570News - Jeff Allan

I don’t agree with anything the group “FOOD NOT BOMBS” represents. I am against their mandate, their ideology, and their methods.  However I do applaud them for getting what they want the proper way.  The used the democratic capitalistic system (which they are against) to further their agenda. Remember that they were only allowed to set up shop in front of the William’s Coffee Shop located at Kitchener’s City Hall on Saturdays; there was no etched in stone deal. By playing their cards right they were able to get approval and permission to set up in a different location on City Hall property. In addition they have been okay-ed to put up their banners and flags (which they could not do in the past) which is really what they wanted all along to push their propaganda! Hats off to them for playing the political game correctly.  Remember this issue was never about soup, it was about putting up the banner to spread their political message.

                                                             Jeff Allan

Many U.S War resisters and their supporters say they should be able to stay in Canada as “refugees” because they are against their country’s involvement in what has been deemed an illegal war in Iraq by the international community. You know what’s interesting; the United Nations and NATO approved mission in Afghanistan is not condemned as an illegal conflict, so, are these “war resisters”  really against the war in Iraq or are they just trying to get out of a commitment that they made to the U.S military the easy convienient way? Seems to me they can’t have it both ways. Maybe they should have at least asked for a transfer to another field of conflict that is considered legal before they broke a bunch of laws to come here and bellyache about their country’s foreign policy. If it was just about not wanting to fight an illegal war in Iraq fine; but it doesn’t look that way to me, I know a coward when I see one. In addition how do you think the families and friends of the 83 Canadian soldiers killed in the U.N and NATO approved mission in Afghanistan feel about you coming here to live? I’ll bet you don’t have the guts to face them to even ask the question. Go home you quitters we don’t need you here.

                                            Jeff Allan

My co-worker Don Cameron, the voice of the Kitchener Rangers,  said yesterday that he doesn’t care much for Wakes.  A Wake is basically a party to celebrate a dead person’s life; a lively funeral if you will.  You know what; I don’t care for them much either, but I feel like I’m at one today. The Kitchener Rangers lost the Memorial Cup Championship game to the Spokane Chiefs 4-1 yesterday and I have to tell you the atmosphere here at work and around town reminds me of one thing; a funeral,  and it’s no fun.  Maybe the whole region will be able to laugh again by the weekend I hope.

                                                         Jeff Allan

Settling the Residential Schools issue was long over due.  Abused victims deserve every penny they received in compensation, but did we have to give them their money in “lump sums”? Wouldn’t it have been better for the gov’t to send out monthly checks?  Native people who have a disproportionate rate of addiction problems according to statistics, are dropping dead of substance abuse in the NWT, Alberta, and Saskatchewan at an alarming rate. Police are reporting that native gangs have been stocking up on drugs to sell to the newly rich aboriginal people.  Native social workers in Edmonton say they are appalled at the lack of vision by the powers that be. One social worker said this was the dumbest thing he’s ever seen, and what’s worse, highly predictable because any addict, no matter what their race, creed, or religion will buy as much trouble as they can afford.  That means if he has fifty thousand dollars, that doesn’t buy a house, that buys a big pile of dope or booze.  What’s really disturbing about this topic is aboriginal leaders are saying the money has nothing to do with the deaths. Come on, it’s no coincidence that the substance abuse death rate climbed dramatically almost immediately following the delivery of big “lump sum” payouts.  Chief Fontaine calls it a coincidence, I call it predictable. What do you call it?

                                                    Jeff Allan 

The Gatineau Olympiques lost their third game last night in this MasterCard Memorial Cup Tournament.  They didn’t win a single game in the round robin set-up, but despite their record they are anything but losers! That team fought hard and showed a ton of class every moment they were on the ice. La belle province, and all of Canada for that matter,  can be very proud of the young men representing Gatineau, formerly Hull, which was always the best part of Ottawa! Last night after their defeat to the Spokane Chiefs three members of the Olympiques skated around the Auditorium ice carrying a banner that said; Thank-you Kitchener Merci!   Now that’s CLASSY! Way to go Gatineau! Come back and visit again anytime!!

                                                            Jeff Allan

Our governments need to talk about and work on new fuel policies for the future.

We must consider fuel as an essential product or service. If the trucking industry doesn’t get a break soon we’re all going to be in a bad way.

Let’s do something about it before it’s to late for a change. I don’t have the answers but I can see the future and it’s not looking good for us the way things are going.  Soon we’ll all have to make the difficult choice; do we eat or do we give the car a drink?  I choose eating; how about you?

