Daily Digest January 12, 2008

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

EDITORIAL PAGEs

CHARLOTTETOWN GUARDIAN -
Considering the merits of winter tires
Government should make available any information about the measurable benefit of using winter or studded tires.
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=209567&sc=103

HALIFAX CHRONICLE HERALD -
No logic to defence of mission's fatalities
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/9010210.html

It's time for the big banks to show leadership
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/9010219.html

AMHERST DAILY NEWS -
Police stay mum on key issues
http://www.amherstdaily.com/index.cfm?sid=209712&sc=61

MONTREAL GAZETTE -
Canadians still in the dark about listeriosis outbreak
http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/editorials/Canadians+still+dark+about+listeriosis+outbreak/1167036/story.html

OTTAWA CITIZEN -
Invest in what matters
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/op-ed/Invest+what+matters/1169469/story.html

One size does not fit all
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/editorials/size+does/1167296/story.html

Penetrating minds
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/editorials/Penetrating+minds/1167297/story.html

KINGSTON WHIG STANDARD-
Attacks on supply routes bedevil the Afghan mission
http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1383174

BELLEVILLE INTELLIGENCER -
Canadians shouldn't rush to judging Capt. Robert Semrau
http://www.intelligencer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1382965

TORONTO STAR -
Our Canada includes cities
http://www.thestar.com/Opinion/article/568529

GLOBE & MAIL -
Long-term value, not make-work
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090111.weTrains12/BNStory/politics/home

Military stigma
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090111.wePurpleheart12/BNStory/specialComment/home

ST. CATHARINES STANDARD -
Coalitions are naturally more inclusive
  http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1383539

Infrastructure has to be priority No. 1
http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1383548

WINDSOR STAR -
Tax cuts
To stimulate the economy and pull us out of this recession, you must cut taxes.
http://www.windsorstar.com/opinion/editorials/cuts/1167491/story.html

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS -
Fixing the forest industry
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/fixing__the_forest__industry.html

SASKATOON STARPHOENIX -
Keeping options open will serve Canadians well
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/forum/story.html?id=a9055aea-1dc9-4800-9022-5d22b237dc6b

New math needs explaining
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/forum/story.html?id=2844ee02-22c8-4b6e-a430-2ef3b080dc0c

GRANDE PRAIRIE DAILY HERALD TRIBUNE -
Religion must exist inside the law - B.C. finally acts against Bountiful
http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1383881

LETHBRIDGE HERALD -
Writing more laws won't rewrite our human nature
http://www.lethbridgeherald.com/content/view/21828/56/

VICTORIA TIMES-COLONIST -
Flaherty should stay out of the banks' business
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=00c11384-7726-4086-ac0a-70b295f328d9

Listeriosis inquiry stall is dangerous
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=0a385075-c07d-4952-9be8-079cf6e3101b


ISSUES

ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS -          
Audit finds senior managers at Indian Affairs mismanaged $10M in Manitoba
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090112/national/indian_affairs_audit


AFGHANISTAN -
Intel Sharing Falls Short on Afghan-Pakistan Border
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2009/01/in-an-excellent.html

US to Include Iran in its Strategy in Afghanistan
http://quqnoos.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2371&Itemid=48

The perils of failure in Afghanistan
The Independent (01/12/2009)

Afghan war can't be won by foreigners
The Australian (01/12/2009)

Another Gitmo Grows in Afghanistan
TIME (01/12/2009)

'Get Afghanistan Right' Week
The Nation (01/12/2009)

Inexplicable Wealth of Afghan Elite Sows Bitterness
The Washington Post (01/12/2009)

The Afghan reconstruction boondoggle
Asia Times (01/12/2009)

Ethnic tension, insecurity casts doubt on Afghan vote
Reuters (01/12/2009)


CANUSA/USACAN -
Bush's legacy cuts at the Can-Am core
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090109.wcomartin12/BNStory/politics/home

Dallaire urges Obama to release Khadr
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090112.wdallairekhadr0112/BNStory/National/home

Gitmo's closure may not affect Khadr, says Harper
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090112/obama_gitmo_090112/20090112?hub=TopStories

Harper, federal lawyers at odds over Khadr trial, documents show
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/569285

Obama's visit gives Harper chance to highlight Canada's importanceComment266
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090112.wobama12/BNStory/politics/home

Slumping economy slashes truck traffic at busiest Canada-U.S. border crossing
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090112/national/windsor_truck_traffic


ECONOMIC AFFAIRS -
Canada credit conditions worsen in fourth-quarter: BoC polls
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/090112/canada/canada_us_economy_surveys

