5. If I wasn't so strapped for cash, I'd give it to The Tyee myself. By the way, couldn't some generous souls and orgs out there pony up to an on-going fund to help subsidize these public good FOI requests?

Our treachery must be concealed!!!!! (gordo in mr. burns voice)

I, and I'm sure the lawyer for the Hydro Class Action, and Public Power could have saved you $1200 just be telling you how the Fiberals and BC Hydro frustrated all attempts to get full disclosure respecting what has happened to BC Hydro, the Accenture deal, the Transmission Co...it is too bad you Tyee didn't ask around...you would have been the wiser...and the $1200 would have stayed in your pockets. As your article states we have FOI in name only....there is no transparency and no accountability, we live in a very low level democracy bordering fascism...and that in my estimation....is, and ought to be one the main issues of the next BC election campaign....so will someone press the NDP on that ...given that the Tyee is allegedly a pro-NDP site.

Excellent article! Thanks for doing what journalists ought to be doing. I much prefer investigation to shilling.

Good article. I predict that after the next provincial election, regardless of its outcome, BCers are going to learn just what a horrendous amount of what they once owned has been given to psychotic corporations like Maximus. I wish too that the tyee would detail more just how frightening some of Maximus' abuse of power has been. On a related subject, can anyone explain how the BC liberals are legally allowed to ignore one of the few BC Supreme Court decisions that went against them: the decision that they MUST stop charging poor people receiving legal aid, the PST on legal aid, that in a tail-swallowing maneuver only the BC backstabbers could concoct WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO FUNDING FOR THE POOR FOR LEGAL AID?? I thought even the BC liars were subject to obey the decisions of supreme court judges, but apparently not. It would be wonderful if the Tyee would runan article about this...

Good stuff, Scott. It is ONLY freelancers and small publications that would even attempt to go after this stuff- the mainstream are too busy writing BS about the hockey lock-out (who f'n cares ALREADY?!) or the latest pittbull nipping someone. What a freakin' JOKE this society is. The price tag of $1500 is meant to keep true journalists frustrated and unable to access this info, no doubt about it.

I mean $1200...

Great article and comments by all. I agree with Peter Dimitrov that we are living in a low level democracy bordering fascism but sometimes I find myself losing hope that anyone is paying attention. It is the rights we have lost, both human and civil ( eg. hombre's reference to legal aid) that must be brought to the forefront in the next election. But as Fi says it seems hard to get past hockey and pittbull headlines...not to mention Charles and Camilla.

Questions, Questions, Questions, ....that is what we the electorate must ask of the BC NDP, the BC Liberals and others. Then we must ensure they will be accountable. So to start off the series, there will be 50 or so questions for the BC NDP, followed by many questions for the BC Liberals---why don't you join in, why doesn't the Tyee join in. Check out the 21 questions thusfar to the BC NDP at 'Speak-Up' at bcpolitics.ca.....I am willing to bet this post gets censored...but that is fine, the questions are up and will be travelling all over the internet. It is time for 'truth-telling' by the BC NDP and the BC Liberals in preparation for our provincial election.

When the BC Liberals sent out new forms for MSP that you "had to sign" or face not getting medical care down the road, I realized that it must have had something to do with a legal matter with Maximus who "manages" MSP. I refused to sign and give over my personal information to a "foreign" company. I wonder if they can really deny me medical services?

Terrible, unless the people of BC dump this government we are stuck with another 4 years of ultra-right wing hidden agendas. In next round will be ICBC early in their mandate, expect to pay hundreds more for car insurance.

The Tyee is asking other people to do research for it. That's essentially what an FOI request is. And any request costs money--lots of money. Every document has to be reviewed by legal counsel first at the relevant institution or ministry, then with the counsel at the FOI. Fees charged to recover some of this cost are only nominal, and represent a fraction of what the public is paying to fund the request. Need I say it again: to do someone else's research. There is no public purpose requirement in any request and, anyone can ask for anything for any reason or no reason. As someone who used to handle FOI requests in a ministry in another province, our own internal estimate was that each request cost the public purse approximately $5,000. The requesters were a mix of news corporations, a large number of people with mental problems, and prison inmates with time on their hands. That's relevant, because you have to make rules for everyone, and its worthwhile to look at who your clientelle is. My guess is, the Tyee was being offered a bargain, heavily subsidized by the public. So I fail to see the outrage, just prudent rules on the disbursement of public funds which could have other uses.

