Author: Bambi

Bonjour Madame Mercier)/Hello Ms. or Pastor Mercier:

To make an informed voting decision, “Bambi” started doing its homework educating herself on political parties in the spring/summer of 2018 (way before the October 2019 federal campaign).

On May 27, 2019, you were supposed to come to Sackville, NB, to the Painted Pony Restaurant (https://www.facebook.com/paintedpony99/) for a “Meet & Greet” dinner-event. A large number of people were interested in getting to know you and your new party’s platform/ideas, including myself. As far as I am concerned, I was highly motivated to meet you for two main reasons. First, to learn about you as a person, after reading your inspiring story/bio (https://pastornancymercier.com/about) which started with the following words:  “In January 1995, Pastor Nancy Mercier had a Near-Death-Experience (NDE) caused by a broken neck or spinal cord injury from a serious car accident, which resulted in severe and permanent paralysis or quadriplegia (C5 level)”. Second, I was of course curious to see who is the Beauséjour federal candidate with the People’s Party of Canada (PPC) established by Mr. Maxime Bernier.

Sadly, your Meet & Greet event in Sackville was cancelled at the last minute because a small group of fellow (“fascist”?) citizens threatened the restaurant in question and prevented the event from occurring.

To get to know you, Bambi and her spouse travelled miles away to Shediac where a successfully well-attended Meet & Greet event took place the next day. I recall having met around the dinner table a DIVERSE group of people from all sorts of backgrounds—both demographically and intellectually. How refreshing to see this sort of diversity for a change ?. The group talked about many topics of interest in both English and French. We exchanged stories and ideas. We talked about the economic platform of the PPC (great ideas, I find). We talked about other topics, including the sad story in Sackville.

I thought to myself: What a lady Ms. Nancy Mercier. You handled the situation with leadership and intelligence. I personally admired how you talked about your political competitors, for a lack of better words. You had words of respect and compassion for Mr. Dominic Leblanc (after all, we held our meeting in his stronghold). I like your attitude.

The “unsweet” group from my town wrote on social media platforms that you were homophobic. I learned that you marry gay couples. How ironic. I discovered a woman FULL of ENERGY! Bambi was happy to spend a fun evening with enriching people. What a loss for Sackville ☹.

Today, I am interviewing you to share with the readers of Bambi’s Afkar blog two points of interest to me personally: (1) your resilience and (2) your political vision, as a PPC candidate in my riding (Beauséjour) running with the new PPC federal party of Mr. Maxime Bernier.

I appreciate your time on the phone today. Thank you for having accepted my invitation. I will ask you four questions only. Please feel free to elaborate as much as you wish.

If you are ready, let’s begin….

QUESTION # 1 by BAMBI: What can you tell “Bambi” about your resilient journey (in general since your tragic accident (i.e. your near-death-experience) and/or currently on a daily basis?

ANSWER # 1 by NANCY MERCIER: “Well, it has been 25 years, this coming January 1^st that I had my car accident that caused my spinal cord injury and consequently my paralysis. From the very beginning, my near-death-experience in itself left no doubt for me that there was something else greater than what my own fear facing my accident and the resulting change in my life. I didn’t really know what to think about this at the beginning. Did I cope at the beginning by thinking of God or growing spiritually? I do not know that I identified it as something related to God at the very beginning. I just knew that I had an incredible experience. It took me some time to figure out all this and to seek out information to understand my journey since the accident. Nevertheless, from the very beginning, I felt that there was a power greater than I. Of course, putting trust in in God is difficult, regardless of the nature of tragedy that we face. With life adversities, we do not have as much control as we may think. However, we have the choice to chose how to react to adversities and exert control over how we feel, behave, and act. I asked myself questions like: Do I want to understand what happened? What do I do now? How do I survive day after day? I educated myself about my injury. I learned about it and this has allowed me to regain control of my life. For example, I learned how to avoid risk by either modifying my behaviour or equipment to ensure an independent life. This was a great learning experience not just for me but also for my husband and family. I would add that I grew up spiritually during my coping journey. This has perhaps helped me understand aspects of life that we usually do not take the time to think much of, like how life is purposeful, life life/death and the soul, etc. I strongly believe that hardship is meant to be overcome to learn from there and move on.

To sum my point and answer your question about resilience in overcoming hardship, I made a conscious choice not to live in fear or anger but rather in peace. Of course, the latter comes with good and bad days. Life is life; Good/bad days are part of everyone’s life. In my case, I learned to have faith in God. I moved on with my life and things have worked out by themselves with time”.

