Daily Digest December 19, 2008

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

EDITORIAL PAGEs

ST.JOHN'S TELEGRAM -
Licence to shill
http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=202675&sc=80

CORNER BROOK WESTERN STAR -
Electricity rates being ignored?
http://www.thewesternstar.com/index.cfm?sid=202918&sc=30

HALIFAX CHRONICLE HERALD -
Senate reform stalled
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Editorial/1096718.html

MONTREAL GAZETTE -
Canada doesn't do enough to protect children from abuse
http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/editorials/Canada+doesn+enough+protect+children+from+abuse/1093464/story.html

OTTAWA CITIZEN -
Autos and prosperity
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/editorials/Autos+prosperity/1093610/story.html

Evil on trial
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/editorials/Evil+trial/1093580/story.html

The way forward for Harper
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/op-ed/forward+Harper/1097129/story.html

Christmas is a secular holiday
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/op-ed/Christmas+secular+holiday/1092393/story.html

OTTAWA SUN -
No one has any use for drunk drivers
http://www.ottawasun.com/Comment/Editorial/2008/12/19/7798831.html

KINGSTON WHIG STANDARD-
Boost spending on education
http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1353504

Don Cherry for the Senate? Why not?
http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1353491

LIBERALS WITHER UNDER BACKLASH
http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1353480

MORE TROOPS AREN'T ENOUGH
http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1353472

TORONTO STAR -
Time for banks to loosen up
http://www.thestar.com/Opinion/article/556139

GLOBE & MAIL -
Saving jobs, and holding nosesComment1
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081219.weauto20/BNStory/politics/home

To spend, or not to
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081219.weshopping20/BNStory/specialComment/home

Another chance
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081219.weArchive20/BNStory/specialComment/home

NATIONAL POST -
Tax cuts, tax cuts, tax cuts
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1095060

Two-tiered thought police
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1095061

Fiscal policy must ride to the rescue
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1095062

TORONTO SUN -
Please, a leader, any leader
http://www.torontosun.com/comment/editorial/2008/12/19/7799881-sun.html

HAMILTON SPECTATOR -
PM's job creation
http://www.thespec.com/Opinions/article/484358

LONDON FREE PRESS -
Scrap speed chip for photo radar
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/Opinion/Editorials/2008/12/19/7799051-sun.html

WINDSOR STAR -
Work ethic
http://www.windsorstar.com/opinion/editorials/Work+ethic/1094175/story.html
 
Premier treads carefully
http://www.windsorstar.com/opinion/editorials/Premier+treads+carefully/1094176/story.html

SUDBURY STAR -
A little reality, please
http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1354160

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS -
Surge in Afghanistan will borrow tactics used in Iraq
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/surge_in_afghanistan_will_borrow_tactics_used_in_iraq.html

SASKATOON STARPHOENIX -
National vision must come first to survive crisis
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/forum/story.html?id=f339537b-2814-468d-97ea-70beb8a83efc

REGINA LEADER-POST -
The season to take extra care
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/viewpoints/story.html?id=d6d63d77-0ab0-429f-8e15-bcfcf7f93ee6

CALGARY HERALD -
Where are all the conservatives?
http://www.calgaryherald.com/Where+conservatives/1094964/story.html
 
Yearning for nirvana, settling for what works
http://www.calgaryherald.com/Yearning+nirvana+settling+what+works/1090286/story.html

CALGARY SUN -
Petro-Canada's planned pipeline bad for Alberta
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/theeditorialpage/story.html?id=0279051e-cb8c-44be-a893-20ed5a8cf7ac

EDMONTON JOURNAL -
Waving goodbye to the devil
  http://www.edmontonjournal.com/opinion/Waving+goodbye+devil/1094596/story.html

RED DEER ADVOCATE -
Coalition attempt proves the left has no leadership
http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradvocate/opinion/Coalition_attempt_proves_the_left_has_no_leadership.html

VANCOUVER SUN -
Health system fails soldiers suffering operational stress
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/editorial/story.html?id=b5d72015-aacc-4990-9f17-84a0956b905e

Let the children play
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/editorial/story.html?id=7ca7a9ec-b98e-40f7-b00f-c2f7a73126fb