With current technology, any government should try to make as much information available to the public, and can call it "freedom of information." The public should also know who's doing what in government. Valuating a F.O.I. request as $5000, makes it seem like it is an unreasonable expense, what is the point of living in a democracy if you do not know what is going on? Freedom of information is a very important part of democracy, and government should better organize themselves and provide as much information as possible via internet or otherwise, even before people make F.O.I. requests.

That's just silly, Percy. Misfiling and hiding documents that are embarrassing or incriminating, but must be kept is a well established practice among misbehaving functionaries. The alternative is to allow the public in to the files to do their own searches. I'm in favor of that. Are you?

You're completely right, you know. Anybody can ask for any records for any reason or no reason. So also can agencies make records for any or no reason. The error rate in government records is hard to calculate at $1500 a pop, but it's safe to say it's not zero. Suppose a citizen wanted to determine the accuracy rate of government records by double checking some thousands of them randomly? How many could you afford to check, Percy? Yet nobody could seriously argue that citizens have no legitimate reason to want to know that rate.

FOI should be free to all,excepting matters of personal privacy (for citizens, not officials). The only reason to charge for it is to hide things. Governments should not be able to hide things, Percy. It just encourages their worst qualities.

Well, considering Maximus was in trouble at one point re kickbacks (googled info) I'm sure the RCMP are investigating some of these contracts. Also, considering that some of the biggest rats have abandoned ship I would think that more will be revealed probably after the election as now is being done in the US. Of course, all gov't business should be available to the public. If a company feels it's business would be in peril then they shouldn't bid for gov't contracts. This is one reason I'm voting against them and I fully expect the NDP to reveal terms of these contracts and if there is something in the contract that prohibits that to fight those in court. That is where I want my taxes to go at this point. I really do think the RCMP are investigating a lot of this from their commercial crime unit. Good article, Scott.

oh, and another point re the ferry act, what is so easily put assunder, can be again. When laws are so flagrantly disregarded and the rules rewritten, it only takes another act to reverse it and get inside that ferry corp. So, they aren't protected a whit. Woe to those thinking those 'acts' and 'rules' are going to keep their actions from public view. Just as our 'speaker' lays down edicts from ahigh, so can our next! lol That is why it's no to the new porportional system. All forms of gov't depend on good faith. Without it, as we are seeing here in BC and in the US, it is corrupt and it has no legitimacy. We had our checks and balances which this gov't dismantled as much as possible (thank you Jeff Plant. Bruce etal)and now they think we will vote for a system of gov't that will make it so we can't reverse their dishonest enactments? No.

Their gleeful dismantling and contempt for the 'status quo' is ironic because those protections that the 'status quo' gave others, would have afforded them that very same protection. Now, when the investigations begin and become public, they can not depend on that system of 'good faith' and tradition, instead it will be by their rules, only it will be they, who it is working against, this time. Neo-cons have never been known for their ability to think things through to the end game.

It is all about pride. Pride for yourself, family, neighbour, province and country. The ability to hold up one's head and not be swayed by dishonest corporations, businesses and people is what life is all about. Once you have to resort too bad language and threats that indicates your argument or point is not worth a darn..Thank you

Percy, persuasive points one one level. But on another level, given the potential for institutional abuse, the need for accountability, etc. then it's imperative that the functions of government be like the administration of justice, in that 'governing' must be fair and seen to be fair. Also, democracy isn't cheap - so the efficiency argument doesn't wash.

A daydream: David Basi appears in B.C. Supreme Court (Vancouver) on 11 March having decided to assure his place in heaven by singing like a canary. He will tell the Canadian public everything we need to know to end corruption in government. He could, you know.

Accompanying himself on zither and televised on CBC, he will sing verse after verse (the country, mesmerized, will listen transfixed, blessing the public broadcaster). Basi will tell Canadians everything. Everything! Coast to coast to coast. He unburdens his sorrowing heart to us completely, making it unnecessary to seek further information under the Freedom of Information Act. Like we could get it, anyway!

In verse after verse, Basi in a robe of purest silver trimmed with ermine, will speak to the public interest. He will tell us every political thing he did, with whom he did it, why, for how much, where they got the money, what he did with it, what he/they hoped to achieve, who got dumped and who got promoted, who knew, when did they know it, and how it affected the working of the B.C. government and electoral system.

