Privileged Aristocracy, Our Children, Their Education, Human Rights, Government, Teachers, TransLink, Civil Servants

Government:

1.     A group that exercises sovereign authority over a nation, state, society or other body of people.

2.     A group of people that governs a community or unit. It sets and administers public policy and exercises executive, political and sovereign power through customs, institutions, and laws within a state. A government can be classified into many types--democracy, republic, monarchy, aristocracy, and dictatorship are just a few.

3.     A government is a body that has the authority to make and the power to enforce laws within a civil, corporate, religious, academic, or other organization or group.

4.     A government is a body that has the authority to make and the power to enforce laws within a civil, corporate, religious, academic, or other organization or group

5.     A group that exercises sovereign authority over a nation, state, society or other body of people. Governments are generally responsible for making and enforcing laws, managing currency, and protecting the populace from external threats, and may have other duties or privileges. Governments also typically set tax rates, and may regulate investment practices as well.

·         Democracy is a Political System of Competition for Power

·         Democracy is a means for the people to choose their leaders and to hold their leaders accountable for their policies and their conduct in office.

·         Democratic Governments are generally given the authority to make and enforce laws, managing currency, and protecting the populace from external threats, and may have other duties or privileges. Governments also typically set tax rates, and may regulate investment practices as well.

Democracy Must Consist of Four Basic Elements:

1.  A political system for choosing and replacing the government through free and fair elections.

2.  The active participation of the people, as citizens, in all politics and in all civic life; with the politicians and bureaucrats functioning ONLY as what they are-- Civil Servants

3.  Protection of the human rights of all citizens.

4.  A rule of law, in which the laws and procedures apply EQUALLY to all citizens.

I want to talk about each of these four elements of what democracy is—rather was intended—to be.

Then, I will talk about the obligations and requirements of citizens in a democracy.

Then I will conclude by talking about the obligations that we, the citizenship of Canada, have to the children and young people; as we, Canadians, all seek to build the first country in the world that is truly worth living in.

The people decide, who will represent them in parliament—which civil servant will head the government, at the national, and at the local levels.  They do so by choosing between competing parties; in regular, free and fair elections.

Democratic Government not only requires the consentof the governed; it is; and must always remain; the will of the governed.

In a democracy, the people—not the government or politicians--are sovereign--they are the Supreme Court; the highest form of political authority. But, the Power flows from the people-- to the leaders of the government; who hold no—real-- power-- only so much power as is allowed them—and then--only temporarily.

1.     Laws and policies require majority support in parliament, but the rights of minorities are protected in various ways.

2.     The people are free to criticize their elected leaders and representatives, and to observe how they conduct the business of government.

3.     Elected representatives at the national and local levels should listen to the people and respond to their needs and suggestions.

4.     Elections have to occur at regular intervals, as prescribed by law.  Those in power cannot extend their terms in office without asking for the consent of the people again in an election.

5.     For elections to be free and fair, they have to be administered by a neutral, fair, and professional body that treats all political parties and candidates equally.

6.     All parties and candidates have the right to campaign freely, to present their proposals to the voters both directly and through the mass media.

7.     Voters must be able to vote in secret, free of intimidation and violence.

8.     Independent observers must be able to observe the voting and the vote counting to ensure that the process is free of corruption, intimidation, and fraud.

9.     Any country can hold an election, but for an election to be free and fair requires a lot of organization, preparation, and training of political parties, electoral officials, and civil society organizations who monitor the process.

There needs to be some impartial and independent tribunal to resolve any disputes about the election results.

Participation is the responsibility, and the role, of all citizens, in a democracy--because--the key role of citizenship of, or in, in any society, is to participate-- in life.

Citizens have an obligation to become informed about public issues, to watch carefully how their political leaders, Civil Servants, and representatives use their powers, and to express their own opinions and interests.  

The Rights of Citizens in a Democracy--In a democracy, every citizen has certain basic rights that the state cannot take away from them:

1.     These “rights” are guaranteed under international law.

2.  Yes, and you have the right to have your own beliefs, and to say and write what you think.

3.  No one can tell you what you must think, believe, and say or not say.

4.  There is “freedom” of religion.  Everyone is free to choose their own religion and to worship and practice their religion as they see fit.

5.     Every individual has the right to enjoy their own culture, along with other members of their group, even if their group is a minority —but as we have so often seen in the United States of the Americas—not without obligation to participate in LIFE and then-- ONLY-- within limits.

