Daily Digest February 16, 2009

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

EDITORIAL PAGEs

CHARLOTTETOWN GUARDIAN -
Quality of education must come first View comments4
The debate over small schools should focus on what's best for our children.
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=222641&sc=103

CAPE BRETON POST -
Clarity needed on murky mission
http://www.capebretonpost.com/index.cfm?sid=222282&sc=151

HALIFAX CHRONICLE HERALD -
Other police should follow RCMP taser policy
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Editorial/1106671.html

Running to victory over arthritis
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/1106726.html

It's pretty bad when terrorists can't raise money
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/1106779.html

AMHERST DAILY NEWS -
A wish for unity from abroad
http://www.amherstdaily.com/index.cfm?sid=222627&sc=61

MONTREAL GAZETTE -
Another assault on press freedom
http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/editorials/Another+assault+press+freedom/1294087/story.html

OTTAWA CITIZEN -
Constructive co-operation
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/Constructive+operation/1294143/story.html

TORONTO STAR -
Help our hubs rebuild
http://www.thestar.com/Opinion/article/588105

GLOBE & MAIL -
Reasonable search, not storage
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090215.wESurveill16/BNStory/specialComment/home

TORONTO SUN -
Hit the gas on better fuel efficiency
http://www.torontosun.com/comment/editorial/2009/02/16/8405581-sun.html

WINDSOR STAR -
Rail line: High speed back on track?
http://www.windsorstar.com/opinion/editorials/Rail+line/1294607/story.html

THUNDER BAY CHRONICLE JOURNAL -
Big projects in small places
http://www.chroniclejournal.com/stories.php?id=165281

VICTORIA TIMES-COLONIST -
B.C. should lead in tidal power
http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=3bfbba20-95c2-4a21-a8ec-92100c8f8cbe
 
RCMP's Taser policy shockingly unclear
http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=923d44ee-3b2f-4d80-97bf-5d2b0a20bd39


ISSUES

ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS -          
Aboriginal centre beacon of hope
http://www.leaderpost.com/news/todays-paper/Aboriginal+centre+beacon+hope/1290964/story.html


AF-PAK PROBLEM -
The "Af-Pak" problem
http://www.e-ariana.com/ariana/eariana.nsf/allDocs/DE5A2BEFEF28FF0B8725755F00422452?OpenDocument

Obama decision on Afghan troops levels coming soon
http://in.reuters.com/article/southAsiaNews/idINIndia-38051220090216

Afghan surge begins in dangerous region near Kabul
http://www.cbs47.com/news/world/story/Afghan-surge-begins-in-dangerous-region-near-Kabul/SXRY_18n-U6wN5VCM7Cd5g.cspx?rss=4

Combat Outpost: exclusive film from the Afghan frontline
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2009/feb/13/us-military-afghanistan-outpost
As US and the UK forces struggle for a way forward in Afghanistan, John D McHugh's unique film from one of the US military's most dangerous outposts shows just how western forces are losing ground to the Taliban

US troops kill Taliban's shadow governor for Badghis province
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2009/02/us_troops_kill_talib.php

Will Afghanistan awake?
http://www.e-ariana.com/ariana/eariana.nsf/allDocs/473F5AA80516CD228725755F0041FA1F?OpenDocument

'US missile strikes' hit Pakistan
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7891900.stm

Pakistan: Death toll rises in deadly missile strike
http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Security/?id=3.0.3020447630


CANADIAN FORCES -
Some Canadian soldiers Buy Their Own Combat Gear
Translation http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/national/200902/15/01-827636-des-militaires-ameliorent-leur-equipement-a-leurs-frais.php


CANUSA/USACAN -
Ottawa recalls sensitive database in B.C. border project
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090215.wborderprivacy0215/BNStory/National/home

The truth is, Canada, America isn't into you
http://www.thestar.com/Opinion/article/587549

'Vigilance' on U.S. stimulus vital, Day says
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/588190

U.S. set to launch unmanned aerial drones to monitor Manitoba border
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/02/16/drones-border.html

Canadian prudence trumps Obama charisma every time
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/8524


ECONOMIC AFFAIRS -
Ending the myth of the frugal Canadian
Your credit card issuer is watching where you shop
http://blog.macleans.ca/2009/02/15/ending-the-myth-of-the-frugal-canadian/

Auto industry teeters as deadline looms
http://business.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090215.wrgm0214/BNStory/Business/home?cid=al_gam_mostview