When, at last, 3 days later, he has told us everything, he bows his head, spiritually exhausted but cleansed and purified. Applause rings through the nation. The governor general arrives with a full pardon and an Order of Canada. His name will be remembered forever. In a good way, that is. In olden times, this was called a duty of honour.

What a lovely dream. And why not?

why not!?! because it makes no fucking sense you moron....

Beautiful thoughts BC Mary. Watch your mouth basline, you stupid little hit and run posting coward. I don't even have to ask if you're a BC liberal. Mike, under the miracle of free enterprise in New Brunswick, private insurance is $5000/year. God only knows what truckers and other commercial drivers will pay. ICBC's accounting is already privatized. If, perish the thought, the BC liars get reelected, it'll be interesting to see what the truck loggers association, one of the few groups left profitting from BC timber think of our drunken premier. Percy, if it a file has to be checked for legality, it's already a good bet something's being hidden. Think you'll still have a job if the NDP win?

Prediction: If the Liberals win on May 17th, massive civil disobedience and increasing violence, for the next 4 years. Another prediction: one day, Gordo et al will be in court, answering for their actions.

To Bailey: Of course, you can't simply walk into a government office and ask to go through their filing cabinets, although that might seem light a good idea if you don't reflect on the consequences. To give only one pertinent example, the government holds enormous quantities of personal information, and is under a legal obligation to safeguard privacy. Are you really in favourof anyone being able to paw through documents reflective of your own privacy, just because they want to look? Maybe you don't care, but I assure you most people do. That's why documents have to be reviewed to protect competing rights. And KJ, it's true that democracy costs money. But accessing government information for free at public cost is scarcely an essential element of democracy. Public policy is about making compromises and tradeoffs, since money isn't unlimited. I wonder whether, if every document could be had for free, whether the Tyee might not be decrying it as a subsidy to business and private interests. hee hee

Percy, safeguarding private info has nothing to do with this. FOI requests are PART of a journalist's research. It's gov't info- a gov't contract!! that is there- that is legally open to the public to scrutinize; obviously your average citizen doesn't have the time to do it (or is to busy watching the hockey game to care). One request, for instance, can give you a certain number of hours of research time. If a gov't dept is refusing a request (or putting a huge price tag on it)- you're clearly on the trail of something they don't want you to see. (I just read Bailey's comment- don't see why that one didn't make it clear to you, Percy).

Just noting another abuce of power in BC. (Duke point). They will probably build a state of the art central generating station there. Problem is it will only be 35 to 50% efficent. The better option is called combined heat and power. The station is smaller, closer to the end users and waste heat is used to heat office blocks condos etc. This option is over 80% efficient. When I lived in germany about 15 years ago they were using this type of power station to heat and power Ludwigshaven or Mannheim. You can read about this option in the Skeptical Inquirer. (Jan-feb edition) Such an option should not be ignored. Basically, you are using the fuel almost twice as efficiently when you do it this way.

Just noting another abuce of power in BC. (Duke point). They will probably build a state of the art central generating station there. Problem is it will only be 35 to 50% efficent. The better option is called combined heat and power. The station is smaller, closer to the end users and waste heat is used to heat office blocks condos etc. This option is over 80% efficient. When I lived in germany about 15 years ago they were using this type of power station to heat and power Ludwigshaven or Mannheim. You can read about this option in the Skeptical Inquirer. (Jan-feb edition) Such an option should not be ignored. Basically, you are using the fuel almost twice as efficiently when you do it this way.

Response to Fi: Well, I suppose you could write in a provision that "journalists" have special entitlements to free access, but then you would have to establish a legal test to determine who is an eligible journalist. Perhaps license and register them (otherwise its hard to distinguish Joe Journalist from Joe Who). I agree in principle that the fourth estate perhaps should have some advantage, but I'm puzzling how you would determine fairly who is a journalist. Many good ideas can't be translated into practice in any effective way. A Ministry or department doesn't have the right to refuse a request without citing legal authority on the basis of an exemption to disclosure in the Act, and from this there is a right of appeal, as is there with the reasonableness of fees (of which the Tyee is, I note taking advantage). So there is a mechanism for identifying and scrutinizing the predictable self-serving tendencies of the bureaucracy. It's true: some stuff you just can't get (my favourite was prison inmates who wrote repeatedly requesting the architectural and system plans of prisons), and stuff that you probably have to pay a lot to retrieve and review and copy, but that just makes the system fair and workable.

