Minister of Defence Peter MacKay told an audience of transportation security experts in Ottawa this week, "The greatest threat to North America right now is on the water."
I agree with Minister MacKay.
I argued last year in an article I wrote for a local newspaper that "the greatest threat to Canada will not be a 'rogue-nation missile'. It will be a device hidden in a shipping container or somebody carrying a briefcase filled with nuclear explosives."
So, Mr. MacKay, let me ask you the same question I posed in the article: "If the threat is terrestrial , why invest in the American Star Wars missile defence project?"
I will await his answer.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
All hail the Poilievre
Well, hat's off to Pierre Poilievre, MP. He secured $35 million in funding for the proposed Strandherd Bridge project in Ottawa. The project has a total cost estimated at $105 million, so the federal money is welcome.
It is especially welcome since the provincial government won't pony up any money for the bridge because they claim, wrongly, that it is not part of a on-again-off-again light rail transit system.
But what's this? Turns out the federal money is not new money? The feds had already approved $200 million for the light rail project that Pierre's fellow Conservative, John "the screamer" Baird, helped to kill last fall. The $35 million is being taken from those yet unused funds.
Thanks Pierre.
It is especially welcome since the provincial government won't pony up any money for the bridge because they claim, wrongly, that it is not part of a on-again-off-again light rail transit system.
But what's this? Turns out the federal money is not new money? The feds had already approved $200 million for the light rail project that Pierre's fellow Conservative, John "the screamer" Baird, helped to kill last fall. The $35 million is being taken from those yet unused funds.
Thanks Pierre.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Fixing the First Nations
Patrick Brazeau, National Chief of the Congress of Aboriginal People, asks in his blog (http://brazman.blogspot.com) for readers to complete four statements. I completed them on his blog and these are my answers:
If I were the PM, I would negotiate with Aboriginals leaders to reduce the number of native communities, abolish the Indian Act and then close down Indian Affairs and redirect that money.
If I were the Indian Affairs Minister, I would carry out the directives stated above and then resign.
If I were the Premier of Ontario, I would demand that the AFN or CAP enter the negotiations with Mohawks in Southern Ontario to settle the issues.
If I were an Aboriginal Leader, I would demand that all Leaders implement an education, health and employment program for their community. And if they were unwilling or unable... then step aside and let someone else do it.
Seems straight forward enough.
If I were the PM, I would negotiate with Aboriginals leaders to reduce the number of native communities, abolish the Indian Act and then close down Indian Affairs and redirect that money.
If I were the Indian Affairs Minister, I would carry out the directives stated above and then resign.
If I were the Premier of Ontario, I would demand that the AFN or CAP enter the negotiations with Mohawks in Southern Ontario to settle the issues.
If I were an Aboriginal Leader, I would demand that all Leaders implement an education, health and employment program for their community. And if they were unwilling or unable... then step aside and let someone else do it.
Seems straight forward enough.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
You're a terrorist? Welcome to Canada!
We have been spending a fortune beefing up our border patrols, arming our border crossing guards and increasing our vigilance in looking for grandmothers "smuggling" a can of SPAM in from the US. At the same time, we let terrorists and undocumented "refugees" into the country without a question.
Ahmed Ressan, who tried to blow upon the LA airport and who is now in prison in the US, entered the US from Canada. He had been in Canada since being let in as a political refugee, with no background checks to find out why he considered himself at risk in his home country. He was at risk because he was a terrorist before he got here. But we let him in without question.
Here is the problem with our system. Canada has admitted almost 700,000 refugees in the past 20 years. In case you think this a typo, I say it again; 700,000 in 20 years. How many of these had security checks? According to CSIS, less than 10%.
So much for security. It is a bit like putting on your seat belt and then driving around with a sharp knife in your mouth. One slight accident and you are dead anyway!
Ahmed Ressan, who tried to blow upon the LA airport and who is now in prison in the US, entered the US from Canada. He had been in Canada since being let in as a political refugee, with no background checks to find out why he considered himself at risk in his home country. He was at risk because he was a terrorist before he got here. But we let him in without question.
