Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Black Operatives must be found and expelled.


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)

"Tories" and Black Ops Blackout

A Black Operation or Black Op is a covert operation typically involving activities that are highly secret. The term itself is often used in political, military, intelligence and business circles. Agents or persons who specialize or are involved in a black operation are typically referred to as a "Black Operator" or "Black Operative".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_op

What first agitated me was an article I placed at the top of the FEDERAL POLITICS heading so it would be noticed.

FEDERAL POLITICS -
Independent MP accuses Tories of campaign to discredit
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090203/national/casey_rcmp


Reading the text of  Bill Casey's "question of privilege" leads me to saying what I'm going to say as a life long Tory in the pre-merger usage of the word without concern for those who may choose to unsubscribe from the Digest as a result.


I was Tory as a University Campus Club member, as supporter and member and worker and then Member of Parliament and after losing (to the usual Liberal tactics of  making the electorate fear the Tories more than them and so vote for the lesser of two evils, the Grits) a Riding President, Regional Chairman and a Subject Chairman at an Ontario Federal Policy Conference.

At no time during the 40 odd years between 1960 and 1993 was there any occurrence to my knowledge or recollection that in any way, shape or form was of a nature such as the actions taken against Bill Casey - actions out of ______, you provide a rationale for I can not think of one that makes any sense from a political point of view.

There may be those receiving this who do consider the actions taken as not being unworthy of Tories and are not disturbed by the headlines.

There may be those who do not believe, as I do,  it is incumbent upon the decision makers in the Conservative Party of Canada to determine who those responsible for the Black Ops without purpose were and eject them from your Party. These may well take exception to this post being sent.

We all make choices. To do otherwise than act against the "Black Operatives" who perpetrated these misdeeds, not only going to he RCMP but blacking out and circulating their report, is to sanction their actions as being acceptable to Tories.

Joe Hueglin
Member 29th Parliament
Niagara Falls Riding.

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Written by Kady O'Malley on Tuesday, February 3, 2009 12:50 - 99 Comments

http://blog.macleans.ca/2009/02/03/official-bill-casey-open-thread/

Y'all, I'm totally trying to catch up after missing this morning's excitement, and I promise that I'll update this post when I have a better idea of what's going on, but here's  a partial the full transcript of the point of order that Independent and Proud of It MP Bill Casey delivered a few moments ago in the House of Commons, at least:

Mr. Bill Casey (Cumberland­Colchester­Musquodoboit Valley, Ind.): Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege. I hope to be able to present a prima facie case that my privileges as a member of Parliament and even as a Canadian citizen have been breached.

I never, ever thought that I would stand in the House and have to defend myself against false accusations of theft and embezzlement­I can hardly say the word.
Last Thursday a member of the press, Hugo de Grandpré from La Presse called my office and asked if there was any update on the charges against me on the accusation of embezzlement.
I knew nothing about this on Thursday. I called him back to find out what it was, and he said that he was in possession of a Royal Canadian Mounted Police briefing note to the commissioner that says that the Conservative Party of Canada has asked the RCMP to conduct an investigation against me and it is entitled "a complaint of theft". It says that certain Conservative members, whose names are whited out, attended the Bible Hill office to report the embezzlement of funds by a member of Parliament.
I just cannot tell you, Mr. Speaker, what this means to me. I have been here for 20 years. I am 63 years old. I have built my whole business career, my politics on honesty, credibility and my reputation. To have this happen is devastating.
I just did not even know how devastating it was until this morning when I had to call my two daughters to tell them I was going to get up in the House to defend myself against accusations of theft and embezzlement.
I hope I can get through this. It is outrageous. I want to present the issue. I have sent a copy of the RCMP report, and I would like to go through it.
First of all, it says, to the commissioner: "For your information only­" just the commissioner and everybody else, apparently.
The issue is, member of Parliament, complaint of a theft. On September 18 Conservative Party members who are unnamed­
They are there, but the names are whited out.
­contacted the RCMP, Cumberland County district attachment­
This is the county where I live, Cumberland County.
­requesting a return phone call. The next day, on September 19, 2008, an unnamed group of Conservatives attended the Bible Hill office of the RCMP to report the embezzlement of funds by a member of Parliament.
Then, a lot of this is blanked out, but the number $30,000 is in there. It says, something about "Conservative Party and with a $30 cheque". A lot of it is whited out, so I do not know exactly what the charges are, what the accusations are.
It says: "The cheque was written in the name of–" blank, I do not know whether that is me or not, but it was not me.
"It was endorsed by the financial officer and director of the Conservative Party­"
Blank. There is more here, but I will not bother to read it because it does not make sense as much of it is blanked out.
The accusations of embezzlement and theft are not blanked out, but a lot of the other information and the names of the Conservatives who made the accusations are blanked out. They are blanked out to protect their privacy. My riding is Cumberland­Colchester, and the two RCMP detachments they visited were in Cumberland and Colchester. Not only that, my name was included in the back of this. It is not blanked out.
The Conservatives or whoever did this whited out the names of the people who made the accusations, but they left my name in it. It is in the end, it is in the file name, and it may be an oversight. I do not want to make this worse than it is, it may be an oversight. There was no oversight when they blanked out the names of the Conservatives who made the accusations.

The current status is somebody was interviewed and a statement was obtained.
The statement provided did not articulate sufficient grounds or cause the merit of a commencement of an investigation.
That is what it says on one line. The next line says:
The investigation determined there was no financial gain by somebody.
It might be me or it might be a member of my riding association, I do not know. It puts a cloud over all of us, because they released the damaging information on this, the accusations, and the words "theft" and "embezzlement" but they have not released the rest of it.
Then it says: "The return of the money to the Conservative Party."
I will just go on here a little bit further, it says: "The investigation could be reopened if circumstances warrant it. H Division, Criminal Operations will continue to monitor the situation."
Now I do not know whether their criminal operations are monitoring me or what or who they are monitoring. I do not know what they are doing.
I did not know about this until last Thursday. I want to thank Hugo de Grandpré for the professional way he handled this. He did not put it out. He knows how devastating this is and he gave me this chance to put this case forward in the House of Commons. I am very grateful to be able to do that.
We could pick apart this thing and make it look really bad. There are so many things wrong with this. The only reason that I have any indication of what this issue is about is the $30,000 number.
In May 2007 the minority Conservative government was approaching a confidence vote on a budget.
My riding association suggested we open an account as required by Elections Canada and move $30,000 from the riding association to the campaign account, which is required by Elections Canada.
Subsequent to that I was expelled from the Conservative Party but I was never told I was not the official nominated candidate. Even though I was expelled from the caucus I was still a member of the party and I was still the officially nominated candidate.
As soon as we learned that I was not the candidate, the $30,000 went back. Not a penny was changed; not a penny was spent; not a penny was used in any way; $30,000 in and $30,000 back, exactly penny for penny. That, I assume, is what the Conservatives are trying to call embezzlement. They are accusing me of theft and embezzlement.
Every single person in the House had to do the same thing because Elections Canada says we must open a dedicated account for our campaign and fund it from there. That is all I did.
I only learned I was not the candidate when the Prime Minister went on national television right out here and said there will be a candidate in the riding of Cumberland–Colchester–Musquodoboit but it will not be the former member. That is how I learned I was not the candidate.
We immediately consulted Elections Canada and returned the $30,000, penny for penny. Not a penny was moved; not a penny was used. The party knew this because it now has, and it has had since October 19, 2007, all of the bank documents that show the money in and the money back.

