On November 26, 2010 Metro Vancouver voted to extend Air Care to 2020. I don't remember voting on that, because if I had it wouldn't have been unanimous. This cash cow has done it's time and we aren't getting anything for it other than the annual  or semi annual "pay the cow time."

Apparently, a consultant's report said the $47 million annual cost delivers a $77 million benefit to health care.  How do they arrive at that figure, all summer the air is brown. I know, I have to climb to the top of Mt. Seymour to get above it.

I wonder what synchronizing the lights and getting traffic flow might do for the air quality. Road construction in off hours, not paving 8th and McBride in New Westminster from 3 to 6PM on Wednesday, the highest concentration of traffic going over the Patullo Bridge in any 24 hour period. You know, not doing stupid stuff.

It doesn't matter how clean your engine runs when its parked; idling on street after street, it becomes as meaningless as the consultants' report. And who the hell is this consultant? We never hear who issued the report, what government department or what lobbyist.

According to a 2006 - 2007 report, 115,000 cars fail, ka-ching. And these guys are working on failure in an effort to get you back to pay that fee again to fatten the cow, again!

Maybe if we were really serious about the air quality we wouldn't have coal fired furnaces or even better, oil fired furnaces. There is so much of that kind of crap going on, air care is redundant.

However, they are going to go after heavy-duty vehicles such as diesel-puffing semi-trailer trucks with the aim of reducing diesel particulate matter. Sounds more like growing the market or building a fatter cow. I'll bet they'll hear from the teamsters, that will be interesting.

We did however find out that this recommendation came from Metro's energy and environment committee. Their own committee, no, that isn't a white elephant, it's that fatter cow their planning. I know there are those of you out there thinking, oh he's on a rant, but really, who do you believe, them or your own instincts. Maybe we should get "old Bill on this one.

And who are these Metro guys voting on extention anyway?

Be kind today,

David Hutchison 

Leasing Manager of The Poppy Residences

david@thepoppyresidences.com

david@transitionsadvertising.com

I always wondered at what point would I discover the real me. Find my real place in the world. Throughout my 64 years the answer seemed so far away, but when I turned 60 I determined the next 20 years were going to be the best.

While it is common for all of us to make such claims and promises as we go through life, I question how serious we are about those commitments. Do we hold them dear or are they forgotten at the first confrontation?

So far my commitment has stayed true and the times have been good, even through the challenges and there have been many. A lot of it has been because of my research into aging and the seniors sector. The single truth is that we are born, we live and we die, no one gets out alive.

As I have seen many a friend and loved ones pass on, my commitment has grown stronger and the strength of it has brought self discovery. It has reinforced the importance of the memories and the love they contain. And of all things I have discovered, nothing is more important than love.

Real love is something earned and given. In our current day of days, money and what can be bought with it is the focus of many. So much so, they miss the love that is given so freely. And it is the best bargain of all.

When you see someone in distress, remember what you give without expectation life see's and returns it 10 fold. Be generous and kind and you will be rich beyond your wildest imagination. This is my greatest discovery.

Be kind today,

David Hutchison

david@thepoppyresidences.com

You can also find more at www.transitionsadvertising.com

 Sometimes life can be “Just a bowl of Cherries” and when it is, take the time to really enjoy it. Too often we miss moment. There is no time taken to walk in the moment, to say thank you and feel gratitude. Life needs to know and telling it so, makes the moment last all that much longer.

 We continually hear about health care, our deteriorating health, its costs and impacts. Working in the senior sector reveals our physical decline everyday, but within that community there are those who live in the moment. They retain their beauty, vivacious and activity in harmony with each passing day.

 Science tells us that the more active our endorphins the healthier we are. When we look at health care, maybe being happy would be the prescribed medicine. We run everywhere, we see so little as our ego drive us, blind. I attend less networking events now as the Blackberry disease has driven me away.

 There is no moment with Blackberry to experience, there is simply waiting, waiting for the next call or message. No time to spend with people, with your peers as you are subject to the Blackberry disease. I find it difficult to be with people who are more interested in their phone than me.

