Friday, October 31, 2008

Daily Digest October 31, 2008


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

EDITORIALs

ST.JOHN'S TELEGRAM -
Better late than never

CORNER BROOK WESTERN STAR -
A chance to make up

CHARLOTTETOWN GUARDIAN -
It's good to be back at the table
Gail Shea faces a steep learning curve as minister of Fisheries and Oceans, a challenging and complex portfolio

HALIFAX CHRONICLE HERALD -
A dash of boldness in Harper's new cabinet

MONTREAL GAZETTE -
Jihadist's conviction shows our anti-terror laws work

Harper bets on stability in tumultuous times

Immigrants' values pledge is no more than just words

OTTAWA CITIZEN -
Retail Sociology

Not welcome here

OTTAWA SUN -
Baird's new portfolio worth a smile

KINGSTON WHIG STANDARD-
SPEND SMARTLY IN TOUGH TIMES

BELLEVILLE INTELLIGENCER -
Brant continues to thumb nose at legal system

TORONTO STAR -
Ministers need monitoring

Harper's Khadr pickle

GLOBE & MAIL -
The Bush legacy
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081031.webush01/BNStory/specialComment/home

Taser investigation: Left in suspense
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081031.wetaser01/BNStory/specialComment/home

NATIONAL POST -
Herouxville wins: And that's a good thing
http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/story.html?id=921413

TORONTO SUN -

Meddling won't make schools safe

HAMILTON SPECTATOR -
Protection for pensions

NIAGARA FALLS REVIEW -
Hike the GST, cut spending to avoid deficit

K-W RECORD -
Harper's cabinet full of promise

WINDSOR STAR -
Rail travel

SUDBURY STAR -
Turnout will decide

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS -
Harper's cabinet
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/editorial/story/4243852p-4886792c.html

SASKATOON STARPHOENIX -
Promising signs loom on horizon for Canadians

REGINA LEADER-POST -
Reminding immigrants of our great expectations

CALGARY HERALD -
A cabinet for an economic crisis

Message to terrorists

EDMONTON JOURNAL -
Prentice bats cleanup

VICTORIA TIMES-COLONIST -
Bad news for Lunn, but a pretty good cabinet effort

Lunn's demotion bad news

Proportional voting leads to backroom deals


ISSUES

ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS -          
AFN chief defends role in residential school commission

Phil Fontaine denying healing to native survivors

Lagging education levels must be fixed quickly


AFGHANISTAN -
US Predators strike again in Waziristan
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2008/10/us_predators_strike.php

Thinktank warns third of population face famine
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/oct/31/afghanistan-terrorism-suicide-bomb-kabul

SAS commander 'quits Afghanistan'

Kabul wants local militias to bolster security

Suspected US strikes kill 27 in Pakistan
[]
Pentagon chief: Afghan war strategy lacking
The Associated Press (10/31/2008)
[]
Afghan policy is taking a back seat on the trail
The Boston Globe (10/31/2008)
[]
Rudderless in Kabul
The Guardian (10/31/2008)
[]
"Afghanistan Needs `Berlin Airlift' to Avoid Famine"
Bloomberg (10/31/2008)
[]
Taliban infiltrates Afghan army and police?
The Baltimore Sun (10/31/2008)
[]
McCain and Obama Advisers Briefed on Deteriorating Afghan War
The New York Times (10/31/2008)
[]
Not my grandfather's country
The International Herald Tribune (10/31/2008)
[]
Petraeus takes over 'longest campaign'
FT.com (10/31/2008)

Petraeus takes charge of US Central Command
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/oct/31/petraeus-central-command-pakistan

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the United States and its allies need a more coherent strategy in Afghanistan. And he believes General David Petraeus, who took command of U.S. forces throughout the Middle East and Central Asia on Friday, can help provide such an approach.  http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-11-01-voa1.cfm?rss=topstories

THE AFGHAN MISSION: 'IT'S NOT REALLY INSIDE OF A CHAIN OF COMMAND'
Kabul wants local militias to bolster security
In plan U.S. commander calls 'a mistake,' officials ask elders in volatile south to consider arming peasantry against resurgent Taliban http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20081031.AFGHAN31/TPStory/TPInternational/Asia/

 Now more than ever, Britain needs a plan for Afghanistan
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/10/31/do3105.xml


CANADIAN FORCES
Taliban will lose ground: Canada's top soldier
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081031/afghanistan_thompson_081031/20081031?hub=Canada

VIDEO
http://watch.ctv.ca/news/latest/gaining-ground/#clip108235

Companies asked to scrap old submarines


CANUSA/USACAN
U.S. wants more information on Canadians

Wheat board wins tariff dispute with U.S.

Canada 'well-positioned' for relationship with next U.S. leader: Cannon


ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
Economy shrank 0.3 per cent in August: StatsCan
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081031/gdp_report_081031/20081031?hub=Canada

G7 faces worst recession since '30s: TD Bank

Shell halts Canadian sands development

Chrysler Canada plants safe in merger: Report

U.S. bank execs still lining their pockets


FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The next president and the 'war on terror'

US's Syrian raid sets Iraq on fire
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JK01Ak05.html

A bumpy ride for the US over Syria

Vatican stalls on files which may prove Pope ignored Holocaust

A Third Intifada in the Making?


