Francesca Rogier
From: Robert Riley
To: david@hendsbee.ns.ca jackie.foster@ctv.ca
Subject: To David Hendsbee
Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2011 09:20:50 -0300
... Dear David Hendsbee,
I am writing to strongly protest the treatment of Francesca Rogier at the hands of HRM staff. I have been watching every move since the day they took Brindi in 2008, and again in 2010. I have been very angry and so have a lot of people in HRM. To see that they kicked her out, lied to your committee about her house, and tried to tear it down, disregarded even the Heritage Law, was against all decency.
The situation is very urgent – once again! Sure, they did not demolish her house because she made sure there was a concrete foundation. But now they are trying to take it away again. They put a huge lien on her property in July, claiming it as the cost of the fence they put up last November. She had already put up a fence and the inspector who had ordered it passed it. Then By-Law, who had nothing to do with the inspector’s order, came to evict her and told her one big reason was because her fence was no good. But it was passed by the inspector, and by-law never even ordered her to do it. So the whole thing was bogus! But now, they come back and say the fence cost over $8,000, which seems like a lot to me for flimsy metal mesh, and they say the boards they put up later, cost another $2,000, and put a $10,000 lien on her house!
But they went even farther and added that amount to her tax bill, and have the nerve to charge 15% interest on it!! I never heard of such a thing! How can a lien be put into your tax bill and charged so much interest? This can’t be right. This is nothing but extortion, definitely not fair!! Each month will add to her burden. Thanks to their handling of Brindi’s case, she cannot afford to get entire project done this year. Already she has spent down what was left of her savings and she is told it will take a year for immigration to give her a work permit to get a job.
This is your responsibility and you must put a stop to it before it is too late. You owe her some real help, I think. She always had a valid construction permit, unlike many people in her district, as I think you well know. Francesca cannot afford to hire any lawyers and they have not helped her in the past as you also know. All her property taxes are paid up. But you do not help now, David Hendsbee, Francesca will lose her home. 12 months from the lien date - by next July - HRM will be able to take her property away permanently and sell it at a tax auction. Very clearly the goal has always been to stop at nothing – to kill her dog and ruin her life completely. Well, congratulations for picking on a vulnerable woman!
I am ashamed that my city of Halifax has treated her so badly, a person with education and ability who chose to settle here and only wanted to work and fix up an old house. She did a good design and worked out every detail to a T. She worked hard to get a foundation poured and had a hard time because she was ripped off by contractors who took advantage of the unreasonable deadline of the demolition order.
I don’t see how you can sit by and let this crime be done to her. If you do, I promise it will never be forgotten. It turns out Brindi has not been well in the pound, and that is bad enough. Don’t let them take her house away! Please respond to this letter within 48 hours and tell me what steps you are taking to help Francesca Rogier.
Robert Riley
Cole Harbor
Well since RR couldn't even write a short grocery list,I would suspect that Ms. SFB wrote it for him;we all know how reliable and truthful Robert is just by his call to HRM call center the tape can be found on this blog,once one hears it one can easily determine that he was pissed when he called. In fact Ms. SFB herself said RR was nothing but a drunk,and couldn't be trusted,what a pair of fucked up bed fellows....LMAO
Well I have to go make a few phone calls to a couple of motor cycle gangs,as they are interested in the, "occupy 782 E Chezz road", to be held 22 October 2011 starting at 10 AM,at present we have over 100 people that will be there,to occupy the shoulder of the road in front of house # 782 E Chezz; many coming want to see the spot where Brindi almost killed a couple of small dogs.I have obtained a couple of bull horns for the speakers at the event,The place will rock,with lots of music and noise; should rattle a few windows.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Occupy 782 East Chezzetcook road!
Well the time has come,Fran or SFB as I like to call her,has been a leach of Canada and Nova Scotia for much to long. Her dog about to be put down,her shack about to be seized...I am sure there is a long list of creditors. However the Bitch is now interested in occuping the world....LMAO. Well what is good for the goose is good good the gander. Therefore I would love to occupy the above residence this month,or before November the 8th....so lets rock......and occupy....me friends all know my e-mail so please advise what date is good for you,I will make signs and provide a free lunch......... Cheers............
Monday, September 26, 2011
Fran has done more to set back animal welfare than anyone I know.
Well I admit the header is a bold statement;however I have my reasons for the statement.
Fran Rogier claims to have rescued a mutt,(BRINDI) from a shelter ,(and I use the term shelter quite loosely). Fran claims that Brindi was in good health,(could be true) but who knows? After Fran rescued Brindi it went down hill from there,dog not Lic.,dog running at large,dog attacking other dogs at least 4 times and God knows what else that never was reported.
The final result that time Brindi was seized,and ordered to be put down,well Shit For Brains,desided to hire a lawyer and fight it.She claims to have paid a piss pot full of money to the lawyer,well at least half of the lawyers bill,the lawyer was forced to sue for the other half,and now has a lien on her shack. At a later date,Fran Rogier was charged with 3 counts under HRM by laws consurning her beloved Brindi.
Rogier was found guilty on all 3 counts,and Brindi was to be returned to SFB,under strict conditions,the main one was to be muzzled while off SFB's property;well after 2 months there was a "terrible accident",(Fran's words) and Brindi attacked a small dog on a leash,on a public highway,being walked by a pregnant lady,and her husband. Why did Brindi attack? you ask,because SFB Failed to have a muzzle on as ordered by the court.Oh yes Brindi escaped because SFB couldn't operate power windows.....Now that is one lame excuse,yep I know hard to believe but read the tapes in this blog and see for yourself. Than SFB filed a false complaint with the Police and got caught with her pants down as the call was taped,tape on this blog as well.
Well since SFB broke the court order, it left the police and By law no choice than to seize Brindi again, oh yes SFB's tried to hide in her shack,refused to answer the door until enough was enough and the police forced their way in to her shack. Brindi was seized,and placed in a pound,where she has now been over a year while SFB,twitters away,yaps on facebook and just wastes internet space with her BS.
Now brindi is in jail,so to speak,however instead of trying to do right by brindi,SFB's is trying to ,(no not trying but is) making a bigger arse of herself,by trying to shut our tourist industry down,tearing a strip off the mayor whenever she wants,saying our,(CANADIAN) legal system sucks,that animal welfare groups in Canada are doing a piss poor job,in fact tearing a strip off our legal system and Gov. whenever the mood strikes her; all this from a guest of Canada.
Now SFB's has turned so many people off that could and would help her,that she has lost at least 90% of the support that she has in NS and Canada,oh but wait she has a lot of support from the middle east,south africa,the south pole and 4 corners of the world, a fat lot of good that will do her except to boost her paypal account..SHE A LEACH, BOTTOM FEEDER!
Bottom line its all about Fran Rogier,AKA SFB"s,she loves the lime light,and could care less about Brindi,oh BTY Vet visit today cost 200 bucks....Send me the money!!
Maybe Miss Priss in South Africa will send it to her. Personally I would love to drive SFB's to the USA border and give her 200 sift kicks in her fat ass.
I will add much more as time allows,just to get the truth out there.
