Photographs taken at Waterton, Alberta in May of 1990.

     The Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an International Peace Park and a World Biosphere reserve. Wild  animals that wander into populated areas cannot be harmed, thanks to law enforcement officers, townspeople and laws that protect the animals from being hurt. A former railway hotel, the Prince of Wales Hotel, can be seen in the background of the first picture. The children played on a biosphere dome.

                                         


                                                                  

One day Canadians will wake up...

     One day, Canadians will wake up, and discover that:
     -multinationals and foreign governments own all of Canada's water, oil and gas, timber and mineral resources.
     - our parks have been transformed into playgrounds for the rich and famous; inaccessible to ordinary people who cannot afford the exorbitant entry fees.
     -China and India have bought vast tracts of Canadian land, to grow food and bio-fuel for the citizens of China and India. Currently, the people of Canada own millions of acres of land:
In 1999, 46 million acres of land were owned by Parks Canada.
    The Fraser Institute wants to see the privatization of federal government services, and the ownership of all of the federal parks in British Columbia transferred to the government of British Columbia. (Google the exact phrase "Introduction when a country".) I think it would be a disaster, if the province owned the Yoho, Pacific Rim and Mount Revelstoke national parks.
    The document "Introduction when a country" is a blueprint for the privatization of government services, Crown corporations and Crown land.
In May of 2012, 605 Parks Canada employees were given layoff notices. A day later, it was announced that the hot springs at the Banff, Jasper and Kootenay national parks will be privately operated. An American-based company is currently drilling and blasting the side of a cliff in Jasper National Park, to create the "Glacier Discovery Walk" --- a 400-metre walkway with a huge glass floor. Sheep, mountain goats and many other species of animals are being displaced because of a private, commercial tourist attraction.  Thousands of people are opposed to the "Glacier Discovery Walk", the disfigurement of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our parks were created to protect wild animals and nature, not to provide business opportunities for wealthy investors. According to Fraser Institute, the Saanich Pacific Forestry Centre and Canada Place in Vancouver, British Columbia should be privatized.

Canada Place in Vancouver, B.C.

  

                                                            

                

Ottawa's Crown Jewel - the Central Experimental Farm

     The Central Experimental Farm is a National Historic Site of Canada, but that will not protect the Farm from encroachment by housing developers, or a light rail project.
     Fort York in Toronto is also a National Historic Site, but that did not prevent the construction of "The Condos of Fort York". I doubt that "The Condos of The Plains of Abraham" will ever be built, because Quebecers are proud of their history, and they fight to preserve their heritage. The Americans thwarted an attempt by Wal-Mart to build a store near a Civil War battlefield in Virginia.
     I find it disrespectful, that Celine Dion, Paul McCartney and Elton John were permitted to perform at the Plains of Abraham. People should not be singing and dancing on a battlefield where soldiers fought, and were killed or wounded. The Americans would never permit outdoor concerts on the grounds of the Battle of Gettysburg, the Battle of Bull Run or the Battle of Vicksburg.

     A relatively new housing subdivision called "Central Park" was built on former Experimental Farm land; street names include Trump Avenue, Manhattan Crescent, Gotham Private, Central Park Drive, Staten Way, Gramercy Park, Bloomingdale Street and Fordham Private:
  "Order-in-Council: February 25, 1988 - Surplus Crown Assets Act - Sale to the Regional Municipality of Ottawa of a surplus parcel of vacant land (37.63 ha.) forming part of the Central Experimental Farm, which is situated on the west side of Merivale Road, north of Baseline Road, in the City of Ottawa, Ontario.


   Liberal Agriculture Ministers Bud Olson and Eugene Whelan refused to sell any Farm land to real estate entities. In 1975, it was suggested that 700 acres of the farm be sold for a 7,000 unit  housing development:



A 1975 Ottawa Journal article about the proposed sale of 700 acres of CEF land for a housing project. (Click on image to see large version).

