Thursday, December 31, 2009
Steve wants to focus on the Olympics?
Sure. I'll help. I'll post everyone of his damn photo ops, and his lackeys'.
As people struggle financially after Christmas and worry how they'll get through the year, they can see our politicians hard at work. Enjoying the Olympics. With tickets most of us can't afford. With paid time off that few of us have.
And all on our dollar.
Take lots and lots of pics, Steve.
As people struggle financially after Christmas and worry how they'll get through the year, they can see our politicians hard at work. Enjoying the Olympics. With tickets most of us can't afford. With paid time off that few of us have.
And all on our dollar.
Condolences to friends and family
Sgt. George Miok
Cpl. Zachery McCormack
Sgt. Kirk Taylor
Pte. Garrett Chidley
Michelle Lang, Journalist
Our hearts are heavy.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Right-wing fantasy come true?
The slavering, blood-thirsty KKKate Mcmillan followers must be celebrating tonight.
(Dec. 22, 2009)
I wish I'd bought the T-shirt: "Journalist. Rope. Tree. Some assembly required." - Jim
Well darn. I thought I was linking to a story about something bad happening.
What's that old saying..I'd rather have a mother as a whore then a journalist? - Justthinkin
I've said for years the only way to save the US is to hang all of the media first. Looks like my views aren't so out of the main stream. - paulcr49
You bastards wished for this.
Condolences to Ms. Lang's family and friends, and those of the as yet unnamed soldiers.
(Dec. 22, 2009)
I wish I'd bought the T-shirt: "Journalist. Rope. Tree. Some assembly required." - Jim
Well darn. I thought I was linking to a story about something bad happening.
What's that old saying..I'd rather have a mother as a whore then a journalist? - Justthinkin
I've said for years the only way to save the US is to hang all of the media first. Looks like my views aren't so out of the main stream. - paulcr49
You bastards wished for this.
Five Canadians were killed in Afghanistan on Wednesday — four soldiers and a Calgary reporter. The journalist was identified as Michelle Lang, who worked for the Calgary Herald.
Lang, who was 34, grew up in Vancouver and was a well-respected health reporter for the Herald, winning a National Newspaper Award in 2008 for best beat reporting. She had also worked in Regina and Moose Jaw.
Condolences to Ms. Lang's family and friends, and those of the as yet unnamed soldiers.
Harper says: Let me be clear -
Saturday, December 26, 2009
How to gut your own argument, Christian style.
Use science and history to make it sound like your point has validity, then completely contradict yourself.
Let Charles Moore show you how it's done:
It might surprise some non-Christians to learn that Christmas as we know it wasn't always universally revered among devout Christians. It wasn't celebrated at all by the very early Church. Birthday observances in general were shunned as trappings of paganism.
Actually, Mr. Moore, most of us non-Christians do know that Christianity simply ripped of an assortment of rituals from other superstitious beliefs to rally Christians to their newer, more expensive, just as ridiculous seasonal cluster-fuck of magical items and supernatural icons. I think it's more likely Christians who would be surprised to learn that very thing, since they think Christmas is a shiny, new celebration that no other religion had previously practiced under some other name.
Moore goes on to describe in a fair bit of detail how the Christian celebration of Christmas committed these thefts, who they stole from, and why. Pretty accurate, historically. Good so far.
Then he tries to make his point, which he fails to realize he has already defeated:
However, it is still the one time of year that Jesus Christ is thought and spoken of in somewhat reverential tones in popular culture, and that base is something devout Christians ought to build on, not retreat from.
...More than any other time of year, Christian images, language and principles achieve some serious traction in the public square at Christmastime, despite radical secular separationist attempts to eliminate them.
Christians: reclaim your holiday; and a Merry Christmas to all!
But Moore, didn’t you just tell us that nearly everything attributed to how Christians celebrate Christmas is stolen, or made up by conquerors wishing to keep a hold on the damn pagans, and in fact based on much older superstitious beliefs centered around that particular date?
Let Charles Moore show you how it's done:
It might surprise some non-Christians to learn that Christmas as we know it wasn't always universally revered among devout Christians. It wasn't celebrated at all by the very early Church. Birthday observances in general were shunned as trappings of paganism.
Actually, Mr. Moore, most of us non-Christians do know that Christianity simply ripped of an assortment of rituals from other superstitious beliefs to rally Christians to their newer, more expensive, just as ridiculous seasonal cluster-fuck of magical items and supernatural icons. I think it's more likely Christians who would be surprised to learn that very thing, since they think Christmas is a shiny, new celebration that no other religion had previously practiced under some other name.
Moore goes on to describe in a fair bit of detail how the Christian celebration of Christmas committed these thefts, who they stole from, and why. Pretty accurate, historically. Good so far.
Then he tries to make his point, which he fails to realize he has already defeated:
However, it is still the one time of year that Jesus Christ is thought and spoken of in somewhat reverential tones in popular culture, and that base is something devout Christians ought to build on, not retreat from.
...More than any other time of year, Christian images, language and principles achieve some serious traction in the public square at Christmastime, despite radical secular separationist attempts to eliminate them.
Christians: reclaim your holiday; and a Merry Christmas to all!
But Moore, didn’t you just tell us that nearly everything attributed to how Christians celebrate Christmas is stolen, or made up by conquerors wishing to keep a hold on the damn pagans, and in fact based on much older superstitious beliefs centered around that particular date?
Post-Christmas trivial pursuit question
The Canadian military is looking for savings of more than $190 million by March to help pay for the Harper government's defence strategy...Steve Staples, president of the Rideau Institute in Ottawa, said the Defence Department is in a better position than other departments to weather the expected cuts to the federal government's planned disbursement. He said social, health and arts spending likely will be hit hardest as the Conservatives tighten budgets.
Don’t be too concerned for the military as it faces cuts in training for its reserve forces, fundiing for infrastructure maintenance and repairs, and a scale back on flying time for airforce personnel:
The Canadian Forces is not calling the reductions a "cutback." Officers instead refer to them as "adjustments" as the money saved is being redirected toward the priorities of the Canada First defence strategy.
Right. And Pete MacKay doesn’t lie, he just mis-speaks.
Harper gets high praise from convict
The great stars of Copenhagen were the Chinese and the Canadians...All Canadians should be proud of Stephen Harper. Of all the leaders of serious countries, he is the most conspicuously skeptical of this great eco-scam. This is Canada's finest foreign policy hour since Mackenzie King supported Charles de Gaulle's takeover of St. Pierre and Miquelon from Vichy at Christmas 1941, against the mindless opposition of the U.S. state department. - Conrad Black
mhmm...the great stars. Well of course, that's pretty obvious from all the comments of the common folk and unwashed masses from all around the world.
Conrad the Con offers us a seasonal gift by imparting some of his lofty wisdom to the peasantry:
A s we say farewell to this rather dismal decade, which opened with Millennial celebrations of a New World Order and The End of History, and has been thoroughly disfigured by terrorism, economic stupidity, inept political leadership and untrammeled vulgarity of public tastes.
He should know about vulgarity.
mhmm...the great stars. Well of course, that's pretty obvious from all the comments of the common folk and unwashed masses from all around the world.
Conrad the Con offers us a seasonal gift by imparting some of his lofty wisdom to the peasantry:
A s we say farewell to this rather dismal decade, which opened with Millennial celebrations of a New World Order and The End of History, and has been thoroughly disfigured by terrorism, economic stupidity, inept political leadership and untrammeled vulgarity of public tastes.
He should know about vulgarity.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Merry Christmas, Harper
Another link for your all about Steve, all the time sites.
An international award...this will be viewed all around the world. Beats the hell out of that piano playin’ vid!
An international award...this will be viewed all around the world. Beats the hell out of that piano playin’ vid!
The evil leprechaun sends Christmas cheer
Wednesday, this news:
Ottawa plans to shrink the public service and usher in a new era of smaller government in its bid to return to balanced budgets.
.
Is anyone surprised? Harper has made no secret of his dislike of the public service and his desire to greatly limit it. Privatization benefits his biggest financial backers. So Steve, as several people predicted, is using the economic crisis to hack and slash away at what he cannot control directly.
Flaherty says there will be no actual cuts, just reduction through attrition, meaning as people quit, they will not be replaced. Nice try, Jimbo, but we are not talking individuals, rather jobs, as in positions. If the ones leaving aren’t replaced, then the position no longer exists, which means fewer jobs available to Canadians.
Those are jobs cuts.
Harper & Co. Claim the stimulus money (much of which they can’t account for) was to give a boost to our ailing economy primarily by creating more jobs. So how does cutting jobs create more jobs? Sure, the money saved from cutting public service jobs could be used to create private sector jobs, but since the government still cannot say how many jobs were created with stimulus funds, we cannot be certain that will happen.
Flaherty talks about not replacing the baby-boomers as they retire. What he doesn’t tell you is that through attrition, other positions also will likely be canceled since many government workers are term employees which means they are not permanent, and their term needs to be renewed upon approval. Not renewing these term positions is another way of getting rid of government jobs without actually laying someone off. Again, however, fewer jobs exist by doing this, and more people are out on the streets competing for the increasingly scarce jobs.