Fran Rogier claims to have rescued a mutt,(BRINDI) from a shelter ,(and I use the term shelter quite loosely). Fran claims that Brindi was in good health,(could be true) but who knows? After Fran rescued Brindi it went down hill from there,dog not Lic.,dog running at large,dog attacking other dogs at least 4 times and God knows what else that never was reported.
The final result that time Brindi was seized,and ordered to be put down,well Shit For Brains,desided to hire a lawyer and fight it.She claims to have paid a piss pot full of money to the lawyer,well at least half of the lawyers bill,the lawyer was forced to sue for the other half,and now has a lien on her shack. At a later date,Fran Rogier was charged with 3 counts under HRM by laws consurning her beloved Brindi.
Rogier was found guilty on all 3 counts,and Brindi was to be returned to SFB,under strict conditions,the main one was to be muzzled while off SFB's property;well after 2 months there was a "terrible accident",(Fran's words) and Brindi attacked a small dog on a leash,on a public highway,being walked by a pregnant lady,and her husband. Why did Brindi attack? you ask,because SFB Failed to have a muzzle on as ordered by the court.Oh yes Brindi escaped because SFB couldn't operate power windows.....Now that is one lame excuse,yep I know hard to believe but read the tapes in this blog and see for yourself. Than SFB filed a false complaint with the Police and got caught with her pants down as the call was taped,tape on this blog as well.
Well since SFB broke the court order, it left the police and By law no choice than to seize Brindi again, oh yes SFB's tried to hide in her shack,refused to answer the door until enough was enough and the police forced their way in to her shack. Brindi was seized,and placed in a pound,where she has now been over a year while SFB,twitters away,yaps on facebook and just wastes internet space with her BS.
Now brindi is in jail,so to speak,however instead of trying to do right by brindi,SFB's is trying to ,(no not trying but is) making a bigger arse of herself,by trying to shut our tourist industry down,tearing a strip off the mayor whenever she wants,saying our,(CANADIAN) legal system sucks,that animal welfare groups in Canada are doing a piss poor job,in fact tearing a strip off our legal system and Gov. whenever the mood strikes her; all this from a guest of Canada.
Now SFB's has turned so many people off that could and would help her,that she has lost at least 90% of the support that she has in NS and Canada,oh but wait she has a lot of support from the middle east,south africa,the south pole and 4 corners of the world, a fat lot of good that will do her except to boost her paypal account..SHE A LEACH, BOTTOM FEEDER!
Bottom line its all about Fran Rogier,AKA SFB"s,she loves the lime light,and could care less about Brindi,oh BTY Vet visit today cost 200 bucks....Send me the money!!
Maybe Miss Priss in South Africa will send it to her. Personally I would love to drive SFB's to the USA border and give her 200 sift kicks in her fat ass.
I will add much more as time allows,just to get the truth out there.
Friday, September 23, 2011
More lies by Fran Rogier!!!!!
I won't comment on this piece of crap Fran posted on twitter,one can read it for themselves and see for themselves that fran is one sick puppy!
Humane Halifax
.@news957 Did you know the public record clearly shows #Halifax targeted #Brindi AHEAD of that harmless incident in July 08? How? By gratuitously issuing a muzzle order and using it as a death warrant! The details: Animal Services bosses Andrea Macdonald & Lori Scolaro ordered AC officer Tim Hamm to issue the muzzle in May, following a minor incident between Brindi and a neighbor’s dog. Hamm initially told @brindismom he “might” lay a fine. To her shock and dismay, he returned with the muzzle order only, saying his bosses forced the change. He did not tell her that the other dog owner had triggered this by asking him not to fine her. @brindismom had volunteered to cover vet costs for Bernie Jo Villieux, who would likely not have bothered otherwise. Learning of the $220 fine, Villieux worried that Rogier couldn't afford it and the vet bill she wanted Rogier to pay, which thanks to a few extras, now came to $143. So, without telling Rogier, she sent Hamm her request, whereupon Scolaro instructed him to “offer” her the muzzle instead, with the added note that it meant he could “take” (seize and kill) Brindi next time she was reported, regardless of reason. He then told Rogier Brindi could be killed even if she was seen unmuzzled in public. After he seized Brindi, Hamm and Animal Services went on to mislead the public with such gross misstatements of fact. Nowhere does By-Law A300 lay down any condition for mandatory euthanasia, and all fines are optional, even in the event of non-compliance with a muzzle order. The July 20 2008 incident in question in which Brindi’s muzzle slipped off was short-lived and involved no injuries at all, severe or minor. Yet Macdonald and Scolaro refused to release Brindi their death warrant, despite numerous efforts by dog trainers, caregivers, vets, and neighbors. And because Hamm issued no fine, @brindismom had no chance to appear before a judge on the charges, where she could ask him to free her dog: i.e., no due process – a clear violation of fundamental rights according to the supreme court of Nova Scotia. The whole thing smacks of conspiracy. It has led to chronic disease and years of confinement and isolation for an innocent dog, and untold heartache, financial ruin, and loss of reputation for @brindismom.Macdonald and Scolaro fired Hamm in 2010 after he publicly distanced himself from the case. We think these dirty sadists should now be FIRED! They were perfectly aware Brindi had not inflicted injury in July 2008 or in the first reported incident the previous September. They illegally locked her up for two years without any contact to other dogs until a judge forced them to release her. They shamelessly seized Brindi again for a minor incident and locked her up for a third year! What do you think?
Humane Halifax
.@news957 Did you know the public record clearly shows #Halifax targeted #Brindi AHEAD of that harmless incident in July 08? How? By gratuitously issuing a muzzle order and using it as a death warrant! The details: Animal Services bosses Andrea Macdonald & Lori Scolaro ordered AC officer Tim Hamm to issue the muzzle in May, following a minor incident between Brindi and a neighbor’s dog. Hamm initially told @brindismom he “might” lay a fine. To her shock and dismay, he returned with the muzzle order only, saying his bosses forced the change. He did not tell her that the other dog owner had triggered this by asking him not to fine her. @brindismom had volunteered to cover vet costs for Bernie Jo Villieux, who would likely not have bothered otherwise. Learning of the $220 fine, Villieux worried that Rogier couldn't afford it and the vet bill she wanted Rogier to pay, which thanks to a few extras, now came to $143. So, without telling Rogier, she sent Hamm her request, whereupon Scolaro instructed him to “offer” her the muzzle instead, with the added note that it meant he could “take” (seize and kill) Brindi next time she was reported, regardless of reason. He then told Rogier Brindi could be killed even if she was seen unmuzzled in public. After he seized Brindi, Hamm and Animal Services went on to mislead the public with such gross misstatements of fact. Nowhere does By-Law A300 lay down any condition for mandatory euthanasia, and all fines are optional, even in the event of non-compliance with a muzzle order. The July 20 2008 incident in question in which Brindi’s muzzle slipped off was short-lived and involved no injuries at all, severe or minor. Yet Macdonald and Scolaro refused to release Brindi their death warrant, despite numerous efforts by dog trainers, caregivers, vets, and neighbors. And because Hamm issued no fine, @brindismom had no chance to appear before a judge on the charges, where she could ask him to free her dog: i.e., no due process – a clear violation of fundamental rights according to the supreme court of Nova Scotia. The whole thing smacks of conspiracy. It has led to chronic disease and years of confinement and isolation for an innocent dog, and untold heartache, financial ruin, and loss of reputation for @brindismom.Macdonald and Scolaro fired Hamm in 2010 after he publicly distanced himself from the case. We think these dirty sadists should now be FIRED! They were perfectly aware Brindi had not inflicted injury in July 2008 or in the first reported incident the previous September. They illegally locked her up for two years without any contact to other dogs until a judge forced them to release her. They shamelessly seized Brindi again for a minor incident and locked her up for a third year! What do you think?
