Tel. 416-924-4449

Fax. 416-924-4094

E-Mail: mgold@oise.utoronto.ca

Dear Editor: Sunshine, Trees, Films, Taxes, and Tourists

I picked up the Vancouver Sun and was struck by some of the psycho-babble purveyed on the minds of an unsuspecting public by minds who may not even be aware of their actions. I trust my observations will be looked at deeply in order that the following not be perceived as that which I have accused your paper.

The absurdity of the discussions in your paper, while affecting everything in our daily life, addresses virtually every issue on such a superficial level that it is should be an embarrassment to the editors and writers for being associated with it. One of the letters to the editors by Fujiko Arden that suggested "there is real stuff happening out there. Don't waste our trees on drivel like this" did not go far enough. It is quite obvious to this writer that your writers need lessons in thinking and thinking processes rather than writing what they are told.

I would recommend that you and they look at the website www.homeplanet.org and look under educational materials using the search engine. They will benefit from years of research into various aspects of our worlds' systems, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual dealing with economics, energy ethics and health issues as a priori considerations on an integrated basis. If they still don't get it, I can give your team a workshop on how to use the materials.

You might find a reason to rethink each of your writers positions on issues: for example: your focus on Film Tax Credit - Is there someone out there who understands the real cost benefit of this suggestion? And how could one have an understanding if the game changes every day. We are already giving away our goods and services at a .70 cent to the real dollar. Why give more? Is there a connection here? To support the tourist industry that is suffering because the Japanese cannot buy enough of our wood? Is there a connection here? And how many jobs does Mac Blo create in the house building industry in Canada, that could be exported to the deserts in Africa where concrete homes do not function as well as wooden homes? I learned this from a Canadian who was involved in the research project on my recent travels across Canada. Or is the President of Mac Blo not aware of the business opportunity?

So Mac Blo is going to cost cut? Also an absurd idea? Why not look how it can create new jobs in the industry. Trees are used in building houses and frames for houses and furniture and beds and cabinets and on it goes. Where are our business skills when it comes to our own industries.

There are people all around the world that could use houses. This sounds like such an obvious solution to a complex problem. I call it the potato head problem. Look at how the McAin family took the potato, repackaged it in a number of different forms and sold it to the world. Why are we not creating industries around our resources. Plan the forests more effectively to balance the needs of our country, and the world in a sustainable fashion. Do the same with our wheat our ore and our education potential.

Why must we buy into the intellectual discussion of "privatization" when the issue is not privatization, but more so it is the distinction between government accounting systems (inadequate at best) and regular business accounting systems (which have some qualities of consistency but none the less inadequate), both of which are insufficient for intelligent decision making. Not to mention the very banking system we rely on. We can be assured that our banks are being responsible to the local community can't we.

But who would know at your paper or in government circles? Ever wonder why they call it government circles? The prevarication of government employees is almost as astounding as the prevarication I experience at the United Nations. So Canada is one of the worst polluters UN report says. Does this make you upset? I am asking you, the editor this question. It is your industry that has not written sustainability into its policy. I wonder if you even know what sustainability means. It certainly is not in tax breaks, and privatization.

We need to rethink the way we do business and the kind of business we engage in. We need to rethink our needs and what is important to us. Our children and their future. I would ask you Mr. or Ms. Editor to review our World Citizenship Challenge and find out for yourself if you are a worthy World Citizen. You may well be so in your heart, but it is time for us to come forward and take responsibility for what is in our hearts - our minds, yours and mine are not able to grasp the complexity of the results of problems, but perhaps we can understand better when we look at root cause - I would suggest to you that Nation State Consciousness is the pervading root cause of so many of our problems today that to consider anything other than root cause is a distraction.

What do you think dear reader? Look to www.homeplanet.org to get the discussion going on issues of importance. What is important to you? And lets make our thoughts known to your editor, and to the mayor of your city so we can address the important issues of our times, and not whether or not Vancouver gets enough sunshine.

On behalf of World Citizens

Mitchell L Gold C.A.

IAEWP

IPC 2000

World Citizenship Challenge