Archive for the ‘Personal’ Category
The beginning of change
The Internet is the new Wild West and at end of February Global TV’s award winning public affairs show 16 by 9, hosted by veteran TV correspondent Carolyn Jarvis aired an episode specifically about the scams perpetrated on the internet and as a result, the victimization of innocent individuals including Eric Cunningham, former MPP and businessman.
The show focused on the tactics of former police officer and purported hired “private investigator” Cullen Johnson, who with his also disgraced girlfriend Elaine White an unlicensed private investigator, sought systematically to destroy the character of people like Eric Cunningham by falsely suggesting (during his divorce proceedings with his first wife) that he was a part owner of a multi-million dollar company whose blue-chip Board (which included – also falsely- John N. Turner, Mike Harris and David Peterson among others) was in the business, again falsely, of funneling millions of dollars out of Canada. None of the allegations were/are, in fact, true yet the fact that allegations were written and posted on the internet had the effect, at the time, of creating doubt in public (and among those in the legal system) about his integrity and his reputation. The net result was that the falsehoods created animus all around. Thankfully for Eric Cunningham he is a cool customer and because he has integrity dripping from his pores, he used his own network of supporters and the legal system to go after the perpetrators.
As for the stories by Johnson and White – they didn’t stop at Cunningham! Johnson and White created a web of fantastic and false stories on the Internet hurting so many people along the way that they eventually fled the country when they were charged criminally. They fled Canada to the Caribbean when they were out on bail. The two are now imprisoned in the Caribbean for a fraud they alleged to have perpetrated there and are presently awaiting deportation to Canada. When they return to Canada, they will likely be met on arrival by authorities that will, yet again, charge them with several more counts of fraud and they both may face prison sentences here.
This Global TV story is seemingly meant to teach a lesson. It more attempts to highlight the issue of the lack of control on the internet and how the power of words can and do have an affect on any individual’s personal space and an audience the information strives to impact. When people see information on the web, experts say that there is a tendency to actually believe it because it’s written. Couple that with the fact that the “posts” on the web may have a name or a “by-line” attached to it– when, in fact, the real author could be hiding behind an alias from a internet service provider (ISP) in another part of the world, or at a local Starbucks in their home community where the perpetrator of the “post” hides behind Starbuck’s host internet site. As a victim myself of a deliberate attempt to discredit my reputation by “phantoms” claiming to be foreign business people, former colleagues, “private investigators” and other aliases, alleging falsehoods of a libelous and slanderous nature (all of which would be subject to criminal mischief and civil remedies IF a real person alleged same using their true identity on the internet) I believe that change for these kinds of nefarious activities is needed in Canada. I’m fortunate that I have many friends who are helping to “out” these internet predators and that will help more Canadians realize that much of the information on the internet is not as accurate as they would believe. It used to be that we gleaned our information in the “media” through qualified and accurate sources like a newspaper or encyclopedia. Today, anyone can post information on the Internet whether it is accurate or not and hide behind antiquated “broadcast laws” in Canada
Enforcement authorities working with us to identify the “phantoms” posting slanderous and libelous information on the internet using phony names, information and aliases, believe that until and unless Canada as a nation wakes up to the fact that there need to be stiffer laws to protect the public from internet phantoms and predators who use aliases and phony websites, addresses and identities and who maliciously attack and create mayhem for innocent Canadians such as the likes of Johnson and White will continue with impunity. Change has to start now and we have begun the process.
In Canada, like some states in the United States, there needs to be awareness that the Internet is NOT an accurate media to the degree people might believe. That information on “search engines” may not be reliable and the authors, in fact, may not be a real person OR, if they are they may post information that can actually hurt an individual and cause great harm to them (even in some publicized cases cause the victim to end their life). In some southern US states there is pending legislation to amend the criminal code so that law enforcement agencies will charge criminally those who create aliases on the Internet. The intent is to ensure that the address, the name, the posts and the site being used belong to a real person with a real name and real address thereby protecting an individual from cyber-attack from phantoms or phony people. In the United States there seems to be greater protection for reputations of an individual and civil remedies reflect that in past case law – the criminal system is now hoping to catch up.
The days of the internet being the wild west may soon be coming to an end in the US and more and more victims of the kind of malicious and outrageous acts of crime like Eric Cunningham will be vindicated while the spineless internet hacks like the Johnsons and the Whites and others who knowingly perpetrate slander, libel and criminal mischief may find themselves pay heaps of damages in civil courts or wallow in jail – where they belong.