 Your only time is now, in the moment, take it for it will never come again. Live now, tomorrow is myth that may never arrive and you will have missed it all. Your children and grandchildren will be older and those everyday are moments gone, never to be seen.

 Unplug, love and live life, its all you get. And in the words of his holiness the Dalai Lama, Be Kind Today!

 David Hutchison

David is the Leasing Manager of The Poppy Residences david@thepoppyresidences.com the past board President of Promoting a Culture of Peace for Children Society of BC www.wartoystopeaceart.com President of Transitions Advertising www.transitionsadvertising.com

As I sat a top the upper Shannon Falls view point, I reflected on my recent read of “The Great Gatsby, a story of torrid affairs and infidelity during the roaring twenty’s and I wondered how it applied to today’s lifestyle and standards. Not much difference I suspect, at least, that is, what the media would have us believe.

While the story revolves around a community of spoiled wealth, our narrator, Nick Carraway, an aspiring bond salesman, tells of Tom Buchanan, one of the spoiled wealthy whose opinion would have us believe that we are the dominant race and therefore must keep the other races down. Do we still think like that? I hope not.

This is a time of war for our nation, driven by numerous levels of corruption within the system. Mr. Harper would have us believe that we need to spend 65 billion on new fighter squadrons for our protection. At the same time we have young men in Ontario being arrested on terrorism charges. Doesn’t one breed the other? In either case, both aspirations seem to be to feed on hate as opposed to lust and naiveté of the Gatsby story.

This is a country with a rapidly aging population, which by 2032 could reach a stage where 48% of us are over 65. Coming back to Mr. Harper’s planned expenditure; it would seem to me that we should be spending those funds planning for an aging evolution instead of planning for more war and using up our youth in a senseless strategy of murder in a failed attempt at peace through war.

Not only is it murder of innocent civilians, but of our own young people who will be sacrificed when they are desperately needed to continue driving the economy required to support our family of elders. We need better policies based on growing opportunities for an ever changing social and economic structure.

Wars, we must come to realize are never won, making care and compassion a better investment. We must also realize people fleeing war too a safe haven are not coming here to continue the war, they are coming here, for the opportunity of a better life. Sanctuary is a most redeeming characteristic and speaks well of those who offer it. It seems if Mr. Harper were serious about peace, he might return us to a nation of peace keepers, something Canadian's took great pride in.

Let us not leave ourselves with impossible cliffs to climb, but more simple trails to follow to great heights for a better view of life.

 Peace,

David Hutchison

David Hutchison is the President of Transitions Advertising www.transitionsadvertising.com David is student of social media, more specifically, content.

David is Past Board President of Promoting a Culture of Peace for Children Society of BC www.wartoystopeaceart.com

A friend of mine, Francoise took this picture sometime ago on her way down from Lynn Peak, in North Vancouver. Each time I look at it I feel hopeful. When I read the newspapers (yes some of us still do it) or watch or listen to the news, I don't.

I think that is why social media is growing so fast, it's hopeful. It's where important communications take place, communication between us, the people. Oh yes, there are those who will condemn it, but who cares, it's fun and it's ours.

There is such variety. So many options. So many places to go. You can talk back to it, create you own world and communicate with anybody 24/7.

Social media is here to stay. There are those you predict what exists will change dramatically, their right, but not the way they predict. It's only going to get better and us with it. Oh how rapidly Star Teck arrives. Trillions of tweets. a number almost beyond comprehension. This is a media less than 5 years old from concept.

I, like Woody Allen, can't image life without a book in my hands, but it's coming. Writing will continue, how it's read is changing. For the most part we are embracing it. And it's positive, inspiring, and most all, hopeful. Like all publicly assessable tools, it can be very raw and painful. Even with that side of it, it is hopefully, because we are closer to it and to solve great problems we have get  close to them.

I have to go now, I'm over my 250 word limit, that cut off place beyond our capabilities.