That is just the job issue.
What does reducing the number of public servants do to services to the public?
“I hope (Flaherty) realizes that when you cut public servants, you cut public service,” said Gary Corbett, the president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada. Mr. Corbett said cutting public-service jobs means cutting back on important jobs like food safety inspectors and scientific research.
That’s right. Pretty damn obvious. It also means longer wait lines for the public using federal agencies, higher expense to the public as expensive contracts will have to fill in for the lack of specialized staff (remember Jimbo’s very expensive budget speech?), fewer satellite offices, thus limiting access to many Canadians...to name but a few consequences.
This letter to the G&M editor makes clear little will be saved, and costs will be incurred:
So Finance Minister Jim Flaherty says Ottawa will save as public servants retire and the federal work force shrinks...Well, unless the work done by those retiring and/or not being replaced was meaningless or no longer needed, then the burden of providing their services will just shift to other governments, charities or the private sector. Accordingly, society as a whole won't see a reduction in costs, merely a spreading of cost centres. The federal government will be the only one to "save" money, as it not only becomes leaner but also meaner. - Ronald G. Rowswell
In addition, once targeted for cuts, it will be tempting, especially for Harper who has little use for the public service - except to use it’s employees as scapegoats - to keep cutting.
The concern expressed by the deputy ministers and others is that the government's revenues have fallen so steeply that Mr. Flaherty simply will not be able to find enough savings to wipe out the deficit. They argue that even when economic growth returns to normal, the Conservatives' two point GST cut has left Ottawa with a continuing deficit.
Public-service unions are already bracing themselves. After years of so-called strategic reviews, where various departments are asked to cut five per cent of their program spending, they say there is little meat left on the bone.
Public services should be reviewed regularly for quality and efficiency. There are things that should be cut, no doubt, but the cuts should not bis e for short term gains, and they should be for the benefit of all Canadians, not for certain politicians, nor for private industry.
Harper has already made some head-spinning, ultra-partisan cuts to federal agencies in order to forward his political goals and in an attempt to re-create Canada and Canadians in his image. Status of Women’s altered mandate and funding attempts to convince Canadians that gee, women are already equal, so no need for funding; Heritage Canada listens to Harper saying average Canadians don’t care about the arts, so why fund them?; public oversight agencies? Waste of money:
Three essential oversight agencies will begin 2010 without leadership and wearing government-issued blinkers. By hook and crook, Harper Conservatives have gutted the effectiveness of the Military Complaints Commission, the Commission for Public Complaints against the RCMP and the Office of the Information Commissioner.
PM Martin made some deep cuts in order to get us out of the deficit Mulroney left us in. It worked, it was needed, but his cuts were not selected or driven by party politics. No such impartiality is being shown by Steve and lackeys. Everything he does is to gain political advantage - buying support, silencing opposition.
Politics is, of course, prone to hyperbole. But it's also true that the broad public interest is too often a casualty in the constant fight to gain narrow partisan advantage.
I’d say that defines the actions of our current government.
Monday, December 21, 2009
This is the song that never ends...
The CONs have repeatedly stated - with no little indignation - that they never, ever received direct warnings about the torture of detainees.
It seems they...lied. Yes, folks, and we have names. MacKay, O’Connor, and Day.
Harper and Co., you can prorogue but you cannot hide.
It seems they...lied. Yes, folks, and we have names. MacKay, O’Connor, and Day.
Three federal cabinet ministers and a senior government official met the head of the International Red Cross in the fall of 2006 as the humanitarian organization tried to focus Canada's attention on alleged abuses in Afghan prisons, The Canadian Press has learned.
...While the details of the meeting are secret, enough was said about Afghanistan to generate a report from MacKay's office a month later which flagged the Red Cross president's concerns.
The contents of the report, one of thousands of documents filed in the Military Police Complaints Commission investigation of torture allegations, are censored. The email was titled: Re: meeting with ICRC president re detention issues.
Harper and Co., you can prorogue but you cannot hide.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
so far from home
There’s an obscure movie called Nomads. The story line is that an anthropologist, played by Pierce Brosnan accidentally discovers the existence of nomadic evil spirits who then pursue him.
At one point, Brosnan is standing against a railing with his wife, high up and overlooking a city. He says to her in a achingly lonely tone, ``We are so far from home.``
It`s a haunting line, expressing as it is spoken while he overlooks the anonymous modern city how far we have wandered from our own humanity and have become lost in this world we have constructed. We have forgotten who we are.
That line comes to me often lately as I look at how we spin toward our own destruction, rarely pausing to assess how the changes we make socially and politically will affect us. We see the shiny thing dangling in front of us, and we run for it, letting marketing experts and politicians and religious leaders convince us that we need it.
It`s Saturday night, and we are so far from home.
At one point, Brosnan is standing against a railing with his wife, high up and overlooking a city. He says to her in a achingly lonely tone, ``We are so far from home.``
It`s a haunting line, expressing as it is spoken while he overlooks the anonymous modern city how far we have wandered from our own humanity and have become lost in this world we have constructed. We have forgotten who we are.
That line comes to me often lately as I look at how we spin toward our own destruction, rarely pausing to assess how the changes we make socially and politically will affect us. We see the shiny thing dangling in front of us, and we run for it, letting marketing experts and politicians and religious leaders convince us that we need it.
It`s Saturday night, and we are so far from home.
Monster of the Week: Jason Kenney
Slime Minion of the Week goes to Bev Oda, who could not match her message to Kenney`s but still helped cancel that aid.
Harper says fuck you to foreign aid recipients
They don`t vote for him anyway, so what the hell.
Bad enough when you publicly accuse someone of being anti-Semitic in public. Even worse when that affects a group`s funding and ability to perform, labeling them in the eyes of the world.
The United Church of Canada and other Canadian churches are demanding Prime Minister Stephen Harper explain why one of his cabinet ministers accused them of being anti-Semitic.
The United, Catholic and Anglican churches are part of KAIROS, an aid group that was shocked to hear Immigration Minister Jason Kenney say its funding was lifted as part of the Conservatives' effort to cut off anti-Semitic organizations.
Shocked doesn`t cover it. Labeling them as an anti-Semitic organization? That's lawsuit territory, CONs.
Who are these racists, these anti-Semites?
Besides the United and Anglican churches, Toronto-based KAIROS's members include the Presbyterian Church in Canada, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Mennonite Central Committee - Canada. Working with 21 partner organizations around the world, KAIROS sponsors projects promoting social and economic justice in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
KAIROS is committed to relieve suffering across the planet, regardless of creed or colour. Because they made some statements opposing the CON support of countries engaging in human rights violations (mining) and because they expressed concern over some of the actions committed by the Israeli army, and because they spoke out about the destruction caused by oilsands development, they have become yet another group on the growing list of people and agencies targeted by Harper`s campaign to silence anyone who does not promote his narrow ideology and personal, political goals.
The cost of allowing this war on anything but Harper to continue is high.
Gerry Barr, president of the Canadian Council for International Co-operation, said Kenney's remarks have compromised the integrity of the Canadian International Development Agency's entire foreign aid funding operation.
"There needs to be a larger discussion about CIDA's decision-making than merely what's happened to KAIROS, but KAIROS would be the classic example," said the Liberals' John McKay. Based on KAIROS's experience, McKay said, a non-governmental organization "could be absolutely welded to the 'priorities' of the government as stated by Minister Oda, but if you fall outside of the government's particular dictum of political correctness, you're toast."
So it`s fuck you to people in desperate need of help if anyone connected to that aid dares to tell the truth about Harper`s human rights violations.
Bad enough when you publicly accuse someone of being anti-Semitic in public. Even worse when that affects a group`s funding and ability to perform, labeling them in the eyes of the world.
The United Church of Canada and other Canadian churches are demanding Prime Minister Stephen Harper explain why one of his cabinet ministers accused them of being anti-Semitic.
The United, Catholic and Anglican churches are part of KAIROS, an aid group that was shocked to hear Immigration Minister Jason Kenney say its funding was lifted as part of the Conservatives' effort to cut off anti-Semitic organizations.
Shocked doesn`t cover it. Labeling them as an anti-Semitic organization? That's lawsuit territory, CONs.
Who are these racists, these anti-Semites?
Besides the United and Anglican churches, Toronto-based KAIROS's members include the Presbyterian Church in Canada, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Mennonite Central Committee - Canada. Working with 21 partner organizations around the world, KAIROS sponsors projects promoting social and economic justice in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
KAIROS is committed to relieve suffering across the planet, regardless of creed or colour. Because they made some statements opposing the CON support of countries engaging in human rights violations (mining) and because they expressed concern over some of the actions committed by the Israeli army, and because they spoke out about the destruction caused by oilsands development, they have become yet another group on the growing list of people and agencies targeted by Harper`s campaign to silence anyone who does not promote his narrow ideology and personal, political goals.
The cost of allowing this war on anything but Harper to continue is high.