6.     You are free to move about the country, and if you wish, to leave the country.

7.     You have the right to assemble freely, and to protest government actions. 

However, everyone also has an obligation; to exercise these rights peacefully, with respect for the law. Democracy is a system of rule by laws, not by individuals.

1.              In a democracy, the rule of law protects the rights of citizens, maintains order, and; it limits the power OF corporations, CEOs, government, and wanna-be aristocracy/dictators. All citizens are equal under the law.

2.     No one may be taxed, or prosecuted, except by a law, established IN ADVANCE.

3. No one is above the law, not even a king, or an elected, government/ civil servant, official.

4. Office holders cannot use their power to enrich themselves.  Independent courts and commissions punish corruption, no matter who is guilty.

The Limits and Requirements for Democracy

·         If democracy is to work, citizens must not only participate and exercise their rights.

·          They must also observe certain principles and rules of democratic conduct.

·         People must respect the law and reject violence.  Nothing ever justifies using violence against your political opponents, just because you disagree with them.

·         Every citizen must respect the rights of his or her fellow citizens, and their dignity as human beings.

·     No one should denounce a political opponent as evil and illegitimate, just because they have different views.

·     People should and MUST always question the decisions of the government.

Every group has the right to practice its culture and/or heritage—even if now extinct-- and to have some control over its own affairs, but each group should accept that it is a part of a democratic state and has no Special Rights.

1.     When you express your opinions, you must also listen to the views of other people, even people you disagree with.

2.     That is your obligation, for, everyone has a “right” to be heard.

3.     Don’t be so convinced of the “RIGHTNESS” of your views that you refuse to see any merit in another position.

4.     Consider different interests and points of view.

5.     When you make demands, you should understand that in a democracy, it is impossible for everyone to achieve everything they want.

6.     Democracy requires compromise. Groups with different interests and opinions must be willing to sit down with one another and negotiate.

7.     In a democracy, one group does not always win everything it wants. Different combinations of groups win on different issues.

8.     Over time, everyone wins something.

9.     If one group is always excluded and fails to be heard, it may turn against democracy in anger and frustration.

Everyone, who is willing to participate peacefully and respect the rights of others, should have some say in the way the country is governed. For this cause, the blood of many nations has been spilled. We in North America, Canada, Mexico, even in the United States of the Americas; and the international community, spend, and have spent; a lot money and energy; building, or attempting to build, a wold of which our daughters, sons, heirs and future heirs can and will be proud of—we do not, or should not –ever—wish to return to a high priced, pampered, privileged, aristocratic, dictatorship.

Privileged Aristocracy, Our Children, Their Education, Human Rights, Teachers, TransLink, Civil Servants.

TransLink (legally the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority) is the corporation responsible for the regional transportation network of Metro Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada, including public transport and major roads and bridges. Its main operating facilities are located in the city of New Westminster.

Preceding Agency: Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority (1988–1998)

Jurisdiction: Metro Vancouver

Headquarters: New Westminster, B.C.

Employees: 6,100

Annual budget       $1.4 billion for 2012

Agency Executive:  Ian Jarvis, CEO

TransLink was (illegally), created in 1998 (then called the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority, or GVTA) and fully implemented, in April 1999, by the Government of British Columbia, to replace BC Transit, in the Greater Vancouver Regional District, and to thereby assume many transportation responsibilities; previously allotted to the provincial government, by the only legal authority, the taxpayers, and citizenship of British Columbia. TransLink is now, allegedly so the government?? would have us believe, responsible for various modes of transportation in the Metro Vancouver region. The West Coast Express extends into the Fraser Valley Regional District. On November 29, 2007, the province of British Columbia Illegally, approved legislation changing the governance structure (allegedly, Translink is no longer a Crown/Public Owned Corporation) and official name of the organization.

Now, with all attention on the dispute over our children’s “Right” to adequate education, ( including ALL special needs) in a timely manner. And once again, very, very, very, unfortunately; in truth; taxpayer funded, Child

Day Care:Translink has, just, released its salary disclosure documents for last year-- on the Friday--just before the Labour Day, long weekend.

Translink CEO Ian Jarvis led the way; his pay jumping to just over $422,000 last year including $83,000 in bonuses

Now, do you really expect Provincial Premiers, or City Mayors, who already seem to think they have been given: ownership of, or the job of:

·         running large corporate organisations;

·          allocating, or directing finances toward personal gain;

to spend their time doing so for free?

