James Travers was a respected, award-winning columnist for the Toronto Star.

Mr. Travers actually replied to eMails sent to him by nobodies like myself. ‘Proof’ is at the end of this post. I would like to point out the most amazing, prescient column I have ever read, which can be found here in the Toronto Star website. Click on the link and read it.

Jim Travers was taken from us by complications following an operation, at age 62.

I will copy here a couple of the lines in the column mentioned before.

Jim Travers wrote these words:

Imagine a country where Parliament is padlocked twice in 13 months to frustrate the democratic will of the elected majority. That country is now this country.

Imagine a country that slyly relaxes environmental regulations even as its neighbour reels from a catastrophic oil leak blamed on slack controls. That country is now this country.

There are some twenty-four such remarks in this remarkable column by a remarkable, and apparently fearless, columnist.

I sent the following eMail to Mr. Travers, not really expecting a reply. Of course I had underestimated this gentleman.

From: Jim Bennett
To: Travers, Jim
Sent: Sat Jun 19 15:03:10 2010
Subject: Today’s Column: Imagine a Country
Thanks for a well-written, thoughtful, and (best of all) hard-hitting
article.
We all need to wake up in “that country”.
Jim Bennett

Thanks very much. Much appreciated.
————————–
Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

So, what’s my point? Go back and click on the link. Read Jim Travers’ article. Then do something about it: write, call, or eMail: your MP, MPP, councillor, mayor, company president. We need to wake up in this country. Otherwise, like Mr. Travers, what’s left of our democracy will also be lost.