Daily Digest September 11, 2008

The DAILY DIGEST: INFORMATION and OPINION from ST. JOHN'S to VICTORIA.
ARCHIVED at http://cdndailydigest.blogspot.com/

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Mr. Harper pledged Wednesday to withdraw Canadian troops in 2011 from not just Kandahar, but all of Afghanistan, leaving no room for transfer to a safer region of the country. His statement went further than the parliamentary deal he cut earlier this year with the Liberals to pull Canadian forces out of Kandahar in 2011. At a NATO summit in April, Mr. Harper had also left the door open to keeping Canadian soldiers in the country, perhaps in the less violent north. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080911.welxnmackay0911/BNStory/National

And so the promise is given and is as
the Law of the Medes and the Persians

For Harper is an honourable man; So are they all, all honourable men -   

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From: "Brian Graff"

If you go to the http://notaleader.ca/ Conservative website, the picture that comes up of Dion has a drawn character carrying a rifle in the bottom right hand corner.
What could this mean?  Is it a subliminal message to someone?

If you click on it, it brings up old film of Ignatieff shooting a gun with some guerilla types - obviously from his journalism days. I am not sure what group the other people are with - perhaps it is meant to tie ignatieff to terrorism.
 
Brian

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From: "Rebecca Gingrich"
Subject: RE: Daily Digest September 10, 2008

Re Real's response--Why are we so worried about our international
reputation? What about our reputation to Canadians first? Peacekeeping is
a farce and too many have died for this abysmal movement. Our peacekeepers
were nothing more than targets for both sides. We could not keep the peace
if there was none to keep. Now our young are dying to bring democracy to a
sovereign nation--we have no idea about themeaning of democracy or we
wouldn't even state these words to justify our killing in Afghanistan.
As for usually supporting the US side of issues--we are usually told that we
do this because the US is our biggest trading partner. But no one takes the
time to read the corruption that is NAFTA and the SPP--everything we 'trade'
with the US is for their benefit, not ours. We are, in effect, just a
depository for US garbage and they take what they want from us for their own
benefit. When do we start doing things for Canada--things that are best for
us rather than our 'trading partner'? Does anyone not believe that as the
US tanks economically we will be crushed because we allowed ourselves to
become a satellite of that country rather than our own country? The US owns
us economically. We have become them, body and soul. We won the war and
lost our country!
"We very rarely if ever oppose American moves." That is why we are in
Afghanistan. We of course dub it as rebuilding Afghanistan. No one ever
mentions that Afghanistan is a country that is not Canada. We have no right
to be there. We are only there because the Liberals didn't want to go to
Iraq--thank God. We are told that we are bringing them democracy! The only
one that asked for NATO troops to be there was the American installed
puppet government. And we were too stupid to see that and say no. This all
started because of the Pearl Harbour of 9/11.

When I read Rene's list of dual citizens in government and heading banks
and corporations in this country I get the uncomfortable feeling that
Americans are using AIPAC's methods for controlling our country. Even the
Hudson Bay Company is owned by Americans. Remember the famous statement "we
care not who makes the laws, we control the money"? Welcome to Canada, a
non-country. How long before NATO marches in here to bring us Democracy???
Becky
ps--today we remember all those Canadians who were killed by our 'largest
trading partner' and their controller Israel, to justify killing in Iraq and
Afghanistan for oil and power.

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From: "Mark Whittle"
Subject: RE: Daily Digest September 10, 2008

Hi Joe, if you click on that character you are directed to a video of Michael Ignatieff fooling around with a fully automatic M16 shooting up the ground. He's the Liberal who thought coercive torture was ok. Looks like Dion and the Liberals are about to go down in flames at the ballot box. Dion's carbon tax will sink Ontario's faltering economy and Dalton McGuinty knows this. Why else would he distance himself from his Federal cousin? Ontario is the key to a Conservative majority, the writing is on the wall.
Thanks for keeping the Daily digest going, much appreciated.
Mark-Alan Whittle

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From: "Bateman"
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Canadian Centre for Policy Studies [ mailto:info@policystudies.ca]
Subject: Immigration must be an election issue

Immigration must be an election issue
Ambassador James Bissett

In his September 6 column in the National Post, Robert Fulford wrote that the forthcoming election was one that was "going nowhere." One of the reasons it may be going nowhere is because some of the most important issues facing Canada are not going to be discussed. One of the most critical of these is immigration. Canada is facing an immigration crisis but immigration policy will not be on the agenda of any of the political parties.