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Frannie not begging for money?....THINK AGAIN
This can be found on Fran's FB group, Its time the truth was spoken and all her puppets were advised:
Francesca Rogier created a doc.
Group Description: PLEASE READ
BRINDI MUST NOT DIE AND MUST NOT BE LOCKED UP ANY LONGER ON DEATH ROW!
The city of Halifax has taken extreme retaliative action against Francesca for her success in saving her dog. After locking her up for two years illegally, it seized Brindi again on Sept. 27. This followed a minor incident in her driveway with neighbors related to those who first reported her - and also happen to work f...or the city. They were determined to see Brindi killed. Yet they both admit to kicking her repeatedly (both at once!) and Brindi did not try to retaliate in any way.
How can you kill a dog who will not attack when it is being harmed by strangers??
The incident was clearly an accident, but the city has a vendetta. Having lost twice to Francesca, it is now hoping to convince a court that she did not obey court conditions. They even used illegally obtained recordings to obtain the seizure warrant. And when Francesca tried to get an injunction for Brindi's release, they did all they could to obstruct it. They had her immigration status investigated, and sent building officials after her, who issued contradictory orders to secure her home - a home renovation postponed because of Brindi's prior ordeal. Then, they evicted her anyway, falsely claiming it was unsafe, and denying her the right to appeal the eviction.
Brindi has never bitten a human; she has caused very little harm to other dogs (minor cuts on 2 occasions). Yet she is being treated very unfairly, and so is her owner, Francesca Rogier. Francesca emigrated to Nova Scotia in 2006 with a simple dream of fixing up an old house and keeping a dog and two cats as family. She was ripped off by a fraudulent contractor who went bankrupt and left her home high and dry. She battled for two years to save her dog.
Her success was short-lived, tragically, as unkind neighbors directly related to the same family who first reported Brindi for a harmless scuffle. They eagerly cooperated with the animal control manager who signed the death order in 2008 after setting her up with an unfairly imposed muzzle order.
Francesca is in dire straits now, because after she met the demands of building officials, doing exactly as an engineer required, they evicted her anyway. She was given minutes to pack some belongings and forced to leave her cat behind. She returned the next night to find that Amelia was trapped in the house and the water heater was broken. It was fully functioning the day before and HRM employees admit suspiciously that they "saw" it was detached from the pipe. As she used the hot water minutes before leaving, this can only mean they did the deed. Hurricanes and winds did not do this in two years!!
HRM has lied in public about her heat and water lacking, and about her house being unsafe. Yet they are unable to lie to her about it as a reason for eviction. Instead, they are autocratically demanding she complete all construction before she can move back in. This is unheard of anywhere in North America! As is the attempt to kill a dog that has never killed or seriously harmed an animal, let alone ONCE bit or threatened a human!!!
HRM (Halifax) have tied her hands so she cannot save herself or her dog: having forced her to spend thousands on the added work in October, they evicted her without notice in November. They also chased off reputable contractors by lying to the press, and are now demanding she submit to their control. She must submit a work schedule that she cannot possibly guarantee with winter weather setting in. Their plan is to move to the next step of claiming she is not serious about finishing and will likely revoke her construction permit very soon. This is a house she loves dearly and planned her new life there with Brindi. She designed a beautiful new garage and basement as a foundation. She lost half of her budget to legal costs yet still wants to make it happen.
Francesca has a right to her dream just as she has a right to be with her dog. Brindi has a right to live in a loving home.
There is no reason on earth for such unacceptable and brutal treatment of a lone female immigrant who worked hard to become a professional and a teacher, and worked hard to train her dog well - Brindi did not bite these peop[le even when they kicked her in the head!!! The only "reason" is that these local civil servants have a chip on their shoulder and want to punish Francesca for standing up for her rights so that she could protect her dog.
They are accustomed to misusing the law to get what they want. That is how they took Brindi for two years and did it again, and that is how they evicted Francesca and are now making it impossible to finish the house, and that will be how they take the house away from her entirely.
THESE ARE UNETHICAL CIVIL SERVANTS with DIRECT CONNECTIONS TO ANIMAL SERVICES DIRECTORS
all from a small clique down at city hall, according to reliable information - people behind the scenes who get their way.
THIS GROUP IS HER ONLY LIFELINE RIGHT NOW!
Francesca is cut off from family and friends and has limited resources, nowhere to live, and a mountain of problems to tackle.
She is not allowed to see Brindi, yet again. And she has been taken to the cleaners one time too many by lawyers.
PLEASE HELP US CARVE OUT A NEW PATH TO FREEDOM FOR BRINDI AND FRANCESCA!!
WE NEED NEW IDEAS AND PEOPLE WILLING TO IMPLEMENT THEM!
CORRUPTION AND ABUSE MUST BE RESISTED WHEREVER THEY RAISE THEIR UGLY HEADS, ESPECIALLY WHERE INNOCENT LIFE AND LIBERTY IS CONCERNED!!
Francesca's liberty is at risk now as well, as she cannot leave the province for fear of Brindi being killed AND her house being taken by the city, who plan to revoke her permit, install some sort of foundation and THEN put a lien on it, until she pays an exorbitant price to get it back!
THEFT, HARASSMENT, PERSECUTION, AND VIOLENCE =- all for the sake of the petty pride of a few lowly municipal public servants!!
THE QUESTION REMAINS: IF WE CANNOT SAVE A DOG, WHAT GOOD ARE WE AS HUMAN BEINGS?
iF WE CANNOT SAVE A WOMAN WHO SAVED HER DOG, WHICH OF US IS NEXT??
DESCRIPTION
****************************** ********************
Our goal is to save the life of a rescue dog, a mutt named Brindi. We want to see her returned to her rightful owner and beloved human companion, Francesca Rogier.
Brindi has been locked up on death row for TWO YEARS. YET:
She never attacked or threatened a person.
She never killed or caused serious injury to a dog.
Her owner has been denied due process, even to this day.
She is a good-natured mutt, six years old, rescued from a shelter in 2007. A few run-ins with other dogs were reported, but apparently never serious enough to lead to charges. On July 24, 2008, a few days after a minor encounter, animal control officers armed with a warrant and a euthanization order seized Brindi from her home without notice. Since then she’s been on death row at a city pound. Because it is run by the SPCA, Francesca could not even gain their assistance.
