Divisive and ill conceived laws and agendas and how they ruin well, everything.

I am normally a very outspoken character. When I found my voice after years of verbal, physical and sexual abuse, I vowed I would use my voice for as much good as I could.

I am someone you either love or hate and there are generally very few who are in the middle of the road on that. I know that, and I accept that.

Part of my job is to make people think.  If they get angry and call me all kinds of obscene names and jump all over every little mistake a person makes like it's some sort of conspiracy, so be it.  If they want to point mistakes out politely and help a person grow as a human being - WONDERFUL. As long as they are engaged and thinking, that's all I care about - I achieved my one and only goal.

Lately, I have been quiet on a lot of very contentious and touchy topics. I know, it's not really like me, right!

Some of the reason for the silence has simply been how busy I find myself these days.  After almost two years of being ill, doing only what absolutely had to be done, I find myself playing catch up in a huge way. I am feeling good these days and enjoying working again, but man oh man the work load makes it tough to balance things or find time to write.  And the fact that I find a 12 hour day is about all I can handle at work, well when you are used to producing for 18 hours a day and get reduced by 1/3 it gets interesting!

March is a very bad month for me. I have so many birthdays for people who are no longer a part of this physical realm that I am emotionally raw and so much of what I say becomes misconstrued because in March I can not effectively communicate my own name much less anything of any import.

April has gone by in a whirl with me filling out copious amounts of paperwork for grants, hiring a new CA because the one I had has done me no favours and left me and my books in a hell of a mess - ah the joys of running a small business - but please note that while I expound on the fact that I face challenges, I am thriving on them again, not dreading them.

Some of the reason for my silence however, has been the nastiness - it seems these days that if your viewpoint is not exactly the same as everyone on a certain side of any issue, you are lower than a snakes belly and unfit to be around.  It's hard to want to focus on the good, but be in this business and in this community. We can't even get along with each other or agree on much more than insurance rates.

In our country of Canada, we have huge political divisions that are tearing at the very fabric of our culture.  Our prime minister seems hell bent on bankrupting our country and leaving a legacy of debt and destruction for generations to come not to mention welcoming in ideologies that do not integrate well with western culture.

We have extreme Islamists attempting to destroy anything that represents freedom and so many hell bent on letting them destroy our country and its freedoms.  Female genital mutilation, the rape culture and many other unsavoury scenarios have played out around the world, yet our prime minister has not learned from those happenings.

If you voice your opinion, you'd best be feeling really strong, be wearing teflon, and not engage in rhetoric that will revert to mudslinging, name calling and other debasements.

Simply state your case and never look back, or be prepared to be skewered by such vehement anger and hatred that you are truly terrified for the future of our world much less our country.

As a PTSD survivor, I have found my own unique ways of dealing with the things that trigger me.  I can control myself so much better now than even a yer ago, but it takes constant effort and awareness.

Islam, Sharia Law, Profiling of Motorcyclists - these things trigger deep responses in me.

Today I am feeling strong and I have a few things to get off my chest.

So here goes nothing....

I am very PRO Blue lives matter.
I have uncles who were RCMP, I know how dangerous the job can be and I know how hard and thankless the job can be. I know it's a job I would not want to do.

I am also very PRO Our Charter of Rights & Freedoms and when the people on the Blue Lives matter side of the board start infringing on the Charter, I get really cranky - why?

Because it's hard to walk that line, to support the cops because they are necessary,  because there are bad people who do bad things in our society, communities and world, and YET, to have those very same people we rely on to solve murders, robberies etc., target the motorcycle community over its clothing the way they do year after year is getting sickening - and it puts one in a quandary, which never feels good.

Right now, there are a number of things transpiring that go against the Charter Rights of ALL Canadians who ride motorcycles and wear brand tee shirts, support clothing, regardless of who that clothing is supporting and it's got to stop.

Divisive and ill conceived laws and agendas ruin everything.

In a country where women can wear Burqa's and conceal their identity, even when voting, how in the H E DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS can it be "Immoral or Illegal" to wear ACAB gear (ALL COPS ARE BASTARDS is what some claim that means, but I also know it can mean All Cats Are Brilliant).  Or Support Red & White, Support Green & White - really? What happened to free speech?

In this day and age when you can have piercings and tattoos all over your face and you can wear pants that make you look like you crapped yourself, why is motorcycle apparel so offensive?

I'll tell you why.  Sadly the police and the politicians of this country have an agenda.

The police agenda is to ensure their jobs and careers are safe, their egos are properly primed and their point of view properly pushed.  Public safety is their last priority - budgets and careers folks - that's what it's about these days. Having a bunch of "Bad" boys who ride motorcycles that are visible, makes career security a guarantee.

Politicians have an agenda - to get elected and force you to live by their principles and ideologies, even when they are misinformed.

Our community is under siege in Bathurst, in PEI, in Alberta and really all across this country.

Heavy police presence as bikers meet in Charlottetown: http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/local/2017/1/21/heavy-police-presence-as-bikers-meet-in-charlottetown.html

Bathurst Mayor wants Province to ban biker gangs: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/bathurst-biker-darksiders-hells-angels-fongemie-1.4082623

The police are preventing people who wear ACAB and any support gear from entering the Tim Horton's on 82 St. and why? Because they can under the petty trespass act.

