CHAPTER XV The famous voyage of Sir Francis Drake, 1577. Under the rule of Queen Elizabeth, England became noted for her bold and daring seamen. These seamen were really pirates or sea robbers, but their occupation in those days was looked upon as a lawful one by all, except the people whom they plundered. Queen Elizabeth encouraged the seafaring men to make voyages to the New World, and also to attack the Spanish ships, because she was displeased at the way the Spaniards were behaving. The Spaniards had grown very rich and powerful by means of the wealth they had obtained in America, and in their pride they did not treat the other nations properly. They had no idea of fairness. They were selfish and wanted everything for Spain. The English people thought that the best place to attack the Spaniards was in the New World. They well knew that if they could cut off the supply of gold and silver which the Spanish nation was receiving from South America and the Indies, that nation would suffer. Sir Francis Drake, a brave young knight of Elizabeth's court, formed a plan to teach the Spaniards a lesson. This plan was approved by the Queen, and Drake was promised glory and riches if he should succeed in carrying it out. In November 1577 Drake sailed from Plymouth, England with a fleet of five vessels and one hundred and sixty-four men. He told everyone that he was going to make a voyage to Alexandria, as he did not wish the Spaniards to know that he intended to cross the Atlantic. After a voyage of about five months, as they were sailing quietly along one evening, the crew saw strange fires in the distance. At first the sailors were alarmed, but on sailing nearer they saw that the fires were on the shore of a strange country, which Drake knew to be South America. The natives had built these immense bonfires near the water and were preparing for some religious rites. These natives were friendly, and Drake, after procuring some fresh supplies, sailed on, as he was in haste to reach Peru. The fleet soon entered the Strait of Magellan and sailed through without any mishap. On an island in the Strait they found a great number afoul of the size of geese which could not fly. The crew shot about three thousand of these birds, and now, having plenty of provisions, they began the journey up the west coast of South Africa. The Spaniards, never dreaming that anyone would have the courage to try to reach their lands by way of the Strait of Magellan, had made no attempt to defend themselves from attack from the south. They feared that their enemies might come down upon them by way of the Ismus, and strong forces had been placed there to prevent anyone from crossing. But all the southern ports were defenseless. So Drake and his men sailed up the coast, dropping in at different harbors, boldly taking everything of value that they saw, and then gaily sailing away, laughing at the surprise they left behind them. At one place Drake found a Spanish ship laden with spoils, ready to sail to Spain. The English quickly took possession of her, set her crew ashore, and carried her out to sea. There they found that she had on board pure gold amounting to thirty-seven thousand Spanish duckets, stores of good wine and other treasure. At one place where they landed, Drake himself found a Spaniard lying asleep near the shore, with fifteen bars of silver by his side. The Englishman took the silver and went quietly away, leaving the man to finish his nap.  Each llama had on its back two bags of leather, and in each bag was fifty pounds of silver. This silver Drake ordered to be placed on his ship, and then he sailed away. Many other places were visited in this manner, and much treasure was collected. But it was not until Drake reached Lima that the English understood the great wealth of that country. About twelve ships were in the harbor, some fully laden, and all unprotected, as the Spaniards never dreamed of attack. These ships Drake proceeded to lighten of their cargo by removing it to his own ships. He then gave chase to another vessel, which he heard was laden with still greater treasure. This vessel he soon found, and the cargo proved to be very valuable. Thirteen chests of plate, many tons of gold and silver, jewels, precious stones, and quantities of silk and linen were taken. As you may suppose, after continuing this work for some time, Drake's ships were very well loaded, and he and his companions began to think about returning to England. Drake felt that it would not be safe for him to return through the Strait of Magellan, as he knew the Spaniards would be expecting him. So he decided to sail across the Pacific Ocean to the Maluca Islands, and complete his journey by circumnavigating the globe. He was at this time becalmed in the tropics, and therefore headed his ships north, hoping to find the trade wind, which would carry him across the Pacific. When proceeding north along a strange coast for nearly a month, during which time the weather gradually became colder and colder, Drake decided to enter a harbor and anchor his vessels. The people of the country were friendly, and as the English treated them well, they remained so. They admired the brave Sir Francis Drake so much that they begged him to stay with them and be their king. But Drake had no desire to be king over an Indian tribe. He wanted to get back to his own good, Queen Elizabeth, and tell her of all the wonderful things that had happened to him. So he took possession of this country for England, and called it New Albion. New Albion was the land which is at present known as California, and the bay in which Drake anchored is just north of San Francisco Bay. Then Drake prepared his ships for a voyage home, hoisted anchor, and was soon sailing away in the direction of the Maluccas. These islands he reached after a long voyage, and after visiting several of the Indies he proceeded across the Indian Ocean to the Cape of Good Hope, and thence northward to England. He reached home in September 1580 after an absence of three years. How glad Queen Elizabeth was to see him! She granted him the honour of knighthood, and in other ways showed her pride in her brave subject. Drake's ship, the Golden Hind, was placed in a dock at Deatford, where it stood for many years. People used to take their children to see it, and they would tell them about the Golden Hind, the good ship in which sailed the brave general, Sir Francis Drake, when he taught the Spaniards a lesson. When the temper of the ship began to decay, a chair was made of some of it and given to Oxford University, where it may be seen to this day. CHAPTER XVI Henry Hudson Henry Hudson was one of the best sea-captains in all England. He loved the ocean, and did not know the word fear. In 1607 a company of London merchants sent him to look for a north-west passage to China. These merchants knew that if such a passage could be found, the journey to China would be much shorter than by the overland route then used. It would take less time to sell around the earth near the pole than to sell around the earth near the equator. Besides, every one who had attempted to reach China by selling west had reached instead that long coast of the New World, through which but one opening had ever been found. The route through this opening, the Strait of Magellan, had been proved by its discoverer, Ferdinand Magellan, to be too long for use in commerce. So traders were trying hard to find a north-west passage. Hudson Hudson proceeded north-west from England and tried to pass between Greenland and Spitsbergen, and sell across the north pole into the Pacific. Failing in this attempt, he made a second voyage, during which he tried to pass between Spitsbergen and Nova Zimbla. This voyage also was unsuccessful, and Hudson returned to England. He had found no north-west passage, but he had sailed past mountains of snow and ice, and had been nearer the north pole than any man had ever been before. Captain Hudson was not discouraged by his two failures. He still believed a north-west passage could be found, and when the Dutch people asked him to make a voyage for them in search of a passage to the Pacific Ocean, he was quite willing to accept the offer. In 1609, Hudson sailed from Amsterdam in a small craft of eighty tons, called the Half Moon. After sailing many days through fog and ice, the sailors refused to go farther in that direction, and then Hudson headed his ship across the Atlantic toward America. You may think it strange that Hudson should change his plans so quickly, but he knew what he was about. He had received a letter from his friend, Captain John Smith, who was then in Virginia, telling him that a north-west passage was to be found along the coast of North America, north of the Chesapeake Bay. This letter Hudson had in mind when he started on his voyage. He reached the Chesapeake Bay, but did not enter it as the weather was stormy. Instead, he proceeded up the coast, looking for an opening. At length, in September, he entered a beautiful bay. Into this bay a wide river flowed which Hudson thought might be a strait that would lead into the Pacific Ocean. The water in this opening was soft, and this strengthened Hudson in the belief that it was the strait for which he had been searching so long. At the mouth of the river there was a beautiful island, long and narrow, and wooded to the shore. At first the island seemed deserted, but soon the sailors saw here and there slender curling columns of smoke rising from among the trees. This smoke showed them that the island was inhabited, and presently an Indian appeared on the shore. This Indian looked for a moment in astonishment at the ship, and then shouting the war-whoop bounded back into the forest. In a few minutes he reappeared, bringing other Indians with him. People were amazed at the sight of the strange ship, and they gazed in wonder and fear at it, and at the white-faced bearded strangers. Little by little, however, they lost their fear and talked with Captain Hudson. These Indians told Hudson that the name of the beautiful island was Manhattan, and that the stream led far, far to the north. So Hudson entered the river and sailed slowly north, enjoying the charming scenery, and stopping now and then to trade and talk with the Indians. For twenty miles he sailed along a great wall of rock about five hundred feet high, which we now know as the Palisades. This name was given to the Rocky Wall because it looks like a Palisade, or high fence of stakes set close together and upright in the ground. Soon after this the river became very winding and high mountains arose on all sides. The half-moon now entered the beautiful highlands, and her crew were the first white men to see this enchanting spot. The vessel sailed on, and at length it came to the place where the city of Hudson now stands. Here an Indian chief invited the captain to go ashore. Hudson did so, and the Indians prepared a great feast in his honor. They gave him roast pigeons and a roast dog to eat. Hudson did not like the dog meat very much, but the Indians insisted upon cooking it for him. The Indians wanted him to stay overnight with them, and one Indian