It's A Sweep

Drumheller Stettler stays PC. Politically Correct. By a wide margin we are now calling it a sweep.

			Elector Count	BOUGH RICHARD NDP	DAVIDSON LARRY SC	DOOLEY TOM LIB	FRANCE DAVE AA	HAYDEN JACK PC	REW JOHN IND	WIGMORE JENNIFER AG
Total Vote Count Percentage Polls Leading / Won No. of Polls Reporting 14 of 71			21,790	12 1% 0	100 8% 0	93 8% 0	63 5% 0	772 64% 14	127 11% 0	42 3% 0

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Alberta Election Results

Ok all youse political junkies, it's eight o' clock MDT and the polls in Alberta's two by-elections have now closed.

Place your wagers.

The results can be found here:

Unofficial Poll Results - 08 CALGARY-ELBOW


Unofficial Poll Results - 52 DRUMHELLER-STETTLER

This is the Alberta Election website, and they are showing the results in real time, real slow time. With no talking heads to interpret the raw data for you, or to determine the winner after a quarter of the polls come in. Watch it hear, but make yourself a sandwich.

To get updated results hit refresh, updates are highlighted in grey.



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Where's The NDP?

This opinion poll about today's Alberta By-elections, is posted on the rightwhingnut website Free Dominion. I only have to ask where is the NDP? They have four seats in the house compared to the Alliance's one. Oh yeah it's a rightwhinghut poll.

Who will win the by-elections?

Tory sweep 12% [ 2 ] Alliance sweep 12% [ 2 ] Liberal sweep 12% [ 2 ] Tory - Alliance split 12% [ 2 ] Tory - Liberal split 31% [ 5 ] Alliance - Liberal split 18% [ 3 ]

Total Votes : 16

Historical revisionists that they are, like their pal Link Byfield, they forget that this province is home to the One Big Union, the CCF and twenty years of the United Farmers of Alberta.

For them history begins with the Socreds. Forgetting that radicals of the left supported the original 1935 Social Credit movement as a natural extension of the farmer labour populist UFA. And that the party had a left and a right wing until Ernest Manning consolidated power in the party, and turfed the radicals in favour of his evangelical rural base.

The decline of the Socreds was their reliance on their rural base. A base that Ed Stelmach now has, and that is rapidly urbanizing. Challenging the sorry old Tory establishment. Rural Alberta has become the suburbs even in the staid reactionary southland's.



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Election Day In Alberta

There are two by-elections in Alberta today. One in Calgary in Ralph Kleins old riding, one he often only won by the skin of his teeth, and the other in Drumheller. Both will be a bell weather for the Ed Stelmach regime as well as an indication of how well the 'other' parties will do including how they will do against not only the provincial P.C.'s but against the Harpocrite domination of this province federally. Any vote against the One Party State will also be a vote against the disinterested Federal Conservatives who take us for granted.

Alberta by-elections seen as referendum on new Tory leader

Disgruntled voters in Alberta

Solid conservative support wavering in Drumheller

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Gun Nutz

So ask your self this, why is it okay for the State to regulate and control tobacco users, campaign for a smoke free environment for public health which impacts over 6 million Canadians, and everyone agrees, including the Conservatives to limit smokers liberties, but when it comes to guns and public health, well that's going to far. Yet the number of gun owners in Canada is only 2.3 million.

This vocal minority is punching far above its weight.While the pro gun lobby claims it is defending long gun owners, the reality is that they are dominated by handgun collectors who would ultimately like to see the handgun registry and ban eliminated. Thats the real hidden agenda behind their fight against the Long Gun Registry.

"The government has admitted on three separate occasions . . . that since handgun registration was implemented in 1934, not one single crime in Canada has been solved using the national pistol registry."

--MP Garry Breitkreuz

Which is why you always see pictures of the gun nutz with their favorite weapon. And no it ain't a duck hunting shot gun.

A photo of Prof. Gary Mauser from the Canadian National Firearms Association (NFA) website. This photo has since been removed.

Aw shucks it might be incriminating given Gary's take off on Dirty Harry; "Feeling lucky, punk? Well are ya?"


The Harpocrites are stacking their firearms advisory committee with folks like Gary. Including

The Conservative government's firearms advisory committee, appointed and operating in virtual secrecy, is made up almost entirely of pro-gun advocates opposed to the firearms registry.

