Some of you may have heard of this already; others, likely not. But if you’re involved in shooting sports in London or the surrounding area, you’ve probably already heard about the bigoted asshattery pulled recently by Thames Valley School Board Director, Bill “my head’s so far up my ass, I chew my food twice” Tucker.
In an age when schools in our province are chronically underfunded, having to scrounge for cash wherever they can find it, Little Willy seems to think that he can pick and choose and turn his nose up at money if it comes from people he just plain doesn’t like.
That’s why students at East Elgin secondary school in Aylmer aren’t allowed to accept $5,000 from the East Elgin Sportsmen’s Association, says the director of the Thames Valley District school board.
“I do not feel comfortable accepting money from any organization associated with guns,” Bill Tucker said. [so no police fundraisers, eh, Willy? -D]
The controversy began when John Evers of the sportsmen’s association sent out a news release linking the organization with the East Elgin secondary school drama tech department.
Evers now says the release shouldn’t have implied the school was sponsoring the event.
During the weekend, the association staged the Ontario International Practical Shooting Confederation provincial match.
Competitors, including a three-time world champion from France, used full-power handguns to complete various stages over the course during the weekend, Evers said.
East Elgin students volunteered at the event. [showing that the kids whose interests he’s supposed to be looking out for have both more balls AND brains than Willy does]
About $5,000 raised at the event was to be donated to the school’s drama department for new lights.
But when Tucker heard about the news release, he objected to linking the school — and by extension, the school board — with a shooting event.
“This was not a fundraiser for the school,” he said. “From a school board perspective, I can’t have implicit or explicit links made between us and guns.”
But similar events have raised money for the drama department the last two years since Evers’ daughter started at East Elgin and students needed money for a production, Evers said. [gee whiz, I wonder what’s changed?]
“The kids are the only ones hurting here. They’re not getting the funding they need and deserve.”
Last year, a similar event raised about $3,500 for the drama department, he said.
An official cheque presentation was supposed to happen on Sunday, but the students will need to find a different way to get $5,000, Tucker said.
Tucker became the Thames Valley board’s director of education this year[AHA! So THAT’S what’s changed!] and said he couldn’t comment about why the money was accepted in the previous two years.
“This was my decision,” he said, adding he didn’t like the association of “schools and guns.”
Students who volunteered at the event can still count their time toward the 40 hours of community service required to graduate in Ontario, Tucker said.
Evers praised the kids who came to volunteer, saying they patched targets involved in the competition.
Frank Exley, one of two Elgin County trustees on the school board, said he was still figuring out Thames Valley’s policy on donations.
“It’s hard to say no to parents and kids who raise money for the school,” he said. “I want to be fair to the school, the students and the board on this.”
So there you have it. One miserable gun-grabber gets to shove his political agenda down the throats of a whole school full of students. After all, it’s not like IPSC is a legitimate, law-abiding bunch, right?
The CSSA/CILA had their take on this as well. I’ll let them speak for themselves…
In a move obviously fueled by irrational bigotry, Thames Valley School Board Director, Bill Tucker, has refused a five thousand dollar donation to a secondary school drama class because the money was raised at a shooting competition. “I do not feel comfortable accepting money from any organization associated with guns,” Tucker said.
This is the third year the Ontario International Practical Shooting Confederation provincial match has donated a large sum of money to the drama class. The money was accepted the first two times.
The donation program was spearheaded by East Elgin resident, John Evers, as a means of assisting the class in procuring large ticket items they otherwise would not be able to afford, in this case, new stage lights. “The kids are the only ones hurting here. They’re not getting the funding they need and deserve,” asserted Evers.
School boards should not be placing politics ahead of the welfare of our children. He added, Politicians like David Miller and Dalton McGuinty have demonized firearms owners to deflect blame away from their inability to deal with crime issues but this is the sort of argument one would expect weaker minds to buy into. I would like to think that school board Directors have more sense than that.
“It is appalling that in these days of chronic provincial under-funding of schools, that a person charged with the responsibility of operating those schools would turn down a generous donation because of political correctness,” spoke Larry Whitmore, Executive Director of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association. “Mr. Tucker should hang his head in shame.”
