Articles of Interest — Online

Canada

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Liberalism is trust of the people, tempered by prudence; conservatism, distrust of people, tempered by fear.

Miscellaneous

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• Throwing Stones in Glass Houses  The irony is that a politician from the United States, whose health system is besieged by problems, would throw stones at Canadian medicare   ⇒ By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 10-Mar-2010.

  What’s even more dramatic here is that the oblivious Mrs. Palin actually missed the real irony of the insult she meant for Canada; that in making her case she broke hers!  What’s more, they paid to hear her speak!  However, as she is the darling of the right-wing nuts, they’ll dutifully gloss over this flaw in her argument — never mind her thought process — and celebrate their champion, anyway.  Oh!  And of course, the’ll continue deriding the stupidity of liberals!

• Ottawa Gives Voice to Anthem Controversy  The Harper government is proposing a review of the national anthem lyrics after complaints about the reference to ‘all thy sons’   ⇒ By Gloria Galloway writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 03-Mar-2010.

  As a Liberal, it may surprise some that I don’t see the point of this controversy.  It is my belief that whenever we sing O Canada we know that all thy sons includes one and all — not just males!  This is fluff of the highest order to misdirect!

  UPDATE:  Conservative Senator Nancy Ruth behind Proposed Changes to the National Anthem  Ontario Senator Ruth is unique in the Tory caucus in that she is a strong feminist who is also gay.   ⇒ By Harris MacLeod writing for The Hill Times; posted Tue 09-Mar-2010.

  UPDATE:  Conservatives Ditch Plan to Revise Anthem  The Harper government announced this afternoon that it is abandoning its promise to make the national anthem gender neutral by taking out the reference to “sons command” and replacing it with its original lyrics — “true patriot love thou dost in us command.”   ⇒ By Jane Taber writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 05-Mar-2010.

  I can’t shake this feeling that we’ve just been had.  This had to have been some sort of Harperite hocus-pocus (or should it be hokus-pokus?!?).

  UPDATE:  Reaction from Tory Base Forces Quick Reversal on Anthem Lyrics Idea  Prime Minister’s Office says Canadians have spoken ‘loud and clear’ that O Canada is fine the way it is   ⇒ By Steven Chase writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Sat 06-Mar-2010.

  Truly amazing how quickly der Harper listens to his base.  Of course, the fact that he calls his base as Canadians as if they were the universal set of Canadians is rather disturbing (but not unexpected considering that he’s hyperpartisan).  As a minority government it is amazing how they ignore the rest of Canada when it comes to other issues.

• Palin Says Family Went to Canada for Health Care  Critical U.S. blog reaction also casts doubt on veracity of childhood anecdote told during weekend Calgary speech   ⇒ By Lee-Anne Goodman writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Mon 08-Mar-2010.
• Thou Dost in Us Bewilder  After shooting himself in the foot with the anthem, the Prime Minister should re-calibrate his office’s focus on issues that matter   ⇒ By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Sat 06-Mar-2010.
• Air Travellers Face Extra Security Fees  Transport Minister announces new charges meant to pay for full-body scanners and more officers patrolling airports   ⇒ By Daniel Leblanc and Bill Curry writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 25-Feb-2010.
  

  What a circus!  I saw the broadcast of the announcement by Minister Baird and I have to remark on a couple of things about this “decision.”

  While I don’t have a count, I heard the minister use the CONservative talking points of “transparency and accountability” enough times to elicit a chortle on my part.

  As a convenient segue, it is remarkable how the Tories lay claim to “transparency and accountability” in view of their having prorogued Parliament in December.  I guess their approach is to repeat the words over and over again until people are benumbed to the notion of it actually existing beyond the words used.

  Not coincidentally, this decision was not debated in the House of Commons — well, that’s because the House was prorogued — and when asked by a reporter after his speech, Minister Baird claimed there was not enough time.  Orwelllian… really… after all how can there have been any time when they prorogued Parliament?!?

• Feds Should Prepare for Mass Retirement of Baby Boomers  Things will get tough as country ages, especially with big deficits.   ⇒ By By Cynthia Münster writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 15-Feb-2010.
• The Top 100 Lobbyists 2010  The government relations professionals featured in this year’s The Hill Times’ “Third Annual Top 100 Lobbyists” for 2010 stand out from the rest. They build relationships, garner trust, anticipate pushback on any given issue and come up with a communications strategy, understand the machinery of government, have access to key decision-makers inside government, and are “sensitive to the ‘politics’ of decision making,” say insiders in the GR industry. That’s a lot.   ⇒ By By Bea Vongdouangchanh writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 15-Feb-2010.
• Afghanistan Veterans on Disability Now 6,000  Forces, Veterans Affairs reluctant to disclose casualty records after eight years of war.   ⇒ By Tim Naumetz writing for The Hill Times; posted Sun 14-Feb-2010.
• Experts Warn There’s Little to Cut in Federal Public Service  Stockwell Day’s recent appointment to Treasury Board presidency has been trumpeted as a signal of fiscal restraint to come.   ⇒ By Cynthia Münster writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 01-Feb-2010.
• PMO Press Office Has Whopping 27 Staff  ‘That’s a lot of staff to not get back to you,’ says Don Martin.   ⇒ By Jeff Davis writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 01-Feb-2010.

  What do you expect when der Harper is absolutely obsessed with enlightening the public and tight message control?

• Why 2010 Might Not be a Lucky Year for Tories  The former NDP campaign chief weighs in on Canadian politics and more   ⇒ By Brian Topp writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 19-Jan-2010.
• Ignatieff’s New Maxim:  to Thine Own Self be True  Liberal Leader’s reputation as a global thinker is his strength, not a liability, his new team of advisers argues as they tackle ways for the party to start fresh and reconnect with younger Canadians   ⇒ By John Ibbitson and Michael Valpy writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Mon 18-Jan-2010.
• High Time for a Minister Who Understands the Role of Aid  At Oda’s CIDA, slow has taken on new meaning and poverty has taken a back seat to trade   ⇒ By Ian Smillie; posted Fri 08-Jan-2010.
• PMO Hired Ari Fleischer Twice, Documents Show  Former Bush spokesman earned nearly $50,000 off sole-source contracts helping Stephen Harper manage U.S. media relations   ⇒ By The Canadian Press; posted Wed 06-Jan-2010.

  Of course, in this case, the sole-source contract was awarded because our dear der Harper is the most hyper-partisan and ultra-ideological.  To boot the dinner he had with media types included only right-wing moguls!  Surprise, surprise!!!  Anyone doubt that the CPC is the Republican Party North?!?  Still, you have to admire the polish that der Harper exhibits during media interviews — he never betrays his frothing-at-the-mouth partisanship!  He’s a very savvy manipulator!

• Canada Ignores Local Lawyers Offering Free Advice to Detainees  Emphasis on fixing prison infrastructure instead of reforming the justice system has frustrated human-rights groups for years   ⇒ By Graeme Smith writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 29-Dec-2009.
• American Healthcare Reform and the Canadian Experience  Canadians’ confidence in our own healthcare system could suffer collateral damage as a result of the no-holds-barred fight south of the border   ⇒ By Colin Robertson writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 07-Dec-2009.
• Wrong Way? So What  It used to be the case that if more voters thought the country was “going in the wrong direction,” more voters thought it was time to change governments.  Today, this connection is nowhere near as strong as it was.  To some degree this has to do with the fact that perceptions of Stephen Harper have been improving while those of his principal opponent have been going in the opposite direction, but there is more to it than that.   ⇒ By Bruce Anderson writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 01-Dec-2009.
• Cat’s Demise Prompts Rumours of Thatcher Death  Confusion at Toronto gala led Harper aide to contact Buckingham Palace   ⇒ By Joan Bryden writing for The Canadian Press; posted Wed 11-Nov-2009.

  Quite a testimony to the government of the day — I don’t just mean the manifest incompetence but the funnier infatuation with Margaret Thatcher who pretty well ruined the UK economy during her tenure.  Of course, it didn’t really affect the wealthy — just the non-wealthy.  Like all CONservative simpletons subsequent to her, Thatcher ran the UK government just as she would any of her dad’s grocery shops — Oh! Yeah, just like the Harperites many of whom worship and adore her!

  ---

  UK Press Purrs over Baird’s ‘Thatcher Dead’ Text  The British press had a laugh at Canada’s expense on Friday over a text message lamenting the loss of a beloved pet that led to erroneous rumours at a Toronto gala about the death of former British leader Margaret Thatcher.   ⇒ By CBC News; posted Fri 13-Nov-2009.

  Another lesson in this — the immediacy of texting (and tweeting, I guess) combined with the seeming tendency to make important the most trivial and truly irrelevant can produce truly laughable results — before you e-mail, text, tweet or Blackberry^® consider the consequences.

  Luddite hat on:  Seriously, how self-involved does one have to be to text the world that their cat died?!?  How horribly useless is that?

  The periodical Forbes poses a lesson to those in diplomatic circles: Avoid naming your pet after aging politicians.

Afghan Detainees

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• How to Tame a PM’s Prerogative?  In a showdown with the Crown — like the one over Afghan detainee documents — Parliament can use statute to take matters into its own hands   ⇒ By David Schneiderman writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 10-Mar-2010.
• Ottawa Anticipated Afghan Torture Allegations:  Memo  A Foreign Affairs memo obtained by CBC News confirms the Canadian government had a plan to deal with accusations that prisoners in Afghan custody were being tortured months before such allegations were made publicly.   ⇒ By CBC News; posted Mon 08-Mar-2010.
• Canadian Spies Interrogated Afghan Prisoners, Insiders Reveal  Security experts stunned by CSIS’s role in questioning Taliban fighters who may have been tortured   ⇒ By Murray Brewster and Jim Bronskill writing for The Canadian Press; posted Sun 07-Mar-2010.
• Canada Wanted Afghan Prisoners Tortured:  Lawyer  Unredacted documents show officials hoped to gather intelligence, expert says   ⇒ By CBC News; posted Sat 06-Mar-2010.
• Grits Willing to Drop Order to Produce Afghan Documents, Want Judicial Inquiry  The move would allow both sides out of an impasse of historic proportions that if unresolved could lead to a divisive federal election within the next few months.   ⇒ By Tim Naumetz writing for The Hill Times; posted Sat 06-Mar-2010.
• Retired Judge Asked to Review Documents in Detainee Affair  Justice Minister Rob Nicholson says Frank Iacobucci will vet classified documents MPs have demanded   ⇒ By Gloria Galloway writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Sat 06-Mar-2010.
• Harper Grilled over Prorogation, Detainees  Opposition demands unredacted documents over Afghan detainee transfers   ⇒ By CBC News; posted Fri 05-Mar-2010.

  Obviously, no recalibration occurred with respect to der Harper’s sense of accountability and transparency!  Yes, no change there!