arose, and gathering together all the arrows broke them and threw them into the fire. By this act he meant to show Hudson that he and his tribe would do him no harm. Hudson felt that he had no time to lose, but must go on and find out whether this wonderful body of water would lead him to the Pacific, so he bade the Indians goodbye and sailed away. He went on up the river, until the place was reached where Albany now stands. Here the half-moon was anchored. Indians came running down to the shore in wonder at the sight of the strange vessel. They brought with them strings of beaver skins, which they gave Hudson in exchange for pieces of gold lace, glass beads, and other trinkets. Hudson was quick to see the importance of this fur trade and took back with him many valuable furs. Here the stream had become narrow, and was so shallow that the captain feared his vessel might run aground. He knew at last that the water was a river and not a straight, and that he was not likely to find here a passage to China. So Hudson, turning back, started down the river. On the way down, an Indian who was in a canoe stole something from the ship. One of the crew saw the Indian commit the theft, and picking up a gun, shot, and killed him. This made the other Indians very angry, and Hudson had several fights with them. Nevertheless, the expedition reached the mouth of the river in safety, and early in October Hudson returned to Amsterdam. He had not found a northwest passage, but he had secured a large tract of country in the New World for Holland. He told the Dutch about the rich furs to be found there, and they immediately began to build trading posts where the cities of New York and Albany now stand. The next year Hudson made another voyage in search of a passage to Asia. This time he sailed far north into Hudson Bay. Here his crew mutinied and refused to obey him. They seized him and put him, together with his son, into an open boat, and set them adrift in the icy water. As Hudson was never heard of again, it is supposed that he perished in the waters of the great bay which he discovered, and which still bears his name. End of CHAPTER XVI of DISCOVERS AND EXPLORES by Edward R. Shaw


David Boxley is a Native American artist from the Simchian tribe in Alaska. He is a dancer, songwriter and woodcarver. He also is an ambassador for Simchian culture. We call it art now, but it was a way for people to say this is who I am, this belongs to me, this is my clan, or this is my crest, this is my family history, carved and painted on wood. Mr. Boxley says Christian missionaries were a strong influence in his community while he was growing up. As a result, he learned little about his Native culture. While working as a teacher, he began researching the history of his people. In 1986, he left teaching so that he could spend time woodworking and telling others about Simchian culture. As I came along at the right time, our people really needed a shot in the arm for our culture. It wasn't very prominent after all that missionary influence in years and years of not having anyone be in that kind of position to guide. Almost 30 years later, he completed his 70th totem pole. It is now part of the permanent collection at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. We don't use sandpaper, so we use the knives and the chisels to get it as smooth as possible, get the lines clean. This totem pole started as a 7 meter long piece of red cedar. Mr. Boxley began carving at months ago at his home in Washington State. This one is going to be seen by millions over the next 100 years or whatever. It's not just me and my son. It's all of my people that are proud, my tribe. On the day when the totem pole officially became part of the museum, Mr. Boxley's family and friends performed for a crowd. Then the pole was shown for the first time. Thanks to David Boxley, the museum is able to show a fine example of Simchian culture to its visitors. I'm Kelly Knuxall.


Every day, all over the world, nearly three million people come to work for the U.S. government. But they're not all full-time employees. Some work for only a few weeks a year. Others for only a few days. Some provide their services without compensation. Art Professor Neil Everett is in Washington, D.C., to work with the National Endowment for the Humanities to serve on a panel reviewing grant applications. During his federal appointment, he'll become what's known as a special government employee. And in the process, he'll encounter some rules of conduct, some ethical questions he never had to deal with at Hanford University. By accepting a temporary position on an advisory committee for the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Janet Franklin has also become a special government employee. In her regular job as a research physician at a large medical center, Janet never had to consider the conflict of interest laws and regulations that will directly affect her during her appointment. Because he's a consultant, Al Dover is used to giving advice and information. But now, as a special government employee advising the Navy on a new fighter plane, Al must be careful about what he says and does because of some very specific ethics laws and rules. The government ethics issues facing people like Neil Everett, Janet Franklin and Al Dover actually arise before they physically show up to perform their government service. The questions arise first on paper. Your directions were perfect. I even found a spot in front of the building. But I brought all the paperwork was finished. Almost. I just had a couple of questions about some of these items in your financial disclosure form. Oh, the stock I own in DSI, yes. Aren't they building the airframe for the plane you'll be consulting on? DSI? Yes. You know, there's a criminal law that prohibits you from taking any action on behalf of the government that could affect your personal financial interest. I thought I'd sell the stock before I started working on the project. Okay. But that might not be necessary. Why not?  If your holdings aren't substantial, you might be able to get a waiver. You mean if I get a waiver, I can keep the stock? No. I was going to sell the stock anyway. Well, that solves that. But there's still the matter of your wife's stock in Millparts Corporation. Millparts? What's the problem with them? Well, they're the sub on the DSI contract. They're supplying the quick release fasteners for the new plane. I didn't know. Naturally, any advice you give us could affect the subcontractors. Of course. I just don't know if my wife will want to sell her stock right now. The same thing applies. If her holdings aren't substantial, you might be able to get a waiver, just for the Millparts stock. I don't really know how much she has. Can I check and give you a call? Sure. No problem. Great. Suppose we run into a problem. Section 208 of the Criminal Code prohibits employees from acting on behalf of the government in certain matters in which they or their spouses have a personal financial interest. That's why Al's stock in the prime contractor building the plane and his wife's stock in one of the subcontractors presented problems. In conflict of interest cases like this, one solution is for employees simply not to work for the government on matters in which they have a financial interest. But sometimes, as the Navy ethics official explained, if the financial interest is not substantial, the restriction can be waived. Of course, selling the asset that created the conflict is also an option. Employees are also prohibited from acting officially in matters in which their minor children or private employers have an interest. How can a private employer's interest create a conflict? Ask Janet Franklin. Really? Congratulations. That's exciting. Yeah, the Food and Drug Administration. I'm flattered. There's something I don't understand, though. What's that? Well, it seems to me that any drug testing standards your committee recommends for the industry are going to affect the grant you're working on here. You're right. They probably will. So, isn't that a conflict of interest? I suppose so. But the whole reason the FDA wanted me on their committee was because of my research experience here. Yeah, but if it's seen as a conflict, how can you... Apparently, it's a fairly typical problem. That's why I was granted a special waiver. A waiver provision in Section 208 can be used to exempt special government employees like Janet if the official appointing them certifies that the need for their services outweighs the potential for a conflict of interest. Janet was a good candidate for this kind of waiver because she's a highly regarded expert in her field and because her employer, the Medical Center, wasn't going to be affected by the committee's work any more than other medical research facilities. Don't get the idea, though, that waivers under Section 208 are routine. Take Neil Everett, our art history professor, reviewing grant applications for a national endowment for the Humanities Peer Review Panel. He was told he'd have to disqualify himself from considering any applications that were submitted by his employer, Hanford University. Neil was also warned that reviewing certain other applications might call into question his impartiality. All of those people want grants? These are just the ones my panel has. Look at these. Retrospectives, international shows... Uh-oh. What? This one's from Marlon University, the art museum. I didn't know anything about it. That's France Division. That may not matter. How's it going to look if I recommend a grant for the art museum where my wife works? Neil would probably face reasonable concerns about his impartiality if he participated in a matter affecting his wife's employer. Because of these concerns, Neil should disqualify himself from reviewing that particular application unless the agency he's working for specifically authorizes him to participate. When grant applications being reviewed are part of a competitive application process, reviewers like Neil sometimes have to disqualify themselves from reviewing an entire pool of applications, even if there's a conflict involving only one of the applications in the pool. A spouse's employment is not the only way impartiality issues can arise. Dover. I didn't know you were a runner. Well, I try. Great day for it, though. Boy, you're right about that. I'm hearing good things from the program officer about your work on our new bird. Thank you, sir. Things are going pretty well. Listen, Dover, I might have something else for you guys. We've got some problems with those rotor blades. We're trying to retrofit on the CH32 choppers. Sounds like it's right up your alley. I'd love to help you out, Admiral, but isn't engineering dynamics making those blades? Yep. That could be a problem. A problem? Well, let's say the appearance of a problem. You see, I finished a job for them last month.  