Openness and Transparency
[First published 8/10/12 1:59AM, then moved to drafts before noon same day (8/10/12). I republish it now - 01/29/2016 10:59PM, as a statement of identity for me, JMTB, and all my loved ones.]
I am trying to provoke debate about matters that many others often know more about than me, which is often what one does. As always, I do not claim to be infallible on all points, as always I look to others to contribute what they know. As far as I know, in good faith, what I say is correct, but I'm sure I make mistakes, and maybe I'm only right on most/many/some points, overstate the case here, understate it there, etc.. Let others come forward and help - I will happily correct all mistakes. And as always, as written below, as stated many times, it's the public interest matters, the policy issues, that count, for me. The rest is irrelevant nonsense,as far as I'm concerned, to the point that I'm willing to try to get any static that might affect my points out of the way, up front. I always write in good faith, I always acknowledge I could be wrong about this or that, and I'm always trying to get others to help, improve our collective knowledge of legitimate matters of public interest, public policy. I hope that clarifies things. As long as we're all of good faith, and good will, we can greatly improve our collective knowledge and make the world a better place.
This blog has always been devoted to playing a role in not just trying to push and pull debate, but also structurally, in trying to bring some openness and transparency to Canadian politics and media, which they are sorely lacking. My years in Poland under Communism gave me a loathing for such closed systems, and Glasnost and Perestroika will reverberate for me forever. The reaction to this blog from the Canadian establishment has not always been terribly favourable, but as I have mentioned before, Canadian politics and media lack oversight mechanisms, and if this blog has been useful in some way in that fashion, then good.
Since I wrote this post, a year ago now, my life has become quite odd, largely as a result of that post and subsequent inquiries and writings.
Why has seemingly so much energy been expended against me, for so long? Fundamentally, what has been done against me is so wrong it deserves accountability, but having already described the phenomena, no-one has spoken, or at least spoken to me.
I have learnt a few things since then.
Most people already know, as noted, there is government bugging etc., of various activists, etc.. One can find quite a few news reports about this matter. This is unsurprising and long-standing practice. I may have been subject to such practices.
Secondly, as has been reported (there are quite a few reports about it), large corporations have the potential to mimic the surveillance capacities of the State, as may have been my experience (some may have tape to that effect? Though I don't know whether all are free to disclose it, if they do).
The phenomena should be exposed though, especially the dirty tricks, which were partly designed to try to make me believe in false narratives (many of the mistakes I have made are the result of this, trying to make me believe things that are untrue, or overstate my case and look bad that way). I knew what was happening though, but as well orchestrated as some things were, it was impossible not to be affected, at times. If there is tape of me, you will hear a man trying to collaborate as little as possible with the phenomenon he is experiencing, so mostly lugubrious, as opposed to my usual jolly self. But on occasion, things were so well orchestrated as to provoke strong reactions from me - if there is tape, as I think there may well be, if people are honest, then there a couple of moments of me sobbing with emotion. Given the pressures I was under (still am), unsurprising. But again, best to note it now, as well as how uncommunicative and moody I may seem - as previously noted, I feel/felt I should collaborate as little as possible with the phenomenon, ethically for myself, and for others' sake (to associate with me was to associate with a "radical" by the Canadian Government, apparently. This, for a fierce anti-communist, from a tradition of liberal/social-democratic Christian humanism, whose mother lived in England in WW2, under the bombs, and on whose German side of the family, my father had an uncle who helped refugees from Germany to Holland, was caught, offered a bullet or the front-line, and as a WW1 vet, went to the front-line, and according to family legend, convinced the others to run up the white flag when the Americans approached. A good war, yes? Radical, me? Screw that. Oh, and my parents met, fell in love, were engaged and had their first child in Israel. So none of that anti-German BS.)
What else? Well, an awful lot of people know about the phenomena I described previously, and they know of the others I am describing now. Since by this point many are foreigners, I am hopeful that the truth will come out, as having passed the limits of Canada.
Within Canada, having apparently been designated as an "Enemy of the State", or "radical" (
Listen, I went to Trinity College School, Lycée français de Varsovie, Glendon-York U, UdM, SFU, taught at university in France, worked for the think tank CPRN, worked in government, business, made a bid presentation to Orléans City Council in France, and so on. (until my lofty position at Tim Horton's today, living in a university residence :) My Dad was an ambassador, working his way up from a nine-person pastor's family in the prairies, and my Mum was the second female officer in the British Council, the first to be allowed to go to a "hardship" post like India. She was a top administrator and taught at university in Israel, when she met my Dad. You go through my relatives and friends - we know the world a bit. And change is needed.
OK, now I'll see what happens. There's a lot more to be said, but this is a good start, seems to me.
PS. Some of the things that have happened seem to possibly relate to personal matters to do with me, but about which I am clueless, or I may have some clues, but cannot speak for fear of making grievous mistakes on the personal level. Personal is personal and public is public, but since this apparently a possibility, I should evoke it. If others know, let them educate me, discreetly, so I may understand and better judge what is to be done (or not). Though it seems that some of it may have to with some "untouchable" type. And there may be an important media type or two who has played a role in my experiences over the past year. But others know more than me, and I am happy to acknowledge errors and correct mistakes.
It seems like there may be those who mean me harm just for evoking some of the things I have evoked. As stated at the outset, I write in good faith, with good will for all. But if there are matters of grave public interest, then am I obliged to to uncover them, even at the risk of great self-harm? Or are there some so intent on harm that it makes no odds, and I might as well speak of these things?
When I wrote this on April 20th, I made all my usual caveats, but I was clearly wrong on some things. I should have considered the private sector possibilities more closely, and personal factors.
