Friday, December 29, 2006
Prime Minister Harper's Mentor
As our Conservative government pushes forward with its agenda, by and large following its campaign platform, it becomes more clear as time passes: Prime Minister Harper is definitely following George W. Bush's footsteps. How so?
For starters:
1. Bush instigated the fad of wearing a US flag lapel pin. Harper wears a Canadian flag lapel pin.
2. Bush's environment policy regarding green house gas is based on "intensity" of emissions, rather than actual emissions. Harper's environment policy is based on "intensity" of emissions rather than actual emissions - a template of US policy - not exactly "made in Canada".
3. Republican congressmen and senators had, until recently, followed Bush and did his bidding. The Conservative caucus (with the exception of two or three MP's who have the courage to represent their constituents) follow the Prime Minister like a bunch of penguins on the march.
4. Elements of the American religious right have virtual unrestricted access to Bush. Accordingly, Canadian evangelical leader Dr. Charles McVety (President of the Canadian Family Action Coalition) is reported to have similar access to the Prime Minister.
Where they differ is in their views on the war on terrorism. The US is in Iraq for the wrong reason and should be more focused on Afghanistan. Canada is not in Iraq for the right reason, but it is in Afghanistan where it should be.
For starters:
1. Bush instigated the fad of wearing a US flag lapel pin. Harper wears a Canadian flag lapel pin.
2. Bush's environment policy regarding green house gas is based on "intensity" of emissions, rather than actual emissions. Harper's environment policy is based on "intensity" of emissions rather than actual emissions - a template of US policy - not exactly "made in Canada".
3. Republican congressmen and senators had, until recently, followed Bush and did his bidding. The Conservative caucus (with the exception of two or three MP's who have the courage to represent their constituents) follow the Prime Minister like a bunch of penguins on the march.
4. Elements of the American religious right have virtual unrestricted access to Bush. Accordingly, Canadian evangelical leader Dr. Charles McVety (President of the Canadian Family Action Coalition) is reported to have similar access to the Prime Minister.
Where they differ is in their views on the war on terrorism. The US is in Iraq for the wrong reason and should be more focused on Afghanistan. Canada is not in Iraq for the right reason, but it is in Afghanistan where it should be.
Labels: Afghanistan, Bush and Harper, Iraq, religious right
Friday, December 22, 2006
Government Approved Christmas Wish
Holiday Greetings
I wanted to send some sort of holiday greeting to my friends and colleagues, but it is so difficult in today’s world to know exactly what to say without offending someone. So I met with my solicitor yesterday, and on his advice I wish to say the following:
Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, nonaddictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced with the most enjoyable traditions of religious persuasion or secular practices of your choice with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.
I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted Gregorian calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make our country great (not to imply that Canada is necessarily greater than any other country) and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.
By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms:
This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.
Disclaimer: No trees were harmed in the sending of this message; however, a significant number of electrons were slightly inconvenienced.
All the above aside, Have a Merry Christmas and Much Health & Happiness in '07.
Warmest wishes,
(Author Anonymous)
I wanted to send some sort of holiday greeting to my friends and colleagues, but it is so difficult in today’s world to know exactly what to say without offending someone. So I met with my solicitor yesterday, and on his advice I wish to say the following:
Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, nonaddictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced with the most enjoyable traditions of religious persuasion or secular practices of your choice with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.
I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted Gregorian calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make our country great (not to imply that Canada is necessarily greater than any other country) and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.
By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms:
This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.
Disclaimer: No trees were harmed in the sending of this message; however, a significant number of electrons were slightly inconvenienced.
All the above aside, Have a Merry Christmas and Much Health & Happiness in '07.
Warmest wishes,
(Author Anonymous)
Labels: Christmas
Thursday, December 14, 2006
My Cabinet Minister Disappear Wish List
Surely, opposition parties can come up with better reasons than Afghanistan to bring down the government. A better target would be the Conservative's perfunctory and trifling environment policies. But, to help staveoff any premature non confidence vote and to give his government a bit of a face lift, Harper will reshuffle his Cabinet before Parliament reconvenes onJanuary 29.
My cabinet minister disappear wish list includes:
1. Beat it Rona Ambrose, Minister of Environment, your services or lack thereof, are no longer required.
2. Begone bedazzled Stockwell Day, Minister and master of the RCMP.
3. Au revoir Lawerence Canon, Minister of Transport, for not comprehending the meaning of the word Québécois and the whole notion of the motion.
4. Hit the road Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign and immature domestic Affairs.
5. "Get a kick" Jim Flaherty, Minister of flatulent Finance (not likely a strong candidate for getting the boot as Jim is deep in the PM's favour).
Unfortunately for us, the PM has a shallow talent pool in the current cabinet and even less talent from which to select his replacements.
My cabinet minister disappear wish list includes:
1. Beat it Rona Ambrose, Minister of Environment, your services or lack thereof, are no longer required.
2. Begone bedazzled Stockwell Day, Minister and master of the RCMP.
3. Au revoir Lawerence Canon, Minister of Transport, for not comprehending the meaning of the word Québécois and the whole notion of the motion.