VANCOUVER PROVINCE -
Spend smart to save forest jobs
http://www.theprovince.com/opinion/editorials/Spend+smart+save+forest+jobs/1093862/story.html

VICTORIA TIMES-COLONIST -
Slump the time to invest in future
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=d653685a-56b2-45a4-941c-c2dd0a69d350


ISSUES

AFGHANISTAN -
US military orders new reinforcement
http://www.southasianmedia.net/index_story.cfm?id=545968&category=Frontend&Country=AFGHANISTAN

Rosy rewriting of the Iraq debacle will fuel worse disaster in Afghanistan
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/dec/19/comment-brown-iraq-afghanistan

All roads lead out of Afghanistan
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JL20Df01.html


ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
PM, McGuinty to announce Canadian bailout
http://wheels.ca/reviews/article/489826

CAW says it won't budge on compensation
http://business.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081219.Wautoscanada20/BNStory/Business/home
$17.4-billion buys time for Detroit
The history of the U.S. auto bailout
  Bush announces auto bailout
  $73 per hour? Not exactly


JUSTICE SYSTEM
Nix the gimmicks: Cop shooter deserves some serious punishment
http://www.winnipegsun.com/news/columnists/tom_brodbeck/2008/12/19/7799486-sun.html


POLITICS IN THE PROVINCES
Religious Ed. rebellion: Quebec parents pull students out of new class
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1095025

High-risk delusions in Newfoundland
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2008/12/19/terence-corcoran-high-risk-delusions-in-newfoundland.aspx

AbitibiBowater urges Williams to reconsider
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081219.wabitibi1219/BNStory/National/home

Tory's political future unclear
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081219.wtory1219/BNStory/politics/home


FEDERAL POLITICS
Preston Manning
Here's how we fix Canada's political mess
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081218.wcomanning19/BNStory/politics/home

For Stephen Harper, the political crisis in Ottawa has nothing to do with his decisions or actions of his troops, but relies entirely on the shoulders of the opposition. http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cyberpresse.ca%2Factualites%2Fquebec-canada%2Fpolitique-canadienne%2F200812%2F19%2F01-811960-crise-a-ottawa-harper-nie-toute-responsabilite.php&sl=fr&tl=en&history_state0 =

By the seat of his pants?
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1095024

Harper expected to appoint fundraiser to Senate
PM plans to pick Irving Gerstein and former interim leader John Reynolds, sources say
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081219.wsenate1220/BNStory/politics/home

Does Quebec spell doom for Harper?
http://www.thespec.com/Opinions/article/484397

Opposition takes credit for planned deficit spendingComment5
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081219.wstimulus1220/BNStory/politics/home

Grit miracle: Iggy to fish in Tory water
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081219.wcomurph20/BNStory/politics/home

Liberals say they might hike sales taxes
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/556626


PROGRAMMES
How safe is our food? Don't ask
Feds withhold records on management of crisis
http://www.healthzone.ca/health/article/556249

Parliamentary Budget Office about to have its budget cut
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1095224

Seething lawyers demand answers over spy agency phone tapping
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iRxGh8rJ6yhRPxbCi2fFcE-56cYA


OPINION AND INFORMATION
At long last, infrastructure holds appeal
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Columnists/Cockburn_Lyn/2008/12/19/7798891-sun.html

This is not the '30s
http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/michael_dentandt/2008/12/19/7799896-sun.html

Canadians deserve better from our banks
http://news.therecord.com/Opinions/article/460992

Useful discourse hard if one must defer to lunatic fringe
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/useful_discourse_hard_if_one_must_defer_to_lunatic_fringe.html

The death of expertise
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2008/12/19/kelly-mcparland-wake-me-when-the-worldwide-economic-devastation-is-over.aspx

Credit comes at a cost
http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/story.html?id=2ab44f90-ac55-45c4-945a-33425ed86bc3

China's toy juggernaut goes off the rails
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2008/12/19/peter-goodspeed-china-s-toy-juggernaut-goes-off-the-rails.aspx

 $35-billion still goes a long way
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2008/12/19/don-martin-35-billion-still-goes-a-long-way.aspx

