Of Gods & Other Monsters

Strike day

2012-01-18T06:55:00.000-06:00

CON job on progress

2012-01-16T08:39:00.000-06:00

A brief summary of some of the cuts to the public service announced to date shows a clear ideological bias against sciences, research, and the environment.

(pic)

These numbers reflect some of the cuts to-date and are pre-budget cuts. The long term cost of backing up into ignorance will be staggering. Harm to the environment, harm to education, harm to R&D, harm to our Canadian identity, harm to The Holy Economy as we become less and less competitive internationally through sheer ignorance and lack of R&D.

Breaking up the winter

2012-01-13T16:26:00.000-06:00

My first amaryllis

I am just ever so proud

Friday night ode to superstition - Friday the 13th

2012-01-13T10:52:00.001-06:00

Neat video here -

And the much better Stevie Wonder version -

Because voodoo creeps me out but Colin James does not -

The incomparable Nina Simone puts a spell on you -

Like I said before, you can cut their pay, but don't ever, ever kick them in the teeth

2012-01-13T10:23:00.000-06:00

Workers who help Canadians obtain employment insurance benefits are demanding that Human Resources Minister Diane Finley apologize and resign for implying they have caused the backlogs that are forcing some jobless people to wait months for their first cheque.

The Canada Employment and Immigration Union (CEIU) said Thursday that about 2,500 of its members have filed grievances against Ms. Finley over a letter she wrote in November to the Charlottetown Guardian.

Cut jobs, attack pensions and benefits they fought for and won fairly, yes, they'll grumble for a long time before they act. But blame them publicly for the elected government's screw-ups on top of all that, try to make them the villain in how cuts to services affect Canadians, well, back at you - 2,500 times over.

Good for you, folks at EI. We add our many voices to yours.

So if a child is married to an adult in another country where such things are legal, is her husband allowed to keep raping the child if they move to Canada?

2012-01-13T09:43:00.000-06:00

Because according to the CONs, she is still the old fuck's wife.

And if a woman moves to Canada from a country where women aren’t allowed to vote or run for office, does that mean she can’t vote in Canada when she becomes a citizen?

What a bull-shit line of reasoning to impose narrow, twisted, vile beliefs on others.

Harper keeps saying he won’t re-open same sex marriage debates, but he is changing our laws through the back door, getting Canadians used to the ideas, altering our very identity as he clearly has been stating he intends.

No one in steve’s party publicly expresses intent to change legislation without clearing it through him first. Enough retired MPs, senators, and insiders have told us so and we have seen what happens to those who oppose him – Bill Casey, Garth Turner, Chong…

So when his CONsorts keep gunning for women’s wombs across the country, there is no doubt fatso wants the abortion issue to come out. He can claim he didn’t open debate, he can claim Canadians want it. He can let his atavistic crew push through some law that opens the door to abortion (giving fetuses same status as Canadians when a woman miscarries due to an attack) then say it’s really a legal argument and he can hardly stop debate. Or hell, just do away with debate at that point.

Death penalty? Oh, no…he won’t go there, he says. But once again, he is trying to change our mindset by picking and choosing which Canadians on death row in another country will be defended by our government. You know, while all people are equal, some just plain don’t deserve equal treatment.

It’s a gut knowledge thing, ya know? Tim Horton type wisdom if you get my meaning.

The CONs play on that gut thing, play on divisiveness, point fingers at “other” until too many fail to look to reason when our laws are modified.

Because by then, too many just think it’s right because it kind of feels right. And for those who in frustration try to protect our rights and freedoms as well as fair and equal systems for all, the systems that had been in place to defend those rights are so eroded and murky that there is less and less hope for sanity to prevail.

Our crime minister has no hidden agenda. It has always been obvious – through his early speeches, his early affiliations, his ongoing actions in politics.

The almighty Economy seems to trump everything here in Canada. Canadians buy into the bullshit that CONs are more fiscally responsible and that The Economy takes precedence over human rights, health care, the environment, the future of our children, decent public services, housing…

But too many Canadians forget that money – especially in a system where wealth resides in the hands of a privileged few – cannot guarantee a safe, healthy environment, equality, care for those in need, separation of church and state, health care for all regardless of wealth, protection of the innocent: things Canadians have long valued above all else.

Awwww...bye-bye Milo

2012-01-13T08:45:00.000-06:00

gone

Oh well, there's good news

2012-01-13T08:06:00.000-06:00

Superstitious Canadians needn't fear black cats or ladders this Friday the 13th, says an injury expert.

I guess what we should really fear is the ignorance of Canadians who actually need to be told this. Damn!

been sick

2012-01-11T12:35:00.000-06:00

still going through tests, hope to get back to regular blogging soon. This guy is out of control -

Looking to the future

2012-01-01T09:46:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year

Happy Holidays, all

2011-12-24T21:54:00.000-06:00

Fucking heartbreaking.

2011-12-18T09:47:00.001-06:00

Caution: extreme brutality.

Scritp is Arabic, but the horror captured speaks in universal language.

I can’t find words right now for this brutality inEgypt. How many of us, soft as we are, raised in a democratic country, would show such courage if our rights were threatened?

This is why we need to value and guard what we have and give what support we can to those who are offering up their lives for principles we hold dear.

Another word or two on Hitchens

2011-12-17T12:35:00.001-06:00

Love him or hate him, it is impossible to ignore the manner in which he faced his death and the impact that has on people.

He didn't alter his basic views and beliefs on life and death as he faced his own, and he had the courage and commitment to his beliefs to speak openly of what he was dealing with and how he felt about his own end.

That gives strength to his arguments and should silence critics who say there is no such thing as an atheist in a foxhole. But it won't.

What it will do is help more open minded people come to terms with the inevitability of death and how it is a natural part of life. It helps those of us who do not believe in an afterlife prepare with some of our own eventual questions and fears concerning how we will meet our own end.

For this, I am personally grateful to the man. We all die. How we meet that end is something hopefully we can manage and lessen the pain of those we love who are left behind.

Understanding the inevitability of death and seeing someone like Hitchens meet his own with grace and honesty is one of his last gifts to us. He didn't have to be so public. He could have spent his final months privately with those closest to him, but he showed, through his last few months, that despite his abrasiveness, despite his harsh criticisms of our species, his drive was one of caring, not of spite.