Its dozen members include a man who argued that more guns in the hands of students would have helped in the recent Virginia Tech massacre, in which 32 people were killed, and another shooting aficionado who described a weapon used in last September's Dawson College killings in Montreal as "fun."

In background research obtained and confirmed by the Star, members of the Conservatives' committee have shown themselves to be vocal proponents of gun use.

"If even 1 per cent of the students and staff at Virginia Tech had been allowed to exercise their right to self defence, then this tragedy would have been stopped in its very beginning and dozens of lives would have been saved," Dr. Mike Ackermann, a Nova Scotia physician, wrote in a letter to the Ottawa Sun in April. "There are never any mass killings at shooting ranges; only at schools and other so-called `gun-free zones.'

Quack of the Week

Sounds like Dr. Mike is more interested in representing the St. Mary's Shooters Association (he is President), rather than the health interests of Canadians.

Gary Mauser, a Simon Fraser University professor renowned for his work opposing gun laws, wrote an opinion piece in the Vancouver Sun in February: "Firearm laws divert scarce resources from alternative approaches that might actually improve public safety."

The Case of the Missing Canadian Gun Owners by Gary A Mauser ...

Gun Registration -- The Billion Dollar Boondoggle by Gary Mauser

Firearm Registration and the Slippery Slope in Canada

by Gary Mauser

The only apparent acknowledgment of the committee's membership was found in a letter by MP Garry Breitkreuz (Yorkton Melville) to constituents in which he pointed to the makeup of the panel as evidence of the Tories' intent to be more gun friendly.

"In October, the minister's new firearms advisory committee met in Ottawa for the first time. The difference between the Liberal government and the Conservative government is obvious by the people that make up the committee," Breitkreuz wrote in the letter dated Dec. 15, 2006.

He named Ackermann, Mauser and 10 other members:

Tony Bernardo, Canadian Institute of Legislative Action.

Linda Thom, Olympic gold medallist in pistol shooting.

Alain Cossette, Quebec Wildlife Federation.

Greg Farrant, Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters.

Linda Baggaley, firearms expert and dealer from Alberta.

Stephen Torino, Quebec firearms expert and dealer.

Louis D'amour, New Brunswick firearms expert.

Gerry Gamble, Sporting Clubs of Niagara.

Robert Head, former RCMP assistant commissioner.

John Gayder, Niagara police.

Murray Grismer, Saskatoon police.

The Conservative Party of Canada Policy Declaration
as approved by the Convention on March 19, 2005.
81. Firearms
A Conservative Government will repeal Canada's costly gun registry legislation and work with the provinces
and territories on cost-effective gun control programs designed to keep guns out of the hands of criminals
while respecting the rights of law-abiding Canadians to own and use firearms responsibly. Measures will
include: mandatory minimum sentences for the criminal use of firearms; strict monitoring of high-risk
individuals; crackdown on the smuggling; safe storage provisions; firearms safety training; a certification
screening system for all those wishing to acquire firearms legally; and putting more law enforcement officers on our streets.

LUFA

Grassroots not for profit organization formed in 1998 to fight Bill C-68 (Firearms Act)

CSSA

Ottawa rejects call for handgun ban
Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day suggests such a move would be useless, and might do more harm than good.
We welcome this refreshing breath of truth and common sense. Now is a good time for all shooters to show their appreciation to the Honourable Public Safety Minister.

Dawson gun (Sensationalism) is all the rage

Bruce Gold
Feb. 15, 2007

Now lets look at the old committee and compare who is missing from the new advisory committee:

The User Group was established by the Minister of Justice in December 1995 after Bill C-68 received royal assent. The members are representatives of the firearms community and the regular administrators of the legislation. The Group is composed of hunters, target shooters, collectors, range operators, businesses, safety instructors, wildlife representatives, outfitters and law enforcement officials.
Jim Adam
Ronald Gibson
Christina Ashcroft
Linda Baggaley
Jim Bouchard
Terry Burns
Don Cameron
Eric Goodwin
Art King
Dave Paplawski
Gerry Pyke
Steve Torino, Chair
Chris Widrig

Some of the Governments Firearm advisory committee members also sit on the Firearms registry PAC. It at least is balanced between pro and anti gun spokespeople. But that could change.