This is total fabrication. It is an attempt to smear my reputation and destroy my character. After spending a whole lifetime trying to build a good reputation and a positive reputation I am so offended to have people knowingly make false accusations just so they can get it in an RCMP report.
This report is here forever. It is not going to go away. Now it has been made public to the media. Why?
I announced a month ago that I was going to leave politics and get a new career in the private sector. Now somebody, the RCMP or whoever, has produced a letter saying that I was under investigation for theft and embezzlement.
My last career was with Merrill Lynch, and I was really proud to do the job I did as an investment advisor. People trusted me. They gave me their money, whether it was $1,000 or $1 million. I managed it and they trusted me. I did a good job for them. Now what are they going to think?
This document which says that I am under investigation for theft and embezzlement has been released and there is nothing to it. It is worse than that. It is worse than nothing to it. It has been fabricated. Whoever released this document knows there is nothing to it. They had the documents to prove it, and they still went ahead with this 10 months later, after they received the documents.
I am outraged and I am sad for this institution. I have been here for 20 years. When I was expelled from the Conservative Party I was the longest serving member in that party. I am proud to be a member of Parliament. Great things happened in this room to help people and do great things, but this is not one of them.
I am sad to see the level of our parliamentary rapport and process and whatever go downhill so far that RCMP investigations are being used when accusations to defame members of Parliament are wrong. It does not matter if one is a member of Parliament or a regular person, it should never happen.
There are a whole lot of things about this. There are some big questions.
Everybody in my riding wonders why the Conservative Party did not accept local candidates to run for it in the last election. The party would not accept people who wanted to run. Instead, I assume the Prime Minister nominated or appointed a candidate. There was no nomination process.
A candidate was appointed but not from my riding. This person was from Ottawa and had never been to my riding as far as I know. He worked for the minister in charge of the RCMP. The first thing his election team did when he came down to my riding was engage the services of the RCMP to launch this cruel accusation against me. I do not know if there is any connection or not. I am not making any accusations, but it is a fact.
The man they appointed to run against me was a member of the staff of the minister in charge of the RCMP. I think that man's representatives went to the RCMP and made these allegations. I cannot say that for sure, because the names are whited out. However, if it turns out that the names in this accusation are agents of an employee of the minister of the RCMP I think we all have to ask ourselves some questions.

When I was expelled from the party, I think 27 members of the executive came with me as an independent. There was not enough people to form an executive for the Conservative Party, so the national party took over the party. They had access to all these records and bank statements. They knew the cheque for $30,000 went out and the cheque for $30,000 came back and not a penny was changed. I had nothing to do with that. That was the riding association and the campaign team and they act independently of me. I had no say. My name is not on any of the cheques. I did not sign anything and I did not do anything.
I had nothing to do with it. I am so glad and lucky that my team followed the letter and spirit of the law with this, along with the Elections Canada regulations. I am strong because they did that. They did everything right. In fact, they even did more than that right. In my opinion, at the time they returned the $30,000, I thought they should have deducted the bank charges. They did not even do that. It was over $30,000 back and they accuse me of embezzlement and theft.
A whole lot of things need to be done on this. My job as a member of Parliament is completely compromised. As you know, we deal with people on their RRSPs, tax problems with the government, investment incomes and loans and programs for their businesses. That requires trust. They have put this cloud over my head that I want them to remove. They put a cloud over my head and have hurt my ability to do my job as a member of Parliament. They have hurt my credibility. Who is going to feel comfortable coming in to my office knowing that the Conservative Party of Canada, the governing party, has had the RCMP investigate me for theft and embezzlement?
My hon. colleague here says they are not going to buy that and I hope they do not. I have built a lifetime of credibility. I have taught my kids that credibility and honesty is everything. I have had a standard speech I have given them all my life and they know it. I know they have repeated it to others, about how important credibility is. I had to call them this morning and tell them that I have to defend myself against accusations of theft and embezzlement. It is unbelievable and really sad.
The timing of this. They had all these documents. On October 19, the money went back. It was done. They had all the documents, but they waited until the election started. The employee of the minister in charge of the RCMP came down and they launched this criminal accusation against me with two RCMP branches. Now that I am leaving Parliament, out comes this copy to the media of an RCMP investigation.
How is that going to help me going forward? Who in the investment business is going to say, yeah, sure, we would love to have you, after you get those things straightened out about the little thing about the theft and embezzlement. Think about it. Everybody in this room is as guilty of theft and embezzlement as I am. That is, we are not guilty at all. There is no reason for these accusations.
For the RCMP to leave this open by saying that there are not sufficient grounds to proceed again with the investigation is not enough. Not sufficient grounds insinuates that there are grounds. There are no grounds. I want the Conservative Party to say that these accusations should never have been made. That is what I want them to say. If they have an ounce of justice and fair play, they will do that and not hesitate, because there were no grounds for these accusations.

I want to make the main points as far as my point of privilege goes.
First of all I want to say that if my credibility is in question, I cannot do my job to the full extent that I am able to. Credibility is everything. Trust is everything, in my world it is anyway. I have lost that now until this is fixed.
I want to know who made the decision to white out the Conservative names on this but leave mine in. It may have been an oversight but it was done. The Conservative names are left out, mine is not. I think the government owes us an explanation on that.
Someone I talked to this morning suggested that to lay false accusations against me may be against the law. I am not a lawyer, so I do not know, but perhaps the crown should have this investigated or considered to see if anything wrong happened here. Certainly my reputation has been damaged. It is character assassination as far as I am concerned of the worst order. If anyone did wrong I would ask the crown to investigate that to see if there is anything wrong.
I was thinking about Danny Williams this morning. Danny Williams is often animated but he says he often uses the word "vindictive". I think we should be listening to Danny Williams perhaps a little more because this is vindictiveness.
However it goes further than vindictiveness. This is malicious and it is vicious and it is terribly hurtful. I am so glad that La Presse gave this to me. I do not plan to run again and if I had left the House and then this came out everyone would say, "That is why he left. He was under investigation by the RCMP". I did not even know it until Thursday but that is what would happen. I am so glad that I had this opportunity.
I said I was not going to run again but I am not leaving here until the Conservatives who made these accusations in this RCMP report, whoever they are, make it right.
Mr. Speaker, if you agree that I have prima facie case that my privileges were breached and my ability to do my job has been affected I am prepared to move the appropriate motion and I will leave that with you.
===================================