HEALTH CARE RELATED
P.E.I. pharmacists to be able to prescribe

Alberta calls other Canadian medical officers of health over reused syringes


JUSTICE SYSTEM
Repeat offenders under closer scrutiny in new Alberta program


POLITICS IN THE PROVINCES
Charest reluctant to make vote call official

Liberals moving to set up Montreal war room for Quebec election

More trick than treat for cities: Ont. takes decade to upload welfare costs

All post-secondary grads who take job in Sask. to get tuition fee rebate

Ontario opposes Bruce Power plan for new nuclear plant

Canadian adviser to United Nations blasts Alberta's oilsands

Canada to limit growth of payments to provinces
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/081031/canada/canada_us_economy_flaherty_payments


POLITICAL OPINION -
Key backroom fixers line up behind Ignatieff  MORE...

Harper's new cabinet a dream team for Ontario? Hebert: . MORE...

Solid team for tough conditions Don Martin:  MORE...

PM plays it safe in risky times Ivison: . MORE...

Harper's improved cabinet: something old, something new ...Jeffrey Simpson: . MORE...

Bloated cabinet strange way for Harper to show restraint Yaffe: .. MORE...

A subtle change in tone Riley: .. MORE...

Harper's angels: PM puts three rookie MPs in key cabinet posts Chianello:.. MORE...

Too many, but better Globe & Mail: . MORE...

Baird's new portfolio worth a smile Thompson: .. MORE...

Lunn's demotion bad news Times Colonist: now that Lunn.. MORE...

A wiser Ritz back in cabinet . MORE...

Staying power Brodbeck: .. MORE...

Ontario ministers need monitoring Toronto Star: . MORE...

Vancouver likely for Liberal leadership convention

Ottawa to limit equalization payments

Harper supersizes inner circle

Ontario political vets get key duties
 
Quebec gets lost in the shuffle
 
PM puts feminine face on cabinet
 
Did B.C. lose out in cabinet shuffle?
 
B.C. loses a voice in cabinet, despite Tory surge
 
Montreal gets lost in shuffle

Handling Environment a fine balancing act


Rae enters leadership fray . MORE...

MacKay newest Newfie

Liberals Try to Tap Into Obama-Mania

Conservatives prepare for 'convention about nothing'

Ottawa slammed for imprudent budgeting: Economist

Cabinet change was needed in finance: Ignatieff

Not the time for risks: PM
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=921383

Power shifts to the east, B. C. Liberal says
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=922433

Canada's biggest-spending government has one of biggest-ever cabinets
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2008/10/31/kelly-mcparland-canada-s-biggest-spending-government-has-one-of-biggest-ever-cabinets.aspx

Rookie Health Minister fulfills her dream
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081030.waglukkaq1031/BNStory/politics/home

How Harper's Quebec strategy blew up in his face
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081031.wcosimp01/BNStory/specialComment/home


PROGRAMMES
Farmers lose vote with Ritz creating Catch-22 situation

Canada must share intelligence with 'unpalatable regimes': Justice official


PRESSURE POINTS
Climate change at the poles is man-made

Climate change debate should be above politics, Preston Manning says
 

OPINION AND INFORMATION
Afghan peace depends on negotiating Cockburn:  . MORE...

Bring cities to the table

Taking charge of the future

Global economics vs. national politics

Letter to a young jihadi


INFOS 
Bob Rae se lance dans la course à la direction du Parti libéral du Canada
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/081031/N103191AU.html

Les Forces armées canadiennes changeront de stratégie en Afghanistan cet hiver
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/081031/N103193AU.html

Une conseillère à l'ONU dénonce les dommages faits par les sables bitumineux
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/081031/N1031159AU.html

Le Canada doit partager des renseignements avec des régimes indésirables
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/081031/N1031147AU.html

Le gouvernement canadien souhaite démanteler trois vieux sous-marins
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/081031/N1031157AU.html

Le gouvernement ontarien accepte de récupérer certains frais municipaux
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/081031/N1031115AU.html

Harper se dote d'un cabinet fort en économie mais où le Québec est faible
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/081030/N1030147AU.html

Plus de femmes, moins de poids au Québec
http://www.ledevoir.com/2008/10/31/213436.html

Le nouveau conseil des ministres du gouvernement Harper - La liste complète
http://www.ledevoir.com/2008/10/31/213425.html

Jim Prentice reçoit un accueil positif à l'environnement
http://www.ledevoir.com/2008/10/31/213430.html

Deux provinces aux prises avec la crise des seringues réutilisées
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/sante/200810/31/01-34984-deux-provinces-aux-prises-avec-la-crise-des-seringues-reutilisees.php

Recul de l'économie canadienne
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/Economie-Affaires/2008/10/31/003-PIB-Canada.shtml


BELOW(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)30)(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)30)(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)30)(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)(30)30)(30)(30)(30)(30)30)30)

U.S. wants more information on Canadians

Acceptable to you as reasonable due to terrorist threat or not? No comment from me but with attacks being made inro Pakistan and Syria I do believe strongly the "Bush Doctrine" should not be an accepted international standard of action.
                  Joe

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U.S. wants more information on Canadians

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=6bb0a081-d270-4a1d-91b5-44c4d952cb21


Ian MacLeod, Ottawa Citizen

Published: Friday, October 31, 2008

Ottawa . In exchange for continued visa-free access to the United States, American officials are pressuring the federal government to supply them with more information on Canadians, says an influential analyst on Canada-U.S. relations.

