Kanthar.P.Balanathan

16^th April 2017

His Worship Mayor John Tory

Office of the Mayor
City Hall, 2nd Floor
100 Queen St. W
Toronto, ON
M5H 2N2

Dear Mr Mayor Tory,

Wish you a happy Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

I took the opportunity to read your narrative commentary in Toronto Star on your short trip to the Northern Province, which is domiciled by all communities, Tamils, Sinhalese, assimilated Malabar, Muslims, Burghers, and assimilated Burghers. It is with regret I note that most of the truth have been hidden, as the Tamil politicians will always be forceful to blame the opponent and gain advantage of being re-elected. None of the other communities are forceful to be in the forefront to blame the GOSL (Government of SriLanka) or the military except the Tamil politicians who have been occupying the political chairs since State Council & 1948 focussed on blaming the GOSL. I have annexed an article I published in reply to an Indian national who had no understanding of the SriLankan National question.

As a Tamil, I was forced to unravel truths and hidden history by publishing books in politics and history. The majority Sinhalese people were being slaughtered for centuries by the Indian Tamil kings who invaded, looted the country, and left. This is from 1 AD. Most of them left some Tamils in a few places. The wounds are deep for the Sinhalese. It is the Tamils duties to tender apology to the Sinhalas and accept reconciliation to live in harmony.

I have little knowledge on the functions of the Canadian Federal Minister for Foreign affairs, City Mayors and Councillors. However, I am sure any illiterate will know that the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs is responsible for all foreign relations and concerns.

Reading through the City of Toronto Act 2006 and the role of the Mayor is as follows:

[The role of the Mayor as the head of council is to:

• act as chief executive officer
• provide information and make recommendations to Council with respect to Council’s role in ensuring that administrative policies, practices and procedures and controllership policies, practices and procedures are in place to implement the decisions of Council and in ensuring the accountability and transparency of the operations of the City, including the activities of the senior management of the City
• preside over (chairs) meetings of council so that its business can be carried out efficiently and effectively
• provide leadership to council
• represent the City at official functions, and
• carry out any other duties under the City of Toronto Act, 2006 or any other Act.

The role of the Mayor as chief executive officer is to:

• uphold and promote the purposes of the City
• promote public involvement in the City’s activities
• act as the representative of the City both within and outside the City, and promote the City locally, nationally and internationally; and
• participate in and foster activities that enhance the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of the City and its residents

The duties and powers of the Mayor include:

• calling special meetings of Council
• expelling any person for improper conduct at a meeting
• acting as a commissioner for taking affidavits (as may any member of Council)
• appointing guards with the powers of peace officers for public works and municipal buildings
• declaring that an emergency exists in the municipality, implementing an emergency plan and declaring when an emergency has ended
• signing all bylaws, together with the City Clerk, passed at meetings at which the Mayor has presided

The Mayor is a member of all committees and is entitled to one vote. The Mayor also chairs the:

• Executive Committee
• Striking Committee – the Mayor recommends to Council the membership of the Striking Committee and may designate the Deputy Mayor as chair of the Striking Committee
• Civic Appointments Committee – the Mayor may designate any member of Council to chair the Civic Appointments Committee

The Mayor is a member of the Toronto Police Services Board and the Exhibition Place Board of Governors, although City Council, with the consent of the Mayor, may appoint another member to take the Mayor’s place.

Council can designate another Member of Council to preside at Council meetings, subject to the consent of the Mayor. Council has decided to do this by establishing the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker serve for the term of Council. Council has delegated to the Mayor the power to appoint and remove the Deputy Mayor and Standing Committee chairs.

The Deputy Mayor assists the Mayor, is Vice Chair of Executive Committee and can act as Mayor when the Mayor is absent from the City or absent because of illness, or when the office of the Mayor is vacant. The Deputy Mayor has, and may exercise, all the rights, power and authority of the Mayor, save and except the by-right-of-office powers of the Mayor as a member of a community council. 