One more bit of music, then goodbye. But not forgotten.

Harper says oilsands critics spreading 'misinformation'

2011-12-17T12:18:00.000-06:00

Naw…it’s just free speech, dude.

And you can’t shut these guys up.

(graphic partial)

Harper's comments came in response to a question about Chiquita Brands, which announced Thursday that it would avoid using fuel from Alberta's oilsands. The company, which sells hundreds of millions of dollars of fruit, juice and snacks around the world, said it has joined 13 other companies and one city in trying to reduce its carbon footprint.

I have a sudden craving for bananas. Chiquita, in fact.

“lack of sense of inner self-restraint”

2011-12-17T11:03:00.000-06:00

If you only read one article on Canada today, I hope you read this.

The University of Ottawa's Ralph Heintzman, who created and headed the federal Public Service Office of Values and Ethics, provides an important insight into what’s happening here: There is a “lack of sense of inner self-restraint on the part of the prime minister, a sense that it is some kind of war and therefore anything is legitimate, that it's quite acceptable for a prime minister to lie, for example, about how our parliamentary democracy works.”
Many good, direct, indisputable examples to support Caplan's arguments. Read them for yourself.

Caplan tells us what we face, and why. What we need to add to this is how we can fight this very hostile takeover of our democracy and our identity.

As Caplan, Lawrence, and several other journalists have pointed out recently, the regular systems of keeping such a prime minister and his mouth pieces in check are not only helpless to stop the devastation of Parliament and our institutions, those very systems serve as fodder to promote hate, confusion, and diversion as harper lies about them and re-shapes them into costly or commie gremlins in the minds of the less-than-informed.

If harper and his CONsorts are indeed treating their rule as a war against anything that doesn't promote their narrow ideology and goals (and I have no doubt this is the case), then the rest of Canada - the sane part - had better wake up to the fact that our own government is waging war on us and act accordingly.

I'm not suggesting we break the law. I am saying we need to get far more creative, we need to be far more vocal, and we need to find legal ways of stopping harper's destructive acts and takeovers even if our efforts fail. The efforts themselves will draw attention to the issues and to the fact that in many case, if not most, the majority of Canadians don't approve of his changes to our country and will not sit passively by.

The hell with politeness and verbal restraint. In this, I'm not saying use profanities as a point (although it took one little potty word to finally draw attention publicly to the CON's sick actions and words concerning banning delegates from Durban), but I am saying that any rules - informal or not - of respect for government simply because it is government do not apply. In a state of war, we aren't expected to say please or thank you as our front doors are being kicked in.

But our counter attacks should be fact-based, and I am proud to say that's not a problem for those currently expressing their outrage against this government. Hell, harper gives us enough ammunition without having to invent a thing.

Better networking, coordinated efforts, high profile petitions to the GG, more involvement in well organized groups that offer resistance...what else?

One thing is certain: we can't afford to sit back passively with the excuse that this takeover is just to big to take on. Every voice silenced gives a bigger platform for the hostile CONs and their mindless followers. And dammit, really rip into those who say all political parties are corrupt, so why bother getting involved?

Christopher Hitchens - a life well lived

2011-12-16T04:59:00.001-06:00

Christopher Hitchens

13 April 1949 – 15 December 2011

You will be greatly missed.

Happy Anniversary, harper and CONstones!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-12-10T14:29:00.000-06:00

Five years in a row!

Fucking awesome!

The CONstones...doing their bit on the World Stage™ to drive climate change along.

Tonight's tunes go out to the fine public servants at Environment Canada

2011-12-09T22:26:00.000-06:00

The ones who are doing their job, telling the truth, not bending to political masters:

Canada lacks "credible scientific information" to support its claims that oilsands development is environmentally responsible, putting the industry's economic future in jeopardy, says newly-released briefing material prepared for Environment Minister Peter Kent and senior management in his department.

..."Getting the science right is important," said the Environment Canada document. "We are committed to managing the environment in the oilsands based on science, not politics or PR."

Keep serving the public, folks. Thanks!

Hey MacKay! "It is not a kind of speech that should begin to be chilled at this point."

2011-12-07T19:06:00.000-06:00

Because it could be true. And Van Loan says spreading rumours is “part of normal discourse” and “ is not a kind of speech that should begin to be chilled at this point."

So really, MacKay, check with Van Loan before mouthing off something like this -

“Minister MacKay has had his character and personal reputation attacked,” spokesman Jay Paxton said. “Minister MacKay is looking into legal options against those who have attacked his integrity.”

But posturing and mouthing off is probably all MacKay is doing. You know, that whole wronged thing linked to the tough pseudo stolen military image he’s been trying to adopt. There’s more than enough proof to indicate he has been lying and abusing resources and public funds. Including treating DND like his personal research team.

Oh...and about your integrity, Airshow? No one can attack something that doesn't exist.

A CON broke the law. Imagine that.

2011-12-07T18:22:00.002-06:00

A Federal Court judge has declared that Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz broke the law when he introduced a bill to remove the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly without consulting the CWB or holding a Prairie farm plebiscite on the issue.

So will the law-and-order party abide by the Federal Court’s ruling? Sounds pretty serious. I’d say snubbing your nose at such a declaration would show monumental disregard for the law, wouldn’t you?

"We will be appealing," said Finley. She did say "of course we will abide by the law" but Rae said he didn’t know what that means.

Well, she isn’t the Agriculture Minister, so maybe she got the wrong speaking notes and is really referring to harper’s strict rules surrounding his christmas party. Although it will be a challenge for Finley to be appealing under any circumstances.

Over to Ritz, the Listeriosis Minister -

Ritz confirmed the intention to appeal in a news release saying the Harper government will continue to push forward with its legislation "despite a disappointing ruling" by the Federal Court. "Farmers and our government are disappointed by the court’s decision today," said Ritz. "We will appeal this decision as we are convinced that Parliament has the right to end the single desk monopoly."

Hold on a sec. “Our government?” That would be all MPs, right? All those elected representatives who speak on behalf of their constituents all across Canada? So “our government” includes these guys -

NDP and Liberal MPs say the wheat board is important for keeping prices fair for farmers, and fear large agribusinesses will have an upper hand in dealing with farmers if the wheat board loses its monopoly.

How about farmers?