Marc Kealey with China’s Buddhist Grand Master Li Ning
Marc Kealey with China's Buddhist Grand Master Li Ning
Baseball’s Hall of Fame inducts a Blue Jay – finally!
I’ve had cause throughout my life to meet up with interesting people in politics, entertainment and sports. As a baseball fan, I had the opportunity in the early 70’s to see Fergie Jenkins pitch for Chicago at, of all places, Jarry Park in Montreal. In the mid 1980’s I worked on Fergie’s campaign when he ran for the provincial Liberals in Windsor Ontario. Although Fergie lost, his career as a baseball Hall of Famer was secured.
In the latter part of the 70’s my relative, Clem Kealey, a well known sports writer for the Sun, introduced me and many of his nephews, in the Kealey clan to new Jays like Roy Hartsfield , the controversial first GM who recently died and, Lloyd Moseby one of the original Jays drafted in 1978.
In the early 90’s, like many in Canada, I watched the Jays win. Greats like Dave Stieb, who never got in the Hall of Fame (but should), were superstars. The Jays, it seemed were Canada’s team. I remember being in Yukon on an election campaign and managed several times to watch the Jays on TV up there too.
In the latter part of the 1990’s, I was coaching AAA junior baseball (17 and 18 year olds) in Mississauga. We had our own version of spring training (10 days in March) in La Romana, Dominican Republic. At their stadium, home of the Toro’s, we had the unparalleled experience of being coached by Epy Guerrero, legendary scout for the Blue Jays who brought with him Tony Fernandez. Imagine being coached on how to hold a bat at the plate (like playing a “flute”) by the inimitable Tony Fernandez? Magic! The boys loved it and cherish that experience to this day!
In the past couple of years, I had the honour of associating with my all-time Jays fave – Roberto Alomar. He is one of the nicest folks I have ever met and despite his fame, is down to earth and highly attuned to his status as a major contributor to baseball.
Roberto has transitioned his career from baseball to business in a manner much different from other baseball greats. He has not so much relied on his glory days, as he has concentrated on ensuring that young kids remain active and healthy. His adherence to physical fitness is manifest in his sculpted frame. Roberto appears humbled by his induction in the HOF – he remains a gentleman. Toronto, Canada Jays fans and sports fans should be proud!
Leaks and a Pause for Concern
The “Wikileaks” reveal an insidious side of human nature, yet are a serious and hard-core symptom of the state of politics today.
Notwithstanding that the US is red faced over this whole ordeal, Canada’s now firmly ensconced in the matter regarding certain people, process and politicians.
What are we doing? The leaks, in my opinion, are a reaction to the absolute mistrust, anger and frustration that the average person has toward what can be characterized as “the elites”.
The issue is not that we need to hunt down who leaked the items, but why!
Think about Canada – former CSIS Director Jim Judd was a great leader in that organization, who became quite frustrated and angry about how the political process, the current cast of elected politicians, the bureaucracy, the justice system and, frankly, the media have been immature about dealing with the threats of terror in Canada.
We’re hung up, in our current political process, about being so correct as not to offend that we will, seemingly, put at risk our own safety.
As an advocate for government reform in areas like prescription medication costs and patient access to care, I have been subjected to security threats and largely they have been ignored or viewed as dramatic.
I have been intimately involved in repatriating Canadians who have been wrongly imprisoned abroad and heard snickers from Canadian politicians and media that maybe the person deserved what they got.
At the same time, I see lobbyists get advanced peeks at government announcements and rigged bids for government contracts or procurement occur time and time again.
Wow! We do this a lot in Canada. No wonder people are angry, frustrated and reactive.
Unless citizens take matters into their own hands and start to push back against this institutionalization of politics by getting active in the process, seeking democratic renewal and demanding that politicians and their bureaucrats perform better and in our collective best interests, we will most certainly continue to see these kinds of activities like leaked documents invade our falsely secure and pretty little worlds.
Buffalo Bills – Worst Team in Sports? Hardly!
As a season’s tickets holder for this storied franchise, I have to take exception to Toronto Star Sports Editor Chris Zelkovich’s early November piece asking the question of the Bills as – “The Worst Team in Pro Sports?”
I say hardly!
This is an NFL season of many, many stories about previously good teams having dreadful outings. Look at Dallas! Look at Minnesota! Look at Cincinnati! My goodness, look at Detroit!