In the so-called "ethnic ridings" each of the parties will promise to keep immigration levels high and will repeat the myth that we need immigration to combat our aging population and keep the economy growing by supplying desperately needed skilled workers for our labour force. Most economists in Canada and elsewhere have concluded that immigration does little to enhance the economy and that immigrants cost more in the benefits they receive than in the taxes they contribute. However, our politicians are not concerned about facts – they are concerned about votes and see every new immigrant as a potential voter. What counts for our politicians is numbers.

There are now almost one million people waiting in the immigration backlog. All of them have met the requirements and by law must eventually be issued a visa to come here. Most of these immigrants are coming from Asian countries: China, India, Pakistan, the Philippines and Iran. Many of them are the parents or grand parents of people already living here. Furthermore, the Conservatives have promised that next year they plan to raise the annual immigration intake to 265,000. The Liberals and the New Democrats want even more. They believe we should be accepting 1% of our population, or in other words, 330,000 newcomers annually.

These are high numbers and added to them are thousands of so-called temporary workers who are brought here by employers to fill temporary needs. Many of these workers are unskilled and few will go home when their visa expires.

Canadians are led to believe that most of the immigrants and temporary workers are selected because they have skills, education and training that will enable them to contribute to our (and their) economic welfare. The fact is that only about 17% of our immigration intake is selected for economic reasons. The remaining 83% come to Canada because they have been sponsored by their relatives or because they are refugees, or there are humanitarian reasons for admitting them. It's little wonder then that 51% of those immigrants who have landed since the early 1990's are living below the poverty line.

Few Canadians would oppose uniting immigrant families or would reject genuine refugees, but it is unlikely they would approve a policy that resulted in over 80% of the immigration flow consisting of unselected family, refugees and humanitarian cases. If this is the rationale for our immigration policy then it is wrong headed - and worse - it is ineffectual.

There are more effective ways of helping resolve global refugee and humanitarian problems than by immigration. Augmented developmental assistance and increased financial contributions to international refugee organizations would be more useful. More to the point, our politicians do not justify the high numbers on humanitarian grounds but tell us immigration is for the benefit of our economy and our labour force - and this is simply not true.

It is likely the coming election will focus on the state of the Canadian economy and possibly on the environment, but although immigration impacts adversely on both of these issues immigration will not be raised as a subject of debate or discussed at all.

There seems little question that we are headed for a recession or worse. Already Ontario has lost thousands of manufacturing jobs and is slipping into the unenviable ranks of the "have not" provinces but no one is suggesting that perhaps it would be a wise course to slow down the enormous intake of immigrants. Every study about the impact of immigration on the labour force demonstrates that it lowers the wage rate of native workers but has insignificant effect on overall economic prosperity.

Canadians are known to have one of the largest ecological footprints of any country in the world and every immigrant who enters Canada from Asia within several months acquires a similar size footprint as the average Canadian. The extraordinary high levels of immigration since the early 1990's destined to Canada's three major urban centres of Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, have caused serious environmental problems: traffic congestion, garbage disposal, escalating health, education and social welfare costs, as well as rising crime rates. Sadly, the stress on an already eroding infrastructure caused by massive immigration is a subject that cannot be discussed because of an ideological hang up about multiculturalism and diversity which for some reason now symbolizes the twin pillars of the new Canadian identity.