Wheat producers gave a strong mandate for keeping the single-desk after results for the Canadian Wheat Board Producer Plebiscite were announced .

Oh. So Ritz is...lying? Broke the law and lied?

What did the Federal judge actually say (before we hear a bastardized version from the CONs)? (emphasis mine)

In his ruling Campbell wrote: "Generally speaking, when advancing a significant change to an established management scheme, the failure to provide a meaningful opportunity for dissenting voices to be heard and accommodated forces resort to legal means to have them heard….Had a meaningful consultative process been engage to find a solution which meets the concerns of the majority, the present legal action might not have been necessary."

Oh my...meet concerns of the majority, listen to dissenting voices...that's a tough horse for harper to ride.

Chairman Oberg and director Wells, both of CWB appear Thursday morning before a Senate committee to talk about Bill C-18.

Oberg said the court ruling brings additional impetus for senators to reject the Bill.

Faites vos jeux, mes amis. Harper hates losing and he and his CONsorts have been gunning for the Wheat Board for a long time, but considering the really bad press they’ve all been getting relating to their arrogance and disdain for democratic process, not respecting the Court’s ruling on this would be...bad.

But then, it is stevie, and he seems to think “The State, it is I.” (graphic)

Good for them. No more giving up their autonomy.

2011-12-05T19:42:00.000-06:00

The third-party manager sent by the federal government to handle the desperate housing situation in Attawapiskat in northern Ontario has been asked by the band to leave, CBC News has confirmed.

Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence told CBC News that she had informed the band manager of her decision. "I advised my band manager I don't want them in my community … doesn't work for our community … we should focus on the crisis, not on other things," she said.

Spence is right, of course. The whole third party thing is just another way for the government to dodge accountability for their abysmal treatment of First Nations, and a transparent move toward taking away any self rule Aboriginals have left. Back to the residential school thinking - actually, that attitude never changed. First Nations people are sub-human, child-like, and the Great White Man has to manage everything for them from how they live, how they manage their communities, how they raise their children, and push through the plan they never gave up: full integration until First Nations no longer exist as distinct. Then they can be just another minority to be treated like crap.

Spence should stand her ground, not just for her group, but for Native communities all across Canada. If she gives in, this third party thing will be policy. Third party being someone more concerned with money than with culture, quality of life, the absolute need for self-determination among First Nations in order for them to survive as a people and live with dignity.

How can a non-native, city-dwelling accountant possibly understand what land - not just any land, but land by which Aboriginals mark their distinct band identity - means to the Natives he is sent to "manage?" How can he possibly understand their needs? And what will be taken away from these people if they are told yet again that an outsider is more fit to make such decisions for them than they are?

Marion (the third party accountant) remains in full control the community's funding from Aboriginal Affairs and hopes to work with the community to address urgent needs, the statement added. "It is extremely worrying that the chief and council are not open to outside assistance. Minister Duncan met with Chief Theresa Spence and Grand Chief Stan Louttit and reiterated that our government's priority is to ensure that residents of Attawapiskat have access to safe, warm, and dry shelter."

See the trickery already? "It is extremely worrying that the chief and council are not open to outside assistance." It's not assistance they are not open to, but outright control of their lives. The government and Marion know this, and their twisting of words to smear Natives is proof that they will not treat them with respect or consider their needs as a distinct people.

There is more than a single community at risk, here. This is a stand-off, a line in the sand that if the government is allowed to cross will make the appalling treatment of First Nations even worse. They will lose even who they are.

Yeah? So is Kim Jong Il.

2011-12-05T17:04:00.000-06:00

Harper among the immortals

What a childish narcissist.

Every oncein a while, a mysterious Conservative emails a bunch of people to remind them that Stephen Harper is about to pass another prime minister in the longevity stakes. I got onto the recipient list when Harper passed Alexander Mackenzie in the autumn of 2010. Since then he’s passed Lester Pearson and R.B. Bennett and now he has John Diefenbaker in his sights.

Anonymous email to remind people how super-duper-phenomenal fatso is? How pathetically self-important in that immature Look-at-me! way. PMSHithead just doesn’t feel alive unless people are noticing him, does he?

Now, obviously longevity isn’t a sufficient condition of prime ministerial significance…But it should be clear by now that longevity is a necessary condition for any prime minister who wants to carry weight in the history books. Harper has already had an influence on Canada’s political culture, its foreign policy, on the practice of federalism and the evolution of social policy. Now he can start to make a difference comparable to anything Pearson and Diefenbaker made. If he wants. Harper’s (first?) coveted majority is already seven months old.

Sure, Paul Wells. Because it’s all about steve being noticed. Like Kim Jong Il, like Muammar Gaddafi, like Saddam Hussein, like the fucking Marquis De Sade. Because that’s all we’ll get from a self-obsessed malignant narcissist who refuses to consider anyone’s opinions or expertise than his own, a self-serving power freak who holds onto power by dividing and tearing down anything his paranoid mind thinks is his enemy. And when you are the only creature in the universe who really matters, everyone and everything is a potential enemy. Even your most loyal supporters.

If they were still alive, he could ask Idi Amin, or Pol Pot, or Mussolini. Or any mafia head.

"...it is hypocritical to hold principles and apply them only when convenient."

2011-12-05T15:40:00.000-06:00

That's right. It is.

The quote in the title is from Peter Goldring's website. In that particular post, Goldring expresses his opposition to proposed legislation changes that would allow police to screen all drivers with roadside breathalyzer tests, whether or not officers suspected the drivers had been drinking.

Itis safe to say everyone is opposed to drunk driving – but there are civil liberty issues involved. There is the presumption of innocence and the right to not self incriminate. That may seem odious when we’re talking about a crime such as drunk driving, but it is hypocritical to hold principles and apply them only when convenient.

Yet Peter, being a tough-on-crime CON is a real law-and-order guy, right? He assures us he is (emphasis mine):

Whenthe Conservatives came to power in January of 2006 we committed to change things. In our very first Speech from the Throne we said, "This Government will tackle crime...And we have.

Over the past 5 years we have passed 18 laws (12 Justice, 6 Public Safety) that have toughened the rules and made our communities safer. Now we have tougher laws that crack down on any crimes involving guns, gangs, violent or repeat offenders, sex offenders, impaired driving and car thieves.