Percy, you make good points. Some of them are a bit double edged though. The prisoners example is like that. In cases where convicts are later found to have been innocent it very often turns out that police and/or prosecutors screwed with the evidence.

After DNA or something lets the cat out of the cell, so to speak, the records are always still there to be examined, and tell us how these wrongful convictions occurred. But they're hidden in the pile. Any prisoner would have good and legitimate need to see all the files from police and prosecutors. Few could afford any of them at $4 a day. You smile at them, and dismiss them, but they more than anybody are being abused by government. Even if guilty, abuse is still the word when you're locked up and maltreated.

So... how do we balance the public's need to know, to defend itself from abuses of power with the government's wish to be unquestioned? If they charge for legitimate information they simply deny it to those who are it's owners. It's wrong, and it's a dangerous thing to allow power to hide it's actions like that.

"The Castle" - Kafka

another abuse of power by a worthless , worthless...self serving so called government...that will never make it into the " mainstream " Liberal owned Canwest group of media here in BC so people can ...you know ACTUALLY know whats going on en mass.

Not to be a government apologist here, but I happen to know that the health ministry looked far and wide for a Canadian company that could handle the complexity of the MSP system and couldn't find one. Undoubtedly there are problems with Maximus which should be brought to light, but it also should be remembered that the system before was pretty much nonfunctional - I was lost in the bureaucratic madness for months, being billed for things I shouldn't have.

Not to be impugning government dogma here, but what's wrong with keeping our records in our own hands?

We have had a government service in this province that's the envy of many free people. It's honest, stable, career people who happened to be represented by a union the current government wants to destroy because it thinks they support their opposition. Also, any civil service tends to be genuinely conservative, and has a certain inertia that permits long consideration of any proposed radical restructuring, such as these 'Liberals' undertook from their first day in office. I remember that first day. 40% wage raises for themselves, $2Billion tax cuts to anyone in their own bracket, etc.

I can't think of any honest reason to make our private medical records public like this. It's exactly what a civil service is for.

The writer should get in touch with Jim Bronskill at the Canadian Press in Ottawa. He's an investigative journalist who knows the access/foi laws extremely well and if there's a way to get around that $1200 fee, he will know what it is.

Kathryn,

The mess was created by these neo-con pawns. They deliberately let too many of their staff go and then the system was 'broken'. They are incapable of making a wise decision because, among other reasons, they are ideologically blinded.
As well, where is your information that they looked 'far and wide' within Canada? Don't tell me that Canadians aren't 'up for it' and our only choice is an American (subject to the patriot act - no European?) company with a terrible reputation. A reputation for not delivering, not handlng public funds appropriately and for kickbacks in one state! It was not a sound decision and it was a decion not needed.
Come on.

I heard the other day that the trickle down theory is not longer even applicable to their stupid ideology, because, because of outsourcing, trickle down has been replaced by trickle out! Only with this bunch is hemmorage out!

1. Ask to view the documents in person rather than having them copied. This will save you the reproduction fees.
2. Ask for the list of documents deemed responsive to your request and then cherry pick what you actually want. You may think that just asking for the contract would only produce one document, but a trick that staff have been told to use is to produce various drafts of the contract in order to drive the number of pages and hence cost up.
3. When the Government doesn't produce your documents within the statutory time limits, bitch like hell to get your fees refunded.

Hi Lisa,

I work in international development and you will not find anyone more opposed to the "trickle down" theory than I. But I don't think that has a lot to do with the issue here. I know pretty pretty high up at health, and yes, the US firm was their only choice. Like it or not, the Americans have more money to invest in better technology, and they can provide it cheaper. If you think the Canadian economy can provide all the services this country needs, dream on. If something is broken it has to be fixed, regardless of who broke it or why. And if the Americans really wanted that health information, they wouldn't have to use the Patriot Act to get it.

The Campbell government is cold and heartless and if I were in BC I would vote them out of office in a second. I don't agree with where they're coming from at all. But this does not mean I think that every single decision they make is automatically wrong or without merit. I accept that we don't see eye to eye here, but if you let that kind of visceral dislike colour your analysis of every single issue, I'd advise you to beware of your own ideological box.