The Program Advisory Committee (PAC) is a key element of the Action Plan that was announced in February 2003, by the Solicitor General of Canada and the Minister of Justice. The Committee is comprised of experienced individuals outside of government who provide ongoing advice on policy, program and administrative matters and who serve on a voluntary basis. The Commissioner of Firearms chairs the PAC.

Program Advisory Committee Members

Linda Baggaley
President, Bud Haynes Auctions
Red Deer, Alberta

Linda Baggaley is President of Bud Haynes Auctions in Red Deer, Alberta the oldest established Gun Auction in Canada. Linda is also a charter member of the Canadian Auctioneers Association. She is a former member of the Minister's User Group on Firearms.

Jim Bouchard
Radville, Saskatchewan

Mr. Bouchard, a former member of the Minister's User Group on Firearms, is the owner and operator of a 1700-acre grain and cattle farm in southeast Saskatchewan.

Wendy Cukier
Toronto, Ontario

Dr. Cukier is a tenured professor at Ryerson University; in addition, she is the coordinator for the Small Arms/Firearms Education Research Network and volunteer President of the Canadian Coalition for Gun Control.

David Griffin
Executive Officer
Canadian Professional Police Association
Ottawa, Ontario

Mr. Griffin is responsible for the implementation of the Canadian Professional Police Association's justice reform agenda and the government and public advocacy program. He also manages the Association's affairs.

Peter E. Larson
Executive Vice-President
Public Policy Forum
Ottawa, Ontario

Dr. Larson has extensive experience working with both the public and private sectors and has authored or directed a large number of studies and research reports concerning a wide range of public administration issues.

Marilou McPhedran
Toronto, Ontario

Ms. McPhedran is a lawyer, consultant, and volunteer for many causes that focus on equality and health. She is the co-founder and past Chair of the Board of Metrac – the Metro Action Committee on Violence Against Women and Children.

Leslie A. Pal
Director, School of Public Policy and Administration
Carleton University
Ottawa, Ontario

Dr. Pal is the author, co-author or editor of 19 books and his consulting practice includes work with the Ukrainian Academy of Public Administration and the Open Society Institute (Budapest), the World Bank and the Hong Kong Civil Service Training and Development Institute.

Dave Paplawski
Conservation Education Coordinator
Alberta Hunter Education Instructors Association
Calgary, Alberta

Mr. Paplawski is a former Alberta government employee who now is the Conservation Education Coordinator for the Alberta Hunter Education Instructors Association in Calgary. AHEIA coordinates the delivery of provincial hunter safety instruction and our Canadian Firearms Safety Courses. He is a former member of the Minister's User Group on Firearms.

Robert Simon
Director General, Centre de prévention du suicide
Chicoutimi, Québec

Dr. Simon is Director General of the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean Suicide Prevention Centre and has worked with wildlife and outdoor groups to stress the importance of safe firearms storage.

Peter Sorensen
President, PRP International Inc.
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

Mr. Sorensen has extensive experience in project management, including serving as the Government of Canada project leader for the Confederation Bridge Project.

Stephen Torino
Montreal, Quebec

Mr. Torino, the former Chair of the Minister's User Group on Firearms, is a chartered accountant and long-time firearms' collector and target shooter. In addition, he has held numerous executive positions in trapshooting and collecting associations.

Vince Westwick
Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police
Ottawa, Ontario

Mr. Westwick is General Counsel of the Ottawa Police Service. A former police officer, he is Co-chair of the Law Amendments Committee of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police.

Alan Winberg
Senior Visiting Fellow, Public Management
Canadian Centre for Management Development
Ottawa, Ontario

Dr. Winberg has served in different Assistant Deputy Minister positions at Human Resources Development Canada and the Treasury Board Secretariat. He has also held senior positions in a number of other government departments.

Gun Control: 16 Years Later

See

Gun Registry

P3

Tags

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Afghanistan or Africa

It seems that the Harpocrites while extolling their increase in funding development aid, forgot that Afghanistan is nowhere near Africa except perhaps in the dictionary.

All the recent focus on aid levels, however, could hide the fact that Canadian aid also needs to be made more effective, ie, it should be spent on poverty alleviation. Harper has mandated Afghanistan to become the largest recipient of Canada's largesse. This led world-renowned development economist Jeffrey Sachs to complain, "…the money going to Afghanistan and Iraq is really not development aid but security spending."

