Greetings Mayor Bob Chiarelli & Ottawa Councillors:

It has now been 18 months since my first email to you about the Proposal to implement a beta program involving a 'usury-free' community currency. I recommend that you re-read (or read for the first time) that Proposal which has been posted at The LETS/Barter Cyberclassroom since November 30th, 2000. The URL is: www.cyberclass.net/chiarelli.htm

On Wednesday, March 13th, 2002, Calgary Dollars (formerly the Bow Chinook Barter Community) released $38,000 worth of their new community currency at a Potluck and Trade Fair at the Ramsay Community Association. Alderman Joe Ceci, a long time member and supporter of the project, (as well as an avid vermi-composter) launched the currency with the first transaction: the sale of a bucket of worms. More details at this URL: www.calgarydollars.ca

We are still missing some local 'usuryfree' time currency action in the Ottawa area. I propose that any Ottawa Councillor who is interested in exploring how a 'usuryfree' community currency could be mutually beneficial for all members in the Ottawa community contact myself re: a planned tour to Ithaca, New York sometime between May 30th and September 30th, 2002. A Councillor from Russell Township and person who ran for Councillor in Russell township and secured 1300+votes have expressed an interest in making a tour to Ithaca, New York to help them better understand how a 'usuryfree' time currency benefits a local community. Those who are interested could arrange a tour to Ithaca some weekend and plan to meet with the leaders from Ithaca who launched their 'usuryfree' time currency in 1991. Ithaca, New York www.ithacahours.org leads the way in the United States.

I had the opportunity to pitch the concept of 'usuryfree' time currency to Councillor Alex Cullen at the Vegetarian Potluck on the last Sunday in March 2002 where he was a guest speaker on the topic of pesticides. Having a background in economics, Alex seemed to quickly grasp the idea that a 'usuryfree' time currency would be mutually beneficial for all who would participate. I encourage Alex Cullen and Rainer Bloess - the first Ottawa Councillor to recognize that 'usuryfree' time currencies have a place in local communities - to form a committee to study the issue further. Rainer responded on January 30th, 2001. Details at the Rainer Cyberclassroom: www.cyberclass.net/rainer.htm 

Other noteworthy cyberclassrooms with updated information about 'usuryfree' community currencies:
Salt Spring Island, BC: www.cyberclass.net/saltpsring.htm 
Argentina: www.cyberclass.net/argentina.htm 
Yamato, Japan: www.cyberclass.net/yamato.htm
Grand Forks, BC: www.sunshinecable.com/~eisehan/gogo.htm
Ottawa LETS: www.flora.org/lets-dev

There's plenty of new information at the UsuryFree Time Currency Cyberclassroom at this URL: www.cyberclass.net/ufoh.htm

And the entrepreneurs at  www.look.com  have launched a UNILETS Directory. Click on the UNILETS icon at the left side of the front page and find a LETSystem anywhere in the world. Eventually, all of the LETSystems from all over the world will be linked and put on one large database so that we can trade our respective 'usuryfree' time currencies locally, nationally and internationally.