Here is the problem with our system. Canada has admitted almost 700,000 refugees in the past 20 years. In case you think this a typo, I say it again; 700,000 in 20 years. How many of these had security checks? According to CSIS, less than 10%.
So much for security. It is a bit like putting on your seat belt and then driving around with a sharp knife in your mouth. One slight accident and you are dead anyway!
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
The ZENN has it
Who says the CBC is a waste of money?
Transport Canada has been dragging its feet over the ZENN car, a slow speed (50 kph tops) electric car being built in St Jerome, Quebec. It is being sold all over the US, but you cannot get it in Canada. Why not? According to TC it does not meet Canadian standards. The funny thing is that the Canadian standards are identical to the US standards.
Enter the CBC. On October 25, 2007, Reg Sherran does a story on the vehicle including a conversation with a TC spokesperson who contradicts himself repeatedly. Then Sherran reports that the company may have to shut in Quebec and move to the US, where their market is.
Well here we are a month later and Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon puts out a release saying that the ZENN is now approved for Canadians.
Thanks Lawrence and thanks even more to the CBC!
Remember the CBC when you save thousands of dollars buying a ZENN car and you breathe easier because the ZENN is non-polluting electric.
Transport Canada has been dragging its feet over the ZENN car, a slow speed (50 kph tops) electric car being built in St Jerome, Quebec. It is being sold all over the US, but you cannot get it in Canada. Why not? According to TC it does not meet Canadian standards. The funny thing is that the Canadian standards are identical to the US standards.
Enter the CBC. On October 25, 2007, Reg Sherran does a story on the vehicle including a conversation with a TC spokesperson who contradicts himself repeatedly. Then Sherran reports that the company may have to shut in Quebec and move to the US, where their market is.
Well here we are a month later and Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon puts out a release saying that the ZENN is now approved for Canadians.
Thanks Lawrence and thanks even more to the CBC!
Remember the CBC when you save thousands of dollars buying a ZENN car and you breathe easier because the ZENN is non-polluting electric.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Tasering in Vancouver is not the only issue!
Robert Dziekanski, a Polish immigrant to Canada, died in Vancouver after being "tasered" by the RCMP at the airport. There is a lesson to be learned here and I am not talking about the use of tasers.
Dziekanski was an unemployed coal miner (some reports say he was an unemployed construction worker) from Poland who spoke neither English or French. He had no job prospects and was coming to join his mother who was already in Vancouver. He had never flown before in his life and had never even been out of Poland.
This incident brings into question our immigration procedures as much as police procedures.
For instance, why was Dziekanski being allowed to immigrate to Canada when he had no employment agreements? After arriving he could have been a quick candidate for welfare.
Secondly, why was he not required to learn one of Canada's official languages before he came. Surely he had the time.
Third, if we knew he was coming, why was he delayed for 10 hours at the airport while immigration folks processed him? He must of had papers.
Fourth, in all of Vancouver there is no one who speaks Polish who could have helped out? Why was his mother, who I assume spoke Polish, told that Dziekanski was not in immigration?
By all means let us investigate the RCMP use of taser on this man but they are not the only questions to be asked. Immigration Canada and airport officials have some explaining to do also.
Dziekanski was an unemployed coal miner (some reports say he was an unemployed construction worker) from Poland who spoke neither English or French. He had no job prospects and was coming to join his mother who was already in Vancouver. He had never flown before in his life and had never even been out of Poland.
This incident brings into question our immigration procedures as much as police procedures.
For instance, why was Dziekanski being allowed to immigrate to Canada when he had no employment agreements? After arriving he could have been a quick candidate for welfare.
Secondly, why was he not required to learn one of Canada's official languages before he came. Surely he had the time.
Third, if we knew he was coming, why was he delayed for 10 hours at the airport while immigration folks processed him? He must of had papers.
Fourth, in all of Vancouver there is no one who speaks Polish who could have helped out? Why was his mother, who I assume spoke Polish, told that Dziekanski was not in immigration?