Bars in Calgary force riders to turn their Harley shirts inside out or leave - again the petty trespass act protects these kinds of discriminatory practices.

So what is the big confusion? What is the hullabaloo all about?

IGNORANCE - LACK OF KNOWLEDGE and subterfuge - (the unwillingness of the police departments to disseminate the truth).

People who ride with a Motorcycle Club, a Riding Club, a Motorcycle Ministry, a Veterans Motorcycle Club, in other words people who wear patches, are being unfairly targeted for special attention based on the clothing they wear.

Not their conduct, their clothing.

Now, the police and liquor boards would have you believe that all those who wear three piece motorcycle club colours are criminal or an undesirable element of society and that they (the cops & liquor boards) are trying to protect people from gang violence.

YET - they will not explain to business owners what patches are legal and illegal - wanted or unwanted... Why? Because none of these pieces of clothing is illegal. They just use this subterfuge to make life hard for all of us. They abuse the petty trespass act, I have even heard of bar owners who are threatened with their liquor licenses if they let these articles of clothes be worn on their premises. So...what ends up happening? Innocents get caught in the cross hairs.

I have, over the years written extensively about our patches and what they really mean. I have spoken on the topic until I am sick of it. (Here is one of the articles I have written about how challenging the patch issue is...  http://beltdrivebetty.blogspot.ca/2014/07/a-little-education-on-mc-world.html)

The police will not tell politicians or citizens who is or is not "legal", business owners and event hosts get bullied into complying with the cops and it gets media coverage thanks to the politicians who are spreading mistruths  that end up supporting the cops. And our community looks like a bunch of villains.

It's disgusting but unless we find a lawyer willing to take a challenge to the supreme court, and we have the millions of dollars in funds it is going to take to fight this profiling, and someone to take the lead - we are going to continue to be persecuted.

So get used to it Canada.

WE ARE A VISIBLE MINORITY because we ride and that makes all of us an easy target,
and that my friends is why the police can attack our lifestyle and our fellow riders.

No one will stand up for us it seems - not even us...

What say you?

Our Canada's MOST Rider Friendly Community contest is winding down.  Unofficially it looks like Port Alberni BC on Vancouver Island will be the 2016 Season winner!  We'll know once the audit has been done, but that's how it's looking!

For those in the Edmonton Alberta area, the Ride for Mom is kicking off on May 13th at Blackjacks Roadhouse in Nisku AB and Camrose Tourism will be unveiling a HUGE new tourism initiative for motorcyclists that weekend at Blackjacks as well - so come on out and support a great cause and learn all about the new tourism initiative!!!!

Here in Grande Prairie and area - the A.N.A.V.E.T.'s has a few things going on you should know about - read their posters!

Look for me to be writing again, far more consistently!

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Collateral Damage - Bylaws that Divide

Here in Grande Prairie Alberta, where I live, we have a rough time as a motorcycle community.

We have one particular police officer who seems to just hate everyone on a bike. He's got an aggressive and disturbing way of approaching situations that seems to get people's blood boiling.
His superiors however, don't view him that way.

We live in a city with a bylaw wherein "gang clothing" is not allowed on city property.
Add to that the liquor laws that mirror each other in most provinces regarding no "gang" clothing and you pretty much have a place where it is tough on riders to host anything without special attention and focus being put on us.

This has been a historical situation in Grande Prairie going back as far as at least 1985, the first time I lived here. We have yet to have, that I am aware of, a period where the motorcycle community, the police and city could see eye to eye on much of anything.

See my blog post from 2009: 
(http://beltdrivebetty.blogspot.ca/2009/12/thanks-to-hells-angels-of-saskatoon.html)

All City facilities have signs posted by their entrances that say no criminal gang clothing or criminal gang colours is permitted inside.    Direct quote from the City of Grande Prairie web site.

Now whether we like it, agree with it or understand it, or not, the fact is that the RCMP view 1% clubs as gangs. (We in the motorcycle community call them Motorcycle Clubs.)

The RCMP view their colours and their "support gear" as "gang clothing".
The RCMP hold the strings to permits, licenses etc. because without their blessing, its pretty hard to get a license.

The fine for allowing "gang clothing" in a licensed premises is steep and repeat offenders can loose their liquor license.  The logic behind the liquor law is that rival gang members won't be able to easily identify each other and that this law should reduce the risk to citizens regarding drunken brawls and fights that can get out of hand.

The R.C.M.P. do not provide business owners with a list or a series of images of what is deemed to be "gang colours".

Now for those who don't understand how this is divisive please understand this; "support gear" is not illegal to sell, wear or own, however, the RCMP view it as gang clothing and therefore, it is covered under the bylaw.

Superintendent Ferguson here in Grande Prairie, expressed in a phone meeting with him and myself on behalf of ANAVETS for the June Poker Run and Parade that "support gear" is not allowed to be sold or worn on city property.

It's not illegal, to wear three piece patches with a diamond on public property either (like roadways and sidewalks). However, they, the City of Grande Prairie and the RCMP made it illegal to wear on city property through the use of the petty trespass act and their "Gang Clothing" Policy. Same applies to "support gear".

So event coordinators here end up having to act as fashion police.