End of a shameful episode
http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/story.html?id=40721c91-6a7f-49ff-834d-d09d8e55b353

Gloom spreads: Canadian firms brace for slower sales, cutting work force
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090112/national/boc_economy


FOREIGN AFFAIRS -
Race to the death over Kashmir waters
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KA13Df01.html

Does the Northwest Passage still matter?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090109.wcoarctic12/BNStory/specialComment/home

New policy emphasizes U.S. interests in Northwest Passage
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/569679

12 January SWJ Roundup
http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/2009/01/12-january-swj-roundup/

US-AFGHANISTAN: Bagram, Worse Than Guantanamo?
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=45380

Afghanistan 'Afghanistan Faces Public Health Emergency',
http://www.afghanconflictmonitor.org/


HEALTH CARE RELATED -
The great Canadian prescription scam
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/7516


POLITICS IN THE PROVINCES -
Voting system could change
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=2471a730-1033-41cc-a024-b3d74a6b5cf1


FEDERAL POLITICS -
Flaherty says 'extraordinary' action needed to overcome global recession
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090112/national/flaherty_budget_consult

Flaherty wants 'extraordinary' budget
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090112.wPOLflaherty0112/BNStory/politics/home

 Flaherty faces five choices on EI 
http://www.thestar.com/Opinion/article/568531

Coalition can deal with crisis, Duceppe says
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090112.wPOLduceppe0112/BNStory/National

Duceppe says Bloc ready for election, but prefers coalition government
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090112/national/bloc_election

Federal NDP politician takes aim at long-gun registration program
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090112/national/rafferty_long_guns

Ignatieff's Dilemma: Coping with the Conservative Budget
http://www.jameslaxer.com/2009/01/ignatieffs-dilemma-coping-with.html

PROGRAMMES -
$10B worth of defence projects at risk: audit
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1167086

Single-minded: securities regulation a long-running political football
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090112/national/bc_securities_regulator_chronology

Parliamentary budget officer wants more independence, bigger budget
http://www.thehilltimes.ca/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=2009/january/12/civcirc/&c=2


OPINION AND INFORMATION -
Afghanistan toughest war yet?
http://www.torontosun.com/news/columnists/peter_worthington/2009/01/12/7991111-sun.html

Canada, U.S. should leave Afghanistan: expert
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090111/afghan_colonel_090111/20090111?hub=Canada

The right to not support
http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/story.html?id=feb75202-bd20-45f5-b4c5-1d7d4e2df8ec

Permanent tax cuts are no panacea
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090109.wcostimulus12/BNStory/specialComment/home

 Let's rethink the way we select Canada's top judges 
http://www.thestar.com/Opinion/article/568484

 Canada's shameful security legacy 
http://www.thestar.com/Opinion/article/568485

We have no option but to change our overconsuming society
http://news.therecord.com/Opinions/article/470651

Women smell male intentions
http://www.paperarticles.com/2009/01/women-smell-male-intentions.html


INFOS -
Roméo Dallaire presse Obama de remettre Khadr au Canada
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/national/200901/12/01-816876-romeo-dallaire-presse-obama-de-remettre-khadr-au-canada.php

Jim Flaherty dit que la récession mondiale nécessite des mesures extraordinaires
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/090112/N011296AU.html

Budget Flaherty: Duceppe est sceptique
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200901/12/01-816897-budget-flaherty-duceppe-est-sceptique.php

Un néo-démocrate veut abolir le programme d'enregistrement des armes d'épaule
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200901/12/01-816916-un-neo-democrate-veut-abolir-le-programme-denregistrement-des-armes-depaule.php

1,1 milliard en 10 ans pour habiller les soldats
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200901/11/01-816682-11-milliard-en-10-ans-pour-habiller-les-soldats.php

Coalition: le Québec et les autres Canadiens divisés
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200901/11/01-816647-coalition-le-quebec-et-les-autres-canadiens-divises.php

Vers une seule commission canadienne
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/Economie-Affaires/2009/01/12/001-valeurs-mobilieres-experts.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: Rubie Britton
Subject: Eye of a Needle Art Work.

You are not going to believe it...but it is true....a man in England ......watch the whole thing.
Hit this and watch the news clip.  Especially the ending...
http://www.guzer.com/videos/needle-art.php

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From: Ray Strachan
Subject: Comforting thought.

DD

A speech By Professor Martin Van Crevel ,Professor and Military
Historian,Jerusalem University.