 Size of your food bill depends on where you live
http://www.thestar.com/Opinion/article/587548

Take Peak Oil seriously - it'll be here much sooner than you think 
http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/587901

December manufacturing sales plummet
http://business.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090216.wmanufacture0216/BNStory/Business/home

Infrastructure costs will rise as population ages: report
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Life/Infrastructure+costs+will+rise+population+ages+report/1294100/story.html

Prentice 'optimistic' gas project will begin soon
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090215/prentice_mackenzie_090215/20090215?hub=QPeriod

Work-sharing agreements a 'shockingly well-hidden' alternative to layoffs
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090216/national/work_sharing


FOREIGN AFFAIRS -
Don't look now, but Mexico is collapsing
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/02/15/don-t-look-now-but-mexico-is-collapsing.aspx

The new world order
The U.S. says it will do more for its allies, but it wants more, too
http://blog.macleans.ca/2009/02/16/the-new-world-order/

Canada wants "frank" talks on NATO in Afghanistan
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/090216/canada/canada_us_afghan_canada_defence


HEALTH CARE AND FAMILY RELATED -
FAMILY MONEY DISCUSSIONS NEED TO START WITH YOUNG CHILDREN
http://www.wireservice.ca/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=838


JUSTICE SYSTEM -
Supreme Court ruling expected to clarify free speech right
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1293068


MIGRATION -
Conservatives Already Looking At Cutting Immigration
http://www.thelinkpaper.ca/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1234804960&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&cat=1

• Canadians want illegal immigrants deported: poll
• Canada immigration target likely to be reached

FEDERAL POLITICS -
MacKay expects pressure to extend Afghan mission beyond 2011
Translation http://www.ledevoir.com/2009/02/16/234076.html

Liberal leader on mission to woo West
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/588191

It's 'crazy' Parliament hasn't clarified Parliamentary budget officer's role: MP
MPs.http://www.thehilltimes.ca/html/cover_index.php?display=story&full_path=/2009/february/16/budget_officers_role/&c=1

Libs shop for 'psychographic' voter targeting software
http://www.thehilltimes.ca/html/cover_index.php?display=story&full_path=/2009/february/16/psycographic/&c=1

It's a 'sombre' Parliament, as politicians react to global financial crisis
http://www.thehilltimes.ca/html/cover_index.php?display=story&full_path=/2009/february/16/financial_crisis/&c=1

Tory, Liberal 'no-comment' deal on dropped Cadman lawsuit 'distasteful'
http://www.thehilltimes.ca/html/cover_index.php?display=story&full_path=/2009/february/16/no_comment/&c=1

Harper shuffles PMO deck, has 'grip on caucus'
http://www.thehilltimes.ca/html/cover_index.php?display=story&full_path=/2009/february/16/pmo_deck/&c=1

Will Harper and Ignatieff form a memorable duet?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090215.wcoduets16/BNStory/specialComment/home

Western rage helped sink coalition: Ignatieff
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1295474

Layton slams Tories' social housing plan
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/9010801.html


PROGRAMMES -
Ottawa will require ten times less impact studies
http://translate.google.com/translate?prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ledevoir.com%2F2009%2F02%2F16%2F234078.html&sl=fr&tl=en&history_state0 =


OPINION AND INFORMATION -
Canada is wasting this crisis
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Technology/Canada+wasting+this+crisis/1294147/story.html

Reason to hope: MISSION BEING ACCOMPLISHED
http://canadianarmedforcesblogger.blogspot.com/2009/02/reason-to-hope.html

Consider a graceful exit from Afghanistan now
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090215.wcogagnon16/BNStory/specialComment/home

It's easy to read signs of mission's shortfalls
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/1106807.html

CBC AWOL in Afghanistan
http://www.ottawasun.com/Comment/2009/02/16/8405301-sun.html

Federal government is sweeping food safety under the rug
http://www.vancouversun.com/Health/Federal+government+sweeping+food+safety+under/1294494/story.html

Advice for Steve-O
Obama chat should avoid some topics
http://www.winnipegsun.com/news/columnists/ian_shanley/2009/02/16/8405101-sun.html

"Distasteful". Yeah, that seems to sum it up.
Courtesy of the Hill Times, we now know what Tom Zytaruk thinks about the is-it-or-isn't-it-a-gag-order settlement agreement that ended the Prime Minister's lawsuit against the Liberal Party:
http://blog.macleans.ca/2009/02/16/distasteful-yeah-that-seems-to-sum-it-up/

