What is Truth?

Rob Bernshaw on the long road to truth

Rob Bernshaw, Columnist

Do each of us as an individuals in their own little worlds interacting and reacting with or to others all have their version of the truth according to their individual life experiences and views?

Is there a benchmark to evaluate truth with or as mentioned in the question above do we have our own benchmarks to evaluate various situations on various roads to the future?
How does one determine if what they are saying is the truth and nothing but the truth? Is one persons truth viewed as a lie to another individual?
Is what is viewed as a lie actually the truth in disguise?
As society has progressed in technological advances throughout the centuries from the discovery of fire to the missiles with the atomic warheads of today raining fire upon individuals and countries in the wars being waged because of one person’s or societies view of truth.
Have we truly progressed or have we only perfected the ways and means of destroying others with seemingly impunity or immunity?

This writer had the recent opportunity to attend Question Period at the Alberta Legislature for the first time on Thursday March 14, 2013 and while sitting their listening found out a form of truth that makes one wonder about how our province is being run and this form of truth is called privilege. When MLA’s are allowed to lie and stretch self evident truths to the breaking point without even being hauled onto the carpet for such behavior. They can say black is white and no one in the house can call them a liar. Sitting there watching the antics of people supposed to represent us in a responsible adult manner this writer continued thinking more and more about what is truth in life and what can we do to improve how we view and disseminate the massive amount of information constantly bombarding the senses everyday. No wonder truth seems to be pushed aside for monetary gain and in the process jading the public's view of elections and the democratic process.

With impunity or immunity as stated above here is a definition of Privilege obtained from the online Merriam-Webster website: a right or immunity granted as a peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor : prerogative; especially: such a right or immunity attached specifically to a position or an office
~source www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/privilege

In Canada’s political system as in other countries around the world there are terms like Parliamentary Privilege and Legislative Privilege. The general public that goes about their daily lives putting bread on their tables and clothes on their backs are not always aware of this type of privilege afforded elected representatives of the day. Anything said in the House of Parliament or provincial and territorial legislatures is immune to prosecution unless the same representatives happen to repeat any slanderous remarks outside the protective doors of the respective houses.

The rights and immunities related to Members individually may be grouped under the following headings:

• freedom of speech; 
• freedom from arrest in civil actions; 
• exemption from jury duty; and
• exemption from being subpoenaed to attend court. 

The two most important collective privileges or powers of the House of Commons are its disciplinary powers and its exclusive right to regulate its own internal affairs
~source www.parl.gc.ca/About/House/compendium/web-content/c_g_parliamentaryprivilege-e.htm

The above applies to provincial and territorial legislative houses as well.

This writer and many others around the world have been thankful for an online source of information that has been readily available to cut and paste for use as a once thought accurate way of providing info from the past to enhance articles in the present. As the online Wikipedia can be edited at any time by anyone, how truthful is Wikipedia in their portrayal of history and current events?

With the recent accusation that BP is rewriting its own environmental record on Wikipedia should we take Wikipedia with a grain of salt as we all probably should have been doing in the first place because of the nature of this popular online information source?

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57575460-93/bp-accused-of-rewriting-environmental-record-on-wikipedia/

Here is a quote from Thomas Jefferson an American Founding Father, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence as well as the third President of the United States (Spent his Dash from 1801–1809).

“We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Taken from The Declaration of Independence(1776)
~source www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm

Even though the Declaration of Independence was drafted in the United States in 1776 it is as prevalent today as it was yesterday and it also affects Canadians as well as we are close neighbors and allies of a country that resides on the same North American Continent as Canada.

The first part where it says: “We hold these truths to be self-evident” may help us in our pursuit of the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Can you handle it or are we like the statement in the great movie A Few Good Men (1992) where Colonel Jessup (delivered by Jack Nicholson) was responding to a question on Code Red (language warning may be sensitive to some ears)?

Is it self evident that our current ruling party has learned nothing from the experiences of other countries around this great world?

It seems like the ocean of red ink that other Provinces and countries are swimming(drowning)in is very tempting to this current Alberta Premier and the current Alberta Tory ruling party.

It is so tempting that they have decided to get their feet wet. NO, wait, hold the presses, they want to get the whole province wet by dragging us taxpayers kicking and screaming along with them.

As we slowly drown in the swirling depths (debt) of the red ink that is being prepared under the guise of doing what is best for us taxpayers.

Is red the favorite color of our current premier or is she color blind to the fact that debt no matter how it is glossed over and painted to look good, is detrimental to all concerned.

It is also self evident that the doctors, teachers and various municipalities are also suffering from the self evident truth of the Alberta 2013 Unbalanced Budget.

Along our journey there are many choices to make and  the choice of Truth may seem like a longer journey, but the way is pleasant for those that wish to stay on that path and reap the rewards along the way.

The riches of choosing the shortcut may be plentiful but short lived.

Please choose wisely.


The Beatles' John Lennon (spent his Dash October 9, 1940 – December 8,1980) wrote and performed “Gimme Some Truth” first released on his 1971 album Imagine.