• Tories Fire Back on Afghan Detainees, Anger Opposition  The Conservative government is firing back in the three-month-old debate over Canada’s transfer policy for Afghan detainees.   ⇒ By The CTV.ca News Staff; posted Wed 03-Feb-2010.

  The CPC “propaganda and obfuscation juggernaut” rolls on… Now, the big blue machine — the very masters of attack, deflection and misdirection — are at it again in questioning the patriotism of opposition critics as well as the latter’s regard for the Canadian Forces.  As they seem wont to do (seemingly often and regularly), the CONservatives are taking cues from the American Republican Party whose modus operandi during the Bush administration was to accuse those who weren’t in favour of the “war on terror” — or even the legitimate critics of the administration — as unpatriotic if not outrightly treacherous.  Such ignoble fools who resort to cheap and simplistic demagogy sprinkled with self-righteous histrionics in order to secure their status and goals; sadder still are those who buy into the very pap they spew…

• Watchdogs Describe Coming ‘Under Attack’ by Conservative Government  A trio of recently fired watchdogs visited a prorogued Parliament today to complain that the Conservatives are “at war” with the government’s independent tribunals.   ⇒ By Colin Freeze writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 26-Jan-2010.
• Richard Colvin Faces ‘Reprisal’ for Detainee Testimony  Letter accuses Conservative government of retaliating against diplomat who blew whistle on Afghan torture by refusing to pay his legal bills   ⇒ By Steven Chase writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Mon 25-Jan-2010.
• Feds and Army Brass Deepened Detainee Crisis:  Transcripts  Military Police Complaints Commission inquiry told there was a state of ‘mass confusion’ over transfers and scarce resources for military police.   ⇒ By Tim Naumetz writing for The Hill Times; posted Tue 22-Dec-2009.
• Harper Assumes Powers of Executive Privilege, U.S.-presidential Style  A dispute that began with stonewalled reports of Afghan prisoner abuse is set to become the crucible that determines if the Prime Minister or Parliament is now supreme.   ⇒ By James Travers writing for The Hill Times; posted Tue 22-Dec-2009.
• Management of Errors  Why do governments engage in secrecy and cover-ups rather than admit errors and accept responsibility for them?   ⇒ By W. T. Stanbury writing for The Hill Times; posted Tue 22-Dec-2009.
• Time for an Independent Afghan Inquiry  The federal governing Conservatives should respect the will of the majority of the MPs in Parliament and release the documents.  It should also agree to strike an independent inquiry.  It’s the right thing.   ⇒ By the Editors of The Hill Times; posted Tue 22-Dec-2009.
• Shabby Tory Smears  Is everyone who disagrees with Prime Minister Stephen Harper a Taliban stooge, a raving anti-Semite or a loony-left extremist?  You’d think so, to hear the shabby low blows Harper and his cabinet are forever aiming at any and all who dare to criticize federal policy.   ⇒ By the Editors of The Toronto Star; posted Sun 20-Dec-2009.
• Has Canada Entered a ‘Bush-like Vortex’?  Richard Colvin’s torture allegations suggest civil servants aren’t writing down what the government doesn’t want recorded   ⇒ By David Eaves writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 18-Dec-2009.
• ‘The Buck Stopped Nowhere’ at Foreign Affairs on Colvin’s Warnings  No one was in charge in the early part of the Afghan mission, Canada’s biggest overseas commitment since the Korean War   ⇒ By Campbell Clark writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 18-Dec-2009.
• Detainee Whistleblower Blasts Back at Tories on Torture  Richard Colvin offers 16-page letter refuting Harper government’s dismissal of his Afghan allegations   ⇒ By Steven Chase writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 16-Dec-2009.

  Related:  Richard Colvin’s Response to the Government (16-Dec-2009)   ⇒ By Richard Colvin; posted Wed 16-Dec-2009.

  IMHO the widespread use of the term “whistleblower” is somewhat disturbingly inaccurate.  While in the broader sense, Colvin did raise his concern about very questionable practices involving Afghan detainees — thus the “whistleblower” label — he was first and foremost summoned to testify at the MPCC to which he honourably complied.

  Colvin Fires Back at Critics in Military and Government  Diplomat’s 16-page rebuttal accuses Ottawa of dragging its feet, losing track of detainees in covert jails   ⇒ By Steven Chase writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 17-Dec-2009.

• Foot-dragging and Fudging  The Conservative government’s handling of the Afghan detainee issue reflects poorly on its trustworthiness, managerial competence and ability to apply Canadian values abroad   ⇒ By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 17-Dec-2009.
• Harper Tories are Own Worst Enemies  The Conservatives do best politically when they govern with (and like) the Liberals and worst when they follow their own counsel   ⇒ By Chantal Hébert writing for The Toronto Star; posted Wed 16-Dec-2009.
• Afghan Detainee Watchdog Warns of Tory ‘Chilling Effect’  Departing military commission chief’s comments come as Harper government digs in its heels in face of parliamentary order to turn over confidential files   ⇒ By Steven Chase and Gloria Galloway writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 11-Dec-2009.

  The disclosures within this article may well be the most convincing and compelling for convening an independent, public and judicial — or at least a quasi-judicial — inquiry into this matter.

  Conservative Boycott Shuts down Afghan Detainee Hearing  ‘It’s not the time to be having meetings that are implying ...  Canadians are somehow guilty of war crimes,’ Tory MP says in apparent bid to kill off thorny issue by attrition   ⇒ By Steven Chase writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 15-Dec-2009.

  Sure enough… as expected over the weekend of 12-Dec-2009 the Harperites make their move to squelch dissent in yet another fine demonstration of their very own brand of democracy.  There is no surprise here — except perhaps were one to read the conservative supporters’ spew on the web comment boards and blogosphere.  I guess those who chose to live in the depths and the darkness know not much else!

  After Detainee Obstacles, Future of MPCC in Doubt  The outgoing head of the Military Police Complaints Commission says the government’s refusal to release uncensored confidential documents about Afghan prisoners puts the future of the watchdog in question.   ⇒ By CTV.ca; posted Sun 13-Dec-2009.

  Maybe this was why Defense Minister Peter Mackay looked so smug when he testified Wed 09-Dec-2009 — they were going to cut the MPCC off at the knees!

• Coalition Allies Faulted Canada over Handling of Detainees  Complaint was lodged over secretive approach on captures as early as summer of 2006   ⇒ By Steven Chase and Paul Koring writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 15-Dec-2009.

  Could it be the Harperites have been hard at hiding that they don't care if anybody (Taliban and innocents alike) is tortured because in their minds everything is justified in the war against terrorism?!?  Simplistic as that sounds, one needs to recall that the Harperites are simple folk after all!

• Former Ambassadors Condemn Ottawa’s Attack on Diplomat  Response to Colvin’s detainee testimony discourages honest reports, letter says   ⇒ By Steven Chase and Campbell Clark writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 08-Dec-2009.

  Related:  Open Letter from Ex-ambassadors  Former diplomats speak out the Conservative government’s treatment of Richard Colvin, who spoke out on the treatment of Canadian detainees in Afghanistan   ⇒ By Marc Baudouin, Michael D. Bell, Eric Bergusch, Marius Bujold, Jacques Crête, Anne Marie Doyle, Paul Durand, Marc Faguy, Robert Fowler, John Graham, Jean-Paul Hubert, Gabriel Lessard, Patricia Marsden-Dole, François Mathys, Carolyn McAskie, John Noble, Gar Pardy, Jacques Roy, Joseph Stanford, Howard Strauss, William Warden, Christopher Westdal, Former Canadian Ambassadors; posted Tue 08-Dec-2009.

  Protest Grows against Tory Government’s Attack on Colvin  More than 35 top diplomats add names to list as MacKay faces mounting pressure in detainee-abuse case   ⇒ By Paul Koring and Steven Chase writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 15-Dec-2009.

• Afghans Violating Detainee-transfer Agreement  A number of insurgents handed over to Afghan police can’t be accounted for, despite Ottawa’s assertion transfer problems were fixed   ⇒ By Paul Koring writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Mon 14-Dec-2009.
• Harper Must Air the Afghan Files  Prime Minister Stephen Harper has just rung in Parliament’s holiday season by inviting its contempt.  His refusal to release documents that would shed light on Canada’s handling of Afghan detainees risks provoking a crisis the moment the House of Commons returns on Jan. 25.   ⇒ By the Editors of The Toronto Star; posted Sun 13-Dec-2009.

  For the second time in as many years, der Harper has openly disdained Parliament — last year it was less the prorogation; more the public disinformation and campaign about the “coalition” which his bleating flock took and lapped up readily.  I guess these so-called “conservatives” will pick and choose their respect for tradition, rules and mores after all they have proven to be a most self-serving, self-aggrandizing bunch!

• The Commons:  Shrug and Dismiss  Yet, an end to the questions seems about as far away as it has ever been.   ⇒ By Aaron Wherry writing for Macleans; posted Fri 11-Dec-2009.

  This is from one of the pro-conservative news outlets…

• The Government Should Have Hugged Colvin, Not Demonized Him  The Afghan detainee file:  Who’s ‘ludicrous’ now?   ⇒ By Jeffrey Simpson writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 11-Dec-2009.
• Ottawa Won’t Release Afghan Documents  Harper government says it will not comply with Opposition motion passed by Parliament, setting stage for legal battle   ⇒ By Susan Delacourt writing for The Toronto Star; posted Fri 11-Dec-2009.

  Mind:  When they campaigned for office since 2006 and even in opposition, the CPC advocated transparency and accountability…

• The Persistent Curiosity Deficit  The government must provide a full and honest accounting about the treatment of Afghan detainees.  The obfuscation is quickly becoming more serious than the original offence   ⇒ By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 11-Dec-2009.
• Detainee Questions ‘Spear the Canadian Forces,’ Opposition Told  The Conservative government sticks to its guns on Afghan torture — and the Defence Minister is accused of a sexist response   ⇒ By Jane Taber writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 10-Dec-2009.

  More of the same misdirection and accusatory non-sequiturs from this sorry excuse for a government courtesy of the CPC.

• Mackay May be Indefensible, but His Job is Safe  In a different time, over a different issue, with a different minister, a resignation might be in the offing.  But in these times, when the issue is Afghanistan, and when the minister is Peter MacKay — not likely.  “Ministerial responsibility” is an anachronistic phrase that used to hold cabinet ministers responsible for whatever goes on in their department.  It lost any meaning back in 1991, when then-foreign minister Joe Clark refused to resign over the al Mashat affair, blaming his staff for the arrival of Iraq’s former U.S. ambassador as an immigrant, with inside help.   ⇒ By John Ibbitson writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 10-Dec-2009.
  

  Besides which, this is a government run by people who only pay lip service to accountability and transparency… so how — never mind why — could we expect responsibility from these conservatives who after all believe in minimal government!?!

  

  And on a different note… Doesn’t this picture (on the left) just project a smug visage?  This is of Defense Minister Peter Mackay when he appeared Wed 09-Dec-2009 at the Special Committee on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan.

