Monday, August 18th Port Alberni, BC
Wilma asked Debbie to take over for a little while, and went back to her house hoping Adam was still around. When she arrived, she found him out back, enjoying the sun. She walked up and placed her shadow over him.
Adam opened his eyes: “Hi lover – what’s up?”
She moved so the sun would be back in his eyes. “Listen Adam, I figured out this plan of yours. I know what you and Ted are doing. I know about the plan, and I know you two are hooked up with the Planners.”
Wilma saw his reaction. He hadn’t been ready for this, his expression confirmed she was on the right track.
“I want to meet with Underwood – now. If you can’t make that happen, I’ll blow this whole thing wide open – starting with the Plan and ending with the adventures of Dr. David Heath.”
Adam knew this was trouble. “Okay. Relax. Let me contact Ted to arrange a meeting. I’ll be back soon.” Adam headed for the house, went through the back door, grabbed a shirt, then out the front to his car and drove away.
‘Man,’ he thought, ‘how the hell did she figure it out?’ He drove to a secluded area to decide how to phrase this to Ted. Finally, he picked up the phone from the centre console arm rest, and punched the embedded memory code for the number. After four beeps, Ted picked up. “Hi, Adam.”
Adam took a deep breath and began. “Okay, I just finished a conversation with Wilma. She said she’s put everything together. Yes, the Plan. From what I can tell, she has. She wants to meet with you and if you refuse she’ll blow the whole thing wide open. She’s pretty intense about this, Ted.”
“Okay, Adam. I’ll be back on the island in a few hours. Arrange a meeting for tonight – maybe the New Moon Café after it’s closed. Get her comfort level up, tell her I’ll meet her wherever and whenever she wants it to happen. Sooner the better from our perspective.”
“Will do. She’ll want it to be tonight. I’ll let her know it’s a go.” He hung up the phone, drove back to the house and told Wilma that Ted was on his way. They spent the rest of the day together, but very delicately.
Just before ten that night, after the last customer left, Wilma placed the closed sign on the door, turned off most of the lights, and pulled the drapes across the front windows. She heard the two cars, those two twin Fords, pull up in front of the Café, the footsteps and the knock. She unlocked and opened the front door.
Ted smiled at her, she smiled back. Wilma had met him, very briefly and casually, during the last election campaign – at a fund raising event.
“Hello, Wilma. We have a lot to discuss. I appreciate your suggesting this meeting, I want you to know that it’s important for both of us. I could sure use a cup of coffee, would that be alright?”
She sat them down at a table in the back, and brought out a fresh pot. As Ted poured himself a cup, Wilma began. She told him what she knew, what she’d seen happen over the last five years, and what it meant. He sipped on his coffee as he listened to her. He was pouring his second cup as she finished. ‘We need her on our side,’ Ted thought.
He asked, “What do you want?”
Her words came easier than she thought they would.
“We want to be part of this. First Nations. This time we are inside the circle. Not outside looking in – watching other people make decisions for us.”
He agreed immediately.
Wilma realised Ted must have pre-guessed her demand and was ready with an answer. She grinned at him and said, “Good. Now, how can we help?”
It was decided that Wilma would meet the others as soon as it could be arranged – and that she should be ready to present the First Nations position, of their role in the Plan. Ted felt lucky that he had correctly guessed what her demands may include, and was glad he was right. Before coming that night, he had quickly discussed the situation with the others. They were ready to bring her in – they were ready for all of them – and that it was, indeed, time to do it right.
Wilma watched Ted drive away, with Adam leaving behind him. Feeling more alive than she ever had, she knew there was little time to put this together before meeting the Planners. All of her resources would be needed for this one. She called her grandfather and asked him if she could come over in the morning for a game of Chess.
After centuries of peace between Canada and the United States, many people on both sides of the border advanced the idea of one great nation.
Many also resisted it.
As Provinces across the mainland begin to leave Canada to become part of the USA, a few people from Vancouver Island develop their own plan: they would steal Canada, before it vanishes.