Good ideas from innocent bystander, I hope the Tyee Editor takes note. Why can't the NDP or the BC fed kick in a few thousand dollars to advertise the Tyee in community newspapers, like the Westender, and even the Courier, and Monday magazine etc? Imagine what an effect this could have on what may well be a close election and on countering Canwest propaganda.

Kathryn, Maximus is a corporation which has faced criminal charges for stealing benefit money from the disabled and from single mothers. The idea that the work couldn't be done in BC is simply nonsense; it WAS done for years, all without siphoning money and privacy out of the country. I have to question your claimed lack of bias.

This story and the subsequent comments illustrate quite well the growing readership here at The Tyee. Unfortunately, the spike appears to have been at least partially created by the communications manipulators in Gordon Campbell's premier's offices. Above we have these self-proclaimed government experts who know how the world works, and that Canadians simply can't cope without help from the good ol' US of A. Kathryn, the only problem with our bureaucracies are the people managing them. Our civil servants are quite capable of performing whatever task given them in honest and efficient ways. It is the intentional hobbling of these people by politicians, their appointees and snivelling managers intent on pleasing the people who can advance their careers, who are the problem here. Tell me Kathryn: when was the last time you heard a manager in any ministry state outright that the public's right-to-know or right-to service or right to anything trumps the demands of those involved in political gerrymanding? Perhaps you can elaborate on who and what you know "pretty, pretty high up in Health", as you stated above, because that statement suggests you know things you shouldn't
have access to. Now maybe you're just flapping your gums, so-to-speak, because you are trying to impress us rubes how connected you are, but you come across as an apologist for something. If it isn't Campbell's gang, then what shenanigans have the feds been up to to assist Campbell and those honesty-challenged outfits from the US in acquiring such contracts.
Are you suggesting Ottawa was also involved in this seedy privatization scam as well? Were you personally involved, was it pillow talk or did your doctor fill you in on all this Health info?

Katheryn,

If it is truly broken, hiring back the people who speciously laid off would have fixed it.

If, after careful contemplation, it was felt that this really was the best route (and that means the extremely private information and sensitive subject matter is weighed against $ among other critera) then a call for Canadian companies could have gone out and those companies could have come up with a plan.

This is no more difficult that an insurance business, with the exception of the highly private and personal information so callously tossed to Maximus, so sorry, not buying the bs.

By the way, I call by ideological box, patriotism.

Obviously, the post above is mine.

Patriotism is loyalty to my country and province. Concern for the citizens of this province and a desire for democracy, not fascism.

It is impossible to evaluate Campbell etal's actions except in the context of what is happening in the Western World right now.

Sorry for the typos etc - plus my keyboard is sticking.

I guess, what I am saying as well, is what will our society look like if we continue with these policies. What will happen to our beloved British Columbia.

The very people who support Bush, Campbell, Harris etal, enjoy a society which has FDR, Social Democracy, the Trade Union Movement, Women's Sufferage and Liberation to thank. People died for these benefits.

BC's neo-con representatives don't seem to be able to think their policies through to the end. What will our communities look like if wages and working conditions are 3rd world and what will our communities look like if our children don't receive a good education and most important, what kind of society will we live in, if people can't aspire to a rewarding life, where they can breath the air, have the toxic mining company next door, obey safety regulations, and hope for their children? What will it look like when we are held hostage by a few multi-nationals, for our water, our wood, our labour, and our serfs on our own land? The last four years have been a terrible time in BC, not only because the policies have hurt people, but for our sense of community. This is NOT the usual left/right battle we are accustomed to in BC. This is our very way of life and relating to oneanother.

Lisa; What our communities will look like does not enter into their calculations, since Maui is nice enough for them. Their neighbourhoods will look just fine, and be gated against the hungry rabble. (Look dear, they're out there again staring at our dinner party. Honestly! Why DO people choose to live like that?)

Margaret Thatcher the voodoo queen herself, has been quoted as saying there's no such thing as society. Such is the dogma all the faithful must believe, whatever the evidence or reason might say. They rarely if ever have to actually see, let alone meet the people they destroy, so they can deny that they even exist.

It's left to others to count the bodies.