  Oh!  Well, we also cannot discount the fact that these conservatives don’t think much of Afghans.  Of course, they would never own up to that since there are votes at stake here in Canada lest even a hint of racial profiling be sniffed in the air!

• The Bind Ottawa is In  With opposition calling in unison for Defence Minister’s head, PM will only say military acted correctly in its dealings with Afghan detainees   ⇒ By Bruce Anderson writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 09-Dec-2009.
• Canadians Had Detained Abused Suspect:  General  Gen. Walter Natynczyk, Canada’s top military commander, is now saying a suspected Taliban fighter abused by Afghan police in June 2006 had been detained by Canadian troops, contrary to comments Natynczyk made Tuesday.   ⇒ By CBC News; posted Wed 09-Dec-2009.
  

  As the contradictory statements and accounts emerge it is even more clear that two things ought happen.

  First, Defense Minister Peter Mackay must step down.  Whether he knew and covered up or he didn’t and most certainly should’ve, Mackay needs to resign.

  Secondly, a formal public inquiry should be convened to sort this matter out once and for all.

  Of course, with the most shallow government embodied by the CPC and the Harperites the most recent and “significant” course of action taken by this government has been to construct a “communication plan” — which is Orwellian or marketing-ese (please take your pick…) for how-to-spin-this-odious-thing — instead of doing the right thing.  Not surprising since the CPC’s primary (and increasingly its “sole” — evidently) preoccupation is self-promotion rather than do anything substantive.

• The Record and the Falsehoods  The government’s insistence it knew nothing about the torture of Afghan detainees becomes more and more tenuous   ⇒ By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 08-Dec-2009.
• Proof of Detainee Abuse Exists, despite Mackay’s Denials  Uncensored documents and sworn testimony indicate one prisoner was beaten so badly, Canadians intervened to take him back and treat him   ⇒ By Paul Koring writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Mon 07-Dec-2009.

  Related:  Mackay on Detainees  Defence Minister Peter MacKay responding to allegations that Canada transferred prisoners to Afghan custody knowing they were at risk of being abused.   ⇒ Peter Mackay — verbatim; posted Mon 07-Dec-2009.

• Credibility Blacked Out  The Conservatives continue to respond with contempt to reasonable, serious questions about the treatment of the Afghans first detained by Canadians   ⇒ By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 03-Dec-2009.

  All truth passes through three stages.  First, it is ridiculed.  Second, it is violently opposed.  Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.

• Government Wanted Quick Afghan Detainee Transfers  Canada’s top two commanders in Afghanistan in spring 2006 told investigators the government pressured them to transfer detainees to Afghan authorities faster than they felt was appropriate, CBC News has learned.   ⇒ By CBC News; posted Thu 03-Dec-2009.
• Officials Alerted to Torture Risks, Reports Show  Canadian Forces major, RCMP officer aware of Red Cross concerns about torture in Afghan prisons   ⇒ By Steven Chase and Campbell Clark writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 03-Dec-2009.
• Torture Memo Trips up Tories  As Ottawa claimed detainees were being monitored, diplomat warned they weren’t   ⇒ By Tonda MacCharles writing for The Toronto Star; posted Thu 03-Dec-2009.
• John Baird Won’t Let Truth Blunt a Good Barb  For the second consecutive day, the Transport Minister, who is standing in for an absent Prime Minister Stephen Harper, misrepresented and misquoted the Liberal defence critic Ujjal Dosanjh to fit the Tory narrative that the Liberals are anti-military   ⇒ By Jane Taber writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 02-Dec-2009.

  Of course, the real wonder here is that most CONservatives (specifically CPC members and camp-followers) gobble these lies up as the truth by the snootful.  Plus, when they hear the truth and it is unflattering to their party and their beliefs they are inclined to think these are lies.  All in all, an obdurate bunch these CONservatives.

• Parts of Detainee Report Erased at Ambassador’s Request  Colvin deleted sections on Ottawa’s delays in telling Red Cross about prisoner transfers   ⇒ By Steven Chase and Campbell Clark writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 02-Dec-2009.
• Harper Using Soldiers as his Shield  Stephen Harper isn’t standing behind the troops; he’s ducking behind them in an attempt to shift attention away from what politicians knew — and didn’t do — about Afghanistan prisoner abuse.  Changing the channel is a precondition for this capital’s favourite game of passing the buck.   ⇒ By James Travers writing for The Toronto Star; posted Tue 01-Dec-2009.
• House of Commons Demands Torture Inquiry  Though passed by a wide margin, opposition motion does not compel minority Conservative government to act on allegations of detainee abuse in Afghanistan   ⇒ By Campbell Clark writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 01-Dec-2009.
• Redactions Hamper Afghan Detainee Probe  The heavily redacted documents, obtained by The Globe and Mail, underscore the sweeping nature of the government’s efforts to keep the documentary record from the Military Police Complaints Commission, which is attempting to conduct an inquiry into allegations that Canada knowingly transferred prisoners to likely torturers in Afghanistan.   ⇒ By Paul Koring writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 01-Dec-2009.
• Slow Response to Abuse Warnings Not Explained  Several points about detainees treatment are uncontested, but key question remains:  Why did it take so long to change procedures?   ⇒ By Campbell Clark writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 01-Dec-2009.
• Tories Learned of Afghan Prison Conditions in 2006:  Mackay  The Conservative government now says it was aware of “concerns about the state of prisons” in Afghanistan almost from the day it took office and eventually rewrote a prisoner transfer agreement as those concerns mounted.  Defence Minister Peter MacKay offered a dramatically different Tory narrative on the Afghan torture issue on Friday.  This capped a week in which the government went from lampooning as Taliban “dupes” anyone who alleged prisoner abuse to claiming the government took such reports seriously from the start.   ⇒ By Bruce Cheadle writing for The Canadian Press; posted Tue 01-Dec-2009.

  Just watch how the CPC message machine goes from hereon.  Now they’re going to make it seem as if they’ve always been concerned about torture.  This even though an examination of Hansard indicates that ever since they got in power — that would be since 23-JAN-2006 — the Harperites (especially der Harper) ridiculed any concern about prisoners as typical bleeding-heart fluff even to the extent of accusing anybody who brings it up to be either Taliban dupes or sympathizers.  Even the three generals who defended their records individually and collectively made for some bizarre theatre since nobody has accused the Canadian military of being guilty of conducting torture of prisoners.  I guess the CPC is once again masterfully manipulating the information/rumour/noise flow in order to dilute any responsibility or — Heaven forfend! — blame to adhere!  Such master obfuscators…

• Harper Attack on Detainee Transfer Critics “Reprehensible”:  Rae  Rae told reporters that the issue is not about questioning the conduct of Canadian troops, but instead probing the actions of the Tories.  Rae said to argue that some political parties are stronger supporters of the Canadian military than others is “reprehensible”?and to suggest that raising questions over the Afghan detainee issue is “somewhat unpatriotic, is frankly beyond the pale.”   ⇒ By CBC News; posted Mon 30-Nov-2009.

  This Tory tactic is right out of the Republican Party playbook when the latter accused those who raised questions as well as opposed them as traitors.  It is a remarkably transparent attempt at misdirection — sadly it worked in the USA; will this work here?

• How to (try to) Run a Cover-up:  the Case of the Harper Government and the Prisoners in Afghanistan  Has no one told the Tories that almost all cover-up tactics are supposed to be conducted in secret?  A cover-up conducted in public is a farce — produced at taxpayer expense.   ⇒ By W.T. Stanbury writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 30-Nov-2009.

  Of course, we know how the CPC views the public purse… after all they’ve been doing it with their campaign brochures, when handing out cheques and anything else their marketing machine conjures.  The CPC probably justifies the use of public money (that’d be our money…) for their partisan use through their deluded sense of mission — that they are doing this for the good of the country.  I guess when you repeat something over and over it really becomes the truth!  Truly sad…

• Mackay and O’Connor Could Shoulder Blame on Afghan Torture Allegations:  Expert  Senior military, DFAIT officials might misunderstand extent of international and Canadian law that governs prisoner transfers.   ⇒ By Tim Naumetz writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 30-Nov-2009.
• Partisan Sound and Patriotic Fury  Stephen Harper’s Tories wrapped themselves in the Canadian flag in Question Period today, aggressively accusing the Liberals of being anti-soldier, anti-athlete and by default, anti-Canadian.   ⇒ By Jane Taber writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Mon 30-Nov-2009.

  Fascinating how the Tories are using the “J’accuse” technique to avoid answering any pertinent question in the House of Commons as well as amp their bombast in public.  Nice beasties these Harperites!

• The Questions We are Not Asking  Whenever a political story catches fire and the hepped-up opposition, eager reporting corps and not-always-adept government types conspire to stoke the furnace, there are always people watching who know much more of the truth than most of those working the bellows on Parliament Hill.  In the case of the Afghan detainee story, I happen to know a couple of these people.   ⇒ By Neil Macdonald writing for CBC News; posted Mon 30-Nov-2009.
• Using the Troops as Props  A full-blown spin war is developing between Michael Ignatieff’s Liberals and Stephen Harper’s Conservatives over who loves the Canadian military more.   ⇒ By Jane Taber writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Mon 30-Nov-2009.
• The Gap between Warning and Action  With Canada’s political leadership focused too much on posturing and too little on fact, answers on Afghans detainees are still hard to come by   ⇒ By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 27-Nov-2009.
• Warnings on Detainees Were E-mailed to Mackay’s Office  Reports sent in May and June 2006 did not use the word torture, but said Red Cross was frustrated at Ottawa’s lack of co-operation   ⇒ By Steven Chase writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 26-Nov-2009.
• Canadians Not Buying Government Denial of Claims Afghan Detainees Tortured:  Poll  Indeed, The Canadian Press Harris-Decima survey indicates Canadians are twice as likely to believe whistleblower Richard Colvin’s claim that all prisoners handed over by Canadian soldiers to Afghan authorities were likely abused and that government officials were well aware of the problem.   ⇒ By Joan Bryden writing for The Canadian Press; posted Wed 25-Nov-2009.
• Four Questions  Instead of more attacks on public servants, Canadians deserve unconditioned and complete answers on the abuse of Afghan detainees   ⇒ By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 25-Nov-2009.

  Now, whether the most obstructive, opportunistic, partisan, combative and secretive government in recent Canadian history will do the right thing is up in the air!