By all means let us investigate the RCMP use of taser on this man but they are not the only questions to be asked. Immigration Canada and airport officials have some explaining to do also.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Poilievre blows it again
Pierre Poilievre is the type kid that we all used to beat up in school. It is not the way he looks -he looks quite presentable - it is that he can't open his mouth without saying something stupid or insulting or both.
He was the Conservative who lectured MPs on decorum and then did a pixie dance behind the Speaker's chair in the Commons. Then the tiny mite became one of the more abusive hecklers on the Conservative side of the house, including making abusive hand gestures and swearing. Now he is lecturing senior politicians on the relevance of historical fact.
On Question Period this weekend, Poilievre lectured Ralph Goodale over the Mulroney affair... oops, excuse me... the Mulroney "misunderstanding". "Liberals 'are trying to 'modernize' a historical event", cries Pierre. Because Pierre was in diapers in Calgary when the Mulroney misunderstanding took place means that it is no longer important? Geez!
If I ever take a $300,000 payment, in cash, from a dodgy source, for a service I may not have even delivered, and then neglect to pay taxes on it; then lie to a commons committee and the RCMP about it; then sue and win $2.1 million on the basis of the lie - remind me to get Pierre as my lawyer. He can argue that since it happened last week or last year, it is history and not relevant to today and does not deserve to be discussed.
He was the Conservative who lectured MPs on decorum and then did a pixie dance behind the Speaker's chair in the Commons. Then the tiny mite became one of the more abusive hecklers on the Conservative side of the house, including making abusive hand gestures and swearing. Now he is lecturing senior politicians on the relevance of historical fact.
On Question Period this weekend, Poilievre lectured Ralph Goodale over the Mulroney affair... oops, excuse me... the Mulroney "misunderstanding". "Liberals 'are trying to 'modernize' a historical event", cries Pierre. Because Pierre was in diapers in Calgary when the Mulroney misunderstanding took place means that it is no longer important? Geez!
If I ever take a $300,000 payment, in cash, from a dodgy source, for a service I may not have even delivered, and then neglect to pay taxes on it; then lie to a commons committee and the RCMP about it; then sue and win $2.1 million on the basis of the lie - remind me to get Pierre as my lawyer. He can argue that since it happened last week or last year, it is history and not relevant to today and does not deserve to be discussed.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
New ways to do business!
Ottawa is an amazing place to live. Where else can you have 3 levels of government competing to do the least for their citizens.
Take the local government. The mayor, elected by voters across the city, wants to run municipal government with a bit more streamlined bureaucracy. The majority of councillors, elected by, in most cases, a minority of ward voters, tell the mayor not to bother trying; because the bureaucrats run the show. The senior bureaucrat, the city manager, says to the mayor; get stuffed.
Let's get serious in Ottawa. Our cupboards are bare and the kids are still hungry. Rather than stealing from the supermarket to feed the kids let's reduce the number of kids.
Better yet, let's put the kids on a diet!!
What does that mean?
It is financial pay back time for city employees, including the police department who seem to think that they are not city employees.
I propose that all salaries in the municipal civil service be rolled back between 10% and 20%. The overall budget of the city is $2.1 billion of which about 50% is salaries. That is a payroll of about $1 billion. (This number may be slightly off because it is difficult to determine the number by reading the 2007 or proposed 2008 budget. We do know that there are many thousands of full time equivalents, including the police, on the payroll.)
So assume the $1 billion payroll. A 10% cutback across the board means a saving of $100 million. That is enough to balance the 2008 budget without cutting a single job or program.
After that comes the hard part. You need to get rid of some of the kids in 2009.
Take the local government. The mayor, elected by voters across the city, wants to run municipal government with a bit more streamlined bureaucracy. The majority of councillors, elected by, in most cases, a minority of ward voters, tell the mayor not to bother trying; because the bureaucrats run the show. The senior bureaucrat, the city manager, says to the mayor; get stuffed.
Let's get serious in Ottawa. Our cupboards are bare and the kids are still hungry. Rather than stealing from the supermarket to feed the kids let's reduce the number of kids.
Better yet, let's put the kids on a diet!!
What does that mean?
It is financial pay back time for city employees, including the police department who seem to think that they are not city employees.
