Wallace, Betrayed by the Bruce
Braveheart was a fictional drama based on some historical fact so it was. Mel Gibson did an excellent job portraying the passion of William Wallace. It is a story about courage, passion, betrayal, conversion. It is a story of one man's fight for freedom and a nation that followed him. Ya gotta admire Wallace's passion. He fought for what he believed in so he did.
I'm going to draw some parallels between some of the characters and circumstances within the movie Braveheart to the TWU struggle and betrayal at TELUS. I'll tell ya the tale from my eyes so I will. I'll tell ya what I saw. After all that is why I was sent here. The almighty sent me to watch your back so he did. In the movie Braveheart Stephen told Wallace "The Almighty tells me he can get me out of this mess, but he's pretty sure you're fucked." Ah but I am Finian so I am and the fight is not over yet. Neither is the tale so it isn't.
In the Movie Braveheart, there were three main battles: Stirlingshire, York and Falkirk. The victory at Stirlingshire was a miracle and set the stage for the entire war. Wallace and the nobles defeated the English together. Wallace went on to invade York and the nobles wouldn't support him but he did it anyways. Then when he learned of Longshank's secret plan he marched on Falkirk and tried to rally the nobles support. Wallace fell at Falkirk because he was betrayed by the nobles. Likewise in the TELUS War there were three main battles. Darren Entwislte came and started his campaign to break the Union and destroy the company in Banff 2000.
The Union and the members stood firm for five years and withstood the successive raids of the Union breaking Calvary. Then the nobles gave up the members fought anyways and despite the balloting and bussing of scabs the line held and the members said no. Then the secret plan was revealed and the CAW conspiracy leaked. The line fell and the people were cut down like sheep because they were betrayed by the nobles.
Robert the Bruce was a noble. He tried to tell Wallace that he couldn't take on the world by himself and that Wallace needed to win the nobles. Wallace didn't like the nobles because he didn't trust them. To Wallace, loyalty, character, conviction, honesty, those are things that make a man noble in Wallace's World not land, titles or possessions.
In the movie Rob Roy, the character played by Liam Neeson is questioned by his children who ask: "What is honour?". Rob Roy responds by stating that "Honour is something that no man can give you and no man can take away." His children pause and ask a second question: "Will our clan ever return to being kings?" He answered by stating: "Any man with honour is a king but not all kings have honour."
Now, this brings us back to the Bruce. Robert the Bruce or Bruce Bell, you tell me. The Bruce made a pledge with Wallace. He gave him his word so he did. Bruce Bell made a pledge to the members. He gave them his word.
In the movie, the Bruce's father convinced the Bruce to betray Wallace and made him believe it was for his people's own good. Yet when the Bruce saw all the dead and their suffering he knew he was wrong. He knew he was on the wrong side.
Wallace was ready to take the Bruce's life. Then when he saw that the enemy under the helmet was his friend the Bruce his brave heart melted and his eyes told the tale. The Bruce stole something that no other man could have. The Bruce stole Wallace's trust. The Bruce was haunted by the look in Wallace's eye because he knew it was genuine. When Wallace saw that it was the one he trusted, the one he wanted to follow, the one who gave him his word who betrayed him Wallace lost all will to fight. He lost all will to live. That look haunted the Bruce and he cursed his father for making him break his word to Wallace and he pledged that he would never be on the wrong side again.
This is a photo of the Bruce's father. His name is Buzz Hargrove so it is. That's as far as I'm going to take the analogy so it is. In the movie Robert the Bruce abandoned his fathers bad politics and followed Wallace's example and lead his people to victory. I wish Bruce Bell was as Noble and Robert the Bruce. I have my doubts. Right now Bruce Bell could do it. Instead of cutting a deal with the evil king he could throw caution to the wind and fight for his people once again so he could. He has kept his word with Darren. He held the vote, stacked the deck and rammed the devils deal through. The picketlines are down and the members are on their way back to work. Oh but wait... the vote violated the TWU constitution.
Think about it Bruce. Not everyone received a vote. Not everyone voted. Not everyone in rural areas were able to vote. Not everyone received the equal opportunity to vote. Only the scabs who were bussed at Darren's expense. Bruce Bell could come clean. He could tell the truth or at least part of it and admit that the vote was unlawful and violated the TWU constitution. Since the new agreement is signed wages and all other issues are signed off. All but two.
Ya see a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still so he is. Since the last vote was unlawful and since there are so many issued agreed upon, Darren and Bruce could cut one final deal so they could. Instead of throwing the Imposed contract out completely which they should, they could agree to the job security clause and protection against off shore call centres so they could.
After all, Drew McCarther went on record in the media at the Labour day rally saying that there were no plans for off shore call centres. One witness reported to me that when Drew said that to the media one member yelled out liar. Then another, then another. It rattled him so it did. They caught Drew in a bold face lie so they did. That was exposed later on.
There is only one way to heal the hurt, bind the hate and appease the anger and animosity which right now is off the charts. Put Drew McCarther's pledge to the media at the Labour Day Rally in writing in the new contract. The Union will sign it without another vote and the anger will be transformed. Without that the bitterness and animosity will NEVER go away simply because where there is no justice there will be no peace. Mark my word.
Remember what Wallace did after he was betrayed by the nobles? He hunted them down one by one and did them in. That movie was fiction but it doesn't take a bran surgeon to figure out where all this animosity is going. Will the future be friendly or will the war continue to the grave? The choice is yours. Finian hasn't signed anything and his commission has only just begun. Watch and wait. I don't make threats I make decisions.
By the way, who is Braveheart in my analogy? Why it is all of you of course. Everyone in Calgary I met on the line. Dissident, Teflon Telly, 3DK, All of you who held the line. RBH, Barry, the entire 48 unjustly fired. Lila Hacket and Lori Ruggles, they are William Wallace. Everyone who held the line in each province. They are all William Wallace. I tell ya what I see. I see an army of tried tested and proven solders still ready to fight Darren Longshank Entwistle. The man with no balls but a big Imposed Contract. He is a DIC and everyone hates him. Like the sign from the Boot says, "6 Million Dollars can't buy respect." Job Security will. What say ye? Should we ask John Chambers?
There are MANY Breavehearts at TELUS and one DICtator.
Quotes from the Movie Braveheart: [one] [two]
A Disgruntled TELUS Employee Speaks
The Struggle Continues...