Monday, February 2, 2009

Daily Digest February 2, 2009


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

EDITORIAL PAGEs

AMHERST DAILY NEWS -
Historic battle that has seen no end
http://www.amherstdaily.com/index.cfm?sid=217720&sc=61

SAINT JOHN TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL -
Democracy at its best
http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/opinion/article/558369

MONTREAL GAZETTE -
Follow Obama lead on tailpipe emissions
http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/editorials/Follow+Obama+lead+tailpipe+emissions/1243083/story.html

OTTAWA CITIZEN -
Reproducing ourselves
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/editorials/Reproducing+ourselves/1242949/story.html
 
Broken promises
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/editorials/Broken+promises/1242950/story.html

Budget misses going green
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/editorials/Budget+misses+going+green/1242972/story.html

Say it ain't so, Stephen By
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/op-ed/Stephen/1245426/story.html

Why Omar Khadr must be set free
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/op-ed/Omar+Khadr+must+free/1242954/story.html

KINGSTON WHIG STANDARD-
'Iggy' should have pushed harder
http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1415167

BUDGET THROWS MONEY AROUND
http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1415179

Get to root cause of economic meltdown
http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1415190

PROTECTIONISM IS A VIRUS
http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1415183

Should polygamy be legal?
http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1415185

TORONTO STAR -
Clear the fog on funding for cities
http://www.thestar.com/Opinion/article/580704

Politicians awash in our money 
http://www.thestar.com/Opinion/article/580086

PM sings new tune on the arts 
http://www.thestar.com/Opinion/article/580087

GLOBE & MAIL -
Twisting minds, losing custody
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090201.weFamily02/BNStory/specialComment/home

On the hook, in the end
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090201.weFertility02/BNStory/specialComment/home

NATIONAL POST -
Bush's gift: Democracy in Iraq
http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/story.html?id=1243916

HAMILTON SPECTATOR -
Look for vote, not coalition, if PM falters
http://www.thespec.com/Opinions/article/505788

R and D left high and dry
http://www.thespec.com/Opinions/article/505723

WINDSOR STAR -
Good ideas
http://www.windsorstar.com/opinion/editorials/Good+ideas/1243819/story.html

SUDBURY STAR -
Budget missed chance to boost research
http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1415696

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS -
At least there's some action
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/at_least_theres_some_action38793032.html

Corporate honesty
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/corporate_honesty38792982.html

WINNIPEG SUN -
Flaherty's budget a no-brainer
http://www.winnipegsun.com/comment/editorial/2009/02/02/8231911-sun.html

SASKATOON STARPHOENIX -
Scorned NDP quick to react
http://www2.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/forum/story.html?id=a441cdb4-640f-470b-ab1b-292b9517007e

More jobs created with white coats than hard hats
http://www2.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/forum/story.html?id=a93f1942-0baf-4674-be61-bdddcd47d7bc

CALGARY HERALD -
Oh, Canada! True north strong and politically correct
http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/theeditorialpage/story.html?id=4a57da54-5885-4d06-9857-e659c2103a74

GRANDE PRAIRIE DAILY HERALD TRIBUNE -
Beware of interest rates - They're great now but what happens when they rise?
http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1416074

Protection policy poses a problem
http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1416071

VICTORIA TIMES-COLONIST -
Budget offers right a choice: ideological purity or power
http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=48ead846-2414-4659-9713-4c816f61487a

Investing in volunteer programs will pay off
http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=c7728031-3599-4d68-be88-3e51a82f7f52


ISSUES

ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS -          
Mentoring Gives Aborginals New Start
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1243937

The truth about sentencing circles
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1243946

Jonathan Kay on aboriginal assimilation, and the best Canadian policy book written in the last 10 years
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/02/02/jonathan-kay-on-aboriginal-assimilation-and-the-best-canadian-policy-book-written-in-the-last-10-years.aspx


AFGHANISTAN -
NATO Wants Sim Afghanistan to Test War Plans
http://blog.wired.com/defense/agony_of_astan/index.html

Taliban ideology echoes across the valley
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KB03Df02.html

U.S. troop influx will only increase violence
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/1104219.html

New approach sought for Afghan development
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=270521&version=1&template_id=41&parent_id=23

Obama's missing timetable for Afghanistan
http://www.paperarticles.com/

Afghanistan is no Vietnam: Mullen
http://www.southasianmedia.net/index_story.cfm?id=557524&category=Frontend&Country=AFGHANISTAN

NATO urges Kyrgyz to keep Afghan supply base open
http://in.reuters.com/article/southAsiaNews/idINIndia-37793820090202


CANUSA/USACAN -
Canada aims to solve trade spat before Obama visit
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/090202/canada/canada_us_usa_steel

Obama could find Ottawa a bit of a tangled political web
http://news.therecord.com/Opinions/article/480877

Day concerned 'Buy American' clause could extend to other products
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/02/02/day-trade.html

U.S. protectionism could set off 'downward spiral'
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1244646
Obama sends diplomat to Davos to quell trade outrage
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090202.wprotectionist02/BNStory/politics/home


ECONOMIC AFFAIRS -
Canadian bank CEOs take pay cuts
http://www.thestar.com/business/article/581015

Ontario's pension safety net imperilled
http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/580737


JUSTICE SYSTEM -
 Order to take off niqab pits law against religion
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/580790

Pro-life activists at Calgary university charged with trespassing
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/581219


POLITICS IN THE PROVINCES -
B.C. to run two-year deficit
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090202.wbcbudget0202/BNStory/National/home

Big deficit coming: McGuinty
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/581164


FEDERAL POLITICS -
New analysis casts doubt on schedule to eliminate deficits
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090202/national/fedbudget_economy

Tory campaign vows taking back seat
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1243915

Harper's party-funding gambit finally makes sense
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/02/02/don-martin-harper-s-party-funding-gambit-makes-all-too-much-sense-now.aspx

Tasha Kheiriddin: Stephen Harper, conservative sellout
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/02/02/tasha-kheiriddin-stephen-harper-conservative-sellout.aspx

Bob Rae: Goodbye 'Rae Days.' Hello 'Harper Holidays'
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/02/02/bob-rae-goodbye-rae-days-hello-harper-holidays.aspx

Liberals back budget despite backlash
Ignatieff scrambles as four of six Newfoundland MPs vow to oppose Tory fiscal plan
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090202.wPOLnewf0202/BNStory/politics/home

Be reasonable' over equalization, Flaherty urges N.L. MPs
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/02/02/flaherty-equalization.html

