What was I thinking?

What was I thinking?

Damn good question!

It made me do a whole lot more!

The day after I posted I HATE TWO-FACED POLITICIANS (which follows this one), I received a question from a Reader that threw me. A friend Eric requested I answer a question from Jodie. She had asked him a question about my post about M.P. Jean Crowder and the odor crisis in Shawinigan Falls. I agreed to answer before I saw it.

This reader, whoever she is, is one smart girl because she thinks like me! She read my post and it didn’t gel with her perspective of the situation and she was questioning MY logic and reasoning! In short her question boiled down to:

“Are you nuts?”

I wasn’t sure, so I read my post as if I had not written it

Following find her question and my attempt to defend myself:

Jodie: 

I’m not sure I understand the writer's problem with the MPs statement. Nowhere does she state that she doesn't support medical marijuana. The NDP were the first party to support, and have consistently for years. What she does say is that if somebody is given a license to grow for the government, they still have to obey local bylaws. That is just common sense. As for a more commercial model of grow-ops, she says that is coming.... she doesn't say that she supports that model.
Personally, I don't like either model. People should be allowed to have a couple of plants for personal use, medical or recreational.

To answer your question Jodie: I was prompted to write the post because it’s a one-sided half picture of the problem being reported. It’s a collaboration of the two main sources of misinformation that have helped create the negative impression that the public has regarding Medical Marijuana. The “Press” who ignore critical little details in their attempt to report exaggeration as the “Truth” and Politicians who ignore obvious truths in their propagandizing of whatever position they hold this week. Both these sources speak with perceived authority from a position of respect and readers deserve a more balanced presentation of fact.

In this instance the reporter did a lousy job of reporting with information probably received via e-mail or phone and no first hand information at all. Readers might have been interested in who this Skunkman is and what he had to say in his own defense? How many plants? He’s a dedicated grower: How many patients is he supplying? Just how sick are they? What terrible diseases? What are they allowed as a dose. How bad was the smell? 

She has no first hand knowledge to judge whether the complaint is justified, or a fiction concocted by ignorant neighbors to eliminate the criminal element and all the safety hazards that just moved in next door?

I don’t think the reporter has any intention of following up on this outrage to let her public know the result when it happens, do you? I didn’t like chewing out another reporter but if she gets another shot at anything to do with Medical Marijuana she will report it with a lot more attention to detail and accuracy than she did here. That lack of detail may well apply to her reporting of Ms. Crowder’s remarks that made up the second half of her composition so I allow more leeway regarding her statements.

I didn’t want to mention Ms. Crowder, but what she was reported as saying was totally misleading. She should not have commented about the personal growth issue because she obviously has no idea how complex this subject is. 

To begin the article she is reported as almost recommending that Municipalities enact bylaws to control the problem of personal growth. She is totally unaware that by doing so she is encouraging them to follow the example of Surrey who has enacted a bylaw so prohibitive to personal growth it is virtually impossible to meet compliance requirements much less the $5000 initial fee application. 

The basis for the ridiculous operating requirements of the MMRP is found in the Surrey bylaw. Both are designed with a Complexity requiring the expenditure of a fortune for a ridiculously Ultra High Tech Security System: a multiplicity of unnecessary Quality Control tests and Production methods. 

She should have kept her mouth shut but her performance was very illustrative of the stereotypical performance of nearly every politician confronted with a question about something they know very little about. Bafflegab!

Unfortunately for Ms. Crowder these are her constituents and she musr reassure them and let them know she has their best interests at heart. She announces there will be an end to the problem as soon as the commercializing of supply planned by the Harperites will bring an end to this terrible offensive odor activity. 

I got the impression she is pleased the Cons are going to end her problem and completely ignorant of the consequences on Medical Marijuana. If everyone just holds their nose till next spring, all you’ll smell is flowers. There is no sign of awareness that this will be disastrous on the lives of the Patients dependant on their grower for their medication. She’s condemning them to pain and puke and is completely unaware of reality.

We now are near the conclusion of the article and Ms. Crowder made me laugh with her presentation of false power and influence on the Con Government Ministry of Health! LOLOLOL!!!

Jodie, in conclusion there is no way the Ms. Crowder will be able to gain attention for a constituent complaint unless it is a life or death matter. HC ignores the Supreme Court for crying out loud: do you think for a moment they will pay attention to a minor backbencher in an Opposition party for a complaint as serious as a smell? LOL again!

Jodie: I don’t know if I answered your question to your satisfaction but that is my attempt and I’m out of steam. If you would like to reply for any further questions please reply to my E-mail. That’s private and my embarrassment is not meant to be visible! thesmeegoanguy@gmail.ca

Once again thanks for the question. I need a good kick once in a while and you’re the first reader who paid enough attention to notice and come through with the necessary attitude adjustment. Ouch!

With deep regards

Blaine

TheSmeeGoanGuy