Back in April, a Grande Prairie Motorcycle Charity Group had a swap meet.
It was held at Revolution Place which is a city owned event venue.
All over the building it states no "Gang Clothing" Allowed. (See photo above)

(The city courted the April event and the Motorcycle & Tattoo Fest in June, offering greatly reduced rental pricing etc.)

If a person of authority for the establishment (Revolution Place city staff in this case) calls the police regarding what they view as an infraction of the bylaw or the vendors contract, then the police have an obligation to attend.

That weekend, all of the clubs, one percent or otherwise, who showed up to run booths etc did not wear their colours/cuts.

BUT...

The city staff that run Revolution Place, called the police because support gear for a 1% club was being sold. Sadly, the officer who responded is one who has problems with riders and that sentiment is wholeheartedly reciprocated by the riding community.

There were some very nasty things that transpired and children witnessed these things. One gentleman had this cop attempt to confiscate merchandise that he purchased and another was told to take off his red & white Santa Claus tee shirt because it was red & white!

It was such a divisive and offensive scene that people unanimously and autonomously decided they did not want to be a part of the drama and decided they wouldn't support events at Revolution Place.  

According to Superintendent Ferguson, there is only one banned club present in Grande Prairie and they are not welcome on city property and that was verified by at least one person affiliated with the club.

Pen Cam - London Drugs ($50)

The Wild West Motorcycle & Tattoo Fest and the Afghanistan Monument Project Poker Run was slated for the June 24-26th weekend. I know I had begun the process for licences etc on April 11th according to the date stamps on my first emails.

The situation that transpired here in April was really distasteful. I expressed my opinion on what I witnessed, to the RCMP. (People really need to start wearing body cameras when dealing with this particular individual.)

This RCMP officer should have conducted himself far differently than he did, he should have been less aggressive and less disturbing. He escalated things instead of calming them, from what I witnessed. (I assert again - People really need to start wearing body cameras when dealing with this particular individual.)

After what transpired at Revolution Place on the April 23rd weekend, I know Peter, the show host of WWM&T Fest in June, looked into other venues, but could not find one that offered what was needed on that weekend. He already had bands and vendors booked.

The question for Peter eventually became one of whether to cancel and loose the deposit monies or take a chance that things would smooth out.

The ANAVETS Branch #389 had decided to work with Peter long before the April event that caused such a stir. The ANAVETS hosted the 50/50 draws for him, and ANAVETS turned over $10 for every poker card hand sold allowing the attendees to take part in the run and the show. In return Peter helped them with the sound equipment and a few tables and chairs for the poker run.

Because we were all concerned about how this community was going to react - and please understand  that I am not siding with Revolution Place - I would NEVER host an event there, I think their staff are rude and condescending. I am not siding with the cops. I am however stating that I feel the host of the April event should have known that support gear is considered by the RCMP as a sign of gang support/affiliation and that someone would end up calling the cops.  It was a risky chance to take that ended up costing a lot more than most would realize.

The April event host told me that their organization  was told one thing by the venue staff and then something very different transpired.  Bureaucrats are bureaucrats. You can't take their word for anything - you need to get everything they say in writing. It's call Cover YOUR ASS.

The blow back over what transpired ended up hurting the Wild West Motorcycle & Tattoo Fest promoter and all of the vendors.  It hurt the Afghanistan Monument Project Poker Run & ANAVETS but to a much lesser degree than the vendors and show host, as our costs were covered by our sponsors.

Peter advertised his event steady on the radio, we pushed on Facebook and through posters and visits to the cruise nights at the A & W and by attending the Alliance Church car show and talking to everyone there that we could.

We had hoped that riders would still support these two events in spite of the venue and what had taken place previously.

Well, that didn't turn out to be the case.

Through a number of text and private messages I learned that many riding clubs and individuals had decided to "boycott" Revolution Place. Perhaps that's not the right term, but it's about as appropriate a one as I can think of because the results were the same as if a boycott had been called for.

Now the interesting thing is that these decisions were made randomly, individually, no meeting, no joint decision.  Does that tell you anything about how strongly people felt about what they witnessed and experienced?

In effect, these people all decided the same thing, over the same incident without conferring with each other. Screw the drama at Revolution Place, we don't need it, won't take it.

All of the vendors, some who travelled 7 and 8 hours to get here - well they took a beating...it was harsh.  There were 31 people at the dance, so that didn't even cover the hotel rooms for the band.

ANAVETS had taken extreme measures to prevent another disaster.
We talked to the RCMP Superintendent, and I even went to Revolution Place and educated the women that work there on what patches might or might not show up. We did everything we could to pave the way for a more pleasant experience.

Sadly the women who run Revolution Place are very difficult to communicate with, at least that was my experience with them. I found them to be very rude and very condescending and if I'd have had it my way we would have held everything at ANAVETS but we had committed to helping Peter and so we did our best...

We had all sorts of challenges in dealing with city bureaucrats for our parade permits, the License Centre and the AGLC in getting the licenses for the poker run and 50/50's as mis communications abounded. At the end of the day we got the permits - and it ended up OK, but it was a hell of a road to get there.

I have lodged a complaint with the Community Growth director Koji Miyaji of the City regarding our experiences with Revolution Place's staff.