QUESTION # 2 by BAMBI: Why have you decided to run for the PPC party of Mr. Maxime Bernier and what are the main points of the PPC’s platform that the citizens of our riding would benefit from learning about?

ANSWER # 2 by NANCY MERCIER: “I guess my reason was like Maxime Bernier: To do politics differently. His message of putting Canadians first attracted me. It resonated with me.

The PPC’s platform will help restore democracy, sovereignty, the eroding constitution, the economy, which is in bad shape. Furthermore, his plan for the health care system(s) (a personal issue to me) will give provinces the incentives to deal with wait times and rising costs. This will ensure a better access to health care and create conditions for innovation. In addition, as a person living on the disability pension, I know the struggles and barriers that people with disability encounter. When it comes to economy, in addition to reducing the Government spending, the PPC’s platform will help attract more businesses to our area by facilitating commercial exchange among provinces, by de-regulating, and by creating the winning conditions for businesses to create jobs and innovate. Of course, this in addition to simplifying Canadian tax system and cutting taxes. So, basically more money in people’s pockets. All these points are important to the citizens of our riding who sadly are working harder yet for less money. Last but surely not least, the PPC brings transparency that Maxime Bernier established, by telling the truth himself.

Beyond our riding and province, I want Canada to improve ultimately. Sovereignty and freedom are the fabric of our country. I would like Canada to remain unique to what it is to the rest of the world; of course, with improvements (there is always room for that), not just preserving things. I also believe there is so much to do in terms of the fragility of freedom and the threat related to globalization and Islamism. If a country lacks freedom, there is no democracy, there is nothing left. Canada is no longer the same. For me, things like our heritage, way of life, and values matter.

To sum, the PPC will help ensure that our freedoms are restored and that the economy is doing better (simplifying the Canadian tax system and reducing taxes, removing regulations, not meddling much in business). This means increased prosperity”.

QUESTION # 3 by BAMBI: Where do you dream to see Canada in the next 5 to 10 years?

ANSWER # 3 by NANCY MERCIER: “I dream of a Canada that is stronger, freer, and with more prosperity. That would be absolutely the goal if we form the next government. Not just for 5 or 10 years. Then, it would be for the next 25+ years. In that sense, this is my dream. I would add to this maintaining our country, restoring what is lost (e.g., freedom), respecting the constitution the country is founded on with improvements”.

QUESTION # 4 by BAMBI: Any concluding words for the citizens of Sackville who were prevented from meeting you in Sackville? Or to the handful of citizens who acted in a non-democratic/legal way?

ANSWER # 4 by NANCY MERCIER: “I will answer this question with our platform’s values: Respect, Fairness, equality, responsibility (Ms. Mercier is referring to PPC’s values of Individual Freedom, Personal Responsibility, Fairness and Respect). I have respect for the citizens. So, in the context of what happened, I respected the citizens. I decided not to pursue further and not to make a complaint (to lay charges), although what happened is illegal under Canada Elections Act (risk of jail time even). We did not go down that road as we immediately realized that the owner of the restaurant refused to host our event because of fear. We decided to give a chance to other ways to let people know about us and about our platform. Maxime Bernier is coming to the area and he plans to come to Sackville. We are working on this, although no fixed date yet. I will also come to the Fall fair on September 25^th, 2019. I plan to host a rally, with or without Maxime Bernier (ideally with him, added Ms. Mercier; Bambi allowed herself to agree by nodding ?). I have also accepted and invitation to a debate at Mount Allison University on the evening of October 3rd at 7 PM (previously posted as October 7). We did not get the full details about the event yet, just the invitation. However, I heard that only the Green party candidate and myself have accepted the invitation”.

Well, we have reached the end of our interview. Many thanks again, Ms. Mercier, for your time, clarity, and generosity. All the best to your campaign.

As a conclusion to this post, someone asked me when Sackville became home for us if I minded small towns. I remember having replied jokingly: I love small places; I was born in a small country and… I am small myself ?. More alarmingly though, what I mind the most in life is the small-mindedness rather than (geographical) smallness per se.  This being said, best wishes to our big Canada!

My first post is a reaction to a comment by a certain “Wrayton” who wrote on the Warktimes (https://warktimes.com/), a blog by our talented journalist Mr. Bruce Wark (article posted on July 5^th, 2019 and entitled “Mohawk Grand Chief speaks out against installing Cougar in Sackville’s Memorial Park”).