The end of Harper's conservative rule
http://www.martlet.ca/article/17886-the-end-of-harper-s-conservative

Time to disunite the right
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/8335

Canada losing ground in world: Ex-minister
http://www.montrealgazette.com/Business/Canada+losing+ground+world+minister/1295247/story.html

Re-enactment could be moved to Ontario
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/todays-paper/enactment+could+moved+Ontario/1294006/story.html


INFOS -
Retrait: Ottawa s'attend à recevoir des pressions des alliés
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/dossiers/le-canada-en-afghanistan/200902/16/01-827690-retrait-ottawa-sattend-a-recevoir-des-pressions-des-allies.php

Canada/États-Unis:Prêts à adopter une approche commune
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/environnement/politique-verte/200902/16/01-827678-canadaetats-unisprets-a-adopter-une-approche-commune.php

Ignatieff admet que son parti a commis des erreurs dans l'Ouest
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200902/15/01-827583-ignatieff-admet-que-son-parti-a-commis-des-erreurs-dans-louest.php

«Rendez les Plaines aux Québécois»
http://www.ledevoir.com/2009/02/16/234079.html

Évaluation environnementale - Ottawa exigera dix fois moins d'études d'impacts
http://www.ledevoir.com/2009/02/16/234078.html

Retrait canadien du sud de l'Afghanistan - MacKay s'attend à des pressions de l'OTAN et des États-Unis
http://www.ledevoir.com/2009/02/16/234076.html

Drones à la frontière
http://www.ledevoir.com/2009/02/16/234063.html

Dure fin d'année pour les fabricants
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/Economie-Affaires/2009/02/16/002-vente-manufacturier.shtml

La ministre fédérale des Pêches et des Océans discute de la pêche aux homards
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/090216/N021632AU.html

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)

IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOUR PERSPECTIVE.
What's yours?

The reality is that Canada pretty well lost all hope of ever getting a real conservative government when the Progressive Conservatives and the Canadian Alliance merged to form the party that is now in government. Much like the current economic crisis, it might not have been foreseeable that it would happen under Harper's leadership but the Conservative Party was bound to morph into the old Progressive Conservative Party; a party slightly to the right of the Liberals and one that easily tends to be more "progressive" than "conservative".  We are now pretty well where we were before the merger, minus of course the Reform/Canadian Alliance. http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/8335


The verb morph, the gradual transforming of one image into another, comes from metamorphosis, which means a profound change.

From your perspective has the Conservative Party morphed? YES or NO.

If  YES: in the manner as stated from the perspective of the writer ;
        or
           in what other manner from your perspective?

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From: "Grenville Rogers"
Subject: "far-reaching amendments"/TREASON and TREACHERY

Hello Joe   -  
 
Re "Far-reaching amendments" in the Budget Act
 
TREASON and TREACHERY are alive and well in Canada, courtesy of Harper and CPC
 
The people of Canada did not elect a government to engineer and preside over the demolition of their country. How do we gain (not regain, because we never had it) control of our government and elected 'representatives' ?? I will never stop stating that Canada is a dictatorship, for the simple reason that "Canada IS a dictatorship.
 
A frequent contributor to DD, who once advised me to "Get a life", will likely repeat. Well, I'm trying.  I'm also trying to keep life in my country.
 
The USA is the result of rebellion against a dictatorial power. Canadians must rebel against a dictatorial power whose current name is Harper. He is deadly. He is dangerous. He is killing Canada.
 
Sadly, Canadians are more interested in leisure and pleasure (sports, lotteries, drugs, sex, etc)  and do not want to consider serious things. Harper and other of our 'leaders', knowing this, feed us sops of attention-diverting, useless  announcements on trivial matters. Using these tactics, they can and do deceitfully, treacherously and treasonously sell Canada to foreign interests, and forge alliances which destroy us. In the process, they line their pockets with money. They have sold their souls for money and an 'attaboy' pat on the shoulder by their foreign and corporate masters.
 
A few souls ask why the media doesn't report on these things. The media doesn't report on these things because they are an integral part of the treachery.
 