I also have a question for the City of Grande Prairie and that is about their divisive and I feel discriminatory bylaw:
"Why are you bothering to court motorcycle events at your venue given the bylaw and the issues of what is legal and illegal in the eyes of the city staff and RCMP?"

The decisions made by many have been divisive and hurtful to motorcyclists in this community.

The city should not be courting motorcycle events.

The event host of the first show in April should not have had their event on city property if they wanted to allow the sale of support gear. Even though they were promised it was ok by a city staffer, since nothing was in writing, they should have erred on the side of caution and really questions the promise.

The police officer in question should have approached things in a much different manner

The Motorcycle & Tattoo host should have postponed his show until he could locate a friendlier venue.

ANAVETS should have hosted their run from the ANAVETS Club House.

It's sad that when you look at what went right, what went wrong, hindsight is after all 20/20 vision.

Here in Grande Prairie, it seems like you can't win for loosing.

The sad fact of the matter is that the city of Grande Prairie does not offer one a whole ton of options when it comes to venues to host motorcycle events at.

• Evergreen Park is expensive and out of town.  That proves to be a barrier to attendance.
• The D Coy Armouries is small and has other limitations like no kitchen.
• The other major hockey arenas etc are all very expensive and as they are usually used for sporting events tend to be very booked up and they are also owned by the city.
• Hotels that have ballrooms in this town also tend to be expensive and again pose unique restrictions with regards to parking, liquor and fire regulations.
• If you take the show to a smaller town like Wembley where things are a little less expensive and restrictive, people complain it's too far out of their way.
• And don't ask for a liquor license or have the function in a licensed establishment either - the liquor law says "gang clothing" is not allowed. 

And you will have to be the fashion police.

I look forward to a day when all motorcyclists are treated like Canadian Citizens and allowed to exercise their rights and freedoms under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Fundamental Freedoms:
2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:

(a) freedom of conscience and religion;

(b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;

(c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and

(d) freedom of association.

Equality Rights:

Marginal note:Equality before and under law and equal protection and benefit of law

15. (1) Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.

If you are blessed enough to be riding today, please remember to ride like everyone is blind and cannot see you.


Belt Drive Betty,
Editor & Rider

My time in Fort McMurray - Part 2

Brian Jean & Tany Yao from the Wildrose Party

Thursday May 5th was a busy day. After meeting Brian Jean the opposition leader from the Wildrose Party and Tany Yao - the MLA for Wood Buffalo, who came to thank me personally for what I was doing with the quick line and all of the other volunteers who were helping, it was back to work making sandwiches.

Fire truck after fire truck came in and they would load up with supplies and off they went.

The thank you's and hugs for coffee and food were profuse.

There were only 6 core people on the ground at this point helping the first responders: I met Jody Hudek who works for the Suncor Community Centre and Matt Coffin, a resident of Fort Mac whose home was still standing but had no power. I also met a homeless man named Dennis.

Then there was Jeremy Hall, Will Skinner and myself - all from Grande Prairie, all part of the Canadian Motorcycle Community.

The three from Fort Mac, Jody, Matt and Dennis were doing what they could to clean up from the evacuees and sort out what was fit for human consumption and what wasn't.  Some of the fire fighters had scavenged out of the centre but ended up getting sick so we didn't want that happening again.

Jody & Matt also acted as my runners while Lynda grabbed a few hours of shut eye. Her truck was running like crap and Jeremy Hall tried to change filters for her to no avail.  She headed out late on Thursday afternoon after I had a nap and she spent all day Friday at Grande Prairie Chrysler where they changed filters and did an oil change as well as replaced a headlight for her, all free of charge because of her efforts to help the first responders.

She headed back into Fort Mac late on Friday night arriving Saturday morning with another load of much needed supplies, but her truck was sicker than ever.  She headed straight back to Grande Prairie where it was diagnosed that the Bully Dog in her truck had blown up. The Bully Dog is a computer. GP Chrysler ate some of the bill as the Bully Dog was not covered under extended warranty, but it still cost her over $1,500 out of pocket - a bill she could ill afford to pay. I have put in a plea to GP Chrysler and Chrysler Canada to help her out. I sure hope they do as I could not have done what I did if she hadn't run her truck with supplies.

My very first selfie - I was fighting with the camera
to get in all of the boys from the Redwater Fire Dept.
(Redwater is as close to having a hometown as I come.)

With Lynda gone, Thursday and Friday was basically just me on sandwich detail, and I can't count the number of sandwiches I had made by late Friday.

I'd get a call from someone going out to feed guys and gals on the fire line - Betty, I need 40 sandwiches for a crew on Tower Road that hasn't eaten in 24 hours, Betty, I need 150 sandwiches to feed three different crews I am going out to and on and on the day into the night went...Before I knew it, it was Friday morning about 2 am.  A large number of RCMP officers came to my station for coffee and snacks, everyone of them grateful to have this 24 hour station which was lovingly dubbed the Mac's store.

You see by this time we were getting all sorts of supplies.

Mark Lafountaine and his wife who own Screaming' Eagle Oilfield Sales in Whitecourt gathered tons of Beef Jerky, Gatorade, water, foot care products, Visine, headache medications etc., and my friend Dave Perra from Perra Leather Works in St. Albert had driven those supplies in along with some Tobacco products I had sent him the money to purchase. He arrived around 11 pm Thursday night and turned around to head straight back as he had to work Friday morning. His boss would not let him stay to help unless of course Dave wanted to loose his job.