I tried to publish my comment below on the Warktimes on July 8, 2019 unsuccessfully. This person calling himself/herself Wrayton wrote that my words were “ignorant, racist or both” twice in a raw, the first time impolitely calling his own login name “Roll up Rima”:

“Some thoughts come to my mind, after reading Wrayton’s words, and I feel like sharing, if I may:

First, when Louis Béliveau’s legal saga with our town about the old beautiful white church downtown began (i.e., the false permit of demolishment), I told him from the beginning: if those parishioners themselves do not want to preserve their own church (its architectural heritage), the battle will be hopeless, I am afraid; despite all the best efforts of the devoted heritage board volunteering members, including himself. I said what I said whilst eventually supporting Louis all the way until the Supreme court, of course.

Second, 2-3 years later, I will say the same about our beloved Canada: If (some) Sackville citizens do not want to stand up for their OWN legion of veterans/army and country themselves anymore, I am afraid there is not much one can do to save OUR Canada… from ourselves. Pride usually emerges from within. Sadly, pride can be also “killed” from the outside in.

Extreme social justice activists did not care about our town’s local matters to the point of missing the news about the Hussars’ gift in February. Suddenly they woke up in June and, because of lack of leadership (too much political correctness or stakes at hand), our authorities listened to them, instead of the majority. Sackville became the laughingstock of not only the rest of NB but also of Canada, including Québec (along with Kanesatake).

By going to this extreme in our noble social justice obsession, we have ironically let down hundreds of Native families of Kanesatake who live in fear (a former Chief and his family had to escape to Ontario because their house was burned down; another Chief moved to the nearby Oka; https://urlzs.com/XaFkz). Guess what? We have naively invited their current Chief to also interfere in our small town’s municipal affairs. Is this a wise move? 

I will also add the following saying— meant for the vocal minority that imposed its views on the VAST majority AFTER a democratic process had taken place months earlier: «Qui sème le vent, récolte la tempête». [= He who sows the wind, reaps the whirlwind].

I hope history will prove me wrong in the years to come but, if this wind is to become a hurricane one day (who knows what can happen in the world one day), how could we “stand on guard for Canada” if we have collectively already stopped feeling proud of our past/heritage, historic achievements as well as future endeavours?

In addition to the Memorial park saga, sad public matters happened lately. For instance, on Canada day, unless I missed it, I did not see any single flag of Canada in our town. Furthermore, we have even been virtually lectured by our MLA (on twitter) about what it means to be Canadian whilst raising some philosophical questions. Why this turn off when all what people wanted was to simply have fun with family or friends, celebrating Canada’s day? In my non-expert citizen opinion, there is a time to celebrate and a time to be political. Any lecture or deep question could have waited until the next working day, it seems to me.

To conclude, will Wrayton (“the Mysterious– yet impolite– Wrayton on the Warktimes”) accuse me again of being “racist or ignorant or both” for loving my country?”

Addendum (added on Bambi’s Afkar on July 21, 2019):

The irony of all our Memorial park saga in Sackville, NB, is that, on July 11, 2019, the disputed piece of land that provoked the Oka crisis in July 1990 was offered by the Oka developer as an “ecological gift” to the Mohawks in the nearby Kanesatake (https://tinyurl.com/yxlyqlxk). A new chapter seems to be opening in Oka. Despite this piece of (apparently) wise news, one can sarcastically wonder why the whole tragic crisis, 29 years ago? Could we have prevented the past crisis simply with an earlier gift?

Furthermore, if people are able to put the past behind them in Oka itself to move forward together, why are we bringing the ghost of the past to our small town here in NB, which is located miles away from Montreal? Are we truly genuine in doing so? Or are we just being a bit too “illuminated” (as I like to say)? Are we using Native issues (or other issues eventually) to score ideological, virtue signalling, points? Is this yet another sign of disrespect of our past and of the memory of the dead? I cannot help not to wonder. Why don’t we try to learn to draw a balance between our illuminated aspirations and the pride of our heritage? Is it that complicated? Can’t we integrate the two aspects? Or should we go to the extreme, yet again, by self-attacking our own civilization/country? Will this make us better Canadian citizens?

A couple of days ago, we started to read/hear about increased tensions in Oka (the same old conflict ☹). We can wonder if all this new development is a true coincidence or an orchestrated saga behind the scenes for unknown reasons? Who knows? Who cares to know? Regardless, it is dangerous to play with fire. Words are not innocent. Words have weight. We need to be wise and restrained in using them, as politicians or Chiefs. However, words are sometimes all what people have to express themselves or name things. All words deserve to be said and listened to, even and especially those we say in conflicts. Just like spouses who argue, some truth often comes out in a moment of anger.