  The Experimental Farm is public land, and it should stay in the public realm---for Carleton University, the University of Ottawa, community colleges, etc.; a moderate-sized public medical centre (perhaps a walk-in clinic, a hospice or a holistic care lodge); a farmers' market...  See "ANNEX 2", suggestions for the use of buildings and land at the Central Experimental Farm, from the document "INTERIM REPORT ON THE RESULTS OF THE PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS ON THE FUTURE OF THE CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM OTTAWA -MAY 1998":



 

Canada's Unaccountable Crown Corporations

October 2007 - Dozens of federal Crown corporations are unaccountable to Parliament and the citizens of Canada, and profligate in their spending of tax money. A Treasury Board of Canada report confirms what I have long suspected---Canadians are fully liable for any loss of equipment, paintings,furniture, sculptures, archival documents etc. from 40 Crown corporations.
The document "Agent Status and Crown Corporations" states that:
     "The Crown is ultimately fully liable and financially exposed for all actions and decisions by its agent corporation while the corporation is operating within its mandate."
Also, the CBC, Canada Post Corporation etc. operate at arms length from government. In my opinion, any public agency that has access to, and spends billions of tax dollars should never operate at arms length from government, from the people. Shareholders of public companies are demanding more accountability from Wall Street and Bay Street, particularly in regard to golden parachutes and excessive compensation and salaries for top executives and directors.
CUSTODIAN AGENT CROWN CORPORATIONS
Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
Belledune Port Authority
Business Development Bank of Canada
Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Canada Place Corporation
Canada Post Corporation
Canadian Science and Technology Museum
Canadian Air Transport Security Authority

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (Real Estate) - In 1979, my husband and I appeared on the television program "Take '30" starring Harry Brown. The show was taped at the CBC Jarvis Street Headquarters in downtown Toronto. I noticed that the walls inside building were lined with portraits of iconic Canadians - Matthew Halton, Barbara Frum, Gordon Sinclair, Fred Davis, Glenn Gould, Pierre Berton, Betty Kennedy...


My father, George Shaw and Pierre Berton at CJOH-TV in Ottawa, 1963.

The former CBC building in Toronto is now private apartments and a ballet school. The huge parking lot behind the structure was apparently sold to a developer.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (Transmission) 
Canadian Commercial Corporation
Canadian Museum of Civilization
Canadian Museum of Nature
Cape Breton Development Corporation
Defence Construction Canada
Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation
Export Development Corporation
Farm Credit Canada
Federal Bridge Corporation Limited
Fraser River Port Authority
Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation
Halifax Port Authority
International Development Research Centre
Montreal Port Authority
Nanaimo Port Authority
National Capital Commission - The Greenbelt that surrounds Ottawa was created to honour Canada's war dead. The Greenbelt is sacred land, and it should not be commercialized.
National Gallery of Canada
North Fraser Port Authority
Parc Downsview Park
Port Alberni Port Authority
Prince Rupert Port Authority
Quebec Port Authority.
Royal Canadian Mint
Saguenay Port Authority
Saint John Port Authority
Sept-Illes Port Authority
St. John's Port Authority
Thunder Port Authority
Trois-Rivieres Port Authority
Vancouver Port Authority
Windsor Port Authority
(Google "Directory of Federal Real Property"website ---go to Custodian---Custodian Agent Crown Corporation equals).

I believe that Canada's Crown corporations are irreplaceable---the people of this country created the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, port authorities,  national museums; Canada Place in Vancouver with its white sails...What I resent, is the hollowing out of these institutions.
American Bill Gates is a major shareholder of Canada's first Crown corporation, CN Rail, which was built, physically and through their tax dollars, by Canadians.

"1984-1985 FEDERAL PROPERTY PROFILES - NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION"

   Many of the following federal properties have been transferred to the Canada Lands Company and real estate developers.