I propose that all salaries in the municipal civil service be rolled back between 10% and 20%. The overall budget of the city is $2.1 billion of which about 50% is salaries. That is a payroll of about $1 billion. (This number may be slightly off because it is difficult to determine the number by reading the 2007 or proposed 2008 budget. We do know that there are many thousands of full time equivalents, including the police, on the payroll.)
So assume the $1 billion payroll. A 10% cutback across the board means a saving of $100 million. That is enough to balance the 2008 budget without cutting a single job or program.
After that comes the hard part. You need to get rid of some of the kids in 2009.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
PR is no more?
The Fair Vote folks are telling us that the MMP debate in Ontario is not over. They claim that it was wrong that a democratic majority voted to keep what Fair Vote calls an undemocratic voting system.
Oh, pooh!
The government set up the Citizen's Assembly (CA), supposedly a random selection of people from across the province. How you do it randomly and still get 50% male, 50% female and all the minorities represented is beyond me, so I give them the benefit of the doubt.
What I marvel at is that the CA was able to make a unanimous decision, and I emphasize - they made a 100% agreement, on MMP to replace First Past the Post (FPTP). Unanimous agreement with anything in this country is hard to believe, let alone to replace a form of democratic voting that goes back over 300 years.
Let us accept that the process was open and good and the CA members made voluntary decisions. What happened next is what destroyed the chance for a vote on MMP to succeed.
I attended a meeting in the fall where the guest speaker was a member of the CA. At breakfast the gentleman sat across from me and we had a chance to exchange views. However, I should tell you that the exchange was not exactly equal. I listened as he told me about the CA and about MMP. (I should admit to you that I have written many times in other venues about MMP and the other forms of PR.) I also read his brochure. (Although I had already read it from the CA web site.) When I questioned the gentleman on various aspects of MMP I was somewhat surprised at his responses. Invariably, his comebacks to my comments were numerous forms of "That is irrelevant." Sure made my day and made me want to support him. NOT!
MysteryMan is a long-in-the-tooth marketer. He, or she, knows how to present stuff so that people want to buy it. MysteryMan recognized early in the conversation with CA-man that CA-man was no marketer. CA-man could not care less about what MysteryMan had to say unless it agreed with his (CA-man's) vision.
That was where the CA project's wheels fell off. Don't send a stockboy to do a marketers work.
If the CA had decided that the decision was worth marketing they would have made sure that their salespeople were marketers, not stockboys.
Proportional Representation has a place in our electoral system but there are four identified forms of PR, of which MMP is only one. You have to ask yourself; why did the CA decide on MMP when it is one of the weakest forms of PR?
I suggest to the Fair Vote folks that rather than make accusations about who scuttled your grand dream, take a look at the process and results that led up to the vote. The YES side was given a mandate and money to get their message out. The NO side had only logic on its side.
The NO side won.
But, hey, don't listen to me... whatever I say is irrelevant!
Oh, pooh!
The government set up the Citizen's Assembly (CA), supposedly a random selection of people from across the province. How you do it randomly and still get 50% male, 50% female and all the minorities represented is beyond me, so I give them the benefit of the doubt.
What I marvel at is that the CA was able to make a unanimous decision, and I emphasize - they made a 100% agreement, on MMP to replace First Past the Post (FPTP). Unanimous agreement with anything in this country is hard to believe, let alone to replace a form of democratic voting that goes back over 300 years.
Let us accept that the process was open and good and the CA members made voluntary decisions. What happened next is what destroyed the chance for a vote on MMP to succeed.
I attended a meeting in the fall where the guest speaker was a member of the CA. At breakfast the gentleman sat across from me and we had a chance to exchange views. However, I should tell you that the exchange was not exactly equal. I listened as he told me about the CA and about MMP. (I should admit to you that I have written many times in other venues about MMP and the other forms of PR.) I also read his brochure. (Although I had already read it from the CA web site.) When I questioned the gentleman on various aspects of MMP I was somewhat surprised at his responses. Invariably, his comebacks to my comments were numerous forms of "That is irrelevant." Sure made my day and made me want to support him. NOT!