If the Mayor or head of Council is absent, refuses to act or vacates their elected office, City Council may appoint another Member of Council to act in their place. In such cases, the acting head of Council has all the powers and duties of the Mayor.”](Reference: http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=eb6d0f1025c21410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD) 

The article in Star refers as the mayor’s trip to SriLanka. (Quote: Toronto Mayor John Tory visited the Northern Province of Sri Lanka in mid-March to learn about where the city’s Tamil community is from, why they left and Sri Lanka’s road to healing and justice. Ref: https://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2017/04/04/the-quest-for-healing-and-justice-in-the-homeland-of-torontos-tamil-community-tory.html)

I am not sure whether the Mayor of a City in Canada has the responsibility to involve in foreign affairs issues, blame the military of a foreign country, unless it was purely a private and personal visit. If it was a private personal visit, it should be presumed that the trip was funded by yourself. If not the rate payers may have to bear the cost of air fare of such trips via rates.

Quote from Star: You probably know a lot less about their home country and how many of them, mostly Tamil, came to be here in Toronto. In fact, many were either escaping or just getting away from a lengthy and tragic civil war in Sri Lanka — a war with many chapters over many decades.”

Yes agree that many came to Canada in the recent years. However, we have to read history f Tamils. Tamils are everywhere. Europe, South America, Mauritius, Seychelles, Africa. Australia, New Zealand UK, US, etc.

Majority of Tamils migrated out of India, for work and wealth since 600 years ago. The British brought Tamils for labour work to every country including Fiji island. Recent illegal migration was not as a result of war, but most are pecuniary avidity. I was in SriLanka in 2014. I noticed that every house had more than two vehicles, some business or work to do. They were all funded through foreign money transfer to SL. However, speaking to a few young guys, I understood that they are waiting to emigrate out on a boat or sponsor or by other means. Questioning them, I understood that they had a grievance of not being in financial matching with their overseas mates. Talking to a female, she said she does not know where her husband was. However, she was building a third house for her daughter in Kilinochi. These are few examples.

In my view, it is a conspiracy plotted by the Tamils and the Tamil Diaspora against GOSL and the military to victimise the SriLankan military, because they (military) defeated the LTTE. We are cowards, run overseas to gather support from foreign personal/bodies/organisations. We have not got the guts to defend and discuss with the GOSL and sort out our issues internally.

What have the Tamil politicians and Tamil Diaspora have to say about the hundreds of thousands of Tamils and Sinhalese, politicians and Rajiv Ghandi being murdered by the LTTE? The billion dollars’ worth of SriLankan assets destroyed by the LTTE. What has Mr Sambanthar got to say about these atrocities? Can the UN hold an inquiry for those murders and atrocities committed by the LTTE? In fact, US is nursing and allowing a lawyer called Rudrakumaran to run his own fictitious theoretical government called Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE), whose members are in Canada also. Would you allow Red Indians to run an organisation similar to Tamil’s TGTE?

Quote from Star: One of the first things that strikes you as you travel the north is the extraordinary military presence. Every couple of miles there is a military base, far in excess of what you would expect to see in even a highly militarized democratic country.

When I travelled to the North in 2014, I did not see any military presence except Murukandi when every foreign traveller had to register their name, before entering the North. That was for security reasons. Your theoretical statement may have to be disagreed please.

Dear Mr Tory, you know every country has the right to protect their territory and sovereignty. May be you are unaware of the gangsters or terrorists moving around in the North. The group is known as The AVA Group”. This group is quite active in killing youngsters, citizens, looting and robbing people in the night etc. They are armed with daring swords. Please see for yourself.

Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM9DxwlcMiY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZklmD3FQX0

http://www.dailymirror.lk/111440/-Celluloid-gang-operating-in-Jaffna-

http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=95493

Even with the presence of the military and the small police force SriLanka is unable to rid from this Dracula moves by Tamil boys. Why not the Tamil politicians and Mr Sambanthar, the so called Leader of Opposition get onto this underworld gangsters and eliminate this pain from the North. As a Tamil I am surprised to note that the Tamil politicians are silent on this.

