Thursday, January 12, 2006

Is Goldring In Trouble

Edmonton East Conservative MP Peter Goldring may be in more trouble than he thinks he is and the Conservatives know he is. Which may be why Harper announced this today; Tories promise to spend on affordable housing Which is Goldrings file, did they do this to bail him out. Maybe.

But with no mention of Goldring, who has lobbied for exactly this policy, funding the private developers to build low cost housing, (he is a landlord) rather than having 'social housing' provided by the government (socialism), may be not. Maybe they see the collapse of the Goldring campaign after the Stamp affair.

It is a bit bizzare for Harper not to have his Housing expert in with him on this announcement, or even any reference to Goldring. Though Goldring published his own press release about it. And again it is rather humble and indeed sheepish even. With no reference to this being a policy he has promoted for years as the
official opposition critic of Homelessness.

Which leads me to wonder if there isn't some credibility to this rumour;
Edmonton Sun Killed Article on Goldring, Separatism

He has finally launched his own election web page which is vast improvement on the mess he calls his home page and was his election page until a week ago.

Funniest item on his election web page is this;
Click here to read Peter's Unity Page
Peter is very active in raising the concerns of Quebecers in Ottawa.

To bad he doesn't care for Edmonton East concerns as much.

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What A Day It Has Been

Well this certainly has been a day of scandal, a little taste of diem horribulus for politicos of the three contending parties, the Liberals, Conservatives and NDP. The only ones not tainted with some school of scandal dug up by the media are the Greens and the BQ. See stories below. And yes I have published them with tongue firmly planted in my cheek. A little wistful irony.

The Idiot

B.C. Liberal blames military ad on an 'idiot'

Martin has defended the ads, and in a Thursday interview with CTV's Canada AM he said he personally approved every one of them.


Martin says he only approved transcript of controversial 'soldiers' ad



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Liberals Endorse Polygamy

Aha now we know the real reason Paul Martin wants to get rid of the Not Withstanding Clause....Study says Canada should legalize polygamy

"The first act of a new Liberal government is going to be to strengthen the Charter, and we will do that by removing, by constitutional means, the possibility for the federal government to use the notwithstanding clause, because quite simply, I think governance says that the courts shouldn't be overturned by politicians," Liberal Leader Paul Martin said during Monday night's English-language debate.
The message: Unlike the Conservatives, the Liberals would quickly pass a law to protect minority rights and remove Parliament's ability to override Supreme Court rulings that favour people like gays and lesbians, immigrants and minority linguistic groups.

The Liberals attacked Harper about his right wing friends, cause they know he will use the Not Withstanding Clause.....

Liberals battling to remain in power accused Conservative leader Stephen Harper on Thursday of supporting an extremist group that equates gays with pedophiles and assails same-sex marriage.
In a press release Thursday the Liberal Party attacks Harper for speaking at a large fundraising dinner in Richmond, British Columbia last March for the Canadian Alliance for Social Justice and Family Values Association.

The Canadian Alliance for Social Justice and Family Values Association, made up mainly of Chinese Canadians, has a long history of extremist views.

In 2003 it lobbied against the inclusion of sexual orientation under hate crimes laws by hosting a booth at the Pacific National Exhibition that featured a banner reading (in Chinese): “Protect freedom of speech. You must not support C-250 or you cannot publicly criticize child molestation, necrophilia, self-mutilation or torture, polygamy or unnatural sexual behavior.”

The Liberals also note that Conservative Justice Critic Vic Toews, who has led the attack for Harper in calling for the same-sex marriage law to be reopened, received an achievement award from the group. Toews also praised the group's efforts in the House of Commons, saying “Canadians across the country are grateful for its efforts.”


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You Don't Know Jack

Well no wonder poor Jack appeared confused early in the election, December 3, when he said; NDP Leader Jack Layton said private clinics are a “fundamental aspect” of the health-care system founded by former Saskatchewan premier Tommy Douglas and not much can be done about them. See it was a clever ruse, in preparation for when the media sprung this on him.....Layton had surgery at private clinic in 1990s What did I tell you.....Private clinic operation 'no secret', says Layton

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While You're At It Dump Anders

What a difference a day makes in politics. Yesterday Harper and the Conservatives stood by their man. The CTV whistleblower reported on the B.C. Conservative candidate who at first got massive sympathy for being in a car accident, then was discovered to have been facing charges for smuggling.

Derek Zeisman, a former cross-border trade specialist, will go to trial next month on smuggling charges after trying to cross the border from the U.S. with a brand new luxury car and a trunk full of liquor.

Boy some cross border trade specailist this guy is. Today he is toast. Now the question remains since Rob Anders, Calgary West went out and helped the poor bed ridden fellow, will Harper do the right thing and get rid of this dweeb too. Sigh, probably not.

B.C. Conservative candidate to go on trial

The Conservatives say despite just finding out about the charges, they will stand by their man and won't pull him out of the race.