David Hutchison

David Hutchison is the President of Transitions Advertising www.transitionsadvertising.com David is student of social media, more specifically, content. The agency presents seminars, creates trade shows and events.

David is Past Board President of Promoting a Culture of Peace for Children Society of BC www.wartoystopeaceart.com

 There I was, lost amongst the thousands in attendance at Geowoodstock VIII which took place on a farm east of Seattle. For me it was trying to figure out what was going on. It was kind of like the first time you had sex, a bit overwhelming, but not quite sure what happened.

There was a lot going on, kid’s activities, which was mostly slides and other air things they can run though, slide down and jump on, there was a silent auction, GPS Accuracy test and a scavenger hunt, but there wasn’t really any geocaching.

The actual geocaching took place on the way, like Duncan Fordyce or tokyotaki, which is his handle. They all had handles that they used to log on and record their finds at www.geocaching.com Duncan had driven from North Carolina, all the way on I90 and became only the 3^rd person to ever “do” the route, that is find geocaches in every state on the highway. Those finds have to be within ten miles of each other and on the opposite sides of the road, so you have to be serious about it.

There was a young lady celebrating her 3,000^th find. There was the constant chatter about how many states they had covered and how many finds. There were those with real bragging rights who had finds in every state on the continent and of course there was the fellow had a number of finds in Hawaii giving him top of the hill bragging rights.

There were seminars covering everything from “Personalizing you Cache Experience (Coins, Pathtages, Chips and others) to Sharing the Experience with Social Media and let me assure you, these folks don’t take a back seat to anyone when it comes to using social media.

This is an internet driven community of 3 – 4 million regular cachers around the world. Those find’s that they record, average four million a month. There are over 1 million geocaches hidden in 222 countries around the world with a number of them hidden in Antarctica. The number of caches and cachers grows every month and has for 10 years.

I didn’t meet anyone who flew; they all drove so they could geocache on the way. My partner Bob did meet a couple from Florida who did fly just to meet up with another couple who did drive.

 Another thing that was interesting aside from the driving and not flying, I didn’t meet any Americans with a passport. It seems most don’t have one because most don’t leave. I met a woman from San Diego who lived 36 miles from Mexico and had never crossed the border and didn’t have a passport. She didn’t realize Vancouver was so close and didn’t know anything about Vancouver. Even sadder still, was the fact that she didn’t seem interested either. On tourism side we still have a ways to go.  

On the Canadian side we were represented by a fun loving booth of folks promoting a numbers areas including the Princeton event taking place July 30^th to August 2^nd. Most of these events trend to be a one off and then move on. Geowoodstock will be in another state next year, soon to be announced on geocaching.com.

They had a thing called trackables, by noon they had had 4,000 register. It is another trading and travel bug place to drop off and pick up elements for you caches and geocaching in general. There was an enormous amount of trading and buying of pins. Like the Olympics it was epidemic. Everyone had pins. There were men in kilties, Duncan was wearing his, Like geocaching itself, its a new trend and in this world, there is a lot that is new.

I saw the new 10^th anniversary pin celebrating the first ever cache with it’s can of Black Eyed Peas. It turns out that Dave Aylmer who built the first ever cache included a can of Black Eyed Peas. It wasn’t however, where the band got their name.

So if you’re looking for something new, check it out.

David Hutchison   david@transitionsadvertising.com

David Hutchison is President of Transitions Advertising www.transitionsadvertising.comCanada’s creative voice of seniors advertising. David is an evolving social media content specialist. David is Past Board President Promoting a Culture of Peace for Children Society of BC. www.wartoystopeaceart.com

Chapter 3

A serial novel written

by David Hutchison

 ”At my age they all seem so young” she thought to herself as she studied the young man sitting across from her. Atan Tan, may have been only 20 and a recent graduate of BCIT, but he was smart, not only from a tech point of view, but he also possessed strong creative and design skills. As her son Donnie, who recommended him pointed out, he graduated at the top of his class in marketing.