MysteryMan is a long-in-the-tooth marketer. He, or she, knows how to present stuff so that people want to buy it. MysteryMan recognized early in the conversation with CA-man that CA-man was no marketer. CA-man could not care less about what MysteryMan had to say unless it agreed with his (CA-man's) vision.
That was where the CA project's wheels fell off. Don't send a stockboy to do a marketers work.
If the CA had decided that the decision was worth marketing they would have made sure that their salespeople were marketers, not stockboys.
Proportional Representation has a place in our electoral system but there are four identified forms of PR, of which MMP is only one. You have to ask yourself; why did the CA decide on MMP when it is one of the weakest forms of PR?
I suggest to the Fair Vote folks that rather than make accusations about who scuttled your grand dream, take a look at the process and results that led up to the vote. The YES side was given a mandate and money to get their message out. The NO side had only logic on its side.
The NO side won.
But, hey, don't listen to me... whatever I say is irrelevant!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Is Health Canada trying to kill us?
There was an article in the Ottawa newspaper on Sept 12 stating that an Alberta MD was in Health Canada's (HC) bad books. Seems that the northern Alberta MD had noticed that there was a very high incidence of a rare form of cancer in the area around Fort Chipewyan, about 100 km downstream from Fort McMurray, the site of all the tar sands mining.
Dr. O'Connor recognized the cancer because his own father died of it in Ireland about 15 years ago and he raised an alert when he diagnosed it in 5 local patients.
So when Health Canada, whose mandate is to "help Canadians maintain and improve their health, while respecting individual choices and circumstances", heard of the alert... they made a complaint to the Alberta Medical Association and threatened Dr. O'Connor license to practice medicine. Why? Because according to HC, there is no risk of toxins and carcinogens spilling into the Athabaska River from the tar sands.
So rather than investigate the identified problem HC attacks the messenger. And what does Tony Clement, the Minister of Health, have to say? His office issued a press release commending HC for doing their job.
In the meantime, it seems that a new report was released only last week by an Alberta ecologist that seemingly contradicts HC. Kevin Timoney points to the "deformed fish with bulging eyes" as part of the evidence that the pollutants in the Athabaska River might be a problem. Since they cannot threaten the medical license of the non-doctor Timoney, maybe they will just send him to Guantanamo.
But this is not the first time that HC has protected the health of Canadians by ignoring evidence. A number of years ago, when lead was being eliminated from gasoline (because it was a health risk), a company from the US introduced a substance called MMT. MMT had a manganese base. MMT was introduced into gasoline as an anti-knock agent and octane raiser. The US, studying the effects of MMT decided to ban it. HC decided to ban it also. But in 1996 the manufacturer of MMT decided that the ban in Canada was contrary to the North America Free Trade Agreement. Health of Canadians be damned... the NAFTA was paramount.
"MMT does not pose a threat to either the environment or to human health and welfare," argued the company, which was being advised by Gordon Ritchie, a former top Canadian trade official who helped negotiate NAFTA. Canada was about to lose its sovereignty to NAFTA so it settled out of court with Ethyl Corp to the tune of multi-millions of dollars, so that there would be no judgment against it. But Ethyl Corp must have been right about MMT not being a problem because Grace Wood, senior evaluator in Health Canada's environmental health directorate and author of its MMT report, told us that; while manganese is known to be a "neurotoxic" linked to brain disorders such as Parkinson's disease, the level of manganese released by MMT in gasoline "is unlikely to pose a risk".
This was of course completely contrary to the science in the US that banned MMT and contrary to the physical fact that manganese in micro form can enter the human body through breathing and that manganese from vehicle exhausts can accumulate in the soil. HC also ignored the caution from Environment Canada that, while emissions from vehicles in pristine shape might not form a major risk, MMT can affect the functioning of a vehicle's exhaust system and result in the release of much higher concentrations of manganese into the air than pristine vehicles.
It took 10 more years for gasoline refiners in Canada to finally get rid of MMT, voluntarily. What does HC say today about manganese? There might be a slight problem with manganese, what with the rise in Parkinson's and AD/HD but, hey, we are just simple scientists. So what do we know?