I didn't know you did work for engineering dynamics. Yeah. I'll tell you what. I'll have someone run it by our ethics officials. I'll get back to you later in a week. Great. Thank you, sir. Because Al worked as a consultant to engineering dynamics within the last year, his working for the Navy on a matter involving this company might present an appearance problem. The rule is, if a reasonable person would question Al's impartiality, then he shouldn't work on the project unless he's specifically authorized to by the Navy. Conflicting financial interests, impartiality, or appearance concerns. Are there any other ethics issues that affect special government employees? Janet, I understand you're working with the FDA now. Yes, I'm on a committee. It's really fascinating. I've never done anything like this before. Drug testing, isn't it? Quite a responsibility. It's going to make a big difference in the industry. Yeah, I suppose it will. You're talking to a lot of companies, too, aren't you? I hear Metatron has some fancy new laser analyzer. You know anything about that? Forget it, Sam. I can't talk to you about any confidential information. Excuse me. Oh, well, by your lunch. There's no law against that, is there? Hey, where's the birthday boy? As a matter of fact, there are rules limiting acceptance of gifts by federal employees. And that includes some meals. In general, you cannot take gifts from people or organizations that seek some kind of action by the agency you're working for. Do business or seek to do business with the agency you're working for. Conduct activities that are regulated by the agency you're working for or have interests that may be substantially affected by how you perform your official duties. Also, you can't accept gifts given to you because of your official position. Ah, no thanks. For Janet, the rules mean no gifts from pharmaceutical companies that are regulated by or are trying to get drugs approved by the FDA. For Neil, that means no gifts from universities or museums applying for NEH grants. And Al can't accept gifts from companies that have Navy contracts or companies that are bidding on Navy contracts. There are sensible exceptions that allow you to accept gifts from family members or personal friends. And it's okay to accept gifts based on outside business or employment relationships. For example, suppose Janet's firm invites her to a golf outing. She can accept as long as the invitation is given to her because of her employment relationship, not because of her position on the FDA advisory committee. By the way, you're permitted to accept occasional gifts that are valued at under $20 per occasion, provided the gifts don't total more than $50 from one source in one year. So an infrequent gift of lunch at the local sandwich shop shouldn't be a problem. Just as you can continue to accept most of the gifts you're used to accepting, your employment with the government should not significantly affect other business or personal activities. There are, however, some special ethics rules on teaching, speaking, and writing. Like many special government employees who've been hired because of their particular expertise, Al does quite a bit of writing and speaking in his field. Al can continue doing most of these activities, but there are some important rules about what he can and cannot do. And about the compensation he's allowed to accept. Now, if there are any more questions, yes. I was wondering, Dr. Dover, now I know you're working on the wing stress problem with the F-29 jet for the Navy. Can you comment on what you've found so far? Well, first of all, I'm working on the F-29 for the government. So I can't talk about that in any depth. I can say, however, that generally the problem relates to corrosion. And that's typical for any aircraft that operates in a marine environment. And second, our work is still preliminary. So until it becomes public, I can't discuss it. Any more questions? Dr. Dover, you mentioned something about... Al is free to make a presentation on airframe stress. That's his area of expertise, based on his experience and his educational background. And he can accept a fee for that. There's also nothing wrong with a brief mention of his work with the Navy. But Al can't disclose non-public information under any circumstances. And as a general matter, he can't accept compensation if his talk or any writing or teaching he does deals in any significant part with his government work. There are a few other limitations on outside teaching, speaking, or writing. You cannot accept compensation if the activity itself, giving a lecture, for example, is something you're doing as part of your government duties. You cannot accept compensation if you were offered the opportunity primarily because of your position with the government, rather than because of your expertise. And you cannot accept compensation if the invitation or the compensation comes from an organization or a person that may be affected substantially by how you perform your government duties. There are also restrictions imposed by criminal statute on the extent to which special government employees can represent others to the government, whether or not compensation is involved. Paula. Al, great talk. Thank you. I haven't seen you in a while. What are you up to these days? Well, we're still working on that reconnaissance plan. The truth is we've run into some snags. Snags? Yeah, we're in the process of putting together some experts to go and talk to the engineers at NAVARE. What's your schedule like, Al? Oh, no, I would love to, but under other circumstances... Al is a special government employee who's been serving the Navy over 60 days in the last one-year period. Because of this, he can't represent anyone else to the government on specific party matters that are pending before the Navy. Matters like the reconnaissance plane contract between the Navy and the company Paula works for. I'm sorry, Paula, but that's why I can't do it. It'd be a conflict for me. I understand. You should know, however, that nothing prevents you from representing yourself as an individual to the government. There's also an exception that may apply if you want to represent a family member. Suppose you begin looking for a new job. Are there any ethics restrictions on what you can do while you continue working as a special government employee? And what about after you complete your government service? Are there restrictions on what you can do then? Neil! I am. I am. How are you? This is wild. I was just thinking about you. What are you doing in Washington? Funding. That's why I was thinking about you. The museum's submitting a grant application for a Van Gogh exhibit. We needed someone, and your name came up. Listen, do you have some time for lunch? My treat. Not really. I was just going to grab a hot dog. Want to tag along? Sure. We could sure use you on this. You'd be perfect. Especially now with all you know about NEH grants. Uh-huh. So, what do you think? Van Gogh. Oh, boy. It's just, well, you put in that grant request for the Cassatt show, didn't you? Sure did. Anything to tell me? No. No. In fact, Diane, I'd love to work on this Van Gogh thing, but I'm on the panel that's supposed to review your Cassatt application. You can't do it, right? Well, not exactly. I mean, not as long as I'm connected to your Cassatt grant. But maybe the agency could find someone else to do that review. Could they do that? I think so. Then I'd be free to talk about working on the Van Gogh retrospective. Let me see if there's a way to work this out. Great. How about that hot dog? Okay. Since Neil has now begun seeking employment with Diane's museum, the rule is that he can no longer act officially on matters that would affect the financial interest of the museum. Unless, of course, his agency specifically authorizes him to. Excuse me. Excuse me. Huh? Look, my government appointment is just about up, and I love this Van Gogh job. Am I going to have a problem here? Not if you disqualify yourself immediately, you won't. Are you sure? There are criminal laws against representing someone back to the government after you leave government. What do they call them? Post-employment restrictions. Well, you're right. But in this case, working on the Van Gogh retrospective would be fine. Relax. Go get some lunch. For most government employees, like Neil, the post-employment restrictions only bar former employees from representing others back to the government in the same particular matters involving specific parties that they worked on as a government employee. The Van Gogh retrospective is a new matter, so it doesn't raise a post-employment problem for Neil. Suppose, though, that the art exhibit Neil is asked to represent on is not new and different. Suppose it's a matter he worked on for the NEH. Would that change Neil's post-employment options? Well, let's take a look. Hi, Anne. How are you? Well, I was just thinking about you. What are you doing in Washington? Funding. That's why I was thinking about you. You just finished a stint at the National Endowment, didn't you? Yeah, it was great. Listen, do you have some time for lunch? My treat? Not really. I was just going to grab a hot dog. Want to tag along? Sure. You know the grant we got for the Monet exhibit? Sure. I was on the committee that recommended it. Well, our project administrator just left, and we're looking for a replacement. Someone who knows how to deal with the NEH. Naturally, your name came up. Now that you've got all this experience... No. Diane, it sounds great. But I was on the committee reviewing that. I can't switch sides now and represent your museum back to the government. Not on that same issue. But your appointment's over, isn't it? Doesn't matter. As long as that business continues, you, the Monet exhibit and the NEH, I'm out of the picture. But if anything new comes up... Well, we're thinking about a Van Gogh exhibit. I swear, I can almost taste one in my mouth. If your work for the government involves, say, drafting general regulations or standards that affect an entire industry, this post-employment restriction won't apply. But in a case like this Monet show, where Neil's been involved in a matter between specific parties, Diane's museum on the one hand and the National Endowment for the Humanities on the other, Neil can't represent any person or organization back to the government on that same matter. And that's forever, as long as the matter continues. That's perhaps the most far-reaching post-employment restriction affecting special government employees. But there are some others you should be aware of. Talk to one of the ethics officials at your agency before you leave your government position. Their job is to help. Even if questions arise long after you've finished your government service. Serving as a special government employee can be a truly rewarding opportunity. A chance to play an important part in the workings of our government. As long as you understand the rules and regulations regarding conflicting financial interests, appearance concerns, the use of inside information, limitations on outside activities, restrictions on seeking employment, and post-employment activities. If you understand what you can and can't do under the laws and regulations that govern your employment, you'll always be able to make the ethical choice.