The east division of the American Conference of the NFL is a tough one. New England and Indianapolis are two of the best teams in the NFL and Miami is surely a contender. They have stable and well known rosters. Buffalo is a young team with some veterans who make plays on the field as well as any of the teams above. Ryan Fitzpatrick is the 4th leading passer in the NFL. Roscoe Parrish has come into his own after former coaches for the Bills used him improperly in the past. C.J. Spiller is exciting, young and has a winning spirit. George Wilson is as effective as any defenseman in the league. ‘The Pos’ is equally as effective a linebacker as any NFLer and both offensive and defensive lines are good.
So what’s the problem? Nothing! We’re conditioned as fans to have winners and when winners don’t win – fans react!
I think Zelkovich is a bit of a dramatist!
Buffalo is a great sports town and every game at Ralph Wilson stadium is an event unparalleled in the NFL. The team had a rocky start and we’ll characterize 2010 as a growth period.
But they are not the worst team in sports. The experiment in Toronto at Rogers Centre is an apparent failure because the fan base for the NFL in Toronto is NOT attracted to Buffalo – they are Dolphins, Raiders, Eagles, Cowboys and Jets fans more so. There are many bad, bad teams in the NFL – year over year. Just ask any Lion’s fan! The NFL has cult like following from its fan base. I’m one of them and having long emotional discussions about what goes wrong comes with the territory.
I’m also a huge Leafs fan and having suffered through season after season suggesting that we shine up Stanley only to have our hearts broken – again – might make Zelkovich consider re-asking the question.
Marc Kealey with Finance Minister Jim Flaherty
At a recent event at my home with the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Federal Minister of Finance.
Marc Kealey with MP Justin Trudeau
At a recent event in Mississauga South, discussing policy issues with Federal MP Justin Trudeau.
Ein Prosit Mr. Turner!
You would probably never guess this, but every October John N. Turner officially opens Oktoberfest in Kitchener – Waterloo. This year was one of 30 yearly treks for him I think.
I went with him this year and in the usual rock star adoration he gets from the hundreds and hundreds of people at any event he attends, he delivered opening remarks in his usual precision and histrionics.
He recounted the time, years ago when he was invited by Helmut Kohl to open Oktoberfest in Germany, he recounted the words he used then, and in perfectly pronounced German, he offered greetings to the patrons of 2010’s Oktoberfest.
I’ve traveled with Mr. Turner to many parts of Canada and throughout the world. In every setting and at event he truly is treated like a rock star. And like finely brewed German ale, he gets better with age!
Miami and Pittsburg – hurts so bad!!
I was in Miami last weekend with a couple of my pals.
We went to see the Miami Dolphins / Pittsburgh Steelers Game. The start of the weekend could not have been more perfect. Met at the airport in Fort Lauderdale with a stretch limo and a police escort to one of Miami’s best restaurants, we planned the next day perfectly. Ending the evening at Mango’s near Gianni Versace’s home was the quintessential Miami experience.
The next day, we headed to Sun Life Stadium in Miami, a perfect day was ordered and we had some of the best seats in the stadium. I love football – especially the NFL. I’m a Buffalo Bills season’s ticket holder and am possibly the most forgiving fan they have – in fact my season’s ticket partner and I have the only hand knitted Bills sweaters at Ralph Wilson Stadium – but I digress.
The Dolphins and the Steelers are two of the best teams in the NFL. The game was a good seesaw affair until the 4th quarter when behemoth QB Ben Roethlisberger of the Steelers called his own number and rushed into the end zone only to be smacked by a Dolphin linebacker causing him to cough up the ball. THAT was the start! What happened next makes this particular play and, in effect, this game one of the more controversial ones in NFL history.
Getting a win in the NFL is a tough thing these days (unless you’re playing against Buffalo). Parity among teams is at an all time high. And the talent spreads to all positions on the field – including officials and electronics. The pressure to call a game by officials has made the video replay a very important component of the game. Help me understand this though, why would a referee make a call so blunderous as to earmark it as one of the more controversial calls in NFL history? You’d have to be blind not to see that big Ben fumbled before the ball crossed the plane of the end zone and that a Dolphin recovered it. What’s even worse is that the referee ruled it inconclusive that Miami recovered the ball and gave the ball back to Pittsburg and they promptly scored a field goal that, in the end, gave them the game and the 2 points.
The end result was that Miami lost.
The weekend wasn’t lost though. Miami is still an exciting town, the weather phenomenal and the scene a cut above, but boy, did I miss my Bills that weekend!