Gerry Barr, president of the Canadian Council for International Co-operation, said Kenney's remarks have compromised the integrity of the Canadian International Development Agency's entire foreign aid funding operation.
"There needs to be a larger discussion about CIDA's decision-making than merely what's happened to KAIROS, but KAIROS would be the classic example," said the Liberals' John McKay. Based on KAIROS's experience, McKay said, a non-governmental organization "could be absolutely welded to the 'priorities' of the government as stated by Minister Oda, but if you fall outside of the government's particular dictum of political correctness, you're toast."
So it`s fuck you to people in desperate need of help if anyone connected to that aid dares to tell the truth about Harper`s human rights violations.
Lisa Raitt Award goes to: Colin Mayes
The Raitt Award goes to Colin Mayes.
Unashamedly lifted from ACR who finds it as difficult as I to decide which Harpercon has made the most stoopid statement of the week.
In e-mails sent to several voters, British Columbia MP Colin Mayes wrote that the cause of climate change “has yet to be substantiated”.
“…I am careful not to over react and spend billions of taxpayer dollars because a few scientists say CO2 is causing the planet to warm,” the e-mail says.
A few scientists? Far fewer are those oil servants claiming to be scientists saying there is any doubt about climate change or its causes.
This is not a mere bungle that can be written off as Mayes' personal opinion. He was responding to a question regarding the government's stance, and was acting in his capacity of a member of that government.
The Climate Action Network obtained the e-mails, which originated from Mr. Mayes's Parliamentary account and were sent to at least three people who had contacted the MP about the government's stance on global warming.
Harper' actions seem in keeping with Mayes's words, reflecting that the CONs really aren't all that concerned about climate change, except on managing the message.
Harper kept a low profile, making his first public statement Friday night. The prime minister hobnobbed with other leaders Thursday at a royal dinner hosted by the queen of Denmark, passing up the chance to deliver Canada's address to the UN climate talks. He delegated that job to Environment Minister Jim Prentice.
With messengers like Mayes, their even screwing that up.
Bonus stoopid Mayes from ACR:
In a column e-mailed this week to several B.C. newspapers in his riding of Okanagan-Shuswap, Colin Mayes said that jailing reporters might help the public get accurate information.
“Maybe it is time that we hauled off in handcuffs reporters that fabricate stories, or twist information and even falsely accuse citizens,” Mayes wrote.
Where to start?
Thank you, Ralph Surette
Two related articles came out today on how Harper is destroying our democracy - one by James Travers, and one by Ralph Surette.
Both bring out similar concerns:
Indeed, the Harper government merely gets worse: more controlling, angry, manipulative, contemptuous of Parliament, more suspicious of its own civil service - and more incompetent, in its Bush/Cheney way, on anything touching foreign affairs. It also represents a minority of Canadians. - Surette
Coldly cynical and conveniently effective, the advantage tilts dramatically to the ruling party. Sharing only favourable factoids and fearing no challenge from an opposition frozen outside the loop, Harper, sounding like a U.S. president, speaks directly to the people over the heads of MPs, Parliament and, should the need arise - as it did during the coalition crisis - even the Governor General.
We are witnessing institutions crumbling under the weight of assumed personal power. After decades of whittling away the principles, precedents and even laws limiting their manoeuvring room, prime ministers are now free to do as they please, at least until voters next make their mark. - Travers
Both provide examples of Harper`s contempt of Parliament, and his refusal to be open and transparent with the public.
However, Travers and Surette come to different conclusions.
Out there, where the undecided and skeptics are kept at arm's length, Ottawa's secrecy culture isn't a kitchen table worry. Out there it would be rude to ask when the buck last stopped at a minister, how civil servants became fall guys or how watchdogs lost their bark. Out there, if Conservatives have it figured right, the manipulation of an inconvenient Parliament will slide by with the same ease as the piece-by-piece deconstruction of democracy. - Travers
The "issue of governance" is how to get rid of it - and what to replace it with. Although the Harper government has managed repeatedly to work its way up to the 40 per cent range in the polls, considered majority country by the pollsters, as soon as the cameras focus on that fact, something blows up and the lead sinks like a stone. The problem is that when the cameras turn to the Liberals, they sink like a stone as well...The Liberals will have another shot at it at the next election. If they fail again, then something will really have to be done. Enough international humiliation and enough scorpions. - Surette
Travers seems to have already buried the public`s ability to play their role in a democracy and force chage, while Surette fans our angry embers, telling us with his closing words that something will have to be done if the politicians don`t oust this abominable government. There is little question that Surette is calling to us, the citizens of Canada.
That`s good journalism. Respect for readers, not afraid to shake us up, not afraid to opposr government.
The turning point in events such as the French revolution that lead to commoners gathering together and fighting injustice was the invention of the press. Information was able to reach many, and the corrupt leaders did not control those running the presses. The writers of the releases understood their role not only to inform the public and making them aware of corruption, but to remind them of their role in shaping their own fate and that of their country.
So, thank you, Ralph Surette. We need more of this to remind all Canadians that it`s not ``rude to ask when the buck last stopped at a minister, how civil servants became fall guys or how watchdogs lost their bark,`` and that we have the power to stop ``the manipulation of an inconvenient Parliament (sliding) by with the same ease as the piece-by-piece deconstruction of democracy."
Both bring out similar concerns:
Indeed, the Harper government merely gets worse: more controlling, angry, manipulative, contemptuous of Parliament, more suspicious of its own civil service - and more incompetent, in its Bush/Cheney way, on anything touching foreign affairs. It also represents a minority of Canadians. - Surette
Coldly cynical and conveniently effective, the advantage tilts dramatically to the ruling party. Sharing only favourable factoids and fearing no challenge from an opposition frozen outside the loop, Harper, sounding like a U.S. president, speaks directly to the people over the heads of MPs, Parliament and, should the need arise - as it did during the coalition crisis - even the Governor General.
We are witnessing institutions crumbling under the weight of assumed personal power. After decades of whittling away the principles, precedents and even laws limiting their manoeuvring room, prime ministers are now free to do as they please, at least until voters next make their mark. - Travers
Both provide examples of Harper`s contempt of Parliament, and his refusal to be open and transparent with the public.
However, Travers and Surette come to different conclusions.
Out there, where the undecided and skeptics are kept at arm's length, Ottawa's secrecy culture isn't a kitchen table worry. Out there it would be rude to ask when the buck last stopped at a minister, how civil servants became fall guys or how watchdogs lost their bark. Out there, if Conservatives have it figured right, the manipulation of an inconvenient Parliament will slide by with the same ease as the piece-by-piece deconstruction of democracy. - Travers
The "issue of governance" is how to get rid of it - and what to replace it with. Although the Harper government has managed repeatedly to work its way up to the 40 per cent range in the polls, considered majority country by the pollsters, as soon as the cameras focus on that fact, something blows up and the lead sinks like a stone. The problem is that when the cameras turn to the Liberals, they sink like a stone as well...The Liberals will have another shot at it at the next election. If they fail again, then something will really have to be done. Enough international humiliation and enough scorpions. - Surette
Travers seems to have already buried the public`s ability to play their role in a democracy and force chage, while Surette fans our angry embers, telling us with his closing words that something will have to be done if the politicians don`t oust this abominable government. There is little question that Surette is calling to us, the citizens of Canada.
That`s good journalism. Respect for readers, not afraid to shake us up, not afraid to opposr government.
The turning point in events such as the French revolution that lead to commoners gathering together and fighting injustice was the invention of the press. Information was able to reach many, and the corrupt leaders did not control those running the presses. The writers of the releases understood their role not only to inform the public and making them aware of corruption, but to remind them of their role in shaping their own fate and that of their country.
So, thank you, Ralph Surette. We need more of this to remind all Canadians that it`s not ``rude to ask when the buck last stopped at a minister, how civil servants became fall guys or how watchdogs lost their bark,`` and that we have the power to stop ``the manipulation of an inconvenient Parliament (sliding) by with the same ease as the piece-by-piece deconstruction of democracy."
My PM went to Copenhagen and all I got were these lousy photos
Harper's Big Trip to Copenhagen, as reported to us from the PMO site (you know, what Soudas tells us is how the government keeps us informed since the press is such a dismal failure?)
photos
Good job he managed to snag Obama for that quickie. Sure spent our money well over there.
In fairness, Harper did provide us with this detailed account of the summit (PMO statement, if full):
“This agreement is the result of two weeks of negotiations in which Canada and Environment Minister Prentice, our chief negotiator, played a key part. And over the past 24 hours, I have met with numerous leaders to reaffirm that Canada remains committed to a comprehensive, post-2012 agreement that is fair and effective.