Earlier on Thursday morning a fire crew had asked me if I could by any chance get some chewing tobacco and another crew asked about cigarettes, some about gum.  All of these early first responders had literally dropped everything, grabbed their bunker gear and headed off to Fort Mac - they had very little with them save the clothes on their backs.

So Friday morning when the one crew came in around 2:30 am (about 20 hours after their asking for tobacco and gum, the gent who had asked about chewing tobacco (his crew begging me to do what I could do cause someone was grumpy) sheepishly poked his head around the corner of his fire rig and said "So????"

I whipped out the tobacco and said "So???" His whole crew was hanging out of the windows cheering "YEAH" and he yelled out "I need to marry you!"

We all had a great chuckle and I got some mighty big hugs. It was at this point that I became dubbed "Klinger" (from MASH) - I became their procurement and moral officer!

Throughout the early morning of Friday May 6th, I had crew after crew coming to ask me about a variety of things. Betty, any chance you can get us some toothpaste? How about some moleskin, Gold Bond? How about some batteries, how about....

Little things that they needed and so our shopping list grew.  Baby Powder, under wear, tee shirts, deodorant, allergy medications, sun screen, lip balm, shaving cream, razors....

Some of these people's feet were in such tough shape they could hardly walk and yet they never stopped going back in when called upon.

I coordinated as many of the supplies as I could with my drivers, Jeremy had also been coordinating supplies and Jody did her best along with Matt and Dennis's help to dig through and re-stack all of the evacuee donations and we found some of the stuff the guys and gals needed in those supplies, things like blankets and clothing. Cases of cookies and other non perishables like cereal were found and a microwave was located to make bowls of soup. One microwave to 500 or so people.  It was rough, but we did it.

The Quick line also dubbed the 24 Hour mac's Store on
Thursday morning at about 4 am.

Thursday evening - about 9 pm

2 AM Thursday night

Catching a few minutes - you couldn't really call it sleep

Sleeping accommodations were sparse, many of the folks up there were sleeping in their trucks, rigs, on yoga mats on the ground, couches inside the Suncor Community Centre or simply on sidewalks.

There were few cots left over from the evacuees and I was given one so I could sleep by my station as Lynda was gone with the trailer to fill it up again.  When I did get to sleep it was so cold that I was shivering uncontrollably and an angel, whose name I later learned was Darrel Comeau, also from Grande Prairie, found some blankets and covered me up well - I got 2 wonderful hours of hard sleep after that.

Darrel Comeau took this photo of

me trying to get a bit of sleep 

Friday morning about 7 am

Once we could get into the coolers in the upstairs kitchen, we had access to hot dogs and hamburgers.

There were canned foods but nowhere to cook as the centre had no gas.

Jeremy and Will found a BBQ and some propane and were manning the BBQ from that point on. Dennis, a homeless man worked his arse off and did all of the running for Jeremy and Will.

Baked beans and hot dogs for breakfast, no one minded at all.  Hot food was not something many of them had had since late Monday.

Mid-day on Friday May 6th, Jeremy who has 10 years of oilfield fire fighting experience and a ton of equipment operation experience was asked to man a water truck and later a hoe.

Will in the back manning the BBQ

He was running all over the place helping where he was needed, which left Will running the BBQ. Jody and Matt were perking coffee upstairs and running down carafes and supplies as fast as they could. Dennis was helping Will as much as he could.

Everything that we could lay our mitts to in that centre was put to good use, feeding and hydrating everyone we could.

Now there is something about Will Skinner I want to share with you before I sign off today.

Not all that long ago, last riding season, Will had been hit head on by a texting driver while riding his motorcycle. He had two broken legs, two broken arms and a broken neck.  Yet all through our time together up in Fort Mac, and while I was gone to Two Hills to deliver their trophy and road signs, this man stood in the heat, in the ash, on the pavement, flipping burgers, carving roasts into steaks, boiling potatoes and providing hot meals to as many as that little BBQ and the two warming grills they scrounged could handle.

Everyone was patient and grateful.
AND Will slept in Jeremy's truck too!

This man is more crippled up than I am and yet he did not stop, no matter the pain he was in.

Matt Coffin and I - he was a gem!

The donations kept coming in, either in cash for us to buy what we couldn't get donated or actual supplies that we had put out pleas for.

I need you to understand something - this was very early into the disaster. The city was pretty much empty of people, there were no people in town to support these fire fighters and Fire command had some water and fruit, but nothing else.  If guys couldn't come in from the fire line because they were without fuel, it meant they couldn't get in to grab any of the meagre supplies that were available to them.

When they did finally get fuel thanks to Jessy Kappel, (the volunteer fire fighter from Grovedale) and all of her logistics support, they were some grateful for that first coffee, sandwich etc. that they were able to drive in to get.

Hugs were plentiful, they were about the only thing that were!

If your are blessed enough to be riding today, please remember to ride like everyone around you is blind and can't see you.