Well, maybe not everyone is opposed to drunk driving -

Edmonton East MP Peter Goldring has voluntarily resigned from caucus after being charged with failing to provide a breath sample following a weekend fundraising event.

Without the breath sample, the cops may not be able to prove the guy was over the legal limit - if he was, and I guess that's why he refused. Now he can claim he simply refused on principle, but if that had been the case, why not state so then and there, and why no comment even now?

Sounds like kicking principles to the curb for convenience to me.

Friday night tunes

2011-12-02T22:12:00.001-06:00

Canada: a winner on the World Stage!

2011-12-02T12:31:00.000-06:00

Really, Rest-of-the-planet, this is making us blush. More awards! We’ve been cleaning up yearly on these notable commendations, and we are humbled that you notice our global contributions.

Once more, Canada takes the lead and holds it at the international Climate Talks.

As I write this, Canada has so far earned itself two first place, two second, and one third place medal including an impressive sweep on Day 1 in Durban. Canada is expected to win its 5th consecutive Fossil of the Year.

What made us shine:

1. Canada said it will not entertain a second commitment period for Kyoto and may even formally withdraw from Kyoto, the first country to withdraw.

Outstanding! A precedent setting move! And if Canada withdraws, not only will it be working against global cooperation on climate change, it will no longer have to post its emissions as per the agreement. The CONs can then make up their own stats like they do with crime, the economy, and unemployment.

2. Canada insulted all developing countries with this statement from Kent:

Emerging and developing countries need to stop “wielding the historical guilty card” and asking for a free pass on emissions reductions just because in the past, industrialized countries had more emissions than the rest of the world.

So Kent and CONsorts think it’s just perfectly fine for industrialized countries to damage the entire planet while taking most of the profits. So fine, in fact, that those advantaged countries should not be held accountable for the damage they cause to vulnerable countries.

CONs don’t understand responsibility and accountability as displayed by Kent’s belief that creating an emergency fund for poorer countries devastated by climate change amounts to guilty reaction, not owning up to damages caused by our actions or even shared responsibility for the fate of our species.

3. Kent, displaying an ignorance of sematics: There is an urgency to this. We don’t need a binding convention, what we need is action and a mandate to work on an eventual binding convention.

WTF???!!!

So we don’t need a binding convention, but urgent action is needed to work on a binding convention. Okay.

4. Third place award for blinding ignorance:

“The 'informed' and 'survival-driven' award Canada with a 3rd place Fossil of the Day...Kent stated...that the fossils awarded to Canada this week came from the 'uninformed' and the 'ideologically driven'.

So the Minister of Tar sands who can’t grasp the role the ozone layer plays in absorbing the sun’s damaging rays celebrates his ignorance at a global event.

This pride for being a moron isn’t exclusive to Kent:

Embracing and Praising Failure and Ignorance -

When Canada’s fossils were announced in the House of Commons, a round of applause broke out.

Among the conservatives. Seriously.

Ms. Megan Leslie (Halifax, NDP): I will give the Minister of the Environment kudos for one win that he has had on the environment file. For the third straight day, Canada received a fossil award as the country that has done the most to block progress on climate change.

Some hon. members: Hear, hear! (Applause from the CONsorts)

Ms. Megan Leslie: It is unbelievable that they are applauding that.

Well, not really that unbelievable from a party that elevates ignorance, insults specialists, paints academics as people worthy of derision, and claims Tim Horton “wisdom” is of greater value than any research done by highly trained, impartial scientists and public servants. Not so surprising from a party that has members who think the planet is roughly 6,000 years old.

Hickstead is dead?

2011-11-30T16:26:00.002-06:00

Damn! That horse could nearly fly.

His great heart gave out after completing a round at an international championship on Novemeber 6, 2011. He was 15.

He seemed to be the horse that no one wanted. Undersized, overexcited, too small to excel and too wild to win.

He was an Olympic gold medalist for Canada, a peerless athlete, and at his time of death, the greatest jumper in the world.
And a beauty.

Maybe harper can bring in the troops

2011-11-30T16:06:00.000-06:00

Get a few good photo ops of him in military gear with a cool chopper behind him, trying to look human as he shoves toothpicks in his cheeks to shape a smile at a little Native kid.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan, who announced the measures in question period Wednesday, told the House of Commons that "urgent health and safety issues" in the northern Ontario community needed immediate action. "The Government of Canada has informed the chief that we are placing the community in third-party management to ensure community needs are addressed," Duncan said. "Part of the manager's role will be to administer my department's funding which is normally managed by the First Nation directly."

Harper doesn’t bother to wait for the report he said he’s having done on how money has been spent. Hell no. These are natives. It’s pretty obvious to him they can’t manage their own affairs and the problems with underfunding spending must be due to their mismanagement. That’s why we needed those residential schools he was forced to inspired to apologize for.

And now he’s supposed to build them new schools? Look what happened last time. Ingrates!

Third party management. Guilty without an investigation. Must be their faullt ‘cause it sure as hell can’t be his, right? Forget that the AG said the quality of life on reservations is appalling and care is poorly managed by INAC.

Bad premise on which to begin rectifying the situation at Attawapiskat and other locations. This has simply become another excuse harper will use to cut funding (!!!) And take away what little autonomy First Nations still have.

Duncan and harper’s response to this crisis has been unconscionable. It will not change. It is how the CONs perceive anyone who isn’t them, and First Nations are below the bottom of his scale of who matters, who deserves basic human rights.

They eat their own

2011-11-30T15:44:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, during Oral Questions, a backbencher so inexperienced and pleased at having even a softball question to ask - which he had to read word by stammering word from notes - could not hold back his school yard taunting smile of "look how clever I am" -

(Hansard, November 29, 2011, emphasis mine)

Mr. John Williamson: Mr. Speaker, Canadians gave our government a strong mandate to end the wasteful and ineffective long gun registry once and for all. That is exactly what we are going to do. However, today the members from Western Arctic and Skeena—Bulkley Valley caved to pressure from their big city elite union bosses and showed up at the public safety committee to attempt to gut our legislation. Could the Minister of Public Safety please comment on the action of these two members of Parliament?
The Speaker (Andrew Scheer) : I am afraid that question has nothing to do with the administration of government. We will go on to the hon. member for Vancouver Quadra.