“All countries must commit to taking concrete action to address climate change as part of a new treaty – actions which are measurable, verifiable and reportable. Canada is working to align our clean energy and climate change policies with those of the Obama Administration. This approach recognizes the high degree of integration of our two economies. Canada is prepared to contribute our fair share of financial support, particularly to the poorest and most vulnerable nations.” (PMO statement released but not yet posted to pmo site)
Yes, yes. He did bring back several awards: three Fossil of the Day awards, and the prestigious Fossil of the Year award. but since I didn`t vote for him, don`t support him, and don`t share his war on doing anything to fight or cope with climate change, I gladly hand over any claim I might have to those who do. Way to go, guys! Third time in a row! Earned the name Colossal Fossil for Harper`s government`s ``strategy to sabotage efforts to tackle climate change.``
There was a greater sense of urgency at this summit than at previous ones. With many people already suffering directly from the impact of climate change, and with leaders less able to hide the inevitable consequences from those they govern, there was the overall sense of trying to co-ordinate people greatly at odds in order to put out a blaze well out of control. No plan, and those involved fighting over who does the work, and who pays for the tools. Meanwhile, the flames grow.
The final day showed this sense of anxiety as leaders, recognizing that little headway would be made because they simply weren`t prepared for the vast divergence in interests, knew they couldn`t go home empty handed without risking the displeasure and increase in very real fear from those they are accountable to. So they come up with mixed messages, empty statements, and ``toothless`` deal that is non-binding.
But it has no long-term global targets for emissions cuts or a timetable to turn the agreement into a legally-binding treaty.
Another monumental expense for all involved to come up once more with we have to come up with something or we are screwed.
The only way we will ever get any kind of grip on managing the devastations of climate change is for everyone - leaders and every person on the planet who can put pressure on them - to accept the reality that this is a growing global problem which does not wait for politics or protectionism.
We go to sleep wrapping ourselves in the comfort of our flag, secure in the knowledge that our borders are inviolate only to wake up and see that the way we live has destroyed that comfortable dream. We love fictitious movies where the world pulls together to fight a common enemy like an alien invasion, but when we face the reality of a common threat, we scream and balk at co-operating.
photos
Good job he managed to snag Obama for that quickie. Sure spent our money well over there.
In fairness, Harper did provide us with this detailed account of the summit (PMO statement, if full):
“This agreement is the result of two weeks of negotiations in which Canada and Environment Minister Prentice, our chief negotiator, played a key part. And over the past 24 hours, I have met with numerous leaders to reaffirm that Canada remains committed to a comprehensive, post-2012 agreement that is fair and effective.
“All countries must commit to taking concrete action to address climate change as part of a new treaty – actions which are measurable, verifiable and reportable. Canada is working to align our clean energy and climate change policies with those of the Obama Administration. This approach recognizes the high degree of integration of our two economies. Canada is prepared to contribute our fair share of financial support, particularly to the poorest and most vulnerable nations.” (PMO statement released but not yet posted to pmo site)
Yes, yes. He did bring back several awards: three Fossil of the Day awards, and the prestigious Fossil of the Year award. but since I didn`t vote for him, don`t support him, and don`t share his war on doing anything to fight or cope with climate change, I gladly hand over any claim I might have to those who do. Way to go, guys! Third time in a row! Earned the name Colossal Fossil for Harper`s government`s ``strategy to sabotage efforts to tackle climate change.``
There was a greater sense of urgency at this summit than at previous ones. With many people already suffering directly from the impact of climate change, and with leaders less able to hide the inevitable consequences from those they govern, there was the overall sense of trying to co-ordinate people greatly at odds in order to put out a blaze well out of control. No plan, and those involved fighting over who does the work, and who pays for the tools. Meanwhile, the flames grow.
The final day showed this sense of anxiety as leaders, recognizing that little headway would be made because they simply weren`t prepared for the vast divergence in interests, knew they couldn`t go home empty handed without risking the displeasure and increase in very real fear from those they are accountable to. So they come up with mixed messages, empty statements, and ``toothless`` deal that is non-binding.
But it has no long-term global targets for emissions cuts or a timetable to turn the agreement into a legally-binding treaty.
Another monumental expense for all involved to come up once more with we have to come up with something or we are screwed.
The only way we will ever get any kind of grip on managing the devastations of climate change is for everyone - leaders and every person on the planet who can put pressure on them - to accept the reality that this is a growing global problem which does not wait for politics or protectionism.
We go to sleep wrapping ourselves in the comfort of our flag, secure in the knowledge that our borders are inviolate only to wake up and see that the way we live has destroyed that comfortable dream. We love fictitious movies where the world pulls together to fight a common enemy like an alien invasion, but when we face the reality of a common threat, we scream and balk at co-operating.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Colvin's letter: public service
Several people have covered Colvin’s letter, Further Evidence of Richard Colvin to the Special Committee on Afghanistan. Off the top of my head, here are a couple of good posts, dealing with specific points that support Colvin’s credibility - here and here.
I want to comment on his closing statements:
I am not a whistleblower. Rather, I am a loyal servant of the Crown who did his job in Afghanistan to he best of his abilities, working through internal and authorized channels.
...Contrary to Minister Cannon’s suggestion, I testified in Parliament because I was summoned by the Committee and legally compelled to speak the truth. I feel it is my duty as a public servant, when commanded to appear before the Parliamentary Committee, to give evidence that is full, frank and fair. I feel duty bound to be frank and thorough in responding to the Committee’s inquiries.
Colvin is a public servant of the highest quality and he clearly defines what it means to act in that capacity.
It is not always an easy job. Many public servants face what Colvin did: serving the public with honesty and integrity, not backing off despite the knowledge that doing your job properly can bring you major grief from some of your supervisors, or from the government, or both.
They also know they will likely be harassed and attacked by members of the public should their actions negatively affect the political party those members worship. And I do mean worship, because there is little effort at understanding that the public servant was doing their best for Canada and Canadians.
You don”t need to carry a gun to serve your country, and you don’t need to be on a battlefield to be subject to attacks.
We are familiar by now with the on-going attacks from the government and even other public servants. Here is a sample of some of the public’s attacks (complete with spelling errors), via the comment section in this article -
The old must be a Liberal assumption:
FearlessCrusade - It appears likely that this man is a Liberal mole trying to cause problems for the Conservatives. My suggestion to him is to "Let it Go".
Threats and death wishes:
Austrian - Colvin will be rewarded by the same way like other thoughtless trators.
ruthanddave - colvin should be tried for treason! If he had been captured by the taliban how would he be treated? Must be a liberal for sure.
Gerrypolitical - Colvin should join the witness protection program (in the States) and disappear
There was one that said: We used to hang people like Colvin. Maybe we should start to again. It appears to have been removed, though.
The ridiculous distortion of information and mind boggling stretch in a bid to assassinate character:
koconnor100 - In 2002, he moved to Ramallah in the Palestinian territories, where he served as head of a new political mission in the wake of Yasser Arafat's death. His marriage failed, and he returned to Canada in 2005, moving to Calgary. During a vacation in Whistler he was offered a job in Afghanistan [5]. --- --- ---- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Colvin_%28diplomat%29 ---
Oh this guy is hardly a disinterested observer. He lived in Palestine for 3 years ? And the palistinians love him , they offered him a job.
Bull shit, of course. The Crown offered him a position, just like the CONs did.
We can’t afford to have public servants like Keene and Colvin be bullied into silence. This is why I harp on and on about the public service and the importance of keeping it independent from the elected government. We can’t afford to have serious issues hidden. How can we take charge of our own lives if being denied information, we cannot act on our own behalf or vote in an informed fashion?
The vast majority of comments (despite the obvious cut and paste jobs by neanders - compare the comment section in Kady O’s post to the CBC one) were very supportive of Colvin. Here is my favourite positive comment:
socialjusticequest - Until now I disliked government civil servants. With your courage and professionalism, Mr. Colvin, I have changed my view now and acknowledge my own bias. You are a professional with integrity and I salute your efforts for revealing the truth. To know that someone like you serves as a civil servant, makes me a proud Canadian.
We need to give more of this support and encouragement to our public servants. It not only helps to affirm they are performing a valuable service, it also lets our politicians know that we aren’t going to sit back and allow them to be undermined.
We have a responsibility as citizens to make our democracy work. Applying pressure on our politicians forcing them to follow legislation, to be open and transparent, to respect the actions of agents working on our behalf - that’s showing love for your country.
I want to comment on his closing statements:
I am not a whistleblower. Rather, I am a loyal servant of the Crown who did his job in Afghanistan to he best of his abilities, working through internal and authorized channels.
...Contrary to Minister Cannon’s suggestion, I testified in Parliament because I was summoned by the Committee and legally compelled to speak the truth. I feel it is my duty as a public servant, when commanded to appear before the Parliamentary Committee, to give evidence that is full, frank and fair. I feel duty bound to be frank and thorough in responding to the Committee’s inquiries.
Colvin is a public servant of the highest quality and he clearly defines what it means to act in that capacity.
It is not always an easy job. Many public servants face what Colvin did: serving the public with honesty and integrity, not backing off despite the knowledge that doing your job properly can bring you major grief from some of your supervisors, or from the government, or both.
They also know they will likely be harassed and attacked by members of the public should their actions negatively affect the political party those members worship. And I do mean worship, because there is little effort at understanding that the public servant was doing their best for Canada and Canadians.