"Our armed forces are not the 30th strongest in the world, but rather the second or third… We possess several hundred atomic warheads and rockets that can launch them at targets in all directions. Most European capitals are targets of our air force … We have the capability to take the world down with us. And I can assure you that this will happen before Israel goes under." .  http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:QcMu2_F5-tsJ:warincontext.org/2007/09/27/opinion-israel-and-the-world-can-live-with-a-nuclear-iran/+Our+armed+forces+are+not+30th+strongest+in+the+world,&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=ca&client=firefox-a

So with this information,  the brainless in our midst, will still go on Parroting   "There is a  faction in Lebanon and Gaza determined to Destroy Israel."  My question  to the Parrots would be,     what with? Their Toy Rockets? Well Israel flattens these two areas as frequently as necessary for target practise.      What would they do without this terrible threat that hangs over Poor Little Defenseless Israel?  Where will the sympathy come from?

Ray Strachan

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From: "Suan H.Booiman"

Joe with interest did I read the story about freedom of thinking.
Thinking at anytime is a freedom as long as you don't speak out loud
trying to justify the meaning. One does not have to go very far
to be a witness, ask our Members of Parliament, to stay close to
home. Silence is golden. There is always this shadow overhanging
personal views, shadows so well used by Qiebec.
To find a dividing line among the Muslims is a job no one has been
able to complete as they always will run into silence as a reply, out
of fear, as one would say one word his or her name is on the
blackboard, of course there is no evidence as no one will tell what
did happen. The proof is in the cover up used both by Muslim man
and woman, the violent and the oppressed.
 
Suan

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From: "Robert Ede"
To: brownb@sen.parl.gc.ca,
Subject: Congrats on $4000 mention in Senate article

Executive Summary
How much longer do you think we should keep these $4000 amounts as the ONLY dollar amounts in Canada that have not been adjusted for inflation?
 
Dear Senator,
 
I met you at Link Byfield's Calgary Congress in late 2006 and have just spotted "Step 1 on the Staircase to Senate Reform - Why Don't We Just Abolish the Senate?" on al hize's 'earthworm' newsletter, which was transmitted via the Jan 10-11/08 Daily Digest http://cdndailydigest.blogspot.com/
 
Congrats, because you, fittingly, are the only person who has recently made mention of the s.23 & s.31 $4000 dis/qualification(s) for Senators.
 
"It was also expected to represent the interest of the propertied class ­the landed gentry ­hence the requirement that its members own $4,000 worth of real property."

I'm confident you didn't mention the simultaneous s.23(4) $4000 'net-worth' qualification due to space limitations ...
How much longer do you think we should keep these $4000 amounts as the ONLY dollar amounts in Canada that have not been adjusted for inflation?

--
Robert (Rob) Ede,
________________________________________
Subject: this guy is either brilliant or an idiot

  When the system is built upon leverage that is 50 times the actual underlying value, it is like having a house worth $100,000 but the banks lends you $5 million. Even doubling the money supply to say $200,000. will not stop the contraction of leverage. This is what we are really facing.

http://www.contrahour.com/contrahour/2008/12/martin-armstrong-we-need-a-shock-to-the-system.html

I'm just reading his last few articles now
 
what do you think?
too hot to distribute?
 
http://www.contrahour.com/contrahour/2009/01/martin-armstrong-the-coming-great-depression.html
 
http://www.contrahour.com/contrahour/2009/01/martin-armstrong-the-collapse-of-socialism.html

=====
.what do you think?
There may be someone able to make an informed value judgement, I can't

too hot to distribute?
No. Whether idiot or genius in origin it increases our knowledge base.
===================================
Subject: RE: Daily Digest January 9, 2008
From: "Efstratios Psarianos"

It's official, I declare this to be a political-comedy weekend. Enjoy!
Stratos
 
Brazeau steps down from Congress job
Congress member suspended before he could raise Brazeau allegations
(From the article):

The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples suspended its entire Manitoba wing only days before the provincial president planned to go public with allegations of sexual harassment against the national chief, the Conservative-appointed Senator Patrick Brazeau.

Walter Menard said yesterday that he told Mr. Brazeau in mid-September that he would raise the allegations and reports of heavy drinking at congress headquarters when the congress held its annual meeting in Ottawa in November.

"It's for lack of accountability reasons," Mr. Brazeau said in an interview this week explaining the suspension and noting it was approved by a majority of board members. Mr. Brazeau also has said the majority of board members voted not to distribute the full report on the internal investigation to protect the identity of those who co-operated anonymously.