Our pets mean the world to us, and vice versa. Their only legal protection is through our rights. But in Halifax, it seems even owners' rights are in peril, as there is no appeal process in place. This forced Francesca, Brindi's owner, to file a lawsuit to keep her alive; she then succeeded in quashing an unfair by-law, voiding the euthanization order. But Halifax kept Brindi locked up. In retaliation, it charged Francesca with three by-law violations in a bid to get a judge to issue a new euthanization order. These charges stem from a six-month old incident and were the first ever laid. The trial has been scheduled for October 13.
Meanwhile, the city's legal basis for holding Brindi is doubtful without a valid order in place. No new warrant was issued.
Brindi was evaluated as "not dangerous" and highly trainable. During eight weeks of obedience class, which she passed with ease, she had no issues with other dogs. Trainers say her errant behavior might relate to her early days on a reserve, where dogs run in packs and guard their territory. They say it can be corrected with training. This is exactly what Francesca wants. She is willing to meet other conditions as well, if only the city return her dog - alive!
Recently, Brindi needed biopsy surgery and may have cancer because the SPCA vet found a lump near her spine. Her teeth are in bad shape as well, and it is incomprehensible that the shelter won't give her her favorite "chew", raw beef bones, that her owner and friends bring her regularly.
Please donate if you can to help with the huge legal bills! And stay tuned for requests for letters and calls!!!
FOR MORE OF THE STORY:
See under Discussion Topics.
Keeping a dog in a pound indefinitely is detrimental to its health. Killing a dog that is not dangerous goes against the principle of protection of animal welfare. Yet the SPCA is participating in this abuse. It is willing to kill this dog, while earning money for it (no less than $414,000 a year, at present). Having kept silent for six months, ignoring her owner's pleas for help, last January the Nova Scotia SPCA began repeatedly asking the city to "re-home" Brindi. Not only is this something the city cannot legally do (without a judge's order); it would be a wrong and cruel thing to do to an owner who has sacrificed so much for the sake of her beloved pet - and it would be cruel to a dog that was neglected for years and has never known any other home.
Brindi has already spent half her life behind bars. She may lose her life altogether unless somebody does something to let Brindi go home where she belongs!!!
HALIFAX DOG OWNERS: SPEAK UP FOR FRANCESCA AND BRINDI! OTHERWISE, YOUR DOG COULD BE NEXT!!
The fact is, if the city “wins”, EVERYBODY loses: an innocent dog will die, and a very dangerous precedent is set.
************************************************************ *************
************************************************************ *************
PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD ON THIS URGENT PLIGHT TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW: MEDIA COVERAGE IS ESSENTIAL!
BEFORE YOU JOIN: "Save Brindi" is a CALL TO ACTION GROUP!
We need you to send letters, make calls, gather signatures, help with
fundraisers, and participate in local events and demonstrations.
************************************************************ ************
• For more information, and the trainer’s assessment, see http://freebrindi.blogspot.com/
• See letters of support at: http://supportbrindi.blogspot.com/
• Sign the Free Brindi ipetition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/FREEBRINDI/
• Care2 Alert: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/free-brindi-this-dog-must-not-be-euthanized
• Write to public officials – see the discussion topics
• If you're able, you may donate to help pay for legal costs. Go to http://freebrindi.blogspot.com/ and click on the DONATE button. or click here: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=9595134
• Participate in an auction at: http://www.epier.com/auctions.asp?franya
• Buy a FREE BRINDI t-shirt at http://www.cafepress.com/freebrindi
See More
August 10 at 1:36am
Note the above date ,appox 1 month ago.......
Francesca Rogier created a doc.
Group Description: PLEASE READ
BRINDI MUST NOT DIE AND MUST NOT BE LOCKED UP ANY LONGER ON DEATH ROW!
The city of Halifax has taken extreme retaliative action against Francesca for her success in saving her dog. After locking her up for two years illegally, it seized Brindi again on Sept. 27. This followed a minor incident in her driveway with neighbors related to those who first reported her - and also happen to work f...or the city. They were determined to see Brindi killed. Yet they both admit to kicking her repeatedly (both at once!) and Brindi did not try to retaliate in any way.
How can you kill a dog who will not attack when it is being harmed by strangers??
The incident was clearly an accident, but the city has a vendetta. Having lost twice to Francesca, it is now hoping to convince a court that she did not obey court conditions. They even used illegally obtained recordings to obtain the seizure warrant. And when Francesca tried to get an injunction for Brindi's release, they did all they could to obstruct it. They had her immigration status investigated, and sent building officials after her, who issued contradictory orders to secure her home - a home renovation postponed because of Brindi's prior ordeal. Then, they evicted her anyway, falsely claiming it was unsafe, and denying her the right to appeal the eviction.
Brindi has never bitten a human; she has caused very little harm to other dogs (minor cuts on 2 occasions). Yet she is being treated very unfairly, and so is her owner, Francesca Rogier. Francesca emigrated to Nova Scotia in 2006 with a simple dream of fixing up an old house and keeping a dog and two cats as family. She was ripped off by a fraudulent contractor who went bankrupt and left her home high and dry. She battled for two years to save her dog.
Her success was short-lived, tragically, as unkind neighbors directly related to the same family who first reported Brindi for a harmless scuffle. They eagerly cooperated with the animal control manager who signed the death order in 2008 after setting her up with an unfairly imposed muzzle order.
Francesca is in dire straits now, because after she met the demands of building officials, doing exactly as an engineer required, they evicted her anyway. She was given minutes to pack some belongings and forced to leave her cat behind. She returned the next night to find that Amelia was trapped in the house and the water heater was broken. It was fully functioning the day before and HRM employees admit suspiciously that they "saw" it was detached from the pipe. As she used the hot water minutes before leaving, this can only mean they did the deed. Hurricanes and winds did not do this in two years!!
HRM has lied in public about her heat and water lacking, and about her house being unsafe. Yet they are unable to lie to her about it as a reason for eviction. Instead, they are autocratically demanding she complete all construction before she can move back in. This is unheard of anywhere in North America! As is the attempt to kill a dog that has never killed or seriously harmed an animal, let alone ONCE bit or threatened a human!!!
HRM (Halifax) have tied her hands so she cannot save herself or her dog: having forced her to spend thousands on the added work in October, they evicted her without notice in November. They also chased off reputable contractors by lying to the press, and are now demanding she submit to their control. She must submit a work schedule that she cannot possibly guarantee with winter weather setting in. Their plan is to move to the next step of claiming she is not serious about finishing and will likely revoke her construction permit very soon. This is a house she loves dearly and planned her new life there with Brindi. She designed a beautiful new garage and basement as a foundation. She lost half of her budget to legal costs yet still wants to make it happen.
Francesca has a right to her dream just as she has a right to be with her dog. Brindi has a right to live in a loving home.
There is no reason on earth for such unacceptable and brutal treatment of a lone female immigrant who worked hard to become a professional and a teacher, and worked hard to train her dog well - Brindi did not bite these peop[le even when they kicked her in the head!!! The only "reason" is that these local civil servants have a chip on their shoulder and want to punish Francesca for standing up for her rights so that she could protect her dog.
