Monthly Archives: November 2018

Politics

Lack of Justice in Bill C-75

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Parliament of Canada

I was impressed, and also puzzled, by our Prime Minister’s eloquent address to the Paris Peace Forum recently. He said, “When people believe the institutions can’t protect them, they turn to easy answers like nationalism and populism, closing borders and xenophobia.” He may quite legitimately have had in mind our neighbours south of the 49th Parallel, but some of his government’s policies could soon have a similar effect here.

In March of this year the Canadian government introduced Bill C-75 with the intention of “hybridizing” 131 indictable criminal offences. According to former Minister of Justice, Rob Nicholson (Cons.), “The government is essentially watering down very serious criminal charges by adding a possible summary conviction as a prosecutorial option. This could result in a penalty as low as a fine for what was an indictable offense with a penalty up to 10 years.” Inexplicably, big city media have given scant attention to this 302 page omnibus bill, but if passed, it could undermine the protections of the value system that undergirds our way of life.

In a submission to the House of Commons, Professor Christian Leuprecht of Royal Military College and Queen’s University, emphasized the far reaching nature of the Bill. “The classification of an offence,” he said, “has long been understood to signal how serious the offence is; implicitly, then, hybridization sends a message that these offences are now less serious than they used to be.”

Most of the changes may not create problems, except for further clogging the provincial courts. Others though will dilute what was guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Charter, as most Canadians know, was bequeathed to us by an earlier Trudeau, the father of our current Prime Minister.

Before we offhandedly decide this isn’t important to our cozy lives in a nation that experiences relatively little serious turmoil, we really should look at several offences targeted for hybridization. One of the most troubling is sexual exploitation. According to the U.S. State Department’s 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report, “Canada is a source, transit and destination country for men, women and children subjected to sexual trafficking.” The possibility of lenient sentences would almost certainly exacerbate an already unacceptable situation.

Equally disturbing is the plan to hybridize abduction of children under age 16. Having spoken in recent months with several mothers who have lost children to international abductions, I have a sense of the deep heartache they and their families continue to experience. One told of the pleading of her children in court, expressing their fear they would be taken to another country and never be permitted to return. The Charter guarantees everyone “the right to life, liberty and security of the person.” To reclassify abduction of children and try it as a summary offence seems contrary to this guarantee.

Another proposed change is also incomprehensible. At a time when houses of worship in both Canada and the U.S. have come under serious physical attacks, the government intends to hybridize “obstructing, or violence to, or arrest of officiating clergy.” A similar attempt was made a year ago with Bill C-51. More than 65 leaders from faith organizations including Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jews and Christians signed a letter opposing it. Thousands of ordinary citizens sent letters protesting the bill. Now the government is trying again. This seems to suggest a lack of regard for religious leaders and their followers.

I spoke by phone last week with David Guretzki, Vice President of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC), located in Ottawa. EFC has longterm relationships with public policy officials, and is at times invited to speak to Parliamentary standing committees regarding significant social issues. I have found their perspective to be fair minded. “It is EFC’s opinion,” he said, “that some of the proposed changes devalue human life and dignity, care for the vulnerable, and freedom of religion.”

If Bill C-75 passes in its present form, criminals of various kinds will almost certainly be heartened and emboldened by the prospect of lighter penalties. We could then all become more vulnerable, and have less faith in our institutions to protect us. Only a massive protest by Canadians will persuade the government to rethink this Bill and assure us that Charter rights still are for all citizens.

Inspiration, People

The Gift of Mr. Loeppky

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This old man could have been Mr. Loeppky
(photo courtesy of quitsmokingrapidly.com)

Mr. Loeppky lived almost next door to us. His wife had divorced him at an earlier time and we referred to him as “the bachelor.” His fortunes had deteriorated markedly since the divorce and his home now was a two room shack he had constructed himself.

No paintbrush had touched the exterior in many years. The interior was equally unadorned. It was furnished with little more than a kitchen table, old green fridge, woodstove and an aged chest of drawers. He did have cupboards and a sink with hot and cold water. A yellowed sheet hung in the doorway to the bedroom. Cracked, grey linoleum covered the floor. A perpetual pall of tobacco smoke pervaded the place. His bathroom was a one-seater outhouse.

Mr. Loeppky’s surroundings had not always been this sparse. In his earlier, more affluent years, he had owned and managed a successful automotive dealership in a prairie town. A skilled mechanic, he had at first done much of the service work himself, always, as he volunteered one day, “with a flask in my back pocket.”

Former townspeople of that time spoke of him almost reverentially. They had considered him a high roller, respected for his business acumen. “His home was one of the finest. He had plenty of money and he loved to party,” one woman recalled. “In conversation he was engaging. People clamoured to be around him.”