Time is running out for Canada and unless immigration becomes an issue that can be openly and vigorously debated as an important issue of public policy we will find that without knowing it our country has been radically changed. There are those who might believe this change to be necessary and beneficial and they may be right, but surely it is important enough to be discussed at the political level during an election campaign.

---

James Bissett is a Distinguished Fellow at the Canadian Centre for Policy Studies. He is the former head of Immigration Services in Canada and was Canada's ambassador to a number of countries, including its last in Yugoslavia.



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From: "Derek Skinner"
To: "cbc" <national@cbc.ca>
Subject: Questions for Party Leaders.

1. What is your position regarding the drift to integration with the U.S.A. as evidenced by NAFTA, the SPPA, NORTHCOM and our presence in Afghanistan.?
 
2. What is your position regarding the use of the Bank of Canada for interest free government financing instead of private banks which are costing Canada at least $60 Billion a year in unnecessary interest payments?
 
3. What is your position regarding a full and expert enquiry into the very flawed and deceitful Official Report on the attacks of Sept.11th, 2001 in the U.S.A.?
 
Derek Skinner,

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From: Bob Taubman
Subject: Frank mail from my Conservative Member, Royal Galipeau

Hi Joe,
 
I received in the mail today another free mail-out from my local federal member of parliament, Royal Galipeau.  The question is; "Who do you think is on the right track on crime?  Stephane Dion, Stephen Harper, Jack Layton, or Elizabeth May?"  At least they were smart enough to include Ms. May on the ballot.
 
He/it goes on to say; "This Conservative Government is taking real action. We have introduced tough new amendments tot he Criminal Code that will prevent thugs and gangs from flaunting the law without penalty.  The free ride for car thieves is over."
 
What annoys me is that this is basically free electioneering or electioneering at the public expense.  Personally, I don't think members of parliament should be using this free service during the election process.  Perhaps a call to Elections Canada will answer some of my questions about the ethics of timing of this mail-out.
 
Bob Taubman
Orleans, ON

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EDITORIALs

ST.JOHN'S TELEGRAM -
Stupid Internet tricks

CHARLOTTETOWN GUARDIAN -
May wins in the court of public opinion
The question was not whether Elizabeth May should be in the televised leaders debates, but why shouldn't she be?

CAPE BRETON POST -
Public creates a distraction
http://www.capebretonpost.com/index.cfm?sid=170537&sc=151

MONTREAL GAZETTE -
Canada should seek clemency for its citizens

OTTAWA CITIZEN -
Still hearing the 9/11 echo

OTTAWA SUN -
Give May her day in the limelight

KINGSTON WHIG STANDARD-
Greens deserve to be in debate

TORONTO STAR -
Red-faced over Greens

NATIONAL POST -
Elizabeth May gets her chance
http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/story.html?id=784165

NIAGARA FALLS REVIEW -
The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 changed us all

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS -
9/11 sensitivities
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/editorial/story/4224759p-4862397c.html

A useful gimmick
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/editorial/story/4224758p-4862360c.html

SASKATOON STARPHOENIX -
Leaders given clear message on playing fair

Taliban calling tune

CALGARY HERALD -
Huffin' and puffin too much

EDMONTON JOURNAL -
End in sight for Afghan mission?

VANCOUVER SUN -
Harper and Layton wilt under public pressure to let May join in debates

Disease or not, sex addiction has consequences for society

VANCOUVER PROVINCE -
To heck with promises

ASIAN PACIFIC POST -
Politics, pandering and the ethnic vote

VICTORIA TIMES-COLONIST -
Cancelled sitting betrays public


ISSUES

AFGHANISTAN -
Bush secret order to send special forces into Pakistan

Bush Said to Give Orders Allowing Raids in Pakistan
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/washington/11policy.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1221141801-WNZ8twplzsC5cg%20QvB8Iaw&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin

Pakistan warns U.S. it will not allow foreign troops on its soil

NATO rejects U.S. Pakistan raids
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=784706

Most soldiers out of Afghanistan by 2011, PM says

Canada to have Afghan role after 2011: MacKay
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080911.welxnmackay0911/BNStory/National