Bernardo added, “Mr Tucker has spit in the face of two million government inspected, government approved Canadians. Target competitions are a lawful sport with an impeccable safety record and a history of community service and involvement. Firearms owners have become Canada’s second class citizens.”
For more information:
Tony Bernardo
Canadian Institute for Legislative Action (CILA)
(905) 571-2150
Larry Whitmore
Canadian Shooting Sports Association (CSSA)
(905) 265-0692
While we’re at it: If you want to top up that five grand that’s already been raised (and what better way to rub Willy’s little hoplophobic nose in it?), you can contact the East Elgin Sportsmen’s Association. One way or another, I know they’ll make sure it goes to good use.
As you likely guessed, the OFAHisn’t pleased, either (Freeps again):
The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters is calling the area public education director’s stance on guns “highly offensive and hypocritical.”
The province’s largest fishing, hunting and conservation group made the statement yesterday, decrying Thames Valley District school board director Bill Tucker’s refusal to accept a $5,000 donation to an Aylmer high school because it came from a gun club.
Meanwhile, the East Elgin Sportsmen’s Association’s president, John Evers, said he’s had to refuse more donations since the controversy began this week.
“If I accepted new donations from other sports clubs and individual shooters, I’d probably be up around $7,000 or $8,000 right now,” Evers said.
It’s another example of political correctness run amok.
The bias of Thames Valley District School Board director Bill Tucker has deprived students at East Elgin Secondary School of much-needed funds ($5,000 to be exact) and sent a message to legal firearms owners everywhere that somehow their money is tainted.
“I do not feel comfortable accepting money from any organization associated with guns,” asserts Tucker, as his rationale for turning up his nose at proceeds from the East Elgin Sportsmen’s Association (EESA) hosting of a high-profile handgun competition last weekend.
The money was destined for the school’s drama department for new lights.
Tucker initially threw up a smoke screen by insisting his concerns emanated from a news release that linked the school as a sponsor of the event.
Never mind in the past two years, similar events have yielded donations to the Aylmer high school.
In a conversation with City Scope this week, school trustee Frank Exley of St. Thomas toed the company line, supporting Tucker’s decision and insisting the EESA was at fault.
“This issue is not what’s going on at the gun club. The issue has to deal with the way in which the money situation was announced on the CBC (by EESA past president John Evers),” says Exley.
Asked if he had ever visited the club north of Aylmer or communicated with Evers, our elected school trustee shot back, “What does that matter? You get far from the picture when you start asking this question.”
So Tucker slammed the door on the EESA contribution, and Exley is in full agreement, without either of them visiting this club to see for themselves the valuable contribution to gun safety and education made by the dedicated membership.
We approached Evers to determine what sort of shady associates competed in this first-class event at the club, in addition to the three-time world champion from France.
It’s been over a week since word of this first broke and the silence coming from the media has been absolutely deafening. The lefties love to roll their eyes whenever conservatives (big or little “C”) complain about bias in the media. But how can we not complain, when an issue as serious as this gets swept under the national rug, in the middle of a God damned election, no less??
True or not (and no, I don’t know which), accusations that Premier Williams threatened people with financial ruin and other reprisals if they supported the Conservatives need to be dragged out and examined in the light of day, where everyone can see.
And just what have we heard from the MSM on this, what should be of major concern to all Canadians, not just Newfoundlanders? The most recent thing I can find is from eleven damned days ago:
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. (CP) — Premier Danny Williams denies he’s threatened Conservatives in Newfoundland and Labrador who work for Prime Minister Stephen Harper during a federal election campaign.
Is Danny guilty until proven innocent? Hell, no. But can you imagine the hue and cry that would arise from the Ministry Of What You Should Think, the TO Red Star, the Mop & Pail, and all the other usual media suspects if this had been someone accused of trying to intimidate Grits??
And isn’t it funny that we don’t hear a peep out of Elections Canada about this? No skulduggery there either, I guess.