It's time for members, David, the member from Elgin, Middlesex, London. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to bring attention to the wind turbine project in the municipality of Dutton-Dunwich, which is located in my riding. As this government is well aware, the municipality of Dutton-Dunwich conducted a survey of residents before declaring themselves a non-willing host with 84 percent of the community against the wind turbines. This survey and report was shared with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. Unfortunately, the government chose to ignore the people of Dutton-Dunwich and move forward with the project. Later this afternoon, I'll be bringing forward a petition on behalf of the residents calling on the government to make it mandatory that all renewable energy developers use the new noise modeling guidelines. On January 23, 2018, the Dutton-Dunwich opponents of wind turbines filed a notice of application for a judicial review in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. The application declares that the transition provisions should not be used in the large five renewable procurement wind turbine projects, which include projects like the Dutton-Dunwich, the Strong Breeze, two in Chatham-Kent, the Romney near Lakeshore and Otter Creek near Wallaceburg, and two in eastern Ontario, eastern fields in the municipality of the nation and nation rise in the municipality of North Stormont. I'm calling this government to take the concerns of the Dutton-Dunwich residents seriously, take the concerns of the communities and the provinces, and the signatories in this petition and stop the project at Dutton-Dunwich, or at least put it on hold until all the concerns are revised and addressed. Thank you very much. Members of the statements, the member from London Fanshawe. On Saturday, April 28, I attended an event in London to recognize a day of mourning at injured workers. I was honored to attend the London Steps for Life, an organization walking for victims of workplace tragedy. Funds raised from this walk helps provide support services to families who have been affected by workplace tragedies and raise awareness about injury prevention. Threads of Life is a national not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to supporting families along their journey of healing who have suffered from a workplace fatality, life-altering injury, or occupational disease. They bring awareness to the event every year and believe that injuries in the workplace are predictable and preventable. And through Steps for Life, they spread this important message. There were 40 events taking place across Canada, with more than 4,000 families, corporate teams, and partners participating. The community came together to mourn and honor all those who have been injured, afflicted with an occupational illness, and those who have lost their lives while working. This day of recognition provides each of us with the opportunity to stand side by side as workers across Ontario renew and inspire commitment to improving the health and safety of everyone in the workplace. In 2016, the greatest number of workplace deaths in the country was Ontario, and that is simply deplorable. We all have a part to play. Unions, management, employers, workers, and government all need to work together to reduce workplace injuries and better support injured workers. We cannot forget the work that still needs to be done, and the fight will only end when no worker has to risk his or her life on the job and can go home to their family. Thank you. The member from St. Catharines. Saturday, May 26th, we'll see thousands of people gather at Grantham Lions Park in North St. Catharines for the annual Rankin Cancer Run, an event that has raised $7,550,000 over the past 12 years, and has attracted as many as 13,000 participants for a single day. Under the enthusiastic and capable leadership of run director Mary Ann Edwards and the sponsorship of generous businessman Tom Rankin and the Rankin family, this outstanding fundraising endeavour which dedicates all of its proceeds to local health care facilities has contributed $3.5 million to the St. Catharines General Hospital Cancer Centre, $1.64 million to Wellspring Niagara, $380,000 for Hospice Niagara, $500,000 for West Lincoln Memorial Hospital, $450,000 for the Greater Niagara General Hospital, $349,000 for the Douglas Memorial Hospital, $315,000 for Wellin County General Hospital $240,000 for Port Colburn Hospital, $90,000 for the former Niagara and the Lake Hospital, and funding will go to hotel due shaver this year. All of Niagara, all people in Niagara are grateful to Mary Ann Edwards, Tom Rankin, and the fabulous volunteer team for their tireless efforts and generosity, and to the Walkers, Runners and Sponsors for their energetic participation. Thank you. Further numbers since the member from Bruce Gray, Thank you very much Mr. Speaker. I rise today to bring to the attention of the legislature the upcoming Vision Health Month, which is celebrated across Canada during the month of May. This is a time when we raise public awareness about the importance of protecting vision health and encourage insurance to have a regular eye exam as they are the best form of early detection and prevention and proving the chances of detecting eye conditions early enough to help control and treat the disease. There are an estimated 5.5 million Canadians living with an eye condition that could lead to vision loss. Age-related macular edema is the leading cause of vision loss in this country, affecting 1.4 million Canadians, and diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of vision loss in working age adults affecting 500,000 Canadians. Many blinding eye diseases that affect children still have no treatments. That's why the Foundation Fighting Blindness funds site-saving research, but there are effective site-saving treatments for both age-related macular edema and diabetes-related vision. Unfortunately, many Canadians are losing their sight to preventable forms of blindness, including right here in Ontario. This is simply unacceptable, Mr. Speaker. We commend the work of the Foundation Fighting Blindness and hope to work collaboratively to build the tools and frameworks that will ensure that Canadians are not going blind when they don't have to. We also commend the work of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, CNIB, the Canadian Council of the Blind, CCB, the Interior Association of Optometrists, and all others who are raising awareness about eye health and help prevent avoidable sight loss across Ontario. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for the member status, the member from Toronto Danforth. Thank you, Speaker. The Great Lakes are an incredible gift of nature to this province, to the people who live in the Great Lakes Basin. Most of Ontario's population depends on those lakes. Forty percent of Ontario's, no, forty percent of Canada's economy depends on the health of the Great Lakes. But there are incredible pressures to draw water out of the Great Lakes to areas that are not part of the basin. Recently, Racine, Wisconsin put forward a proposal to draw seven million gallons a day for a new industrial project in one of their suburbs. Seven million a day, Speaker. Canadian Environmental Law Association and others are calling for a review of this proposal. Given that it sets a dangerous precedent, we have the power and authority under the Great Lakes Agreement that Ontario is a signatory to. Ontario needs to protect our Great Lakes and use its power to call for a full review. The Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry is the person responsible for speaking out. And in this statement, I ask her to, in fact, take hold of this file and move on it. The project is one of many that will come in the future if we don't stand up. It's time for Ontario to protect the Great Lakes. Thank you, Speaker. Thank you. Further members? Statements to the member from Kingston and the islands. Mr. Speaker, last Friday I had the pleasure of attending the Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan annual fundraising gala in Kingston. CW4WA is a not-for-profit organisation whose mission is for Canadians to take action in partnership with Afghan women towards improving the education and conditions of human rights, ending women's oppression, and providing opportunities for Afghan women to live their lives with dignity, certainty, and purpose. Since 1998, they have raised $8 million to support women and girls in Afghanistan. The theme for the gala this year is from Kandahar to Canada Roya's story and featured various speakers from Afghanistan, Roya Shams, as well as Michael Cook, an editor at the Toronto Star, who took a very active role in bringing Roya to Canada for her education. I want to thank Michael and Lisa Laflam, in particular for her fireside interview style with Roya. Her story was pin dropping and so inspiring, but it also showed the many barriers that girls face in Afghanistan. Her path demonstrates just how valuable organisations like the CW4WA are for women both at home and abroad. I want to give special thanks to the local chapter in Kingston, Madeleine Terracek, Margaret Stewart, and all of the Kingston chapter including many of the retired teachers from the Retired Teachers Association for all of their hard work in bringing a better life to women and girls in Afghanistan. Thank you. Thank you, further member. Statements to the member from Lampedon, Kent, Middlesex. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Spring has at long last arrived. Lawns and trees are turning green, but unfortunately the less than desirable species have also been revived. So I'd like to give the legislature an update on the invasive species Fragmites or Common Reed. Since being given a tour of a frag infested wetland in 2012 by the Lampedon Chores Fragmites community group, I've been advocating for this government that action needs to be taken. Through statements, letters and questions, I've been telling the government about this very real threat to Ontario's wetlands. But despite increasing awareness, that threat is no less real today than it was six years ago. It is still spreading and in every corner of southern Ontario it has covered ditches and drains, rivers and streams. At this stage manual cutting and burning is unrealistic and inadequate. Herbicides which have been used against Fragmites for some time now across the United States and in several other Canadian provinces, but they're not allowed in Ontario. It took a long time, but the Ministry of Natural Resources is finally taking some small experimental steps toward using such herbicides to control the spread. Unfortunately, the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change has been blocking the approval of any of the safe glyphosate herbicides for use over water. I urge the Ministers of this government to take this threat seriously and to work together to give speedy approval to the most efficient means of its control. Thank you very much. Thank you for the member Stevens, the member from Davenport. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 44th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution which was a pivotal moment in the history of Portugal. On April 25th, the Portuguese community celebrates the peaceful deposition of the authoritarian party, Estado Novo, who had ruled Portugal from 1926 until its fall in 1974. April 25th, 1974 is undoubtedly a pivotal moment in the history of Portugal. What started as a military coup organized by the movement of the Esforças soon became an unanticipated and unprecedented campaign of civil resistance. This was not only the fall of the Estado Novo but also the withdrawal of Portugal from its African colonies in East Timor. The name Carnation Revolution comes from the fact that what was supposed to be an armed revolution transformed into a population that took to the streets to celebrate the end of a long and unforgiving dictatorship and war in the colonies by placing carnations into the muzzles of rifles and on the uniforms of the army. This past weekend I attended a gala dinner hosted by the Cultural Association of April 25th and present were also Capitães de Bril, Colonel Jorge Fique Caetano and Colonel Antonio Marc Schlopps who came from Portugal to be present at this event. Mr. Speaker, as a Portuguese Canadian I stand here today as a beneficiary of the courage and compassion of so many hundreds of thousands of Portuguese men and women that help transform Portugal into the country that it is today. Thank you. Thank you for the member's statements. The member from Perry Sound, Muscoca. Thank you Mr. Speaker. I rise today to acknowledge the exemplary job done in my riding to bring more accessible healthcare into rural communities. The nature of my riding makes access to care difficult for many. During my tenure as MPP for Perry Sound Muscoca I have witnessed tireless work on both sides of the riding to create sustainable and connected nursing stations and health hubs that have been proven to be a model for rural healthcare. With four health hubs including a mobile unit in Muscoca and an impressive six nursing stations operating under the West Perry Sound Health Center, my riding has a very unique care model. This model has proven to be so successful that this year both sides of the riding are celebrating some milestones. As of April 1st of this year it was announced that the Muscoca community health hub demonstration project has been approved for permanent funding for mental health and long-term care and I want to thank the Minister for that. Just this afternoon the West Perry Sound Health Center is celebrating an expansion of care being offered at every one of its nursing stations with the addition of more healthcare practitioners. The new on-site service visits will now include mental health, social work, physiotherapy, nursing and an additional nurse practitioner time. In representing both of these areas I often hear from constituents who have access and care but I have also heard from many how these new and improved services are making their lives better. I particularly want to thank the nurse practitioners in the Perry Sound area for their exemplary services of late as the area struggles to deal with an ongoing doctor shortage. Their presence and care has been touted as a lifesaver in my offices many times over. Thank you. I thank all members for their statements. It's there for time for reports by committees. The member from