The new balance of power on Parliament Hill
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090130.wcoharper02/BNStory/specialComment/home

Seek Canadian exemption to U.S. protectionism: Liberals
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/581193

Tories almost quadruple rivals in 2008 fundraising
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090202/tories_fundraising_090202/20090202?hub=Canada

Bloc attacks on Ignatieff welcomed by Grits
http://www.timescolonist.com/Bloc+attacks+Ignatieff+welcomed+Grits/1245447/story.html

Brazeau hires former colleagues amid drinking-at-work allegations
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090202.wcongress02/BNStory/National/home

PM Harper's Conservatives agree: it's an election budget
http://www.thehilltimes.ca/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=2009/february/2/budget/&c=2

OLO Parliamentary coffers too depleted to hire permanent chief of staff
http://www.thehilltimes.ca/html/index.php?display=story&full_path=2009/february/2/climbers/&c=2

Ignatieff must avoid 'flag wars' in Quebec
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/580773


PROGRAMMES -
Budget caters to political interests of all stripes
http://www.ottawabusinessjournal.com/327673402019172.php

Federal budget isn't all bad for SMEs
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1243934


PRESSURE POINTS -
Turtle fossil find testimony to warm Arctic
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1244125

Poll: Thousands of Scientists Affirm Human-Caused Global Warming
http://www.kmtr.com/news/environmental/story/Poll-Thousands-of-Scientists-Affirm-Human-Caused/CUVUcVs8zkusT0v4IJ4xZw.cspx

Felt 'bad' in terror sting, RCMP agent says
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090202.wterrtrial0202/BNStory/National/home

RCMP agent wanted $2.7 million for role in thwarting Toronto 18 terror plot
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090202/national/terror_trial_abuse


OPINION AND INFORMATION -
Two children should be limit, says green guru
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article5627634.ece

Follow the Money 
Are taxpayers on the hook for hundreds of billions of dollars for a credit crisis that may have been overblown? Who is the bailout really helping? http://www.treasuryandrisk.com/Issues/2009/February%202009/Pages/Follow-the-Money.aspx


INFOS -
Acier: Ottawa veut régler le différend avec les États-Unis
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200902/02/01-823400-acier-ottawa-veut-regler-le-differend-avec-les-etats-unis.php

Droits humains: le bilan canadien sera scruté par l'ONU
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/200902/02/01-823408-droits-humains-le-bilan-canadien-sera-scrute-par-lonu.php

Les conservateurs ont récolté quatre fois plus d'argent que les libéraux
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200902/02/01-823395-les-conservateurs-ont-recolte-quatre-fois-plus-dargent-que-les-liberaux.php

Conseil général de Saint-Hyacinthe - Le Bloc québécois recentre son discours autour de la souveraineté
http://www.ledevoir.com/2009/02/02/230885.html

La sécurité en voie d'être resserrée
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/National/2009/02/02/002-patrouille_frontiere.shtml

Du beurre d'arachide dangereux
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/sante/2009/02/01/001-rappel-salmonelle.shtml

Budget: les députés libéraux du Québec ne suivront pas l'exemple de T-N-et-L
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/090202/N0202206AU.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)


From: "Rebecca Gingrich"
Subject: a re-think of buy american???

Barack Obama to dilute 'Buy American' plan after Europe threatens US with trade war
Barack Obama is expected to water down "Buy American" plans in his economic stimulus package after European diplomats privately threatened to launch a trade war in retaliation.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/4414202/Barack-Obama-to-dilute-Buy-American-plan-after-Europe-threatens-US-with-trade-war.html

===================================
From: "Margo" <wonderwords@shaw.ca>
To: "'Joe Hueglin'" <joe.hueglin@bellnet.ca>
Subject: BC-STV

Hi Joe,

  Just wondering, did you include the link to the BC-STV
information I sent a week or so ago? I haven't seen it,
but maybe I missed that issue.

   Since NB was considering having a referendum on a form
of proportional representation, and it's really an idea whose
time has come and then some, it seems useful that we
take the opportunity to look into these various systems.

   The animation of how BC-STV works makes it so much
more easy to understand.

Cheers…….  
Margo, Vancouver (where we are, thankfully,
back to business-as-usual: Rain)

Links:

General info BC-STV:  http://www.citizensassembly.bc.ca/public

Animations on how it would work in practice:
http://www.citizensassembly.bc.ca/public/extra/animations.xml

===================================
From: Ron Thornton
Subject: Re: Daily Digest January 31- February 1, 2009-1

Hi Joe:

Edmonton is building a big highway interchange on the south end of the city. It was supposed to cost a few million, but they have already managed to screw it up to the tune of a quarter billion. I, for one, do not believe our civic governments should ever, ever be given the power to tax as they are even more clueless and inept than those pols found on both the federal and provincial level.

My city fathers are stupid enough to want a minor league world's fair, but only after they get the student world games, and I'm sure they have even more plans to piss away my money. By the way, how is that Olympic thing working out for Vancouver? If it weren't for the money, it sounds like one hell of a deal.

Take care, Joe.

Ron*

===================================
From: "Derek Skinner"
Subject: Re: Daily Digest January 31- February 1, 2008 -2

Joe, Can you use this?
 
We have been wondering where will Mr.Flaherty get the $35Billion deficit in 2009 and the succeeding Billions down the road?

If he buys it on the market and just adds it to the current approximately $500Billion of Federal National debt, how much extra annual interest will we taxpayers have to find or do we just add that to the total debt in ever expanding indebtedness to the private banks.?  This will be in addition to any new Provincial/Municipal debt needed to match the provincial share of cost of infrastructure projects.

Nobody seems willing to probe into this aspect of the interest problem.

Agreed, we have to go into deficit in order to reduce the damage from the global meltdown but why should the banks and other near-bank financial institutions that caused the mess profit from their mistakes? Should they not have to bear at least some of the responsibility?

One obvious solution to the interest problem is to borrow directly from the Bank of Canada (BoC) rather than sell interest bearing Bonds to the private banks.

The private banks will thus have to forgo the addition, of this interest on the new debt, to their current revenue stream from the existing debt.  The government, meaning we Canadians, will pay the new interest to ourselves because we own the BoC.

Any excess revenue the BoC accumulates will be paid back to Government Treasury at year end because the BoC is a Crown Corporation. Hence the actual interest rate will be for operating costs only and will be a fraction of 1%.

When will Mr. Harper wake up to the fact that the people know we are being swindled out of $Billions of our own money due to the duplicity or stupidity (or both) of our Ministers of Finance?

Mr. Flaherty – Use the Bank of Canada to directly finance the new deficits and cut out the chartered banks.