Where the hell is Fife talking about? Harbour Grace or Harare?? I know that a) I have a tendency to go off half-cocked sometimes and b) these are unproven allegations but let’s be serious here, folks; if these accusations have any merit to them, we have some serious problems with our democratic rights in Newfoundland! It’s one thing for a Premier of a province to bitch and moan about a Prime Minister and put his political capital into opposing the PM’s campaign, but this kind of bullshit is beyond the pale…
It seems that voters in Newfoundland are being intimidated and threatened with retaliation against their persons and businesses if they vote Conservative, donate to the Tories, or otherwise display any support for the CPC! NO, I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP!!
From Hunter’s post:
High praise goes out to CTV’s Robert Fife for this report [for the record, I agree -D]. He listened to the people of Newfoundland, and understood the seriousness of what they were saying.
Joanne over at Blue Like You broke this story on blogs, and she has the links to the CTV site that will give you the full story. She has the video link to Jim Morgan backing up what Robert Fife said. It is worth the listen!
What I’m waiting for now, is to see what the MSM does with this story. Are they going to howl this from the rooftops, or are they going to show themselves as being the Lieberal lapdogs that they are so often accused of being, and sweep some more Leftist dirt under the rug?
I don’t know about you, but I’ll be watching for this.
PS- Dear Scumbags:
I understand that you’re awfully busy and otherwise occupied with trying to bugger about with the God-given right of Newfoundlanders to choose whoever they damned well please to represent them in our nation’s parliament but, if you could spare the time, could you please stop by and try to intimidate me?
Please? I’m feeling all left out and neglected here. Thank you for your consideration.
-Dennis
UPDATE
Looks like I’m behind the herd on this one, but I’m not going to complain. The more noise gets made, the better. Here’s what others have been saying:
“If You Run We’ll Ruin Your Father’s Businessâ€: Danny Williams – A Step To The Right “CTV Bob Fife is naming senior Conservative sources that are on the record saying that Danny Williams and his minions are launching an extensive campaign of fear and intimidation against anybody thinking about running for the Tories, or attending their rallies in Newfoundland.”
Tell Danny the Dictator what you really think of his ABC campaign – Right As Rain “Just before I head off to bed, I would like to encourage everyone to email Danny Williams to let him know in uncertain terms what you think of these allegations of bullying and intimidation.”
*Official* Danny Williams has been put on notice – The Hypocritical Oath “OPEN LETTER TO DANNY WILLIAMS: It is my belief that you and your government have not met the needs of Newfoundlanders in terms of developing new and sustainable industries to succeed the fisheries. Oil is not going to float your paper thin economy like that of Alberta; you simply do not possess the amount of reserves that they do. Invest in education and the development of your business community which, by the way, should consist of more than just three fish boat captains in St. John’s harbour and the local pub owner.”
Danny Mugabe Williams – SDA “Well, perhaps that’s unfair. We haven’t yet seen rampaging gangs of PC’ers raping and pillaging political opponents.”
All Hail Danny – Back Off Government! “Ok maybe he hasn’t reached Robert Mugage proportions – but with these news reports coming out of Newfoundland I would say the words “Friendly Dictator” definitely apply.”
Danny the Dictator? – Right As Rain “The allegations talked about by Bob Fife and Jim Morgan about Danny the Dictator’s actions in N.L should cause a great deal of concern amongst every party in this election.”
Ten and counting. It’s always nice to know that I’m not the only one who’s pissed.
Somewhere in Totonto a nine-month-old baby is dying.
Toronto Police are desperately searching for baby Heru Sut Tekh El and his 22-year-old mother. Erica Caines took her baby from the Hospital for Sick Children Wednesday after doctors admitted the severely malnourished tot. Mother and child haven’t been seen since.
“The baby requires urgent medical care, so we’re obviously worried,” said Toronto Police Const. Helen Dixon, of 52 Division’s family services unit. “Get your baby back to the hospital immediately.”
Caines had brought the baby to the Sick Kids’ emergency room around 2 p.m., police said. Once inside, hospital staff determined the little boy — who only weighs an alarming 11 pounds — was suffering from “severe malnutrition” and in need of immediate medical attention. But soon after the child was admitted, his mother took him and fled.
PUBLIC APPEAL
More than 24 hours later, police made the public appeal for the mother and her child, but still can’t find them.