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

The Veterans MC and Remembrance Day

Before I share with you the information regarding conversations with Inge Kruse of the BC/Yukon Command of the Royal Canadian Legion and the journalist who wrote about the situation in Ladysmith BC, I want to discuss the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The Charter of Rights and Freedoms - A Double Edged Sword
(Get a beverage, cause this is along winded one, basically two articles in one!)

Under the Charter, we all have:

a) freedom of conscience and religion;

(b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;

(c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and

(d) freedom of association.

I am a firm believer that our veterans fought to protect these fundamental freedoms and that if we take them away for some, then we all risk loosing them.

Many believe that some members of the Veterans MC conduct themselves in such a way as to allow or create a perception that they are 1%ers and not just a traditional outlaw club.
Even if it is true that some of these members are less than forthright about their conduct and beliefs, their conduct of today does not negate that they are veterans and have served their country.

Just because I have taken the stance that the Veterans MC has the right to attend Remembrance Day services, to march and lay a wreath in their cut, does not mean I condone illegal conduct, if there is any.

On the contrary.  

What it means is that I believe the Charter of Rights and Freedoms applies to everyone.  
If we attempt to strip them of their rights based on belief and not fact, then we are no better than the countries of the world who suppress their peoples.

If the RCMP and other police services do their jobs properly and gather the proof that these men are not who they say they are, if the courts convict the offenders, and the offenders serve time and pay their debt to society, great. This becomes a non issue.  While in jail, they have most of their rights and freedoms stripped from them, but when they get out, they are once again citizens and the Charter applies to them again.

I do not like the way a lot of people dress these days, but, under the charter, they have the right to dress the way they want. I do not agree with various religions, but again, under the charter people are allowed their choice on religious belief and affiliation.

What you like and don't like has very little to do with the essence of the fundamental rights & freedoms in our country.

We live and let live. It's what our soldiers have fought to preserve for all of us.

You can't preach/scream charter rights & freedoms and then exclude someone because you don't like them or their ideologies, unless their ideologies go against the charter.

The members of the Veterans MC are citizens of Canada and veterans who served this country.
No matter what else they have done or are, no one can take away their rights to freedom of association, freedom of peaceful assembly.
It's illegal to do so and to do so would be a crime against all citizens of this country.

The good news is, with great freedoms and rights comes great responsibility and consequence.

The offending members, if there are any, will eventually be caught for their offences, tried and convicted and they will pay the price for the way they chose to exercise their freedoms.

And no organization anywhere in the world, is comprised of ALL good people.
In every walk of life, in every organization, you will find those who break laws, do criminal things.
Let me remind you that the RCMP has had its fair share of "bad apples", but we don't go around condemning every cop as a result.
In case you need some reminding of the misdeeds of some police officers visit this page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_controversies_involving_the_Royal_Canadian_Mounted_Police
or this one: http://thenonconformer.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/canadas-bad-police-officers/

We need to remember that in a court of law, the individual who commits the crime does his own time.

The whole police force did not go to jail for the crime of Const. Desmond Sandbox who admitted to beating a prisoner in a cell at the Lac La Biche detachment on Sept. 13, 2009.

It is NOT our job to decide if the members of the Veterans MC are who they say they are.

It is our job to decide if we want to associate with them or not, if their values align with ours or not, and nothing more.

What we must not do is allow anyone to take away their Charter Rights & Freedoms, for if we do, we risk loosing them for ourselves.

Now, on to the topic for today...

Who is telling the truth, will we ever really know, and does it even matter?

Yesterday, late in the day, I finally got a chance to speak to Inge Kruse, the executive director of the BC/Yukon Command of the Royal Canadian Legion.

In my conversation with Ms. Kruse, she says that she was "misquoted and that one statement was not hers at all. She, however did not want to take the writer on, she said she wanted to focus on the veterans and Remembrance Day." 

She expressed that "this experience has taught her a lot about the motorcycle world." She says she has spoken to members of the Veterans MC and has expressed that the Legion has NO DRESS Code when it comes to who marches or lays wreaths and all branches have been provided with the same information:

This is the official statement from the BC/Yukon Command of the RCL:

BC/Yukon Command does not have a policy regarding who may or may not attend Remembrance Day Ceremonies. The Legion strives to be a welcoming environment for all - particularly Veterans whether young or old. In that spirit, we encourage and welcome all Canadians – regardless of affiliation - to attend a ceremony in their local communities this Nov. 11th, and we hope to see Veterans and active duty service people of all ages marching to honour our fallen. What one chooses to wear while paying tribute to those that served our country is a personal choice, and the Legion takes no stance on this issue, and we apologize for any confusion.
We would also like to point out that BC/Yukon Command has invested heavily in programs to help a new generation of Veterans. These programs include the Veterans Transition Program which helps those suffering from PTSD, Cockrell House which provides shelter to homeless Veterans, and the BCIT Military Skills Conversion Program which helps advance the civilian careers of former and current Canadian Forces personnel.
- BC Yukon Command of the Royal Canadian Legion

Here are the comments attributed to Inge Kruse in BCLocal and the Nanaimo Daily News: 
(To read the article for yourself please visit: http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/341906341.html)


"Branch president Gary Phillips won’t comment publicly but Inga Kruse, B.C./Yukon Command executive director, said Veterans MC members are “more than welcome to participate, it’s just inappropriate that they wear motorcycle patches.”
She said the issue is one of respect.