Canada is not a sovereign country. Private corporations create our money. Our government, using the Bank of Canada, should do so, and finance true infrastructure. I have cited the following people before, but a repeat is timely:

William Hixson, Canadian Economist, said:

"The very idea of a government that can create money for itself, allowing banks to create money that the government then borrows, and pays interest on, is so preposterous that it staggers the imagination." 
                                          
William Lyon Mackenzie King, Prime Minister of Canada, 1921-1930 and 1935-1940, declared:

"Once a nation parts with the control of its credit and money, it matters not who makes the nation's laws. Usury, once in control, will wreck any nation. Until the control of the issuance of currency and credit is restored to government, and recognized as its most conspicuous and sacred responsibility, all talk of sovereignty, of parliament, and of democracy, is idle and futile." 
 
Baron Nathan Mayer Rothschild, founders of the international Rothschild banking dynasty, stated:

"I care not what puppet is placed on the throne of England, to rule the Empire. The man that controls Britain's money supply controls the British Empire. And I control the money supply. " 

Much more could, should and needs to be said, but it would not be posted.  Damnable political correctness !!

Grenville Rogers

grogers@vianet.ca

===================================
From: "Rebecca Gingrich"
Subject: RE: "far-reaching amendments"/TREASON and TREACHERY

Joe--I agree totally with Grenville Rogers' post.  We are already controlled
by foreign interests.  The farce of Obama stating the US should 'buy
American' was just window dressing and making Canadians believe that we had
a chance to save our country.  The industry he was talking about was steel
production.  Well, who now owns totally the steel industry in Canada?  The
US.  So is that Canadian or American?
We won the war but lost our country!  Of course now it is stated that the
War of 1812 is the war that 'no one won'.  That is not quite true--we won
the War but allowed our country to become controlled by foreign interests
anyway.
We will never wake up because we treat our politics like a sports event.  We
cheer for our side, not looking to see the fact that there are no sides--ALL
parties are eager to sell our country to the highest bidder for their own
power.  Harper is just more professional at selling us out.  The Liberals
bad mouthed the US but was in bed with them.  Remember the MP(I forget her
name) who bad mouthed the US and was turfed from the Liberal Party?  Harper
has just opened us up to world wide take-over--the better to for the One
World Order?  Remember the Liberals giving the poppy quarter to an American
company(Yes--Tim Horton's is owned by Wendy's)to distribute in Canada?  That
was a small but potent move to show who really controls us.

We as Canadians no longer exist.  We are pawns in a wider game to give our
country away.  The re-enactment of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham has
been cancelled by Harper.  Our history can be denied on a whim.  His
excuse--'to keep Canada united'!  Just another step in erasing Canada and
making it easier to blend us in with the New World Order?

Oh Canada, we hardly knew you?

becky

===================================
From: "James Ford
Subject: Re: Will "far-reaching amendments" in the Budget Act be passed "with limited, if any, meaningful debate."

Whether we increase ownership and management into the hands of non-residents is nearly not as important as whether or not a person is deemed to be one or the other - a Canadian Citizen or an Alien (permanent resident or non-resident). A permanent resident is almost the same as being a non-resident because they are not Canadian citizens.

I ofter refer to a 'permanent resident' of Canada as an immigration oxymoron because; "A Canadian Citizen is a Permanent Resident, but a Permanent Resident is not a Canadian Citizen."

No Permanent Resident should have ever been given the same rights and privileges as a Canadian Citizen.
To do so is to dilute and make insecure the rights of those who have sworn allegiance to Canada and have deemed Canada to be their irrevocable citizenship.

Over the past few decades governments at all levels have been including permanent residents with Canadian Citizens as acceptable to sit on government boards as directors with the authority to vote on matters of national security, allocation of foreign and domestic expenditures, immigration, investment.

Surely these persons who have not yet chosen to become Canadian Citizens have divided loyalties and biased decision making to the detriment of Canada.

I believe remaining as a permanent resident or non-resident is because the person chooses not to become loyal Canadians but rather only seek ways to benefit economically from our nation.

I also believe it is another method by which opinion leaders have been diluting  our national laws on behalf of enterprises involved in immigration and foreign investment in Canada.

I say to Canadians, in this new world of manipulation we should not be in the depths of our ignorance; Buyer beware.
 
James Ford

===================================
From: "Glenn Harewood"
Subject: Re: Will "far-reaching amendments" in the Budget Act be passed  "with limited, if any, meaningful debate."