Hey, what's up coach? Welcome back to my channel Hope you've been enjoying the last couple months of content put out put out a ton of new videos here Today is a question. I see every single day Coach has always asked me when should I start paying rent? For a facility. All right, we're gonna get straight into it after the intro All right, this is a great question a lot of people asked me and what I want to do is I want you to critically think while I'm You know going through everything in this video. I want you to take out a Pan a notepad and I want you to take notes because if you do this then you won't have to ask yourself this question anymore All right, so here's a couple of things you need to think about number one Do you already have enough clients to? Match whatever the overhead of the facility is all right reason why I start with that is because a lot of people when they reach Out to me. They'll be like hey, I want to have a facility. I want to do this I want to do that and then when I asked them how many clients they have they're like well I don't I don't have a business yet And I'm like well, why would you go take on that risk of paying? You know two thousand to five thousand dollars a month for a facility if you don't have clients yet So we need to have clients. We need to have cash flow. Otherwise, you're gonna have to go get it like a loan Which you know getting a loan isn't terrible, but that puts way more pressure on you if you don't have clients So a lot of coaches they jump the gun on getting facility because they don't have clients yet All right, so you need clients and I always suggest which is the second thing I always suggest starting in a small space and outgrowing that space So when I say outgrow that means you have too many clients in that space now So now we can take those too many clients and put them in a bigger space So there's so many different ways you can do that There's a lot of coaches that I work with right now They will rent out from schools. They'll run out from churches. They'll rent out from YMCA's They'll rent out from smaller organizations I mean they could rent out from so many different places and have like one court or one spot of where they're doing it and Once they gain more clients once they gain more confidence then they can move into something that's bigger All right. That's the second thing the third thing is If you are Paying rent for a facility or if you own a facility There are two different things a lot of people don't know that right? So if you own your facility Like you have so many more options you can rent you can lease that out to people who can pay you So that can pay down like a lot of the overhead every single month So you're thinking more in terms of being a business owner an operator not just using it just for your business Right if you're leasing out space from you know, maybe you're on a three to five year lease something like that like You should be able to have unlimited access to that space All right So this comes down to understanding the terms and the agreement that you have between you and the landlord All right. These are little details. So many coaches don't look at they don't think about When they think about getting a space, but you should actively look for paying you should be Looking to pay for rent when your business is ready to do that Right is why I always tell every single coach that ever comes across me Like if you were talking to me on a zoom call, I would tell you I Don't try to put yourself in a stressful position if you don't have the clients yet Right. So this is why you have to focus on getting clients and getting enough clients getting enough cash Though like your business should be operating like a real business before you move in a facility Because moving into facilities actually going to hurt your business if your business is not properly set up, right? So I hope that helps if your coach watching this and you have questions about that They may be you're in a spot of transitioning into facility and you want to chat with me. I How do you recommend get on a call with me? I'm more than willing to help I can talk with you for 15 to 20 minutes. I don't talk to anyone over the phone. It's all on zoom Every single day since I've been offering this I've talked to multiple coaches every day coaches that watch my youtube videos or coaches that are my newsletter So more than happy to chat with you if we haven't talked before If you want to get on a call with me, you'll see here. It's very easy to get in touch with me Right above me text me at that phone number. It's also in the description Under this video get in touch with me there if you get in touch with me between Monday through Friday I will get back to you if you text me on the weekend. I'll get back to you on Monday. All right That's it for today's video. I hope this helps and I'll be chatting with you soon


Niger women are advocating for the inclusion of female folk in the political appointment at the federal, state and local government levels, as the nation prepares for a new transition on May 29, 2023. The 2023 elections have come and gone, with winners declared and runner-ups recorded while those who felt cheated are approaching the respective election petition tribunals to reclaim mandate. The program, which is a media parlay and public hearing on improving electoral integrity, is being coordinated by the Center for Non-violence and Gender Advocacy in Nigeria. The women reel out their experiences in this event. How women were discriminated and marginalized, because many women couldn't even be able to secure a ticket to participate as candidates within their party structures. In the Senate, we only have three, and that it doesn't say well of a country like Nigeria. See, I was discouraged by many. Didn't you hear the name of this channel? Hello, hope you enjoyed the news. Please do subscribe to our YouTube channel and don't forget to hit the notification button so you get notified about fresh news updates.


The next item of business is topical questions, and at question number one I call Stephen Kerr. Thank you, Presiding Officer, to ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to avoid industrial action by teachers. Cabinet Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville. I'm absolutely committed to supporting a fair pay offer for teachers through the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers and preventing unnecessary industrial action. Strikes in our schools are in no one's interest, at least of all for pupils, parents and carers who have already faced significant disruption over the past three years. Members will be aware that only COSLA as employers can make a formal pay offer to the teacher unions. Myself and my officials are in regular dialogue with COSLA to identify options to support an increased pay offer. I've also been in regular contact with the unions to establish whether there is any scope for a shift in their negotiating position. Last spoke with union representatives as recently as Friday 18 November. We continue to work closely with COSLA to deliver a fair, affordable and sustainable settlement for teachers and one that can avert unnecessary strike action. Stephen Kerr. I was hoping that we would hear something more positive than that answer that I've just received. I would remind the cabinet secretary that she is a party to the negotiations. As much as she might like to try and distance herself from them, she has a seat at the table. But let's not forget, it should never have come to this. These negotiations should have been included weeks and months ago, not still taking place less than 36 hours before a strike is due to take place. Teachers have been let down by an SNP government that has been too slow to come to the table and take decisive action to resolve the pay disputes. Pupils and parents have been let down by an SNP government that says education is their top priority but cannot even keep the schools open. Even if strikes are called off, parents have had to scramble around for childcare. Pupils have had the additional stress of possible loss of days of learning. If the worst comes to pass and strike action goes ahead on Thursday, what plans are in place? What is the cabinet secretary going to do to help pupils to catch up on lost learning? Will the cabinet secretary take the opportunity now to apologise to parents and pupils for the stromash of her making? I was very clear on my original answer. Yes, the Scottish Government does have a role in those paying negotiations, but the offer must come from COSLA as the employers. Four offers have indeed been made so far. Of course we want to do all we can to ensure that there is a fair and affordable resolution to the current pay disputes. However, I have to be frank with Mr Kerr. The United Kingdom Government made clear in the autumn statement that there is no additional support for public sector pay, not one penny. I am afraid that the 10 per cent pay claim that is coming from the teacher unions is unaffordable to the Scottish Government. Any extra money for pay deals will have to be found elsewhere within an already contained Scottish Government budget. The fault that we are in lies absolutely with the UK Government and the mess that it has driven to the UK economy and the levels of inflation. That is the reality of the situation that we are in. We will absolutely continue to work with COSLA to deliver a fair and affordable settlement for teachers. However, the context that we are working in is exceptionally important, and it quite frankly does a disservice to everyone involved in this for Mr Kerr not to actually pay cognisance to that. What an embarrassment to Scotland to have a Cabinet Secretary in an area like education that is fully devolved. Blame the UK Government. It is beyond pathetic. No wonder teachers are leaving the profession. Who can blame them? Teachers are striking over violence in classrooms, the lack of permanent contracts for teachers when they finish their probation. Their voices are ignored in SNP education reforms. By that answer alone is letting down teachers. Add that to the fact that they have been waiting seven months for a deal on pay. Teachers are already at least £2,000 out of pocket because of this delay. What was stopping the Cabinet Secretary negotiating a deal in April? It is absolutely negligent on her part to have allowed things to get to this sorry pass. The Cabinet Secretary has been missing in action for months. Why? Why does this SNP Scottish Government hold teachers in such contempt? The Cabinet Secretary, Presiding Officer, must do better. Will she now apologise to the teaching profession for letting them down and ignoring them? As I have already said, there have been four offers made to the teaching unions by COSLA during this current dispute. It is very important to recognise what the Scottish Government has already done during this dispute. For