From Bill Carroll:

 Here is the tribute to Jack that has been published in Canadian Dimension.

https://canadiandimension.com/articles/view/in-memoriam-john-w-warnock

Warnock, John W.

passed away at the age of 88 years on Friday, May 27, 2022 in Victoria, BC. He is survived by his former wife Betty Meyers, a Victoria artist, and his children: Delia (Dave), Robert, and Dufferin (Donna). Jack loved visiting his grandchildren: Grey, Hunter, Cheryl (Tyler), Natasha (Andrew), Lizzy, and Max. His great grandchildren also held a special place in his heart: Domiane, Kaeden, Karl, Jasper, Kody, Taiya-Lynn and Kenton.

Jack also leaves to mourn his other family in Peterborough, Ontario including Susan Ferren, his longtime friend and companion, Don Ferren, David Newhouse and Arsalan Ahmad. They will miss him so much, as will his siblings, Bruce Warnock (Deborah), and Lynne Hester (Jim), along with many nieces and nephews.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, "Jack" attended Duke University before his interest in International Affairs led to his pursuit of graduate studies at Georgetown University and then American University. Following his studies, Jack worked within the Library of Congress and then the U.S. Foreign Service under the Kennedy administration. He moved with his family to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in a period that coincided with the expansion of the U.S. war in Vietnam (1961-1975). Jack taught in the Political Science Department at the University of Saskatchewan and later moved to the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia where he became a fruit farmer. He later left farming to return to teaching first in Victoria and finally at the University of Regina. His return to Saskatchewan in the 1980's brought him back to where his heart felt most at home. It was during this period of activism that he met his close friend Susan Ferren.

Jack was a lifelong, committed political, social justice and environmental activist, political commentator, writer, and university teacher. He leaves behind an incomparably rich political legacy. His work inspired a vision of what society could be like and he never once stopped working towards that. Whether it was through his involvement in the Waffle, his anti-war activism, his work with social justice committees or anti-poverty organizations, The National Farmers Union, or as Special Advisor to the Aboriginal Council of Regina, Jack gave it his all. He was one of the founding members of the green party of Saskatchewan--The New Green Alliance--and he was made a lifelong honorary member of that party in recognition of his work. He was also a major contributor to Canadian Dimension and Briarpatch magazines. You can read more about Jack and read some of his many publications on his blog johnwwarnock.blogspot.com.

Heartfelt thanks to Jack's family and friends, and Staff of Mount Saint Mary's for their undying love and support during his difficult and heartbreaking struggle with ALS.

Those wishing to make a donation in Jack's memory can donate to the ALS Society or to any progressive, or Indigenous cause of their choice. At his request, an informal gathering in honour of Jack will take place at the farm near Bulyea, Saskatchewan at a later date.

https://leaderpost.remembering.ca/obituary/john-warnock-1085350699

The Arab American News Book Review of "Creating a Failed State"

 A friend of mine found a book review in the The Arab American News on my book Creating a Failed State: The US and Canada in Afghanistan. 

Link: The Afghan Tragedy

The book is more relevant now with the disastrous withdrawal of NATO troops from Afghanistan. The reviewer gives it a positive review saying:

If you want just one book that gives you the story of the Afghan tragedy, this is it.

It's Time for a Green Democracy

 

Recently I had a conversation with an old friend who is now working with the group of people who are concerned about climate change.  Recently, there was a call for all greens to form a new organization to push on this issue.  There were over 1000 Groups Contacted in Canada.  How could they form a new political movement.  It seems to me that we need a new movement calling for radical change.  This new new Green – alternative could be based on certain truths.  

First:

The liberal model of everyone pursuing their own self-interest and scale there must be a return to promoting the alternative principles of democracy and equality.

Second:

There must be an endorsement for the leap manifesto.  Replacing fossil fuel energy with electrical energy has to be a primary goal.  

Third:

The new green alternative must endorse the green new deal for Canada.  This would include high-speed rail system from coast-to-coast. There would be a public bus system which would be free to users.

         
Fourth:

There would have to be a strong commitment to reconciliation beginning with implementation of the process and how it is a vital role to human rights. The implementation of the United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples.  