“I’ve got the site set up as a working model, Mrs. Anderson, so today we can do a complete work through. The blog is ready for you to begin your daily review. I’ve set up your twitter and facebook accounts and everything ties back into the website, what do you think?

“Atan, you have to stop calling me Mrs. Anderson, Maria will work fine. And as far as this all goes, to be honest, I’m a bit overwhelmed. I’m not the most technical person on the planet and as a life long administrator, marketing was not something I did a lot of, you know what I mean?

He smiled at her, she was so much like his mom, a few years older maybe, but the similarities were all there. She would be just fine and he and Vania, his sister would have it all working for her by the end of the week. “Don’t worry Maria, you’re going to be great” he told her confidently.

She smiled at him. “Ah the confidence of youth” she said, “but I believe you, everything looks so great.” Maria moved her chair over and gesturing with her hand said ”Atan, bring your chair around to my side and we can play with my new toys.” 

“Yeah, just like mom” he thought as he moved his chair to sit beside her. He felt like a family member not just because Donnie had got him the project, mostly because of the respect she gave him. And so they began.

It was 3PM when her rep from the Courier Newspaper showed up. “Ah, newspaper, something I understand” Maria thought to herself as she shut off the computer screen.   

The Rumba Store can be found at www.transitionsadvertising.com

Next Monday Chapter 4

David Hutchison   david@transitionsadvertising.com

David Hutchison is President of Transitions Advertising www.transitionsadvertising.comCanada’s creative voice of seniors advertising. He is an evolving social media content specialist. David is Past Board President Promoting a Culture of Peace for Children Society of BC www.wartoystopeaceart.com

I keep hearing about the planned $171 million dollar investment of barriers and gates for Skytrain to get back the approximately $8 million from those evil non paying riders. And its all because people are trusted to pay their fare share.  Well excuse me!

My wife and I have been regular users of Skytrain for more than 20 years and pay every time just like the other 96% to 97% of users. Sadly there will be always be some abuse, but has anyone ever congratulated those regular payers that don't abuse that trust. Those who take some pride in responding to that trust.

You never hear Translink lauding those users or selling those that are committed to it. You never see an article in the newspapers commenting on it or radio or television doing a report on trust. Trust just doesn't seem to be worth writing about.

However, for those squalled few who largely never take public transportation and are bitching about it, man do they get the press. Public officials are never seen on board, no their in their cars plugging up the highways and are the ones who want to spend a $171,000,000.00 on gates to plug up the system that has taken over twenty years to build.

You and I both know that the $171,000,000.00 figure is a lie, because when was the last time any government project ever came in on budget. It just doesn't happen. It will be 10 - 50% over budget and try up an extremely efficient system for two or more years. It will never recover the cost or the supposed money we are to recover from those untrustworthy individuals. It just isn't going to happen.

What do we get? A system that is worse than before, costing more money than before. They never tell you what the operating costs of it are, just the approximate installation cost are.

The value of trust in a society should never be weighted against money, there is no comparison. Trust is a human value we should be trying to grow as opposed to its denigration. If we can't laud the value of 97% vs the failure of 3% then we as a society lose again.

What do you want? If it is the recognized value of trust, you should call someone in power today and make your opinion known. Society as a whole will be better for your efforts.

David Hutchison   david@transitionsadvertising.com

David Hutchison is President of Transitions Advertising www.transitionsadvertising.comCanada’s creative voice of seniors advertising. He is an evolving social media content specialist. David is Past Board President of Promoting a Culture of Peace for Children Society of BC. www.wartoystopeaceart.com

The Rumba Store

A serial novel by David Hutchison

Chapter 2

She was tired and could feel the fatigue in her bones as she leaned back stretching her arms as far out as the chair would allow. Like a boxer, she rolled her head around her shoulders trying to loosen her neck muscles. The picture of Peter, her late husband smiled at her from the corner of the desk. "I miss you Peter" she said to him as if he were still available to her, but he wasn't. The dance studio was his idea as much as it was her dream. This was for them.

