Thursday, July 2, 2009

Sketch : The Canadian Commonwealth flag

The future flag is the symbol of the Canadian Commonwealth unity, for it, beyond any doubt, represents all the citizens of Canadian Commonwealth without distinction of race, language, belief or opinion.

Meaning of the Canadian Commonwealth flag :

The maple leaf is a symbol of duty, valor and pride. The number of points on the maple leaf means the 11 principles of the Canadian Commonwealth :

1. Each part of the Canadian Commonwealth is an independent state : a self-governing political entity.
2. Each state is democratic and capitalist.
3. Each state shares the same money.
4. Each state agrees to a common economical strategy concerning the currency.
5. Each state is an ally to all the other Canadian Commonwealth states.
6. Each state is neutral and uses the services of the Canadian Commonwealth Safety Crew
7. Each state fully cooperate to the maintain of the Unity of the Canadian Commonwealth association co-operating in the common interests of their peoples and in the promotion of the same international values concerning peace, development, economy, human rights, respect of environment.
8. Each state is an ally to the USA, and the same countries it was cooperation with when it was part of NATO.
9. Each state sends elected representative to the Parliament and Council of the Canadian Commonwealth made of two chambers in the bicameral legislative branch of the Canadian Commonwealth, with legislative power being officially distributed equally between both chambers.
10. Each state is a member of a free trade agreement with a free circulation of the citizens and the goods.
11. Each state participates in a new system of equalization payments to balance the richness and life quality of all the states inside the Canadian Commonwealth.

The golden stars represent the states. As the Canadian Commonwealth flag comes from the Canadian flag the official colors were proclaimed by King George in 1921. The color red comes from the Saint George's Cross and the color white from the French royal emblem. The new flag doesn’t rewrite history. It is simply the reflection of the political evolution of the Canadian history. The two red rectangles represents the borders on the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Note : The definitive number of stars around the maple leaf will depend on the number of states. Ex : the actual maritime provinces could decide to unite together in a small federation made of 3 provinces. So, in that case, one star could represent the new maritime state.

Sketch : The Canadian Commonwealth Safety Crew



Sketch on the Canadian structure : The Canadian Commonwealth Safety Crew

The Canadian Commonwealth Safety Crew will replace the Canadian Army. It will be neutral, Environmental Safety and International Rescue oriented. Able to displace coastal populations after major marine disasters or to save people after major earthquakes.

Principle of neutrality : The person or object bearing the Canadian Commonwealth Safety Crew logo will be entitled to protection from attack under International Humanitarian Law.
The Canadian Commonwealth Safety crew will keep 19,500 Regular and 15,500 Reserve crew members (former soldiers) to actively serve Canadians and the International community.
Trained and ready for rescue, the Canadian Commonwealth Safety Crew will have the skills and capability necessary to respond to a wide variety of potential critical situations such as :
- Environmental disasters
- Earthquakes
- Forest fires
- Marine disasters including coastal floods
- Cyclones and Tornadoes
- Hurricanes
- Storms
- Natural disasters
- Relocalisation of entire populations during humanitarian crisis following epidemics, famine, armed conflicts or any humanitarian disaster
The Canadian Commonwealth Safety Crew will represent the Canadian Commonwealth internationally.
The Canadian Commonwealth Safety Crew will also be prepared to assist the Canadian Commonweauth states and territorial authorities with environmental tasks in your community, including :
- Cleaning river sides and shores or any geographical area touched by an ecological disaster or a deterioration
- Reforestation
- Urgent repair of roads and bridges
- Transport of patients during major epidemics or pandemics
- Creation of auxiliary hospitals and relief centers
- Establishment of centers for food distribution
- Construction of an emergency treatment or desalination of water
- Construction of shelters
- Construction of temporary accommodation
- Distribution of food or equipment and health care
Inland, the tasks of the Canadian Commonwealth Safety Crew can therefore be summarized as follows:
· to provide relief assistance in emergency situations of large magnitude where a technical crew is required
· to support the Canadian Commonwealth societies with disaster preparedness through the education of voluntary members and the provision of equipment and relief supplies
· to support local health care projects in case of emergency
The Canadian Commonwealth Safety Crew will also be able to help local police in case of emergencies : public disorders or when the public safety and the social peace are threatened inside the Canadian Commonwealth territory.
Pierre Castonguay : Canada’s design table proposition

Whither Canada, 142 years on?

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Canadian Regions Say They Get No Respect, Poll Finds

National Newswatch

Nik On The Numbers

Canada's World : Let's Put Canada Back on the Map


Through dialogue, Canada's World is engaging Canadians in a great conversation about our role in the world.

Recent Exchanges About this Blog on FaceBook :


Between Michael Layman and Pierre Castonguay (June 27, 2009) :

Michael Layman
Have you considered asymmetrical and cooperation federalism? The bonds holding us together must be more than economic. They must be good will and love. And yes, the federation or confederation must be flexible, especially for Québec, but even an elastic when pulled far enough will snap. Enjoy your reflection and weekend, and thanks as always for sharing your interesting thoughts with us.

Pierre Castonguay
The elastic of the old federalism has been pulled far enough since 1867 and has snapped. In Belgium the backlash of this elastic is almost putting the country to it's death.
Haha, having the constant desire to flex the old confederation in order to make a few political momentary gains or compromise is a gerontological form of terrorism.

Because I reconsider that the bonds holding us together must be more than economic, because I cherish Canada, I am proposing a new calm and almost contemplative reflexion (nothing harmful or risky) which expresses opinions and beliefs that by adding information and by putting Canada on a design table we can find a creative and fresh new path in the old political forest which will give Canada a new force and creativity.

Michael Layman
I think perhaps you overlooked the types of federalism suggested vis à vis Québec and misconstrued my elastic analogy, but that does not erase your interesting position, which is equally as evocative, and hopefully you will continue to share your thoughts with us all so as to get the discussion rolling. Thank-you. Be well and of good cheer! I believe Québec is different and needs different tools to tackle its different reality, but I am not a decentralized across the board, preferring cooperation and bilateral approaches. In a family, if one member needs braces, all of them do not get them. Some areas the feds can do, others the provinces, determined on a case by case basis in good faith with no one holding a knife to anyone’s throat.

Pierre Castonguay
Michael, thank you for your words. Perhaps I am not overlooking the types of federalism suggested vis à vis Québec because my new blog is not much Quebec related than Nova Scotia or British Columbia related.
I will do more than continue to share my thoughts with you all on the Net so as to get the discussion rolling. I will ask you, as a lawyer to suggest us new creative laws and rules to help Canada to become a leader concerning environment, health care, social net, etc. Use your law knowledge to uplift the Canadian structure. You can help canadians to raise to a higher social, intellectual, or moral level or condition by introducing progressive (but realistic) measures for our well being.I am not interested anymore to make an analysis aboutl the areas the feds can do versus others the provinces, determined on a case by case basis inside a federal structure. I am more interested to put the structure of the new canadian states : New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec, on the design table.
If you say to me how you would conceive the new parliamentary structure of the Commonwealth of Canada in collaboration with the numerous states : then you will put a creative brick inside the infrastructure. If you say to me, I will be one of your legal adviser on the design table, I will say yes. Otherwise, you are losing your energy because there are more than 1000 political forums existing concerning the actual canadian federation : you can write and participate in these forums instead. Don't waste your time on my desing forum if you are not intellectually triggered by the exploration of the idea.

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