They are accustomed to misusing the law to get what they want. That is how they took Brindi for two years and did it again, and that is how they evicted Francesca and are now making it impossible to finish the house, and that will be how they take the house away from her entirely.
THESE ARE UNETHICAL CIVIL SERVANTS with DIRECT CONNECTIONS TO ANIMAL SERVICES DIRECTORS
all from a small clique down at city hall, according to reliable information - people behind the scenes who get their way.
THIS GROUP IS HER ONLY LIFELINE RIGHT NOW!
Francesca is cut off from family and friends and has limited resources, nowhere to live, and a mountain of problems to tackle.
She is not allowed to see Brindi, yet again. And she has been taken to the cleaners one time too many by lawyers.
PLEASE HELP US CARVE OUT A NEW PATH TO FREEDOM FOR BRINDI AND FRANCESCA!!
WE NEED NEW IDEAS AND PEOPLE WILLING TO IMPLEMENT THEM!
CORRUPTION AND ABUSE MUST BE RESISTED WHEREVER THEY RAISE THEIR UGLY HEADS, ESPECIALLY WHERE INNOCENT LIFE AND LIBERTY IS CONCERNED!!
Francesca's liberty is at risk now as well, as she cannot leave the province for fear of Brindi being killed AND her house being taken by the city, who plan to revoke her permit, install some sort of foundation and THEN put a lien on it, until she pays an exorbitant price to get it back!
THEFT, HARASSMENT, PERSECUTION, AND VIOLENCE =- all for the sake of the petty pride of a few lowly municipal public servants!!
THE QUESTION REMAINS: IF WE CANNOT SAVE A DOG, WHAT GOOD ARE WE AS HUMAN BEINGS?
iF WE CANNOT SAVE A WOMAN WHO SAVED HER DOG, WHICH OF US IS NEXT??
DESCRIPTION
****************************** ********************
Our goal is to save the life of a rescue dog, a mutt named Brindi. We want to see her returned to her rightful owner and beloved human companion, Francesca Rogier.
Brindi has been locked up on death row for TWO YEARS. YET:
She never attacked or threatened a person.
She never killed or caused serious injury to a dog.
Her owner has been denied due process, even to this day.
She is a good-natured mutt, six years old, rescued from a shelter in 2007. A few run-ins with other dogs were reported, but apparently never serious enough to lead to charges. On July 24, 2008, a few days after a minor encounter, animal control officers armed with a warrant and a euthanization order seized Brindi from her home without notice. Since then she’s been on death row at a city pound. Because it is run by the SPCA, Francesca could not even gain their assistance.
Our pets mean the world to us, and vice versa. Their only legal protection is through our rights. But in Halifax, it seems even owners' rights are in peril, as there is no appeal process in place. This forced Francesca, Brindi's owner, to file a lawsuit to keep her alive; she then succeeded in quashing an unfair by-law, voiding the euthanization order. But Halifax kept Brindi locked up. In retaliation, it charged Francesca with three by-law violations in a bid to get a judge to issue a new euthanization order. These charges stem from a six-month old incident and were the first ever laid. The trial has been scheduled for October 13.
Meanwhile, the city's legal basis for holding Brindi is doubtful without a valid order in place. No new warrant was issued.
Brindi was evaluated as "not dangerous" and highly trainable. During eight weeks of obedience class, which she passed with ease, she had no issues with other dogs. Trainers say her errant behavior might relate to her early days on a reserve, where dogs run in packs and guard their territory. They say it can be corrected with training. This is exactly what Francesca wants. She is willing to meet other conditions as well, if only the city return her dog - alive!
Recently, Brindi needed biopsy surgery and may have cancer because the SPCA vet found a lump near her spine. Her teeth are in bad shape as well, and it is incomprehensible that the shelter won't give her her favorite "chew", raw beef bones, that her owner and friends bring her regularly.
Please donate if you can to help with the huge legal bills! And stay tuned for requests for letters and calls!!!
FOR MORE OF THE STORY:
See under Discussion Topics.
Keeping a dog in a pound indefinitely is detrimental to its health. Killing a dog that is not dangerous goes against the principle of protection of animal welfare. Yet the SPCA is participating in this abuse. It is willing to kill this dog, while earning money for it (no less than $414,000 a year, at present). Having kept silent for six months, ignoring her owner's pleas for help, last January the Nova Scotia SPCA began repeatedly asking the city to "re-home" Brindi. Not only is this something the city cannot legally do (without a judge's order); it would be a wrong and cruel thing to do to an owner who has sacrificed so much for the sake of her beloved pet - and it would be cruel to a dog that was neglected for years and has never known any other home.
Brindi has already spent half her life behind bars. She may lose her life altogether unless somebody does something to let Brindi go home where she belongs!!!
HALIFAX DOG OWNERS: SPEAK UP FOR FRANCESCA AND BRINDI! OTHERWISE, YOUR DOG COULD BE NEXT!!
The fact is, if the city “wins”, EVERYBODY loses: an innocent dog will die, and a very dangerous precedent is set.
************************************************************ *************
************************************************************ *************
PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD ON THIS URGENT PLIGHT TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW: MEDIA COVERAGE IS ESSENTIAL!
BEFORE YOU JOIN: "Save Brindi" is a CALL TO ACTION GROUP!
We need you to send letters, make calls, gather signatures, help with
fundraisers, and participate in local events and demonstrations.
************************************************************ ************
• For more information, and the trainer’s assessment, see http://freebrindi.blogspot.com/
• See letters of support at: http://supportbrindi.blogspot.com/
• Sign the Free Brindi ipetition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/FREEBRINDI/
• Care2 Alert: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/free-brindi-this-dog-must-not-be-euthanized
• Write to public officials – see the discussion topics
• If you're able, you may donate to help pay for legal costs. Go to http://freebrindi.blogspot.com/ and click on the DONATE button. or click here: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=9595134
• Participate in an auction at: http://www.epier.com/auctions.asp?franya
• Buy a FREE BRINDI t-shirt at http://www.cafepress.com/freebrindi
See More
August 10 at 1:36am
Note the above date ,appox 1 month ago.......
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
IRS vs American citizens living in Canada
Here is some information that SFB better listen to as the IRS now has her name I made sure of that:
ext + -
Americans in N.S. warned to file taxes
By BRUCE ERSKINE Business Reporter
Tue, Jul 26 - 4:54 AM
Americans living in Nova Scotia can’t afford to ignore the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, says a tax specialist with Grant Thornton LLP in Halifax.
"U.S citizens and U.S. green card holders have to file U.S. federal income tax returns regardless of where they live in the world and they have to report their worldwide income," Jason Hale said Monday said in an interview.
"American citizens living in Nova Scotia who aren’t filing tax returns with the IRS could be risking significant penalties."
Filing a United States tax return has always been mandatory for Americans living in Canada or for Canadians who hold U.S. citizenship. The combined total for both groups is estimated to top one million.
But Hale said the IRS has increased its scrutiny in recent years with help from U.S Customs and Border Protection.
