Good luck Ann!

Ann Kaniuk, a fantastic comrade, is leaving Scotland to go and live with her family in California. Yesterday the Campsie branch met in the wonderful Taormina Restaurant in Kirkintilloch for a farewell lunch. Comrades from other branches who appreciate the work Ann has done for the party over the years also came to say goodbye. Others who could not make it sent cards and best wishes.

It was a very emotional occasion, but a fitting farewell to a hard working comrade and wonderful friend.

Ron played "Auld Lang Syne" on the Sax, and Willie Telfer composed a special poem for the occasion (see below).

Campsie Branch would like to wish Ann all the best - and hopefully we will all be over in Los Angeles manning a stall in the near future!

Ann's Wee Bag o' Nuts by Willie Telfer

(on the occasion of Ann Kaniuk leaving for California)

Ann's been there aw' the time

through Triumph loss and gain

Through MSP's and victories

And many long campaigns

On Hospitals, Village Halls

And all they Council cuts

Oor Ann was always there with her “wee bag of nuts.”

At conference time in Glasgow, Perth and sometimes in Dundee

Delegates sent Anne and Mark, Ron, Mary and me.

With motions up amendments made

Debates they did ensue

And never once did we give away

Campsie had no clue

Arguments of yes and no

And all time ifs and buts,

The weekend was great for Ann

And her “wee bag o' nuts.”

In all the time I've never seen

Cause for Ann to lose her cool

Until the “Orange One” began

To act like a crazy fool.

I had to go one day

Doon tae her wee hoose

This was the first time

I had ever seen her temper on the loose.

“Whats all this Tommy's doing?

He's surely lost the plot?

Everything we have ever done

We're gonna lose the lot.”

“He's mad!,” she said,

“Calling us all scabs

And Aw' they wummin sluts!”

“Calm doon,” I said,

“Ann, have yer wee bag o' nuts!”

Now on yer way,

We wish you aw' the best

We assure you that back here

Our work will never rest.

But in the sunshine,

Yer kids be fine

And the ones on the way

And may all yer nuts be coconuts

In our minds you'll always stay.

Sustainability - some thoughts

Ann Kaniuk with Campsie branch member, Ron Mackay.


Ann Kaniuk, Campsie Branch member, shares her thoughts on sustainability.

As if the credit crunch and collapse of banking wasn’t enough, climate change is hitting us before we’re ready, and the oil is running out; it really is finite, and we’re using it up as fast as we can. North Sea oil has peaked, along with all other sources.

It’s a mug’s game to be dependent on other countries for our energy (new French nuclear power stations built in Britain, imported Russian gas, German electricity…). We need to create our own energy. Wave power good, wind power problematic. Huge wind farms are erratic and destructive, and they’re usually owned by profit-hungry foreign powers anyway. Putting small windmills in communities makes more sense – not attached to houses, where they can shake the walls to bits, but standing free in strategic places. What CAN be attached to houses – and SHOULD be attached to every south-facing roof in Scotland – are solar panels. Photovoltaic cells would be ideal – creating electricity that could be used by each household, with the surplus fed into the national grid. The technology for these is still a way off, but people should be working on it. Economy of scale should bring the price down. What we could do right now, though, is put solar heating
panels on all our roofs, providing hot water. We need the hot water for heating, and washing dishes and clothes. By hand (remember that?). No more dishwashers, washing machines, and tumble driers. Too profligate, when we have the sun shining for free.

Ann with SSP Campsie member Thomas Swann campaigning recently in Glasgow East.

Flying and trucking food from all over the globe is becoming increasingly expensive. Oranges, pineapples and bananas may become unaffordable luxuries again. We need to grow our own food. That means not using our land for biofuels, but using all our land for food. Look your last on vast lawns with stripes made by power-mowers. Dig them up. Grow food.

We need to stick together to overcome the challenges ahead. Sticking together sounds good to me.