• Whistleblower’s Warnings on Detainees Reached Minister’s Office  Diplomat corrects his testimony to confirm that some of his reports on Afghan detainees were sent to highest level at Foreign Affairs   ⇒ By Steven Chase writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 25-Nov-2009.
• Ottawa’s Deny, Delay, Disparage Strategy:  so Far, It’s Working  Nearly four years after Canadian troops started fighting in the Taliban heartland of Kandahar, the government continues to deny there has been a single proven instance of torture   ⇒ By Paul Koring writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 24-Nov-2009.

  der Harper and his minions (official and otherwise… feel free to insert an eye-roll here…) like to champion the cause of accountability and transparency whenever they campaign.  To date, though, they’ve managed to prove only one thing:  they are transparently unaccountable to anyone.  Their sense of and claim to entitlement is in quaint juxtaposition to the self-righteous accusations and vitriole they used to sling and spew while in opposition.  I guess power becomes them — they’ve simply unmasked themselves — not surprisingly.  The support their camp-followers give them is hardly astonishing either as their collective cluelessness is legendary.

• Speaking Out, despite the Cost  Thank goodness for civil servants like diplomat Richard Colvin who breach the walls of government secrecy and obfuscation and speak out for principle   ⇒ By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 24-Nov-2009.
• Afghan Prisoner Transfers Halted More than Once:  Top General  Comments from Walter Natynczyk, Canada’s chief of defence staff, come as Afghan agency reports nearly 400 cases of torture   ⇒ By Murray Brewster writing for The Canadian Press; posted Mon 23-Nov-2009.

  General Natynczyk’s disclosure happened during a press conference as Peter Mackay stood beside him at an international security conference in Halifax.  Wonder what was going on in Mackay’s mind when that happened?  With the disclosures made to date and a host more expected as this issue simmers on to a full roiling boil I wonder how much faster the wheels will come off the vaunted CPC spin machine.  They’ve been pretty adept at tight propaganda (er… message) control… so far.

  Of course all this “excitement” to true-blue CONservatives is of no consequence whatsoever.  After all, were one to take any CONservatives comments about the developing sTories on the web seriously (LOL) the general public ought not back the clamour to get a public inquiry going because it will cost the taxpayer.  Of course, as far as I can determine after a cursory examination of the comment boards no non-CONservative has raised the fact that the CONservative apologists have been quaintly silent about the Tory government’s abuse of the public purse as they frequently undertake self-promotion and campaigning.  Understandable as I’m sure these self-same CPC camp-followers (er… members) don’t have a problem using taxpayers’ money whenever it serves their party’s interests.

• All Afghan Detainees Likely Tortured:  Diplomat  All detainees transferred by Canadians to Afghan prisons were likely tortured by Afghan officials and many of the prisoners were innocent, says a former senior diplomat with Canada’s mission in Afghanistan.   ⇒ By CBC News; posted Thu 19-Nov-2009.

  Richard Colvin’s Affidavit  The statement at the very centre of the current controversy.   ⇒ By Richard Colvin; posted Sun 22-Nov-2009.

• EU Diplomat Backs Claims on Torture  Canadian’s warnings on Afghan detainees reflected common view, says his European colleague   ⇒ By Tonda MacCharles and Allan Woods writing for The Toronto Star; posted Sun 22-Nov-2009.

  Now, I wonder how the Harperites will spin this one… are they going to have to discredit Michael Semple as well?

• Harper Lauds Press Freedom in Speech, Doesn’t Take Questions from Reporters  Prime Minister yet to comment on explosive allegations that top government officials knew about torture of Afghans taken prisoner by Canadian soldiers   ⇒ By The Canadian Press; posted Sun 22-Nov-2009.

  As I noted earlier, I have this niggling feeling that CONservatives in general — der Harper and his CPC brethren in particular — are an absolutely clueless lot.  Here der Harper speaks out of both sides of his mouth in public!  He deftly manages this by avoidance…

• MPs out of the Loop on Afghan Torture? Unlikely  Colvin’s narrative makes it clear the government could not have been in the dark about the potential prevalence of torture unless the country’s top civil servants conspired to keep their political masters out of the loop, and that is highly unlikely   ⇒ By Chantal Hébert writing for The Toronto Star; posted Sun 22-Nov-2009.
• And the Conservative Spin Machine Spins on …  This week it turned its attention to diplomat Richard Colvin   ⇒ By Jeffrey Simpson writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Sat 21-Nov-2009.
• Many Detainees Were Just Farmers, Afghan Official Says  Torture controversy becomes swirling affair as senior government officials scramble to explain themselves   ⇒ By Steven Chase and Campbell Clark writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Sat 21-Nov-2009.
• Once the Invisible Man, Now the Centre of Attention  Afghanistan whistleblower Richard Colvin’s career and “undramatic” style belie the maverick image some are using to portray him   ⇒ By Sonya Verma writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Sat 21-Nov-2009.
• Bureaucrats and Other Critics Often Face Tories’ Wrath  Diplomat Richard Colvin latest to face backlash from Conservatives   ⇒ By Jennifer Ditchburn writing for The Canadian Press; posted Fri 20-Nov-2009.

  Ah… the hyperpartisan CPC’s usual spew, prevailing thought pattern and behaviour…  They never could abide critics from within or without their party.  From the rank and file members of the CPC to the CONservative sympathizer on the street, they all greet any criticism or valid critique with the self-same venomous vitriole and frothy fury.

• Colvin Groomed in Hot-spots around the World  The man who is now the target of so much Conservative scorn was thought suitably intrepid to be assigned by his government masters to some of the hottest counter-insurgencies over the past 15 years   ⇒ By The Canadian Press; posted Fri 20-Nov-2009.
• Conservatives Shoot the Messenger over Torture Allegations  In an organized smackdown rarely seen in Ottawa, the government turned inward on Thursday to attack a new enemy in its Afghanistan conflict — senior Washington embassy intelligence officer Richard Colvin.  So it appears they believe the only way out of this mess is to break Richard Colvin, even if it means whipping his unblemished reputation.  Yet every action by this government to date has only enhanced the diplomat’s credibility.   ⇒ By Don Martin writing for The National Post; posted Fri 20-Nov-2009.

  Just one thing I would add to Mr. Don Martin’s article — Mr. Colvin has nothing to gain and quite a bit to lose by turning whistle-blower!

• Tories Attack Credibility of Diplomat Who Blew Whistle on Torture  Defence Minister cites ‘incredible holes’ in testimony by Richard Colvin alleging Canadian government’s complicity in the abuse of Afghan detainees   ⇒ By Steven Chase, Paul Koring and Josh Wingrove writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 20-Nov-2009.
• The Torture and the Paper Trail  A consistent pattern of looking the other way when informed about the abuse of Afghan detainees would say something disturbing about a whole group of Canadian institutions   ⇒ By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 20-Nov-2009.
• Tories Reject Call for Afghan Torture Inquiry  No proof detainees were tortured, defence minister says   ⇒ By CBC News; posted Thu 19-Nov-2009.

  “There has not been a single, solitary proven allegation of abuse involving a transferred Taliban prisoner by Canadian forces,” Defence Minister Peter Gordon Mackay said in the House of Commons.

  On its own that one utterance above could very well be fraught with more than one mendacity.  Have there been more than one instance of abuse involving a transfer?  Might some of the “Taliban” prisoners have been innocent civilians?  Does the absence of proof to date necessarily negate Colvin’s assertions?  That’s just a small but non-exhaustive set of questions.

  Of course, the interpreter’s world view as well as agenda may well colour the parsing of sentences — in or out of context.  After all, take for example the infamous quote, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman…”  Speculation?  Perhaps.  However, were one to compare the statements from Mackay with that of Colvin you cannot ignore your intuition’s shouting “Doublespeak!!!” with regards the former and “Plain speak” the latter.

  In my mind with that phrase Mackay’s very credibility suffers most because of his talking points’ insistent and frequent use of the phrase “Taliban prisoners.”  Why?  Simple.  Richard Colvin’s affidavit states that all detainees — note the universal inclusiveness as opposed to the curious and obstinate qualifier used by Mackay, i.e., “Taliban” — were likely subjected to torture.  The qualifier that Mackay prefers to use smacks of evasiveness and misdirection.  It is a miniscule glitch in Mackay’s talking points but it could well be very telling.  That affidavit is posted here… so I do encourage you to read it yourself in order to banish the spin once and for all.

  Clearly, the onus of proof lies with the Harper government but they’ve already stated they are rejecting the growing clamour for a public inquiry into these matters.  Well, at least the Harperites are consistent in their practise — despite their promise of openness and transparency each and every time they campaign (and speaking of which, when do they ever stop campaigning?).

  And so the spin doctoring begins.  This is most typical of CONservatives that they attack and vilify their opponents (perceived or otherwise) in order to undermine them in the eyes of their following and — so they hope — the general public as well.  It is a tactic likely borrowed from their American brethren — the Republican Party and very well and often exercised by their very own (or might as well be their own) propaganda platform (uhm… er, “news outlet”), Fox News.

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  “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.  The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie.  It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”

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CONservatives Behaving ‘Oddly’

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• Former Harper Aide Says Jaffer Should Apologize  Kory Teneycke, a former spokesman for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, said Jaffer is the one who owes the public an explanation and an apology.   ⇒ By Tonda MacCharles writing for The Toronto Star; posted Wed 10-Mar-2010.
• Jaffer Avoids Criminal Charges, Leaving Questions Unanswered  Ex-MP pleads guilty to careless driving but cocaine, alcohol charges are dropped   ⇒ By Tu Thanh Ha writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 10-Mar-2010.
• Tories Pressed for Answers on Jaffer Sentence  “Rahim Jaffer, when he was an MP in Edmonton got elected on a tough-on-crime platform...”   ⇒ By CTV.ca News; posted Wed 10-Mar-2010.
• Vic Toews Blames Media for Rahim Jaffer ‘Smear Job’  Stephen Harper’s senior Manitoba minister has launched a public attack on a journalist from his province over her reporting of the Rahim Jaffer affair, calling it a “smear job.”   ⇒ By Jane Taber writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 10-Mar-2010.
  

  It has been remarked that since Jaffer was — and is — now a private citizen his foibles and peccadillos are his own business.  A fair observation if there wasn’t the issue of how the formerly honourable gentleman received a mere slap on the wrist for his offense(s).  In addition he is still connected politically being the husband of Helena Guergis — the Minister of State for the Status of Women.  As a Canadian of prominence and with connections — or former prominence — was he afforded the break because of it?

  As for Mr. Toew’s fulminations of course it is always acceptable for conservatives to attack the media — the messenger — when the latter don’t portray them in a positive light but carry on with their spin operations — really propaganda propagation combined with a generous voodoo concoction of marketing techniques — with nary a care in the world!

  It truly strikes me odd that the ever-populist conservatives incessantly complain about and accuse everybody else of being elitist and entitled yet still manage to comport themselves with such glorious and certainly sanctimonious decorum they miraculously muster each and every day.  Truly bewildering… yet not surprising at all!

• Airport Worker Says Guergis Meltdown among Worst He’s Seen  Junior cabinet minister apologizes for her behaviour at Charlottetown Airport   ⇒ By Sarah Boesveld and Jane Taber writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 26-Feb-2010.
  

  Perhaps we Canadians (particularly the often — although certainly not always — sanctimonious CONservatives amongst us) will remember this classy lady’s ill behaviour next time the Tories accuse and berate — and just when have they ever not?!? — other people and/or parties (particularly those not of their own) of entitlement and/or being elitist.