Derek Skinner

===================================
From: Ron Thornton
Subject: Re: Daily Digest January 31- February 1, 2008 -2

Hi Joe:

Unlike some I know, I try to beat the rising sun to bed, so I'll keep this short (for a change). In answer to your invitation to make comment, I believe that governments do give lip service to following the rules of law, but essentially they tend to follow the whims of the elite. Democracy can be a pain, but as long as the populous feel they actually matter with their votes and input, then at least it usually keeps in check the pike and torch carriers.

We mere peons don't know all the details, and most couldn't care less anyway. Though this forum often shows exceptions to the rule, the vast majority appears to be ignorant idiots with opinions formed with little rationale thought and previous little vigorous review of the details, along with an unhealthy tendency to just follow the herd. Of course, the media does much to shape our opinions. If you believe you live in a "have" province that pays so much to keep the rest of Canada afloat, when in reality you might be just a socialist parasite that can't even afford the pot you piss in, this fantasy must come from somewhere.

I'm reminded of an example of how the media can make us believe the damnedest things. A few years ago, NASA claimed to have found a rock that was chipped off Mars by a asteroid, flung into space where it floated along until it finally landed in the Antarctic ice where it was discovered in this icy wasteland that is the size of the USA and Mexico combined even though the place was first seen in historic times only in 1820.  What are the odds? I actually bought into the media hype until I took the time to ponder just what indeed were the odds of finding a 5 pound rock among the ice of a land the combined size of the USA and Mexico that has only been explored for less than 200 years, but only after that rock had floated through space after being chipped off the Martian surface by an asteroid. The next time I drop something and can't find it, I'm calling these boys. They are good. By the way, isn't NASA one of the same outfits trying to get us to buy into this man-made global warming crap? Coincidence?

Our elected legislators quickly move from being our representatives to quickly singing from a party song sheet, where the party line supersedes the constituency concerns. Our parliamentarians need to be more than mere delegates to the House, to return to being the chosen representative of those who elected them.

Well, Joe, you did ask for comments.

Ron.

===================================
From: alan heisey <hize@earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: Daily Digest January 31- February 1, 2008 -2

j, wandering a long way from what i thought was your continuing roles! cz

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

Joe,
 
Elite can mean many thing, the dictionary only gives a small
recognition, obvious to avoid discussion. The main term used
is 'member of a social group', again definition questionable.
The reality is that the ruling "elite" have enough strength to
override the laws. Laws written by them giving it a wide
range of interpretation. In Canada we ask the Supreme Court
to provide the answer. Doing so we hand  it back to the elite.
 
An "Elite" can be a gang member whom has no respect for laws,
but also origin can be the reason, as we see no respect for life,
with or without laws. That includes describing what it means to
be a Canadian, multicultural - bilingual kind, The Elite of them
will tell you where you stand in the matter. Some Elite say
speak French and you are a better Canadian.
 
Elites today are the Members of Parliament, the silent kind.
 
Suan
===================================

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Daily Digest January 31- February 1, 2008 -2


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

EDITORIAL PAGEs

CORNER BROOK WESTERN STAR -
Predators and victims
http://www.thewesternstar.com/index.cfm?sid=217520&sc=30

CHARLOTTETOWN GUARDIAN -
When there's lobster aplenty on the shelf View comments9
What should government and the industry do to move the unsold lobster inventory?
http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=217308&sc=103

CAPE BRETON POST -
Coalition idea got a workout
http://www.capebretonpost.com/index.cfm?sid=217326&sc=151

HALIFAX CHRONICLE HERALD -
Boudreau guilty plea: A mother's callousness
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Editorial/1104022.html

Premiers find not all equalization equal
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/1103986.html

Don't-call list needs work
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Editorial/1104113.html

SAINT JOHN TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL -
Providing economic leadership
http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/opinion/article/557017

MONTREAL GAZETTE -
Encouraging news about young-adult anglos
http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/editorials/Encouraging+news+about+young+adult+anglos/1240726/story.html

OTTAWA CITIZEN -
Between friends
  http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/editorials/Between+friends/1237714/story.html

Get up, stand up
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/editorials/stand/1237713/story.html

KINGSTON WHIG STANDARD-
Don't be angry, Jack, coalition's collapse was inevitable
http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1413856

TORONTO STAR -
Test for Obama on protectionism
http://www.thestar.com/Opinion/article/580107

The agony of the right
http://www.thestar.com/Opinion/article/580106

Bringing justice to the warlords
http://www.thestar.com/Opinion/article/580097

McGuinty vindicated
http://www.thestar.com/Opinion/article/580099

GLOBE & MAIL -
Canada's battle against barriers
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090130.weBuyUS31/BNStory/specialComment/home

Saved, not restored
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090130.wEPoll31/BNStory/specialComment/home

NATIONAL POST -
Smoot-Hawley 2.0
http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/story.html?id=1238157

A child's best interests
http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/story.html?id=1238155

TORONTO SUN -
Don't fumble big projects again
http://www.torontosun.com/comment/editorial/2009/02/01/8221381-sun.html

HAMILTON SPECTATOR -
Harper doomed by his inexcusable missteps ... as Ignatieff merely waits
http://www.thespec.com/Opinions/article/504989

Canada must make its case 
http://www.thespec.com/Opinions/article/505175

ST. CATHARINES STANDARD -
 Boondoggles are legendary in Canada
http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1414353

NIAGARA FALLS REVIEW -
American protectionism a bad racket
http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1413891

K-W RECORD -
Government's 'give, give' now will eventually become 'take, take' later
http://news.therecord.com/Opinions/article/480159

U.S. protectionists must be challenged  
http://news.therecord.com/Opinions/article/480220

Conservative budget is short on efficiency when it comes to jump-starting the economy
http://news.therecord.com/Opinions/article/480155

LONDON FREE PRESS -
Personal trade barrier is right in your wallet
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/Opinion/Editorials/2009/01/31/8214601-sun.html

WINDSOR STAR -
Border debate
http://www.windsorstar.com/opinion/editorials/Border+debate/1237870/story.html

SUDBURY STAR -
Busted budget
Experts are no such thing, bailouts dubious and banks still greedy
http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1414442

WINNIPEG FREE PRESS -
Public inquiries promise more than they deliver
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/Public-inquiries-promise-more-than-they-deliver38779512.html

Bankers display moral bankruptcy, too
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/bankers_display_moral_bankruptcy_too38769647.html

What if Quakers ran things?
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/what_if_quakers_ran_things38769632.html

Ohmigosh! Consumers are saving money!
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/ohmigosh_consumers_are_saving_money38769627.html

WINNIPEG SUN -
American protectionism a bad racket
http://www.winnipegsun.com/comment/editorial/

SASKATOON STARPHOENIX -
Time is short for NATO allies to come together
Time is short for NATO allies to come together


REGINA LEADER-POST -
Iggy right to block Layton's power bid
http://www2.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/viewpoints/story.html?id=78fb51ca-71d9-4f5a-8dad-977816f7ff49