Const. Tony Vella said officers believe the child’s safety is at risk without immediate medical attention and that the mother could be anywhere within the GTA. The mother has had no previous contact with police.
Caines is described as black, 5-foot-6, 99 pounds, with curly dark brown hair. The boy is about half the weight of a typical nine-month-old baby and only a few pounds heavier than an average newborn. The two may be travelling in a late 90s model, red, two-door, Acura, police said.
Dixon said officers have been checking a number of addresses on an “ongoing basis,” but the woman has not been located. Police said they had been in contact with the mother’s next-of-kin.
Catherine Snoddon, of the Toronto Children’s Aid Society, said they had no involvement with the mother before this incident.
“Professionals and the public will call us if they are concerned about the safety of the child and in this situation, certainly Sick Kids was,” Snoddon said. “Unfortunately, since then no one’s been able to see mom … hopefully someone will come forward.”
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Caines or her son is asked to contact 52 Division at 416-808-5200, the Toronto Children’s Aid Society at 416 924-4646 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).
The abduction is the third very public tragedy involving a child to rock the city this year.
In January, baby Angelica-Leslie was abandoned in a frigid North York mall stairwell. Last August, Katelynn Sampson was killed in a Parkdale apartment. The child’s legal guardian and that woman’s common-law husband were charged with murder.
[UPDATE]
The Toronto Sun has more info (what the hell is going on here??):
A young woman who fled a Toronto hospital with her severely malnourished baby has another young child police are worried about.
Investigators have been looking for Erica Caines, 22, and her 9-month-old son Heru Sut Tekh El since Caines left the Hospital for Sick Children against the wishes of medical staff Wednesday.
Aside from the sick tot, who weighed only 11 pounds. when admitted to hospital, Caines has another son who is about 2 or 3 years old and also unaccounted for, Toronto Police Det. Mike Leone said yesterday.
“The younger child is sort of the focus of the incident, but we’re obviously concerned about both kids,” Leone said.
ARGUED WITH STAFF
Caines admitted her son to Sick Kids’ around 2 p.m., but left with the child after a confrontation with staff.
“Medical staff basically tried to convince her that the baby should not leave and should remain in the hospital and receive treatment,” Leone said. “She obviously didn’t agree with them.”
Caines was with a friend, who hasn’t provided police with a lot of information, Leone said. It’s unknown if her other son was with them at the time.
Investigators have since received some help from Caines’ family, but continued to plead for Caines to come forward.
It’s unknown where she resides, as she only lives with her family “at times,” and it appears her and the father of her children aren’t together, Leone said.
FAMILY DIDN’T KNOW
Her family was apparently unaware of the baby’s ill health, as Caines “has not been on the greatest relations” with family members, so they haven’t spent much time with the baby, Leone said.
“The family is very concerned,” he said. “I can’t understand why she wouldn’t come in or take the baby back to the hospital. She’s got to come forward. If she doesn’t want to talk to police, she can call Toronto (Children’s Aid Society) or more importantly, just go to a hospital with the baby,” Leone said.
“Our main focus is just the well-being of this kid. Beyond that, obviously we’re going to find out to what extent this neglect went to and if there’s any criminal side to it, we’ll certainly investigate that.”
Tipsters should contact police at 416-808-5200, CAS at 416-924-4646 or Crime Stoppers at 416-222-8477, 222tips.com or by texting TOR to 274637.
Well, I gotta tell ya, after writing that last post, it sure feels good to clean off by rolling and wallowing around in some nice, filthy partisan politics.
Funny how contrasts can change a perspective, huh?
Day six of the silly season is upon us and, as you likely guessed, it just keeps goin’ and goin’ like some Satanic pink bunny on angel dust. Why can’t we just lock these threefour five clowns in a room with some baseball bats and have them settle it without bothering the rest of us?
Hey, at least my guy’d likely win. 😉
17:09 – Fifteen WHATS?
Okay, this has gotta be some sort of fluke or something. It has to be. Don’t get me wrong, I actually like optimism — not that I practice a lot of it, but I still like it. But this just seems too good to be true. If it had come any time other than the end of the Week Of The Gaffe Du Jour®, (the poll was taken from Monday to Thursday this week) I’d have been able to sit there and say, “hm… cool,” but not today.
