What if I told you that I had the power to increase your income by 300% over just five short years? How about if I told you I could do that for your business? And, best of all, what if I told you that it is 100% legal, at least according to provincial legislation - however highly unethical and socially incomprehensible - because of the way the legislation is written. Depending on your moral background, and how much you valued your fellow human being, this would most certainly be a difficult choice for many.
On one hand, you have the ability to - almost certainly - raise your income astronomically in a relatively short amount of time, with little to no risk based on my knowledge and ability developed from performing this very investment strategy in other communities. On the other, it comes at a severe social cost to your fellow human being, as it puts their livelihoods at risk, and worse yet, forcing many into the unforgiving circumstances that come with being homeless and/or dependent on others just to get their next meal or provide for their children.
This is exactly what has happened right here in Regina in years of late, and the proof is very tangible and easily obtained. All one has to do is look at the price of housing (both in rental and sales) in the last five years, where it has more than doubled in just that short amount of time. In the past, an average increase of 3-4% was to be expected in Regina, but each year in the past five years, it has exploded by as much as 40% from one year to the next. Now, let's see you approach your employer about getting a 40% raise just to cover that sudden increase in housing.
So, what's to blame for the sudden explosion in housing prices in the Regina area? Well, there could be many factors taken into account, but there are few things that have remained consistent in Saskatchewan since 2007. One major factor happened when Saskatchewan voted in the Saskatchewan Party with leader Brad Wall in 2007. Add to that when you have municipal elected officials who are supposed to remain neutral when it comes to Provincial or Federal Politics - but plainly do not - and you have one of the most dangerous political combinations known to man.
So, by now, I'm sure you're saying to yourself, "But, Chad, where is the smoking gun evidence on the criminal behaviour?" To this, I have to say, once again, the way the provincial legislation is written, there technically is nothing blatantly illegal that has gone on over the past number of years - at face value. However, when you consider what happened in Montreal, I'm confident that many readers will be able to put two and two together.
Where does this 300% return get factored in? Well, this is the kicker. This is where a significant portion of the development industry has dug it's teeth into and went full boar, using the experience developed from other municipal "booms". The land. Land values have increased by over 300% in just the past five years. THREE-HUNDRED-PERCENT!!!! Now, who gains from this? The homeowner? Most certainly if you happen to have owned a home before the boom and want to sell during the boom. And, this is perfectly fine and completely legal and ethical and I have no problems with those that were fortunate enough to be in this situation. Keep in mind though that, in theory, there is little true net profit to be realized, since you have to purchase another house in that very boom you just made a whack of money in. Unless you choose to rent in the overpriced market for a few years until the boom dies down.
By now, I'm confident that you're understanding where the major issues are, and that being those individuals that stand to profit from this 300% gain in land value over such a relatively short period of time. Who would that be?
- Anyone in realty, as they earn a percentage of total sale price, which increases with land value.
- Any landowners who bought solely for the purpose of land speculation, hoping that one day their lands would be worth something, and before the date of sale, they did absolutely zero with the lands, other than perhaps renting it to farmers for use.
- Finally, land developers. There is tremendous opportunity for profit in each of the prior scenarios, and if you have the ability to manipulate the economy in such a way that Premier Brad Wall has, along with his cohort Former Mayor Pat Fiacco (who was given the silver spoon position of CEO of Tourism Saskatchewan), that is where it goes from "Good for you!" to "What won't you do for a quick buck?"
Keep in mind that this practice is not uncommon in other municipalities, and that is the justification you often hear about these boom periods. That is why it is so important for each and every one of you to hold your elected officials accountable for their actions. They count on you not caring enough to vote, or to pay close enough attention to see the deliberate deceptions they employ to keep you distracted from the real issues. They prey on the vulnerable and the weak, as anyone who has had to battle even the threat of homelessness will tell you, they have more important things to focus on - like putting food on the table each and every day.
Tune in next week for the third installment in unveiling the Dirty Little Secrets that surround the Regina City Council and our Elected Officials!
Keep it up Chad, another great piece.
ReplyDeleteWait, so let me make sure i understand... Pat has cooler friends than you, so you are mad about it?....I lost interest after reading the first paragraph. Too much underlining, italics and red font.
ReplyDeleteYour a fag go kill yourself already
ReplyDeleteWhile you have demonstrated a good theory, how did this actually happen?
ReplyDeleteWhat was done by these beneficiary industries to manipulate land prices? How did the governments aid this? How are we suppose to hold elected officials accountable if we don't know what they did?
With this piece we are basically asked to use our imaginations and assume it is reality.
Mr. NATHAN CLIFTON - You are a proven paid troll who very obviously has some kind of direct connection to the development industry in the Regina area. What your connection is, I could really care less. The fact of the matter is, you are working every angle known to man to destroy my reputation in our great City, and if you were legitimately wanting to look out for the abuse of tax dollars, you wouldn't be so facetious with your questions. You'd join the efforts in exposing the continued corruption and collusion that occurs in our very City. Just because the mainstream media doesn't talk about it, doesn't mean it doesn't go on. How long did it happen in Calgary before anyone started taking it seriously? Toronto? Vancouver?
ReplyDeleteYou can pretend you are innocent third party in this all you want. The hard cold evidence speaks volumes. Worry not about what I am doing for the betterment of our society, and worry more about how to defend your activities over the past number of years that is very well documented. You are a paid troll, but a very poor "private investigator". And, worse, you are horrible at covering your tracks.
