Sunday, November 16, 2008

Daily Digest November 16, 2008


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

EDITORIAL PAGEs

HALIFAX CHRONICLE HERALD -
Sudan's offer not credible

MONTREAL GAZETTE -
With Bob and Iggy in the race, the Liberal amateur hour is over

OTTAWA CITIZEN -
Fighting for Obama's attention

TORONTO STAR -
Leftover business for Parliament

http://www.thestar.com/Opinion/article/537457

LONDON FREE PRESS -
Tinkering could wreck economy

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS -
Celebrating power
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/subscriber/westview/story/4250283p-4893945c.html

WINNIPEG SUN -
Take a stab at knife ban

CALGARY HERALD -
Obama and Alberta's oilsands

Go green by letting lawns go brown

Corporate Canada and our fiscal life-jackets

EDMONTON JOURNAL -
Pesticide policy progressive step

Gov't must not overreact to crisis

Where the grass is greener, it may just be that weed and feed


ISSUES

AFGHANISTAN -
Pakistan truck halt threatens NATO supplies lines

Taliban 'Robin Hood' dishes out Nato booty

UK soldier killed in Afghanistan

Two civilians, 52 'rebels' die in Afghan unrest
AFP (11/16/2008)
[]
Alleged Afghan militants protest their innocence but say they support Taliban now
RFE/RL (11/16/2008)
[]
Alleged Afghan militants protest their innocence but say they support Taliban now
Chicago Tribune (11/16/2008)
[]
U.S. inaction against Taliban endangers Afghan government, officials say
McClatchy Newspapers (11/16/2008)
[]
Security for any Afghan Taliban talks, Karzai says
Reuters (11/16/2008)
[]
Civilian Deaths From Airstrikes
Human Rights Watch (11/16/2008)
[]
Talking peace with the Taliban
Sunday Herald, UK (11/16/2008)
[]
Cradle of a cash crop - £2.5billion opium industry
The Guardian (11/15/2008)
[]
Afghan president stands up to critics
BBC (11/15/2008)
[]
Erosion of Afghans' basic rights
The Dallas Morning News, Editorial (11/15/2008)
[]
U.S. May Buy 10,000 All-Terrain, Blast-Proof Trucks
Bloomberg (11/15/2008)
[]
The dearth of security


CANADIAN FORCES
Canadians escape Afghanistan explosion


CANUSA/USACAN
Canada awaits Obama's word on oilsands. As the worsening economic crisis has Canadian business and government seeing red ink, the Conservatives' green plans are fading to grey. In an exclusive interview, Canada's newly.. MORE...

 Clement says no to short-term auto industry bailout

 Senators opposes auto bailout


ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
Vancouver Village to be Built in China


FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Churchill's great mistakes. MORE...


HEALTH CARE RELATED
Superbugs tilting hospital balance


PARTY POLITICS
Tories talk tough at policy meeting all 339 news articles »
Rae, Ignatieff in spat over debate all 419 news articles ». MORE... Layton devises a plan to win over the GTA

Baxter back for another run  
http://www.yorkregion.com/News/Newmarket/article/84511


PRESSURE POINTS
Jury out on global warming. MORE...


OPINION AND INFORMATION
Best behaviour in the best interest of MPs

Our view of government is changing

Prison is no solution for victims of FASD

Finally, Harper and McGuinty may be singing the same tune

New world order? Good luck

Credit cards need to lose the legalese

Response to crisis puts politicians on their mettle. MORE...


INFOS 
La course à la direction du PLC prend une tournure agressive
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200811/16/01-801241-la-course-a-la-direction-du-plc-prend-une-tournure-agressive.php

Jack Layton veut aider les familles
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200811/16/01-801169-jack-layton-veut-aider-les-familles.php

Les aspirants policiers de la GRC doivent répondre à des questions délicates
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/081116/N111651AU.html

Les dirigeants des pays du G20 bouclent le sommet en adoptant des solutions
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/081115/N111556AU.html

Le Parti conservateur se dotera bientôt d'une nouvelle structure au Québec
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/081115/N111554AU.html

Sommet du G20
Un processus sans précédent, dit Harper
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/National/2008/11/15/002-harper-G20.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)

From: "Anne Dickinson"
Subject: Re: Daily Digest November 15, 2008

Hi Joe-
 
The story about  Al Gore giving a speech on Global Warming while his SUV with A/C is running, is the same story I have read about David Suzuki and virtually every other environmentalist. It certainly looks as though this is an urban legend trotted out time after time in an attempt to discredit them by people who disapprove of their message.
 