Personally, I foresee another Tory minority, with the Tories and Dippers gaining some seats each and the Grits shriveling to little more than an urban, Toronto-Montreal-Vancouver rump.
BUT… if this poll is accurate, then something damned big is afoot in the ranks of Bob and Sally Canuck out there:
OTTAWA — Stephen Harper may be closing in on his coveted majority despite being plagued by a series of miscues and bad news during the first week of the federal election campaign.
A new poll suggests the Conservatives have opened up a commanding 15-point lead over the Liberals, with 41 per cent of respondents supporting the governing party.
Typically, 40 per cent is sufficient to win a majority of seats in the House of Commons.
According to The Canadian Press-Harris Decima survey, the Liberals stood at 26 per cent, the NDP at 14 per cent, the Greens at nine and the Bloc Quebecois at eight.
The poll suggests the Tories have gained ground among key voter groups that have eluded them in the past, and in every region of the country. They took a seven-point lead in Ontario, a 10-point lead in urban centres and a 13-point-lead among women.
I’m not gonna hold my breath just yet, though.
18:21 – Oops
After acting like complete and utter hypocritical assholes — and getting lambasted up and down both the left and right sides of the blogosphere — the Boogers have decided that it’s time to backpedal, cut and run, whatever the hell you want to call it. I’ve gotta give Elly May and Co. credit for doing one thing that is almost impossible to do: that is to unite damned near everyone in the country, regardless of politics, on the same side of an issue. Too bad for the Boogers, it was against them.
The website for TVO’s The Agenda, which has been following the fracas, has the mea culpa from Green attack dog John Bennett:
Dear Mr. Buckdog,
I apologize for my hasty email yesterday. My actions came out of a concern to ensure that internet content is an honest and real representation of facts and I look forward to future positive dialogue with you and other bloggers.
In the TVO clip, Elizabeth May clearly says “they” think Canadians are stupid, referring to the opinions of some politicians. She then turns to the questioner and agrees with HIS assessment that a carbon tax is essential. No spin can change that.
I have included a video clip and quote from Elizabeth May that indicate her clear respect for the intelligence of Canadians.
“It needs to be explained, but I think Canadians are smart enough to understand the idea that we need to ensure that we reduce our use of fossil fuels, that the climate crisis is upon us, and this is not the only thing we need to do, but it is the foundation for a successful climate policy,” Elizabeth May said. CTV’s Question Period on Sunday, May 25, 2008.
Sincerely,
John Bennett
Nothing more embarrassing than when totalitarian-minded buggers get caught acting totalitarian, eh?
19:35 – Whoah, Nelly!
Gawd damn. Yeah, it’s juvenile and yeah, it’s silly and yeah, it’s a whole bunch of other stuff… but I still gotta see how this ends up looking on THH22M…
HALIFAX — The Harper campaign got a dose of comic relief today, when a well-dressed woman claiming to represent “single female voters” caused a stir at the morning news conference.
Catching the PM in mid-sentence at the serious event, the woman — later revealed to be Geri Hall from CBC satire show This Hour Has 22 Minutes — stood up, apologized for the interruption, then continued to shout as she was hauled away in cuffs by the RCMP security detail.
“Girls love a guy with a sense of humour. We can have a lot of fun!” she hollered. “I love you Stephen Harper. I want to love you!”
The PM was blindsided by the visit, but later met with Hall to make amends for the take-down.
A Harper aide said with a wink the pair met at the PM’s hotel room — but confirmed Mrs. Harper was present.
The PM’s opening line?
“So, you like handcuffs?”
I don’t know about you, but there’s a couple o’ looks on a couple o’ faces that I just gotta see… 😆
Some of you may have heard of this already; others, likely not. But if you’re involved in shooting sports in London or the surrounding area, you’ve probably already heard about the bigoted asshattery pulled recently by Thames Valley School Board Director, Bill “my head’s so far up my ass, I chew my food twice” Tucker.
As you likely guessed, the 
This is beginning to give me the creeps.
What the hell is THIS??? (Huge hat tip to Hunter over at 
Dear Scumbags:
Well, I gotta tell ya, after writing that 