  The CONservative bloggers and comment trolls are out in full force; already accusing the left of everything, of course.  Meanwhile, one cheeky comment posted asked:  Where were the tasers?

  I guess there is merit (or at least a point) to one of der Harper’s first official actions upon assuming office after all — issuing a gag order to all his MPs requiring them to clear communications with the PMO.

  UPDATE:  Women’s Groups Give Guergis ‘A Pass’ on Her Airport Tantrum  But opposition critics say status of women minister should resign for ‘utterly failing’ at her job.   ⇒ By Jeff Davis writing for The Hill Times; posted Tue 09-Mar-2010.

  UPDATE:  Liberals Want Helena Guergis Fired  Wasting no time to pounce on Conservative misfortune, the Liberals are calling on the Prime Minister to sack a member of his cabinet after an ugly incident at Charlottetown Airport.   ⇒ By Stephen Wicary writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 26-Feb-2010.

  I love the update paragraph added by the author indicating the CONservatives have dug up references to Liberals who’ve had their airline difficulties.

  And in the I never thought I’d ever defend a staff writer at The National Post department, the reference in the above article was not altogether fair in its characterisation of the one below.  It is my considered opinion that the The National Post article below is a tongue-in-cheek piece.  I think that considering the bad press they anticipated the story was going to get, Mr. McParland went for a quaint Let’s-head-them-off-at-the-pass write-up with humour to disarm it.

  UPDATE:  Helena Guergis Deserves a Medal  Helena Guergis deserves a medal.  Maybe two.  We’ve been winning plenty of them in Vancouver, maybe someone can send one of the spares her way.   ⇒ By Kelly McParland writing for The National Post; posted Fri 26-Feb-2010.

• Harper’s Running on a Public Opinion Treadmill  Like a plant whose buds fail to open, his government is consistently failing to thrive in the polls.  It could be that the Conservative party was uprooted from opposition too quickly for its own good.   ⇒ By Chantal Hébert writing for The Hill Times; posted Tue 09-Mar-2010.
• Rahim Jaffer Pleads Guilty to Careless Driving  Former Conservative MP fined $500; cocaine possession charge dropped   ⇒ By Tu Thanh Ha writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 09-Mar-2010.

  Related:  Tories Bristle when Asked to Explain Rahim Jaffer’s ‘Slap on the Wrist’  Stephen Harper’s tough-on-crime Conservatives were accused of being not-so-tough when it comes to one of their own today during a particularly nasty Question Period.   ⇒ By Jane Taber writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 09-Mar-2010.

  I was going to refrain from further comment considering the follow-up article here … however, having missed the actual Question Period telecast this afternoon, I can only tsk-tsk that the CONs must have been absolutely apoplectic!  I guess it’s tough to do the time when you’re a hypocrite CONservative doing the crime!

• Public Safety Minister’s Ruling Inadequate, Judge Rules  Justice calls minister’s refusal to let Canadian return from Costa Rica to serve his time ‘arbitrary;’ lawyer alleges racial bias   ⇒ By Paul Koring writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Mon 08-Mar-2010.
• Feds Wrong on Crime Bills:  Therien  The Conservatives are simply stoking the ideological fires to justify their tough-on-crime policies to get re-elected.   ⇒ By Emile Therien in a letter to the Editors of The Hill Times; posted Sat 06-Mar-2010.
• PM More Concerned with Reinforcing Party’s Core Constituency than Converting Moderate Majority  Whatever the labels, the writing is on Ottawa’s walls:  to challenge Conservative orthodoxy is to risk reprisals.   ⇒ By James Travers writing for The Hill Times; posted Sat 06-Mar-2010.
• Immigration Minister Pulled Gay Rights from Citizenship Guide, Documents Show  Early draft noted decriminalization of homosexuality, Charter protection on sexual orientation and legalization of same-sex marriage   ⇒ By Dean Beeby writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 02-Mar-2010.

  And finally after denying it yesterday (Wed. 03-Mar-2010)… UPDATE:  Kenney Responsible for Removing Gay Reference  Canada’s immigration minister says he takes “full responsibility” for a citizenship study guide that had all references to gay rights removed.   ⇒ By The Canadian Press; posted Thu 04-Mar-2010.

  UPDATE:  Jason Kenney on Gay-rights Removal:  ‘I Did Not Do Such a Thing’  Immigration Minister responds to report his office excised references to Charter protection and same-sex marriage from citizenship guide   ⇒ By Dean Beeby writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 04-Mar-2010.

  UPDATE:  Scott Brison Decries ‘Conservative Revisionist History of Canada’  Jason Kenney and his fellow Conservatives can’t resist twisting Canadian values to reflect their ideological position on same-sex marriage and equality, Scott Brison says.   ⇒ By Jane Taber writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 03-Mar-2010.

• Feds Need to Stop Dismissing Page’s Reports  Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page released another zinger last week.  This time, he is warning the federal government that it must eventually deal with Canada’s aging population because it will continue to squeeze public finances and leave future generations with massive deficits.  In his report, Mr. Page predicts that Ottawa will have to deal with an expanding "fiscal gap" in revenue in the decades ahead that could rise from $20-billion to $40-billion annually within two decades.   ⇒ By the Editors of The Hill Times; posted Wed 24-Feb-2010.
• Siding with Skeptics, Conservative MP Decries Climate-change ‘Alarmism’  Maxime Bernier takes public stand by questioning scientific consensus on environmental challenge in Montreal newspaper   ⇒ By The Canadian Press; posted Wed 24-Feb-2010.

  Maybe — considering his past indiscretions — Maxime Bernier is just mixing his briefings with his briefs (or vice-versa) once again.  It is also quaint of the minister to claim that we need to keep an open mind when he is a member of a party that is stereotypically closed-minded.

• Budget Officer Ignores Strategic Reviews, Says Feds Haven’t Shown Savings  Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page calls it a ‘fundamental problem with respect to fiscal transparency.’   ⇒ By Harris Macleod writing for The Hill Times; posted Tue 23-Feb-2010.
• Harper’s Attack Dogs  The pattern is set:  someone says something critical about the policies of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his government and the Conservative mud-slinging machine goes into attack mode.  Now added to the list is Ed Clark, CEO of TD Bank and one of Canada’s pre-eminent business leaders.   ⇒ By the Editors of The Toronto Star; posted Sat 13-Feb-2010.
• Opposition Tired of PMO’s ‘Hyper-partisan’ Attacks  Opposition parties say Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s office has gone too far with hyper-partisan attacks, and it’s time to apologize and play fair   ⇒ By The Canadian Press; posted Thu 11-Feb-2010.

  Not surprisingly, Dimitri Soudas, der Harper’s chief spokesman is totally unrepentant!

• The Real Stephen Harper?  Our sphinx-like, dull-as-a-door and unashamedly opportunistic prime minister has been wrong so many times — yet he always bounces back   ⇒ By Gerald Caplan writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 15-Jan-2010.
• We’re Now Called the Ugly Canadian  Some of the most important image-busters in Canada’s foreign policy bag of nasty tricks. Read ‘em and weep.   ⇒ By Murray Dobbin writing for The Hill Times; posted Tue 22-Dec-2009.
• Tories Fire Session-ending Shot at Liberals  ‘They have taken every opportunity to politicize every issue and to score cheap political points,’ Baird says in press conference meant to highlight government accomplishments   ⇒ By Gloria Galloway writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 11-Dec-2009.

  Truly, a little rich coming from one very partisan bunch.  Why, even this press conference smacked of self-aggrandizing partisanship.  An absolutely and incredibly shameless covey, the CPC.

• Secrecy and Cover-ups:  the Case of the Income Trust Tax  Canada’s “new government” made a fetish of secrecy from the start   ⇒ By W.T. Stanbury writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 07-Dec-2009.
• Or You Can Play the Jewish Card  This government has a meanness problem.  Or, as they say in politics, a perception of meanness problem   ⇒ By Rick Salutin writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 04-Dec-2009.

  I guess we ought to add “shamelessly opportunistic” to the CPC’s principles.

• Unmasking the Architects of the ‘Ten Percenters’  Parties disagree on how to handle taxpayer-funded pamphlets as committee probes complaint against Tories of ‘malicious accusations’   ⇒ By Gloria Galloway; posted Wed 02-Dec-2009.
• Tory Flyers Targeting Jewish Votes Raise Hackles  Using the free-mail privileges of MPs, the Conservatives are sending out flyers to ridings with large Jewish communities, arguing they are committed to Canada’s Jewish Community and the Liberals are not.   ⇒ By Campbell Clark writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 18-Nov-2009.
  

  Yet another instance of the growing tendency of the Harperites to use public money for partisan purposes.  This time, blatant campaign (bordering on libelous, IMHO) material was mailed out doing a comparison between the CPC and the LPC contending that the CONs have done more to fight anti-Semitism abroad, fight terrorism and support Israel than the Liberals.

  If there is any doubt as to whether this CON flyer is partisan campaign material, it asks recipients (in targetted areas which have large Jewish populations) “Who is on the right track to represent and defend the values of Canada’s Jewish Community,” and to choose the answer from the names of the 4 major-party leaders!

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  Jewish Leaders Ask Harper to Trash Tory Flyer  Canadian community members disturbed by mailing they say paints the Liberals as anti-Semitic   ⇒ By Michael Valpy writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 24-Nov-2009.

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  Speaker Slaps Tory Wrists over Hyper-partisan Flyers  Conservatives received a slap on the wrist Thursday for misrepresenting an opponent in one of many ultra-partisan flyers the party’s MPs have been mailing — at taxpayers’ expense — across the country.  The rebuke from Peter Milliken, Speaker of the House of Commons, is not the first Conservatives have received over their use of MPs’ free mailing privileges.   ⇒ By The Canadian Press; posted Fri 20-Nov-2009.

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  Liberals Say Tory Leaflets Suggest Grits are Anti-semitic  An Ontario Conservative accuses the Liberals of being anti-Semitic while Quebec Liberal Irwin Cotler says it was the Liberal party that put groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah under terrorism watch   ⇒ By CTV.ca News Staff; posted Thu 19-Nov-2009.

  While I am sure that other political parties in prior governments have promoted themselves as well, the difference here is the utter blatancy evinced by the CPC.  Not only are the Harperites unrepentant about this immoral and illegal use of public money for partisan purposes (this despite the fact that of all federal parties the CPC has the wealthiest coffer), it all seems to be absent a hint of finesse!

  Is it coincidental or is this lack of finesse an actual attribute of these bozos?  Maybe they should change their party name to NGI since they seem to be utterly oblivious to hiding their corruption!  After all, they seem to neither possess nor able to muster any compunction about doing the wrong thing — a pity since they seem to think they are the “right” party!