1. DND - CFB Ottawa North (Rockcliffe) - 326.22 ha. or 806 acres. Canada Lands Company owns the base.
2. DND - Medical Centre - Smyth Road - 18.53 ha. Canada Lands Company acquired the property.
3. DND Armoury - 1200 Walkley Road - 3.50 ha.
4. RCMP - 1200 Alta Vista - 23.40 ha.
5. PWC - Sir John Carling Building - 30 Carling Ave.
6. CBC - Edward Drake Building - 1500 Bronson Ave- 6.07 ha.
7. NCC - Leamy Lake Park, Hull - 181.50 ha.
8. PWC - Tunney's Pasture - Scott Street Ottawa - 46.0 ha. or 113 acres - The Canada Lands Company demolished the former Atomic Energy of Canada Building, and the CLC owns the property at Goldenrod, a parking lot. The Virus Laboratory and the Eldorado Nuclear Building have also been flattened.
9. NCC - Lebreton Flats - 53.0 ha
10. CMHC - Eastern Parkway, Montreal Road - 45.66 ha.
11. PWC - 801 Fallowfield Road, Nepean - 434.80 ha.
12. PWC - Canlands - O'Connor and Albert - 0.98 ha.
13. PWC - National Library and Archives - 395 Wellington- 8.98 ha.
14. AGR - Animal Virus Laboratory - 100 Gamelin, Hull - 0.66 ha.
15. NCC - Arboretum - 0.3820 ha.
16. PWC - National Wildlife Centre - 100 Gamelin Blvd. Hull - 6.14 ha. Transferred to Canada Lands Company.
17. PWC - Animal Research Centre - Woodroffe Avenue, Nepean - 1,165.60 ha.
18. ND - Naval Reserve Docking Facility.
19. NCC - Dow's Lake Parking - Preston and Prince of Wales.
20. ND - Petawawa - 20,770.80 ha.
21. Transport Canada - Ottawa International Airport(Uplands) - 2,069.80 ha.
22. CMHC Vacant lands - Boyer Road, Orleans, Gloucester - 75.60 ha.
23. DND - CFB Leitrim - Hawthorne and Leitrim Roads - Gloucester - 231.15 ha.
24. DOC Telecommunications - Engineering Lab. - 1241 Clyde - 20.23 ha.
25. Gatineau Park - 34,400 ha.

ROCKCLIFFE WAS A HEAVEN ON EARTH

     The following comment was posted on the Canadian Air Force Brat's Association website:
                                                        RETURNING TO THE PAST

     "Rockcliffe was an idealistic place to live by any standards. I will always remember it as a little piece of Heaven on earth during my time there. I started kindergarten there and went to Viscount Alexander School. I remember so many good times and friends that I could sit here an write for a very long time. They say you never miss the well until the water runs dry, and I never really understood how wonderful Rockcliffe was until after I left... In July 2009 I made my final and last visit to what was left of the Rockcliffe I had once known. I have not words to describe what I saw compared to what I once knew...I must tell you that wandering around through the empty streets and viewing the derelict run down homes was a very emotional experience...The PMQ's to me seemed like Tomb Stones in a grave yard."