(1) do you or do you not consider the changes in process worth spending the time to debate before they are made law  through passage of the Budget Act?

       (2) are you supportive or not of there being no review of acquisitions of Canadian businesses by non-Canadians under a billion dollars other than acquisitions of cultural businesses and those deemed as compromising national security?

How comfortable are you with the potential of so much of our economy to be placed in the hands for foreign investors and directors, and at what risk, if any?

Joe:
My answer to both questions is NO.
However, I ask a more fundamental question: why are we not concern with the way in which this Harper Neo-con minority government seems to manipulate the legislative process? That is, a pyramid-lockstep approach to stacking and hiding important pieces of legislation WITHIN another piece of legislation (in this case the budget), so as to ensure that THEIR will is for those hidden bills is achieved without any discussion. They ensure that there is no "break-out- of-or discussion and debate " of these hidden bills by enveloping them in another, larger, bill, to which, in turn, they deem a vote of confidence. Then, if the larger bill withstands a vote of confidence, it also means that those enveloped bills" are also sneaked through and passed into legislation.
 
In this manner, the Harper neo-cons are bit by bit not only allowing Canada and Canadian businesses to fall into the hands of  foreign owners, but also altering, for ever, the manner in which important legislation is passed by parliament.
 
Further, such practice clearly indicates that Harper and his neo-cons are NOT really interested in maintaining and preserving Canada for Canadians, but feel no danger in allowing Canadian businesses that were probably initiated, developed, and nurtured over several years, to be suddenly sold off to foreign interests who are NOT interested in the welfare and well-being of the ordinary Canadian, but only in what greedy profits can be realized from the acquisition of such enterprises.
 
But it is up to the ordinary Canadian voter. The longer the voter keeps Harper and this neo-cons in power in Ottawa, the more time we give them to dismantle, bit-by-bit, the entire Canadian federation and our way of life.  It is clear that Harper and his neo-cons DO NOT believe in a strong federated Canada, where the sum of the parts (the provinces and territories) is greater than that of any one province or territory. Harper and his neo-cons see, and have always seen the power of each  province as greater than the power of the federal government.
 
It is clear that, after three consecutive elections,  the Canadian  voter does not want  Harper and his neo-cons to ever have a majority government. It is also clear that Harper  is trying to "screw-up" the legislative system so badly to ensure that what he would have easily accomplished with a majority government, he still gets accomplished with a minority government -- and BEFORE his government falls.
 
When Harper's government falls, the damage it will have done to the nitty-gritty of passing legislation will take much more time to REVERSE that the time Harper took to make such changes.
 
It's up to the Canadian voter to get rid of  Harper, just as the Americans got rid of Harper's Republican friends in 2008. Indeed, Harper should have also been booted-out in November 2008!

Glenn Harewood

=====
. . . you are content to have changes through the Budget Act, is what your No means to me.

Not of consequence to spend time debating them.

        Joe
         905-356-3901

=====
Joe:
 My error. As you will note from my follow-up narrative, my answer  should  have been Yes. Of course I believe that any such changes through the Budget Act should be debated in detail, and as  separate Bills. The point I tried to make is, that NO such possibility is allowed by the Harper way of  " layering"  important Bills inside of other larger Bills (in this case the Budget Act), so as to squelch or eliminate any discussions on those "layered Bills." 

Glenn

===================================
From: "Alex Langford"
Subject: Re: Will "far-reaching amendments" in the Budget Act be passed  "with limited, if any, meaningful debate."

The changes do not bother this Conservative. Laws to control foreign ownership do not make as much sense in 2009.
 
The limited debate is nothing new but it bis, nonetheless , unfortunate. The lack of civility, the compulsion to see every Commons sitting as a place to score, destroys the ability to debate the merits of policies or legislation. Thiis was true cwhen Paul Martin was PM abd continues today. It is a consequence of the decline in importance of the House of Commons.Great men and women do not seek to be elected to a job of scarcely more importance than the US College of Electors.
 
We really do not have a "represenntative" government, but rather an elective dictatorship, which is limited by and under the rule of law.
 
Alex. Langford

===================================
From: "Rene Moreau" <rtmoreau@sympatico.ca>
 
EVERY SO OFTEN A MESSAGE COMES ALONG URGING US TO WAKE UP!

HERE'S ONE, BILL C-10, WHICH HAS ALREADY REACHED 2ND READING, BUT NOT EVEN THE GLOBE AND MAIL, THAT I KNOW OF.

NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO REACT!

NOTE THE ADDITION OF 'W. T. O. MEMBERS' AS HAVING MORE OF A SAY IN BUYING CANADA.

Would this not be a great time to get the 'World' Trade Organization out of the head office of Corporate central? That being the U.S. of A?

Mention is made herein of the exclusion of  National security Issues. Those have already been comprised by the use of Lockheed-Martin, weapons maker, to do OUR, Canadian, census and EDS, also of Texas to do the storing of the info on where every legally stored gun  in Canada, is and who owns it!

Also, NAFTA says 'you cannot defend yourself against American corporations.

And before  they, corporately, own Canada?

===================================
From: "Rebecca Gingrich"
Subject: DD

Joe--thanks so much for this video. Now I really understand what happens
and is still happening. I wonder if this is why our propety assessments
went up so high this last year? Are our governments taking part in the same
scheme that went on in the market?
It is so true--there is a sucker born every minute!!! And we are that
sucker.
becky

Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzJmTCYmo9g&feature=related

===================================
From: "Suan H.Booiman"
Subject: representatives

February 15, 2009
 
The editor,
Not long ago Canada had a Federal election, British Columbia
is facing a provincial election May 12 but the great question is
"WHY". The parties involved select their own leader, whom could
become the Federal Prime Minister or the Premier of a Province,
if he or she is elected as Member of Parliament or Member of the
Legislative Assembly. The irony is that the day after all representative
are elected they die in complete silence, no funeral, no fanfare, zero.
The appointed leaders becomes the mouthpiece often in a very
undemocratic form, acting more like a dictator. For that the Canadian
tax-payer pays millions with no evidence that it is producing anything,
as they all became of flock of sheep, often noisy when they are told,
with no signs that it was or will be productive. In between elections
the country depends on polls to find out who is the loudest, polls with
so many questions that on the end they have the answer they were
looking for. Over the same time period the voter is ignored as the
appointed ruler sets the tone as to whom can say or write something.
Some of those elected become Ministers, Secretary of State when their
leaders see favour in them to have a larger pay cheque, with no rights
to be the voice of their department unless it is approved by the top office.
The outside world sees this country as a democracy, what do they know?
During that all the media, supporting a certain spectrum, is the place
for the angry citizen to sound out, discontent, frustration, embarrassment.
 
Suan H.Booiman
White Rock BC

===================================
From: "Paul Downie"
Subject: Fw: Stimulus Shockers; Blackburn Slams Census Grab; Savage; More
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, 15 February, 2009 8:32 PM
Subject: Stimulus Shockers; Blackburn Slams Census Grab; Savage; More
 
Breaking from Newsmax.com

Obama Stimulus Really $3.27 Trillion, Loaded with Pork
The gargantuan stimulus bill Congress rubber-stamped without reading the final bill contains tens of billions of the wasteful spending -- including $3 billion for groups like ACORN, $1 billion for education like sexually transmitted disease programs, and more. Read the Full Story - Go Here Now

National Republican Trust Vows Fight after Stimulus

Video: Rep. Marsha Blackburn Slams Census Takeover

Sen. Gregg Says He Was 'Surprised' by Census Grab

Video: Betsy McCaughey Says Stimulus Dooms Healthcare

Jerry Brown Tells Savage: State Control of Media OK

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From: "John Dowson"
Joe I've attached a copy of my latest column in the local quarterly York magazine, I've received a few positive comments on it. John

What does Quebec Want?

By

John Dowson January 16, 2009

What does Quebec want? That question has haunted the citizens in what is now referred to as "the rest of Canadians" or ROC since Quebec's quiet revolution in the 1960's. It's become a mantra "what does Quebec want?" It echoes in the halls of the Canada's parliament, it's heard on the street, it's in newspaper columns, magazines, and political discussions. I've been asked that same question by relatives in the UK and friends and business associates in the United States. Parents could ask themselves the same question if they have a whining, crying and demanding child "what does he want" they say. Does he want out, does he want in, does he want to eat, does he want to play, does he want his favourite toy, what does he want? There is no end to the wants of a child, but sooner or later the child grows up and matures. The bible quote's Jesus as saying "when I was a child I thought as a child, I acted as a child, but now that I am a man I put way my childish things" In sales it's often said, "if you want to make a sale you have to find out what the person's wants are and then satisfy that want".