Want to reduce taxes and protect your health? Get rid of, or at least reform, Health Canada.
Dr. O'Connor recognized the cancer because his own father died of it in Ireland about 15 years ago and he raised an alert when he diagnosed it in 5 local patients.
So when Health Canada, whose mandate is to "help Canadians maintain and improve their health, while respecting individual choices and circumstances", heard of the alert... they made a complaint to the Alberta Medical Association and threatened Dr. O'Connor license to practice medicine. Why? Because according to HC, there is no risk of toxins and carcinogens spilling into the Athabaska River from the tar sands.
So rather than investigate the identified problem HC attacks the messenger. And what does Tony Clement, the Minister of Health, have to say? His office issued a press release commending HC for doing their job.
In the meantime, it seems that a new report was released only last week by an Alberta ecologist that seemingly contradicts HC. Kevin Timoney points to the "deformed fish with bulging eyes" as part of the evidence that the pollutants in the Athabaska River might be a problem. Since they cannot threaten the medical license of the non-doctor Timoney, maybe they will just send him to Guantanamo.
But this is not the first time that HC has protected the health of Canadians by ignoring evidence. A number of years ago, when lead was being eliminated from gasoline (because it was a health risk), a company from the US introduced a substance called MMT. MMT had a manganese base. MMT was introduced into gasoline as an anti-knock agent and octane raiser. The US, studying the effects of MMT decided to ban it. HC decided to ban it also. But in 1996 the manufacturer of MMT decided that the ban in Canada was contrary to the North America Free Trade Agreement. Health of Canadians be damned... the NAFTA was paramount.
"MMT does not pose a threat to either the environment or to human health and welfare," argued the company, which was being advised by Gordon Ritchie, a former top Canadian trade official who helped negotiate NAFTA. Canada was about to lose its sovereignty to NAFTA so it settled out of court with Ethyl Corp to the tune of multi-millions of dollars, so that there would be no judgment against it. But Ethyl Corp must have been right about MMT not being a problem because Grace Wood, senior evaluator in Health Canada's environmental health directorate and author of its MMT report, told us that; while manganese is known to be a "neurotoxic" linked to brain disorders such as Parkinson's disease, the level of manganese released by MMT in gasoline "is unlikely to pose a risk".
This was of course completely contrary to the science in the US that banned MMT and contrary to the physical fact that manganese in micro form can enter the human body through breathing and that manganese from vehicle exhausts can accumulate in the soil. HC also ignored the caution from Environment Canada that, while emissions from vehicles in pristine shape might not form a major risk, MMT can affect the functioning of a vehicle's exhaust system and result in the release of much higher concentrations of manganese into the air than pristine vehicles.
It took 10 more years for gasoline refiners in Canada to finally get rid of MMT, voluntarily. What does HC say today about manganese? There might be a slight problem with manganese, what with the rise in Parkinson's and AD/HD but, hey, we are just simple scientists. So what do we know?
Want to reduce taxes and protect your health? Get rid of, or at least reform, Health Canada.
Harper again?????
Honest to gosh, I am trying to like PM Harper. I have been a federal Liberal all my life but I have worked for candidates of other stripes when I preferred the candidate over the party. I am trying my best to like Stephen Harper but he is making it tough.
His latest blooper is the agreement to settle out of court with Alan Riddell, deposed Conservative candidate in the last election. After declaring that there was no agreement to compensate Riddell for his costs of being a candidate, Harper's office issued a press release on Remembrance Day that they have paid Riddell off out of court. How do you pay off a settlement when no agreement existed? And on what basis was Justice Denis Power of the Ontario Superior Court able to decide that there was an agreement and that it was enforceable? There must have been some form of agreement.
Geez, I can hear it now. John Baird is going to scream at me and blame everything on the Liberals.
Maybe while he is screaming he can explain to me how PM Harper can promise in his 2006 election platform to "ensure that party nomination and leadership races are conducted in a fair, transparent and democratic manner" and "prevent party leaders from appointing candidates without the democratic consent of local electoral district associations.", and then turn around an replace two Toronto area candidates who were selected democratically by their riding constituents.