example, we have already committed £50 million towards the teachers offer that is currently on the table. If the current deal had been accepted by teachers, which I accept that it was not, it would have allowed teachers to get a cumulative increase since 2018 of 21.8 per cent. It would have also ensured that the starting salary for a newly qualified teacher would have been over £35,000, significantly more than the £28,000 in England. We will continue to do our best for teachers, as we have done in the past, with both the contribution that we have already made this year and to pay deals in the past. Again, the context is key. We have already had to make hard choices as a Scottish Government. The emergency budget review made that very, very clear. The funding must come from elsewhere within the Scottish Government budget. Mr Kerr can come to the chamber and blister all he likes. What I did not hear in any of the challenge that he gave to me was the suggestion of how we could improve the offer, where that money would come from and what he would want the savings to be made from. Unfortunately, the position that we are in is that those savings would have to be found elsewhere. That is the context and the reality of the situation. Jackie Dunbar. I welcome the update from the Scottish Government on action. It has taken to avert industrial action, which would be no one's best interests. Cabinet Secretary, I agree with me that if the Scottish stories are looking to place a blame, they should look closer at their colleagues down on Westminster, whose austerity policies have effectively tied the Scottish Government's hands when it comes to public pay rises. Cabinet Secretary, I agree that there is a responsibility on the UK Government. It could have acted in the UK autumn settlement to provide additional funding and it did not. I refer the chamber to a recent letter by the Welsh Education Minister, Jeremy Miles, who said in a letter to the teaching unions in Wales, that it is simply not possible for the Welsh Government to fund such a rise without a substantial increase in our own budget to pay for it. It is a disgrace that the UK Government has left us in such an impossible position. That is unfortunately also the reality that the Scottish Government's position is too. I am very grateful, Presiding Officer. My apologies that I will have to depart during topical questions due to a prior appointment. My apologies both to you and the chamber. I think that the Cabinet Secretary for her answers. The previous contribution from Jackie Dunbar talked about public workers. How is it that public workers in Scotland seem to need to get to the stage where they are balloted for strike action, they are on the very eve of strike, and then suddenly, well, only if the correct Cabinet Secretary turns up, they seem to get settlements? We heard in the reflection that we should avoid discourse, look for concord, be in tune with the desires of our people. Wouldn't it be better to carry out these negotiations in the case of the teachers back in April in a more honest, open fashion so that we don't end up with this challenge as we always approach Christmas? As I said on numerous occasions now, four offers have been made, including at the start of this process and what the Scottish Government has attempted to do as the year has gone on is to react to the reality of the situation in terms of the UK economic context and to try and assist as far as we possibly can with public sector pay. So we have, as I've said already, as the Scottish Government already contributed £50 million towards assisting local government with the teachers pay dispute, I would very much like to see this dispute of course being resolved. It is in the best interests of everyone involved, particularly our children and young people. Again, the reflection that we must all have in these difficult times is that further pay offers need to be made, that money will need to be found within the education budget, and that is exceptionally difficult to do and will not be without its implications. The blame for that lies squarely with the UK Government. We will take responsibility for where we will make those decisions, but Mr Kerr, from a sedentary position, might not like it, but he needs to take some responsibility for the context we are in. Briefly, thank you. Willie Rennie. I think that the Cabinet Secretary has to accept that there is a lot of anger in the teaching profession. This is the first time in 40 years that they have engaged in this kind of action, and there was 96 per cent voted in favour of industrial action. She and others have been accused of dither and delay by Andrea Bradley. If a new offer was to be made, and it was to be accepted by the unions, what is the Government going to make a new offer through the negotiating system so that we can end this strike on Thursday? Cabinet Secretary. As I have said in my original answer, it is COSLA who will make a new offer to teachers, and we are cognisant of the timings of the EIS. I repeat the position that I have already made. We are, as a Scottish Government, determined to do everything that we can to support teachers for a fair and affordable offer. We have already committed £50 million to the offer that was already in the table. Of course, we are working with local government to see where further savings could be made, to see how that improved offer can be made, and we will continue to work with local government to see how that improved offer can be made. That will have implications, unfortunately, for the rest of the education budget if such a deal was to happen. Question 2. Alex Rowley. Presiding Officer, to ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that a discussion of a two-tier health service is recorded in draft minutes of a meeting of NHS board chief executives in September. Cabinet Secretary, Humza Yousaf. The meeting references an informal meeting of a small number of NHS directors, not a meeting of NHS chief executives. The draft note of the discussion does not represent the view of NHS chief executives. The founding principle of our national health service as a universal service, free at the point of use, publicly funded and publicly delivered for all, they are not up for debate nor discussion. From abolishing prescription charges to removing dental charges for young people, this Government has a laudable track record in dismantling any financial barriers that continue to exist in a national health service. Let me repeat. While reform undoubtedly is necessary in the face of a global pandemic, that reform will never ever be in contradiction of the founding principles of our NHS. Alex Rowley. Presiding Officer, back in February, I raised with the Deputy First Minister that we were heading into a two-tier health service and have repeatedly raised the issue time and again in and out of Parliament since then. I heard Humza Yousaf say yesterday and confirm today that it will never happen. Nicola Sturgeon stated that the Scottish Government will not rip up the founding principles of the NHS, but it is happening right now. If you need an operation, a knee or a hip operation and you can afford that, then you will get it. If you have savings and you can pay for it, you will get an operation. And if you are able to borrow the money to pay for it, then you will get an operation. But for those who can do none of these, they suffer in pain on long waiting lists. I reiterate that we are already falling into a two-tier health system. I have to ask, does the Cabinet Secretary understand the enormity of the situation, of the crisis that our NHS here in Scotland is in? We have had the Covid recovery plan, a winter plan, a workforce plan, a delayed discharge plan and despite all of these things, are getting worse. No wonder NHS chiefs are thinking in this way because these plans are not working. So what is next? What is the challenge? And what is the answer? To Alex Rowley, he touches upon some very important points. Can I say to him that we cannot underestimate the impact, not just of the global pandemic, of Brexit and the impact that it had on our social care work for something that I know he recognises. Of course, the impact of high inflation costs and energy costs on the health service, any one of those factors was enough to cause significant challenges in our health and social care systems. The fact that we have been hit by all three, not just in quick succession, in fact some of them concurrently, is causing huge impacts on our health service, not just here in Scotland, but right across the UK. A simple answer to the member's questions. We are working and investing in, for example, reducing those long waits for elective care. In fact, Public Health Scotland's most recent published data shows that we are making progress in both in-patients and out-patients who are waiting the longest, two years or indeed longer. There is still a way to go. What I would also say to the member is that we are making progress when it comes to our investment in social care, because I believe that social care is at the heart of this. I believe that if we are going to improve accident and emergency performance, if we are going to improve waiting times for elective care, having capacity is really important. Therefore, our investment, our focus, my unrelenting focus, is on how to improve that flow within our hospitals and investing in our social care so that we can get people out of the back door, but also preventing them coming in the front door is where our focus will be. Reform is necessary, but I will repeat to Alex Rowley that reform will always take place within the parameters of the founding principles of our national health service. Can I ask members for concise questions and answers? In that way, more members will have an opportunity to take part. Presiding Officer, we are already slipping into a two-tier health service where if you can afford to pay, then you will get it. If you can borrow, you will get it. But if you can't afford to pay, you will suffer and remain for years upon years of a waiting list. Can I suggest to the cabinet secretary that firstly we need to prioritise getting a fair pay agreement for the workforce? Pause the ill-considered so-called national care service and focus on tackling the immediate underlying causes of the workforce crisis in social care that you are failing to do. Can I suggest to the Government to be more open with the public about the current use and cost of using private sector in Scotland's NHS? In truth, does the cabinet secretary not see that we need a non-partisan approach to reviewing all aspects of the NHS in Scotland, our hospitals and our community provision so that we can build a sustainable NHS free at the point of need moving forward? Otherwise, to fail to do that, do you agree that you are in danger of running Scotland's NHS into the ground? Cabinet secretary. I thank Alex Rowley for that question on the issues that he raises on fair pay in about 38 minutes. I will be sitting around the table with trade unions to try to hammer out a deal. I think that it is to their credit and I hope to credit all the parties involved that we are continued to be prepared, all of us to sit down to get a deal to avert strike action. None of us want to see industrial action at any time, let alone during the course of this winter. I look forward to those discussions. I will not give any details of that here. I think that it is important we do that confidential negotiating space, but, of course, if there are any breakthroughs, we will make sure that members are updated on the national care service. I am more than happy to sit down with Alex Rowley and any of his colleagues to discuss the national care service. Nobody is waiting for the national care service to make improvements now to social care. That is why we have invested in interim care, why we have invested in step-down care and why we have invested to increase the pay of adult social care workers. In terms of a non-partisan approach, I am very happy to have those discussions with the Opposition. As I do regularly like Alex Rowley, I do not want people to have to think that the only option for them is to go private. What I would say is that, in Scotland, our rates of those individuals who go private by the data that has been published by the information network shows that rates are lower here in Scotland than they are in other parts of the UK. The way to tackle that is to make sure that we get our social care and healthcare systems working across the piece so that we can have that capacity within our hospitals and bring them in those waiting times. I will ask members again if we can have brief questions and responses. I call Sandesh Gulhane. I would like to start