Six More Days to Vote!

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88% WANT PUBLIC INPUT!!

Today's new survey question generates near unanimity amongst voters for public input in defining the new RDA.

Have you voted? Only six more days left to record your views and respond to the survey.

Check it out ... just to the left of this posting.

New Survey Question

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Have you taken a moment to express your views on our new survey question?

Answers About SPDA

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The Shelburne Park Development Agency (SPDA)

Dear Reader,

In the mid-90s the Federal Government was eager to dispose of many of their former naval bases in Nova Scotia. They did so by encouraging the establishment of local non-profit groups to administer dollars set aside for transforming these former military facilities into local development sites. Monies set aside for this purpose were funneled through ACOA and was administered by these local groups.

In the case of the former Shelburne Naval Station, I am told some $5 million dollars plus the old base at the entrance to Shelburne Harbour was handed to SPDA's Board of Directors. In 1999, SPDA transfered all of its assets to SWSDA and ceased to exist.

In the coming months a lot of information will become available at trial about SPDA and SWSDA's management of these assets and local development efforts. Believe me.... I could write a book.

Until then, I am not at liberty to share that information with readers since most of it was acquired as part of the discovery process in Ocean Produce International's litigation with SWSDA. As it is disclosed at trial I will publish further details that I've unearthed about SPDA/SWSDA's use of these resources.

For the reader who keeps asking for details about SPDA .... I guess you'll just have to wait along with everyone else. Your only alternative is to bypass this blog and go directly to the horse's mouth and make application to ACOA or SWSDA under Freedom of Information for the information you are seeking. They are the only two bodies I know of who hold these original files and managed these monies and resources. ... Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Dear Anonymous 5:04

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Can't publish your comments with the word "illegal" in them. Remove word and re-submit if you want me to post.

Still Pushing on the Rope!

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NERVE... WITH A CAPITAL N!!

You will recall that in August,  Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations' Mr. Wills pointed out to Mr. Anderson that as an RDA SWSDA was not allowed to own land and as a Municipal Body its financing had to be approved by the Minister and provided under the Municipal Finance Act.

Here is Mr. Anderson's reply.... it speaks volumes about Mr. Anderson's and his ability to twist facts to accommodate his view of the world. The legislation is clear as is Justice Hood's decision of last November. Any body, including a Society whose Board is effectively controlled by representatives of Municipal Governments is a "Municipal Body" by definition and subject to the Freedom of Information provisions of the Municipal Government Act.

Try as he might... you can't change what you've been in the past....  if it looks like a duck, mates with a duck, flies like a duck, sheds duck feathers and eats from the ducks' dish... it is considered a duck.......

Of course Mr. Anderson indicates that SWSDA's well paid lawyers don't agree!!

Surprise... Surprise...! Mr. Anderson also assured his Board of Directors for more than two years that SWSDA's lawyers said that SWSDA was not subject to the Freedom of Information provisions of the Municipal Government Act....

Guess they were wrong then.... wonder if they're wrong again?!?

More later!!!

Getting SWSDA Accountability Going Again

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Dear Readers,

 As you may or may not know ..... I recently started a business and economic development consulting company here in Shelburne called Strategic Perspectives Consulting Associates and its been busy since last January.

In addition .... I am a Director and agent for a Nova Scotia company called International Resource Development Corporation with its office here in Shelburne and its headquarters in Montreal. Last January  the President of IRDC and I put together an international consortium with companies in England, Denmark and Holland and bid on a major standing offer contract with the government of Canada ..... we've just been advised that we were successful and been selected to sign a multi-year contract with the Canadian International Development Agency. This morning I finished the draft operational contract for our consortium and its now on its way to our partners. We expect work under the contract to start early in the new year.

And... I am President of an internet radio station in Alberta that my son Kirk and his wife now operate as Leduc County's Home Radio Station...you can listen at http://www.leducradio.com/ . Last week we celebrated our first year of operation.

Finally....  Ocean Produce International is in the last stages of preperation for our lawsuit against SWSDA. This litigation has been going on for ten years and trial is scheduled to begin January 18th, 2010 for four weeks in Halifax. As you can imagine Willa and I've been intimately involved on a daily basis with trial preperation and will be for the next few months.

All this to explain why I haven't been posting as much as some of you would like!! I promise to make an effort to post at least once a week until we get to trial... but I expect posts will be short. ... Your patience in the interim is greatly appreciated.

Ed