As regards Bob Geldof, I imagine he learned something about human suffering when he was in Africa during the famine in Ethiopia.
Whether you agree with him or not or with Al Gore or not.,why not argue the pros and cons of their positions rather than dragging out these tired and rather transparent  attempt to have people dismiss what they are saying or doing as hypocritical? 
 
Anne Dickinson

===================================
From: "Robert Ede"
Subject: make everybody read this link --suggested by Rebecca Gingrich the other day

From: "Rebecca Gingrich"
Subject:  long article but explains what is happening on Wall Street and hence the world (coming to an end-wise)

http://www.portfolio.com/news-markets/national-news/portfolio/2008/11/11/The-End-of-Wall-Streets-Boom

===================================
From: Ron Thornton
Subject: Re: Daily Digest November 15, 2008

Hi Joe:

I read in the Nov. 15th Digest that Saskatoon's Nutana Collegiate is considering not failing students, instead giving marks like "incomplete" or "no mark."  Rather than argue the point, I have decided to embrace this philosophy of non-failure and encourage post-secondary institutions to do so as well. I mean, if I can't be failed, my hopes of becoming a doctor by Christmas are alive and well.

Dr. (2B) Ron Thornton

===================================
From: "Rebecca Gingrich"
Subject:  NWO

Subject:  Another step to the NWO

Shake-up ahead in world financial structure
http://news.mobile.msn.com/en-us/articles.aspx?afid=1&aid=27742573


"Shaping a New World Order" During "Vigilant Shield"
http://cryptogon.com/?p=5049

November 14th, 2008

Here's the CNN headline: G-20: Shaping a New World Order.

But look what's going to be happening at the same time: Vigilant Shield.

Via: Progressive:

This week and into next, NorthCom and NORAD are conducting a joint exercise called "Vigilant Shield '09."

The focus will be on "homeland defense and civil support," a NorthCom press release states.

From November 12-18, it will be testing a "synchronized response of federal, state, local and international partners in preparation for homeland defense, homeland security, and civil support missions in the United States and abroad."

NorthCom is short for the Pentagon's Northern Command. President Bush created it in October 2002. (The Southern Command, or SouthCom, covers Latin America. Central Command, or CentCom, covers Iraq and Afghanistan. And the new AfriCom covers, well, you get the picture.)

Vigilant Shield '09 "will include scenarios to achieve exercise objectives within the maritime, aerospace, ballistic missile defense, cyber, consequence management, strategic communications, and counter terrorism domains," the press release states.

=====
Something called "Canada Command DETERMINED DRAGON" is mentioned in the article. Ever hear of it before?

===================================
From: "The Natroses"
Subject: Re: Daily Digest November 15, 2008

Hi Joe, To add to what Ron Thornton has said, regarding products that do not create any new goods and services, but does help to contribute to a healthy profit line for these companies and at the same time limit the amount spent on capital improvements. The examples below, is what I have observe since living in NL, and I am sure it is happening across the country.

Hydro - Maintaining the wires at the pole, but neglecting the hydro lines that are attached to the house. Meter replacement is being done closer to the 20 years, instead of the customary 10 years. When the hydro wiring that is attached to the home, can break down faster due to weather conditions. When it starts to break down, the homeowner will use more electricity, and as a result, they are paying more to the hydro company. It happen to me, and it was a good thing that I was having repairs done to the chimney, or otherwise I would still be paying higher hydro bills. When hydro came down to repair the wiring, I ask them why they do not look at the wiring attached to the home. Apparently, it is a home owner's responsibility to do that, and report it to hydro. I would think it would be the hydro utility responsibility, since all wiring and the meter is hydro property.

Since that has been repaired, I am saving about 500 kilowatts every month. Our hydro utility will continue on with this practice, because it helps them increase their profits, and is cheaper in the long run on their expenses - since replacement will only happen if the bad wiring is spotted by the homeowner or the homeowner experiences an power outage.

Now think about all the other services that come in by cable or through hydro transmission lines, such as people who are paying for high speed access and getting speed of just above dial-up.  How many companies who provide services of this nature, are not maintaining their networks  in order to force people to upgrade, or pay more in the service provided as in hydro?