Harper's home-reno project built on solid foundation
  http://www2.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/viewpoints/story.html?id=22255586-dfb4-45bc-b7f9-00d2889f27a3

A budgetary balancing act
http://www2.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/viewpoints/story.html?id=9838da33-0c06-4051-bb15-9614c2c9e5ed

CALGARY HERALD -
For oil at least, this may not be a '70s rerun
http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/theeditorialpage/story.html?id=c28e7560-c679-4fe8-9bdc-4593fe983e24

Of God, country and cowardice
http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/theeditorialpage/story.html?id=344d8219-5ef4-42b9-8e63-16808d96c4b7

Small oil and gas firms and workers suffering
http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/theeditorialpage/story.html?id=e5cee3f3-a008-405c-b87d-82bb6dbc0588

EDMONTON JOURNAL -
Obama must rein in protectionists
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/opinion/editorials/Obama+must+rein+protectionists/1238643/story.html

EDMONTON SUN -
A sign of tough times ahead?
http://www.edmontonsun.com/Comment/Commentary/2009/02/01/8221991-sun.html
 
RED DEER ADVOCATE -
Oilsands growth needs to be managed for future generations
http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradvocate/opinion/Oilsands_growth_needs_to_be_managed_for_future_generations.html

PRINCE GEORGE CITIZEN -
Beetle promise is yesterday's cause celebre
http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/20090130172826/opinion/editorials/beetle-promise-is-yesterday-146s-cause-celebre.html

VANCOUVER PROVINCE -
Federal NDP needs change
http://www.theprovince.com/opinion/Federal+needs+change/1240936/story.html

VICTORIA TIMES-COLONIST -
Lifting poverty out of the slums
http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=30346c12-8c00-4b44-b16e-2029ba51a92a

INFO
Afghanistan Un autre mort
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/National/2009/01/31/003-mort-militaire.shtml

Article flatteur sur Ignatieff dans le New York Times
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200902/01/01-823055-article-flatteur-sur-ignatieff-dans-le-new-york-times.php

Élections en Irak: Cannon salue «une étape déterminante»
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200902/01/01-823056-elections-en-irak-cannon-salue-une-etape-determinante.php

Le Bloc dénonce la bataille des Plaines
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200901/31/01-822930-le-bloc-denonce-la-bataille-des-plaines.php

Duceppe fustige Ignatieff
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200901/31/01-822835-duceppe-fustige-ignatieff.php

Du beurre d'arachide dangereux
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/sante/2009/02/01/001-rappel-salmonelle.shtml

Bloc québécois Sans équivoque
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/Politique/2009/01/31/001-bloc-duceppe.shtml

Flaherty martèle son message
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/National/2009/01/31/002-flaherty-cannon.shtml

Un milliard à un sénateur libéral pour les hippodromes
http://www.ledevoir.com/2009/01/31/230581.html

Revue de presse - Doutes budgétaires
http://www.ledevoir.com/2009/01/31/230524.html

Harper devra suivre, dit Charest
http://www.ledevoir.com/2009/01/31/230567.html

Contre le budget
http://www.ledevoir.com/2009/01/31/230568.html

Harper appelle à la collaboration
http://www.ledevoir.com/2009/01/31/230569.html

Sondage: la majorité veut qu'Omar Khadr soit traduit en justice au Canada
http://info.branchez-vous.com/Nationales/090201/N020182AU.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)

La Teoria Conspiratoria or insights into reality?

Posts with links to articles are continually being received for which many thanks for they add to the Digest.

The development of the youtube type video has led to links to these coming as well.

What follows came from several posts. Upon reflection they seemed to fit together so they are being sent to you in a sequence from theory to recent occurrences and then to theorization.

Are the observations made, the accusations made, valid or invalid?  All who take the time to watch and listen bring with them already existing conceptions.

"Time will tell" whether the views expressed are accurate in whole, in part or are completely off base.

Collectively - and this is the reason for placing them before you, whatever your view of their veracity may be, they provide a template upon which to judge the future as it unfolds.
_____________________________
Subject: rule of law or oligarchy?

http://www.wimp.com/thegovernment/ develops the thesis that governments are either by rules of law or an elite

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=mm1KOBMg1Y8 and http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=JfpQfOENzjs&NR=1 consider the role of media in shaping opinion in an election.

That a person recently elected, it is argued in http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=BdcYwg7xmIY&feature=related continued in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhtlBHqF36o&...feature=related is the front man for an elite.

http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/501.html questions whether a man is in trouble for being a crook or for speaking effectively against the elite.


Comments anyone?

«¤»¥«¤»«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»

Daily Digest January 31- February 1, 2009-1

ISSUES

ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS -          
Three replacements sought to restart residential school commission
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1238144


AFGHANISTAN -
Afghan war takes a hit
Glasnost sweeps Britain as questions mount over the purpose of the mission
http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/eric_margolis/2009/02/01/8221436-sun.html

Tribal Engagement in Afghanistan
http://www.soc.mil/swcs/swmag/Page1.htm

UN says Afghan opium crop to shrink
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/War_Terror/2009/02/01/8223606-ap.html


CANADIAN FORCES -
Roadside bomb kills Canadian soldier; 108th soldier killed in Afghanistan
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1240224


CANUSA/USACAN -
It's up to Obama to avert trade war
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fpcomment/archive/2009/01/30/it-s-up-to-obama-to-avert-trade-war.aspx

Obama administration reviewing 'Buy American' clause
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/01/30/buy-american.html

U.S. pushes Canada on isotopes
http://www.healthzone.ca/health/article/580191


ECONOMIC AFFAIRS -
Out of Gaps In Treaties, First Salvos Of Trade War
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/31/AR2009013101895.html?wpisrc=newsletter

Better Banks, Not Bigger Banks!
http://www.cancrc.org/

Tight credit could prolong recession, experts say
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090130/credit_crunch_090201/20090201?hub=Canada

Jockeying for federal dollars begins
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1238201


FOREIGN AFFAIRS -
Europe placates foes of freedom
http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/salim_mansur/2009/01/31/8213581-sun.html

Stockwell Day is optimistic about a stalled global free trade deal
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090131/national/davos_forum_doha

Cannon launches Arctic offensive
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/actualites/quebec-canada/politique-canadienne/200901/30/01-822788-lawrence-cannon-lance-une-offensive-diplomatique.php Google Translation


HEALTH CARE RELATED -
How could she have done it?
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/1103901.html


JUSTICE SYSTEM -
Charter challenge: Civil liberties vs. justice
Should evidence police gather by breaking rules be used against accused in serious crimes?
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/580536

To serve, protect applies to prisoners too
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Opinion/9010600.html

Tories wage war on prison drug trade
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Tories+wage+prison+drug+trade/1237685/story.html