4. Hit the road Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign and immature domestic Affairs.
5. "Get a kick" Jim Flaherty, Minister of flatulent Finance (not likely a strong candidate for getting the boot as Jim is deep in the PM's favour).
Unfortunately for us, the PM has a shallow talent pool in the current cabinet and even less talent from which to select his replacements.
Labels: environment, foreign affairs, general politics, Québécois, RCMP
Friday, December 08, 2006
Stockwell Day's Lapel Pin
Following RCMP Commissioner's Zaccardelli's ignominious appearence before the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security this past Wedesday, his boss, Stockwell Day appeared yesterday to give his testimony about the Zaccardelli affair. He also appeared in a couple of media interviews later in the day.
In each of the appearances Stockwell Day was sporting a massive RCMP lapel pin on his suit. At first, I thought it was an RCMP hat badge. How tacky and inappropriate! Who's the boss of who?
Stockwell Day is soliciting suggestions from MP's of all parties on how to best de-politicize the RCMP. For starters, ditch the lapel pin.
In each of the appearances Stockwell Day was sporting a massive RCMP lapel pin on his suit. At first, I thought it was an RCMP hat badge. How tacky and inappropriate! Who's the boss of who?
Stockwell Day is soliciting suggestions from MP's of all parties on how to best de-politicize the RCMP. For starters, ditch the lapel pin.
Labels: RCMP, Stockwell Day
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Zaccardelli's Kiss of Death
The House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security gave RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli the kiss of death today with their overwhelming dissatification of Zaccardelli's explanation for his recanted testimony with respect to the Arar case.
The Commissioner's back peddling was variously described by committee members as perjury, incompetent, or incredulous. Outside the committee, ex-Commissioner for Public Complaints Against the RCMP, Shirley Heafey referred to Zaccardelli as a "walking disaster" for the past six years.
Commissioner Zaccardelli now has the option to immediately retire from the RCMP or be fired. There are no other alternatives. He has lost, not just the confidence of the Standing Committee, but that of the Canadian public. However, in Zaccarelli's defence, those in the RCMP who knew of the facts surrounding the Arar case and chose not to fully inform the Commissioner, should also be fired.
A Commissioner of the RCMP must be ethical, demonstrate integrity, and uphold the reputation of the RCMP. Commissioner Zaccardelli has failed on all three counts and must go sooner than later. How he wishes to leave the RCMP is his decision.
The Commissioner's back peddling was variously described by committee members as perjury, incompetent, or incredulous. Outside the committee, ex-Commissioner for Public Complaints Against the RCMP, Shirley Heafey referred to Zaccardelli as a "walking disaster" for the past six years.
Commissioner Zaccardelli now has the option to immediately retire from the RCMP or be fired. There are no other alternatives. He has lost, not just the confidence of the Standing Committee, but that of the Canadian public. However, in Zaccarelli's defence, those in the RCMP who knew of the facts surrounding the Arar case and chose not to fully inform the Commissioner, should also be fired.
A Commissioner of the RCMP must be ethical, demonstrate integrity, and uphold the reputation of the RCMP. Commissioner Zaccardelli has failed on all three counts and must go sooner than later. How he wishes to leave the RCMP is his decision.
Labels: accountability, ethics, RCMP
Friday, December 01, 2006
Defence Production Act
The Conservative government portrays itself as tough on crime. Did you know that on October 17, 2000, the Conservatives (then Canadian Alliance) along with Liberals, Bloc Québécois, and NDP voted in favour of amendments to the Defence Production Act that effectively prohibited all municipal police forces from the Maritimes to Vancouver Island from possessing guns or ammunition? Police forces, big and small, were negatively impacted by the amendments, except for the RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police, and Sûreté du Québec, all of whom were exempted under the Act.
Clearly, this was an astonishing act of carelessness on the part of our MP's. To make matters worse, provincial governments and police forces were not notified of the changes until after April 30, 2001 when the amendments took effect. Police forces were unable to purchase new weapons or ammunition until their police executive management were identified and designated persons (as defined by the Act) underwent a lengthy registration process with Public Works Canada and thorough background investigations.
Notwithstanding complaints from provincial governments and police, it took the federal government three years to correct this blunder by amending the Defence Production Act to exempt municipal police forces.
Naturally, the Conservatives’ lack of thought given to the original amendments to the Defence Production Act begs the question whether they have given due consideration to the ramifications that may flow from their proposal to shut down the long gun registry.
Clearly, this was an astonishing act of carelessness on the part of our MP's. To make matters worse, provincial governments and police forces were not notified of the changes until after April 30, 2001 when the amendments took effect. Police forces were unable to purchase new weapons or ammunition until their police executive management were identified and designated persons (as defined by the Act) underwent a lengthy registration process with Public Works Canada and thorough background investigations.
Notwithstanding complaints from provincial governments and police, it took the federal government three years to correct this blunder by amending the Defence Production Act to exempt municipal police forces.
Naturally, the Conservatives’ lack of thought given to the original amendments to the Defence Production Act begs the question whether they have given due consideration to the ramifications that may flow from their proposal to shut down the long gun registry.
Labels: gun registry