I am trying to like the PM.
His latest blooper is the agreement to settle out of court with Alan Riddell, deposed Conservative candidate in the last election. After declaring that there was no agreement to compensate Riddell for his costs of being a candidate, Harper's office issued a press release on Remembrance Day that they have paid Riddell off out of court. How do you pay off a settlement when no agreement existed? And on what basis was Justice Denis Power of the Ontario Superior Court able to decide that there was an agreement and that it was enforceable? There must have been some form of agreement.
Geez, I can hear it now. John Baird is going to scream at me and blame everything on the Liberals.
Maybe while he is screaming he can explain to me how PM Harper can promise in his 2006 election platform to "ensure that party nomination and leadership races are conducted in a fair, transparent and democratic manner" and "prevent party leaders from appointing candidates without the democratic consent of local electoral district associations.", and then turn around an replace two Toronto area candidates who were selected democratically by their riding constituents.
I am trying to like the PM.
Monday, November 12, 2007
So is the PM crazy? Or What?
How dumb can you be to portray yourself and your government as fighting for the rights and pocketbooks of Canadians, being the paragons of virtue and accountability, and be squeaky clean; and then you say you will not investigate the goings on with Brian Mulroney and the $300,000 that skipped his memory.
Rather than saying "I will get to the bottom of this!", you threatened the Liberals and past Prime Ministers with digging up dirt on them.
How dumb are you?
If a former PM Mulroney has done something wrong, he or she needs to be brought to justice. Did Paul Martin or Jean Chretien do something illegal as you seem to suggest? If so, have them investigated and taken to court also.
If Mulroney is squeaky clean then what does he have to lose by being investigated. His integrity? To late for that!
I suggest that you will lose a lot more than he will if you don't look into the issue, Mr. Harper.
Rather than saying "I will get to the bottom of this!", you threatened the Liberals and past Prime Ministers with digging up dirt on them.
How dumb are you?
If a former PM Mulroney has done something wrong, he or she needs to be brought to justice. Did Paul Martin or Jean Chretien do something illegal as you seem to suggest? If so, have them investigated and taken to court also.
If Mulroney is squeaky clean then what does he have to lose by being investigated. His integrity? To late for that!
I suggest that you will lose a lot more than he will if you don't look into the issue, Mr. Harper.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
The Afghans must be quaking in their boots.
A bunch of years ago I complained bitterly that the same of names always seemed to pop up at the government trough when politicos went looking for "experts" to hire. Well, here we go again.
John Manley has been appointed to head the Canadian Afghan mission review. The goals of the review is to determine where we go next in the dog's breakfast we call the Afghan conflict. Specifically, the review team (it is not just a one person mission) will study four main options for the "mission". The options include:
To be fair, Manley is not alone. He has a team of very experience military-savvy people to back him up. They include:
Politics. Ya got to love it!
John Manley has been appointed to head the Canadian Afghan mission review. The goals of the review is to determine where we go next in the dog's breakfast we call the Afghan conflict. Specifically, the review team (it is not just a one person mission) will study four main options for the "mission". The options include:
- Option One -- continue training the Afghan army and police with the goal of creating a self-sufficient indigenous security force in Kandahar province so that Canadian troops can withdraw in February 2009
- Option Two -- focus on reconstruction work in Kandahar, which would require other countries to take over security role
- Option Three -- shift Canadian security and reconstruction efforts to another region in Afghanistan
- Option Four -- withdraw all Canadian military forces after February 2009 except for small contingent to provide security for aid workers and diplomats
To be fair, Manley is not alone. He has a team of very experience military-savvy people to back him up. They include:
- Derek Burney, Canada's former ambassador to Washington and former chief of staff to Brian Mulroney
- Respected broadcaster Pamela Wallin, who was Canadian consul general in New York
- Former Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Jake Epp
- Paul Tellier, former Clerk of the Privy Council and former president and CEO of Canadian National Railway and Bombardier
Politics. Ya got to love it!
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