Harper says government intends to end mission even though insurgency likely will still be raging
http://www.thestar.com/FederalElection/article/497187

Call for Afghan troop 'surge'
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=777939

Civilians ravaged by US-NATO bombs

Seven Years On, Terrorism Still Threatens Afghanistan
Middle East Times (09/11/2008)

Caught in the Cross-Fire
The New York Times, Editorial (09/11/2008)

Seven years on, and still no sign of Bin Laden
The Guardian (09/11/2008)

Graft undermines support for Karzai
The Washington Times (09/11/2008)

Occupational hazards
The Guardian (09/11/2008)

Call for new Afghan strategy
FT.com (09/11/2008)

Security still main obstacle for Afghan business
Reuters (09/11/2008)

Taliban rife with jihad recruits
The Washington Times (09/11/2008)

Karzai opposes long-term presence of foreign troops
Reuters (09/11/2008)

US's 'good' war hits Pakistan hard
Asia Times (09/11/2008)

Afghans say life no better after invasion
Reuters (09/11/2008)

The Hornet's Nest
Newsweek (09/11/2008)

Fighting erupts close to Kabul
Quqnoos (09/11/2008)

Time Running Out
The Wall Street Journal (09/11/2008)

Recipe for trouble
Seattle Post Intelligencer, Editorial (09/11/2008)

Recipe for trouble
Seattle Post Intelligencer, Editorial (09/11/2008)

Bush Said to Give Orders Allowing Raids in Pakistan
The New York Times (09/11/2008)


CANADIAN FORCES
Canuck, Afghan troops fight off attack 


CANUSA/USACAN
US environmentalists sue over softwood settlement

Doubts raised about Khadr's role in firefight

Guantanamo judge postpones trial for Omar Khadr
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080911/khadr_trial_080911/20080911?hub=Canada

Canadian officials frustrated in efforts to ensure care for Omar Khadr

Delay prompts opposition to push Harper to intervene in delayed Omar Khadr case


ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
Canada's trade surplus falls to $4.9B as import growth passes export growth


FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Unofficial forces hold key to Iraq future

Is the Cold War really dead?


POLITICS IN THE PROVINCES
Conservative calls on John Tory to step down

Campbell decides legislature too risky

Saskatchewan warming to Alberta-B.C. trade pact


PARTY POLITICS
Conservatives take 5-point lead in poll
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/080911/n_canada_reuters/canada_politics_poll_col

Harper brings the debate on national unity in the campaign to attack Dion
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Finfo.branchez-vous.com%2FNationales%2F080911%2FN0911189AU.html&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sl=fr&tl=en

Harper would skip televised debate in French on environmental issues all 807 news articles »
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/CanadaVotes/News/2008/09/11/6740496-cp.html

Widow of former Tory/Independent MP Chuck Cadman declines to talk ...

Liberals demand papers from Harper in lawsuit over Cadman affair

Tories reject rivals' fear of carbon tariff


POLITICAL OPINION -
Harper lets malevolence get to his message
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2008/09/11/don-martin-harper-lets-malevolence-get-to-his-message.aspx

Harper suffers from sins of a sloppy staff
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2008/09/11/john-ivison-harper-suffers-from-sins-of-a-sloppy-staff.aspx

NDP gets down and dirty with attack ad on Harper
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2008/09/11/new-ndp-ad-indicates-layton-has-taken-his-mean-pills.aspx

Tories taking on Bloc in key Quebec ridings
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080911.welxnpoll12/BNStory/politics/home

Blunder thins the ranks in Harper's war room

Make Afghan mission an election issue

Smug smile conceals feathers

Carbon tax a threat, PM says

Debate now has wildcard component

It's not over for Dion and the Liberals -- not yet anyway

Harper is winning at cynical game he once fought against


PROGRAMMES
Meat plants not all held to 'high' standard
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=784161


OPINION AND INFORMATION
Still holding our breath

Foreign policy is a world away

Seven years after Sept. 11 danger endures

Who's Going to Challenge Harper on the War?