Spaming Scammers-- A possible solution
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/7073

lower taxes, a less intrusive federal government and an aversion to deficit spending
Canada at an economic crossroads http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/7069


INFOS 
Le déficit de 30 milliards $ est une pilule difficile à avaler
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200812/19/01-812046-le-deficit-de-30-milliards-est-une-pilule-difficile-a-avaler.php

Crise à Ottawa: Harper nie toute responsabilité
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200812/19/01-811960-crise-a-ottawa-harper-nie-toute-responsabilite.php

100 jours de sursis pour les géants de l'auto
http://www.ledevoir.com/2008/12/20/224298.html

Intimidation envers des anglophones
http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/saguenay-lac/2008/12/19/001-anglophones_intimidation_n.shtml

Les hélicoptères de sauvetage se doteront de capteurs infrarouge
http://info.branchez-vous.com/graphics/textecomplet.gif

Des avocats outrés réclament des réponses au sujet de l'écoute téléphonique
http://info.branchez-vous.com/graphics/fullstory.gif

AbitibiBowater a envoyé une lettre au premier ministre Danny Williams
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/081219/N1219142AU.html

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Canada and three provinces to backstop ABCP plan
The Canadian government and three provinces agreed on Friday to help fund a $32 billion restructuring plan for the frozen market for nonbank asset backed commercial paper,
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/081219/canada/canada_us_abcp

All I know about this is there were arguments that some not sue others among those involved and that as of now it seems an unknown amount of the $32 billion will be coming from the public purse. Anyone know what's up here as far as our risk to bail out the financiers?

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From: "Wendy Forrest"
Subject: a little R&R...

well deserved I'd say...

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all!

Warm regards,
Wendy

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From: "Rene Moreau"
Subject: Re: Daily Digest December 16, 2008

Commentaire mis en ligne le 18 décembre 2008

C'est tres important de savoir que le Conference Board de Canada est
vraiment en Canada au Toronto avec un bureau la. Mais la bureau
central est au Third Avenue, New York, New York, les Etats Unis! Les
idees qui vient de la sont un manier de pressez (lobbying?)nos
citoyennes et nos gouvernment pour les corporations Americans!
Pour ca, ils ont recu le nom d'un institution charitable, sous le nom
AERIC, en Canada!
C'est fous, n'est-ce pas?
Ils dit, quant quel qu'un les appelles qu'il sont pas joindre. Ce
n'est pas vrai.

Rene Moreau (416-489-8347)

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Reply to John Dowson
From: Randy Kubik
Subject: Harper's End Game
 
Two things: 
 
First, your math needs some reworking:  Harper needs 12 more seats for a majority based on the current 308 seats in the House... but if there are 330 seats with 22 new added under redistribution (or whatever the new total will be) the number for a majority becomes 166 seats... or a full 23 more than the current 143... which would mean that Harper could win all 22 new seats and still be short, assuming all other EL's remain the same.
 
Second, if Harper tries anything resembling what you suggest (i.e.. rolling the dice or a "political chess game", he will be history as leader of the party and the CP will feel the backlash from voters and M. IGGY will be the next PM.... so don't count on any election in 2009 perceived to be engineered in any cynical way by Harper.... count on peace, order, and good government...
 
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From: "Robert Ede"
Subject: 'our contract clearly stipulates ...' http://ibdeditorials.com/cartoons.aspx#cartoon313360199219722


Subject: Responsible Gov't - if your premise is incorrect, your conclusion can rarely be correct

Dear Nat Post Ed,
 
Thu Dec 18/08, Father Raymond J.De Souza wrote : "Responsible government" means the executive power of the prime minister and his cabinet ("the ministry"), exercised in the name of the Sovereign, is accountable to Parliament. The ministry requires the confidence of the House of Commons.
 
Au contraire - "Responsible government" means the executive power (the Monarch, the GG & the Privy Council {some of whom may also be in the PM's cabinet}) is accountable to our Assembly of Commoners and Upper House of Landowners . The Cabinet/Government/ministry requires the confidence of the House of Commons, but all final decisions and legislative acts are accepted/rejected/reserved by the Governor General on behalf of the Monarch (in Council until 1982).
 