May be you are unaware that the LTTE buried most of their dangerous and expensive weapons underground. The military has a duty to protect those lands where they are still unearthing buried heavy weapons, bullets, cannons, etc. The weapons should not get into the hands of the wrong guys anyway.

Further, I would like to ask a valid question which you can answer please. Why has USA stationed its military in every country? What have they got to do with other countries? The world has not appointed them as the police of the planet earth. USA has its own problem in USA. Shooting, killing, raping, paedophiles, illegal migrant (Mexicans), money laundering, brothel ling, sex slave, etc. What is the amount of funds they spend in maintaining those fleets? Are they siphoning funds out from every country? Further USA has a short mind (greediness) of getting into every country for them to do business. If that country does not allow then manipulate with some reason to engage in war, similar to the WMD of Iraq. Example: Syrian affair is an internal war. Syria should sort them out, not USA to interfere. USA should mind her own business. Trump stated before and after the election, that USA will mind her own business and develop USA, and build a wall to stop illegal migrants from Mexico. What happens now is USA is bombing Syria and trying to engage in war with North Korea. I am not a communist or socialist, however, it’s a valid question, why would USA be interested in North Korea? If USA can build and develop nuclear bombs why not others? Planet earth will be destroyed by humans anyway in years to come because of the greediness of the humans. Your Canadians troops are also involved in NATO etc.

Quote from star: When you ask, you are told most of these bases are located on land forcibly taken from Tamil citizens and that, taken together; they represent a military presence of one soldier for every three Tamil citizens.

Every government has the right to takeover lands for its use and to maintain security. Currently GOSL has started to hand back lands to the people. It may take some time for the process to be completed. In this context, you are aware that the entire country called Diego Garcia, was taken over by the British and handed to USA for their military base, thereby displacing the citizens of Diego Garcia all over the world. The Garcians are like stateless, beggars in other countries, other than their own country, Diego Garcia. Has the Mayor got any answers to this question? What about the Red Indians of Canada, USA, and Mexico?

What USA does is subjecting SriLanka to psychological torture and intimidation through UN until GOSL agrees to give USA a base in SL, which USA will strengthen as their base in the Indian Ocean. USA is subject to humiliation on the Diego Garcia affairs, therefore they need a base in the Indian ocean. How about India? Will India and China agree to this move? It is totally against international Norm.

The Tamil clowns do not understand international politics, however, they think that USA, Canada and UK are interested in Tamil’s affair and trying to solve.

The 39 years of war was not initiated by the GOSL or the Sinhala people. It is the Tamil youths who started the war instigated by the Federal Party and foreign governments.

I would like to highlight that a famous criminal lawyer, GG Ponnambalam, who had education in London and returned with a natural science degree, MA and LLB, made a marathon Crusade for 50-50 (Balanced Representation) in the State Council in 1939. In 1939, people did not understand his covert faculty and the shortfall of his knowledge in Democracy. It was a laughing matter for me to digest what he was aiming for, at that stage. It is the misconception by the Tamil politicians, and avidity for political seat and power that hoodwinked the Tamil people in SriLanka. Ref: http://sangam.org/g-g-ponnambalams-50-50-speech-to-sri-lankas-state-council-1939/

Most Tamil politicians, who also have a law degree, state about Power Sharing”, may be without understanding the concept of power sharing. Power Sharing is a policy agreed between political parties or within a coalition to share responsibility for decision-making and political action”. Currently TNA Sambanthar is the Leader of Opposition, which is power sharing”. Sambanthar also is in the decision-making and political action loop. Instead he can join the governing party and become a minister if he wants, which the constitution allows. Why are they blabbering about power sharing?

Missing persons: Can Sambanthar or Canada confirm that there are no Tamil person’s bodies in the Indian ocean or Pacific Ocean? It is of the view that Sambanthar and people who are hoodwinked in the North are wasting their time in shouting and meeting every politician who flies into the North like sea seagull. Most of people have been told to lie in order to victimise some politicians, purely as a punitive act to avenge the destruction of the LTTE.