In a statement earlier this week, congress spokesman Al Fleming said the Manitoba branch misrepresented its membership figures and had "other issues of accountability."

Ahem. If I had been a Board member, I'd have liked Mr. Brazeau to be more forthcoming about considerations that might have brought the the Board in disrepute. If the Board was out and out fooled, then it looks ... uuuhh ... foolish. If some or all of its members were in the know of ulterior motives for Mr. Brazeau's recommending suspension of the Manitoba wing, then the Board has been corrupted to some degree. The ethical operation of a Board REQUIRES frankness and openness concerning this kind of issue ... "oops, I didn't think it was important' doesn't cut it.

On the positive side, Mr. Brazeau's resigned from the Board. On the downside, he's done so because he's been named to and sworn into the Senate. Looks like another gallopoula's (Greek for 'French chicken' = turkey) made it to political Nirvana.

(NOTE: In the interest of evenhandedness: we've got at least one gallopoula who's just arisen from Quebec.)

(NOTE: One of the best ways to undermine or neutralize a political institution is to make it ridiculous or irrelevant. Could this all be a clever plan? I say this with SOME irony).

The Whig: Senate posting fails smell test
Well, now .. A Whig WOULD say that about a Tory, no?

MacKay defends purchase of U.S.-made military vehicles Canadian Forces getting 1,300 new trucks for use at bases across the country 2 hours, 32 minutes ago
All's fine here. The benefits of free trade arise from PRECISELY this kind of thing. If a Canadian government can obtain a most suitable product in the US rather than in Canada, all Canadians win in the end ... provided that Canadian firms be granted equal opportunity in the US and Canada, of course.

Modern Canada is on a par with the US, so fair competition is feasible and beneficial to Canadians. That reasoning would have to be nuanced if Canada and the US were fundamentally (and relevantly) unequal: but Canada's not El Salvador, so its buying stuff in the US is fine if Canadians can SELL to the US.

No longer combative, Harper calls for co-operation in drafting federal budget
Excited dog bares fangs. Dog gets kicked in face. Dog calms down. Dog plays ball.

Pretty amazing what can be said in a few simple sentences. Subject-verb-direct object ... and one indirect object ('face'). This is all just a simile, but it DOES get the point across in imagery.

Stratos' Political Theorem #37 (the 'Bafflegab Principle'): Never put yourself in a position where what you say and what you do can be described/lampooned in simple sentences.

Federal government asks Canadians for input into pension plan rules
Me, I need the money now to help my business grow. (Funereal silence). Hello?

Ontario economy barely keeping head above water in Q3, but recession looms
And we're talking Hamilton Harbour water here, people. Sympathy, please!

Do more to recognize Sir John A. Macdonald's birthday, think tank says
hI say dat hwe call hit da 'Jour Jean-Alexandre MacDonald' hand dat hwe give hout free fries dat day.

(O Canada, how I cherish thy greatness. Where else in the world could a Greco-Quebecois whose mother tongue is French and who went to English school get AWAY with writing stuff like this? Not in Uzbekistan, last time I heard. Hahahaha ... Your loyal citizen abases himself).

Harper calls unemployment numbers 'troubling' but says Canada can emerge stronger
Well, yeah. Thing is, it'd be nice to know if we can have that happen before 2379.
I mean, dammit ... This could jeopardize our future investing in Star Fleet.

Departing top Canadian diplomat in Kandahar most proud of police, security
'I mean, I stayed there ELEVEN MONTHS and I did NOT get blowed up real good'.
OK, iffy humour here, but the fun's to be had at the edge sometimes.


CAW president rejects U.S.-style strike bans at Canada's auto plants
'What about targetted strikes?'

'Yeah, those would be OK. And ... uuuhh ... waidaminnit ... yer not talking FIGHTER strikes, are ya?'

Laurie Scott gets PC head office job to give up seat for party leader John Tory
Gives one an impression of what the going rate is for Tory seats in Ontario's Parliament, eh?

Plus, someone's bound to bring up 'She's getting herself a real job, is all'. (Funereal silence from Ontario) Helloooo? (And I WONDER why I get static on my line when I call Alberta :-S).

Experts have warned Ottawa to regulate nanotechnology, Ottawa has yet to respond
Hhhhmmm ... maybe Ottawa's looking into this behind the scenes? (<-- I'm being serious for once).

That being said, I'll play my part by keeping an eye out for Arnold Schwarzenegger lookalikes with laser coming out of their eyes. Oh, and for Borgs, too. Can't be too careful.

Canadian army seeks bullets for Soviet guns
OK ... in THIS case, free trade's going too far.

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