Big city elite union bosses??!!?? Pressuring the NDP on the long gun registry? OKaaayyyy....

Scheer made the right call, and predictably, many members on the opposition side of the room clapped and cheered his decision.

His own party? It doesn't appear in Hansard, but if you watch the video (at around 14:55) you see no one on the CON side is very happy, and you clearly hear: "What happened to you? You used to be one of the good guys!" And seconds later: "Sell-out!" again from the CONs. Harper did no more than look around.

After Scheer smiling through the jeering and cheering on the vote the previous day, and after watching him let "treacherous" slide when applied to NDP MPs, I was surprised he blocked the question. I really hope the our way or the high way attitude of his party's members doesn't guide him on future calls.

He could become a speaker of note if he brings some decorum back to the House and clearly shows impartiality as Speaker, but that's asking a lot from someone who faces cannibals in his own party.

How about we just call it the harper Service of Canada™?

2011-11-28T15:26:00.000-06:00

Why not since: well researched advice by public servants who make recommendations on what’s best for the public are constantly overridden by harper’s political bag boys; public service resources are used forpolitical partisan endeavours; communications to the public are controlledby harper; communications to the public are not intended to inform the public of reality but rather are micro-managed by harper to avoid embarrassing him and his own; non-partisan appointments are becoming obsolete; and, public servants are forced to attend partisan functions for harper’s drones who are friendless...

The master strategist isn’t just redefining Canadian identity, he’s redefining our rights and the accountability of our public service – something created as a non-partisan body to serve us without political interference.

But we’ll leave the word “Canada” in there since Canadians are the ones footing the bill for the harper Service.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say public servants are harper servants...yet. It’ll take a little while – but no as long as one might expect – for the pressure from the harper appointees and those they squeeze near the top to filter down to the bulk of public servants who still believe in their mandates of serving the public honestly and in a non-partisan fashion.

But as harper takes over more control through bullying and ignoring legislation of what is supposed to be an independent body as our service, the very concept of independence will disappear from documents, speeches, communications, internal meetings until public servants forget they were once public servants and go about their jobs believing and never questioning that they are political servants.

And the public? Who will be looking out for us?

No one.

Last week, the Citizen reported DND will spend more than $600 million on preparing the Nortel site to be its main location in Ottawa...on top of the $208 million the government spent to purchase the Carling Avenue campus... the documents show DND officials were worried last year about how the renovation costs would be perceived. “Media, parliamentarians and Canadians will be focused on the cost to taxpayers for the acquisition of the Campus and the subsequent retro-fit costs,” noted a DND strategy document.

Such concerns were solved when Deputy Minister Robert Fonberg stepped in. Fonberg’s assistant wrote that the deputy minister was concerned about telling the public about the cost. According to an email, Fonberg asked, “Why are we using the $623m(illion) fit up cost? It is without context and will be a lightning rod!” The cost was removed from public documents about the Nortel purchase.

Minimizing risk to the Conservative government about issues that might raise questions has become a hallmark of federal communications strategies, say critics.

Fiscally responsible conservatives

2011-11-28T15:02:00.001-06:00

Can someone finally declare that beast mythical? (emphasis mine)

In its first year of power, Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) government increased spending by 6.3 per cent and continued increasing until 2010, when it went down by 1.36 per cent. Between 2006 and 2010, government spending increased by $48-billion, according to the Public Accounts of Canada. In its first year the Conservative government had a $13.8-billion surplus, and in 2010 posted a $33.37-billion deficit. In total, revenues during the same period grew only 0.46 per cent.

In comparison, former prime minister Jean Chrétien’s government from 1994 to 2003 increased spending by 9.8 per cent while revenues grew 46.96 per cent. Mr. Chrétien inherited a $37.47-billion deficit when he took power. In 2003, the government posted a $9-billion surplus.

Under Paul Martin, the government increased spending 10.85 per cent in 2004, but decreased it by 0.49 per cent in 2005 while revenues continued to grow.

Folks – the harperites talk fiscal responsibility. They talk jobs. They talk getting rid of waste and large government. But look at the reality:

Conservative governments have a worse fical record than Liberal governments: they’ve been in deficit 11 out of the 14 years (or 79%) they’ve run the federal government and run deficits averaging 3.3% of the economy, compared to an average of 2.3% for the Liberals, with 8 out of 17 years running balanced budgets.

If you think Occupy folks should be beaten and locked up...

2011-11-27T08:39:00.000-06:00

You have a model. It’s been done before.

By this sandal-wearing hippie, according to what a lot of anti-occupiers believe -

He said such radical, anti-government things like:

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." - Timothy 6:17-19

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. -Matthew 25:41-45

Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” -Matthew 19:21

"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." -Matthew 7:12

Imagine that. Advocating redistribution of wealth and equal treatment. Good thing they killed that radical, eh?

Maybe we can bring in the death penalty for rabble rousers. If it was good enough for Jesus...

The environment isn't a special interest

2011-11-27T08:28:00.000-06:00

Although some people seem to think it is. It's not like hockey, or hunting, or the opera where you can choose whether or not you want it to be part of your life. Unlike skiing, or golf, or the art of origami, you can't just ignore it if you aren't interested and unlike those things, it will have a major impact on your life whether you believe it is worth taking into account or not.

Care of the environment isn't something that can be put on hold like renovating the Parliament buildings or building a hockey rink. We can't keep saying there's no money in our budget to meet the challenges of climate change or protect the ozone layer.

Because it isn't a special interest and because it affects everyone right at the survival level, we can't treat it like a marketable product that needs to compete with other products or interests. It can't be forced to compete with oil profits or political ideologies, but largely, that's what's being done.

This week, knowledge-challenged Kent will be going to Durban to discuss climate change. His plan? Defend Alberta’s oilsands. Not discuss ways we can deal with climate change, but defend one of the very things that aggravates the very serious problem. Our Environment Minister's priority is how to stop environmental protection from interfering expanding oil production. If anyone still has any doubts that the harper government™ is not at all concerned about climate change or any aspects of our environment, this insane plan for the Durban meetings should quell those permanently.

As harper tries to keep some distance from the crazy Levant, his party has picked up on the term "ethical oil" although Kent thinks we are all as stupid as him and says the term "came from somewhere in (his) unconsciousness" before he ever heard of it in connection to Ezra. Right. Sure.