Another issue with outsourced contracts which rarely gets mentioned is what happens when the contract is up for renewal. I believe that I read somewhere that Maximus had been accused of building in outrageous price increases (ie 2-3x) upon contract renewal because they knew that their services had been so tightly integrated that nobody else could now do the work.

someone's starting to look a little less like an innocent bystander

Baily, I agree with you that that is what some of them think. However, gated communities won't work as well in Canada. Our communities aren't divided into ghettos and separated by freeways.
If it came to that, Canadians are well educated and aren't going to riot in their own neighbourhoods, but instead will go where the action is.

However, a lot of wealthy people believe strongly in a just society, which is why in part, the New Conservative party is losing ground. And, why in the US some big money is going towards true democracy and to fight this ultra-conservatism.

Personally, I really believe the BC liberals will lose this election... if it is a fair one. If it isn't we will find out because once again, this is a different system than in the US.

Really, they were so stupid. They could have ruled for the next twenty years if they had pretended they had fair play. If they had been content to make incremental changes and if they had pretended to listen to the public.

This trend will turn around in our world, but unfortunately, I also believe that more people have to be personally effected (US social security issues are having some effect) and by them many of these crooks will have bled the system and the assets of countries. Some will wind up in jail and some with a fortune. It will end though. In the US critical mass in regards to outsoursing is already beginning to happen. That is why they want to make it into a 'class' war, a religious war, left vrs right etc. Because while we are fighting they are in the vault.
In the Ukraine they are taking back the public assets from the shady private companies which profited from privatization. I think they just passed a law that said the steel company must be returned to the public. In Argentina changes have been happening as well.
Of course, in Ottawa right now they are selling our real estate assets.

Join the Campaign against the privatization.

File an your own FOI request for personal info:
http://www.bcgeu.ca/2380

Sign the petition against privatization:
http://stopprivatization.gotdns.org/

Alfred. I don't think that filing your own FOI act request is fair to Ms. Edwards. You send your form letter to Ms. Edwards asking for information and she sends her form letter back to you denying it. Where is the sport in that? I have often thought that Ms. Edwards lies awake at night thinking of new and creative ways to deny access to information and this simply takes all of the fun out of that! Remember to be kind to your civil servants. After all, they are just doing their jobs!

What about provincial judges getting a 28% increase and it was awarded by a nameless judicial committee.
Nice work if you can get it at 198 grand per year..

Such private firms that have one majr customer ,namely the Province should be audited by a general gov't civil servant if the province provides 50 percent or more of the revenue ,in an ideal world.Unfortunately we are not quite there yet.Accenture,Compass and Job wave and many others that contract to the province hardly disclose in laymens terms their balance sheets.
No conclusions are made by this typer of the aforementioned firms but clearly a system could evolve as has wit h FOI requests that obfuscates to the public without doing anything illegal.
The legislation is usually written and interpreted as the party in power sees fit.
Where did the 400 thou go that a mr. walls , got from the province,a close relative of the premier's wife.S'pose everthing is OK since the esteemed firm audited the books.That firm just happened to give a sum to the party in form of a donation,natch.
FEar the present gov't,things but things could be worse I'm told,by whom you ask,a Liberal!

Greetings! I've been reading this dialogue, with interest, since it was called to my attention last week, and realized this would be an excellent arena to introduce The Right to Privacy Campaign (RPC). For those who may not be aware, the Campaign was launched in June, 2004 in response to the government's proposal to outsource the administration and management of MSP and PharmaCare to US owned companies. But our focus has become broader as the number of outsourced contracts and the scope of medical, financial, and other personal information at risk becomes apparent.

The RPC supports community action on this issue, such as Alfred's recommendation to file a FOI request to obtain your personal information. Citizens have the right to confirm exactly what information about us the government and private companies have. Under the USA PATRIOT Act, we already know that our personal information, once in the hands of the US, can be used by the FBI--without our knowledge or consent--for investigative purposes. At the very least, should we not seek to confirm whether or not the information on file is current and accurate? According to the BC Freedom of Information Act, it's our right to know.

Information about the RPC is available on our website: www.righttoprivacycampaign.com. The site will be relaunched in March, as we move into Phase 2 of the campaign: Your Right to Know. If you'd like to subscribe to our email list, and receive regular updates about our activities and how you can support our efforts, please contact: