their monopoly. Clearly this is something we should reexamine. Peace.

Support Postal Banking. Let some of those massive profits reduce consumer tax.

Update: It appears I'm not he only one that thinks creating a Postal Bank would be a good idea. Ellen Brown wrote a very interesting book entitled The Public Bank Solution: From Austerity to Prosperity. The Watershed Sentinel is reporting that "One of the most important legal cases in Canadian history is slowly inching its way towards trial. Launched in 2011 by the Toronto-based Committee on Monetary and Economic Reform (COMER), the lawsuit would require the publicly-owned Bank of Canada to return to its pre-1974 mandate and practice of lending interest-free money to federal, provincial, and municipal governments for infrastructure and healthcare spending." Obviously the big banks are opposing this with a passion and is the very reason voters should be supporting it. A Postal Bank could accomplish the exact same thing. Obviously we'd need a new CEO of Canada Post that has the vision to follow through with it.



Note: After 1974 the national debt started snowballing out of control because of the increased interest payments. "Obviously something went terribly wrong after 1974." Canadian Citizens Coalition for Monetary Reform. That was when the Basel Committee discouraged borrowing from a nation’s own central bank interest-free and encouraged borrowing from private creditors.

The Tyee is reporting that "(COMER) a very small and low-budget Toronto think tank have been steadily winning court battles initiated in 2011 that would oblige the Bank of Canada to return to its pre-1974 practice of lending the government money virtually interest free. But the mainstream media has boycotted the story."

This is important because: "Once a nation parts with the control of its currency and credit, it matters not who makes the nation's laws. Usury, once in control, will wreck any nation." -- William Lyon Mackenzie King, prime minister of Canada, 1935

Turns out another blogger agrees with the reestablishment of a Postal Bank.

Catherine Gallagher settles RCMP lawsuit

CBC is reporting that Catherine Gallagher has settled her sexual harasment suit against the RCMP. Finally. I said that was one they should settle. The details of the settlement cannot be revealed under the terms of the agreement. No kidding. Inside the RCMP’s biggest crisis.

Unfortunately, with the insane promotion of that flaming idiot Bill Fordy it is clear that Craig Callen has not changed and never will. He needs to be replaced. Beware of the FOCCers - "Friends" of Craig Callen. If you're a friend of Craig Callen, then you're no friend of mine.

Erik Prince of Darkness has Returned

I can't believe Erik Prince has returned from exile. Did we forget why he went into exile or has everyone that was willing to testify against him mysteriously died? Erik Prince is a bad man. He is a man like unto Allen Dulles of old. He created a private military army called Blackwater. When they were accused of committing war crimes in Iraq and when Erik Prince was acused of arms dealing and murdering whistleblowers he ran off to the United Arab Emirates. Now he's back loud and proud with a new clone army. Forbes has declared: We Created A Monster.

One minute he's trying to start a new Christian Crusade against Muslims, then the next he built a mercenary army for an Islamic monarchy with Sharia courts. It gets worse. Now he's working for Communist China. I kid you not. Why on earth is he doing that? Wait 'till I tell ye.

It's not just a matter of him selling his services to the highest bidder. It's that he has always been a Communist because he has always opposed the civl liberty embraced by the US Constitution. He has always been an enemy of the Constitution. Him working for the Communists is simply the natural conclusion of the path he was on. Clearly the formation of a single state religion is a step towards forming a marxist leninist atheist state. Both roads lead to the same destination because they abandon the sacred principles of a free republic.

Giving large corporations their own private army is exactly what Communist China does. Erik Prince works for oil monopolies. The Rothschilds were the one that funded the Communist revolution in Russia after they hijacked the workers movement. Oil companies aren't bad. Everyone want to make some cheddar. Oil monopolies are bad. Back in the day when the Rothschilds used hostile take overs to secure a monopoly on the market the US supreme court cited anti trust laws and ruled it illegal. Now the politicians line their pockets with campaign contributions and call it good business. Creating corporate monopolies and destroying the free market is never good business. Times have certainly changed.

Wikipedia states Erik Prince claims the former CIA director Leon Panetta outed him as a CIA asset. Ah so Blackwater contracts out for the CIA. Big surprise. Do the CIA contract out some of their drug trafficking to Blackwater? What were these two Blackwater b*tches doing with their backpacks at the Boston Marathon bombing? Were they doing contract work for Graham Fuller?



In hindsight Star Wars fans ask: Was creating a clone army a bad idea? Evidently it was.

Blackwater guards sentenced for massacre of unarmed Iraqi civilians

Former Blackwater chief under investigation for deals with China and Libya

Fort McMurray fire: State of emergency declared - Update

CTV is reporting that " Alberta has expanded an evacuation order around Fort McMurray and declared a provincial state of emergency as devastating wildfires continue to rip through the city and surrounding area. An estimated 1,600 structures have been burned and more than 80,000 residents forced from their homes ahead of the flames, which are expected to continue burning into the weekend." Absolutely tragic.

It is humbling to realize everything you've worked for your entire life can be gone in a New York minute. Yet it is inspiring to see people reach out in times of need. The moral of the story is clear. People and more important than possessions. To support victims of the fire in Fort McMurray, text REDCROSS to 45678 or 30333. Ottawa will match all donations to the Alberta Fire Appeal.

Update: The Canadian Press is reporting that Russia has offered assistance putting out the fire.