It seems that Quebec's two favourite words are" We want!!" They have a long list of never ending wants and when one want is satisfied, they'll come up with another want. We want more money and if Canada doesn't fork it over or give us more authority, we'll have another referendum and leave Canada. If an adult child was living at home with their parents and the child was continually demanding money, gifts, free meals and shelter and threatening to leave if their demands were not met, it wouldn't be long before the parents took their child at his or her word and said "OK fine, ….leave".

There is no other country on the face of the earth that continuously allows a province or state of that country to perpetuate endless referendums to secede from the country, except Canada. Quebec has the best daycare program in Canada, paid for by the citizens in the rest of Canada, they have a world class film and entertainment industry, paid for by the citizens in the rest of Canada. Quebec has the lowest hydro electric generating system in Canada, provided for by the citizen's of Newfoundland and Labrador and their bloated civil service is paid for by the citizens in the rest of Canada. The spokesperson for their wants in the Canadian Parliament is the Bloq Québécois. The Bloq has all the authority of a government without any of the responsibility and being a member of the Bloq comes with a nice salary, health and dental benefits, a travel allowance, and an excellent pension after only eight years of demanding wants, all paid for by the citizens of Canada. The question shouldn't be "what does Quebec want?" the question should be "What does Canada want?" Isn't it time that Quebec grew up?

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From: "Rebecca Gingrich"
Subject: DD

Joe--where to start?  Why is government 'responsible to Parliament'?  I
thought they were responsible to us, the people?  It doesn't matter which
Party we elect--our representatives are only responsible to the Party, not
the people.  Harper is no better and no worse than other PMs we have had. 
He is just more efficient.  The last PM we had that governed Canada for
Canadians was John Diefenbaker.  We have gone down hill to dictatorships
since him.  When was the last time we, the people, were asked to take part
in the governance of this country?  The Charlottetown Accord--and we didn't
vote the way our masters wanted us to--and that was the end of citizen
participation.

We are told what we want and then the words are spun and turn out to be lies
and the actions far removed from what was stated.  We are given crumbs from
the table of the elite and this is supposed to satisfy us and make us vote
for whoever hands out the most crumbs.  But even with the crumbs there are
downsides.   I have been involved in all levels of government and nothing is
different in any of them.  We have tin pot gods ruling us for their own
benefit and the only thing I can say is government is the worst impediment
to the survival of our country.

As for Hitler--we should be so lucky to have a leader of his intelligence
and courage.  He brought Germany out of a devastated economy and made it one
of the most vibrant countries in the world--until our leaders got upset that
they were shown to be incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial and decided to
destroy Germany.  One doesn't have to look at any more than the bombing of
Dresden to see who were the most evil on earth--and it wasn't Hitler!!!

Subject: who are the real terrorists?
http://www.bandepleteduranium.org/

Becky

From: Joerge Dyrkton
Subject: Two Cheers for Minority Government: A Comment

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From: Stephen M MacLean
Subject: FYI: ‘Time to give R.B. Bennett a statue on   Hill’ by Arthur Milnes

·         Milnes, Arthur. (2009)  ‘Time to give R.B. Bennett a statue on Hill’.  The Calgary Herald.  3 February.  < http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Time+give+Bennett+statue+Hill/1246953/story.html >. (originally published in The Ottawa Citizen, 6 January)

It is easy to see why the Harper Ministry is keen to forget the accomplishments of R.B. Bennett, for only in the shadows can this Conservative party claim any connections with the party of Macdonald and Thompson and Bennett.

The party of Confederation, of the National Policy, of public broadcasting, and of Red Toryism has been usurped by the party—in the original guise of the Reform-Alliance's of obsequience to American Republicanism, of decentralization and provincial rights, of privatization, and of a laissez-faire, "less-government-is-better" political philosophy.

The recent stimulus package is not a conversion to the wisdom and humanity of Bennett's New Deal measures to meet the Great Depression of our day—remember the economic and fiscal update (27 November)?—but a cynical grasp on power.  Disaffection among the conservative grassroots clearly reveals the shallowness of their historical consciousness.

Read P.B. Waiteâ's The Loner for a magnificent account of R.B.'s life and sensibilities.

Nevertheless, let's hope Bennett gets his statue; I say Thompson deserves one in Halifax, too:  as prime minister, premier, Supreme Court judge, and alderman.

Stephen

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