And this blast is not from just any old rock n roll celebrity;

Stephen Lewis slams G8 as morally bankrupt

The G8 countries are spending $120 billion annually to deal with conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, but they can't find half that amount to deal with HIV/AIDS, Lewis said.

Meanwhile Harper announces an new policy direction for Canadian aid in order to end any association of HIS government with past, Liberal, governments that pushed for greater aid for Africa.

Answering a question in the House of Commons yesterday, Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay pointed out that "Canada will double its international assistance from 2001 to 2010, with assistance to Africa also doubling in that time frame." Canada plans to increase its Africa funding to $2.1 billion for 2008-09, from $1.05 billion in 2003-04, and African aid makes up 40 per cent of all Canadian foreign aid. What's more, Canada's foreign aid budget is growing by eight per cent per year.

"Canada’s on target to meet those obligations," Harper said. "I think we’re the only country on target to meet them, and to meet them early, in fact."

The Prime Minister’s Office was unable to provide documentation to prove his claim. A senior Canadian official said Canada’s aid budget for Africa will amount to $2.1 billion in 2008-09, but DATA, an aid agency co-founded by Bono, estimates Canada will need to increase aid by $479 million this year and next to meet its commitment. Only Japan and Britain are on track to meet their promise, DATA says.

Stronach said the amount set aside by the Conservative government falls $700 million short of that, and Harper is responsible.

Layton said the prime minister has reduced Canada's commitment to foreign aid while telling the world that it wasn't doing so.

"Mr. Harper simply isn't telling the truth and when it comes to life-saving foreign aid, that's despicable," Layton said.

Policy on the run is Harpers foreign affairs specialty. Like last years support for Israels war on Lebanon. Now he goes and does it again.

Harper signals shift from Africa to Americas

Prime Minister Stephen Harper signalled a major shift in Canadian aid policy yesterday, saying that Canada's primary focus is moving away from Africa and toward the Western Hemisphere.

"Canada's sole focus and primary focus is not necessarily Africa, but we remain engaged there, we will meet our targets and will move forward with that plan into the future," Mr. Harper told reporters at the G8 summit.

His push to deal with development aid in our Hemisphere bodes ill, premised as it is with hemispheric bilateral agreements in the context of an expanding North American Union. Harper clearly has mixed up the concept of Aid and Trade.

This hemisphere is not in need of development Aid, rather it is in need of Fair Trade. Instead we have Free Trade Zones, which are anti-union tax free havens for American and Canadian manufacturers, and the attempt to import Latin American workers into Alberta as cheap labour for the Tar Sands.

Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) Analysts expect that--as occurred in Mexico--CAFTA will attract foreign direct investment and boost Central American exports in certain sectors, but will provide little benefit to the rural and urban poor of the region.

Why U.S.-CAFTA-DR?

The Central America-Dominican Republic-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) includes seven signatories: the United States, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The U.S. Congress approved the CAFTA-DR in July 2005 and the President signed it into law on August 2, 2005. The CAFTA-DR has been approved by the legislatures in the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Approval is pending in Costa Rica. The export zone created will be the United States' second largest free trade zone in Latin America after Mexico.

The United States is implementing the CAFTA-DR on a rolling basis as countries make sufficient progress to complete their commitments under the Agreement. The Agreement first entered into force between the United States and El Salvador on March 1, 2006, followed by Honduras and Nicaragua on April 1, 2006, Guatemala on July 1, 2006, and the Dominican Republic on March 1, 2007. The U.S. Government continues to work with Costa Rica to ensure timely and full implementation of the Agreement.

in the region, and strengthens protections for U.S. In addition to tariff reduction, CAFTA-DR provides new market access for U.S. consumer and industrial products and agricultural products. It also provides unprecedented access to government procurement in the partner countries, liberalizes the services sectors (see also financial services), protects U.S. investmentspatents, trademarks, and trade secrets. The Agreement covers customs facilitation and provides benefits to small and medium-sized exporters. Provisions are also included that address government transparency and corruption, worker rights, protection of the environment, trade capacity building, and dispute settlement.