You don”t need to carry a gun to serve your country, and you don’t need to be on a battlefield to be subject to attacks.
We are familiar by now with the on-going attacks from the government and even other public servants. Here is a sample of some of the public’s attacks (complete with spelling errors), via the comment section in this article -
The old must be a Liberal assumption:
FearlessCrusade - It appears likely that this man is a Liberal mole trying to cause problems for the Conservatives. My suggestion to him is to "Let it Go".
Threats and death wishes:
Austrian - Colvin will be rewarded by the same way like other thoughtless trators.
ruthanddave - colvin should be tried for treason! If he had been captured by the taliban how would he be treated? Must be a liberal for sure.
Gerrypolitical - Colvin should join the witness protection program (in the States) and disappear
There was one that said: We used to hang people like Colvin. Maybe we should start to again. It appears to have been removed, though.
The ridiculous distortion of information and mind boggling stretch in a bid to assassinate character:
koconnor100 - In 2002, he moved to Ramallah in the Palestinian territories, where he served as head of a new political mission in the wake of Yasser Arafat's death. His marriage failed, and he returned to Canada in 2005, moving to Calgary. During a vacation in Whistler he was offered a job in Afghanistan [5]. --- --- ---- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Colvin_%28diplomat%29 ---
Oh this guy is hardly a disinterested observer. He lived in Palestine for 3 years ? And the palistinians love him , they offered him a job.
Bull shit, of course. The Crown offered him a position, just like the CONs did.
We can’t afford to have public servants like Keene and Colvin be bullied into silence. This is why I harp on and on about the public service and the importance of keeping it independent from the elected government. We can’t afford to have serious issues hidden. How can we take charge of our own lives if being denied information, we cannot act on our own behalf or vote in an informed fashion?
The vast majority of comments (despite the obvious cut and paste jobs by neanders - compare the comment section in Kady O’s post to the CBC one) were very supportive of Colvin. Here is my favourite positive comment:
socialjusticequest - Until now I disliked government civil servants. With your courage and professionalism, Mr. Colvin, I have changed my view now and acknowledge my own bias. You are a professional with integrity and I salute your efforts for revealing the truth. To know that someone like you serves as a civil servant, makes me a proud Canadian.
We need to give more of this support and encouragement to our public servants. It not only helps to affirm they are performing a valuable service, it also lets our politicians know that we aren’t going to sit back and allow them to be undermined.
We have a responsibility as citizens to make our democracy work. Applying pressure on our politicians forcing them to follow legislation, to be open and transparent, to respect the actions of agents working on our behalf - that’s showing love for your country.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
900ft Jesus in mourning
Big thanks to Fat Arse for this breaking news.
Television evangelist Oral Roberts — who once said God would "call him home" if he failed to meet a fundraising goal — has died after suffering a weekend fall. He was 91.
Being 900ft Jesus, I thought it only fitting that I should do an obit for the old huckster.
Oral Roberts made lots and lots of money bullshitting about his imaginary conversations with his imaginary god. In 1987, he held a fundraising drive for his television ministry whining that unless he could raise $8 million, God would "call him home." I thought that is the goal of christians) He ended up raising more than $9 million during that one drive, proving that fundamentalists are indeed devoid of any intelligence.
In 1977, he claimed to have had a vision of a 900ft Jesus (!) who told him to scam more people and build a hospital proving that he was quite insane because who in their right mind would ever listen to a 900ft Jesus?
In 1987, he also claimed that God raised the dead through his ministry. Funny thing, though, he never did raise his two children who died long before him.
He was just that kind of man, though. Unselfish.
I’m sure his evangelist son will continue his good scams.
Blind faith in bad leaders is not patriotism
Guilbeault said he is also off ended because the Canadian government accused him of being unpatriotic, due to his criticism of its policies. "It's scandalous," said Guilbeault. "It seems like we've lost freedom of speech in Canada."
I’m going to exercise my swiftly eroding right to free speech, now. Anyone who still supports this Harper...regime is either complicit in its corruption, or is a complete fucking idiot.
I’m not saying this of all conservatives, but I am saying it of anyone who supports Steve Harper and his lackeys. If you can sit back and still support that Prop Minister after this comment by Soudas, then not only are you an absolute moron, but you are unpatriotic as well.
No!!!!! We support the TROOPS! you may be screaming. We support our GOVURMENT!!!! Unlike you leftie-commie-pinko-soc’lists who bash 'em!
Well, let’s look at that.
Patriotic: Inspired by patriotism; actuated by love of one's country; zealously and unselfishly devoted to the service of one's country; as, a patriotic statesman, vigilant.
Notice the definition says country, not government. It also includes vigilance as an act of patriotism.
Our democratic system relies on our ability to question, debate, and criticize. That is why there is more than one political party - to represent the differing views, ideologies, and needs of Canadians. So - now listen carefully, I know this is very difficult for some of you - when elected members criticize or question the ruling party, they are helping to make sure that all Canadians have a voice and get to apply the power of that voice in shaping their own country. It is not unpatriotic, it’s their job, their responsibility.
Democracy also relies on individuals’ rights to voice their concerns directly. How else will the government know what they want, and since the government constantly tells us it is working for our welfare, then they need to hear what affects that welfare, and how.
But-but-but- (adscam?)
Hold your tongue and sit down. I’m not done.
Those of you who say that criticizing the government is unpatriotic, were you unpatriotic when you criticized the Liberals when they were in power, or did you just take a sabbatical from patriotism? See how it works? You love your country, you say, and that’s why you beat on those damn Liberals and Dippers, even when they are in power. And somehow, that’s patriotic. But anyone criticizing Harper and Co. is unpatriotic because he’s in power.
So, you are all fucking idiots.
You are also unpatriotic, because you place a political party above love of country.
You are unpatriotic as well because you are not vigilant: carefully observant or attentive; on the lookout for possible danger; "a policy of open-eyed awareness"
A patriotic person is vigilant, and a vigilant person questions, examines, takes active part in “a policy of open-eyed awareness.”
Many hesitate to question any actions even remotely related to the military, because they fear questioning implies criticism and how can we criticize people who put their lives on the line for their country? I get that. I believe that avoiding questioning in such case is very wrong, but I get it, I understand the unspoken taboo. We are fortunate that our military is a decent enough one, overwhelmingly made up of decent people, I’d say (although there is the odd lying sack of shit) All the more reason to be vigilant, to make sure it is accountable to the country, not to the governing party. There are many examples in history and around the world today of what can happen when a military body serves the government rather than the country and we have only to look at the mess the RCMP finds itself in to understand what happens when we allow agencies to self-regulate and dodge questions from impartial, public panels.
So while I understand why it is difficult for some people to question or criticize anything possibly connected to the military, this accusation by Soudas against Guilbeault is a different beast. Politicians in power do not risk their lives for their country. In fact, they are paid quite well to serve and represent us. That means they should damn well listen to our concerns.
Harper has it backwards, and most of you who follow him do as well. Steve thinks it’s his job to change Canada and Canadians, make them act as he thinks they should, get them to serve who he believes they should serve. A Prime Minister should lead Parliament and make it work for the will of the people. The government should bend to our will, not us to theirs.
A final word on patriotism -
Love of one’s country: we should want it to be healthy. We should want it to function well. We should want it to grow, and to be something we can be proud of. That means paying attention, having the courage to criticize if needed, getting off our lazy butts and learning how our government works, what it’s up to, and whether or not it’s being straight with us.
Our Chickenshit PM
Others have already written about this so I really only want to add my voice.
More at The Galloping Beaver and Canadian Cynic
Rumours swirling around Ottawa suggest the Conservative government is thinking of shutting down Parliament until after the Olympics, killing some of its own bills but also ending the discussion of Afghan detainees that is nibbling away at Tory popularity. The rumours suggest that Parliament would return in March, when the Games are over, with a new budget that could be used to provoke an election.
Here we go again. Parliament shut down to save Steve’s ass until he can get together enough fuzzy, shiny, happy photo ops to climb up in the polls then deliberately spark another election. What the fuck happened to “Stay the course,” Stevo? Oh yeah, caught with your dick hanging out happened. Caught with it hanging out on your precious international stage happened.
So, Cut-and-Run cowardly Steve, that proponent of transparency, wants to shut down government while we are still reeling from a recession. Does he think we will all just forget about the torture allegations until March? No, this was what he considered his Titanic, remember?
But opposition members of the Special Committee on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan have asked to hold special meetings before the session resumes. Among other high-profile witnesses, they want Defence Minister Peter MacKay and his predecessor, Gordon O'Connor, to return for more interrogation about what they knew of the torture allegations. The committee could not sit during prorogation.
With memos like this coming out -
"The Canadian provost marshal in Kandahar has told ISAF that he would be pleased to provide the information but that he has received explicit instructions from National Defence Headquarters ... not to do so," Mr. Colvin's memo says.
(h/t Impolitical )
- Steve will not want MacKay or O’Connor going before the committee.
