Stephen Harper promised in the leader's debate to entrench property rights in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Big Business will be able to sue farmers and citizens directly for local efforts which impinge on the Corporate 'right' to profits, as capital is defined as property.
Do farmers and citizens want to take on Monsanto, Cargill, MacMillan Bloedel, etc. directly, while their soil is stripped, their waters shipped south and polluted, with no choice but to drink Coke or fight them in court? According to the most recent data compiled by Statistics Canada, Industry in the Great Lakes Basin takes the largest amount of water. Try to interfere with that, with entrenched property rights, and you'll be fighting them in court without a leg to stand on.
I witnessed an incredible parody of democracy last night in the Alnwick Haldimand Municipal Chambers, regarding rezoning of rural lands to Extractive Industrial, even though resident's water was a risk.
Only one Councillor, Ray Bens, was willing to take a stand with citizens. The rest of the councillors essentially threw up their hands, too weak and tired to consider taking on a wealthy industrialist at the OMB.
This is the scenario, multiplied at the provincial and federal level, which we will face if we don't, together, target corporate abuse.
While Big Business has pulled the strings of government to target small farmers, small business and citizens in tax law, water source protection, and other legislation, Industry gets off scot-free.