Ron hit the nail when talking about services that are provided. In banks, every service has a charge, and for most we have to buy a package to lower the service fees. Ditto for television services, telephone long distance packages, Internet services in some places, insurance services, and the list can go on.  Service fees where we are paying through the nose, yet are we getting the full value of the services. Have we let the big businesses off the hook, and making the consumer responsible for maintaining the network or system by raising the rates on a yearly basis, without making demands that the utility is improving their network/system at their end?

I think it is time for consumers to demand responsibility from companies who provide a product with fees attached, since these fees do contribute to their bottom line and to the shareholders pockets. I think they should be held up to the same standards as companies who provide food and skin products that must be at a standard where it does not harm the body. I sure wish, I could sue the hydro company and get the money back I spent in the last 5 years or so on the extra hydro that I used; like I can with a food company that is serving toxins as an extra additive to their product.
 
P.S. I forgot cell phone companies. For services rendered, the amount of dead air is amazing as you move across Canada.

From the Natroses

=====
. . . granted this is Stateside but we are harmonizing
under the SPP aren't we?

        Joe
Big Pharma May be Handed Blanket Immunity for All Drug Side Effects, Deaths
http://www.naturalnews.com/024688.html

=====
I would not really worry about this one. If the courts handed Big Pharma blanket immunity for all drug effects, and make a government agency responsible for it, in the middle of an economic meltdown which was cause in part by deregulation - what will it be saying to the American public? Business as usual, and even more so if Big Pharma can poison the people, the big food processors can do the same thing, along with the cosmetic industry. Companies must and always should take responsibility  of bad products, and not a government agency whose only mandate is to approve of new products and make sure the companies are following the rules and regulations that are imposed on them. This is no different than the Maple Leaf scare, but in that case - Maple Leaf took full responsibility, even though the Harper government should have taken some of the heat because of the changes made to the food inspection agency.
From the Natroses

===================================
From: Zeb Landon
Subject: banking deregulation promoted by Harper/Flaherty government

Dear Joe,

 I think the media and preoccupied opposition parties have scarcely remarked the extent to which Harper/Flaherty ACTIVELY PROMOTED DEREGULATION of banking in the last two years.

As background, have a look at the following excerpts from the current Tyee.ca article (Oct.8/08) by Ellen Gould:

"' How Harper Gov't Pushed Financial Deregulation Here, Abroad. Way cleared for US mortgage firms and easy credit, insured by Canadian taxpayers'  
http:///Views/2008/10/08/HarperEcon/

Promoting mortgage 'innovation': 

In his first budget as Harper's finance minister, Jim Flaherty invited "new players" -- that is, U.S financial corporations -- into Canada's mortgage insurance market and doubled the amount of government money available to back up private insurers from $100 billion to $200 billion. Flaherty's 2006 budget states that "These changes will result in greater choice and innovation in the market for mortgage insurance, benefiting consumers and promoting home ownership."

[...]   In November 2006, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation responded to the competition from private insurers by starting to insure no-down-payment, interest only, and 40-year amortization mortgages. A CMHC spokesperson was quoted in the National Post as saying: "We're the third guys coming up to the plate with these products. AIG has done it, GE has done it. We're just doing something that's in the marketplace."

Competition from U.S.-based mortgage insurers meant risky products rapidly took over the Canadian mortgage sector. Forty percent of new mortgages approved in 2007 were amortized over 40 years, and in overheated markets like Alberta's, the percentage was even higher. By 2007, there was clear evidence from the U.S. on the hazards of loose mortgage standards, but the Harper government did not step in to tighten regulations here. [...]

On the international stage, Canada is a major proponent of financial liberalization.
At the WTO, Canada heads a group of delegations pressing developing countries to open their economies to the supposedly superior services of foreign financial institutions. The world's major financial conglomerates are claimed to have sophisticated risk management capabilities that can stabilize economies. You might think these days such a claim would not pass the laugh test, but that did not stop financial liberalization from being pushed at the WTO ministerial meeting held in July 2008.

The enormity of what's at stake in the WTO financial sector negotiations is revealed in a February 2006 bargaining request sent from Canada's Department of Finance to developing countries. Canada asked that foreign financial institutions be guaranteed rights to "establish new and acquire existing companies" in all financial sectors. This would mean among other things that countries would have to allow 100 per cent foreign ownership of their banks and insurance companies.