Somewhere along the way a fondness for strong drink overtook his earlier good judgment. Business began to slip and his wife, possibly aware financial ruin might be approaching, became involved with a local lawyer. Mr. Loeppky did not see the divorce looming.

I was only 14 when I began visiting him. By then he had long been stripped of family, wealth and good standing in his community. Everything he had once valued was gone. Still, at age 65 there lingered about him a trace of his earlier good looks and outward refinement.

Even now I have only a vague understanding of why I was initially drawn to visit this once proud, successful man. Possibly it was the doughnuts he made occasionally. Almost no one visited him, so I realize now he made them mostly for me.

I don’t think he ever consciously decided to tell me his life story. Certainly he didn’t take me back to the early years and lead me through a logical sequence of events to the present time. Rather, the details came out like pieces of a puzzle, especially at the end of the month when his pension cheque allowed him to purchase a bottle of gin and a can of McDonald’s tobacco.

Sitting at his kitchen table with him, I watched as his trembling fingers rolled ungainly smokes and his mind slipped into the past. If he had doughnuts, he placed the large tin before me and said “eat.” While he talked, I observed those faded blue eyes as he resurrected scenes from earlier years.

Over time his breathing became laboured. One day he said, “the doc told me I have lung cancer. Guess it won’t be long before the Grim Reaper comes.” He continued to smoke and occasionally still made doughnuts.

Because he was no longer eating them himself, the doughnuts were lasting longer and were less fresh. The flavour of cigarette smoke was more discernible. Sensing it was important to him, I ate them anyway. His cough was becoming harsh and frequent. It troubled me.

Over all those years, Mr. Loeppky’s son and two daughters each visited only once. In his last months as he was dying, they still did not come.

He passed away in spring and I notified his family. A small neighbourhood church organized a memorial service at the local funeral home. I had told our friends about Mr. Loeppky, and a few came to bid him a final farewell. His son and daughters also arrived.

At the end of the service his son asked me, “Do you know what my father died of?”

When I could slip out I walked around to the back of the funeral home. I felt a deep sadness at the loss of my friend. Henry, a local photographer, was already there shedding his own tears. Standing beside him, I decided that, no matter what the difficulties, I would strive to nourish and retain the relationships in my life. I still consider this the gift of Mr. Loeppky.

 

 

Hedley Times

Hedley Remembrance Day 2018

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A substantial crowd showed up in Hedley on November 11th to remember the men and women who served in the military to preserve our freedoms and way of life.  Wreaths were laid by members of  Hedley organizations, all levels of government and various other groups.  It was noted that this is an especially important year because it marks the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice to end WW I.

The Honour Guard was led by 2 Mounties in red serge from the Princeton detachment.  A member of the Canadian armed forces, Corp. Nick Dechamps (part-time resident of Hedley), served as Parade Marshall.

As in recent years, Graham Gore, pastor of the Hedley Grace Church, was the MC.  He read “In Flanders Fields”, and then read the names of  the 17 young Hedley men whose names are inscribed on the local cenotaph. Thirteen of them died in WWI and four in WW II.

Local war historian, Andy English, spoke eloquently about the experiences of the Hedley men in both World Wars. He made special mention of Jack Lorenzetto  who was conscripted in Feb. 1918 and Thomas Calvert, who served under Sam Steele. Jack was killed by shell fire Sept. 8, 1918 while transporting rations to his comrades on the front line. Thomas Calvert was badly wounded on the night of Nov. 2, 1918 during his battalion’s last battle of the war. He died  Nov. 23, 1918, twelve days after the armistice was signed.  Jack and Thomas were the last two Hedley boys to die as the result of combat in WW I.

One of the highlights of the ceremony was a rendition of “The Honour Song” by Amber Cardenas and Mya Ghostkeeper in the Okanagan language. They accompanied their singing with hand drumming.

A number of members of the Lorenzetto family came from other communities to honour the memory of Jack Lorenzetto.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, a lunch of sandwiches and desserts was served by the ladies at the Hedley Seniors’ Centre.

At sundown 10 local citizens, most from the Hedley Volunteer Fire Department, gathered at the museum. They each rang the bell 10 times for a total of 100, to mark one hundred years since the signing of the Armistice that ended WW I. Taking his turn here is Zion Nimchuk, youngest member of the fire department.

“In Flanders fields the poppies blow between the crosses, row on row,…”

 

 

 

People

Shadow Warriors of World War II

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Art Power, Korean War Vet.
at the Hedley cenotaph.

On November 11, when we gather at a cenotaph to honor those who fought in wars, one group of courageous combatants will likely not be mentioned or even thought of. They are the men and women who operated surreptitiously against the Nazis behind enemy lines. In Shadow Warriors of WW II, Gordon Thomas and Greg Lewis focus on the women, many of whom were parachuted at night from black, slow flying Lysander airplanes into dark fields in France. Armed only with a dagger, pistol, folding shovel, flashlight and medical kit, their assignment was to gather intelligence and create havoc in the midst of the enemy. They had to be ready to kill or be killed.