• Why These Tactics? the Conservatives Think They Work  The ‘Frat Pack’ are just part of the party’s attack-machine strategy   ⇒ By Jeffrey Simpson writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 24-Nov-2009.
• MP Defends Plan to Give Water Bottles with Tory Logo to Kids  Shelly Glover said she wants to congratulate Manitoba French Immersion students on speaking second language   ⇒ By The Canadian Press; posted Fri 13-Nov-2009.
  

  Amazingly, as noted elsewhere on this site, CPC members and MPs just don’t get what’s wonky with their methods — actual or contemplated.  Thank goodness the school board declined her fishy offer.

  The MP in this instance claims there is nothing wrong with being proud of her political party.  It appears the optics escapes her that as a sitting member of parliament there might be something amiss with offering to or actually distribute partisan logo-stamped objects along with the likelihood all or part of the planned largesse of hers might have been funded by our taxes.  Rather thick, huh?

  Perhaps she and other CPC members have such lapsed sense of ethics (if not ethics altogether)?  If the latter and/or the former, maybe there is a point after all in der Harper and the PMO insisting on controlling everything their faithful members say and do when facing the public.  What a bunch of clueless yahoos…

  Maybe this is why most CONservatives are dead-set against being or anything politically correct — since they obviously lack any sense of or sensitivity to how their words and actions can be perceived by other people?!?

  On the other hand, perhaps this arrogant bunch has finally acquired the very same sense of entitlement that they used to criticise so self-righteously in other parties and groups!  Either way, they need help — no, we do…  Hypocrisy 101!

Tory Meddling in and Muzzling of NGOs

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• NDP Presses for Rights-agency Probe  Calling handling of Rights & Democracy a ‘devastating blow to Canada’s reputation,’ Paul Dewar asks House committee to investigate   ⇒ By The Canadian Press; posted Tue 09-Mar-2010.
• Rights Fracas Draws International Rebuke  ‘Canada’s credibility is at stake,’ group says in criticizing Conservative government’s handling of Rights & Democracy   ⇒ By Joan Bryden writing for The Canadian Press; posted Sat 06-Mar-2010.
• Critics Blast ‘Dead-of-night’ Rights Appointment  Decision to install Gérard Latulippe at Rights & Democracy despite objections typifies Tory tactics, opposition says   ⇒ By Bruce Cheadle writing for The Canadian Press; posted Wed 03-Mar-2010.
• Foreign Affairs Minister Picks New President for Splintered Rights Agency  Gerard Latulippe, a former Alliance candidate, was a caucus-mate of Lawrence Cannon’s as a Liberal MNA in Quebec   ⇒ By Joe Friesen and Campbell Clark writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 23-Feb-2010.

  UPDATE:  Rights Nominee Critical of Muslim Immigration  Gérard Latulippe argued concentration of immigrants in Montreal undermined ‘proper functioning of Quebec society’   ⇒ By The Canadian Press; posted Tue 02-Mar-2010.

  While I’m sure the CONservatives decry the progressive outcry about this latest of outrages as comically inconsquential, it should be said that there is a difference.  When the CONservatives make decisions like this, they — in their zeal to keep pure their values and ideology — end up excluding groups instead of being inclusive.  Of course, CONservatives probably see nothing wrong about this whatsoever!

  UPDATE:  Opposition Unites against Lawrence Cannon’s Rights-agency Choice  Foreign Affairs Minister must buck tradition if he wants to install former Alliance candidate Gerard Latulippe at Rights and Democracy   ⇒ By Campbell Clark writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 26-Feb-2010.

• Rights & Democracy Dissidents Fired  Three senior managers at the federal government’s human rights agency who were suspended for publicly declaring their lack of confidence in three Conservative appointees to their organization’s board of directors earlier this year have been fired.   ⇒ By CBC News; posted Tue 02-Mar-2010.
• Michael Ignatieff Objects to Tory Choice for Rights-agency Chief  Liberal Leader won’t endorse Gerard Latulippe, calling his appointment to helm of troubled Rights and Democracy ‘counterproductive’   ⇒ By Campbell Clark writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 25-Feb-2010.
• Conservatives Follow Recipe for Foreign-policy Decay  Muzzling NGOs and meddling in arms-length organizations like Rights and Democracy will only diminish Canada’s role on the world stage   ⇒ By David Eaves writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 16-Feb-2010.
• A Losing Battle  How the late president of Rights and Democracy tried to fight back   ⇒ By Paul Wells writing for Macleans; posted Tue 16-Feb-2010.
• Canadian Aid Groups Told to Keep Quiet on Policy Issues  Non-governmental organizations say they’re receiving veiled warnings about positions that clash with Ottawa’s   ⇒ By Campbell Clark writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 12-Feb-2010.

  Ostensibly, CONservatives are boisterous advocates for freedom of speech and expression — or so they would have us believe.  In reality, they are agents of repression as is evinced by this latest revelation!

• Stephen Harper and the Jewish Question  The Conservatives’ blatant wooing of Canadian Jews doesn’t add up.  What do they want from such a tiny, privileged group anyway?   ⇒ By Gerald Caplan writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 11-Dec-2009.

  I think they should offer a university course on understanding conservatives — “Interpreting the Obtuse and Incomprehensible.”

Budget 2010

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• How It Starts  Moral:  Maybe today’s deficits don’t seem like much to get worked up about.  They never do.   ⇒ By Andrew Coyne writing for Macleans; posted Tue 09-Mar-2010.
• The Reality of Ottawa’s Foreign Ownership Changes  The telecom industry was stunned when the Throne Speech indicated an end to ownership restrictions.  What a difference a day makes...  the reality may be much less dramatic.   ⇒ By Iain Marlow writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Mon 08-Mar-2010.
• Flaherty’s Pricey Budget Flight Irks Critics  Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is facing the ire of opposition critics who say the minister isn’t leading by example, after it was revealed that he used a private jet to sell his belt-tightening budget Friday.   ⇒ By CTV.ca News; posted Sun 07-Mar-2010.

  UPDATE:  Day Defends Finance Minister’s Late-night Flight  The federal government’s plan to set a positive economic example for Canadians by curbing its own operational spending was not harmed by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s flight to London, Ont., this week, the treasury board president said Sunday.   ⇒ By CTV.ca News; posted Sun 07-Mar-2010.

• Budget Reality:  Promises, Promises on the Road to Fiscal Hock  The single most curious aspect of North American political conservatism is that it has very seldom produced what it preached   ⇒ By Jeffrey Simpson writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Sat 06-Mar-2010.
• Tory Deficit-slashing Plan Needs a Lot of Luck  Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s plan to largely get rid of the deficit in five years depends on a trifecta of happy news — uninterrupted economic growth, historically low interest rates and uncharacteristic spending restraint.   ⇒ By Julian Beltrame writing for The Canadian Press; posted Sat 06-Mar-2010.
• The Heavy Lifting is Still to Come  The Harper government’s 2010 budget is a promise unfulfilled, and the country as a whole will need to remain focused on the task to come   ⇒ By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 05-Mar-2010.
• PM Gambles that Voters Care about the Deficit, Little Else  Stephen Harper’s government has brought down the most austere, deficit-fighting document since Paul Martin set out to balance his budget in the nineties   ⇒ By John Ibbitson writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 05-Mar-2010.
• A Budget for Election Season  The Conservative program of no new programs stakes out the ground for the next election battle, trusting that Canadians want the spending taps tightened   ⇒ By John Ibbitson writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 04-Mar-2010.

  Read it yourself… Full Text:  the Budget Speech  Jim Flaherty’s remarks in the House of Commons on Thursday, March 4, 2010   ⇒ By Finance Minister Jim Flaherty; posted Thu 04-Mar-2010.

  Related:  Spending Now, Restraint Later — after the Next Election  If these optimistic assumptions are wrong, faulty predictions will become clear only later   ⇒ By Jeffrey Simpson writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 04-Mar-2010.

Prorogation

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• Parliament Returns with a Sense of Déjà Vu  Between Ottawa’s economic plan and its agonies over the Afghan detainee affair, not much seems to have changed since prorogation   ⇒ By John Ibbitson writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Sat 06-Mar-2010.

  I’d also hazard to predict that der Harper will be providing nary an explanation for nor illumination upon prorogation anytime soon.

• The Use, Misuse, and Abuse of Prorogation  No Prime Minister has so abused the power to prorogue.  Harper’s former chief of staff Tom Flanagan understood the obvious:  the purpose of prorogation was to terminate Parliament’s probing of the Afghan detainee issue.   ⇒ By Nelson Wiseman writing for The Hill Times; posted Sat 06-Mar-2010.
• A Pivot; Not yet a Recalibration  The Speech from the Throne was a surprisingly ambitious effort.  Whether the government has truly adapted to new realities will only be evident once today’s budget is unveiled   ⇒ By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 04-Mar-2010.
• Budget will Expose Absurdity of ‘Recalibration’  What Canadians will see is overwhelmingly more of the same   ⇒ By Jeffrey Simpson writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 03-Mar-2010.

  UPDATE:  Throne Speech Deconstructed; More of the Status Quo  It’s more rehash than recalibration — a prorogation credibility gap filled with many words and a few shiny low-cost baubles to distract from an eloquent three-months-in-the-making rewrite of the old government agenda.   ⇒ By Don Martin writing for The National Post; posted Wed 03-Mar-2010.

• Tories Tilt Parliament to the Right with Throne Speech  Patriotism, law and order, deep cuts signal strides toward small-C conservativism   ⇒ By Campbell Clark writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 03-Mar-2010.

  See it for yourself… The Throne Speech (Wed. 03-Mar-2010)

  Of course, the one remarkable thing about this Throne Speech is the length and yet it manages to say very little about anything substantive!

• Reform Begins at Home  Prorogation and excess PMO power highlight increasing discontent over Parliament’s so-called democratic deficit   ⇒ By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 25-Feb-2010.

  Related:  PMO Has Too Much Power, Poll Finds  More than 40% of Canadians put Prime Minister’s Office ahead of Senate as institution most deserving to have its wings clipped   ⇒ By Campbell Clark writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 25-Feb-2010.

• Can the Prime Minister’s Power over Prorogation of Parliament be Restricted without Amending the Constitution? Yes, It Can  It’s time to start the process now as part of a series of reforms to limit the excessive powers of the PM.   ⇒ By By B. Thomas Hall and W.T. Stanbury writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 15-Feb-2010.
• Canada’s Sudden Democracy Movement Hits a Nerve  Perhaps this cynical prorogation was the straw that broke the camel’s back.   ⇒ By Murray Dobbin writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Mon 08-Feb-2010.
• We Need More than Rallies to Object to Prorogation  Prorogation hands to the opposition parties on a silver platter a two-fold opportunity to redeem citizen respect for MPs.   ⇒ By Henry McCandless writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 08-Feb-2010.
• Tories Seek Parliamentary Extension  Facing an outpouring of anger and criticism over prorogation, the Conservatives are cancelling March break on Parliament Hill and one other off week scheduled for mid-April.   ⇒ By Jane Taber writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 03-Feb-2010.