POLITICS IN THE PROVINCES -
Get ready for a bad hangover, Tory warns
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2009/01/31/8213651-sun.html

Duceppe emerging as Charest's best friend in Ottawa
Ignatieff won't fight the equalization battle and the premier is on the outs with Harper
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Duceppe+emerging+Charest+best+friend+Ottawa/1238076/story.html


FEDERAL POLITICS -
Is the end of the Conservative era looming?
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090130/tory_party_090201/20090201?hub=Canada

Conservative supporters upset with Tory budget
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090201/conservative_budget_090201/20090201?hub=TopStories

Harper gurus feel betrayed by their star neo-con pupil
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/580054

Conservatives abandon election promises with new budget
http://www.canada.com/news/Conservatives+abandon+election+promises/1241876/story.html

Red-ink gusher from Harper well strikes fear in die-hard Toryland
http://www.theprovince.com/Technology/gusher+from+Harper+well+strikes+fear+hard+Toryland/1240937/story.html

Liberal leader rules uneasy roost
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1238143

Michael Ignatieff's big mistake
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/01/31/michael-taube-michael-ignatieff-s-big-mistake.aspx

Budget fails to quell criticisms of PM: poll
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090130.wPOLpoll31/BNStory/politics/home
        
Duceppe tells party it's time for action on separatism
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090131.wduceppe0131/BNStory/politics/home?cid=al_gam_mostview

Duceppe flays Ignatieff
http://business.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090131.WBSpector20090131140704/WBStory/WBSpector

Harper extends olive branch to absent Quebec premier
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090130/harper_charest_090130/20090130?hub=Canada

PM hits back at Duceppe
http://www.montrealgazette.com/Business/hits+back+Duceppe/1238029/story.html

Ignatieff won't say if he'll discipline N.L. MPs who vote against budget Audio
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2009/01/30/foote-budget.html

Harper and Ignatieff have their heads in the sand
http://www.thestar.com/News/Ideas/article/580077

Gilles Duceppe gets nearly 95 per cent on leadership confidence vote
http://www.canadaeast.com/front/article/557530

NDP MP Harris: Liberals Allowing Mistreatment
http://www.vocm.com/news-info.asp?id=33996

Follow the money, not the MPs
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/580055

Existential crises and a rage to save the Liberals
http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/580453

Stephen Harper has a lot of work to do in Quebec
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Stephen+Harper+work+Quebec/1240736/story.html

The Liberals and the Road Not Taken
http://www.jameslaxer.com/2009/01/liberals-and-road-not-taken.html


PROGRAMMES -
Researchers now pleased with budget
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1238140

Tory's social housing funding a one-off investment
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1240074

Recall list grows in salmonella investigation
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090131.wsalmonella0131/BNStory/National/home

Opposition demand list of Crown assets for sale
http://www.ottawasun.com/News/National/2009/01/31/8216111-sun.html

PM worried about being upstaged
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/worried+about+being+upstaged/1237679/story.html

Chalk up another one
http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/2009/02/01/8221431-sun.html


PRESSURE POINTS -
Ottawa using intervention to extinguish extremism
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1238134

Climate change's Antarctic ruffle
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1238164


OPINION AND INFORMATION -
Decision to omit O Canada hits patriotic nerve
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090131.wanthem31/BNStory/National/home

My Canada includes O Canada
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090130.wcomurph31/BNStory/specialComment/home

Why they still want a country
http://www.winnipegsun.com/news/canada/2009/02/01/8225251-sun.html

Students robbed of their pride
http://www.winnipegsun.com/news/columnists/joseph_quesnel/2009/01/31/8213431-sun.html

PM has had to rein in high-minded economics
http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=1238141

The quest for a tolerable House of Commons
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/01/31/chris-selley-the-quest-for-a-tolerable-house-of-commons.aspx

In a recession, budgeting is more art than science
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090130.wcosimp31/BNStory/specialComment/home

Federal budget most reckless in years
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Columnists/Leishman_Rory/2009/01/31/8215316-sun.html

Racist or realist?
Pointing out the emptiness of Barack Obama can lead to trouble
http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/michael_coren/2009/01/31/8213576-sun.html

BMO CEO's pay packet near $6-million
http://www.globeinvestor.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090130.wdowne0130/GIStory/

Online talk prods banks into action
http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/580129

Federal spending spree sure to create scandal
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Business/Federal+spending+spree+sure+create+scandal/1239403/story.html

Polygamy debate should be in Parliament
http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/alan_shanoff/2009/02/01/8221426-sun.html

Deficits are evil only when leftish governments run them
http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotian/1104126.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)

Personal trade barrier is right in your wallet
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/Opinion/Editorials/2009/01/31/8214601-sun.html

The article is somewhat outdated.  Anyone shopping knows buying MADE IN CANADA goods is anywhere from difficult to impossible.  Except in grocery stores to this point, though there are pears and perhaps other produce now coming in.

 Has your municipality need of updating public facilities? Might they even had plans completed?  Have they been unable to proceed for lack o funds?  No ability to pay 1/3 of cost, no Federal money.  Do you agree or disagree with the Sun editorial?

Daily Digest January 31- February 1, 2008-2 will come later
«¤»¥«¤»«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»

From: Stephen M MacLean
Subject: FYI: 'Repeal Fixed Election Dates' by Senator Elaine McCoy

'Repeal Fixed Election Dates' by Senator Elaine McCoy:
http://www.albertasenator.ca/hullabaloos/?article&339
"The Prime Minister has demonstrated beyond any possibility of doubt that the law is a nullity, that it is meaningless,"  declared Senator Lowell Murray yesterday as he opened debate on a bill to repeal fixed election dates.

Visit my research website the Disraeli-Macdonald Institute for Organic Toryism online.
 
Advocacy for Appointed Upper Chambers

===================================
From: Larry Kazdan
To: letters@thegazette.canwest.com
Subject: Letter to Editor re: Economic crisis inspires a little political  maturity, January 30

Re: Economic crisis inspires a little political maturity, Editorial, January 30
http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/editorials/Economic+crisis+inspires+little+political+maturity/1233344/story.html

The Gazette has come down in favour of that great Canadian trait: civility.  But is civility really the same as political maturity?  If the budget doesn't sufficiently protect the environment, if it doesn't adequately extend unemployment insurance, if it doesn't support enough scientific research , and if it doesn't provide the right amount of stimulus to get the economy moving, is it really political maturity in a democracy for the opposition to vote confidence just so they can appear civil and cooperative?    

Larry Kazdan,
Vancouver, B.C.

===================================
STAY PUT - DEMAND THEY PRODUCE THE NOTE

One Ohio Congresswoman has a word of advice for the thousands of people in her district now in foreclosure:

"Stay put" and when the sheriff comes, tell him to "Show me the paper."

You know, it sometimes takes a very, very long time, but there often is justice in this world.