Why Latin America Needs a Free-Trade Zone

At the Summit of the Americas in Quebec City, the Hemisphere's leaders may at last give serious consideration to the establishment of free trade from Argentina to Alaska. But the meeting will also give critics an opportunity to cite economic uncertainty and political instability in much of Latin America as a reason to oppose the trade initiative. With the Andean region from Venezuela to Bolivia in varying degrees of turmoil, and with Argentina on the brink of possible default, trade liberalization is under attack.

The Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) (Spanish: Área de Libre Comercio de las Américas (ALCA), French: Zone de libre-échange des Amériques (ZLÉA), Portuguese: Área de Livre Comércio das Américas (ALCA)) was a proposed agreement to eliminate or reduce the trade barriers among all countries in the American continent. In the latest round of negotiations, officials of 34 nations met in Mexico on November 16, 2003 to discuss the proposal. The proposed agreement was an extension of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between Canada, Mexico and the United States. Against the market are positioned Cuba, Venezuela and later Bolivia, Ecuador, and Nicaragua, which entered the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas in response.

Discussions have faltered over similar points as the Doha round of World Trade Organization (WTO) talks; developed nations seek expanded trade in services and increased intellectual property rights, while less developed nations seek an end to agricultural subsidies and freer trade in agricultural goods. Similar to the WTO talks, Brazil has taken a leadership role among the less developed nations, while the United States has taken a similar role for the developed nations.

Talks began with the Summit of the Americas in Miami on December 11, 1994, but the FTAA came to public attention during the Quebec City Summit of the Americas in 2001, a meeting targeted by massive anti-corporatization and anti-globalization protests. The Miami negotiations in 2003 met similar protests, though perhaps not as large. The last summit was held at Mar del Plata, Argentina in January 2005, but no agreement on FTAA was reached. 26 of the 34 countries present at the negotiations have pledged to meet again in 2006 to resume negotiations.

This Hemisphere is rapidly industrializing which cannot be said for Africa which is being divided up by Imperialist interests including China. It is still in thralls of being hewers of wood and drawers of water for the G8 and G20 countries.

And development Aid is going into the pockets of private capital investment companies known as Vulture Funds, which in more developed countries are also known as Hedge Funds. Vulture Funds encourage ponzi get rich quick schemes.

Real development funding would be directed to villages and people, not governments, as the success of Micro-credit has shown.

Private firms work on Africa's future

Economic growth in Africa has picked up considerably in recent years to an estimated 5.9% in 2007.

But this has not come about as a result of any concerted action by the leaders of wealthy nations, insists, Sir Mark.

"A key driver of this growth has been high commodity prices," he points out, questioning whether the prosperity will last.

In the meantime, "the aid figures in many areas seem pretty disappointing" and global trade talks have stalled, he says.

"Progress is slower than I would have wished, than we all would have wished," he says.

Market access

President Museveni puts it more starkly.

Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa says the West must do more

"Almost all African countries are pre-industrial," he says, paraphrasing the voice of the West: "'You must stay producing the cocoa bean. I will process it for you. Stay in your place. Don't move up the value chain.'

"The G8 countries should not assume they have an advisory role in Africa," he says, insisting African governments are capable of deciding themselves how to bring about development.

"Where we need assistance now - or at least not obstruction - is in two areas: cheap electricity and infrastructure.

Free trade is another key to African development, President Museveni says, insisting that "Western countries have denied us access to their markets - deliberately".

Greg Palast on the Battle to End Vulture Funds

Investigative reporter Greg Palast looks at the battle to end "vulture funds", where companies buy up debts of poor nations cheaply and then sue for the full amount.

At the close of the G-8 Summit in Germany last Friday, leaders of the world’s richest countries reiterated their commitment, first made in 2005, to cancel all of the debt owed by the world’s poorest countries. However, so-called “vulture funds,” or companies that buy up third world debt at rock-bottom prices and then sue the countries for the full value and more, are undermining any promises of debt relief. In February, BBC investigative journalist Greg Palast exposed on Democracy Now! how one vulture fund, Donegal International owned by US resident Michael Sheehan, was trying to collect $40 million dollars from Zambia after buying one of its debts for $4 million dollars. Soon after, Congressman John Conyers and Congressman Donald Payne brought this up with President Bush, and urged him to ensure that the G-8 summit would close the legal loopholes that allow vulture funds to flourish.

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Return of the Progressive Conservatives

On CTV's Question Period yesterday ousted Nova Scotia Conservative MP Bill Casey called himself an Independent "Progressive" Conservative, "emphasis on the progressive", he said.

Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams also declares himself a "Progressive" Conservative in opposition to the Harpocrites and is carrying out a Anybody But Conservative federal election campaign.

Add to that this weekends rejection of the Conservative Governments equalization bait and switch by the "Progressive" Conservative Premier of Nova Scotia and we see the beginnings of a new movement to recognize the political reality of truly "Progressive" Conservatives.

The party that former Nova Scotia PC leader Peter Mackay opportunistically scuttled, after agreeing in writing not to, in order to try to be leader of the political Frankenstein known as the Reform/Alliance/PC/Conservatives.

Bill Casey is breathing a sigh of relief after Premier Rodney MacDonald called on Nova Scotia members of Parliament yesterday to vote against the federal budget.

"Premier MacDonald called me today and told me," the Cumberland-Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley MP said in a phone interview from his Amherst home yesterday.

"I was just really surprised," he said.

Casey won support from many Nova Scotians last week after voting against the federal budget.

He was immediately tossed out of the party after the vote.

Casey now considers himself an Independent Progressive Conservative.

Also glad is Progressive Conservative Association of Nova Scotia president Scott Armstrong.

"It makes things very easy for people in northern Nova Scotia if the premier and our MP Bill Casey are singing from the same song sheet," Armstrong said.

"Bill Casey's really done Nova Scotia a favour."

With the Liberals abandoning Nova Central, MacKays riding, to Elizabeth May and the Greens, her brand of "Progressive" conservatism will likely appeal to Conservative voters disgusted with the Harpocrites and Howdy Doody MacKay.

In Nova Scotia, satisfaction with Ottawa declined from 50 per cent in February to 37 per cent in May, while dissatisfaction rose from 41 per cent to 56 per cent.

A Red tide could sweep the Maritimes next federal election, not just Liberals but Red Tories; the "Progressive" conservatives, Casey, May etc.

Nova Scotians have long memories – and the Conservative government knows it. There are people down here who are still bitter over the fact that Stanfield, the late Progressive Conservative leader, never became prime minister. To this day Stanfield is commonly referred to in these parts as "the best prime minister Canada never had."

The Tories' expulsion of Casey, who was first elected in 1988, has upset Nova Scotians.

People say they elected him to represent their interests, not play the part of a trained seal in Ottawa.

In Truro and elsewhere in the riding, Casey is being cast as the quiet-spoken constituency man who stood up to the bullies in Ottawa.

"It seems to have struck a nerve because I'm getting emails from all over Canada. ... I am truly overwhelmed because all I am doing is asking the government of Canada to honour a signed agreement," Casey told the Star yesterday.

Meanwhile, angry callers to talk radio shows want to know why fellow Nova Scotia Tory MPs Peter MacKay, who is foreign affairs minister, and Gerald Keddy (South Shore-St. Margaret's) didn't have the guts to stick up for their home province.

See:

Tory Cuts For All

You Tell 'em Danny Boy

Red Tories Are Progressives

Conservatives New Nanny State

No Room for Red Tories

Canada's New Progressive Right

Elizabeth May and Red Tories

Liberals The New PC's

PC=Liberals

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Open, Transparent, Accountable, NOT

The paranoia of the PMO has backfired.

according to a Innovative Research Poll, 46 per cent of the 1,067 people polled said that the Conservative government is "more secretive" than previous governments, 34 per cent said the government is about the same, and 15 per cent said the Tories are "more open."

The latter are of course the Conservative base.

Perhaps we should start calling it the Paranoid Prime Ministers Office.

The Humpty Dumpty Harpocrites seem to have a problem with messaging. Unless it comes from the PMO we can assume anything a Government Minister says is subject to reversal.

So much for open, transparent, accountable government promised by the Conservatives in the last election. It was the first victim of their victory.

And regardless of their bills and legislative changes in this regard, they do not pass the smell test with average Canadians. Which should give us all hope that we will suffer a short autarch reign of King Stephen.

All else that has followed, like no time lines for Harpers War, appointment to the Senate of a unelected Cabinet Minister, bribing a Liberal MP to cross the floor and giving him a Cabinet position, lying about taxing Income Trusts, breaking the Atlantic Accord, etc. etc.

Wait five minutes and there will another new revelation of Harpers Hidden Agenda.




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