 After all; we’ve got (TransLink) directors (there was, supposedly—someone obviously hallucinating, a salary freeze for all Public/Canadian Citizen, Taxpayer owned/funded, corporations (something the government??? has not, and hopefully, will never be given, by voter/taxpayers; the power, or the authority, to change; this; were already being paid very, very well; more than Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada, or that guy in the United States of the Americas were making per year; for sitting at a table, doing the same thing?

So, of course, Transportation Minister Todd Stone says Translink is not fully complying with the government’s freeze on bonuses and salaries for senior executives rolled out in 2012. Stone also, or so he claims, called chairperson Szel recently; to reinforce his message; “the agency needs to do more to rein in pay for the top brass.” But again, or so Transport Minister Todd Stone claims—do you ever wonder, just what  he; ever; does, to justify collecting , any salary--“Translink is not part of the public service, nor is it a Crown corporation, so, the compensation is set by the board of directors at Translink. Nevertheless, we can, certainly, all do our part, to strongly, encourage, Translink to ensure that it’s making sound budgetary choices. “I always thought this was the government’s/transport minister’s job. Didn’t You?

The transportation authority's 2012 financial statement shows a 14 per cent increase in the number of employees making over $100,000 dollars

The four top executives at TransLink all received pay raises last year.

Jordan Bateman, director of the B.C. Canadian Taxpayers Federation says salaries for top officials and transit police are way too high. He noted:

2011,         2012,         with pension and benefits

CEO Ian Jarvis   $382,954  $394,730  $438,700

COO Doug Kelsey        $329,936  $336,729  $377,054

CFO Cathy McLay        $285,481  $294,877  $330,753

EVP Bob Paddon          $244,699  $273,889  $307,857

In 2012, the government brought Crown corporations under executive compensation rules that phased out bonuses in favour of performance-related pay and capped certain salaries.

NDP critic Shane Simpson said “the Liberal government has had since 2001 to control and fix Crown corporations but has instead racked up billions in cost overruns, and presided over a series of “slap-happy” appointments of party friends to various boards.”

TransLink says “its executive compensation structure meets government guidelines”; there has never been a referendum. "Although TransLink is not a Crown corporation, it acts prudently within government compensation guidelines," said spokesperson Jiana Ling. "We have risen to the challenge of managing costs and fighting inefficiencies. Since 2009, we've reduced the number of executives from 22 to nine," she added. 

True, but, while the total bill for staff making less than $75,000 a year stayed consistent at $15.4 million last year; the cost for those making more than $75,000 jumped 18 per cent, from $33.5 million to $39.5 million. The numbers include the Transit Police, which saw 58 of its 166 members - 35 per cent - take home more than $100,000 in 2012. The CTF says two-thirds of the Transit Police amount to "grossly overpaid fare checkers."

In response, Translink spokesperson Colleen Brennan says she hopes people look at the big picture, that employees are being “fairly” compensated.

Jordan Bateman with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation says every single Translink executive saw their pay go up in 2013.“I would like to see an apology from Translink on that. I would like to see real action from Translink on these salaries. We have a CFO who went from $330,000 a year to $383,000 a year. I mean, that raise is more than most people make in a whole year.”

TransLink says it pays employees based on government compensation guidelines, in response to criticism from the Canadian Taxpayers' Federation over salary and policing costs.

The transportation authority's 2012 financial statement shows a 14 per cent increase in the number of employees making over $100,000 dollars but in 2012, TransLink also recorded an overall loss of $9.4 million Taxpayer Dollars.

Jordan Bateman, director of the B.C. Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) says salaries for top officials and transit police are way too high

Bus-to-Sky Train charges angered commuters; so, the company is now looking to turn Sky Train stations into commercial hubs as a means to generate revenue.

Translink is also drawing fire, from commuters, over changes to the fare system, under the, very expensive, highly over budget, very awkward, and totally inefficient, Compass Card program. TransLink is being called upon to freeze salaries for top executives and to replace transit police with cheaper transit security once the Compass Card comes into effect. Funny, from all the BS-cofubble; and though it is has proven to be practically useless; most people believe it is already in effect.  

New rules will go out ,in the form of mandate letters, through government ministers, which all board members of Crown corporations and other public agencies are expected to sign.

The government has said, “changes are also imminent for BC Ferries, even though they are not technically Crown corporations; the ferry corporation, which, like TransLink, is a quasi-private corporation funded with taxpayer money, has been a particular target for financial reform in recent years after former CEO David Hahn’s salary and benefits package topped more than $1 million a year.