There is no justification for Harper to prorogue Parliament. To do so does not serve the country. It serves only him and his flunkeys. It costs all of us as we pay our MPs regradless of whether they sit or not. It costs us since any Bills now on the table are dead and the whole expensive process has to be repeated.
The most critical piece of legislation before the Senate is the bill that enriches the employment insurance program.
Sure. Because Harper really, really cares about ordinary Canadians, right?
It also costs us because these undemocratic tactics become easier and easier to pull off each time since the commonplace becomes more acceptable. That costs us the integrity of our democratic system.
Maybe Harper will be able to pull this off again. But if we sit back without raising our voices, without writing letters and e-mails, then we might just as well buy him a lovely dictator’s uniform for Christmas and be prepared to thank him as we kiss his boots.
More at The Galloping Beaver and Canadian Cynic
Rumours swirling around Ottawa suggest the Conservative government is thinking of shutting down Parliament until after the Olympics, killing some of its own bills but also ending the discussion of Afghan detainees that is nibbling away at Tory popularity. The rumours suggest that Parliament would return in March, when the Games are over, with a new budget that could be used to provoke an election.
Here we go again. Parliament shut down to save Steve’s ass until he can get together enough fuzzy, shiny, happy photo ops to climb up in the polls then deliberately spark another election. What the fuck happened to “Stay the course,” Stevo? Oh yeah, caught with your dick hanging out happened. Caught with it hanging out on your precious international stage happened.
So, Cut-and-Run cowardly Steve, that proponent of transparency, wants to shut down government while we are still reeling from a recession. Does he think we will all just forget about the torture allegations until March? No, this was what he considered his Titanic, remember?
But opposition members of the Special Committee on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan have asked to hold special meetings before the session resumes. Among other high-profile witnesses, they want Defence Minister Peter MacKay and his predecessor, Gordon O'Connor, to return for more interrogation about what they knew of the torture allegations. The committee could not sit during prorogation.
With memos like this coming out -
"The Canadian provost marshal in Kandahar has told ISAF that he would be pleased to provide the information but that he has received explicit instructions from National Defence Headquarters ... not to do so," Mr. Colvin's memo says.
(h/t Impolitical )
- Steve will not want MacKay or O’Connor going before the committee.
There is no justification for Harper to prorogue Parliament. To do so does not serve the country. It serves only him and his flunkeys. It costs all of us as we pay our MPs regradless of whether they sit or not. It costs us since any Bills now on the table are dead and the whole expensive process has to be repeated.
The most critical piece of legislation before the Senate is the bill that enriches the employment insurance program.
Sure. Because Harper really, really cares about ordinary Canadians, right?
It also costs us because these undemocratic tactics become easier and easier to pull off each time since the commonplace becomes more acceptable. That costs us the integrity of our democratic system.
Maybe Harper will be able to pull this off again. But if we sit back without raising our voices, without writing letters and e-mails, then we might just as well buy him a lovely dictator’s uniform for Christmas and be prepared to thank him as we kiss his boots.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Seems the corner is too hard to negotiate
It appears that the CONs are cutting and running from their own 2007 Turning the Corner plan and not because they have worked so hard and found a better plan.
Hell no. Not those spineless liars.
True to form, instead of trying to come up with a plan that will boost the economy while reducing GHG emissions, they looked for an out and an excuse to weaken targets in order to allow greater development of the oilsands.
And unimaginative lot that they are, cowardly bunch that they are, they try to position themselves behind the Big Boy, claiming they are simply supporting what the US is doing.
The government draft documents make the argument that the U.S. bill gives smaller targets to trade-sensitive sectors, such as manufacturing. It suggests the Canadian oil and gas sector, including the oilsands, deserves the same treatment.
Two problems with that - it implies that Canada has no independent responsibility to address climate change, that the goal in addressing climate change is to do as little as possible.
Second problem: it’s bullshit -
That last proposal will not go over well in the U.S., said John Coequyt of the Sierra Club in Washington, D.C. ...Coequyt said the measures proposed in the draft documents to harmonize Canada's emissions-cutting with the U.S. make no sense. "Almost all of those things were not done in the U.S., and the Senate is not talking about doing them, so I have to say I found it almost comical," he said.
Comical? Well, if viewed from a distance where we have no actual stake in it, maybe. But these clowns aren’t funny. As other countries gather to work at reducing emissions for the entire planet so that future generations are less impacted by drought, land wars, famine, flooding, our government is doing what it can to avoid any actions that will limit oilsand development, which of course will increase emissions. Money for oil companies, power for the CONs funded by oil companies, a dismal future for future generations of those average Canadians and people all over the globe.
The (Conservative) proposal raises questions about how the Tories could cut overall greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 — a target they insist they can reach — while weakening the targets in the oil and gas sector.
The answer is easy. The CONs lie. All of the time. They have no intention of limiting emission if that means setting targets for oil companies.
For example, the proposal suggests that the oil and gas industry would have to cut 15 megatonnes of emissions, rather than 48 megatonnes under its Turning the Corner plan.
Is there a single informed, intelligent person on this entire planet who still believes the CONs give a damn about reducing emissions and about the health and welfare of those who don’t profit at the expense of others?
Hell no. Not those spineless liars.
True to form, instead of trying to come up with a plan that will boost the economy while reducing GHG emissions, they looked for an out and an excuse to weaken targets in order to allow greater development of the oilsands.
And unimaginative lot that they are, cowardly bunch that they are, they try to position themselves behind the Big Boy, claiming they are simply supporting what the US is doing.
The government draft documents make the argument that the U.S. bill gives smaller targets to trade-sensitive sectors, such as manufacturing. It suggests the Canadian oil and gas sector, including the oilsands, deserves the same treatment.
Two problems with that - it implies that Canada has no independent responsibility to address climate change, that the goal in addressing climate change is to do as little as possible.
Second problem: it’s bullshit -
That last proposal will not go over well in the U.S., said John Coequyt of the Sierra Club in Washington, D.C. ...Coequyt said the measures proposed in the draft documents to harmonize Canada's emissions-cutting with the U.S. make no sense. "Almost all of those things were not done in the U.S., and the Senate is not talking about doing them, so I have to say I found it almost comical," he said.
Comical? Well, if viewed from a distance where we have no actual stake in it, maybe. But these clowns aren’t funny. As other countries gather to work at reducing emissions for the entire planet so that future generations are less impacted by drought, land wars, famine, flooding, our government is doing what it can to avoid any actions that will limit oilsand development, which of course will increase emissions. Money for oil companies, power for the CONs funded by oil companies, a dismal future for future generations of those average Canadians and people all over the globe.
The (Conservative) proposal raises questions about how the Tories could cut overall greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 — a target they insist they can reach — while weakening the targets in the oil and gas sector.
The answer is easy. The CONs lie. All of the time. They have no intention of limiting emission if that means setting targets for oil companies.
For example, the proposal suggests that the oil and gas industry would have to cut 15 megatonnes of emissions, rather than 48 megatonnes under its Turning the Corner plan.
Is there a single informed, intelligent person on this entire planet who still believes the CONs give a damn about reducing emissions and about the health and welfare of those who don’t profit at the expense of others?
Saturday, December 12, 2009
So, heard the one about the un-elected, Conservative Senate?
LeBreton, un-elected senator bitching about un-elected Liberal Senators thinks “we couldn't continue on as a government having our whole agenda and all of our policies driven by a group of unelected people from two governments ago."
That’s the justification she offers for Stevo’s plans to elect five new senators next month. As an appointee of over two governments ago, I guess we can pretty much discount what the un-elected Marjory says. You know, not democratic and all.
Senator Cowan isn’t too worried - The Conservatives -- and Justice Minister Rob Nicholson in particular -- are fond of blaming the so-called unelected, unaccountable Liberaldominated Senate for "gutting" bills from the House of Commons. But next month that will change.
"It will be the unelected, unaccountable Conservative-dominated Senate and the expectations, particularly beyond Mr. Harper's office, will be that all he has to do is snap his fingers and the unelected, unaccountable majority in the Senate will do what he says when he wants it done," Cowan said with a wry smile. "Well, that isn't going to happen."
He doesn’t believe that all CONsens will fold so easily to Harper’s will. He may be right. Some are the old PCs and may not want to be seen as his shoe-shine boys. Some may even give a damn about that whole sober second thought thing, and the welfare of Canadians. Some may care about how they will be remembered. Harper doesn’t have the same leverage with Senators as he does with his MPs. They generally don’t have decades of political advancement ahead of them.
Any bets as to whether the new bunch will include a general?
That’s the justification she offers for Stevo’s plans to elect five new senators next month. As an appointee of over two governments ago, I guess we can pretty much discount what the un-elected Marjory says. You know, not democratic and all.
Senator Cowan isn’t too worried - The Conservatives -- and Justice Minister Rob Nicholson in particular -- are fond of blaming the so-called unelected, unaccountable Liberaldominated Senate for "gutting" bills from the House of Commons. But next month that will change.
