From: Sandra Finley
Sent: June 26, 2023
To: ‘thecurrent@cbc.ca’ <thecurrent@cbc.ca>
TO: The Current
Regarding your coverage of our collective failure to create nurturing environments for our children, 2023-06-26. (Child welfare services, New Brunswick and elsewhere in Canada)
- A few years ago the same conversation might more likely have been in the context of First Nations kids, the abuses they suffered in dysfunctional communities.
Today, significant advances in the health of (some, not all) First Nations communities have been achieved. The kids begin to shine.
More data, statistics and studies was the mantra of decades past. Think of the First Nations. “Whites” being well paid to study fetal alcohol syndrome on reserves. Or water quality. Or sexual abuse of children. More outside expertise to solve problems.
It seems to me that experience speaks loudly:
- It is when THE COMMUNITY throws off the chains of belief that “SOMEONE ELSE WILL FIND THE SOLUTIONS FOR US” that dramatic progress starts to happen. Progress that is contagious.
- The CENTRALIZATION OF POWER that comes about through Policy Documents that call for “MORE Provincial money (meaning give responsibility to the Province)”, “MORE Federal money (meaning give responsibility to the Feds)”, MORE data, MORE research, MORE documents, when people haven’t time to read the contents of the existing files, is counter-productive. It ensures that not much will be accomplished, no matter how great the need.
Systems of governance make a difference. In the debate about the failure of the Child Protection function in New Brunswick there will be no mention of who runs the province and in whose interests. Come on. The Lords of the Province are notoriously the Irvings. Not only do they own the resources; they own almost all the media.
I think you’re not a realist if you actually believe that the System of entrenched Corporate Governance in New Brunswick, will suddenly care about the “little girl (7 years old)” who, along with siblings, has been shamelessly abused. With the awareness of “the System”.
What’s needed is an uprising of Mothers. Not MORE data and studies that prolong denial and suffering.
Sandra Finley
NO progress on reduction of daily and constant leg pain is apparent. We need to try something different.
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PHILOSOPHY: EMPOWERED, NOT DEPENDENT
2020-10-04 Empower vs Undermining Behavior, P. 3, Item B. Excerpts.
It is essential for people to be able to self-advocate; they are otherwise very vulnerable to the control of other people, which allows for the arbitrary taking away of freedoms.
- Michelle attended an International Conference on Self-Advocacy in Germany, one of a group representing Canada. At home she continued with the work of self-advocacy in the community and province.
- Michelle completed one module of on-line Montessori training. Maria Montessori had a firm grasp of the need for the education of children to be based on “Never should teachers be doing for the student what the student is able to do for themselves”. It robs them of dignity, makes them dependent, brings them under control and weakens their creative instinct.
- Actions that model or impose unnecessary dependence are signature of an unhealthy relationship. In order for children and adults to “Try things out”, innovate, which is to experiment, create, which is to learn, which is to discover their strengths (their “can do!”), which is to flourish and grow into their being, . . .
- The environment needs to be characterized by freedom, with healthy role models, guidance and responsibility for their actions. “Inter-dependence”.
- Within an opposing environment lie the seeds for regimes that lead people into incomprehensible compliance with actions they would not do, on their own. Which in turn creates internal stress.
- People learn and grow strong by doing. Doing for them what they are able to do by themselves – – maybe with difficulty – – robs them of the opportunity to know their own potential. They become compliant out of fear.
- Michelle likes to please people (as do many/most of us). We have worked on strategies to enable her to better manage internalized stress. It is naïve to think it is as simple as instructing someone to “tell me” or “tell us”. All human beings know sub-consciously, intuitively, what they need to say or do, to secure their safety, OR how to secure freedom to do what they want to do (appropriately or inappropriately). Michelle has a long history of responsible behavior. Not that it was always so; she has learned from mistakes and observations – – which is what healthy humans do.
- Michelle is of the view that the teachings of Rudolph Steiner and the Waldorf schools are aligned with the Montessori teachings. The teachings of both came through experience, observation, trial and reflection.
“Never should teachers be doing for the student
what the student is able to do for themselves”. . . .
Michelle is an adult, responsible for her Life and actions. She is open to talking about things. I try not to assert what are essentially my own priorities on her.