If you can appreciate the differences you'll see that since 1940, the government of Canada HAS NOT BEEN following the as-written Constitution - they've just been pretending to follow it. (Next phase is learning that the much-vaunted, 1982 changes did nothing except make further constitutional changes next-to-impossible and added-subject-to-conditions to rights we already enjoyed at common law!!! (and as above, removed the "in-Council" strings from the Monarch's decisions).
 
Forget what you THINK you know about gov't operations ... read the darned BNA 1867 and then re-read the source of "Responsible Gov't in Canada" the Constitutional Act of 1791 (Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council, Executive Council & Governor) - draw your parallels from the antecedent and you'll see what I've been ranting about all this time.
 
Please do re-read these foundational documents
--
Robert Ede,
Thornhill On

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From: "Efstratios Psarianos"

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From: "The Natroses"

Subject: Re: Daily Digest December 17, 2008

Hi Joe,

"These trade deals are the "economic constitutions" responsible for creating today's global economic crisis. Why? Because they hollow out economies and abolish stable employment and lifestyles for people around the planet."

Frances Russell is a Winnipeg-based freelance journalist and author.

Weeeeeell ... there are other ways to see this, too. The idea behind globalization is that national and regional economies become supra-national ones that have a bigger scale. For example, if we consider only Canada, the nature is no longer which province can compete with which other at various levels .. it's about every province competing with every province and State in North America. 'Local' economies that are uncompetitive yet still competing in one sector get 'disrupted' by having the good-ole-days la-la-la way of doing things becoming unsustainable (i.e., a money drain = destroyer of wealth (!!!)) and thus have to change in some way to become competitive. There are many ways to become competitive, such as focussing on industries other than established ones, better marketing of local products, changes to now-inappropriate regulations, government programs for access to credit, etc. But avoiding 'disruption' just for the sajk eof doing so is a long-term losing proposition. (Take for example a disease we all know: treatment consists of short-term surgery, mid-term chemotherapy, and long-term (or sooner, if untreated) death. The surgery and the chemo are 'disruptive' and painful ... but necessary).

 

This is also occurring in other resources - non or renewable resources. I have seen the same things occurring in the fishery industry, where the big guys are eating the little fish processors/harvesters for breakfast. Ditto for industries in mining and forestry products.

The thing is, though, that the little fish may have had options to save themselves, that is to make themselves competitive and profitable. One way would be through better marketing for example: instead of just packing fish, or whatever, they could have added more value by stewing or spicing it and then canning it, for example. That way they'd be making 'gourmet fish meals' instead of fish-in-a-can.

 

Mind you that might no be the easiest thing to do. But that's where suitable government support, such as access to government-backed credit for worthwhile projects comes in. But if despite that a fish processor can't or won't compete, there's most often no point in propping ot up long term. The same goes for other companies, in varying ways.

 

The above assumes that all this is taking palce in 'normal' economic times. All bets are off when we skid into depression and such.

As always, if someone should have the fortitude to fight back - the big guys go running to government and the courts that govern so-called free trade disputes, crying foul!  The latest, being Abitibi-Botwater, who brought the mill in Grand-Falls Windsor, long before the free trade agreement was put in place. They brought the mill, knowing that they had free use of our water and forests, in exchange for operation of the paper mill. The agreement took place 100 years ago, when Newfoundland was its own nation, and not as an British colony as has been stated in the newspaper.

It is time for governments to wake up or we will have another economic crisis in another 30 years, caused again by the greed of the big guys.

As long as we keep in mind that the greed of the big guys is a reflexion of the greed of us little guys. For most things, we prefer to pay lower rather than higher prices for what we buy. Higher-priced stuff has to justify its price: whether through feeling of 'brand awareness' (e.g., everyone wanting to wear so-and-so jeans because they're 'cool' no matter how they look; or wearing so-and-so perfume because it's the beeest, daaaaahlink ... don't laugh, this is a big thing! on a purtely functional basis, perfume is nothing more than deodorant, after all), psychological-value-added (fancy fish in cans), etc.

 

From the Natroses

From El Stratos

Contradictor of Them All

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