OVER 4000 KILOMETERS FOR DEMOCRATIC JUSTICE

​​July 11, 2012

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For immediate release.
The Bike Ride for Democracy

“Drop everything and stop at nothing.”

That's Garret D. Hippy's mantra for the next two months. A Nelson resident who feels Canadians face a very big problem. He feels so passionately about what he perceives to be “the most urgent problem in Canada” - the Harper government - that he’s literally dropping everything and will stop at nothing to promote dialogue about possible solutions.

Hippy quit his apprentice carpenter job, sold most of his belongings and will separate from his loving girlfriend of four years. On Sunday, July 15th, this thirty-two-year-old man will ride his bicycle over 4000 kms, from Nelson to Ottawa, to inspire Canadians to talk about democracy. Hippy plans to be on parliament hill for Sept. 17th when parliament returns from summer break.

“Come talk to me about democracy if you see me on the way to Ottawa,” invites Hippy. “I want to know what Canadians think of democracy, Canadian sovereignty, and what they expect our government officials to do. I feel that most Canadians know there is a problem with the government, now it is time to talk about the possible solutions. I am an advocate for direct democracy, or participatory government.”

Hippy will be posting daily on his web site, as he travels along his planned route. He welcomes all to ride along with him (non-motorized please) for a few minutes or for a province or two. He will be departing from Nelson city hall at 8 am.

“I invite all Canadians, who feel the need to address the problem government, to join me on parliament hill Sept. 17th. It’s time to take our country back!”

 

 

 

June 13, 2012.

  My name is Hippy,

    At least that's what my friends call me, Hippy is what I like to call a chosen name. My given name is Garrett.​​

   Please note that my grammar is bad, and I am far form being a professional journalist. This is my first attempt at writing a blog, so please bare with me as my writing skills improve.

   Welcome to my web page for the bike ride for democracy.

 What could make a working class white guy, with a decent job, and a wonderful loving partner suddenly drop everything to ride a bicycle approximately 4200 kilometers? After all I have finally made the blue collar dream, if I can just stay the course I may just get that mortgage and get that one step closer to becoming a farmer. All I want to do as I get older is grow food, raise live stock, and build my home from nontoxic materials. I am in essence on that path already, so why jump of the path to my dream? Why do something that is not for me?

   To be honest I could say I have had a hard life, but compared to others my hard times pail in comparison. Despite my hardships I have had a pretty good life, and got to live my most youthful years in a world of plenty. I have never been with out food for very long, I have always slept in places I feel comfortable. Entertainment has probably never been so good or  so easy to access in any other time in history. Heath care is easy to access, and if I wanted I could get my high school diploma for free.  Life is good for me in Canada, and that's exactly why I am doing this crazy bike ride.

  With all this great stuff in my life I still have this sinking feeling, as if it were some kind of deep seated guilt, it's because I know I am part of a big problem.

This time of plenty would seem to me that it's going to come to an end, what scares me is how soon that may be. It's not just the unions, workers rights, student rights, environmental rights, and so fourth, it's our human rights.

   This "Harper" government, as if to say the Canadian government dose not exist any more. Canadian democracy is to me a bad joke.  Canadian's only get to have a democratic voice in the federal government once every five years for just a single moment.  How ever it has been discovered that the last election was screwed with and I was screwed out of my democratic voice, just as every one else was. Now we have an illegitimate government, destroying unions, education, the environment, and human lives. This is all happening because the people who are effected the most have had their voices taken away, you and I.  ​​

  There have been hundreds if not thousands of protests in the past year alone in Canada, covering the tar sands, election fraud, corporate influence on government, and now even protesting for the right to protest. Why do people protest? It's because they feel they have no other voice, they feel things need to be made right, and they will even face armed law enforcement just for a chance to be heard. All this effort, and public violence gets very little done beyond informing the the public of injustices.

  The people need to feel like they have had their say, and that they were listened to, after all that is what an election is for.  The problem with only one vote on one thing every five years is that the government officials have no great way to know what the people want. So protest and police violence is inevitable because of the disconnect between the people and government.

  What if we could skip the protests, and save tax dollars from being spent on police violence and court cases? We the Canadian people can, we can have a voice with out risking our health, BUT... You need to participate in it, it's called direct democracy, it is a form of participatory government. Right now you need to go learn all you can about direct democracy, because if I see you on the road I want to know your thoughts on it. I personally feel that direct democracy is something that Canadians in general can accept. So please learn all you can and talk about it with the people you know.

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I plan on riding roughly 50k a day in BC on average, I could 100k a day but I thought I would do a week of "warming up"in the mountains, I am going to miss my home in the mountains and I am happy to make extra stops here.  After that The average will gradually climb to what I think will be roughly 90k a day. I think my longest trek is close too 123k, if I remember correctly. I don't know if any one plans to join me here in BC for a ride, I kinda hope some one comes with me. In a perfect world it would be a hot lady from Quebec teaching me to speak  French along the way.

