Raise the Hammer

Is this any less ridiculous than the antics of David Estrin and Gowlings (which was, if it isn't still, Canada's largest law firm) during Red Hill?

• Suing the federal government for attempting to have the Expressway undergo an environmental assessment. Over a million in legal bills (to Gowlings) and nothing to show for it.
• Pressing contempt of court charges against protesters a year after the end of the protests, seeking huge piles of cash in damages from a pile of money from a bunch of individuals with no assets whatsoever? No costs were recouped, and the only real outcome was that 7 people weren't allowed near the valley for half a decade, after fighting to save it. -Hiring Christine Silverberg, former Calgary Police Chief, as a consultant on issues of "aboriginal protest violence" (something that never happened), for $50-60 000 for several weeks of employment and nothing to show for it. Those of us who protested were quite surprised to hear this, since she'd had no contact whatsoever with any of us. -Extensive secrecy surrounding all of this, as well as the project
• Secretly hiring lobbyists years before construction began.

Throughout all of Red Hill, or in fact, all activism I've ever been a part of in this city, I'm not sure I've ever encountered someone as greedy or vengeful, or with less respect for democracy - and I include the police in that statement. The man bills million after millions, wins awards and writes books on "environmental law for business", but when faced with any kind of opposition he just goes straight for the throat in ways which are generally nearly hopeless legally, and enormously expensive (meaning we pay him). His involvement does not bode well for the stadium project.

http://www.hamiltoncatch.org/archives/articles/art_0412/art_041211silverberg.htm http://www.hamiltoncatch.org/view_articl...