"Not only about (routine) individuals but also about people that you may be looking at for reasons, but there's no indictment and there's no charge," Christopher Sands of the Hudson Institute told a security intelligence conference in Ottawa Friday.

"This raises privacy flags everywhere, but we'd like to know who your suspicious people are before they enter the United States."

He recounted a recent conversation in which Stewart Baker, assistant secretary of policy at the Department of Homeland Security, told him Canadians have "had a better deal than anybody else in terms of access to the United States and for that they've paid nothing."

The Bush administration, Mr. Baker continued, is now telling Canada "we want to give you less access, but we want you to pay more and, by the way, we're standardizing this (with other visa-free countries) so you're not special anymore."

Mr. Sands concluded, "this politically is a very difficult difficult message to pass on to Canadians, setting aside all of the privacy concerns, but it's one that's unlikely to change in the next administration."

The case of Maher Arar also changes nothing.

"I don't think that we're convinced Maher Arar was vindicated or acquitted by your process," he said, referring to the O'Connor judicial inquiry. "What you did was re-evaluate the treatment of Maher Arar and decide that procedural mistakes along the way had been made. That didn't vindicate him from the charge that he was in involved in fundraising for terror.

"People in Canada have turned the man into some sort of national hero, but if you expect the next administration to join you in sending him laurels, I think you're going to be mistaken. Even Barack Obama ... is not going to go near that with a 10-foot pole."

Mr. Arar will not have his name removed from the U.S. no-fly list "in my lifetime," he added.

European nations, meanwhile, have agreed to begin sharing more information with the U.S. on their citizens starting in January, part of what Mr. Sands said is a gradual movement by the U.S. toward a "simpler policy" for all visa-waiver countries to provide a "package of benefits," to the U.S. in exchange for ease of access. Mexico already has such an arrangement.

Canadian officials have said this country will meet the new standard, "plus or minus a little," by 2011, he said. "But there'll be tremendous pressure (from the U.S.) to get there faster."

John Sims, deputy minister of justice, later told delegates Canada is "not getting a free ride. There are challenges of how we share intelligence now and we don't have all the answers," he said. But, "the quality of the information that we still share regularly with our allies is of the highest quality and I have no doubt whatsoever that it's seen to be very valuable and is prized by the people with who we share it."

Regardless of who wins the U.S. presidency next week, Mr. Sands said it will be a few years, at the least, before the next administration will take a political gamble on easing Canada-U.S. border restrictions.

Canada may, in fact, find it difficult to chart independent security and intelligence policy.

"You've been there (on shared security), we appreciate that. But I think that also sets the context for what we're going to be asking you for after the next administration takes office.

"Because of the nature of terrorism as a threat, it is less negotiable for you to help us when it comes to domestic security measures taken in Canada that directly impact on our security at home.

"So while we live in a world in which an independent foreign policy for Canada is as possible as ever, an independent security policy, an independent intelligence policy, becomes trickier because we need Canada to help us protect ourselves and to protect yourselves."

To maintain even the status quo along the border, the Canadian government needs to make its commitment to border and internal domestic security clear to the incoming administration, he told several hundred delegates, most from Canada's national security establishment.

Both Mr. Obama and John McCain have talked about changes to the controversial U.S. Patriot Act, closing the Guantanamo Bay prison and altering policies on torture and there will tremendous pressure on whichever man is president, once they made those changes, not to have another terrorist attack.

"If they do, people will say, 'you softened the stance (of President George W. Bush), you weakened the stance and - you saw it on Sept. 11 - the great American tendency is to ignore problems too long and then overreact."

If any such event is traced back to Canada, damage to Canada-U.S. relations would last weeks, if not years, he said.

An indication of where Canada-U.S. border relations - and therefore economic trade - will head under the next U.S. administration will be evident with the appointment of the anticipated new head of the Department of Homeland Security.

"There is no more important cabinet secretary to Canada today ... because homeland security is the gatekeeper with its finger on the jugular affecting your ability to move back and forth across the border, the market access upon which the Canadian economy depends."

It is will be extremely important, he said, that the next secretary appreciates Canada's efforts against terrorism and the "tremendous progress" the two countries have made on domestic security co-operation.

"That has to happen before we have a conversation about changing border policies. These will be new people in Washington and we need to start at the beginning, saying, 'Canada is not a threat and we're making every effort to make sure that we don't foster a threat anywhere inside'," our borders.

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