So Kent is going to use that dishonest argument at a climate change summit to attempt to convince countries that recognize the necessity of actually having an environment that can sustain us that increasing production of Canadian oil will somehow benefit burka shrouded women in the Middle East.

These aren't a bunch of distracted Canadian voters he'll be addressing. He can't count on their ignorance of science, social issues, and the harsh realities of climate change lapping up at shores across the globe, causing droughts and famines, drying up rivers reliant on ice caps.

Besides embarrassing Canadians by his small town, small minded politics, he will not likely meet with much success -

(N)egotiating climate change agreements in South Africa by bringing up the ethics of Canada’s oil may not be the firmest ground for Canada’s government delegations...

“The ethical oil sort of messaging has certainly been popping up. It certainly wouldn’t have been around three or four years ago,” Matt Horne says. But in Europe, as focus turns to curbing the production of carbon-intensive fuels, “it doesn’t seem to be a dominant part in that debate. They’re much more focused on the environmental implications of different sources of oil.”

“The fact that we have a stable democratic system is good, that’s not an excuse not to move forward on environmental considerations as well, though. It certainly wouldn’t surprise me if it’s raised by some, but I don’t think that will satisfy the many people who are rightly looking at the environmental concerns as well.”

Like Baird before him, on harper's orders, Kent will do what he can to slow progress on climate talks. I think that rather than gaining any points for Canada, he will return with our image even more tarnished and put us at a disadvantage when invitations are issued for tight groups intent on making real change happen. We'll be the country listed on their agendas as problematic.

More muzzling?

2011-11-23T09:07:00.001-06:00

The harper government™ has released, through Treasury Board, rules for public servants on use of social media.

"We’re basically saying it’s ok to dialogue with the public, it’s ok to open up government information, it’s ok to be more productive by sharing information, but there is a framework you are going to have to develop." - clement

But open government advocate David Eaves said the rules don’t jibe with Clement’s message about improving the flow of information. "This entire document is about improving the control of information," he said.

But while the rules may help persuade managers to let their employees go online, fear of running afoul of policy will make people’s lives more difficult, Eaves said.

Eaves says the new rules will slow communications to a crawl as departments struggle to make sure any messages distributed via the Net will be subject to far too much scrutiny.

Communications

1. Verify that the planned Web 2.0 initiative is congruent with Government of Canada themes and messages, as well as departmental communications' and consultations' objectives and requirements. Privy Council Office should be engaged early in the process to ensure alignment of Web 2.0 activities with Government of Canada communication and consultation priorities;

As this applies, I believe, to all government departments and agencies, this gives harper that foot into controlling independent agencies’ communications products, something he has been trying to do for some time. PCO takes an oversight position, here.

Another area of concern is how the new rules address public servants’ private use of social media.

For Professional Networking & Personal Use:

Your obligations as outlined in the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service apply at all times, particularly if your employer could be identified through your use of Web 2.0 tools and services.

Simply put, anytime public servants express themselves publicly, they must make it very clear they are speaking as a private citizen, and not on behalf of their department. However, perception is recognized as playing a part, so even a disclaimer does not protect public servants from speaking if it comes out that they are public servants. That’s problematic since it would only take exposing the person’s identity and job to give an abusive government an excuse to shut down public servants who are occasionally critical of the elected government.

By virtue of your employment, information shared through Web 2.0 tools and services may be perceived as an official Government of Canada position rather than your own opinion. You should therefore clearly state in your account profile that the views expressed are your own and not those of your employer. However, it is important to note that such a disclaimer does not absolve you of your obligations as a public servant, including your duty of loyalty to the Government of Canada… An employee's public commentary (including online activity on blogs and other social media platforms) about an organization, including its minister, is subject to scrutiny under the duty of loyalty requirement.

What are the boundaries of duty and loyalty? Will public servants be willing to test these under a government that treats any kind of dissent as criminal? Will they have to be concerned about being spied upon? Are they now more apprehensive over the changes to online surveillance Toews wants to implement?

Will public servants place their loyalty to serving the public before heavy-handed policies passed down by a secretive, repressive government? Is not the first loyalty of public servants to the public?

Only publicly available information may be shared externally, unless you are specifically authorized otherwise. Always check permissions required to reproduce or distribute any information, including Government of Canada content such as illustrations, photographs, videos, audio, logos, trade-marks or wordmarks.

There’s a troubling contradiction there. While publicly available info can be shared, that right can be over-run by…who? A Minister? A Deputy Head? A manager? On what basis? Already, this latest set of rules contrains public servants from using the same resources as any other private citizen.

“Duty of loyalty to the Government of Canada” comes up several times in the rules and seems to override the public servants’ rights as private citizens to express opinions or criticize.

Fulfillment of these obligations is expected at all times as follows:

Public servants owe a duty of loyalty to the Government of Canada;
Do no harm to the reputation of your employer;

But what if your employer is acting inappropriately and this has become information available to anyone, such as the case of Clement and the G-20 funds, or political aides interfering with ATIP requests, or the AG reports that expose lack of transparency and waste of funds? Would criticizing Clement’s actions and lack of accountability be considered a violation of the rules if the public servant posting as a private citizen works for TBS?

There is a single line that offers public servants some small protection against abuse of power by political bosses -

· public servants shall loyally implement ministerial decisions, lawfully taken.

However, that statement is immediately followed by more reinforcement of “duty of loyalty.”

In In Canada's system of parliamentary democracy, public servants owe a duty of loyalty to their employer, the Government of Canada. This includes refraining from any activity that could compromise the efforts of Government organizations to deliver on their mandate.

Eaves is right. These new rules are more to control communications than encourage them, and this extends even to a public servant’s right to express themselves as private citizens.

Fox News: dumb and unbalanced

2011-11-22T16:16:00.000-06:00

Fox News viewers in the U.S. are less informed than those who watch nothing at all, a Fairleigh Dickinson University poll says.

Too bad they'll never hear about it.

"...a very dangerous precedent"

2011-11-22T15:57:00.000-06:00

Yes, making things disappear because we don't want people finding shit out is pretty dangerous. We should know that.