A hard copy of the business plan lay in front of her, the notes for tomorrows meetings and the accompanying day schedule beside that, like today, tomorrow would be another long day. The chair rolled back and away from the desk carrying her with it. She stood, stretched again and left the small office in the back, turning out the light as she went.

Walking out into the studio area she continued to be surprised at how amazing it looked after only a month. The hardwood floor shone brightly, the new track lighting system made it bright and warm. She gave a quick pirouette as she made her way across the floor to the control panel. As she did she caught her reflection in the window, now clean, clear and visually stunning with Latin style of painting framing it.

"Oh my god Maria, you look like a tried old grandma" she said to herself as she critiqued the silolette reflecting back at her from the window. "But I am a tired old grandma" she continued "but still not bad for 62." Her dancers body had keep its shape even after two children and 30 years as an administrator with the provincial government. "Thank god for yoga" she thought as completed the physical review of herself.

Turning away, Maria continued her established rounds of shutdown and lock up, which in the last month had become an everyday routine. The air was spring fresh as she stepped out on to W4th in Kitsilano. Maria inhaled the fresh air, turned and headed up the street to her condo, a late night snack and then to bed in preparation for tomorrow. Only three more weeks before opening.

_____________________

The Rumba Store can be found at www.transitionsadvertising.com

Next Monday Chapter 3

David Hutchison   david@transitionsadvertising.com

David Hutchison is President of Transitions Advertising www.transitionsadvertising.comCanada’s creative voice of seniors advertising. He is an evolving social media content specialist. David is Past Board President of Promoting a Culture of Peace for Children society of BC www.wartoystopeaceart.com

 For an author writing is the joy and pleasure, finding an audience is the challenge. Finding a publisher who will engage in a review of your work is an enormous hill to climb, so like Dickens, I am attempting to find that audience by way of the serial novel. In an effort to match the state of communications today, I been writing a daily serial on my Blog www.transitionsadvertising.com so, without further explanation, The Rumba House.

The Rumba Store

A serial novel by David Hutchison

The key didn't slide easily into the lock, but with a little pushing and fiddling she got it in and turned the key, the lock released and with her shoulder pressed against the door, it reluctantly gave way.

She found the light switch and then as the bible said " there was light!" Still it seemed dreary. She walked over to the store front window and ripped off some of the paper covering the windows. The effort caused a cloud of dust to fill the air, but the sudden stream of morning light gave the old room life.

She could smell the must of stagnant air. "It's been a while since anyone danced here" she thought to herself as she surveyed the room. It was large enough, but the hardwood was going to need a lot of wax to recover it's original sheen.

It didn't matter, it was hers and this was the first day of the rest of her life. Then, there she was, alone in her dream, her own store, well hers and the bank's. As the light gave the room shape and the dust began to settle, she saw it, her dream, her dance studio that in no time at all would be full of music and dancers strutting across the floor to the sound of rumba.

They say for a dream to really happen you have to see it and at this moment she could see it clear as a bell. The room was filled with men and women dancing the evening away. Their twisting and swaying bodies teasing each other with sensual motion responding to vibrations of the music, rumba music.

For several minutes she allowed the dream to take hold, to carry her away to her future. A smile spread across her face like a ripple on a lake searching for the edge. The sound of the door opening chased the image away and brought her back as she turned to see Kathy Charlton, her real estate agent coming through the doorway.

Time to go to work she thought, "Good Morning Kathy" she said making her way across the room.

____________________

David Hutchison   david@transitionsadvertising.com

David Hutchison is President of Transitions Advertising www.transitionsadvertising.comCanada’s creative voice of seniors advertising. He is an evolving social media content specialist. David is Past Board President of Promoting a Culture of Peace for Children Society of BC. www.wartoystopeaceart.com

 As my friend, Francoise and I made our way up to the Mosquito Creek Cascades on Sunday, I was thinking about another friend who recently passed away. He was only sixty, and far too young to be gone so soon.