INFOS 
Harper ramène le débat sur l'unité nationale dans la campagne pour attaquer Dion
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/080911/N0911189AU.html

Les conservateurs accumulent les gaffes dans un climat de tension évident
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/080911/N0911107AU.html

Harper réitère que les troupes canadiennes se retireront d'Afghanistan en 2011
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/080910/N0910145AU.html

Internet
La guerre, une fiente... et des excuses
http://elections.radio-canada.ca/elections/federales2008/2008/09/09/002-Dion-Internet-image.asp

Dion obtient la démission du candidat libéral Simon Bédard
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20080911/CPELECFED02/80911180/7068/CPELECFED

Layton prône l'autonomie énergétique
http://www.ledevoir.com/2008/09/11/204991.html



Politics GLOBE AND MAIL

Tories suspend key campaign aide over Afghan remarks
Tories have suspended their communications director after he sent an email to CTV News saying an outspoken father of a fallen Canadian soldier was a Liberal supporter. MORE...

Soldier's father doesn't think Sparrow should be punished

Tory official suspended for criticizing dead soldier's father

RCMP block media access to PM Harper: Report
Robert Fife - CTV Newsnet - Closed captioning: Well I'm telling you the prime minister's office is not letting us talk to the prime minister. And they've used the R.C.M.P. To keep us away. Read more...

Oxymoron of the day: Liberal strategy. MORE...

Dion's campaign fails to pass inspection. MORE...

Smug smile conceals feathers MORE ...

Debate now has wildcard component MORE...

Words of warming. MORE...

May deserved a debate spot MORE...

Dion outsmarts Harper by supporting May's bid to debate. MORE...

Debate mess shows why clear rules are needed MORE...

Blog not a source. MORE...

Red-faced over Greens MORE...

Mission: immigration MORE...

Here's to more women in the boys' club of Canadian politics. MORE...

Harper fails to lose bully image MORE...

Electing to stray from the pack MORE...

Why I'm loving our election. MORE...

Honesty policy would enforce political morals. MORE...

We had '58, '68, '88 - '08 just isn't as great. MORE...

Tories tossing away N.S. seats. MORE...

Make Afghan mission an election issue. MORE...

Winning a long war. MORE...

Mounties bar reporter from Harper event amid email controversy

Dion dumps controversial Quebec candidate

Grit Candidate: Military should have eliminated Mohawks

Facebook group provides vote swap in federal election
 
New ads proclaim 'Harper = Bush'

FIRST CPAC-Nanos tracking SHOWS Tories ahead of Liberals

Canada will still have a role in Afghanistan: MacKay

Accusations fly over Jason Kenney's pamphlet

Williams may take A-B-C campaign on the road

Dion declares himself champion of national unity

Tories' 'recession' threat based on old numbers

Dion's carbon-tax will bring recession: Harper

Dion's Green Shift threatens national unity: Harper

Layton lays into Green Shift

Green Shift touted as both saviour and damnation

Liberals clear way to replace Dion if he fails

Reports of domestic violence on rise among Canada's soldiers: MP

Harper, Dion hit key battlegrounds on Thursday

Omar Khadr trial postponed

NDP support doubles in B.C., poll says

Tories will continue to back Israel, Harper says

Ex-Tory candidate was fined for threats

Liberal MP defends supporting drug trafficker

To cut costs, coast guard considering fewer, slower ships

Tories still belittling Dion, Liberals gripe

Harper no fan of cameras and political celebrity

'Grateful' Green Leader Joins Debate

MP Solberg finds it 'hard to say goodbye'

At long last, a plane trip on the Dion campaign

Security a must: Day

Harper won't guarantee Ontario jobs

Bloc faces assault from inside its ranks

Dion puts food safety on table

Klein predicts a Harper majority

Agency can't force meat plants to follow cleaning regime

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