Details:
http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/550.html

===================================
From: "Rebecca Gingrich" <r.gingrich@sympatico.ca>
Subject: War Crimes

Joe--thought Jacob Remple and other DD readers may be interested in this
petition. Not that anything 'the people' demand matters one iota to any of
our great 'leaders' but we have to keep trying.
Becky

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/amp17jan/

Indeed, we must.
===================================
From: "Rene Moreau" <rtmoreau@sympatico.ca>
To: "Konrad Yakabuski" <kyakabuski@globeandmail.com>
Subject:

Rene Moreau

January 31, 2009
Konrad Yakabuski
Globe and Mail

Konrad;

re; Henri-Paul Rousseau was the king. January 31st
http://business.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090131.RCOVER31/TPStory/Business/

Quite a helpful article, but a few questions.

It seems from observation, that the phenomenon of short- selling the Canadian dollar to drop its value in relation to the American dollar has reared it's head again, with a twist. The twist is that the American corporate types have realized that they can get fairly gullible Canadian corporate types, to do the short-selling for them! Some time ago an article appeared in the Globe in which the Royal Bank of Canada had been advising Canadians on just such a ploy. I called the Royal to find out who had been doing the pushing. After contacting 3 different sections I still couldn't get anyone to say who was the pusher. You may have given the answer, when you mentioned Royal Bank Dexia. However, that remains to be seen.

Say someone foreign, American, corporate, wanted to drop the value of the Canadian dollar to make our resources cheaper for them, would not the Caisse be a great target, considering it's size, to be instrumental in short-selling our own Canadian dollar, for the benefit of the corporate neighbours, and who would charge the Caisse with treason after all?

Could you let me know if I'm barking up the wrong tree?

Second question.

When trying to understand something that for some reason or other defies analysis, there has been a phrase, 'follow the money'. If Henri-Paul is now working for Desmarais' Power Corporation, has any one checked to see if Power Corporation was 'skimming' the Caisse.

This would not be the first time, by any means, that the Pension Plans were looked on as a 'Cash Cow' to be milked, as secretly as possible, of course. Remember Conrad Black's Dominion Store ploy, or Ontario Teachers Pension Plan attempted purchase of BCE? Or, as mentioned in your article, 'the compensation plan' for portfolio managers to push asset ABCP.

In trying to understand how something so big can fail so badly, one watches, as G.E. Capital, second richest corporation in the world, and Citigroup, the formerly richest, go down the tubes. Should size have limits, like the Titanic? Was the Caisse unwise to get so big?

RSVP

Rene Moreau (416-489-8347)

===================================
From: "Brian D. Marlatt"
Subject: YouTube - Rick's Rant - Parliament and the Need to be Informed
            http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=6AZNeiq2e90

===================================
From: "Jacob Rempel"
Subject:  Mindless in Gaza, by Michael N. Nagler in the Statesman Journal

Michael Nagler is professor emeritus at UC, Berkeley and founder of the Metta Center for Nonviolence Education ( www.mettacenter.org).

He is the author of "The Search for a Nonviolent Future" and other works.

Mindless in Gaza, by Michael N. Nagler
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009901110329

===================================
From: "Mahmood Elahi"
To: "Letters \(ott\)" <letters@thecitizen.canwest.com>
Subject: With most of U.S. steel industry sent abroad, "buy American" is a futile gesture

The Editor
The Ottawa Citizen

With most of U.S. steel industry sent abroad, "Buy American" is a futile gesture
 Re editorial: "Between friends," (Jan. 31).
 
While criticizing U.S. policy of "Buy American" for steel needed for infrastructure projects, the editorial fails to mention that by outsourcing most of America's steel manufacturing to China, India and other so-called low cost countries, the American steel industry has been so decimated that most of steel needed is imported from abroad. The American steel manufacturing region is now a rust belt full of closed factories and laid off workers subsisting on low wage service jobs. You cannot protect an industry which no longer exists. Canada is not in a much better position as most of Canadian steel manufacturing has also long gone to places where labour is cheap.

Recently, I bought a laptop computer designed by Hewlett-Packard ­ an American corporation ­ marked 'Product of China'. How can a product designed by an American company end up as a 'Product of China?' I was willing to pay higher for a computer marked 'Made in USA' but even the most expensive ones by Japan's Toshiba and Sony were marked: 'Manufactured in China.'

China, with a billion-plus impoverished people, has become a magnate for corporations like Hewlett-Packard not because of its huge market, but because of its huge pool of cheap labour. These profit-hungry corporations are setting up factories in China where they can manufacture even the most high-tech products cheaply to be sold dearly in America. In the process, they are exporting well-paid American manufacturing jobs to China and creating low-paid service jobs in America, earning enormous profits. But they fail to realize that by creating low-paid service jobs in U.S., they are eventually undermining their own customer base in America. With more and more Americans facing falling incomes, they can no longer afford to buy computers and cameras. The companies eventually pile up products they cannot sell. Ultimately, these companies go bankrupt, laying off workers in China. All become victims of corporate greed.

Revaluing the Chinese currency will not solve the problem. If China becomes more expensive, Hewlett-Packard will simply move on to Indonesia and Vietnam where labour is even cheaper. With American industries sent overseas, "Buy American" will be a meaningless gesture as the United States will be obliged to buy most of steel from abroad. Canada will be only engaging in a pointless diplomatic exercise criticising American protectionism when there is no viable steel industry to protect.
 
Mahmood Elahi
2240 Iris Street, Ottawa.

===================================
From: "Rebecca Gingrich"
Subject: NAFTA???????  Canada should never have signed it!

Calgary Sun Cartoon
http://calsun.canoe.ca/Comment/TAB/2009/01/31/8212696-sun.html

Or will the US pick and choose what they will take from Canada?

Becky

===================================
Subject: Hide in Plain Sight -- off Budget expenditures- Called Non-Budgetary
From: Robert Ede

Dear Mr H,
 
Reflecting on our tel-chat I was reminded that some well-known gov't Expenditures are NOT ON the Budget - Canada Pension Plan for one. It's reported in the Public Accts but it's not on the Budget.
 
Half-way to this nigh-invisible, spending never-never land is a category of Gov't activity that is ON the Budget documents BUT NOT included in the totals the newspapers report as "Budget Deficit".
 
These hidden in plain sight but not included in the headlines monies are called Non-Budgetary Transactions (see the Nov'08 Fiscal Monitor's Pgs 4 & 5 for Intro and general info, Pg 6 for the specifics) also attached with commemts
 
All the Monkey-business money (bailouts to CMHC IMPP mortgages, BDCD & FCC etc) we heard about pre-Budget, is in spelled out plain as day as "other investing"  as scant $12,.674Bn in Oct 08 and just $13, 988 in Nov 2008 (Table 4)

Isn't life grand
===================================