I am trying to provoke debate about matters that many others often know more about than me, which is often what one does. As always, I do not claim to be infallible on all points, as always I look to others to contribute what they know. As far as I know, in good faith, what I say is correct, but I'm sure I make mistakes, and maybe I'm only right on most/many/some points, overstate the case here, understate it there, etc.. Let others come forward and help - I will happily correct all mistakes. And as always, as written below, as stated many times, it's the public interest matters, the policy issues, that count, for me. The rest is irrelevant nonsense,as far as I'm concerned, to the point that I'm willing to try to get any static that might affect my points out of the way, up front. I always write in good faith, I always acknowledge I could be wrong about this or that, and I'm always trying to get others to help, improve our collective knowledge of legitimate matters of public interest, public policy. I hope that clarifies things. As long as we're all of good faith, and good will, we can greatly improve our collective knowledge and make the world a better place.
This blog has always been devoted to playing a role in not just trying to push and pull debate, but also structurally, in trying to bring some openness and transparency to Canadian politics and media, which they are sorely lacking. My years in Poland under Communism gave me a loathing for such closed systems, and Glasnost and Perestroika will reverberate for me forever. The reaction to this blog from the Canadian establishment has not always been terribly favourable, but as I have mentioned before, Canadian politics and media lack oversight mechanisms, and if this blog has been useful in some way in that fashion, then good.
Since I wrote this post, a year ago now, my life has become quite odd, largely as a result of that post and subsequent inquiries and writings.
Why has seemingly so much energy been expended against me, for so long? Fundamentally, what has been done against me is so wrong it deserves accountability, but having already described the phenomena, no-one has spoken, or at least spoken to me.
I have learnt a few things since then.
Most people already know, as noted, there is government bugging etc., of various activists, etc.. One can find quite a few news reports about this matter. This is unsurprising and long-standing practice. I may have been subject to such practices.
Secondly, as has been reported (there are quite a few reports about it), large corporations have the potential to mimic the surveillance capacities of the State, as may have been my experience (some may have tape to that effect? Though I don't know whether all are free to disclose it, if they do).
The phenomena should be exposed though, especially the dirty tricks, which were partly designed to try to make me believe in false narratives (many of the mistakes I have made are the result of this, trying to make me believe things that are untrue, or overstate my case and look bad that way). I knew what was happening though, but as well orchestrated as some things were, it was impossible not to be affected, at times. If there is tape of me, you will hear a man trying to collaborate as little as possible with the phenomenon he is experiencing, so mostly lugubrious, as opposed to my usual jolly self. But on occasion, things were so well orchestrated as to provoke strong reactions from me - if there is tape, as I think there may well be, if people are honest, then there a couple of moments of me sobbing with emotion. Given the pressures I was under (still am), unsurprising. But again, best to note it now, as well as how uncommunicative and moody I may seem - as previously noted, I feel/felt I should collaborate as little as possible with the phenomenon, ethically for myself, and for others' sake (to associate with me was to associate with a "radical" by the Canadian Government, apparently. This, for a fierce anti-communist, from a tradition of liberal/social-democratic Christian humanism, whose mother lived in England in WW2, under the bombs, and on whose German side of the family, my father had an uncle who helped refugees from Germany to Holland, was caught, offered a bullet or the front-line, and as a WW1 vet, went to the front-line, and according to family legend, convinced the others to run up the white flag when the Americans approached. A good war, yes? Radical, me? Screw that. Oh, and my parents met, fell in love, were engaged and had their first child in Israel. So none of that anti-German BS.)
What else? Well, an awful lot of people know about the phenomena I described previously, and they know of the others I am describing now. Since by this point many are foreigners, I am hopeful that the truth will come out, as having passed the limits of Canada.
Within Canada, having apparently been designated as an "Enemy of the State", or "radical" (
√2?)
- mostly for blogging, tweeting, and facebooking! - most my friends have taken their distance, understandably, given the consequences for them, and some have been used by the State and others against me. I lived in Poland and East Germany 1986-1989 - these things happen under such circumstances. You have to be understanding.Listen, I went to Trinity College School, Lycée français de Varsovie, Glendon-York U, UdM, SFU, taught at university in France, worked for the think tank CPRN, worked in government, business, made a bid presentation to Orléans City Council in France, and so on. (until my lofty position at Tim Horton's today, living in a university residence :) My Dad was an ambassador, working his way up from a nine-person pastor's family in the prairies, and my Mum was the second female officer in the British Council, the first to be allowed to go to a "hardship" post like India. She was a top administrator and taught at university in Israel, when she met my Dad. You go through my relatives and friends - we know the world a bit. And change is needed.
OK, now I'll see what happens. There's a lot more to be said, but this is a good start, seems to me.
PS. Some of the things that have happened seem to possibly relate to personal matters to do with me, but about which I am clueless, or I may have some clues, but cannot speak for fear of making grievous mistakes on the personal level. Personal is personal and public is public, but since this apparently a possibility, I should evoke it. If others know, let them educate me, discreetly, so I may understand and better judge what is to be done (or not). Though it seems that some of it may have to with some "untouchable" type. And there may be an important media type or two who has played a role in my experiences over the past year. But others know more than me, and I am happy to acknowledge errors and correct mistakes.
It seems like there may be those who mean me harm just for evoking some of the things I have evoked. As stated at the outset, I write in good faith, with good will for all. But if there are matters of grave public interest, then am I obliged to to uncover them, even at the risk of great self-harm? Or are there some so intent on harm that it makes no odds, and I might as well speak of these things?
When I wrote this on April 20th, I made all my usual caveats, but I was clearly wrong on some things. I should have considered the private sector possibilities more closely, and personal factors.
posted by Eugene Forsey Liberal @ 1:59 AM
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