The Agents received meticulous preparation for their perilous and often lonely role. They were required to be fluent in French, including local mannerisms and colloquialisms. To reflect the dress of the area into which they were parachuted, styles were copied from French catalogues and magazines. A courier might be given a letter of condolence from a friend. This would lend credence to the explanation the agent was traveling to a funeral. With the Gestapo relentlessly searching and questioning, there could be no inconsistencies in an agent’s cover story.

Physical, mental and emotional training was equally rigorous. It included handling of Bren guns and Sten guns, leaping from fast moving trains and much more.

Operators of wireless transmitters were especially susceptible to arrest, horrific torture and death. They were instructed to transmit for no more than 20 minutes and then move on. German soldiers in vans with high powered detection equipment roamed the streets constantly, seeking transmitters. One quick witted operator narrowly avoided arrest while carrying her transmitter in a suitcase. She convinced a German soldier it was an x-ray machine.

These shadow warriors were members of Britain’s Special Operations Executive, (SOE), and America’s Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Their various networks were in constant danger of being infiltrated by the enemy. Capture usually meant torture and possibly death.

Some agents were young and single, some were wives and mothers. Operating styles and strengths varied. When the British needed the cipher code of the Hitler controlled French Vichy Regime, they called on Betty Pack. Tall and slim, with bright auburn hair and green eyes, she at times employed her beauty to seduce men who possessed information the allies wanted.

Betty Pack (findagrave.com/memorial

The ciphers were lodged in a locked room of the French embassy in Washington D.C. Only the top cipher official had access and a watchman was constantly on duty. Betty entered into a romantic liaison with an embassy official and persuaded him to help her. The official convinced the watchman to let them use a room in that area of the embassy for a night time sexual encounter. Hearing the watchman’s footsteps approaching, Betty quickly disrobed. Embarrassed, the watchman hurriedly retreated. Then, she picked the lock to the cipher room and let a safecracker in through a window. Released from prison for this, he picked the lock on the safe. The ciphers were removed, quickly taken elsewhere and copied, then returned.

Pearl Witherington ( wikipedia)

Pearl Witherington displayed decidedly different attributes and skills. Gutsy and pragmatic, she developed a force of 200 combatants and repeatedly destroyed railway and telephone lines. Blond hair tucked under her beret, she became known in the forests and farm houses as the warrior queen. She led her force in placing explosives under bridges, impeding the delivery of weapons and supplies. When she discovered a train with 60 railroad cars hauling gasoline, she called in the RAF and the fuel was bombed and utterly destroyed. On another occasion she and her force created a traffic jam of 51 trains and they were picked off by RAF bombers.

Witherington’s force grew to 2500 combatants. It was said she had the skills of a battlefield commander. The Germans became so incensed at the havoc she was creating they placed a bounty of 1 million francs on her head and sent 2000 commandos to find and destroy her. She barely escaped their attack on her headquarters but some of her members were not so fortunate.

Although there may be no crosses, poppies or wreaths for these shadow warriors, according to Thomas and Lewis, “They were soldiers, taking the fight to the enemy where he least expected it. Brave, intelligent, resourceful. They lived in the shadows, bringing light to those living in the darkness of Nazi tyranny.”

Hedley Times

Hedley Bridge Completed

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Last minute clean-up before opening of the bridge.

After 4 months of diligent effort by Derrick Bisschop and his crew, Hedley now has a brand new bridge over 20 Mile Creek on Highway 3. “We had good weather and the project progressed smoothly,” said Bisschop, General Manager and Superintendent. “The only significant delay occurred when a main girder didn’t arrive as scheduled. The semi-trailer truck carrying it rolled and the girder fell off. A number of inspections were performed to ensure its integrity had not been compromised. This set the project back 8 days.”

This 250 ton crane was used to place & remove girders for the temporary bridge.

Fortunately, the government inspector granted some grace time. Going over the time allotted for completion would have cost Derrick’s employer, Dorosh Construction, $2500. per day. To make up for as much of the lost time as possible, the crew set up powerful lights and worked well into the night.

Hedley Bridge Crew

To the extent possible, he hired local workers. The crew, left to right are Derrick Bisschop (Chilliwack), Nick Coops (Maple Ridge), Pat Gartner (Keremeos), Simon Rayner (Princeton), John Moore (Sicamous), Richard Boutet (Hedley). Zion Nimchuk (Hedley) was not working this day.

There was serious speculation by one Hedley resident the bridge construction would be overtaken by cold and snow, and would not be completed until spring.  It could have happened but good weather, a lot of determination and hard work proved him wrong.