"It will be the unelected, unaccountable Conservative-dominated Senate and the expectations, particularly beyond Mr. Harper's office, will be that all he has to do is snap his fingers and the unelected, unaccountable majority in the Senate will do what he says when he wants it done," Cowan said with a wry smile. "Well, that isn't going to happen."
He doesn’t believe that all CONsens will fold so easily to Harper’s will. He may be right. Some are the old PCs and may not want to be seen as his shoe-shine boys. Some may even give a damn about that whole sober second thought thing, and the welfare of Canadians. Some may care about how they will be remembered. Harper doesn’t have the same leverage with Senators as he does with his MPs. They generally don’t have decades of political advancement ahead of them.
Any bets as to whether the new bunch will include a general?
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Hey! Fellow Canadians!
This concerns all of you.
Federal officials assured the Red Cross in 2006 that Canada would take an active role in monitoring the fate of Afghan prisoners - but for critical months behind the scenes did little more than manage the political spin, secret memos show.
The records, examined on a confidential basis by The Canadian Press, show the Harper government placed a greater emphasis on drafting "key messages" to the public and preparing "approaches" for embarrassing disclosures than on dealing with the human rights of prisoners.
(...)No. 1 on the eight-point plan for officials was to "Prepare standard key messages (ie. importance of adhering to obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law regarding the treatment of detainees.)"
Point No. 8 in the plan was to "consider supplementing the existing arrangement" in such a way to include the "guarantee of access for Canadian authorities to individuals transferred by the (Canadian Forces)."
h/t to Impolitical for that story.
This speaks of a broad problem with this government, so even if you somehow convince yourself that sure, torture is bad, hmm-kay...but the detainee issue is different because it’s just anout them thar terr’ists who throw acid in the faces of little girl, drafting key messages to avoid embarrassment or accountability is always the priority of Steve & Co.
What if there was, say, a dangerous, deadly bacteria in a common food source? Do you want to take the chance that this government might place spin above the health and safety of Canadians? Could Harper go that far?...Oh...right -
The news agency reported that Ritz fretted about the political dangers of the crisis, and then quipped: "This is like a death by a thousand cuts. Or should I say cold cuts."
The handling of something as serious as torture and Canada violating the Geneva conventions shows what lengths this government will go to in order to protect the false image it constantly promotes.
A respected former diplomat was aghast that "developing the spin" would take priority over dealing with an issue as urgent as possible torture. "This is one of those situations where - once again - presentation has taken the place of substance," said Louis Delvoie, Canada's former high commissioner to Pakistan.
And this applies to any situation, even those affecting those Canadians who don’t give a damn about what happens beyond our borders -
"It's a rather sad commentary on what is taking place. You (should) deal with the substance of an issue and then you develop the communications plan as a separate and subsequent item to explain how you're doing it and what you're doing."
A bonus bit on those precious troops Harper and Baird are so concerned about -
Errol Mendes, a human-rights law expert, said the paper trail demonstrates that the Harper government viewed the war as a political exercise, where image-branding trumped policy. "Throughout all of this the military has been used as a political prop and that is dangerous," he said. "Governments come and go but the military as an institution remains and the damage this kind of approach can leave is severe."
We are likely to see more of this message massaging and crafting, paid for by...us.
Taxpayers are being asked to pay an extra $1.7-million this fiscal year to help bolster Stephen Harper's communications support services – just as the Prime Minister's Office begins distributing government videos of Harper to the news media. Supplementary estimates tabled last month by the Privy Council Office, the Prime Minister's bureaucratic back office, boosted internal operational spending by almost $7.3-million for 2009-10. That's on top of existing budgets.
Oh great! More of this nonsense, but costlier.
In the last two weeks, the PCO started sending news organizations links to new videos in the same way the PMO has routinely distributed photos shot by Mr. Harper's official photographer.
Besides being a ridiculous expense to taxpayers (just so Steve can pretend to be a real PM), this push to produce his own media outlet over which he has complete control threatens impartial journalism:
The photos, and now the videos, have sparked a debate over media access and when the use of government-produced and approved images may be appropriate in an independent news media.
“It's not access,” said Chris Waddell, who holds the Carty chair in business and financial journalism at Ottawa's Carleton University. “Access is an opportunity to ask questions and an opportunity to engage in independent work according to journalistic principles. What they're giving you is public relations.”
To which Mr. Message himself answers:
“The media can't have it both ways,” Mr. Soudas recently told CBC. “They can't criticize us for not providing enough information, and then criticize us for providing too much information.”
Well, yes we can, Dimitri. Yes we can. The info you provide through PMO releases is stilted, incomplete, and allows no avenue for challenge or questioning.
It gives the illusion that Canadians are being kept up-to-date on what the government is doing, what studies have uncovered, what goals and plans are, how our money is spent. But it is only the illusion that Harper wants us to buy into.
It’s like relying solely on the testimony of a pathological liar when that same liar is the one on trial.
update: The Imp tells us to just say no.
Federal officials assured the Red Cross in 2006 that Canada would take an active role in monitoring the fate of Afghan prisoners - but for critical months behind the scenes did little more than manage the political spin, secret memos show.
The records, examined on a confidential basis by The Canadian Press, show the Harper government placed a greater emphasis on drafting "key messages" to the public and preparing "approaches" for embarrassing disclosures than on dealing with the human rights of prisoners.
(...)No. 1 on the eight-point plan for officials was to "Prepare standard key messages (ie. importance of adhering to obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law regarding the treatment of detainees.)"
Point No. 8 in the plan was to "consider supplementing the existing arrangement" in such a way to include the "guarantee of access for Canadian authorities to individuals transferred by the (Canadian Forces)."
h/t to Impolitical for that story.
This speaks of a broad problem with this government, so even if you somehow convince yourself that sure, torture is bad, hmm-kay...but the detainee issue is different because it’s just anout them thar terr’ists who throw acid in the faces of little girl, drafting key messages to avoid embarrassment or accountability is always the priority of Steve & Co.
What if there was, say, a dangerous, deadly bacteria in a common food source? Do you want to take the chance that this government might place spin above the health and safety of Canadians? Could Harper go that far?...Oh...right -
The news agency reported that Ritz fretted about the political dangers of the crisis, and then quipped: "This is like a death by a thousand cuts. Or should I say cold cuts."
The handling of something as serious as torture and Canada violating the Geneva conventions shows what lengths this government will go to in order to protect the false image it constantly promotes.
A respected former diplomat was aghast that "developing the spin" would take priority over dealing with an issue as urgent as possible torture. "This is one of those situations where - once again - presentation has taken the place of substance," said Louis Delvoie, Canada's former high commissioner to Pakistan.
And this applies to any situation, even those affecting those Canadians who don’t give a damn about what happens beyond our borders -
"It's a rather sad commentary on what is taking place. You (should) deal with the substance of an issue and then you develop the communications plan as a separate and subsequent item to explain how you're doing it and what you're doing."
A bonus bit on those precious troops Harper and Baird are so concerned about -
Errol Mendes, a human-rights law expert, said the paper trail demonstrates that the Harper government viewed the war as a political exercise, where image-branding trumped policy. "Throughout all of this the military has been used as a political prop and that is dangerous," he said. "Governments come and go but the military as an institution remains and the damage this kind of approach can leave is severe."
We are likely to see more of this message massaging and crafting, paid for by...us.
Taxpayers are being asked to pay an extra $1.7-million this fiscal year to help bolster Stephen Harper's communications support services – just as the Prime Minister's Office begins distributing government videos of Harper to the news media. Supplementary estimates tabled last month by the Privy Council Office, the Prime Minister's bureaucratic back office, boosted internal operational spending by almost $7.3-million for 2009-10. That's on top of existing budgets.
Oh great! More of this nonsense, but costlier.
In the last two weeks, the PCO started sending news organizations links to new videos in the same way the PMO has routinely distributed photos shot by Mr. Harper's official photographer.
Besides being a ridiculous expense to taxpayers (just so Steve can pretend to be a real PM), this push to produce his own media outlet over which he has complete control threatens impartial journalism:
The photos, and now the videos, have sparked a debate over media access and when the use of government-produced and approved images may be appropriate in an independent news media.
“It's not access,” said Chris Waddell, who holds the Carty chair in business and financial journalism at Ottawa's Carleton University. “Access is an opportunity to ask questions and an opportunity to engage in independent work according to journalistic principles. What they're giving you is public relations.”
To which Mr. Message himself answers:
“The media can't have it both ways,” Mr. Soudas recently told CBC. “They can't criticize us for not providing enough information, and then criticize us for providing too much information.”
Well, yes we can, Dimitri. Yes we can. The info you provide through PMO releases is stilted, incomplete, and allows no avenue for challenge or questioning.
It gives the illusion that Canadians are being kept up-to-date on what the government is doing, what studies have uncovered, what goals and plans are, how our money is spent. But it is only the illusion that Harper wants us to buy into.
It’s like relying solely on the testimony of a pathological liar when that same liar is the one on trial.
update: The Imp tells us to just say no.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Give credit where credit is due.
Come on! It isn't fair for Canada to claim this prestigious prize. Afterall, not all Canadians helped achieve it.