by commending the BBC reporting this meeting despite the abuse they are receiving online for daring to be free journalists. In addition to the two-tier health service, the minutes of this meeting of NHS bosses described concerns about a lack of clinical input into political decision making, a disconnect between messaging from the Scottish Government and the reality that the boards are facing and silo discussions within the Scottish Government. Will the cabinet secretary commit to ask Audit Scotland to investigate the controversy and details surrounding this meeting? It is genuinely laughable that Dr Sandesh Gulhane thinks that it is a really good use of Audit Scotland's time to investigate an informal meeting where one NHS chief executive is there and, of course, as I have said, does not represent the view neither of NHS chief executives nor NHS chairs, nor the chief executive of the NHS, nor the chief operating officer. I may say most importantly by anybody in Government because we are the ones that decide the policy of the national health service. No, I will not ask Audit Scotland. It is a good use of their time. What I would say to Dr Sandesh Gulhane is that we should be judged on our deeds. Of course, the Scottish Government abolished prescription charges. We removed dental charges for young people. We continued to fund free eye tests. We scrapped car parking charges in our hospitals. When the Conservatives were presented with a Lord's amendment in Westminster to take the NHS trade deals, the Conservatives were whipped to vote against that amendment. One of those individuals not present in the chamber today was one Douglas Ross MP. The threat of privatisation does not come from the SNP Government. It comes from the Conservatives refusing to rule out the NHS in any future trade deal. That is where the threat to the privatisation of the NHS comes from. Emma Harper. I will always be a public service free at the point of need. Ensuring that the NHS has the right staff is vital. Does the Cabinet Secretary agree that, as well as investing in training and recruitment, we must also seek to attract staff from overseas to make Scotland and the NHS our home? Does he share my disappointment that Keir Starmer seems content to use anti-immigration rhetoric on a power when agile forage? I regret that that question is largely not relevant to the substantive question that I call our school Hamilton. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. I will make the commitment today to the Cabinet Secretary that every time he seeks to deflect his Government's role in the NHS crisis by reference to the pandemic. I will remind him of the words of former chief executive NHS Scotland Paul Gray who said that this crisis was always coming because of SNP mismanagement regardless of Covid. Today there is a new public health Scotland report which says that the burden of disease by extension on our NHS is set to rise by 21 per cent over the next 20 years. The pressure on our NHS is nowhere near its peak yet. Can I not suggest to the cabinet secretary that this is a damning verdict on the SNP's handling of the health service and that senior bosses are even discussing extreme proposals like this is a reflection of how bad things got on his watch. For somebody who has made a lot in the last couple of weeks about the accuracy of the parliamentary record, he might want to reflect on what he has said about directly quoting Paul Gray. I am sure that people will be poring over that quote to make sure that Paul Gray has not been misquoted. What I would say to Alex Cole-Hamilton is once again that if he thinks that he can put his head in the sand and deny the impact of Brexit, the global pandemic and of course the high cost of inflation and the cost crisis inflicted upon us by the Conservative Government, then I do not know genuinely what planet he is living on. What I would say to Alex Cole-Hamilton is that nobody is arguing with him that reform of the NHS is necessary. We have discussions regularly around reform but that is always within the parameters of the founding principles of the national health service in terms of where the public are and who is best to judge in relation to the performance of the NHS. What I would say to Alex Cole-Hamilton is that every election in terms of who they believe should be trusted with stewardship of the NHS. I would ask Alex Cole-Hamilton to reflect why he is leading a party that has four MSPs in this building while time and time and time again the people of Scotland trust the SNP with stewardship of the NHS. Mark Ruskell To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the outcome of COP 27. COP 27 has delivered a very mixed outcome on the one hand in a truly breakthrough moment it finally saw acknowledgement by developed countries of our responsibility to support those experiencing the impacts of climate change first and worst in the final throws COP 27 agreement on a loss and damage fund was agreed and that after 30 years of perseverance and campaigning by many dedicated individuals Scotland was very pleased to play our small part in that being the first country to make a financial contribution to loss and damage last year. However on the other hand COP 27 was deeply disappointing we did not make the progress that was needed on actions for 1.5 on the transition away from fossil fuels on adaptation and others and countries must recommit themselves urgently to progress in that regard. Mark Ruskell Well can I thank the minister's response and indeed her attendance in Egypt at the COP as well while one very positive step was taken on addressing loss and damage two steps were taken back on fossil fuels and there was a clear failure to commit to any phase out of oil and gas COP 27 has effectively arguably left 1.5 degrees dead. Fossil fuel companies are right now using the energy charter treaty to sue Governments for hundreds of millions of pounds if they bring in policies or laws that limit the use of coal, oil and gas. However at COP 27 Germany joined the calls for collective withdrawal of countries from the treaty. Does the minister agree that the energy charter treaty is now beyond reform and will ministers raise this issue with the UK Secretary of State? Minister I am aware of criticisms of the energy charter treaty and concerns that it poses a barrier and obstacle to policies combating climate change. I am also aware of the risks that the ICCC have recently set out on the topic. We are, the Scottish Government is already in contact with the department for business, energy and industrial strategy about the ECT renegotiations which is currently on going and we've done that with a view to identifying and mitigating any impacts on Scotland. We are very clear that no part of a trade or investment agreement should limit the ability of the Scottish Parliament to regulate and devolve the areas or constrain the action that is so needed to achieve our next zero goal. Mark Ruskell. Minister, for that very clear response however the issuing of over 100 new oil and gas licences by the UK Government is reckless and hampers the just transition at a point when investment urgently needs to switch to renewables. The First Minister has previously said that the Canva oil field should not be given the go-ahead. Does the minister agree that the rose bank licence should also not be granted? Minister. The Scottish Government has made previously very clear that we do not agree with the UK Government issuing new oil and gas licences. We don't agree that's a valuable answer to either the energy cross crisis or to the climate crisis that we're facing. The answer to both of those is the rapid investment and deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency. We've also made clear our view that the proposed climate compatibility test from the UK Government is not fit for purpose and that before any development takes place a robust stringent climate compatibility test including both domestic and international compatibility with Paris should be introduced. On that matter, I would ask members to consider our actions as well as our words. The Scottish Government approach is best seen in that way because, whilst the UK Government looks to licence oil and gas, Scotland looks to the expansion of offshore wind as reflected in the lease options awarded to Scotland earlier this year. Fiona Hyslop. It is undeniable that the critical leadership role of the Scottish Government at COP26 on pushing the momentum of the loss and damage fund was pivotal, but does the minister agree that the thanks should go to all those countries who have campaigned for years for it and that the global north cannot and must not think that 1.5 degrees on life support is some kind of result at COP27 for these countries or indeed anyone else? Minister. I quite agree with Fiona Hyslop on that. That was something that I was very pleased to be able to communicate with Global South but also with media when I attended COP27. Scotland is very proud of the small part that we played being a global north country standing up and saying that we accept that we have been enriched by the processes that are now causing climate change and that we owe responsibility to those who are being impacted. Equally, that has come after 30 years of campaigning by activists, nations who in the face of continued inaction have shown perseverance and I think that the examples of the flooding in Pakistan and the drought across the Horn of Africa remind us all why they have remained so committed. However, we absolutely need that continued action on 1.5 because loss and damage will only get worse should the world fail to take the action needed to keep global warming below that temperature. At COP27 the First Minister announced £5 million for, as she put it, to address loss and damage. Can the minister tell us precisely what the eligibility criteria application process and defined outcomes for that £5 million are? Minister. We are still designing the criteria for that £5 million and I'll be more than happy to update Liam Kerr in the chamber when we do that. We have already set out that it will rise to the underfunded area of non-economic loss and damage, slow onset loss and damage and indeed the extent to which loss and damage disproportionately impacts women. As I say, I will be more than happy to set out the details of that when they've been agreed. Colin Smyth. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Despite some modest steps in relation to support for climate vulnerable countries, on the crucial issue of keeping warming to 1.5 degrees COP27 has failed and we are heading for a disastrous 2.8 degrees. We need to demonstrate to the world that climate leadership at home doesn't just mean setting targets, but meeting them which we are failing to do. Can I ask the minister how cutting the energy efficiency budget by £133 million instead of tackling the causes of why it isn't being utilised shows leadership given the shameful level of fuel poverty in Scotland and knowing that properly insulating our homes not only cuts fuel bills use and therefore emissions. Minister. Energy efficiency is absolutely at the core of this Government's plan not only to combat climate change, but equally to rise to the challenges of the cost of living crisis. I know that it was very absent from requisite plans from the UK Government. Scotland has and is internationally recognised for having some of the most stringent climate targets in the whole of the world. Set by this Parliament as a whole, we are making good progress against them. We are already more than half way to net zero, but we are never complacent and we will continue to plan very stringently right across our economy and society for how we meet our emissions reduction envelopes, not least through Scotland's enormous renewable energy but also through nature-based solutions, which I'm very pleased to have oversight over. Thank you. That concludes topical questions. Point of order, Alex Cole-Hamilton. Further to my exchange with the cabinet secretary, I'd like to clarify my remarks. I've reviewed the quote from Paul Gray and I want to make it explicitly clear that in his writing for reform Scotland on 4 October 2021 he said and I quote, the current system was going to be overwhelmed regardless of Covid. He made no explicit reference to the competence or otherwise of the Government. That was in my inference, and I want to make it absolutely clear that I'm not putting words in the form of chief executives' mouth, but it is clear that he believed that this crisis was always coming. Thank you. That is not a point of order, Mr Cole-Hamilton, but it is now on the record. We move on to the next item of business. I'll just give members a moment to assume their seats.