Fifth:

There would have to be a democratic commitment to housing as a basic human right. This would require a major commitment to building appropriate and affordable housing for all.
 

Sixth:

There would have to be in a new income progressive corporate tax structure based on ability to pay.  No corporation could avoid paying taxes in Canada.  The universal basic income could become a part of this structure.

Seventh:

There would have to be a shift from support for corporate agribusiness to ecological farming.  The vacant agricultural communities would have to be reestablished.

Eighth:

There would have to be a strong commitment to the international green principle of nonviolence.  There is no need for fighter-bombers if we are not going to bomb anyone. We would also reject the US policy of using drones for assassinations.  Canada would have to withdraw from the defence production agreement with the United States.  These policies might require Canada to withdrawal from NATO.

Programs around these principles would obviously create a great many good jobs.  There is no need to to continue to accept high rates of unemployment in any community or jobs that don't pay a living wage.

Greens Choose Paul

 

Green Party of Canada recently chose a new leader. I was not impressed by the campaign or the outcome.

There was some excitement when the Green party revealed that the membership had grown to 35,000.Thus it was difficult to understand why only 23,000 had actually Voted. How could this be explained. For one thing during most of the campaign there were 10 candidates running., it was difficult to tell the difference between them. This could have been easily clarified by the party itself.. But they refused to do so.

There was another reason. Elizabeth May went on a fund raising tour of Ontario with one candidate.She refused to go with any other. Many people felt that the fix was in.

  There have also been suggestions that the party establishment failed to send ballots  to known supporters of Dimitri Lascaris. In my own case I bought a membership in the party in early July. I also sent in a contribution which be directed to Dimitri . This was done. But when I never received info: on how to vote in the mail in or on my email I went to the party webpage and sent a message.I still did not get any response from the Green Party office.I never voted.


Where do we go from here? 

 
Dimitri  has indicated that he wants to build an ecosocialist movement within the Green Party.' In my opinion this is the wrong way to go. This has been tried a number of times in Canada and without fail they had all collapsed. I think this view underestimates the power of the political party. If you show a possibility of success like the Waffle movement in the NDP in 1971,it is simply expelled.We tend to forget that in parliamentary democracy it is the norm for all parties to allow leader to set policy and to demand conformity. This is also always been the case for social Democratic Parties. We cannot expect the Green party of Canada to be any different.

It seems to me that the coalitions for social justice and the anti-free-trade coalitions were more successful. They were alliances of organizations with only volunteer participation. This limited  their impact. They were also unable to create an alternative vision.
 

But times change. We have seen a young people with the school strikes over over government  inaction on the climste crisis Then there was a broad support for justice for First Nations. Canadians joined in the mass protests in the United States led by Black Lives Matter.
.
Canada, today needs a political party that is committed to the Leap Manifesto and the Green New Deal Canada. .it would be foundedupon a strong commitment for Reconciliation.and UNDRIP

 But this will not happen until there is a broad popular movement for real change.
 it seems to me that we need a new type of political movement where anyone can join. All that would be necessary is a personal commitment to certain democratic principles and goals. This would include  a commitment to the begin with the United Nations social justice principles which were signed by the Canadian government but never implemented. It would generally endorse the principles of ecosoialism. There woud need to be strong commitment to ending militarism.

 

 

Green Party of Canada recently chose a new leader. I was not impressed by the campaign or the outcome.

There was some excitement with the Green party revealed that the membership had grown to 35,000.Thus it was difficult to understand why only 23,000 had actually Voted. How could this be explained. For one thing during most of the campaign there were 10 candidates running., it was difficult to tell the difference between them. This could have been easily clarified by the party itself.. But they refused to do so.

There was another reason. Elizabeth May went on a fund raising tour of Ontario with one candidate,Aminne Paul. She refused to go with any other. Many people felt that the fix was in.

  There have also been suggestions that the party establishment failed to send ballots  to known supporters of Dimitri Lascaris. In my own case I bought a membership in the pary in early July. I also sent in a contribution which be directed to Dimitri . This was done. But when I never received info: on how to vote in the mail in or on my email I went to the party webpage and sent a message.I still did not get any response from the Green Party office.I never voted.


