GIFT & SIFT
Gift It Forward Today and Sign It Forward Today

After seeing the movie "Pay It Forward" I was motivated to initiate a project called GIFT (Gift It Forward Today). Just as the school boy in the movie created a movement to "Pay It Forward" by reaching out to help three other people I am creating a movement to Gift It Forward Today. I have been promoting the Grateful For Service (GFS) Gifting Program since the Spring of 2000.

I am inviting all members of the Ottawa LETS to gift three other members of the Ottawa LETS an amount of 13 eco$ each. If I might make a suggestion, it would be very beneficial to GIFT someone whose account is in commitment. This will encourage them to re-commence trading with other members. (Even though we are never charged "usury" when our LETS account has a negative balance many LETSers have to shift their thinking from being charged "usury" when they have a negative balance in their federal $ bank account.)

Simply dial 860-5387 and give your name and account number and the name and account number of the member whom you wish to be the recipient of your GIFT. Classify the transaction exactly as it is - a GIFT. There is no need to rush to tell the person that you have "gifted" their account. They will notice that you have served them with generosity when they receive their next LETS statement. (Those who are not yet members of the Ottawa LETS are invited to join and immediately GIFT three people with 13 eco$ each. Those who do not wish to join the Ottawa LETS are invited to GIFT three people 13 federal$.)

This GIFTing action will do two things. Firstly, it will start to condition each GIFTer and each recipient to start thinking of the "time currency" concept whereby one hour of time will be equivalent to 13 eco$ (or 13 federal$). Secondly, it will encourage a spending spree at the upcoming LETS Christmas Trade Fair on Sunday, December 3, 2000  at the Jack Purcell Community Centre on Elgin Street in Ottawa, Ontario. Such a spending spree will be very beneficial for the Ottawa LETS now that its profile is being raised by candidates in the municipal and federal elections who are endorsing the LETS software as the perfect model of a "usury-free" banking system.

After you have GIFTed the three members of your choice I encourage you to SIFT. To SIFT (Sign It Forward Today) you will have to make a copy of the of the LETS Petition and then sign it and ask three people who live in the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton (family, friends and/or neighbours) to sign it. Then ask them to duplicate your SIFTing effort. When the LETS Petition is completed mail it to: Tommy-No: Usury, P.O. Box, 9333, Ottawa, Ontario  K1G 3V1

I have started the SIFT movement with the LETS Petition because Bob Chiarelli, candidate for Mayor in the Municipal election scheduled for November 13th, 2000 made a statement on Wednesday evening, November 8th, 2000 at the Mayoralty Debate at the Ray Friel Centre, 1585 Tenth Line, Orleans, Ontario that motivated me to action.

The debating rules made by the moderators were a bit biased and strange. All questioners were to direct their questions to two candidates. These two candidates were given 90 seconds each to answer and the other five candidates were granted 30 seconds to respond to the question. Sometimes, some candidates declined to use their 30 seconds of time for a response.

The other option was to ask the question to all candidates. In this case all candidates were granted 30 seconds each. Every other questioner who directed their question to two candidates picked Bob Chiarelli and Claudette Cain. Now you understand why I noticed a bias in these rules. (These biased rules were still better then the initial rules which were to have the questioners direct their questions to two candidates only - with no response by the other five candidates. Two of the candidates, John C. Turmel and Marc André Belair objected. Claudette Cain took the microphone and stated that all candidates ought to be given a fair time to respond. The moderators learned their lessons quickly. Bravo Claudette for taking a stand for democracy.)

As a questioner, I was only permitted to ask the question of two candidates. I chose to direct my comments and question to John C. Turmel and Bob Chiarelli because I was sure that John was well-informed about the concept of "usury-free" community currency and I reminded Bob that he too should be reasonable familiar with the concept since I had sent him a LETS Proposal when he was elected as Regional Chair in the fall of 1997. I explained that I am currently trading approximately 2000 eco$ annually with other members of the Ottawa LETS. I pointed out that if every wage earner in the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton were trading 2000 of eco$ annually we could create a booming local economy.

My question was: "Are you willing to learn about the concept of "usury-free" community currency and then explore how it can benefit the citizens of the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton?" John answered that he fully understood how the LETS software could be used to benefit every citizen in the Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton. Bob answered that indeed he would be willing to meet with John C. Turmel and myself to explore possibilities about the LETS software.

Then Bob Chiarelli stated (and I will paraphrase) "With all due respect to the people who are benefiting from using community currency within the Ottawa LETS there is not yet a consensus for the Mayor to seriously consider the implementation of the concept of "usury-free" community currencies at the municipal level of politics." At that moment I knew that it would be necessary to create a petition and the idea of twinning GIFTing and SIFTing was born.

It was curious indeed that the other five candidates chose not to answer my question. On Thursday, November 9th, 2000 I gave them another opportunity. Mine was the very last question of the night and of the campaign (since it was the last All-Candidates meeting). I asked: "How many signatures would be required to demonstrate that indeed there is a political will to implement a "community currency" at the municipal level of politics?" While none of the candidates would give me the number of signatures required, both Bob Chiarelli and Claudette Cain ststed that they would meet with John C. Turmel, myself and other resource people to explore the possibility of using the LETS software to facilitate the funding of municipal projects.

On Monday, November 13th, 2000 at Bob Chiarelli's Victory party Bob again told John C. Turmel and myself that he would like to meet with us within the next three weeks to carry on further discussions about LETS and municipal government.

LET'S get thousands of signatures very quickly through the SIFTing movement. We know all of those who voted for John C. Turmel as Mayor of Ottawa or Jean-Serge: Brisson as Councillor in Russell Township or Darwin Marquardt as Councillor in Eganville, Ontario (the only three candidates in the Ottawa-Valley area who were advocating that municipal politicians explore how "usury-free" community currency can be used to benefit everyone at the municipal level of politics) can be considered as endorsing the LETS software as being capable of creating and maintaining the perfect "usury-free" banking system.

"Serving others is how you really make a difference in the world. You are invited to do it everyday and it determines your prosperity. It is far more spiritual than selfishness"

Quote by Tom-Joseph: Kennedy otherwise known as Tommy-No: Usury (co-creator of TCN "cell" meetings and the GFS -Grateful For Service - Gifting Program)