“Bullies of Bureaucracy 101”
by Judi McLeod
Canada Free Press
Friday, January 1, 2010
In both Canada and the United States, war veterans are abused by their own governments. Governments tend to cater to groups more politically correct than the heroes returning home after going into harm’s way in the continuing Fight for Freedom.
Governments and their legions of bureaucrats maintain a similar attitude toward farmers and land owners.
Indeed governments, worldwide and their rubber-stamping bureaucrats are often monsters against the little people living on the lands whose populations pose no threat by number.
On the first day of the New Year, Canada Free Press (CFP) takes you out to the rural community of Southwest Middlesex, Ontario.
In his 73 third year, Hector Murray is facing the nightmare of trying to find tens of thousands of dollars to follow the Ontario Liberal Government’s order to cap a 1930s era, historic natural gas well.
“For decades, the Murray family of Southern Ontario has lived on a rare luxury—they’ve heated their household for free.” (The Canadian Press, Dec. 31, 2009).
“But a government order is now demanding that the couple in their 70s shut down a 1931 natural gas well on their property, and the two will have to cough up tens of thousands of dollars to cap the historic well.”
Call it Retroactive Government, Premier Dalton McGuinty style.
“We’ve got something we’re not paying for so there’s no money generated and so they want to close it,” said Hector Murray 73, wearily shrugging off the three-year battle, as he resigned himself to the loss. “It’s as if I’ve committed a crime and this is the punishment.”
“In this case, according to Murray, the crime is free fuel.”
The Murray family, like other farmers over the years who depended on the well, are at the heart of a passing era. The well had been providing gas to four farms but recently only two houses were left connected to the well. Seventy-nine years later, the sleeping monster called “The Government” awoke.
The story is all the more tragic when it is considered that Murray and his wife, Marjorie did the right thing when told they were operating the well illegally and must immediately apply for a permit. However, after they applied for said permit they received an abrupt notice from the government to close the well.
The article continues at Canada Free Press.