​​July 13 2012

Downloadable version can be found at www.elizabethmaymp.ca​
PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED
We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada draw the attention of the House to the following:
THAT,
Whereas the Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees and protects the democratic rights of all Canadians, including the rights to full, free and fair elections;
Whereas it has become evident that voter suppression techniques, including the use of phone banks or automated “robo-calls” that impersonated other parties and/or Elections Canada, were used during the May 2011 federal election;
Whereas such tactics were intended to deliberately mislead voters and therefore constitute a crime, an attack upon our democratic institutions, and a serious violation of our democratic rights as Canadians;
Whereas despite the ongoing investigations by Elections Canada, these illegal tactics may have successfully affected the results in multiple electoral districts, calling into question the integrity of our electoral system;
Whereas given its nature as “winner-take-all”, Canada’s outdated first-past-the-post electoral system is particularly susceptible to such political interference, and the adoption of different electoral systems should be considered as a means to prevent this kind of election fraud from happening in the future;
And whereas, as the current electoral scandal has called into question the legitimate authority of Parliament, the Government of Canada should consider direct-democratic means of decision making in Canada, such as citizen initiated referenda;
THEREFORE,
your petitioners call on the Government of Canada to enact legislation that will explore the adoption of alternative electoral systems, including a national referendum on the replacement of the current system, and will introduce a system of citizen-initiated referenda that will help to rebuild Canadians’ trust in the integrity of our democracy.
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​Welcome to the bike ride for democracy,

        This Has been a huge learning experience for me and I have only just begun. One if the first things I have learned is how this website has issues with my cell phone. As a result I am unable to post daily on this particular site. If you are interested in getting regular daily posts then please go to the following site.​

https://www.onlineparty.ca/issue.php?ISSUEID=663

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​July 20 2012

First of all I would like to say thank you for taking an interest in this action, for this to work we need to create huge public pressure to get what we deserve... A chance to vote on the issue, rather than just voting for a particular political party, or politician.
It may be important to some to understand what could inspire a man to ride over 4000 k for democracy. here is something i wrote a few months ago for toastmasters. I hope you like it, and that you will copy and share this story.
Much Thanks Garrett D Hippy

The light that burns dark clouds

I am not talking about the weather. The subject is that of the mind.
Darkness is a reference to to fear, despair, and hopelessness. The clouds obscure perception.
Illumination can be of the mind, a new perspective, acquired knowledge, found purpose. The light is revealing. As with all things in this life there is a cyclical process. Rain to replenish the land, and sunlight to bring new growth.
There was a time in my life when I had no hope for humankind. Worse yet I still know that I am part of the problem. The price I pay for opening my eyes to what appears to be truth... The world is now a very dark, and scary place. I felt alone in a dying world full of blind sheep. The dark clouds have rolled in and taken all hope for the future away. Not just my future but the future of a beautiful thing called humankind, every man woman and child.
In the weeks just before Oct 15 2011. Life here in the kootenays was still as per usual for me. I just got laid off and having trouble finding work that did not hurt my pride. I was not in any danger of being in the street. another week or two and I would have settled on any job just so that I didn’t become the sponge in my relationship. One week before this Oct 15 I heard about some people camping, protesting.... Occupy Wall Street and I had some interest in what they had to say, they spoke of the same ugly truth that I could perceive. The very same systems creating the dark skies in my head. In 7 days Occupy Vancouver was due to join New York in solidarity, I was not alone anymore. Global revolution day was drawing near. Normally I would just say “well gotta find a job and pay the bills.” On this occasion my partner could see the look in my eyes.. Out of my lady's mouth comes. “You should go.” That my friends is when something deep inside began to take root. and our story of the light begins.

I could go on for hours about all the things that brought me Illumination, and how something inside had begun to grow. I am going to share with you just one illuminating moment. It was late on the first day of occupy Vancouver, and it was getting cold and dark, I decide to seek refuge in a nice warm coffee shop.
I had the fortune to sit and enjoy my coffee with two professors from the university of Victoria. The conversation was inspired the the days events, and some issues we all still face even now were the topic of conversation.
I look at these educators and I ask, “Is there any hope for a non corrupt government in Canada?” Both men agree instantly that there is no hope at all to save our current system. There is just too much power within the government and power corrupts even honest men. Then I ask, “What about unions, can they play a democratic roll for Canadians?” They both agree that unions once did much for democracy, but they have been marginalized/segmented beyond having any real power. I ask “what about co-ops?” with some deliberation the two men agreed that co-op’s were good examples of democratic systems that represent their members well and resist corruption. I ask one more question, “Is there an example of a co-op that has been corrupted?” One man spoke as the other nodded in agreement . He spoke of a multinational co-op that exists in europe that grew so large that the management class had to be separated from the worker class. The management found ways to claw money away from the worker class and even operate parts of the co-op under corporations to keep the profits for themselves.
The professors were having a hard time trying to find a solution to corruption of our society. The light of knowledge burned off a few dark clouds and hope poured in like morning sunlight. I could clearly see the problem, and a potential solution. Throughout my day I listened to many stories of the world around me, they all had one thing in common.I look at the men and say. It’s simple. The problem is size. The larger system the harder it is to manage, and therefore easier to corrupt. Small is beautiful, easy to manage, perfect, or, change if needed.”
The professors seemed pleased with my summary of our conversation, one of them asks me where I went to university? I tell them I did not graduate high school. That I just had an inspiring day.
Since that inspiring day I have learned the dark clouds come back fast, and to bring the light of hope and nurture the revolutionary growing with in, I must actively be one who seeks the light.
Garrett D Hippy