From a beautiful island off the western coast of Canada, follow this powerful tapestry of political deals, human struggles and triumphs, as it weaves from Victoria to Halifax, from Manhattan to Seattle, from Ottawa to the White House to Buckingham Palace.
Many also resisted it.
As Provinces across the mainland begin to leave Canada to become part of the USA, a few people from Vancouver Island develop their own plan: they would steal Canada, before it vanishes.
From a beautiful island off the western coast of Canada, follow this powerful tapestry of political deals, human struggles and triumphs, as it weaves from Victoria to Halifax, from Manhattan to Seattle, from Ottawa to the White House to Buckingham Palace.
Authors
The Mace is authored by individuals with thirty years in the political, legal and technical worlds of Canada, the US, Europe and Asia. In the five years since the release of The Mace, a number of the predictions in the novel have begun to occur.
Letters
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Author's Note: ~
The first printing was ready on October 4th - the very day that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were to arrive in Victoria. Because Buckingham Palace plays such a crucial role in the successful and happy ending to the story, we felt that, if we could make it happen, we wanted her to have the first books off the press.
Through some wonderful and gracious people that were involved in this great event, we were able to take the very first two copies of The Mace over to Government House to be given, on our behalf, to Her Majesty and Prince Philip. It is truly wonderful that so much of the fictional story that was written months before their arrival, Her Majesty was able to experience.
~ Rene Howard
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
October 30, 2002
Thank you for your thoughtful letter and for sending me a copy of your recently published book, The Mace.
I greatly appreciate your courtesy and generosity in presenting me with this gift. Also, thank you for your kind words of support. I would like to reiterate what an immense privilege it has been to represent my fellow Canadians, allthese years. Above all, I feel especially honoured by the trust they have shown me time and time again. Throughout my life I have endeavoured to live up to their expectations, and your portrayal suggests that, in certain instances, I have clearly succeeded.
Thank you, again, for your good wishes.
Sincerely,
Jean Chretien
Prime Minister of Canada
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
October 30, 2002
Thank you very much for sending me a copy of your novel entitled The Mace. I am pleased that you were able to offer assistance to BCBC and the Ministry of Management Services.
It was interesting to read about the Plan for the independence of ...
[spoiler edited]. This fast-paced story was told with intrigue, ingenuity, and a unique writing style. I appreciate receiving a copy and wish you all the best.
Again, thank you for the gift. It was good to hear from you again.
Sincerely,
Gordon Campbell
Premier of British Columbia
~~~~~~~
Author's Note: ~
The first printing was ready on October 4th - the very day that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were to arrive in Victoria. Because Buckingham Palace plays such a crucial role in the successful and happy ending to the story, we felt that, if we could make it happen, we wanted her to have the first books off the press.
Through some wonderful and gracious people that were involved in this great event, we were able to take the very first two copies of The Mace over to Government House to be given, on our behalf, to Her Majesty and Prince Philip. It is truly wonderful that so much of the fictional story that was written months before their arrival, Her Majesty was able to experience.
~ Rene Howard
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
October 30, 2002
Thank you for your thoughtful letter and for sending me a copy of your recently published book, The Mace.
I greatly appreciate your courtesy and generosity in presenting me with this gift. Also, thank you for your kind words of support. I would like to reiterate what an immense privilege it has been to represent my fellow Canadians, allthese years. Above all, I feel especially honoured by the trust they have shown me time and time again. Throughout my life I have endeavoured to live up to their expectations, and your portrayal suggests that, in certain instances, I have clearly succeeded.
Thank you, again, for your good wishes.
Sincerely,
Jean Chretien
Prime Minister of Canada
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
October 30, 2002
Thank you very much for sending me a copy of your novel entitled The Mace. I am pleased that you were able to offer assistance to BCBC and the Ministry of Management Services.
It was interesting to read about the Plan for the independence of ...