[...]   While successive Canadian governments have been strong advocates of financial liberalization, the unfolding financial crisis might have suggested now is the time to show a little caution and back off these WTO negotiating demands. Yet a WTO submission from Canada dated Dec. 5, 2007, berates other WTO members for their lack of "ambition" in the financial services negotiations. On behalf of the co-sponsors of the submission, Canada claimed: "further liberalization of financial services will help promote economic growth and improved standards of living for all WTO Members…"

Orchard, Hurtig and other Canadian economic nationalists deserve recognition for 2 decades warning of the risks of handcuffing Canada to global/continental integration, under which we unthinkingly abdicate proper control over the directions taken by major, key institutions. 

Z. Landon, Haldimand Norfolk

===================================
From: "Robert Ede"
To: nationalpost <letters@nationalpost.com>
Subject: Crown interest in Fee Simple Real Property - gov't sale could boost bottom line

Dear Ed,
 
Re : Government garage sale could boost bottom line
James Cowan, National Post  Published: Saturday, November 15, 2008
 
Thanks to James Cowan for the background on a few interesting Crown "land ownership" tidbits.
 
In the past few days we've heard some jokes about selling the CN Tower etc, but I hope to advance some facts and reasons why we should encourage the Min of Fin to get serious about discussing the disposition of some extremely valuable and vitally important Crown Real Property Interests that no one seems to know about.
 
While everyone is familiar with Crown Land, few of us (even in the business) know and/or appreciate the significance that no Canadian property is OWNED, we just have an INTEREST in the Crown's property - title always has "belonged" to the Sovereign who claimed it after discovery and/or conquest (check the abstract of title if you don't believe me- see attached Ontario example) NB some autochthonous peoples hold that their claims supersede this concept, but that is another question.
 
I assert that if Canadians were truly serious about:
1) improving the ConFederal Bottom Line,
2) establishing and then entrenching property rights in the Constitution,
and
3) finally "patriating" Canadian Sovereignty (a much different concept and process from the legal charade that was acted out back in 1982) see Canadian spin on sovereignty too , we'd demand the orderly and proper sale of the Crown's underlying ownership held in all lands in Canada (NB this "proper sale" would only be to the registered grantee/ fee simple estate holder.

We could accomplish a great deal towards solving those three "issues" (ie problems that everybody talks about but never DOES anything about) by having the Crown sell its ownership "interest" in our freehold/fee simple real property. (Getting popular understanding of who/what that office/thing/person actually IS is another question, for another day).
 
IF you actually had the legal right AND the full title (called allodium) to your land, your relationship to government would be much different (now it's similar to serf/ on a fief subject to the whims of the lord of the manor), you'd not be subservient in any way to the clerk who told you about the regulations-prohibiting-blahty-blah uses, you'd realize that if enough of you landowners got together you could overturn that regulation, by changing the council's minds or just changing the council's composition.
 
In short we'd all act and feel like active, involved citizen-proprietors, not like the docile subjects-of-the Crown we've become now.
 
Further, if as a secondary consideration to eliminate the Debt principal that generates the Public Debt Charges that are gobbling up Crown revenue (and thereby forcing up taxation rates), if we did sell (some of) the Crown lands - forests, mines, rivers and lakes ... do you think the NEW proprietors would do any worse of a job of conserving the monetary value, ecological integrity or harvest quality/quantity, never mind the beauty of these "tangible non-financial assets" of the Crown?
 
How much are these Real Property assets worth? Don't ask the current (woefully inept) stewards of these assets because these lands ARE NOT EVEN MENTIONED, NOR GIVEN A VALUE on the Confederal statement of Assets and Liabilities!! (Table 1.2, Pg 19, 2007 Public Accounts)
 
With all the recent accounting fiddles to beef up the asset side  of the Balance Sheet by adding a new category of Crown wealth - "non-financial assets" - still NO MENTION of the Crown's interest in Real Property.
 
No wonder they squander the forests and mining lands - give it away for a song --- it's on the books at ZERO Dollars - any return that the stewards garner is huge (as a percentage). But a pittance is still a pittance in dollars-to-offset-expenditure terms.
 
Care about the Budget? Taxation? Property Values and Uses? Property Rights? or Sovereignty/Ownership within the country with the absolutely greatest potential of any in the world?
 
Demand that these forgotten little items of immense power and value be discussed by the person next asking for your vote.
 
Respectfully yours,

Robert Ede,
Thornhill ON
===================================
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)