DOESN"T NO mean NO??

Hi All!

Here is a letter to the editor from Connie Fogal. It wasn't printed so Connie allowed me permission to post on my blog.

Enjoy!

From: Connie Fogal, former COPE Park Commissioner
3570 Hull St Vancouver BC V5N4R9 604 872 2128

To : Letters to the Editor Georgia Straight

Re Straight Talk
Issue July 21 to 28

Doesn't No Mean No??? On July 13, 2005, the COPE membership voted 123
to
96 against a proposed alliance with Jim Green's hostile takeover of
COPE
via Vision Vancouver. Yet the subsequent COPE news release following
the
private membership meeting stated that negotiations will continue with
Green's group.The direction of Jim Green supported by Libby Davies and
Jenny Kwan (who have been architects with Jim Green in derailing the
real
COPE since about 1991) negates the philosophy of the classic COPE . It
is
not what the membership wants. So why does the current COPE
leadership continue to pursue the death knell? Probably it is the fear
of
the loss of union funds controlled by the leadership behind the Green
group. But when union or party leadership loses touch with its members,
or
fails/ refuses to act in the interest of its members, they are no good
to
us. The union-Green side lied about gambling and transit promises, and
otherwise voted contrary to the interest of their members and citizens
generally. Compromise with the Devil can never be a benefit.

Money is always a vital issue for democracy in a political campaign. To
eliminate the power and control of the money providers, COPE classic
should follow the federal government rules and call for a bylaw
disallowing political donations over $5,000.00 per individual ,
$1,000.00
per union, and $1,000.00 per corporation, and paying from the tax base
the
sum of $1.75 per vote per party or independent (but differing from the
Feds
by demanding no threshold on the number of votes received.)

Let Cadman be the COPE mayorality candidate on a six member classic
COPE
council slate, and thereby restore a point and honour to the voters'
franchise.

Yours truly,

Connie Fogal (Rankin), former COPE Parks Board Commissioner, and
former
spokesperson for Citizens Against Gambling