Canada has been awarded a Fossil of the Day “award” on the first day of the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. “Canada garnered today’s award for its unwavering commitment to stand firm in its inaction throughout these negotiations.”
This should go exclusively to Harper, his CONs, and every damn person who supports them. You earned it, wear it.
First day! Way to go, assholes.
Canada has been awarded a Fossil of the Day “award” on the first day of the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. “Canada garnered today’s award for its unwavering commitment to stand firm in its inaction throughout these negotiations.”
This should go exclusively to Harper, his CONs, and every damn person who supports them. You earned it, wear it.
First day! Way to go, assholes.
more on the École Polytechnique massacre
I can let go of things in the past, as long as they are in the past. December 6 is the anniversary of the brutal massacre of 14 women, targeted, as the murderer himself told us, because they were what he considered feminists.
In Lepine’s world, a woman who pursues a career that was traditional one dominated by men is a feminist. And in Lepine’s world, feminism is a bad thing.
Men did nothing special to earn special rights to such fields. They did, however, perpetuate an attitude that kept women suppressed through many means: denying them the right to vote; treating domestic violence as a private matter between husband and wife; through the dictates of many religions which consider women as inferior and subject to the man’s will; by denying them the right to make their own sexual and reproductive choices; by trivializing their opinions...
Having had social advantages over women, it must have been frightening for many men to suddenly have to compete with them in the work force, to suddenly have them disagree over family matters and insist they had the right to disagree, to demand enforcement of the same rights men have not to be beaten, harassed, or verbally assaulted.
Many men helped women fight for equality. Many more did not, and still others opposed what is balatantly obvious to any human being with a reasonable perspective: that women are indeed equal to men, and should be treated as equals.
When it comes to the anniversary of the École Polytechnique massacre, I cannot let just let it go because the attitudes that lead to the massacre still exist, and honouring those victims for a single day as though it were an isolated incident does no more than appease our conscience. We do the same with days of remembrance for certain acts of genocide, but always, always decades after the act while current genocides occur even as we remember the past ones, and we do little to nothing to stop them.
If anyone doubts that there are still men in Canada who think uppity women (as they consider them) should be killed, that killing them, in fact is an act of heroism, simply look at the comment sections of several posts. Here’s a sample (emphasis mine):
CRIMINAL OR FOLK HERO?
(Lepine is) undoubtedly a hero. This is the future. No matter how hard feminist hide behind Women's rights. This is the future. U will see one Marc Lepine at every corner waiting with guns to kill women.
Year after year of atrocities leaves people totally void of any kind of reasoning. Feminism is not about women it about hating men and making them suffer. Every feminist infected nation is suffering.
This soceity will fall and women will lose all their so called rights. MARC LEPINES ARE COMING!!!
“Feminism is not about women it about hating men and making them suffer.”
How do we overcome such incredible ignorance? Asking for the right not to be beaten carries the hidden intent of making men suffer? Working in fields they enjoy and qualify for is not for self-actualization, but to make men suffer? Desiring the right to walk down a street in the evening without being sexually assaulted has the sole goal of making men suffer? Expecting a father to continue to help support his children after his divorce is done to make him suffer? (but will someone please think of the children!).
“This soceity will fall and women will lose all their so called rights. MARC LEPINES ARE COMING!!!”
That is why I can’t let go of l’École Polytechnique massacre – there are still men in our own precious country who would very much like to see more of the same. Men who do not want women to have a voice and rights equal to theirs. Men whose self esteem depends on knowing that there is someone lower on the scale than them, someone who can never achieve what they achieve, thus minimizing the appearance of their own failures.
The first step in overcoming this gender imbalance is acknowledging that it does indeed still exist, as much as it is terrible to think that in the 21st century, in Canada (!), while women have come a long way on paper, equality does not exist until it is never questioned as a fuindamental right.
We do not think of the rights of black haired men, or short men, or men with freckles. That, of course would be ludicrous, because why would one group be entitle to fewer rights than another?
Yet we continue to have to determine rights for women, (and certain minority groups) because whether some people like to admit it or not, they do in fact think that women and certain minorities are less than human.
Sticking our heads in the sand because we don’t like to think that this is the case in what is supposed to be an enlightened society, a country that not only defends human rights but pushes for them abroad is assuring that acts of violence against women will continue. Acts of violence specifically targeting women simply because they have the courage to act upon the knowledge that they are indeed equal to men.
What can we do to help forward a fair society? At the very, very, very least, point out injustice and inequality, speak out against it, and teach others through whatever means available to you.
In Lepine’s world, a woman who pursues a career that was traditional one dominated by men is a feminist. And in Lepine’s world, feminism is a bad thing.
Men did nothing special to earn special rights to such fields. They did, however, perpetuate an attitude that kept women suppressed through many means: denying them the right to vote; treating domestic violence as a private matter between husband and wife; through the dictates of many religions which consider women as inferior and subject to the man’s will; by denying them the right to make their own sexual and reproductive choices; by trivializing their opinions...
Having had social advantages over women, it must have been frightening for many men to suddenly have to compete with them in the work force, to suddenly have them disagree over family matters and insist they had the right to disagree, to demand enforcement of the same rights men have not to be beaten, harassed, or verbally assaulted.
Many men helped women fight for equality. Many more did not, and still others opposed what is balatantly obvious to any human being with a reasonable perspective: that women are indeed equal to men, and should be treated as equals.
When it comes to the anniversary of the École Polytechnique massacre, I cannot let just let it go because the attitudes that lead to the massacre still exist, and honouring those victims for a single day as though it were an isolated incident does no more than appease our conscience. We do the same with days of remembrance for certain acts of genocide, but always, always decades after the act while current genocides occur even as we remember the past ones, and we do little to nothing to stop them.
If anyone doubts that there are still men in Canada who think uppity women (as they consider them) should be killed, that killing them, in fact is an act of heroism, simply look at the comment sections of several posts. Here’s a sample (emphasis mine):
CRIMINAL OR FOLK HERO?
(Lepine is) undoubtedly a hero. This is the future. No matter how hard feminist hide behind Women's rights. This is the future. U will see one Marc Lepine at every corner waiting with guns to kill women.
Year after year of atrocities leaves people totally void of any kind of reasoning. Feminism is not about women it about hating men and making them suffer. Every feminist infected nation is suffering.
This soceity will fall and women will lose all their so called rights. MARC LEPINES ARE COMING!!!
“Feminism is not about women it about hating men and making them suffer.”
How do we overcome such incredible ignorance? Asking for the right not to be beaten carries the hidden intent of making men suffer? Working in fields they enjoy and qualify for is not for self-actualization, but to make men suffer? Desiring the right to walk down a street in the evening without being sexually assaulted has the sole goal of making men suffer? Expecting a father to continue to help support his children after his divorce is done to make him suffer? (but will someone please think of the children!).
“This soceity will fall and women will lose all their so called rights. MARC LEPINES ARE COMING!!!”
That is why I can’t let go of l’École Polytechnique massacre – there are still men in our own precious country who would very much like to see more of the same. Men who do not want women to have a voice and rights equal to theirs. Men whose self esteem depends on knowing that there is someone lower on the scale than them, someone who can never achieve what they achieve, thus minimizing the appearance of their own failures.
The first step in overcoming this gender imbalance is acknowledging that it does indeed still exist, as much as it is terrible to think that in the 21st century, in Canada (!), while women have come a long way on paper, equality does not exist until it is never questioned as a fuindamental right.
We do not think of the rights of black haired men, or short men, or men with freckles. That, of course would be ludicrous, because why would one group be entitle to fewer rights than another?
Yet we continue to have to determine rights for women, (and certain minority groups) because whether some people like to admit it or not, they do in fact think that women and certain minorities are less than human.
Sticking our heads in the sand because we don’t like to think that this is the case in what is supposed to be an enlightened society, a country that not only defends human rights but pushes for them abroad is assuring that acts of violence against women will continue. Acts of violence specifically targeting women simply because they have the courage to act upon the knowledge that they are indeed equal to men.
What can we do to help forward a fair society? At the very, very, very least, point out injustice and inequality, speak out against it, and teach others through whatever means available to you.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
École Polytechnique
Not just a day for remembrance, but a time to take a good, hard look at why women are still being targeted and do something about it. We need to get our heads out of the sand.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Turning it around
And rightfully so.
These are the types of statements that should be consistently used since the CONs are determined to hide behind the troops:
(Hansard, Dec. 4, 2009)
These are the types of statements that should be consistently used since the CONs are determined to hide behind the troops:
(Hansard, Dec. 4, 2009)
Mr. Marcel Proulx: When will the government launch a public inquiry to uphold Canada's credibility and protect its international reputation?
Hon. Dominic LeBlanc: Why did the Conservatives impose their poor judgment on these brave generals? Why did they prefer to order a quick transfer when they were aware of the risks of torture?
The government in power has to take responsibility for that power. Their actions and orders affect those subject to them. They put us (including the military) at risk. They want to be in power? They need to accept responsibility for wielding that power.
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