Where do we go from here? 

 
Dimitri  has indicated that he wants to build an ecosocialist movement within the Green Party.' In my opinion this is the wrong way to go. This has been tried a number of times in Canada and without fail they had all collapsed. I think this view underestimates the power of the political party. If you show a possibility of success like the Waffle movement in the NDP in 1971,it is simply expelled.We tend to forget that in parliamentary democracy it is the norm for all parties to allow leader to set policy and to demand conformity. This is also always been the case for social Democratic Parties. We cannot expect the Green party of Canada to be any different.

It seems to me that the coalitions for social justice and the anti-free-trade coalitions were more successful. They were alliances of organizations with only volunteer participation. This limited  their impact. They were also unable to create an alternative vision.
 

But times change. We have seen a young people with the school strikes over over government  inaction on the climste crisis Then there was a broad support for justice for First Nations. Canadians joined in the mass protests in the United States led by Black Lives Matter.
.
Canada, today needs a political party that is committed to the Leap Manifesto and the Green New Deal Canada. .it would be foundedupon a strong commitment for Reconciliation.and UNDRIP

 But this will not happen until there is a broad popular movement for real change.
 it seems to me that we need a new type of political movement where anyone can join. All that would be necessary is a personal commitment to certain democratic principles and goals. This would include  a commitment to the begin with the United Nations social justice principles which were signed by the Canadian government but never implemented. It would generally endorse the principles of ecosoialism. There woud need to be strong commitment to ending militarism.

 

Long Term care for Seniors; a view from the inside

 