"When the identification requirements changed for entry into the U.S., the simple act of crossing the border became an opportunity for the U.S. government to identify Americans and dual citizens living abroad," he said in a recent news release.
"U.S. Customs agents became, in effect, one of the IRS’s front-line assets."
The United States has also enhanced the tools the IRS uses to enforce American tax laws through measures such as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, which takes effect in 2013.
Under the act, Canadian banking institutions will be required to report details on all Canadian accounts held by U.S. citizens.
Institutions that fail to do so will face a 30 per cent tax on all U.S. investment income and gross sale proceeds from U.S. stocks and securities.
"That’s a significant development," Hale said.
An IRS amnesty program offered under the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Initiative, which expires in August, sets a maximum 25 per cent penalty on foreign account balances.
Grant Thornton has fielded dozens of calls in advance of the amnesty deadline.
Many were from long-term Canadian residents unaware of their U.S. tax filing obligations since they pay taxes in Canada and hadn’t been targeted previously by the IRS.
Hale didn’t know how many Americans there are living in Nova Scotia who may be affected by the tighter U.S. regulations, but he suggested the number was significant.
"It would be in the thousands," he said, noting there was an influx of Americans to Canada in the 1970s and during the George W. Bush era.
A spokeswoman with the U.S. consulate in Halifax said Monday there are an estimated 25,000 U.S. citizens living in Atlantic Canada.
No provincial breakdown was available and the consulate said inquiries about the tax issue haven’t been out of the ordinary compared with inquiries about other issues.
( berskine@herald.ca)
ext + -
Americans in N.S. warned to file taxes
By BRUCE ERSKINE Business Reporter
Tue, Jul 26 - 4:54 AM
Americans living in Nova Scotia can’t afford to ignore the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, says a tax specialist with Grant Thornton LLP in Halifax.
"U.S citizens and U.S. green card holders have to file U.S. federal income tax returns regardless of where they live in the world and they have to report their worldwide income," Jason Hale said Monday said in an interview.
"American citizens living in Nova Scotia who aren’t filing tax returns with the IRS could be risking significant penalties."
Filing a United States tax return has always been mandatory for Americans living in Canada or for Canadians who hold U.S. citizenship. The combined total for both groups is estimated to top one million.
But Hale said the IRS has increased its scrutiny in recent years with help from U.S Customs and Border Protection.
"When the identification requirements changed for entry into the U.S., the simple act of crossing the border became an opportunity for the U.S. government to identify Americans and dual citizens living abroad," he said in a recent news release.
"U.S. Customs agents became, in effect, one of the IRS’s front-line assets."
The United States has also enhanced the tools the IRS uses to enforce American tax laws through measures such as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, which takes effect in 2013.
Under the act, Canadian banking institutions will be required to report details on all Canadian accounts held by U.S. citizens.
Institutions that fail to do so will face a 30 per cent tax on all U.S. investment income and gross sale proceeds from U.S. stocks and securities.
"That’s a significant development," Hale said.
An IRS amnesty program offered under the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Initiative, which expires in August, sets a maximum 25 per cent penalty on foreign account balances.
Grant Thornton has fielded dozens of calls in advance of the amnesty deadline.
Many were from long-term Canadian residents unaware of their U.S. tax filing obligations since they pay taxes in Canada and hadn’t been targeted previously by the IRS.
Hale didn’t know how many Americans there are living in Nova Scotia who may be affected by the tighter U.S. regulations, but he suggested the number was significant.
"It would be in the thousands," he said, noting there was an influx of Americans to Canada in the 1970s and during the George W. Bush era.
A spokeswoman with the U.S. consulate in Halifax said Monday there are an estimated 25,000 U.S. citizens living in Atlantic Canada.
No provincial breakdown was available and the consulate said inquiries about the tax issue haven’t been out of the ordinary compared with inquiries about other issues.
( berskine@herald.ca)
ME..ME...ME its all about ME!!
Well it appears that Miss Franie has stepped it up a bit,and has dared HRM to tear her shack down the following is a letter that she sent to the media,since no major media really gives a rats ass and would sooner just ignore her thought I would give the writer a hand in getting her BS out there. Now there are a few things that Miss Almost a PHD, (Frannie)left out of her BS letter,the key thing that she failed to state is that,she only has 1/2 half a foundation as is obvious by the photos she has plastered all over the net taken 21 July 2011; ok so 1/2 of shack has foundation the other 1/2 will be held up by a sky hook I suppose.
I suspect that Miss Shit For Brains, (Frannie) wasn't getting the response she expected off Facebook by using phony accounts ie Tad,Milo and countless more phony names;so now she has at least 5 twitter accounts spewing her garbage all over the net;I suspect that it is harder to suck in people to send her money on twitter than it was,(is),on Facebook.
Now she has pissed off the vast majority of local residents,residents of HRM,in fact most people in Nova Scotia. Therefore many complaints about her have been filed with HRM re. shack,the dept of Health,re septic,Rev. Canada re Income from begging; now drum roll....... the IRS it appears that they are hunting down free loaders that are American citizens,living in Canada; now rev. Canada will assist the IRS in any investigation, I would dare say its going to be an interesting 6 months ahead for Shit For Brains.
Shit For Brains by now must know that a come from awayer should not bad mouth our Gov.,our legal system,our neighbors. Because it will come back to bite you in the ass.
Here is the letter from SFB:
Sent to local media. We'll see what they do.
From: Francesca Rogier
Date: Sun, 24 Jul 2011 02:31:09 -0300
Subject: I insist Halifax tear down my house!
I put it to you: are you tough enough to ask these questions?
- Why has Halifax pretended to be concerned about public safety about my house falsely claiming my house is dangerous, when any fool can see that it was not, since it was perfectly fine for THREE YEARS on temporary supports? And right next door to me a house vacant for 20 years that is truly dangerous and unsightly somehow escaped HRM attention until very recently – only after several more calls were made by a local man? The road to my house is dotted with structures falling down. But my house was singled out. Why?
- Why has Halifax pretended my dog is too vicious to live, when she never bit a human – even when she was being kicked in the head and stomach repeatedly? That happened on the two occasions that led to her seizure! In the first one, there was no injury to the other dog! Now Halifax has not seized two large dogs who were at large when they killed a shih tzu – the same kind of dog that Brindi was friends with right here, down the road. I used to walk her together with Teddy with no problem at all.
Halifax knows exactly where those dogs are: at home with their owner. Yet NO violations, no muzzle order, no seizure, no euthanization. And they are not the only ones. Why?? How can the mayor talk about keeping Brindi off the streets, and say nothing about these killers?
Halifax issued an order to demolish my house on June 9. It was supposed to be done within 30 days. My house is a Heritage property, protected under the Heritage Act of Nova Scotia. Only if there are building code violations, and there is irreparable damage, can the city legitimately call for demolition. But there were no building code violations. No inspector ever stated that my house should be torn down. The most he ever said was that it needed a foundation! Yes, that is why I have a valid building permit good till 2012. No city dreams of demolishing a house that is under construction with a valid permit! No honest city councilor would believe the lies told in the hearings – lies, like wooden cribbing is only good for four weeks. Four weeks! Or, “A slanted roof or a crooked wall is irreversible structural damage.” Not only are there abundant examples of both; both can be easily fixed. Irreparable damage?
