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Resurrecting the Council of Canadians in Calgary
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Beverly June
Mel Teghtmeyer and his wife Joan are very involved in trying to make Alberta a better place to live.
In fact they are fighting to keep what we already have and see it diminishing right before our eyes!
Yes we are talking about the possible privatization of our medicare system.
The phone in their home is welcome to anyone who wishes to call and it is ringing! Although Mel took early retirement in 92, he is far from retired!
Mel is president of the newly resurrected "Council of Canadians", Calgary Chapter. It is very active in other cities and he sees it not only as an educational instrument but as a way of bringing various groups together. They inform each other of the progress on different issues and work in synergy with each other. He states his wife is far more passionate than he regarding these matters and has written over 1000 letters alone on the of protection of our health care. The Calgary Chapter holds this as their #1 priority and note the next few months are extremely important. He thinks the privatization of Medicare represents an example of the demise of democracy. People are concerned about their most fundamental needs being put in the hands of corporations executing corporate agendas. The Klein government is overwhelming us with propaganda literature to tell us how to think rather than giving us the information and letting us make our own decisions. "We haven't got any funding to oppose them other than our will and determination . We would like everybody to talk to one of their friends and let them know we are going down a path that is going to cost us more and deliver less service. Why would one do that unless you strictly want to support the shareholders of private companies."
The Council of Canadians basic principles are to protect our environment ,water and the social needs of Canadians and people of the world. Social needs include health, education and a basic standard of living. Everyone should have the right to basic needs including water which brings us to the World Trade Organization Campaign. The W.T.O. represents transnational corporations and the trade laws they wish to implement. They want to commercialize health, education and water.
The council believes that this should be a democratic government responsibly looking after the basic needs of people. The council is against a small group of corporations directing the world, using natural resources to meet their monetary needs. The privatization of the health care system is a way in which large multinational firms could get into a multi-million dollar business in Canada for their own interests. This could be a major step in the demise of the democratic system.
One of Mel and Joan's inspirations has been their attendance of the Parkland Institute in Edmonton over the past couple of years. Maude Barlow , the Voluntary Chair of the Council of Canadians for Canada has been a frequent speaker. Maude and Mel Hurtig were the original founders of the group and when Mel Hurtig was opposing the free trade agreement, Mel and Joan were there helping. Mel Teghtmeyer has always been a man who asked questions. He saw the free trade agreement as a sell-off of Canada. How was corporate foreign ownership going to affect Canada? Were they going to strip our resources and leave? Did they have Canada's best interest as heart?
Mel's heritage has certainly impacted his views today. He was born and raised in Alberta and still retains the farm his parents purchased in 1936. His first economic lesson came when it changed from mixed to a dairy farm He asked how people could work so hard for such little money and reflects this still to be the current situation in Saskatchewan. He moved on to hold a position with Burns Meat Packing. It was a strong union shop that dictated not only hours and regulation but how one should vote at the annual meeting. He remembers thinking at 18 or 19, "I'm not sure if this is right?" After receiving a diploma in electronic communications he worked with I.B.M. for 27 years. A strong business attitude was developed after various job positions and relocations. He quickly realized that business was very profit and production driven. When working in Halifax he questioned, "Why wasn't a colored person working for the company at that time?" At a company meeting in Kananaskis, a speaker was brought in to inform them about NAFTA advantages and again they were told how to vote. He quotes, some people accept peer pressure more easily than others. Maybe to climb the ladder they go through life without resisting structure. It's a lot easier. Most obedient employees don't ask questions. Give them a narrow job, pay them well but not too well. Mel's experience with IBM, the Burns Union, the farm and government agencies has given him a broad insight into today's issues.
The Councils of Canadians is an independent, non-partisan, public interest organization that provides a critical voice on key issues: safeguarding our social programs, promoting economic justice, renewing our democracy, asserting sovereignty, promoting alternatives to corporate-style free trade, and preserving our environment. Mel and Joan Teghtmeyer are committed to these goals.
The councils mission is to set an ethical, sustainable agenda for our environment and democracy. Implementation of ideas on how to achieve this are considerations as well.
If $1.00 = 1 vote instead of one citizens = 1 vote, the corporations will always have more money!
New members are most welcome. Meetings are held at Memorial Park Library on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 P.M.