VICTORIA — B.C.’s Crown corporations are being told to crack down on expenses and fall in line with government rules that prohibit top executives from jumping to private sector jobs without a cooling-off period.

Most recently, the B.C. Lottery Corporation's board came under fire for authorizing outgoing CEO Michael Grayson’s almost $125,000 in extra salary, bonus and vacation payments after he quit in February to take a job at a private gambling company.

Not only did the payout appear to fly in the face of a government policy that prohibits severance for officials when they resign, but it also raised conflict-of-interest questions on how the head of a multi-billion-dollar Crown corporation could jump to a rival private sector company without any cooling-off period.

“In some cases the public has come to believe that some government entities are acting on their own behalf and represent the interests of their executive and management team, which demonstrates a lack of respect for the owners: the citizens and taxpayers of British Columbia.”

So, Premier Christy Clark unveiled the new “accountability principles” Wednesday, which are intended to rein in the boards of B.C.’s numerous Crown agencies, post-secondary institutions and health authorities, after several years of controversy over questionable executive pay, bonuses, severance deals and conflict-of-interest concerns. The new “taxpayer accountability principles” will require Crown corporations to develop a “strong ethical code of conduct for all employees and executives” that are “transparent, ethical and free from conflict of interest,” according to the government report on the changes released Wednesday. The new rules will go out in the form of mandate letters through government ministers, which all board members of Crown corporations and other public agencies are expected to sign.

Legally, the provincial and federal governments have more taxation ability, hence the Goods and Services Tax and BC’s new Carbon Tax. Yet they have been decreasing their responsibilities each year by transferring them to municipalities.

Like many  municipalities, as a regional body TransLink has been allotted a lot of (illegal)responsibility; with few fundraising abilities; but, new TransLink legislation could mean the Mayors' Council now set their own pay.

Changes by Transportation Minister Todd Stone giving elected officials more power over TransLink also allow the region’s mayors to set their own monetary compensation using their new $1-million budget. That means mayors are going to have to figure out how much of their budget — which would’ve been up to $962,400 in 2013 — to put into their own compensation. Personally, I believe; they would do much better by conducting a referendum to determine how much taxpayers/ parents are willing to pay; for their children’s education and for the even more desperately needed “out of our hair, Day and after school care.

While “ticket checkers” earn $100,000 a year; BC teachers presently, make on average, about $75,000; and, it would seem that one of the main criticisms—by the government at least-- against giving BC teacher’s salary increases is “they just are not accountable.”

And, there is virtually no way of getting rid of them.

So, let’s put in a time card system to make sure that BC teachers are working the 7.5 hours each day and not skipping out early or arriving late (we could do the same for Olympic Athletes, bureaucrats, CEOs of Crown Corporations, and of course-- Politicians.

Plus, so-called “bad” teachers can continue teaching, somewhere, in the system.

Sure, why not? That way the general public is ensured the all are actually putting in an hour’s work for an hour’s pay.

But, then teachers, often complain that they often can’t get the necessary marking, and preparation, done during a normal day. So, let’s make a rule (that teachers might like) that they, like a nurse in a hospital, must only do their work at the school.

That would mean, however, that BC teachers must be paid overtime; (like nurses that work longer hours). If they work more than their 7.5 hours per day; so let’s say, that on average, a teacher works 2 hours overtime x say 150 school days x $60.5 (time and one half). That would mean the hard working teachers would be fairly compensated an extra $18,150 per year.

Another way BC teachers can make extra pay’ and be “fairly compensated” is by getting their students to pass provincial exams. If a teacher received a bonus of $300 per student x say 30 students; that would mean an extra $9000, per teacher; if they were competent enough to get their students to pass.

The general public would be ensured they are working because of the time card system. 

Add to this, an extra $600.00 per month, per child (again say 30 students), for five months $600.00x30x5=$90,000.00, for licenced day care. 

I do believe, that teachers—they are much like fire fighters—one group risks their life, on a daily bases, doing the most dangerous job in the world—protecting us--our present day lives, and property, from ammunitions, explosives, toxic chemicals, and fire—while the other--on the average, spending more waking hours with students than do the parents—guide, mould, shape, and protect the future, our country, the world. Knowledge is power, and power is knowledge. Only through teaching can we learn of the past or gain a glimpse of the future. I do not believe teachers are asking too much in return. They could, easily, be asking and eventually getting, a lot more. 
 © Al (Alex-Alexander) D Girvan. All rights reserved.