The fact is, the municipal staff and councilors have made a mockery of the Heritage Law, the building laws, and their own charter, in order to cooperate in a cruel and vicious undertaking to harm me more and stop me from seeking justice and the return of my innocent dog. Heritage staff, who had previously supported me with grants, told me in so many words that they were forced to participate in the charade. It all began the very week I notified HRM that I was going to court to get Brindi out, last October. To the day. Eviction followed a bogus order by the building inspector; I was denied the right of appeal, and then denied the right to appeal the demolition order that was equally bogus. Yet nobody cares. The judge didn’t even care enough to hear my application, claiming he had no jurisdiction. A supreme court justice has jurisdiction over EVERYTHING. Clearly the courts are loathe to make HRM look bad.
Until barely a week ago my house remained supported by virtually the same supports since 2008. Everybody knows the reason the foundation was not completed: the contractor went bankrupt, and then HRM seized Brindi, and refused to give her back for two years. There was no time for me to resume construction. I endured the hardship and was called crazy for it.
Just as I was starting to resume work on my house, Halifax took Brindi again, when one of its own employees, married to a member of the same local family who first reported Brindi to HRM, called Animal Control after a minor incident – in front of my own home. That couple admitted to police that they were constantly walking by my house with their dog. The man works for the Planning Department. The woman, a social worker, bragged that she was trying to get friends to report Brindi all summer, so she could be killed. She swore loudly at me that night, without even glancing at her dog, “I don’t give a fuck about Brindi, I only care about my dog!”
As far as the house goes, HRM staff and councilors have not only denied reality; they had no right to set an arbitrary completion deadline for construction being done on private property by private owners. Apparently nobody noticed this. They erroneously and illegally gave me 30 days under threat of demolition, misusing the Charter in word and deed, and abusing my rights. Furthermore, demolition orders are not meant to be conditional. They are supposed to be carried out, period. When councilors vote for demolition, demolition is what is supposed to happen. They can no longer even be challenged by an appeal to a council committee thanks to a clever move – there is no more Dangerous & Unsightly Premises Committee. There is only an Appeals Committee. You’d think it is there to hear appeals. But it is not: it issues demolition orders and these orders can only be challenged at the supreme court, at the cost of the property owner, of course.
So I demand that Halifax tear down my house. So what if there is a foundation in place now? That has no meaning when there is a demolition order. Why would any city issue a demolition order and then tell the owner to go ahead and invest $30,000 to complete it?? It’s insane. Or, it’s malicious, unethical, and illegal conduct, deserving of a major investigation.
As you all know, Halifax has locked up my dog for nearly three years. It refuses all reasonable options to keep her alive, including adoption, leaving the country, etc. Why? Because it is determined to kill her. I don’t know why it wanted to at the start, because Brindi never killed a dog, never even injured a dog in two out of four reported incidents! In the other two, the injuries were too minor to require vet treatment beyond first aid. Until I won against HRM in court, I was never charged for the three incidents leading to her seizure – charges would have put me in front of a judge within a few weeks. They lay charges all the time. But HRM did not want that. It was all calculated to thwart my efforts to save her life. A plan to kill Brindi was hatched months before the seizure, between another dog owner and an animal control officer; they cooked up the muzzle order with the explicit intent to seize and kill my poor dog. All this was shown in court. Nobody cared.
HRM still has a woefully bad by-law on animal control. Written by a cop and never read through by councilors, it is dangerous; it can be perverted by staff at will, and is. Three years on, it has still never fixed A300. And HRM still lacks any legal authority to continue holding a dog after the moment of seizure. Look it up. You will not find any law, provincial or local, that provides that power. They held her illegally for two years, and they have nearly held her for another year. The law is very clear on detention of seized property: without a court order, which cannot be given if the property is not evidence, which Brindi is not, they must return the property.
Oh, rest assured, HRM Legal Services is very aware of this problem. That is exactly why they started going after my house and evicted me. Their legal brief that sought to block the injunction I wanted was shocking, claiming that they should be allowed to keep her even if there was no law authorizing it, just because they wanted to kill her.
HRM is hoping that you don’t notice this. Or how much tax revenue they are wasting. But there can be no more doubt that it is in the wrong on Brindi and on my house. And that it is fully aware of how wrong it is. There can be no doubt of the malice and hypocrisy involved here. Just because I am an immigrant and a single woman does not mean Halifax should be allowed to get away with this cruelty and damage to property.
I am heartsick for Brindi, and I am horrified and saddened about what happened to Otis. I cannot imagine the pain his owners feel. I do know, however, how betrayed and outraged they must feel. Betrayed by HRM, and betrayed by the media. Nobody has covered the story in over a week. Those two dogs are still at large, a proven deadly menace, while my Brindi remains caged up every day and night. It doesn’t matter where she is kept, although I cannot say that Wyndenfog is a very nice place: no kennel is good for a dog to be locked up for months and years – and no self-respecting kennel owner would agree to do that! I am not allowed visits, and her health has been suffering.
The death of Otis cannot be hidden under the carpet.
This thinly veiled persecution and outright cruelty to my dog has gone on far too long. IT HAS BEEN THREE YEARS TO THE DAY.
Why have you local media turned a blind eye? Because it is too complicated, or because you don’t want to embarrass HRM? Are you that afraid? Or is this place truly a good ole boy regime, as many have told me?
The public wants to know. I want to know. Sporadic reporting that leaves the public with misconceptions is no longer acceptable; in fact, it can be fairly called propaganda.
DO YOUR JOB.
Francesca Rogier
I suspect that Miss Shit For Brains, (Frannie) wasn't getting the response she expected off Facebook by using phony accounts ie Tad,Milo and countless more phony names;so now she has at least 5 twitter accounts spewing her garbage all over the net;I suspect that it is harder to suck in people to send her money on twitter than it was,(is),on Facebook.
Now she has pissed off the vast majority of local residents,residents of HRM,in fact most people in Nova Scotia. Therefore many complaints about her have been filed with HRM re. shack,the dept of Health,re septic,Rev. Canada re Income from begging; now drum roll....... the IRS it appears that they are hunting down free loaders that are American citizens,living in Canada; now rev. Canada will assist the IRS in any investigation, I would dare say its going to be an interesting 6 months ahead for Shit For Brains.
Shit For Brains by now must know that a come from awayer should not bad mouth our Gov.,our legal system,our neighbors. Because it will come back to bite you in the ass.
Here is the letter from SFB:
Sent to local media. We'll see what they do.
From: Francesca Rogier
Date: Sun, 24 Jul 2011 02:31:09 -0300
Subject: I insist Halifax tear down my house!
I put it to you: are you tough enough to ask these questions?