Harper drops B.C. candidate, NDP eyes riding

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And Now A Word From Bubba

Lots of the links to American coverage about our election has been either the squawking from the American right or the latest trashing of Canada by the self depricating American media. that can't talk aobut us without of course refering to themselves.

Like when the Washington Post decided to notice the upcoming election in Canada. And the conclusion they come to? Why of course its all about them. We have no issues in Canada, this election is all about bashing the USA.
Canadian Politics Are All About America

While googling through the net I came across this Blog; Harper's Mews from the deep south in the US of A, written by a transplanted Yankee now living in Alabama.

Hey I have relatives there, so I thought I would give him a read. And well he has an interesting take on the Canadian election which I thought I would share with folks. Better anyways than Cavuto, Carlson or our own quizzling Frum. And certainly less whiny than the Washington Post. In fact he is positively a Canuckophile in comparison.


Harper's Mews

Centrist-to-moderate political commentary; personal thoughts; humor, ramblings and foolishness; public service as the need arises. Ranting and raving permitted, as long as it's reasoned. All decisions of the Editor are final.

An Election Looms -- in Canada

What worries me about the Canadian elections is that they may be turning slowly into American-style elections. In other words, elections complete with backbiting, negativity oozing from the pores, charges of extremism and cronyism, and a final result that nobody is really satisfied with except the party that wins the most power. I believe -- I want to believe -- that Canadian elections have been held on a higher plane than American politics has seen since, perhaps, the 1964 Johnson-Goldwater fight. It would be sad to think that a country much of the world looks to as a conscience and voice of reason begins descending to the level our politics have reached.

Of course, there may be truth to the accusations lodged against the Liberals; they have been in power for years, while the Conservatives have reorganized themselves since Brian Mulroney's time and fought to find a toehold that will bring them back to the majority on Parliament Hill. Patronage and corruption seems to have seeped in through their pores, if the first part of the Gomery report is any indication, and perhaps an electoral cleaning of clock is due, at least for one cycle. The question is: will the fighting of the election be clean, or as dirty as the politics that undermined the Liberals in the first place?

Canadian Elections 2 -- Same-Sex Marriage

Canadian Elections 3 -- Imperious Rex!!!

Canadian Elections 4 -- Defense


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Harper Can't Change His Spots

This week, even as polls showed the leader of the newly united Conservative Party gaining on the Liberals, Mr. Harper did not disavow any of his hard-line positions on abortion, gay marriage, bilingualism, the death penalty and erecting a "firewall" around Alberta to keep out grasping feds. He would just rather not discuss such radioactive matters with the Rest of Canada. Nor will he let friends or family talk to the media.

The Evolution of Stephen Harper

Stephen Harper and the Future of Canada is a solid, unbiased look at a man who could very well become our next Prime Minister and a man who Johnson says is “better than any other leader on the federal scene since Pierre Trudeau.”

What is truly interesting about this book, however, is the way it reminds us of the no nonsense conservative Stephen used to be before he took control of the Conservative Party.

That Stephen Harper quit the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in the 1980s because it veered from its conservative principals that Stephen Harper led the NCC in its fight for “more freedom through less government” and that Stephen Harper became leader of the Canadian Alliance because he wanted to ensure Canada had a pro-free market alternative to the Liberals.

That was the Stephen Harper we had before; that’s the Stephen Harper Canada needs again.

National Citizens Coalition


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Banks Cheer For Conservative Majority

Here is another good reason for a Conservative Majority, Bank Mergers. A crucial issue for Joe and Janey Canuck.

Of course it's not in their platform as an official position either. Wait they haven't released their platform yet. Maybe it will show up as a footnote from Monte Solberg.

Anyways include the Banks and Bay Street for those looking forward to a Conservative majority.

Tories' ascent fuels hope for bank mergers

With polls suggesting his Conservative Party is headed toward a possible majority government, Canadian investors swiftly returned yesterday to one of their favourite pastimes: Rolling the dice once more on the on-again-off-again prospect that the country's Big Six banks finally will be allowed to pursue mergers.

Shares of Bank of Montreal, the most obvious takeover target if Ottawa endorses consolidation, reached a 52-week high, finishing the day at $67.83 on the Toronto Stock Exchange -- a gain of $1.63 or 2.5 per cent. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, which also figures to be prey for a larger rival, enjoyed a similarly strong day, rising 1.6 per cent or $1.24 to $80.51.

Mind you, none of these bets has paid off for investors in the past decade. But interest in the merger file has always enjoyed something of a Lazarus quality, and this latest resurrection has occurred squarely in lockstep with the sudden revival of Mr. Harper's Conservatives.

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Buzz Me I'm A Liberal

Bad enough Buzz Hargrove of the CAW is a poster boy on the Liberal.ca website now he is appearing in candidate ads along with Paul Martin. This is Buzz's definition of being to the Left of the NDP.

A tip o the blog to BBS for this.
