It's not every day you get to discuss your thoughts and concerns with senior leadership. Sailors from Naval Support Activity Naples did just that during an all-hands call with Chief of Naval Personnel, Vice Admiral Bill Moran, and Fleet Master Chief, April Beldo. You know, when we get around and talk to sailors on a personal level, small groups, it really gets some great feedback and some things that frankly we hadn't known about. I think that's the best thing we can get out of these trips and it's been really important for Fleet Beldo and I to see that. During the all-hands call, they discuss changes to advancement, see-pay, and the return of ball caps to the Navy. Fleet Master Chief Beldo feels the best way to inform sailors about these topics and gain feedback is face to face. That's when you get the best information from our sailors. You can't do it via nav admin, you can't do it via email. You need to have a conversation with sailors and we have stuck to our guns and we're having a great time doing it. For many sailors, the all-hands call provided a much appreciated chance to ask questions. It's very important for me to hear from the actual mouth of the person that this is what's going on because sometimes I'm busy with collateral duties or my duties or even keeping up with college that I don't have time to do this. Leadership's goal is to continue making the Navy better and they hope after the latest all-hands call that sailors have a good idea of how they are doing exactly that. Petty Officer Matt Wright, Naples, Italy.


Yeah, good morning. It's a beautiful Saturday morning here. The sun has come back. We had two or three days of horrible rain, which made me worried, but now it's nice. It's 64 days after transplanting, so one of our last management decisions to make today, whether we need some more nightage and fertiliser or not. I have a good old friend with me here, Thomas George, who also is an agronomist and is keen to see what we are doing here. He's been around and eerie in the 1990s, so I'm asking Thomas right away. When you look at our crop here, do you see a difference in the field somewhere? What do you see? I definitely see a difference. That side is not bad, but slightly behind. Yeah, so that's what we see too. This side is the hybrid over here. This is a bit ahead in crop development. It's five days ahead basically, so some pannacles are shooting out already. We're getting close to flowering stage and it seems more vigorous in general. We may need some nightage and when we made the nutrient management recommendation using our software or mobile phone application, it told us that the hybrid should receive another 20 kg of nightage per hectare at this stage to really fully utilize its yield potential. So so far we have applied about 100 kg on the hybrid and on the inverts are not much different, but it is likely that we need some more because we have set a higher yield target for the hybrid of 7.5 tons versus 7 tons for the inverts. So what I need to do now is basically assess the nightage and start at both and then make a decision on what we do in terms of applying the last nightage. I'm standing in the hybrid and you can see there's the first few pannacles shooting out. So we're really at that stage where we need to figure out whether a little extra nightage could support the grain filling and the expression of yield potential. So the way I'm going to do this is using this leaf color chart that was developed many years ago by various research groups. So that's the version that was developed about 10 years ago here at Erie and there's four pannels. And basically what I need to make sure is that on average the crop has at least the color of number three, which is this one here. If it's less than that, then I think there's an indication that extra nightage is needed. If it's much more than that, I probably wouldn't need it. So what I have to do is I have to walk through now here and stop at about 10 to 15 places in the hybrid and also the inverts and then pick a hill that is disease free. That's important. You don't take disease plants. I got to pick a hill that is disease free and I have to take a leaf. I don't rip it off normally but for showing it I'll do it right now. And then I put the leaf on this color chart and try to see which of the color it matches best. So if you can see that, this one seems very much close to number three. Would you agree Thomas? Yeah. So it's definitely not four, definitely not five, definitely not two. Sometimes I interpolate, I say well it could be a 3.5. And of course some precise people might think why don't we call it 3.15 or 3.27. That makes no sense. This is a rough indicator. We just want to know are we in the right ballpark and do a little extra nightage or not. I'm going to go ahead now, walk through here at a few places. I will record my observations on this sheet and then take average. There you go. Yeah, I see a lot of red damage here as a whole patch. Just very fresh, just very recently. You see that it's still green, you know? Yeah, that's you and last night.  It's all chopped but bitten off here. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. We're going to have substantial year losses because I saw a lot of it everywhere here. Yeah, I just finished my assessment and I'm quite disappointed. From the outside the crop looks pretty good but when you actually walk through I see a lot of problems. The canopy is not fully closed as much as I wanted. There's gaps and the most surprising thing is that in the hybrid I see a lot of very fresh red damage. Stamps being completely cut off. That must have happened in the last two or three days. I see nothing like this in the inbred so I have no clue why the rats went after the hybrid and left the inbred alone even though it's in the same field. So there must be something in the hybrid that makes it taste better or attracts the rats. Maybe they're sweeter, they have more non-structural carbohydrates or sugars, whatever it is, I don't know. So the only thing that was different in the last three days was that we had a tropical depression going through. Two or three days of rain, I don't know whether that inspires the rats to go into the fields. I have no clue. The nitrogen status, the hybrid on average between 2.5 to 3. So I think from a theoretical point of view it's okay to put some extra nitrogen on whether it will make a big difference or not. I have some doubts because of the other problems we have in the crop now with the rats too. The inbred, my leaf-cutter chart reading will average about three so that should be just about right. I'm not going to put any nitrogen on there. So I put the urea on and then that's pretty much the last operation we can do before harvest and then all we have to do now is hope for the best. No more rats and plenty of sunshine to get at least some good yield out of it. Thank you.


And if your friends are a one-way system where they're constantly taking out and they're never investing in, it is not a friendship that you want. Because some of you, the people in your life that are your friends are only with you because of what they can get out of you. And if you are gifted and strong and successful, you are a target for withdrawals.


What is going on guys, welcome back to the channel and I appreciate you being here. Today I am back with another Destiny 2 video and today I have details on how you will get the ace of spades when the forsaken DLC drops. Now obviously the video contains spoilers so if you do want to stay spoiler free guys, leave the video now.  Also guys, before we go any further, I have an exclusive Gambit Emblem Call to give away. To be in with the chance of winning this Emblem, make sure you are subbed to the channel, drop a like on this video and leave a comment down below. Winner will be picked within two weeks and contacted via direct message here on YouTube. Good luck everybody. Now monthly giveaway of lots of goodies is what I do so stay tuned until the end of the video to find out about my fully customizable controller giveaway. Okay so the ace of spades, Cade's hand cannon. It's quite clear where this hand cannon lies within the game and well you'd think you'd know how you get it also. Well that kind of is and isn't the case. Yes Uljun has the weapon but it isn't as simple as just taking it back from his corpse it seems. Okay so when the forsaken drops the ace of spades will not be available for you to obtain straight away.  Upon doing this guys you will be awarded the broken ace of spades. This is where your quest starts in fixing and getting this exotic hand cannon. The quest is called Cade's will.  Step two is to take this broken weapon the broken ace of spades to Banshee 44 in the tower. Step three is to then go out and get five invasion kills with a hand cannon in the gambit mode. Now we know guys this is not as simple as that. Gaining invasion kills could be quite time consuming especially if you need to get up with a hand cannon because this is how gambit works. Each team will have their own arena with the task of taking down waves of enemies and building up ace of player moats. By banking these moats you can send a blocker to the other team's arena. A powerful enemy that will stop the other team banking their own moats until it's defeated. When enough moats have been banked a powerful enemy will show up on your side called Prime Evil. Once defeated the round is over as well as this there's also a chance for a player to invade another team's arena at certain points for some direct player versus player action. It's at this point guys where you will need to land five hand cannon kills. So I mean you could go straight over there once a match and get eliminated straight away so it could be quite time consuming indeed.  Banshee uses these to tune the ace of spades to your hand. Five are needed in total so five guarding kills in gambit are needed in total. Step four is to eliminate 250 enemies in strikes with a hand cannon to collect more of these bi-hythmic data. Step five is to get 25 precision kills in the crucible to collect further bi-hythmic data. Step six is to search the solar system to find Cade's caches. There are four in total one on the tangled shore, one on the EDZ, one on IO and one on messes. Step seven is to collect Cade's personal cache on Titan. Fight your way back into the arcology to claim the parts you need to repair the ace of spades by completing mission ace in the hole. So this is no doubt an actual mission that will appear on Titan when you're at this step in their quest line. Step eight guys is then to take what you have back to Banshee in the tower who then repairs the weapon, tunes it to your hand and you are rewarded the ace of spades exotic hand cannon guys and that is it that is the quest line in getting the ace of spades exotic so it seems pretty cool and I cannot wait to dive in. Now this info was taken from light.gg a great source for all destiny to info linked to this quest can be found linked within the video description if you do want to check it out. On that note guys we have commented at the end of the video but before we go every single month I give away a fully customizable controller to be in with a chance of winning it simply drop a like on the video leave a comment down below make sure you're subscribed to the channel and follow the gleam link at the top of the video description it's fast simple and legit guys but on that note I am out thanks as always for stopping by and hopefully I will see you on that next one