OCCUPY VANCOUVER

The End Times are actually here. Not the end times in the Book of Revelations that Stephen Harper is working toward and hoping for, but the end times for capitalism as we know it. I came to this conclusion last Friday when Madame Justice Mackenzie brought down her verdict (City of Vancouver vs. Sean O’Flynn-Mage, Jane Doe, John Doe). This suit concerned Occupy Vancouver’s attempt to stop an injunction being issued that would cause the people camping to be evicted and if protested, charged with Contempt of Court.

I attended court and this was an absolutely miserable and futile affair. But then I knew it would be from past experiences. Still, there was always this faint hope that I’ve clung to for almost twenty years; that the BC Supreme Court was not as corrupt as it seemed to be. How could the Supreme Court of British Columbia be corrupt? Isn’t the BC Supreme Court supposed to be fair and just?

But when Associate Chief Justice Anne Mackenzie gave her oral reasons for allowing an injunction on Occupy Vancouver I decided on the spot that I couldn’t kid myself any longer. I could no longer even hope a judge might appear who would understand and disapprove of the power of court ordered injunctions to allow corporations to destroy the environment and social justice.

I was forced to recognize the very moment Madame Justice Mackenzie brought in her verdict that there simply aren’t any judges, especially Chief justices and associate Chief Justices sitting on BC Supreme Court, who had ever met an injunction application he or she didn’t like. I painfully recognized that for twenty years I had been fighting injunctions and going to prison because of them, that I had been like a child longing for Santa Claus to come, and in all that was right and good, would bring a judge who would refuse the corporation’s application for an injunction (in this case, the city of Vancouver). No more. I have turned my face from hoping for justice from the Supreme Court of BC because in this case, the court’s bias was so palpable and the BC Supreme Court has become, in my mind, an enemy of the people.

In both Occupy Ottawa and Occupy Halifax where the police have moved in, there were no injunctions. Instead, the Chief of Police acted on its own in these cities, or was asked to act by their mayors; neither went to the courts of their jurisdictions, begging for an injunction instead of just doing their jobs. Injunctions are a coward’s way. And speaking of cowards, now Christy Clark had entered the fray.

She of the “you can run, but you can’t hide” dictum, has managed to hide her own legal transgressions very well (BC Rail fiasco) with the help of Madam Justice Mackenzie. I find it odd that Madam Justice Anne Mackenzie, who agreed to the two million dollar settlement case for Basie and Verk, thus preventing any further examination of Gordon Campbell and Christy Clark of this crooked deal, protected Christy Clark from perhaps going to jail herself. Now Christy Clark is out to make sure the riff raff of Occupy learn their place. She’s going for another injunction to remove Occupiers from their new digs at the Provincial Court.

Doesn’t our dear leader know there is already an injunction in place? Hasn’t her friend Anne Mackenzie Associate Chief Justice told her? That on the 18th the injunction was extended to include any new location? If Christy Clark doesn’t know this she should and if she does, well, my goodness, getting her face in won’t hurt and the 99% are so stupid they won’t know anyway. We of the 99% are not quite that stupid, Christy. I think many, many of the 1% will recognize this as the Occupy Movement expands, BC injunctions or no. I do believe this to be inevitable.