It is also speculated that Tamil human smugglers are domiciled, and operate from Toronto. May be the Canadian intelligence should be active to locate them in Toronto.

Quote from Star: Those who know members of our community from Sri Lanka in Toronto will know they are enterprising, successful, engaging people. Good citizens, good neighbours and good friends.

Dear Mr Tory, I visited Montreal and Toronto in 2002. Do you know the intensity of illegal affairs, killings, rapes, fighting, and other acts committed by Tamils in Toronto and Montreal? Some have swindled LTTE funds and have become rich. Well, I was told considerable amount of incidents in Toronto and Montreal. They are trying to convert Toronto as a Tamil region with full autonomy.

Quote from Star: When I spoke with them, I realized these pictures were of their sons and grandsons. Many had received reports of these young men being taken away in the latter stages of the war, but they hadn’t been seen or heard from since.

Example, USA arrested significant number of Arabs in Iraq and Afghanistan during the war on faked WMD. Did you visit Iraq and Afghanistan to find out more about this? We have seen pictures on torture. I do not support Arabs on their policy of Jihad and Sharia. Naturally the SL youths would have been killed during the war. It is not possible for mothers to see youths been arrested in a war zone anyway. It is of the view that it’s full of lies. USA killed Al-Qaeda members without mercy. LTTE members may have been shot during the war. Can anyone confirm and give pictures of the arrest of these youths. How many LTTE members are domiciled in Toronto and hiding in Canada? LTTE ordered to bomb civilians who tried to escape anyway.

It has become an embarrassment to the entire peace loving Tamil Diaspora and the locals, to see politicians from countries flying into the North like sea seagull. It is a polite request that politicians should concentrate to develop their own cities and look after their citizens in their country rather interfering with SriLanka. Simply: Mind their own business.

There is no point in trying to make the North (Jaffna) the city of Toronto. We Tamils and the Northern Provincial Council are interested in re-election, and do not bother to address non-clean public toilets. Government officials and the Councillors have to take responsibility to maintain the North clean and environmentally non-hazardous. Please refer the following videos to understand how our politicians take a carefree attitude to maintain our city utilities. Rubbish everywhere and public toilets filthy etc. Firstly we Tamils have to reform ourselves to bring culture, environmental concerns and the good intentions and function responsibly. It does not mean that politicians should clean the toilet; however, they are responsible for the management. Occupational safety, Personal protective equipment are not known in the North and it’s questionable whether they are being used. These videos are only a few example.

http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=150572

http://www.jvpnews.com/srilanka/198819.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA06FQw3Z14

Dear Mr Tory; as an appeal, it is a polite request; Why not the City of Toronto help to build (i) a reservoir in the North. North farmers face water shortage for farming. A reservoir will help farmers for continuous farming, and potable water for consumption, which will also generate feeder industries for the water filtration plant and distribution network, (ii) help the fishing industry with boats and canning facilities, (iii) the wine industry with modern techniques of wine production out of Palmyra wine. Also some small scale industries for young ones to be interested in sole trading work.

Tamil Diaspora is not interested in positive progressive investment, but hotels only. They have not thought of sewerage treatment but dump the excreta into the ground or sea which is recycled to the humans via well water and / or fish.

May be foreign politicians can be positive to move the North away from poverty to a good standard of living with, investments, small scale industries and reservoir.

We do not welcome foreign politicians to visit the North, and put fuel into the fire to aggravate the situation; rather diplomatically move to make the North a liveable region, which will stop illegal boat movement by Tamils.

Let us sort out our problems on our own efforts, without interference by foreign seagulls visits, live in peace and harmony. SriLanka is not a good location for USA military base. Let USA build one in the dam Indian Ocean, away from free democratic countries.

 

Kanthar.P.Balanathan

DipEE(UK), GradCert(RelEng-Monash),DipBusAdm(Finance-Massey), C.Eng.(UK), MIEE(Lond)

Retired Director & Specialist Power Systems Engineer

Web: http://nrnmind.blogspot.com.au/

Email: pengsol@bigpond.net.au