Sunday, October 28, 2007

LAWYERS for DERA/APC

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

LAWYERS for DERA/APC
Ms Plumridge Speaks

Hi Folks,

I've been receiving a flurry of emails from a purported lawyer, Leah Plumridge, who has risen to the defence of DERA/APC and was enraged that I questioned whether the lawyer acting for DERA/APC, Mr. Jason Gratl, was receiving his legal fees from BC Housing subsidy funds?

As many of my readers know, DERA/APC is under operational review regarding allegations of mis-use and fraudulent use of public tax dollars. Even though this operational review was initiated over a year ago, as yet this public review hasn't been released.I would hate to claim that there is an attempted cover-up of its findings but alas there doesn't appear to be any reasonable explanation for the withholding of the public review.

Back to Ms Plumridge.She is incensed that I demanded Mr. Gratl answer whether he is assured that no BC Housing subsidies are going toward paying his legal fees. After-all, these subsidies are to ensure the upkeep of the DERA/APC buildings and safety and security for lower-income, disabled and downtrodden citizens. They are not for legal fees. Mr. Gratl hasn't yet answered this question.

Ms Plumridge goes on to assert that everyone is entitled to legal representation, including, she claims, DERA. In many cases she is right and with the situation of DERA, I suggest she is dead wrong.

Whether public tax dollars should be used to support criminals and criminal groups regarding criminal actions of their own choosing is something I believe is up for public debate.

Ms Plumridge also assertively claims that the law stipulates that one is innocent until proven guilty. This is another tricky issue and while I have wholeheartedly agreed to this tenet in the past, I now find myself concerned about it.

As I witness the proliferation of heinous criminal acts I am beginning to question whether this tenet of law is still suitable in today's world?A number of criminal offences are occurring with gigantic proportions that have me deeply troubled as I'm certain it does other citizens.

Crimes against humanity, hate-crimes, terrorism, sex crimes against children and sexual violence, including sexual exploitation of our vulnerable has me questioning whether this innocent until proven guilty aptly applies today.

I cringe at the thought of accepting that certain individuals and groups are innocent when they carry out some of the worst crimes imaginable.

I include DERA/APC who I allege, has been stealing from the poor in order to advance their own rabid political agenda. Stealing from the poor is another one of those terribly heinous crimes.

Ms Plumridge sarcastically states in her emails that I'm not Justice Hamilton. As a lawyer she demonstrates her disrespect for those who do believe in social justice and who speak out against injustice and wrongs. For her to suggest that only those who are judges are allowed this privilege is utter nonsense.

Finally, I sum up by concluding that there are many excellent ethical lawyers out there and I hate to see them tarnished with the likes of those who throw ethics aside while hopping on an endless gravy train which feathers their own nest. Especially when this happens right in my backyard in the Oldtown neighborhood.

I'd love to hear my readers responses to this post.


Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com