[spoiler edited]. This fast-paced story was told with intrigue, ingenuity, and a unique writing style. I appreciate receiving a copy and wish you all the best.
Again, thank you for the gift. It was good to hear from you again.
Sincerely,
Gordon Campbell
Premier of British Columbia
~~~~~~~
Press Articles
NOTICE !!
STORY SPOILERS
IN PRESS ARTICLES
AUTHOR SWINGS THE MACE AT CANADA-U.S. RELATIONS November 18, 2002, Nanaimo News Bulletin By: Chris Bush, The News Bulletin
If times got tough enough, could Canada/US relations get a lot closer? Could provinces even start joining the Union to the south? Nanaimo author Rene Howard envisions scenarios where it could happen.
Picture this: Saskatchewan, birthplace of the CCF, bastion of Canadian socialism, pushed to the brink of economic disaster by years of drought and crop failures, casts its eye south of the border for help from its equally thirsty neighbouring states.
The Midwest has capital, no water. Saskatchewan has abundant quantities of water, but no finances to access it.
So begins the domino-effect fragmentation of Canadian confederation along north/south economic corridors that already exist. So does the drought in the prairie provinces and the U.S. Midwest.
The authors hold dual Canada/U.S. citizenship.
“We started to develop an idea. Could Vancouver Island stand on its own if there was a natural catastrophe? Could it weather the storm?”
But there doesn’t have to be a disaster here. Just follow the news.
“As we were writing the book, things were happening,” he says. “The drought in Saskatchewan, the terrible situation with the horses dying and the locusts and grasshoppers. The drought extended all the way down into the Midwestern United States.”
In this political mystery thriller, Vancouver Islanders must react quickly to events happening in mainland Canada and, if possible, save Canada - perhaps even steal it.
What evolved was three months of planning and nine months of “1,000 words a day or bust” hard writing to launch The Mace by October in time for the Christmas season.
“It takes place in the near future. We call it reality fiction because we wanted to make it real, but it’s set in the future so we could fictionalize and not take liberty with politicians, governments, people and businesses here.”
Commentary has already come from some fairly high level officials, including Premier Gordon Campbell who sent a letter containing references to passages in the book one would only know from reading it, indicating how much he enjoyed The Mace.
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PORT ALBERNI STARS IN POLITICAL FICTION BOOK November 1, 2002, The Alberni Valley Times By: Siobhan Burns, AV Times
The authors, from Nanaimo, launched their political fiction book called, The Mace, on Saturday, Oct 26 at Woodgrove Centre in Nanaimo. The book, written under the pen name Rene Howard, was released on Oct 4. “It’s political fiction, there are two main story lines. One is the situation going on between Canada and the U.S. Each of the provinces on their own decided to leave Canada to become part of the U.S.,“ said Rene. The second story line is about a small group of people, some from Port Alberni, that try to save Canada.
The authors have lived in Nanaimo for one year. Before they moved to Nanaimo they lived in Victoria for a few years. “We’ve lived on both sides of the border so we come from experience. We’ve done a lot of work with the political system, both in the U.S. and Canada”.
We call the book “reality fiction”. “The people are fictional. The settings are real. The events have already begun,” reads the back cover of their book.
The couple said they have worked together on a lot of projects and that they enhanced each other’s skills when writing the book. “Two-thirds of what we wrote didn’t end up in the book”. One of the biggest challenges that we found is that you have to edit a lot. Editing can sometimes take longer than writing”.
The very first book off the press went to Queen Elizabeth and the second went to Prince Philip.
It’s also doing quite well in town.
“I’ve sold it surprisingly well. Their first delivery to me was sold out and we’re working on the second one,” said John Templeman, owner of Curious Coho in Port Alberni. “It’s the very first book either fiction or non-fiction which had put natives of the West coast, Port Alberni in particular, in a very positive light. The Saturday they brought it in to me, I read it right through. It’s very possible and probable. It was well rounded and an interesting read - which is unusual for a first novel,” said Templeman.