  In the continuing saga of the soap-opera display of pettiness and partisanship that is the der Harper CONservative government, he picks the most innocuous and insubstantial gauntlet to throw at the opposition.  I sincerely hope he doesn’t think that cancelling March break will sufficiently make up for the vacation — from government accountability and transparency — he took.  Of course, his party faithful are probably rejoicing in the brilliance that der Harper — aka dear Leader — evinced by this latest brainstorm he and his marketing (err, propaganda) klatsch cooked up.  Alas, he clearly misses the very crux of the matter.

  Lesson Learned  Stephen Harper’s elimination of spring break won’t undo the damage, but it is tacit admission that outrage expressed by Canadians has resonated in Ottawa   ⇒ By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 05-Feb-2010.

  Of course, we have to expect the CONservatives to spin this somehow — somehow it’ll be quaint watching them squirm whilst maintaining the arrogant air they have about them!

• Parliament Does Matter  Globe and Mail columnist Jeffrey Simpson raised a good point in one of his columns last week when he stated the painfully obvious.  Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s “prorogation was about control of the public agenda.”  Period.  Prime Minister Harper didn’t shut down Parliament for two months to allow the government to “recalibrate.”  He shut it down to “deprive the other parties of a chance to do what they do best, make a racket.”  It’s simple, but true.   ⇒ By the Editors of The Hill Times; posted Mon 01-Feb-2010.
• The Two Faces of Stephen Harper  Taking control works well when dealing with disaster, but not so well with democracy   ⇒ By Jeffrey Simpson writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 26-Jan-2010.
• Disaster Puts PM’s Prorogation Reckoning on Hold  Haiti’s earthquake has changed the channel in Canadian politics to an extent the Conservatives never could   ⇒ By Steven Chase and Gloria Galloway writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Mon 25-Jan-2010.
• Parliament Didn’t Need to be Shut down for Pre-budget Consultations, Say Experts  Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and Tory MPs consult and do politics on next federal budget.   ⇒ By Cynthia Münster writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 25-Jan-2010.
• Silent Parliament, Forgotten Roots  Stephen Harper’s decision to prorogue Parliament is an abrogation of the principles he and his party arose to defend.   ⇒ By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Mon 25-Jan-2010.

  In 1988, der Harper wrote:

  “Many of our most serious problems as a country can be traced to the apathy and non-involvement of Canadians in public affairs, and to decisions that too frequently ignore the popular will….  We believe in accountability of elected representatives to the people who elect them, and that the duty of elected members to their constituents should supersede their obligations to their political parties.”

  One other fascinating thing — apart from the obvious hypocrisy — is how easily CONservatives will appeal to the “populist” elements amongst themselves but act like the unaccountable “elite” that they truly are once in power.

• Harper’s ‘Change’ Not for the Better  Despite being constrained by a minority Parliament during the whole of his four years in office, Harper has certainly delivered change.  But has it been change for the better?   ⇒ By the Editors of The Toronto Star; posted Sat 23-Jan-2010.

  Related:  After Four Years, It’s Canada that Has Changed Harper  Out of political necessity, the minority government prime minister has strayed from his fiscal conservative background   ⇒ By Steven Chase writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Sun 24-Jan-2010.

• Time to Stand up for Parliament  The problem is excessive prime ministerial power — and the solution is legislative restraint on prorogation   ⇒ By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Sun 24-Jan-2010.
• The Incredible Decline of Parliament  The weakness and decline of Parliament is due to institutional design and the opportunism of Prime Ministers.   ⇒ By B. Thomas Hall and W. T. Stanbury writing for The Hill Times; posted Tue 19-Jan-2010.
• Let’s Not Forget Harper’s Long Term Agenda  In March, Harper will present his first “austerity” budget.  It could prove to be more damaging than the proroguing of Parliament.  PM Stephen Harper has gotten away with so much — and the opposition is so weak that any indication of genuine public disgust at his continuing demonstration of contempt for democracy is a welcome sign.   ⇒ By Murray Dobbin writing for The Hill Times; posted Tue 19-Jan-2010.

  What's even more important is to realize and remember that der Harper not only wants to dismantle what he hates most — the Canadian “welfare state” — but that he actually has repeatedly denounced Canada as a whole (yes, even our culture) in speeches and writings before he became PM!  The CPC’s and the PMO’s usual defense that those were done a long time ago and that der Harper has changed doesn’t really wash.  Remember that People don’t change, they just become more like themselves!  This is an even more timely and relevant aphorism in this age of the supremacy and deification of the shallow — i.e., marketing!!!

• PM’s Use of Parliamentary Prorogation Charts New Territory  The Prime Minister’s actions risk setting a precedent that weakens an important condition of democratic government, say academics.   ⇒ By Cynthia Münster writing for The Hill Times; posted Tue 19-Jan-2010.
• Prorogation Avoids Government Accountability in Many Other Ways:  Conacher  There are three other important government accountability situations not mentioned in any media coverage so far that the federal Conservatives are avoiding through the arbitrary proroguing of Parliament by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, all of which would likely have been reported on in February.  Two are by the ethics commissioner and the last by the auditor general...   ⇒ By Duff Conacher writing to The Hill Times; posted Tue 19-Jan-2010.
• Grit Plan:  Let Harper be Harper  Most Canadians want Parliament to be there, just to prove democracy exists.  First, all the experts said no Canadian would vote based on the issue of delivering Afghan prisoners for torture.  But Stephen Harper killed Parliament anyway, to squelch that debate.  Why?  What did he know?  Perhaps what anyone studying PR at a community college learns:  that impressions are cumulative and, as a series moves along, each new one weighs heavier.  Firing nuclear watchdog + global black eye re tar sands + ending KAIROS funding + torture scandal = bad election news.   ⇒ By Rick Salutin writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Mon 18-Jan-2010.
• Michael Ignatieff Scoffs at PM’s ‘Ridiculous’ Rationale for Prorogation  The Harper Tories are coming up with new reasons seemingly every second day for their decision to shut down Parliament for five weeks until after the Olympics.  Their defence has ranged from wanting to recalibrate their agenda for the second phase of stimulus spending to needing to rebalance Senate committees and now to this:  a sitting Parliament causes market instability.  Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered up that excuse yesterday in an interview on BNN.   ⇒ By Jane Taber writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Tue 12-Jan-2010.

  Harper’s Wounds are Self-inflicted  As the story keeps changing, public trust in Harper’s position is eroding.  Rather than give Harper the benefit of the doubt on prorogation, Canadians are asking the question raised in the Liberal ads:  “What is he covering up?”   ⇒ By the Editors of The Toronto Star; posted Fri 15-Jan-2010.

• Is Stephen Harper a Clear and Present Danger to Canadian Democracy?  Prime Minister Stephen Harper has shown major flaws in the structure of the Canada’s version of the Westminster model of government.  Should he win a majority, it is reasonable to believe that Harper will go much further down the road toward an elected dictatorship.   ⇒ By W.T. Stanbury writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 11-Jan-2010.
• Prorogation Only a Blip on ‘Richter Scale of Upset,’ Clement Says  Industry Minister Tony Clement has outraged the Twittering classes opposed to prorogation with these sorts of comments today, especially with his earlier statement that only the “elites” and “chattering classes” care about prorogation.   ⇒ By Jane Taber writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Mon 11-Jan-2010.
  

  Here we go with the “elite” bashing in which CONservatives usually indulge rather frequently.  A few things to point out, though.

  

  First of all, the elite and media bashing is directly lifted right from the Republican Party’s playbook down south.  If that is not enough of an indictment… well, there is more.

  Next, the original “conservative elite” prior to and during the American Revolution was made up of Loyalists or — are you ready for this?!? — the Tories!!!  You got it… they mostly moved to Canada!  Now isn’t that a kick-in-the-pants for the ideological descendants of these “elites”?!?

  Thirdly, this bashing is usually mindless indulgence of stereotypes — and I do include Minister Clement’s tirade in this category.

  Lastly, conservatives love to work the populist pump as a way of mobilizing their followers.  Undoubtedly it is effective considering how quickly and “well” it is taken up — not to mention “easily”.  However, there is a need for elites in any political party.  Of course, good care ought be taken here.

  One of the more useful definitions of an “elite” would be “a group of persons exercising the major share of authority or influence within a larger group.”

  Now, from that we can really safely generalize the following:

  1. If an elite has good credentials and are indeed an intelligent lot, then they are useful; otherwise they are questionable and their influence and/or authority ought to be minimized if not revoked outrightly.
  2. The flock needs to be intelligent enough to consider what the elite expounds.  In the same breath, the flock needs to be critically intelligent enough to parse what the elite says as well as what the elite is all about.  If not, the flock needs to be honest enough to acknowledge this shortcoming in themselves and — or so one hopes — after so doing, do something about it and educate themselves!  This is critical since the flock has the moral duty to keep the elite in check!

  Unfortunately, judging from conversations with and from reviewing the blogs and posts in commentary sections at media outlets, there is very little indication that the requisite “critical intelligence” is present in the rank and file of most political parties in general and in the CPC in particular.

  An additional caution ought be whispered here:  Any person who thinks that there is a complete absence of an elite component (or components) in the CPC is absolutely naive and needs to seriously and thoroughly re-examine their premises — not to mention their analytical and critical faculties!

  As for the “chattering classes” to which Minister Clement referred, it would do well for him to remember that there is as much “nattering” by his party members as their opposition counterparts.  I have also observed that CONservatives noise tends to be more of an exercise in volume than that of the mental muscle variety!

  All in all, a futile exercise of the pot calling the kettle…

• Few Countries Can Claim Such a Pathetic Parliament  Proroguing’s only the half of it.  In a generation, Canada’s legislature has decayed more than even the U.S. Congress.  And while British and Australian MPs can slap down party leaders, here it’s the reverse   ⇒ By John Ibbitson writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Sat 09-Jan-2010.
• With All Our Problems, We Mustn’t be Silent  Canadians are disengaged from the political process, and the timing couldn’t be worse   ⇒ By Gary Mason writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 08-Jan-2010.

  In other words, our apathy is being used by der Harper to pretty much get away with murder!

• The Economist Vents Spleen on PM’s Decision to Prorogue  The influential and mostly right-wing British magazine The Economist has taken a dim view of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s decision to prorogue Parliament until after the winter Olympics.   ⇒ By Gloria Galloway writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 07-Jan-2010.

  The Economist articles are provided below…

  Related:  Harper Goes Prorogue  Parliamentary scrutiny may be tedious, but democracies cannot afford to dispense with it   ⇒ By the Editors of The Economist; posted Thu 07-Jan-2010.

  Related:  Halted in Mid-debate  Stephen Harper is counting on Canadians’ complacency as he rewrites the rules of his country’s politics to weaken legislative scrutiny   ⇒ By the Editors of The Economist; posted Thu 07-Jan-2010.