Eventually, people make a party out of embracing ignorance and destroying information. Children begin to view any kind of information - except that approved by The Party - as corrupting. Damn academics, statisticians, scientists! Pretentious types, elitists, the whole lot, bunch of ~~latte drinking~~ commies...

Ignorant people are easier to control. Lack of resources to research policy lets The Party make up their own pseudo-facts and figures.

The federal bill introduced last month would halt registration of long guns and permanently delete more than seven million files on gun ownership. It would override provisions of the Library and Archives of Canada Act and the Privacy Act to allow for destruction of the records.

The Association of Canadian Archivists recently wrote to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, arguing that destroying records for "political expediency" and ignoring existing legislation "sets a very dangerous precedent for future legislation and record-keeping practices."

"He who controls the present, controls the past. He who controls the past, controls the future."
- Orwell

Another stupid argument people use to justify scrapping the long gun registry

2011-11-22T15:43:00.001-06:00

The Conservative government says there is no evidence the registry has saved a single life.

Well, even with a reality-challenged bunch like the CONs, this should be seen as a ridiculous statement. If cops get a call concerning domestic abuse, use the registry to see what firearms might be in the house, take precautions accordingly, and resolve the situation without anyone blowing anyone else’s brains out, the police report isn’t likely to state that the gun registry saved lives. But it may well have.

If a stolen firearm used in a crime is traced to its original owner through the registry, the cops could learn that other firearms may also be in the suspect’s possession so when the cops go to arrest the criminal, they know to prepare themselves for more than one loaded rifle. The cops seize the rifles, taking them away from a criminal who might have gun-happy buddies, and no one gets their head blown off by those long guns. Again, the police report doesn’t say the registry saved lives, but it well may have.

The registry allows cops to have a better idea what they are facing when they get a call, and it allows them to remove long guns from people who should not have them. Hard concept to follow, I know, but if you know there’s a loaded rifle in the hands of a disturbed person, you have a better chance of diffusing the situation without someone getting killed. If you take long guns out of circulation when they end up in the hands of criminals, those rifles can’t be used to kill anyone.

Fuck! That’s a hell of a lot easier to understand than the ozone layer.

Word of the week

2011-11-18T19:11:00.002-06:00

Bull-shit.

2011-11-18T16:47:00.000-06:00

The Liberal party is dead and the “natural governing party” title now belongs to Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservatives, author Peter C. Newman has proclaimed in his new book.

Really? With 36% support of voters, roughly, I’d hardly call harper’s CONs the ruling party. Considering the massive world-wide economic and social upheavals, I expect that support will drop before the next election. Harper is constantly shifting his platform, sometimes running contradictory ones at the same time in an attempt to please Westerners and Easterners. His core base hasn’t increased, and there is even some dissent there as they grow impatient that he is not giving them extremist right wing paradise now that he has a majority.

Harper is unable to realistically consider or predict how the rest of the world affects Canada, and he is not skilled at international politics resulting in our country losing credibility on several fronts.
Our own economy is not terribly healthy and things are going to get worse. So far, harper has failed to improve our situation and his planning on economic issues is short sighted and insular.

“If you had the chance to relaunch the Liberal party today, would you? The answer has to be a resounding ‘No!’ because there no longer seems to be a need for one.”

Oh? Do the Liberals know this? Maybe Newman can interrupt them as they re-launch to let them know that they would never think of it.

Perhaps Newman should have waited a little longer and widened his research before writing the final draft of his book -

His new book, When the Gods Changed, charts the decline — largely as it occurred in the past few years under Ignatieff’s leadership. Ignatieff resigned in May, immediately after the party was reduced to 34 seats in the federal election.
Ignatieff was a bad choice for leader. The Liberal party was torn and hadn’t yet accepted the reality that it needed to really examine itself and change to meet the new realities of our world and our country. Being knocked to third place for the first time ever has shaken them up and they know that whatever shape they take next has to be radically different, offering something the other two parties don’t. There is still the need for a centrist party that recognizes there needs to be compromise in a country as diverse as Canada. As Rae said - the Conservatives and the NDP are guilty of populist pandering to their core constituencies. “The trouble with the populist narrative, whether of the left or the right, is its essential dishonesty,” Mr. Rae maintains, “as if a simple bumper sticker ‘tax the rich’ or ‘tough on crime’ is really going to provide answers to the real issues we face as a country.”

And talk not from the Liberals of protecting the power of the middle class, a change in how they deal with harper’s contempt of Parliamentary procedure, more pro-active moves rather than reactive. And within the party, a real determination to shape itself according to what’s best for Canadians rather than attempt to shape Canadians into what they think we should be – like harper is trying to do by re-writing history, changing national symbols, and endless sloganeering.

I really hope Newman lives long enough to see the Liberal party after it is launched and well under way.

What's the difference between Rob-fucking-ford and Pat-this-is-a-fucking-disgrace-martin?

2011-11-18T16:11:00.001-06:00

One swore because he was angry that he couldn't immediately show utter contempt and disregard for voters by abusing the power of his elected position.

The other one swore because he was angry that elected MPs showed utter contempt and disregard for voters by abusing the power of their elected positions.

Is harperland crumbling?

2011-11-17T15:33:00.000-06:00

It has been eroding for years. As harper tries to expand support for his party by building on his base, he compromises, makes empty promises, lies, defies Parliament, insults one group to please another, and engages in nasty attacks that eventually turn people away. So what he has added on is not held together solidly.

This could go on for quite awhile if all he had to do was shift support from here to there and back again, but it’s what he can’t control that will make the whole structure crumble. And what he can’t control – outside forces such as international politics, economics, and social forces – hit his weak spot.

In 2006, US ambassador Wilkins wrote “unlike Martin, Harper has very little foreign experience; he will tend to focus, at least initially, on bilateral issues closer to home…” While harper has gained some international experience, he has never seemed to grasp the importance of understanding and considering the ever changing international dynamics, forces, and environments.

These forces pound relentlessly and unapologetically on Canadian politics, social issues, and economics. To ignore them, to fail to project their impact or consider them when making decision for Canada and for political gain is suicide. No amount of muzzling, bullying, re-writing history, slogan spouting, or bribing will hold harper’s shaky structure together.