 With aging comes the recognition of mortality. We often hear that 50 is the new 40 and 60 is the new 50, I don't think so. Time is a relentless tracker who seems to be constantly on our trail.

  As we crossed a bridge I thought of all the bridges we cross in our lives. As we age we cross many bridges, however it is not how many we cross, but how we cross them. Someone once said "Time waits for no man" or woman as the case maybe. We can't wait on it either. We must live life in the present and continue to build a living experience that is an example to all.

The bridges will always be there for us to cross, but everywhere there are examples of the brilliance of life. No matter what tragedy we may face, the will within us can carry us forward. Newspapers and the rest of the media are full of tragedy, but seldom do we see how the families come out on the other end.

As we continued up the trail we came across the “thousand year old tree.” While I’m not sure if it is a thousand years old, it is beautiful in it’s’ age. And the point of my story is that while aging and death are part of our lives, the beauty is found in the living. So live this day to its fullest for it will never come again.

 And to quote Emerson " This day is all that is good and fair. It is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on yesterdays.

Have a good one!

David Hutchison   david@transitionsadvertising.com

David Hutchison is President of Transitions Advertising www.transitionsadvertising.com Canada’s creative voice of seniors advertising. David is Past Board President of Promoting a Culture of Peace for Children Society of BC. www.wartoystopeaceart.com

In 2011, the boomers begin turning 65. Within 15 years there will be more people over 65 years of age than those 5 and under. It is a historical first.  It is that tipping point of imbalance. There is another factor, only 47% of those reaching 65 can afford to retire or want to retire.

Also there is a significant change in marketing strategies and target markets. Historically marketers have targeted that 18 - 34 demographic as they are the ones with the needs. They need everything. Then there is the move to 35 - 54 as they see them with children who need everything.

But, what about all those over 54, that make up this huge aging market representing those within this the new age of demographics. Moses Znaimer recognized this change almost a decade ago when he started Zoomer magazine. He recognized that those over 65 and those nearing that seniors category resented the term, hence Zoomers, which they find much more appealing. He has taken CARP (Canadian Association of Retired Persons) and is growing it into a powerful lobby to represent this market. He see’s the value, do you?

As someone who is promoting this summer's seniors LifeStyle fair www.seniorsPASS.ca during Country Fest www.mrpmcountryfest.com July 24/25 I see the challenges of getting business to recognize the value of the market they represent.   

There are demographics within this age group and should be seen as 54 - 65, 66 - 75, 76 - 85 and over. Within each of these groupings there are large numbers and they are getting bigger everyday. Check out the market, you could be missing a big opportunity.  

As you look at your business and its target audience, remember Boomers and Zoomers are computer literate, technology savey and they have most of the money. And after all, if you’re in business, you’re after the money. Don’t miss the boat, or should I say the crusie ship. 

And as a closing thought, 54 - 40 is celebrating 30 years in the music business, Chilliwack is celebrating 40 years and Country Fest is celebrating WoodStock. Time waits for no man or woman as the case may be, so don't you miss the market!

David Hutchison   david@transitionsadvertising.com

David Hutchison is President of Transitions Advertising www.transitionsadvertising.com Canada’s creative voice of seniors advertising. David is Past Board President of Promoting a Culture of Peace for Children Society of BC www.wartoystopeaceart.com

The other day I wrote about an environmental option, each of us picking up one piece of street garbage a day. Here we are a few days later, and I wondered how we're doing. I did mine, nothing to complicated, just a Burger King bag with the scraps thrown carelessly in a parking lot. What was most galling was that it was 10' away from a garbage can.

It's earth day folks and at least on this day we should each do something. Something simple that we can practice everyday. I'm not asking you to organize a community program involving hundreds, which would be nice, but for today just the simple act of picking up a piece of street garbage.

We have a living population in Metro Vancouver of over 2 million. Imagine for a moment if each of us did this one thing. Imagine how clean our environment would be, how much safer it would be. 

