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

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

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

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

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

A CON broke the law. Imagine that.

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

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

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

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

Over to Ritz, the Listeriosis Minister -

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

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

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

How about farmers?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Harper's War on poverty

Actually, that's a typo.

Should read "Heartless Harper's War on the poor - and seniors." (emphasis mine)

Low-income Canadian seniors could be driven into poverty next summer when they find out Ottawa has cut their federal income support. Some are poised to lose a key part of their monthly income because of a new policy approved by the federal government without public notice, according to internal guidelines obtained by The Globe and Mail.
 
So if a low income senior - who acted responsibly and put money into an RRSP over the years so they would be able to care for themselves - takes out a few thousand for say, medical costs, the funeral of a spouse, to fix a heater, that withdrawal is treated as income making it appear that they are making more that year than they actually did, and they no longer qualify for GIS payments.

I have to sign off now since I'm trying not to use foul language as much on my blog.  But this is so, so obscene.

Update:   Finley announced in the House today the change is on hold, for review because she was "very concerned" by what had been reported.  Sure Diane, except you can't pretend that you had no idea of the impact this would have on seniors -

“I think it’s immoral,” said Gerard Lee, who worked on benefits files for the federal government as a Service Canada client services officer in Corner Brook, Nfld., before retiring this year. Mr. Lee wrote to Human Resources Minister Diane Finley in August saying it was “grossly unfair” of the government to make the change without any public notice or effort to inform seniors.  In a written response last month, Ms. Finley defended the change and said the courts had urged Ottawa to clear up the rules in this area. 

So why the change of whatever it is Diane has in place of a heart?  Probably this - 

Ms. Finley’s office had more to say Thursday when informed The Globe would be writing a story on the issue.“The Minister has instructed the department to urgently review this policy,” said Ryan Sparrow, Ms. Finley’s director of communications. Mr. Lee later said the minister’s pledge was “excellent” news.

Damn those media folks, eh, Diane?

Update on update: we have Gerry Byrne, Liberal, to thank for Finley's sorta heart transplant.  Nice going, Gerry!  Finley still tried to act like this was all news to her, though.