Continue to stick your head in the sand and pretend that you're never going to have to face the judge, or come out from behind the developers and own up to what you've done, and perhaps you can find a way to bring justice to those who have wronged you.
While you have demonstrated a good theory, how did this actually happen?
ReplyDeleteWhat was done by these beneficiary industries to manipulate land prices? How did the governments aid this? How are we suppose to hold elected officials accountable if we don't know what they did?
With this piece we are basically asked to use our imaginations and assume it is reality.
Maybe this time we can get some answers as all the above was was sticking your head in the sand regarding these perfectly legitimate questions. I am not saying this didn't go on, I'm merely asking you the details of how it was orchestrated.
Mr. Clifton - I believe you to be a lot more intelligent than you let one, and thus I am confident you already know the answers to your very leading questions. I've been taken down the wrong path by you on too many occasions in the past, so I am sure you can appreciate my distrust in giving you more information than you rightfully deserve.
ReplyDeleteThe answers to your questions will be answered in due time. I had originally hoped to use all of that information in a Court of Law, but as the courts have been compromised, it is evident that the only reliable court will be the Court of Public Opinion. (Aside from other avenues that shall remain confidential at this point in time) IF you are legitimately ignorant to what has been going on in our City, and IF you honestly want to know the answers to your questions above then might I suggest that you start doing some of your own investigative work as well. The information I have come across over the past number of years is not that difficult to obtain. You just need to know where to find it, and thankfully I've had some angel tipsters as well.
In the end, if you want to know the truths, then how about joining the side that will be winning this battle of truths, and stop attacking those that are only trying to make our entire society better for everyone, such as myself.
Chad, for frick sakes, I don't know what was done! Really. We have even sat down face to face MANY times and I asked you to show me but you always refused, or added some caveat. I really, really, really, really, really, don't care if you are able to put every director of local development companies and every municipal politician in jail for what it is you allege. In fact I will laugh and congratulate you if you can. I have ZERO to lose there. I also don't doubt something is a miss, however I'm the type of person that prefers to see compelling evidence. I'm not just going to go willy nilly making accusations because a theory makes some sense.
ReplyDeleteWhat I don't understand is why you feel there needs to be other reasons to publish this evidence. Why you just don't. Don't you think you owe it to taxpayers? Are you not always the one preaching not to stand silent? Making allegations is not the complete picture of being heard, it is demonstrating what was't done. Don't the taxpayers of Regina deserve to see this evidence pronto?? This isn't a game, this is a case of tax payers being screwed and home owners getting screwed. DO SOMETHING TO END IT, not use it as a tool to make allegations and try and destroy careers and reputations.
I'm not the 'tax advocate standing up for taxpayers' , you are the one claiming that. It is HIGHLY irresponsible of someone in this position to say "We have evidence of criminal wrong doing' then telling the public to go do their own damn research and figure it out for themselves. That is NOT the actions of a tax advocate looking out for us little guys.
MAYBE if you can demonstrate you actually do have "the truths", and are not just someone with a chip on his shoulder and the feeling he can declare whatever he wants, maybe then people would stop attacking you. How can people legitimately attack you if you are right???
Get the last laugh already or resign your post.
Fair enough Mr. Clifton. Your opinions are heard and respected. Keep in mind that in the world of criminal municipal corruption, silence speaks volumes. While I have made many statements public, there are many that I have not, for fear of these individuals going over the top in anger and taking avenues to further silence me than I was comfortable with at the time. The mere fact that I have been "allowed" to throw out as many statements as I have, and there has been absolutely no response from those accused, other than a coordinated attempt to silence my efforts, should speak volumes in terms of their validity.
ReplyDeleteI have made some pretty intense allegations in what I HAVE gone public with, and there have been even more intense allegations made by several others over the past decade or so. All of which have never, ever seen even the threat of a legal action against those people for sharing those statements. You can make the argument that they don't go after anyone because these people have nothing to compensate them with, if the lawsuit was won. However, that can only get you so far and there has to be a point where you start to wonder exactly how valid these statements are if these people work so damned hard to simply silence their critics, without going after them legally. After all, with the connections they have, they'd easily be able to get an amazing lawyer to basically slam dunk a lawsuit against anyone who throws these "wild" allegations out there. Keep in mind that everything I have ever made public, I do have 110% factual evidence at the ready for the possibility (and honestly the expectation) that it would go to court. I had chosen to keep this information close to my chest, as I honestly didn't feel it was necessary to post on my blog or anywhere else.
The mere statements and allegations alone, going uncontested, should have sufficed. And it has. For many. Whether you like to see it or not, there are many who have raised red flags about a lot of what I've stated, and so many others. FINALLY we have a public that aren't just willing to sit idly by and accept the bullshit that they are fed by the mainstream media and the City. They are asking questions. A lot of questions. The powers that be HATE an informed public.
I vow you this. Going forward, as I relaunch this campaign, answers to those questions and supporting information WILL BE PUBLISHED. If they haven't even remotely attempted to (legally) silence me for what I've put out there, I no longer feel the need to keep everything so close to my chest. You make a very valid point about the advocacy thing, and I respect that. Thus, I will keep that in mind going forward.
For the record - this isn't about a "vendetta" or "revenge" or a "last laugh" - this is about ensuring our tax dollars are being spent and managed in the most accountable and transparent way possible. I believe strongly in a socially responsible government, and we have been witness to some of the most socially irresponsible actions by all three levels of government over the past decade or so. The focus of STAG is on the municipal side of things. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation focuses more on the Provincial and Federal side, and that's their choice.