Be selfish, do it for you. It takes such little effort to bend over and pick something up. If you find it to much to ask, then I have to wonder what expectations we can have for the future of our community, our country and our world. 

If you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem. So on this day you have to ask yourself the question, what do I want to be?

Touch the earth, it's yours.

David Hutchison   david@transitionsadvertising.com

David Hutchison is President of Transitions Advertising www.transitionsadvertising.com Canada’s creative voice of seniors advertising. David is Board President of Promoting a Culture of Peace for Children Society of BC www.wartoystopeaceart.com

  In the last few days there have been a number of articles and responses in the local newspapers about the installation of turnstiles at all skytrain locations, their costs and benefits. While I am loath to get on a rant, but enough is enough.

The cost of the installation is $171,000,000.00 with the expectation of recovering $4,500,000.00 annually, which equates to a 38 year ROI (return on investment). For a government that prides itself on its financial prowess, it just doesn't seem to make sense. Couldn't we find a better investment for those dollars.

The Vancouver school board is going to have to let 190 teachers go, dozens of communities that are left begging for infrastructure money or a health care system that is constantly suffering short falls or just use it to help Translink expand the system. Our premier would have us believe that they're being fiscally responsible, but their not.

But, again, I digress, as a regular user of the public transportation and the skytrain in particular, yes it's expensive to build and expand. If that is the case, why are we investing in turnstiles? There is no sense to it. Most of the accusations about people not paying are coming from people who never us the system, so how do they know. One of the great things about the system is that it a generates trust amongst us users that we are all paying our fare share.

The turnstile investment is worse than the $458 million the government is spending to put a roof on a $60 million dollar building, which they are doing to expand gambling, a vise our premier would rail against on a regular basis while in opposition.

Aside from the HST that we get hit with in July, I believe we also have another environmental tax coming at the pumps in July as well. My thinking right now is this government should have to pass the "Are you smarter than a 5th grader" test, because I am hard pressed to believe they are.

To Mr. Campbell, if you want to win another election, you best rethink some of your more recent decisions and don't think this is coming from a card carrying union member, this is someone raised in Alberta, where the blood is blue.

I know you don't care about those on the other side of the floor, but you best be thinking about your side, because you're starting to wear a little thin.

David Hutchison    david@transitionsadvertising.com

David Hutchison is President of Transitions Advertising www.transitionsadvertising.com Canada’s creative voice of seniors advertising. David is Board President of Promoting a Culture of Peace for Children Society of BC www.wartoystopeaceart.com

Yesterday, was the day of drugs. All over the media was "Drugs." Neil Boyd, professor of Criminology at SFU, challenged the Prime Minister's  attitude towards the whole issue of drugs, Peter McKnight of the Sun pointing out that "the war on drugs has become a war against us."

Many times, my father told me stories of the opium dens in Vancouver at the turn of the century. He fought in War 2, conservative by nature, he thought the wars on drugs was stupid back when Nixon started it. He would shake his head and say "People have already made the decision to do drugs and war isn't going to stop it."

Today in most communities you can get drugs faster than you can get Pizza, the war on drugs is over, we lost, so lets get on with the transition. And being as this is a social media channel, what do you think? What is the mechanism?

The timetable is now! We are funding crime at at an incredible pace. In any one of yesterday's numerous columns the capture rate is 6% at most, 94% is getting to the street. Every time they show a big bust, remember 94% got through. We can't even keep it out of the prisons.

So its time to step up and be heard. What does the community want to do? What do you want to do? Real change does not happen without you. This is maybe the single most important issue in front of us. According to Rolling Stone Magazine the DEA has spent 500 (B)illion over the last 40 years, remember that 94%, this is very serious.

Talk to me people,

David Hutchison   david@transitionsadvertising.com

David Hutchison is President of Transitions Advertising www.transitionsadvertising.com Canada’s creative voice of seniors advertising. David is Board President of Promoting a Culture of Peace for Children Society of BC www.wartoystopeaceart.com