Warnock home in Victoria
by john w warnock
 
An old friend called me a few weeks ago and suggested that I write a piece on what it is like to be in a long term care all during the pandemic shut down.  I am 87 years old and in one of the long term care units for seniors run by the British Columbia Government. I am in this unit because I have ALS and I cannot live without full time support.  Living with ALS and being in an institution is challenging enough at the best of times.   This lockdown presents an added level of difficulty which has had a major impact on me.  Issues that were already major challenges have now become insurmountable ; and that has had a cumulative, negative effect on my overall health and well being.
First of all, I am unable to either leave the building for necessary appointments or to have a doctor or other practitioners come into the building.  My hearing is deteriorating and understanding the spoken word becomes even more difficult when virtually everyone I come in contact with, understandably, has a mask on.   My hearing aids are provided by an organization which supports low income people.  However, due to the lockdown, I am unable to get to their office to have these aids adjusted to suit my hearing needs, so I go without for the time being.   I also need new glasses as it  is very difficult for me to read small print. My daughter was seeking a specialist who had wheelchair accessibility, but that had to be postponed indefinitely.   
Scheduled meetings with my physician have also been cancelled, the most important of which are appointments for Botox shots in my arm and neck.  These shots help with some of the symptoms of ALS, since my left arm and hand do not function.  I had already had two such shots and was awaiting a third when the lockdown occurred.  That third shot has been cancelled because the doctors do not enter the building to perform their work.
I have been on large doses of vitamin C every day, following a program advocated by Dr. Gifford Jones.   Jones is a Canadian gynecologist who trained a Harvard Medical School.  He was 78 years old when he performed his last surgery at University of Toronto Hospital.He has been critical of prescription drugs as often being useless, at best.  He advocates taking all your drugs and throwing them out. I haven’t done so here because that would create a major conflict with the bureaucracy.   I have, however, found this Vitamin C regime to be beneficial in relation to ALS symptoms.  Movement and feeling in my left leg and foot is almost back to normal.  I am able to direct my brain to move my left leg and foot now.  
ALS destroys the nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movement so that ,eventually, a person with the disease will be virtually unable to move.  Anything that helps lessen or slow the progression of this disease represents an extension on one’s life and a better quality of life.  Except for the vitamin C regime, I am now largely unable to slow the symptoms down.  Not only do I need botox shots, but I also need some serious physiotherapy, now that I have some movement back on my lower left side.  There are two physiotherapists here in a building of 200 residents. I am limited to two visits per week for 15 minutes on a bicycle machine. The problem is funding.  The  inadequacy of necessary services and treatments will continue to be major problems until governments return to progressive taxation according to ability to pay.
I was once a fruit farmer and I learned a great deal about organic gardening and good nutrition during that time.  I have since then grown much of my own food when I can and have always ensured that I eat a very healthy diet.  I am almost completely unable to do so now, reliant as I am on institutional food.   The food served here is verymuch like the food served in prisons and hospitals.  Those of you who have been unlucky enough to be in hospital lately will surely know what I mean.    Whereas food was once prepared in the in-house cafeteria, most food services were contracted out by governments eager to save money in the rush to do away with progressive taxation.   The result of contracting out food service is a diet of largely poor quality food.  
I have normally made up for this deficit by dining out several times a week with friends or family.  I can no longer go out nor most food be brought in.  I asked my daughter to bring me a cream cheese sandwich on whole grain bread plus some peaches and cherries.  She did so and added a much anticipated thermos of homemade coffee.  She was not allowed to bring any of this in to me. A new study by respected scientists concludes that the virus is not spread by food or food wrappings.
At least the staff at my nursing home are unionized under the BC government employees union.  They get a fair wage for the demanding work that they do and receive some benefits as well.  Care workers here receive about $25 per hour whereas unorganized care workers receive far less.  In Saskatchewan, care workers make about $15 per hour.   Decent wages and benefits mean that most of the staff here don't need to seek part time work elsewhere. A stable, full time workforce is crucial of the virus is not to be spread from home to home.  The staff here are very committed to their work and they deserve credit.  
All of this brings me to the most serious difficulty I believe those, like myself, in nursing homes face—social isolation.   The hardest burden to bare and the one that, ultimately affects my well being the most, is the isolation I now experience.  It is difficult to make friends here since there are only two people on my ward of 13 people who I can really converse with. Previously, I managed to maintain a rather robust social life, but most of it was spent outside of the institution, visiting family and friends, going to pubs, restaurants, the parks, music events and the like. I also had lots of people visit me here.  It normalized, somewhat, a really difficult life living with ALS.  Now, I am almost totally cut off from that contact. I have one primary caregiver, my daughte, Delia, who is allowed to come in once every  two weeks for up to one hour.  Otherwise, I depend on my online technology to maintain contact with my other family members and many friends.  
This social isolation is something I can barely afford, given my age and the almost unchecked progression of my ALS.  I need to see people before I die.  There are so many people I long to see—kids, grandchildren, and close friends who are family to me. I have not seen my one granddaughter and her children (my four great grandchildren) for several years.   I have close friends in Ontario who were going to drive all the way here in September to visit; they can’t see me so they aren’t coming.  They will try again to plan a trip in January, depending on where this pandemic is at.  If they cannot come then, they will come in the spring.  But with my limited life expectancy, I fear I will never see these people again.
Institutionalization means losing your autonomy.  We residents here at the home have no way to make our voices heard and give feedback that actually has an affect on our day to day lives.  For example, we are told to wash our hands frequently to protect against the virus.  I am unable to wash my hands without help and staff here simply do not have the time to help me.  I wash my hands once a week when I am given a bath. Although I have always been an early riser who engaged in my political research, writing, and activism right after breakfast, I am not usually helped out of bed until later in the morning and, at that time, I get to go to the bathroom.  There seems to be no structure here for resolving issues based on our, the residents, feedback.
Being in long term care during lockdown is similar to what being in solitary confinement within prison systems must be like.   There have to be better choices than what we are faced with currently.  We have all seen the horrific neglect leading to high death rates in for-profit nursing homes during the pandemic.  The publicly funded and run homes are better, but as this lockdown continues on, even “better” becomes intolerable.  There is no doubt in my mind that we need to find new ways of caring for elders and disabled people.  The lockdown has highlighted all the problems and contradictions of how we are currently cared for. I am one of many who live this painful reality on a daily basis. To me there has to be a better way than the BC NDP government has chosen.