My artices on Buzz


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Orchard Supports Axeworthy

The Reform Alliance members of the Conservative Party always suspected that Canadian Nationalist Progressive David Orchard was really NDP lite. This proves their point, but does not mean that he isn't a Red Tory, which is also NDP lite.

David Orchard. A Liberal. In Saskatoon. I'm not making this up.writes Calgary Grit.

And it does not absolve the Conservatives of the $70,000 they still owe him. Which as theylike to say, 'is dirty money', that they are using in their campaign
.

Well yes he is supporting 'Liberal' candidate Chris Axeworthy. Axeworthy who was on the right wing of the NDP and a former NDP MP split with the party over the debate on the Third Way. He wanted the party to move to the centre ala Blairs New Labour. So there you have it. Essentially the right wing of the NDP has been home to Liberals and Progressive Conservatives. Under Layton they should feel at home once again after the Liberals lose this election.

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The New Capitalism; Make A Profit Cut Jobs

Sorry that should have read same old capitalism, well at least Casino Capitalism for the last twenty years where job cuts have seen Wall Street investors rub their hands with glee and increase the corporate valuation of of companies that shed jobs. Now remember those Income Trusts that Monte Solberg was whining about recently. The ones that all those mythical seniors had their money in. The income trusts that are a tax shelter for corportations, executives and managers.

Well here is one that just made a profit and is cutting jobs. The reason, well it wants to make more profits. Which it can do cause now it is going to pay even lower taxes on its investment income.

One that we are familar with cause we read their newspapers and watch their TV channels daily.

Love these two conflicting headlines though they say it all;

CanWest MediaWorks profit soars on lower taxes

CanWest says rising costs may force cuts


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No Tears for Sharon

The tears and praises for Ariel Sharon are misplaced. This man was a butcher, the creator of the land grab settlement projects, etc. etc. He is the very icon of Israeli Occupation that those who defend this in the West do with the false apologetics that Israel is a democracy. Sharon deserves no tears.


1953 Sharon raid burns in psyche


Ariel Sharon transformed himself
As well, he conceived and co-ordinated the 1982 invasion of Lebanon, a venture that more or less imploded when Israel’s Christian Phalange allies murdered hundreds of Palestinian civilians in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in a human and public relations disaster. In 1983, the Kahan Commission found him indirectly responsible for the massacre, and he stepped down in disgrace.

How Quickly They Forget the Real Sharon "Eating Palestine for Breakfast"

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Cry Justice

Four years in jail without trial. A Canadian teenager is kept in the isolation hell that is America's illegal jail in Cuba. He has grown up in this hell hole. Yesterday he finally had his day in court. Khadr faces accusers Not a real court a military court.

This is America's enemy an acne scared Canadian teenager.

This is Canada's shame that he should have rotted there for this long with nary a word or protest by our government, he is after all a Canadian teenager. And as such would not have faced the same treatment here. Which of course is why he has been held illegally by the Americans. In order to get the big fish, his father and brothers. Its called blackmail.

And it is another exposure of the hypocrisy of the Canadian State security act and fetish for denying Canadians of arabic background or muslim religious beliefs their human rights. Some Canadians are more equal than others.


Making the punishment fit the crime

This just in. SonyBMG who stuck spyware in their anti-copying software
(
Sony BMG Brother) has now faced the wrath of de judge. Here come de judge, here come de judge. Who gave them the fickle finger of fate. (I'm in a Laugh In mood)

US Judge approves Sony settlement
BBC News - 24 minutes ago
Millions of people look set to get free downloads from Sony BMG as a judge provisionally approves a settlement for many lawsuits against the music maker.




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They Live Where?

Another challenge to Intelligent Design. California high school sued over 'intelligent design' class

Except this time it is taking place in a rural mountain village, smack dab on the San Andreas fault.
A Fault Line for 'Intelligent Design'

Now that really shows lack of intelligence and design. Living on the San Andreas fault. I would pray too.

My other science articles

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Wow

Thats about all you can say about this:

Image: Orion Nebula
The Hubble Space Telescope's latest view of the Orion Nebula shows more than 3,000 stars, some of which have never been seen in visible light.


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Confrontation on the High Seas

Japan's unethical and covert whaling fleet rammed Greenpeace and Sea Shepard protestors on the weekend in the Antarctic waters.

Japan says clashes at sea could reduce whale catch

Damn straight as I reported here the other day. This is real Junk Science. A Greenpeace activist left a link to their blog.

Disguised as a scientific study of dead whales the Japanese are using the cover of science for whaling for food.

Battle On High Seas: Japan's target is to kill 935 whales

New Zealand has raised the issue with Japan, will Canada condemn this too or is our Government too busy with dog paddling in the polls. New Zealand seeks anti-whaling pressure on Japan



Crew from the Sea Shepherd get up close and personal with the giant bow of the Japanese whaler Nisshin Maru.

Crew from the Sea Shepherd get up close and personal with the giant bow of the Japanese whaler Nisshin Maru.


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