                                          Jeff Allan

Yesterday I had an exclusive interview with Canada’s latest celebrity convict Brenda Martin. After only a week in custody here in Kitchener, she was released on parole last Friday after a two year ordeal in a Mexican jail. For those of you who don’t know, Brenda Martin was sentenced to five years in jail for being an accessory in a fraud case. Ms. Martin maintains that she is innocent of those charges and says she will fight to clear her name.

Many Canadians have been upset by this case for many different reasons. In fact most Canadians have a hard line opinion about her and the case. To some, she’s innocent, and has been screwed over,  and to others,  she’s a guilty crook who didn’t get what she deserves. There is no middle ground;  to most she’s one or the other, simple as that.

After the show yesterday, I received some e-mails and voice mails saying that I was way too lenient with Brenda Martin.  One person was very upset that I didn’t go after her with the zeal of a prosecutor bent on getting the death penalty.  Another listener wondered about my manhood because he said I acted like a little girl while I interviewed her, and one e-mail plain out called me a wimpy fruit because I didn’t tear a strip off of Brenda Martin. Heck one listener called my name out across the room in Tim Horton’s last night, and when I walked over to his table all he wanted to know was why I was “so easy” on her.

Well everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I respect that. I want to take a moment and explain my position. I am sick of Brenda Martin. I have been for some time now. I’m glad it’s over and I hope we never have to discus her again. Yesterday when I finally got to speak to her in person I realized very quickly that she was already tired and irittable  from doing interviews all morning. In other words she wasn’t in the mood; and we all know her “moods”.  When I asked her the question about whether she had an  addiction problem and was anything being done about that, she told me “that addiction may have been too strong a word”. As soon as she said that I knew that she was in denial and that she was being less than truthful. I mean come on, her lawyers and Brenda herself said she was addicted to drugs many times and many news reports say that she was an alcoholic as well!  I decided right then that I would take the high road and “let her off”. Brenda Martin is a broken down human being and I wasn’t going to be some bully that would kick her while she was down on the ground. She has done her time, she’s out on parole and I wish her the best of luck, because she’s going to need it. For those of you who feel that l should have jumped all over her, I’m sorry. Maybe I should have, but on the other hand, I feel pretty good today not stooping to the level of a Mexican prosecutor. I let Brenda Martin “off the hook” plain and simple. I have no regrets.

                                                     Jeff Allan

Calling the opposition a bunch of busybodies isn’t gonna cut it Mr. Harper. Your Foreign Affairs Minister has been spending time with someone who has a checkered past to say the least.  Perception and appearances are everything and when one of Canada’s  top government officials is sleeping with an ex-biker chick, I believe that’s something we should be concerned with for a million reasons! Would it be okay for a policeman to be with a girl like this? The answer is NO! So why should it be any different for one of our law makers?  Just a thought.

                                                       Jeff Allan

The last thing Brenda Martin needs right now is to be released from jail. I believe her supporters should shut up and let her get what she needs in jail.

She needs services right now that she can’t get otherwise so what’s the hurry to get her out? She can’t get health insurance in any province for ninety days. If she was out of jail now she’d be paying out of pocket and I understand she’s broke. Even if her family and friends had extra money to lend her for medical services there is still the issue of wait times and line-up’s.  If she needs  drug treatment as I’m told she does, why not get it at the jail she’s in now? Did you know that private facilities have long line-up’s too, and they cost 10 to 15 thousand bucks for two months! So even if her friends and family are willing to pay out of pocket, there’s no guarantee she’ll get the treatment she needs. Stay where you are Brenda, you’ll be better off for it in the long run and so will we.

                                                      Jeff Allan

Have you noticed that the CTV television network is juggling things to make room for their money making rating smash hit “American Idol”?  I have never watched one episode of the program. I think of it as a “young people’s thing”. Apparently it’s great fun for the kids and that’s fantastic, however I have one problem with the timing. First of all I believe that nine o’clock at night on a school night is too late for young kids to be awake, and secondly I don’t believe it’s in the best interest of young children to be exposed to ADULT programming while they wait for their favorite show to come on.  Law and Order, ER, and Criminal Minds are shows designed for adults with adult content, sexuality, graphic death and violent scenes that are not appropriate for children under 14 according to the broadcast standards. These programs are written for an adult audience and designed to run after nine pm  so they are not  seen by kids.  So I ask, why is the CTV network putting these ADULT programs on at 7pm!? I suggest you check what your kids are watching before the “singing show” starts because these ADULT shows are a kids nightmare waiting to happen.  ER at 7pm last night and Law & Order at 7pm on Wednesday night was inappropriate and wrong. Those programs are for me and you, not children.

In fairness, all of the networks in Canada and the U.S  do this to accomodate their nine o’clock live reality show etc.  The irony for me is the fact that kids have to stay up late to watch what they should be watching at seven PM?!

                                                  Jeff Allan