“Let’s say you’re part of a Lions Club and you were your Lions Club uniform with medals — it’s frankly a bit tacky,” Kruse said. “It’s not that veterans can’t march, that’s ridiculous. It’s that there’s a lot of baggage that goes with motorcycle patches, especially when they are the one-per cent patch.”

The reference is to the patches of outlaw clubs. Asked if the Veterans MC is an outlaw club, Kruse said “I don’t know everything about those guys. All I know is my branch has asked them to take off their patches and their vests.”

A message on the Veterans MC club website says: “We are not a 1% club, nor do we have the intention of becoming one.”

Veterans MC club members planned to wear their colours to Chemainus if Ladysmith blocked them, but Kruse said Legion Command has send the same message to every branch.

“This is the stand of the branches and the RCMP,” Kruse said. “When the RCMP make advice, we’re not going to just shake it off.”

I wanted to get to the bottom of the comments that were attributed to her in the BCLocal, Nanaimo Daily papers.  I reached out to the reporter who wrote those articles, Darrell Bellaart, because without his comments regarding his integrity as a journalist this article would incomplete. 

He refused to speak with me as he did not want to become a part of the story. He wanted to retain his neutrality. He did however make this statement: "As I've stated elsewhere, everything I directly attributed to her, she said. Period. Anything within quotes is a direct quote. Word for word."

According to the above referenced article written by Mr. Bellaart, Staff Sgt. Ken Brissard, stated that he met with the Legion Wednesday about the upcoming parade and “they were not asked to exclude anyone.”


I have reached out to the Staff Sgt. Ken Brissard who is a very thoughtful and eloquent man and he unequivocally requests that, "All Canadian citizens come out and take part in Remembrance Day services."

So, what is the truth? Who started this mudslinging fest that hurts the Royal Canadian Legion, our veterans, the motorcycle community and the citizenry of this country at large?

We'll never know, not with any certainty.

And in the grand scheme of things does it even matter?  What matters is things have changed for the better.


Tomorrow is Remembrance Day.  

Please go to a cenotaph near you, wear what makes you feel proud, thank a Veteran for the freedoms and rights you have, and be grateful that there have been and continue to be those who are willing to put their lives on the line to defend our rights and freedoms.

At the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month, We Will Remember Them.
(Armistice Day, November 11, 1918 the day WWI ended.)

Belt Drive Betty
Editor & Rider

Disclaimer:


All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. The Belt Drive Betty Blog makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site & will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.

Another Remembrance Day - Another Controversy

It seems that every year, some motorcycle organization is singled out by the RCMP, OPP or other municipal police services and/or the Liquor Boards in the various provinces, as undesirable and undeserving of the right to march in and attend Remembrance Day services/parades or attend Legions in their riding regalia.

The Veterans MC on Vancouver Island has been locked in a battle with the local Legion, Branch 171 in Ladysmith BC.

Click this link to read the Nanaimo Daily article...

This is a battle undoubtably caused by the RCMP.  Read further and you'll understand why I say that.

Because this club, the Veterans MC, wears a 3 piece patch, they are being discriminated against.
And yet....Every member of the club HAS SERVED THIS COUNTRY by donning a Canadian Forces Uniform, and is an honest to GOD veteran.

We saw it in Cumberland at the Motorcycle RoundUp, the club was singled out by the Liquor Board & the RCMP as one of 7 clubs who were not supposed to wear their colours into licensed establishments.

In Ontario, we have heard of members of various RC's and MC's being asked to leave the Orangeville Legion because of their patches - some like C.A.V. wearing simple one piece patch, because the Legion didn't know who was who or what was what, regarding patches.

We saw it in Medicine Hat with the Falcon's MC and their poker run a few years back.

Because the police forces concern is that this MC is going to be absorbed by or is somehow already working with 1% clubs, they are being told they can't participate in Remembrance Day services.

The "request" however, never comes directly from the RCMP - OH NO....

The RCMP bring pressure to bear on those who control the establishment or function, in this case the RCL branch president.

You see the police feel that because most MC's follow COC protocol and go to the dominant club with their mission statement and their proposed patch to ensure the dominant club approves their patch and to show that their club as not interfering with any of the 1% clubs, that somehow that approval process means they are now in bed with or tied to the 1% club.

Clubs that have police officers as part of their membership are not allowed to attend COC meetings nor do they meet COC "guidelines" and therefore seldom go to the dominant to "ask for permission" to fly their colours.

It is considered a sign of respect, to let the dominant club know who you are and what your intentions are, if you intend to sport a 3 piece patch.  The dominant club either believes you or they don't. They either deem that your patch does not conflict or misrepresent who you say you are or it does in their eyes.

If you are "allowed" to wear your cut/colours that does NOT mean you are a 1% club, it means you are an MC that does not grate against the Confederation of Clubs and their protocols.

If you don't go to the dominant club to introduce your club, then in the eyes of the COC clubs, that means you allow police officers among your ranks and you are not a real MC in their eyes.
This aspect of the COC protocols creates a lot of discord/disagreement in the motorcycle community.

Of course the club that allows police officers in it, generally have a police officer who is a member who can smooth out the path so to speak, regarding the law and their ideas on special attention.