I believe it is beginning to crumble, and fast. There are many reasons for this from arrogance leading to stupid comments to the far more serious impact of the rest of the world scrambling to cope with the latest economic storm. Suddenly, harper finds himself facing countries with seasoned leaders who understand international diplomacy and politics and he is not invited to join some of the major powers as they re-align themselves according to shifting power dynamics.

Asia-Pacific interests? What? That one caught harper off-guard because he has great difficulty seeing beyond his preconceived ideas and earlier dictates from the US. Now he wants in, hoping to grasp some little crumb as Obama looks to American interests regardless of the impact on Canada.

With harper’s abysmal performance on climate change including actively blocking progress at international summits, it isn’t likely he’s a favourite among Asia-Pacific countries which are among the ones hardesthit by warming.

In additional to Canada’s declining credibility and influence internationally, what goes on in the rest of the world has another serious impact on harper’s hold on power: he cannot muzzle international press, and he can’t stop politicians and influential people from other countries from speaking. With international news a few keyboard strokes away, harper cannot control everything Canadians read and hear. The insanity of pushing the F-35 is a good example. It is impossible for harper to keep assuring Canadians that the jets are problem-free, affordable, even necessary.

The Occupy movement is coming at a very bad time for harper as well and is something else he can’t control or muzzle since it is international and boost the movement here at home.

What I see as signs of crumbling are more and more leaks from public servants who are frustrated at not being able to serve the public without partisan interference and threats from the harper government, more and more public screw-ups by his own members – showing control is slipping, an increase in sudden changes and flip-flops (watch for the cancellation or shelving of the F-35 as harper now blames the Liberals for opening the competition), more finger pointing directed at major world powers such as the US and European countries.

I could be wrong, but I really don’t think harper and his party can hold up against the rapidly changing international environments.

Really? That's a vampire?

2011-11-16T16:07:00.000-06:00

Come on!

This guy would kick his ass and take out all his teeth just on principle

That's a vampire.

Wow. This is how it's supposed to be done.

2011-11-16T15:51:00.000-06:00

Nice move on the part of the Liberals. Instead of just raising points in the House which is pretty ineffective, ex-Justice Minister as well as lawyer has been having discussions with Quebec's justice minister, Jean-Marc Fournier concerning the omnibus crime Bill. Quebec has objected to several sections of the Bill.

Not only does this move show support for Quebec, it offers a great opportunity to clarify Liberal objections to parts of the Bill, something difficult to do in the House where scripted CON notes make true debate impossible. How can anyone seriously respond to charges that debating any section of the Bill means you are soft on crime, love criminals, or don"t care about victims of crime?

The Liberals are also showing that they can work with provinces and recognize how federal Bills can impact upon each one. Shows respect and an understanding of provincial issues, contrasting starkly with Nicholson's failure to meet with Fournier despite requests.

Cotler plans to take several of Fournier's amendments to the justice committee's review of the Bill.

Quebec Conservative Senator Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu accused Fournier and the Quebec government of being "soft on crime", something Rae dismissed as "ridiculous."

It's not about being hard or soft on crime, it's about being smart on crime, Rae suggested in French.

Good. Needs to be said over and over and over. Pro-active Liberals...about damn time.

Are the CON-bots broken?

2011-11-16T15:28:00.001-06:00

Nope. It's an article with "Clement" and "transparency" in the title. Comments: 136. Not a one praising or defending harper or gazebo.

"Clement seeks ‘culture change’ on government transparency"

...Mr. Clement acknowledges the criticisms directed at his government when it comes to openness, but says he hopes Wednesday's announcement will serve as a signal to all government officials that the Conservatives are serious about a “culture change” in favour of transparency.

OK, so government officials need to know that the CONs are serious and we the public are being told this as well, so next time a Parliamentary aide oversteps and blocks an ATIP request, or a Minister interferes or flat out refuses to provide information, if it can't be blamed on the public servants, the CONs can get Poilievre to not-respond to questions on his party's lack of transparency by blathering on about this particular move.

That's like a driver up on charges for a hit and run DUI saying, "but Your Honour, I constantly lecture my neighbours on safe driving and I don't understand why the prosecutor doesn't do the same."

Seriously harper...give it up

2011-11-16T14:59:00.000-06:00

Several clichés come to mind concerning the ridiculous efforts by harper & co. to justify and defend F-35 plans: not a leg to stand on; on shaky ground; ill advised; the wheels have fallen off the wagon; that dog won’t hunt...

But Fantino came up with the perfect word (emphasis mine) -

"We will purchase the F-35," Fantino asserted. "We're on record. We're part of the crusade. We're not backing down."

Crusade:
1. often Crusade Any of the military expeditions undertaken by European Christians in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries to recover the Holy Land from the Muslims.
2. A holy war undertaken with papal sanction.
3. A vigorous concerted movement for a cause or against an abuse.

Uh-huh....that’s how I want my government to decide how it’s going to spend billions of dollars and make decisions on military spending. Sure. And I really want those decisions to be mindlessly inflexible as well. I mean, we’re on a crusade, after all. Don’t question, just do it and never, ever back down. Even if all evidence says you should -

If Washington pulls the plug on its own F-35 plans, it is unclear what will happen to the development timeline for the planes that Canada wants to replace its aging fleet of CF-18 Hornets...Original estimates suggested each plane would cost about $75 million. However, the parliamentary budget officer has suggested the price tag could double, and a report from the Pentagon earlier this year indicated that unforeseen production costs will likely push up the plane's price tag to an unknown sum.

and

Adam Chapnick, a defence studies professor at the Royal Military College of Canada, said a U.S. decision not to go ahead with the F-35 purchase would have a significant impact on Canada.
“The cost would increase dramatically,” he said. “If the United States wasn’t going to use the F-35, then it wouldn’t make as much sense for us to, because part of our goal is to be inter-operable with the United States. So if there’s nothing to be interoperable with, there’s much less incentive to go ahead.”

Maybe the stupidity of the talking points arguments is deliberate. Really, when you hear something like this despite all logic -

Fantino: “The only crusade is the crusade to malign a very important asset for our young men and women who actually use the equipment, and also to maintain our Canadian sovereignty as well as creating jobs. The member opposite is stuck in a time warp of useless rhetoric, misinformation and misrepresentation about the benefits to Canada of the F-35 program.”

- don’t you just want to shake your head and walk away from debate because you just can’t find simple enough terms to explain reality to a party that is so obtuse?