Born, raised and transferred - military brats revisit their homes

   
     -CFB Saskatoon - It is absolutely criminal the way they stand there all boarded up.
DND has taken to selling off base PMQ's to anyone who wants one for minimal costs, so they don't have to spend, update and fix them.
     -Uplands, Ottawa - pretty much closed.
     -CFB Chatham - closed.
     -CFB Beausejour - closed.
     -Half torn down or closed - Uplands; St. Hubert; Moncton, NB; Summerside; Decimomannu; Marville, France #1 Fighter Wing.
     - Barrie - PMQ's on the Air Force Side have been demolished; plans were in the works for a whole new subdivision.
     - Moise, Quebec -Most of it was still there, although the houses were privately owned.
     - CFB Clinton - Some of it has been let go to rot and ruin and it made me want to cry.
     - Goose Bay - Now the base is pretty much gone...pretty much a ghost town.
     -CFB Alsask - The town as well as the station are in a very bad way. Nearly brings me to tears each time.
     - CFS Foymount - It's sad to see the decay and decrepit shape that the base is in.
     - The only base still in operation that I lived on is is Base Borden. Centralia, Clinton, Puntzi, Rockcliffe, Downsview are all closed.
     - Aylmer, Lachine and Fort Churchill - Closed.
     - CFB Falconbridge - owned by a construction company; rented out to mine workers.
     -Zweibrucken - closed.
     -CFB North Bay - I just recently went for a drive through CFB North Bay, and I was heartbroken to see the house we lived in has been torn down.
      (Using http://www.msn.com/ - type in "air force brat's revisit" - see the website Canadian Air Force Brat's Association - Forum - A Bravenet.com Forum.)
     Musician Bryan Adams spent time at CFB Rockcliffe, while actor Michael J, Fox grew up at CFB Chilliwack and CFB North Bay in Ontario.

             

                            THE DEMOLITION OF CANADIAN MILITARY HOUSING

In the year 1985, CFB Rockcliffe encompassed 806 acres of land. Now, in 2012, the former military base has been reduced to 310 acres of land. All of the PMQ's, recreational centres, bus stops, the CANEX, aircraft hangars, Officer's Mess, the golf course, the school...are gone.
 Many nearby residents are upset about the fact that they have been barred from access to the land, now owned by the Canada Lands Company. Shannon Park in Halifax will eventually be owned by the CLC, and the decommissioned  housing complex is surrounded by a chain-link fence, see the YouTube video "Shannon Park - Halifax Nova Scotia".

 1.   August 13, 2001 - Demolish 127 surplus PMQ's, CFB Rockcliffe, Ottawa Canadian Forces Base.
2.   2002 - Demolition of married quarters. Demolition of surplus houses, Kingston, Ontario.
3.   Moose Jaw, Sask. - Demolish 66 married quarters.
4.   1999 - Transfer Albro Lake Married Quarters and property land to Canada Lands Company.
5.   Borden - Demolition of 13 private married quarters. Demolish 14 PMQ Apartment Buildings.
6.   Greenwood, Nova Scotia - Demolition of 113 Private Married Quarters.
7.   Moncton, NB - Disposal of private married quarters.
8.   Goose Bay - Demolish 126 private married quarters.
9.   Goose Bay - Demolish 175 surplus married quarters.
10. Decommissioning of CFB Gagetown - 94 PMQ's.

11. Decommissioning of CFB Gagetown - demolish 150 Married Quarters.
12. Gagetown - demolish 154 Private Married Quarters.
13. Gagetown -Demolish 150 Married Quarters.
14. Shilo, Manitoba - Demolition of Camp Hughes Bunker, 1999.
15. Demolition Married Quarters, Shilo.
16. Winnipeg -1998- Property Transfer. Demolition  Married Quarters.
17. Flin Flon, Manitoba - Surplus Property - 1996.
18. 1996 - Decommissioning CFB Calgary, Currie Barracks.
19. CFB Cold Lake, Alberta - October 2001 - Demolish 62 Private Married Quarters.
20. Closure of Griesbach Barracks, (Edmonton) January 2003.

21. Aldergrove - 2001-Deconstruction of 4 Private Married Quarters.
22. Comox - (2001) Deconstruction of 4 Private Married Quarters.
23. Nanaimo Camp Deconstruction.
24. Kamloops - site closure, Salmon Arm Armoury.
25. Mary Hill Training Area Metchosin - Bridge and Bunker Demolition.
26. Griesbach - December 04-Demolition of Hangar 4, CFB Edmonton Garrison, for "Building and Property Development".
27. Wainwright - Demolition of 10 buildings.
28. CFB Kingston - Deconstruction of 82 housing units.
29. Disposal of Shannon Park, Halifax.
30. 1995 - CFB London, (Ontario) decommissioned - Wolseley Barracks sold to the Canada Lands Company. 
(From: The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency website.)