In the case of the Veterans MC, unlike many Veterans Clubs, they hold true to the core principle that you are not a veteran unless you have worn a MILITARY UNIFORM.
Unless you have worn the Canadian Forces Uniform and have been prepared for battle via basic training etc. you are not a veteran. Remember WWI, WWII, Korea, Afghanistan etc., were wars fought by soldiers not police officers. No one is discounting the fact that the RCMP serve their country, but they are not veterans who have been prepared to go to war and that is the mindset of the members of the Veterans MC.

Being an RCMP officer does NOT MAKE YOU A VETERAN in their eyes and so they do not allow police officers in their membership and therefore, they are fair game for special attention in the eyes of the police.

They (The RCMP) deem that to be the case with the Veterans MC because two their members have gone over to a 1% club. And yet, the rationale is not totally valid.  2 members left their club to go join a 1% club.  These veterans who went to a different kind of three piece patch club decided the "rigours" of being part of the Veterans MC no longer served them. They wanted to be a part of something different.  You don't see the entire membership moving over, being absorbed, patched over.  Two members....however.....

Here's where things get really muddy....

They left their club in good standing and while they will probably never be able to wear the Veterans MC colours again, they are still brothers at arms - they served in the Canadian Forces with the guys who make up the Veterans MC. So the Veterans MC gets invited to parties, events or the homes of these men who are now 1% MC members.

That's where the RCMP feel they are justified in connecting the dots if you will.  Although they no longer ride together as a club, the Veterans MC and the 2 members who moved to a 1% club are still friends, they were friends and comrades before they were MC members, but it's that very friendship the police look upon as suspicious.

At least that is how it was explained to me by a gang task force officer last year at the Vancouver Motorcycle Show.

The thing that truly makes this a sad situation is that the Veterans MC have donated substantial monies to the Ladysmith Branch of the Legion and now they feel abused and betrayed.

I called the RCL Branch 171 and asked to speak to their president, Gary Phillips, but as of this moment in time, he has not contacted me so that I could understand and pass on the specifics of this situation to you.

I do however already know in my gut how this played out.

I have heard it enough times...I have EXPERIENCED IT MYSELF, back when I used to host motorcycle shows.

Police officer tells the event coordinator, in this case, the Legion president that if they allow the Veterans MC in the Legion or to be a part of the ceremonies, they, the RCMP will pull out.
They also mention liquor licenses and how they can be affected by non compliance. They tell the Legion they are protected by the petty trespass act, and they, the RCMP will come and ask the "offensive" people to leave when they get the call.

The Legion becomes scared by the perceived intimidation, they cave in and do not defend the very veterans they are sworn to serve, they go against the Charter of Freedoms and Rights, they deny these people the right to be involved in a public ceremony on public land, they deny them access to a private club meant to serve military veterans and members and the veterans become hurt, indignant and angry.

Public opinion goes badly against the Legion because the citizens of the region do not understand the bullying tactics used on the Legion, the Legion decides that the RCMP are wrong minded in their "requests", the RCMP have no legal leg to stand on and so, the Legion reverses it's decision AFTER the damage is done.

OR, the Legion out of fear, stands firm because they would be embarrassed if the RCMP did not attend the service.

That's what has transpired, time and time again all across this country. Some Legions stand firm with the RCMP, usually out of fear of reprisal OR they stick to the Charter of Freedoms & Rights and protect the rights & freedoms of those they have vowed to serve.

Sadly too often, ill feelings become entrenched and their is a lot of anger on all sides of the equation.

In this case, the RCL Branch 171 in Ladysmith BC, has apparently, although not publicly, overturned their initial decision and have decided to allow the Veterans MC to attend.

Their decision is too late though, as the Veterans MC has decided to go to another Legion, the one in Chemainus and have vowed to not support the Ladysmith Branch.

In my personal humble opinion, there needs to be a full push to have motorcyclists recognized as a visible minority, because we are. We are very distinguishable from other motorists, other persons and we are a true minority, our community is only 700K+ strong. (Washington State was successful in having motorcyclists recognized as a visible minority).

My rights as a citizen, taxpayer and rider have been trodden on several times by the RCMP with regards to hosting events and banning patches. I lost almost a 1/4 million dollars standing my ground against them. They damned near broke me financially by blocking entrances to my show in Olds and it took me years to recover.

The RCMP will cripple you, financially and every other way they can so that they can get their way.
They do not care that what they are doing is not only immoral but bordering illegal.  It is profiling and at the very least it is subversive. They are in a battle with the 1% Clubs and sadly think that everyone who wears a patch, 3 piece or not is a 1%er unless there happens to be a police officer as a member, then the treatment tends to be different. Not always, but most times.

And so we find ourselves in this position time after time after time.

There are no rights and freedoms in this country as it pertains to motorcyclists, but somewhere there must be lawyers who will challenge the charter and people willing to force the point. Money and desire being the two strengths that are needed to get something like this done.

That's how I see this situation, what say you?

I'd dearly love your feedback on this topic.


To express your feelings to the RCL on how this situation has unfolded please contact:
Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 171
Gary Philips - President
621 First Ave, Ladysmith, BC
Phone:(250) 245-2273

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Belt Drive Betty 

Editor & Rider

Disclaimer:

All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. The Belt Drive Betty Blog makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site & will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.