- Why has Halifax pretended to be concerned about public safety about my house falsely claiming my house is dangerous, when any fool can see that it was not, since it was perfectly fine for THREE YEARS on temporary supports? And right next door to me a house vacant for 20 years that is truly dangerous and unsightly somehow escaped HRM attention until very recently – only after several more calls were made by a local man? The road to my house is dotted with structures falling down. But my house was singled out. Why?
- Why has Halifax pretended my dog is too vicious to live, when she never bit a human – even when she was being kicked in the head and stomach repeatedly? That happened on the two occasions that led to her seizure! In the first one, there was no injury to the other dog! Now Halifax has not seized two large dogs who were at large when they killed a shih tzu – the same kind of dog that Brindi was friends with right here, down the road. I used to walk her together with Teddy with no problem at all.
Halifax knows exactly where those dogs are: at home with their owner. Yet NO violations, no muzzle order, no seizure, no euthanization. And they are not the only ones. Why?? How can the mayor talk about keeping Brindi off the streets, and say nothing about these killers?
Halifax issued an order to demolish my house on June 9. It was supposed to be done within 30 days. My house is a Heritage property, protected under the Heritage Act of Nova Scotia. Only if there are building code violations, and there is irreparable damage, can the city legitimately call for demolition. But there were no building code violations. No inspector ever stated that my house should be torn down. The most he ever said was that it needed a foundation! Yes, that is why I have a valid building permit good till 2012. No city dreams of demolishing a house that is under construction with a valid permit! No honest city councilor would believe the lies told in the hearings – lies, like wooden cribbing is only good for four weeks. Four weeks! Or, “A slanted roof or a crooked wall is irreversible structural damage.” Not only are there abundant examples of both; both can be easily fixed. Irreparable damage?
The fact is, the municipal staff and councilors have made a mockery of the Heritage Law, the building laws, and their own charter, in order to cooperate in a cruel and vicious undertaking to harm me more and stop me from seeking justice and the return of my innocent dog. Heritage staff, who had previously supported me with grants, told me in so many words that they were forced to participate in the charade. It all began the very week I notified HRM that I was going to court to get Brindi out, last October. To the day. Eviction followed a bogus order by the building inspector; I was denied the right of appeal, and then denied the right to appeal the demolition order that was equally bogus. Yet nobody cares. The judge didn’t even care enough to hear my application, claiming he had no jurisdiction. A supreme court justice has jurisdiction over EVERYTHING. Clearly the courts are loathe to make HRM look bad.
Until barely a week ago my house remained supported by virtually the same supports since 2008. Everybody knows the reason the foundation was not completed: the contractor went bankrupt, and then HRM seized Brindi, and refused to give her back for two years. There was no time for me to resume construction. I endured the hardship and was called crazy for it.
Just as I was starting to resume work on my house, Halifax took Brindi again, when one of its own employees, married to a member of the same local family who first reported Brindi to HRM, called Animal Control after a minor incident – in front of my own home. That couple admitted to police that they were constantly walking by my house with their dog. The man works for the Planning Department. The woman, a social worker, bragged that she was trying to get friends to report Brindi all summer, so she could be killed. She swore loudly at me that night, without even glancing at her dog, “I don’t give a fuck about Brindi, I only care about my dog!”
As far as the house goes, HRM staff and councilors have not only denied reality; they had no right to set an arbitrary completion deadline for construction being done on private property by private owners. Apparently nobody noticed this. They erroneously and illegally gave me 30 days under threat of demolition, misusing the Charter in word and deed, and abusing my rights. Furthermore, demolition orders are not meant to be conditional. They are supposed to be carried out, period. When councilors vote for demolition, demolition is what is supposed to happen. They can no longer even be challenged by an appeal to a council committee thanks to a clever move – there is no more Dangerous & Unsightly Premises Committee. There is only an Appeals Committee. You’d think it is there to hear appeals. But it is not: it issues demolition orders and these orders can only be challenged at the supreme court, at the cost of the property owner, of course.
So I demand that Halifax tear down my house. So what if there is a foundation in place now? That has no meaning when there is a demolition order. Why would any city issue a demolition order and then tell the owner to go ahead and invest $30,000 to complete it?? It’s insane. Or, it’s malicious, unethical, and illegal conduct, deserving of a major investigation.
As you all know, Halifax has locked up my dog for nearly three years. It refuses all reasonable options to keep her alive, including adoption, leaving the country, etc. Why? Because it is determined to kill her. I don’t know why it wanted to at the start, because Brindi never killed a dog, never even injured a dog in two out of four reported incidents! In the other two, the injuries were too minor to require vet treatment beyond first aid. Until I won against HRM in court, I was never charged for the three incidents leading to her seizure – charges would have put me in front of a judge within a few weeks. They lay charges all the time. But HRM did not want that. It was all calculated to thwart my efforts to save her life. A plan to kill Brindi was hatched months before the seizure, between another dog owner and an animal control officer; they cooked up the muzzle order with the explicit intent to seize and kill my poor dog. All this was shown in court. Nobody cared.
HRM still has a woefully bad by-law on animal control. Written by a cop and never read through by councilors, it is dangerous; it can be perverted by staff at will, and is. Three years on, it has still never fixed A300. And HRM still lacks any legal authority to continue holding a dog after the moment of seizure. Look it up. You will not find any law, provincial or local, that provides that power. They held her illegally for two years, and they have nearly held her for another year. The law is very clear on detention of seized property: without a court order, which cannot be given if the property is not evidence, which Brindi is not, they must return the property.
Oh, rest assured, HRM Legal Services is very aware of this problem. That is exactly why they started going after my house and evicted me. Their legal brief that sought to block the injunction I wanted was shocking, claiming that they should be allowed to keep her even if there was no law authorizing it, just because they wanted to kill her.
HRM is hoping that you don’t notice this. Or how much tax revenue they are wasting. But there can be no more doubt that it is in the wrong on Brindi and on my house. And that it is fully aware of how wrong it is. There can be no doubt of the malice and hypocrisy involved here. Just because I am an immigrant and a single woman does not mean Halifax should be allowed to get away with this cruelty and damage to property.
I am heartsick for Brindi, and I am horrified and saddened about what happened to Otis. I cannot imagine the pain his owners feel. I do know, however, how betrayed and outraged they must feel. Betrayed by HRM, and betrayed by the media. Nobody has covered the story in over a week. Those two dogs are still at large, a proven deadly menace, while my Brindi remains caged up every day and night. It doesn’t matter where she is kept, although I cannot say that Wyndenfog is a very nice place: no kennel is good for a dog to be locked up for months and years – and no self-respecting kennel owner would agree to do that! I am not allowed visits, and her health has been suffering.
The death of Otis cannot be hidden under the carpet.
This thinly veiled persecution and outright cruelty to my dog has gone on far too long. IT HAS BEEN THREE YEARS TO THE DAY.
Why have you local media turned a blind eye? Because it is too complicated, or because you don’t want to embarrass HRM? Are you that afraid? Or is this place truly a good ole boy regime, as many have told me?
The public wants to know. I want to know. Sporadic reporting that leaves the public with misconceptions is no longer acceptable; in fact, it can be fairly called propaganda.
DO YOUR JOB.
Francesca Rogier
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