For example, like most parents, I have sometimes wanted her to change her clothes to suit my tastes, because if I am honest, I perceived that what she wore reflected negatively on me. The change I wanted was for me, not for her.
It is appropriate for me to ask her about her choice, but not to use manipulative tactics to insist on my way because it might reflect on me, or what I wish to accomplish.
- A woman who worked with pregnant teenagers and single mothers in High School worked with Michelle’s Girl Guide group. They learned to identify typical behaviours of young men who might flower them with attention for the purposes of seduction.
It was excellent, very helpful training and tools. Michelle learned well, and passed along things I did not know about control – – HOW the undermining of the confidence and supports a person needs for navigating in the world, is done. She was taught to identify the behaviours, and taught tools (like the broken record) to counter-act them.
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SENT: Mon 2022-04-04 RE: Chemical spraying of New Brunswick Forests
TO: friendsofrodcumberland@gmail.com
CC: gary@usrtk.org; abbe@usrtk.org; erichnk@shaw.ca;
SUBJECT: Support, Rod Cumberland
Dear Friends of Rod Cumberland,
I am extremely grateful to you for your work in support of Rod Cumberland.
And to Rod Cumberland himself. Words cannot tell how much.
ONE ANECDOTE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL:
I was flying out of Saskatoon a few years ago. The woman beside me was from Seattle.
Why had she been in Saskatoon? . . . the company she worked for was under contract to the Saskatoon Health District to find efficiencies in its operations. She commuted every weekend back to her home in Seattle.
Before we went our separate ways, this Seattleite had a perplexing observation she wished me to know. I estimated her to be in her fifties. She had always worked in some capacity in health care in the U.S..
NEVER in her life had she seen the concentration of children with disease (cancers, etc.) and developmental problems that she was witnessing in Saskatoon. (kids are sent to either Saskatoon or Regina for medical treatment.)
Her comment did not surprise me. It reinforced what I knew to be the case, from my experience working with the normalization of corruption in Canadian institutions (governmental, regulatory, university, health, research). The stories, true and documented, that I could pass along to you will reinforce what you know to be true.
An old figure: one third of the agricultural chemicals sold in Canada are sold in Saskatchewan. David Suzuki’s “Toxic Legacies” (2003) is a devastating documentary on the consequences of the ag chemicals for children. The film is based on the work of Dr. Elizabeth Guillette from Florida State University (passed away in 2015). I helped bring her to Saskatchewan. One learns a lot from people like Dr. Guillette.
J.D Irving has some accounting to do. I wish I had faith in the N.B. judiciary to deliver. Rod Cumberland – – please know there are thousands more people standing solidly behind you.
New Brunswick and the Federal Govt also have the failure to protect Canadian military personnel at Camp Gagetown from the trials of Monsanto’s Agent Orange. Another travesty.
Our economic prowess lies in the poisoning of ourselves and then the creation of remedial industries (big pharma, medical care). Almost NEVER will we address removal of cause. The same story is repeated over and over again. There is always a Mr. Irving involved. And his many courtiers. Such betrayal of young people.
Movies are being made – that’s helpful. I happened to watch “Dark Waters”, the Dupont Teflon story yesterday. Robert F Kennedy Jr is making a big difference through the Children’s Health Defense Fund (DeWayne Johnson and Monsanto’s glyphosate).
I wish to send a contribution to your legal fund. Can I use this email address?
You have no idea how happy I will be to do that.
In case you do not know this excellent book:
A Bitter Fog: Herbicides and Human Rights
by Carol Van Strum(Goodreads Author)
This book tells the story of the people who lived in those forests and became active . . .
This book was written in the early 80s about the herbicide wars that took …
My information about Rob Cumberland’s case comes from:
- https://nbmediacoop.org/2021/02/02/cumberland-continues-battle-with-forestry-college/ (the superior article) and
- https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/forestry-college-director-wanted-positive-relationship-ahead-of-firing-1.6405234
I have been on this Planet for 70 plus years, and am originally from Saskatchewan. People cannot live in good health in poisoned environments. “A Bitter Fog” is excellent testimony.
Best wishes,
Sandra Finley