• Prorogation Hurtles ‘Out of Dusty Law Texts into the Mainstream’  Most Canadians are aware that the Prime Minister has suspended Parliament until after the winter Olympics and they are, by and large, not pleased with the decision, polls released Thursday suggest.   ⇒ By Gloria Galloway writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 07-Jan-2010.

  In his interview with Peter Mansbridge (see the link below) PM Stephen Harper unctuously dismissed prorogation as a non-issue for Canadians!

  Related:  Mansbridge One on One — with Stephen Harper (05-JAN-2010)  Peter Mansbridge interviews Prime Minister Stephen Harper   ⇒ By CBC; posted Thu 07-Jan-2010.

• ‘Routine’ Prorogation Erodes Parliament, Experts Say  The role of elected representatives will erode further if the federal government makes good on its suggestion to make prorogation an annual event, experts say.   ⇒ By Heather Scoffield writing for The Canadian Press; posted Tue 05-Jan-2010.

  What were we to expect when a political party whose very dogma centres on small — or even smaller — government gains political power?!?  Would it not follow that its very disdain for government, all related institutions and traditions thereto motivates it to dismantle as much as possible in order to undermine any hint of government efficacy by its very conduct — or misconduct — and governance?!?  Gladstone once said Liberalism is trust of the people, tempered by prudence; conservatism, distrust of people, tempered by fear.  Harper clearly includes the government — likely any government — in his distrust and fear.

  Tactical Diminishment  Canadians would be right to wonder how any of this fits with the Conservatives’ commitment to restore the public’s trust in government.   ⇒ By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 07-Jan-2010.

• Harper to Shut down Parliament  Prime Minister will prorogue the current session for a two-month break, effectively shuttering several bills and committees; Liberals call manoeuvre ‘shocking insult to democracy’   ⇒ By Daniel Leblanc writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 30-Dec-2009.

  As Yogi Berra once said:  This is like deja vu all over again.  Der Harper did it last year and here he is at it again.  Pressing the reset (or take-back-that-bad-move) button on account of their getting themselves in a bad fix.  Of course, I cannot wait until I hear how the conservative (and their "well meaning" flock) spin machine spews on this!

  Democracy Diminished, Accountability Avoided  By suspending Parliament, Stephen Harper allows the governing party to elude the detainee issue, a move that undermines the democratic rights of the people   ⇒ By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 31-Dec-2009.

  When the conservative mouthpiece The National Post publishes scathing editorials about the CPC's actions, you know there is substance to the protest and furor rising from the opposition and critics.  Of course, all of this is fluff worthy only of derisive dismissal to the bleating conservative flock …

  Stephen Harper, Renegade in Power  Stephen Harper is a despot.  The decision to “padlock” Parliament is a cover up designed to avoid scrutiny over the Afghan detainee issue.  The Conservatives have a very thin legislative agenda and no new ideas to put forward.   ⇒ By John Ivison writing for The National Post; posted Thu 31-Dec-2009.

  Proroguing Parliament — a Travesty, yet Clever  Move by Harper a defeat for those who think government should be honest, open and accountable   ⇒ By John Ibbitson writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 30-Dec-2009.

• PM Calling Liberals’ Bluff, Pollster Suggests  Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s decision to suspend Parliament until March is his way of challenging the Liberals to force an early election if they don’t like the way he conducts government business, a Harris-Decima pollster said Thursday.   ⇒ By CBC News; posted Thu 31-Dec-2009.

Access to Information

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• Access Czar Investigating Allegations of Political Interference  Tory staffers also allege it continues despite the PMO’s edict to all political staffers to comply with the law.   ⇒ By Jeff Davis writing for The Hill Times; posted Sat 06-Mar-2010.
• It’s Time for a More Transparent Federal Government in Canada  The NDP last week called for a formal investigation into allegations of systemic violations of Canada’s Access to Information laws by the governing Conservatives, Canwest News Service reported.  It’s about time.   ⇒ By the Editors of The Hill Times; posted Sat 06-Mar-2010.
• Is This the Answer to Access Requests? Stop Keeping Records?  Governments have always tried to withhold documents, but the Conservatives may have the ultimate solution   ⇒ By Lawrence Martin writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Thu 25-Feb-2010.
• Cabinet Ministers’ Offices Regularly Interfere in ATI Requests, Says Tory Staffer  PMO urged staffers to pare down Access to Information documents before release.   ⇒ By Jeff Davis writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 22-Feb-2010.

  Here we have the PMO’s admonition to Tory staff not to meddle contradicted by a staffer.  Well, maybe it’s not a “contradiction.”  Maybe Dimitri Soudas is telling the staff not to do it anymore — or at least, don’t get caught in flagrante delicto!

• More Transparency Needed on Access to Information Act  Conservatives, back before they won power in 2006, campaigned on a promise to “clean up” Ottawa.  They said they would increase transparency to government operations.  Governments come and go and make promises to be more accountable and transparent.  This is just another one.   ⇒ By the Editors of The Hill Times; posted Mon 15-Feb-2010.
• Pattern of Delay:  Ottawa’s Kafkaesque Information Denial  The Globe asked why federal agencies were taking so long to release information.  The answer took two-and-a-half years to come   ⇒ By Gloria Galloway writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Mon 08-Feb-2010.
• Tories Blocked Full Release of Sensitive Public Works Report  A federal cabinet minister’s aide killed the release of a sensitive report requested under freedom-of-information in a case eerily similar to a notorious incident in the sponsorship scandal.  A bureaucrat had to make a mad dash to the department’s mailroom last July to retrieve the report at the last minute under orders from a senior aide to then-Public Works minister Christian Paradis.   ⇒ By Dean Beebu writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Mon 08-Feb-2010.

  Don’t Meddle in ATIP Requests, Political Staff Told  PMO warning comes on heels of news an aide to Public Works minister made mad dash to mailroom to ‘unrelease’ report   ⇒ By Daniel Leblanc writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Mon 08-Feb-2010.

Senate

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• PM’s Senate Plurality Doesn’t Guarantee Smooth Sailing for Tories’ Justice Agenda  Despite Tory cries that the Liberals are delaying crime bills, the Harper government has been slow to implement laws the Prime Minister said were ‘urgently needed.’   ⇒ By Harris Macleod writing for The Hill Times; posted Tue 23-Feb-2010.
• How the Senate Could Operate without Political Parties  The Senate can make a greater contribution to the governance of Canada if parties were neither the basis on which the Senators are selected nor the basis on which the Senate is organized.   ⇒ By B. Thomas Hall And W.T. Stanbury writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 01-Feb-2010.
• With Senate in His Grip, PM Drives Crime Agenda  Conservatives pave way for agenda with five senators heralded for being tough on crime, committed to Red Chamber reform   ⇒ By Gloria Galloway and Daniel Leblanc writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Sat 30-Jan-2010.

  Fact:  Only 3 crime bills made it to the Senate last session (2009); 17 crime bills died on the order paper thanks to der Harper’s proroguing Parliament.

  
  Sounds pretty disingenuous of der Harper to cite/invoke anti-crime as his motive when it is obvious his “other” legislative agenda would be served by this action.

  BTW, der Harper has, to date, appointed the most senators (33 as of Feb-2010) to the current upper house — so much for his decrying patronage appointments of previous non-CONservative PMs and vigorously campaigning for Senate reform.

  Related:  Did Liberals Obstruct Agenda?  Reality Check for Conservative Justice Minister Rob Nicholson and the Tories   ⇒ By Gloria Galloway writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Sat 30-Jan-2010.

  Once again, a politician lies in plain-sight.  You have to love the CONservatives.  though.  When they lie — or just being merely unctuous — they can still do it sanctimoniously!

  Related:  This is Senate Reform?  The opposition have abused their Senate majority by obstructing and eviscerating law-and-order measures that are urgently needed and strongly supported by Canadians, said the Prime Minister in announcing the appointments.  But the blame for the latest obstruction lies with Harper himself, not the Senate, for it is he who prorogued Parliament after Christmas, thereby killing the anti-crime legislation that was before the Senate and ensuring that it will not be passed for many more months.   ⇒ By the Editors of The Toronto Star; posted Sun 31-Jan-2010.

  The more one ponders upon this, the more it seems that here’s yet another motive — and cleverly also the excuse and opportunity — for der Harper’s proroguing Parliament (circa 2009).  Whether true or not, der Harper certainly has no problem accusing the opposition Senators — albeit nonsensically — for allegedly blocking crime bills that simply haven’t even made it to the Red Chamber yet!  At least that much hasn’t changed with der Harper… good old attack, deflect and misdirect!  Sad thing is that his flock — his fellow CONservatives — just lap up what ever he serves up as talking points.  They certainly seem to parrot those with rabid frequency, repetition and fidelity on the main stream media comment boards!  Too, one would scarcely expect these very same to grasp the rich irony — never mind the obvious hypocrisy — in der Harper crowing about the opposition abusing their majority in the Senate immediately after securing a CONservative majority in the Senate himself through the appointment of his minions.

  Related:  Justice Minister Nicholson Pushes Crime Bill He Used to be Against  As a Mulroney backbencher, Rob Nicholson was against mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes.   ⇒ By Harris Macleod writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 01-Feb-2010.

• Senate Hardly the Biggest Obstacle to Tory Crime Bills  The Senate may be blocking Senate reform legislation — that’s a matter for debate.  But it is not blocking crime legislation.   ⇒ By Gloria Galloway writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 06-Jan-2010.

  We know all politicians lie but der Harper… something else altogether!

The Wildrose Alliance Movement

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• PM and Tories Keep Close Eye on Alberta’s Wildrose Alliance Movement  The ultra-conservative Alberta first party could ironically be   ⇒ By Tim Naumetz writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 15-Feb-2010.

  Feud in Anders’ Calgary Riding Could Signal Growing Divide among Tories in Alberta  The strife is currently contained within Alberta, but there is concern within party circles it could spread because of links to the upstart Wildrose Alliance movement, say Tories.   ⇒ By Tim Naumetz writing for The Hill Times; posted Tue 23-Feb-2010.

• Mass Resignations Deepen Tory Riding Rift  Twenty Calgary West board members quit over party decision to seize control of local group and protect MP Rob Anders from nomination battle   ⇒ By Steven Chase writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 12-Feb-2010.

  Related (published:  Tue 05-May-2009) Sitting Tories to be Automatically Renominated  Party says repudiation of populist roots necessary to ease stress on MPs in minority government   ⇒ By Steven Chase writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 12-Feb-2010.

  When one considers the preferred populist tendencies of the CPC, it is a quaint puzzle to ponder that they are carrying on as such within the Calgary West riding — a riding in which their party will almost always certainly win!

  I’m pretty confident that the highers-up in the CPC are aware of their hypocrisy — thus the studied language of spin that they employ with unflinching frequency.  The likely explanation for fostering and sheltering the mediocre (such as the remarkable Mr. Rob Anders) within their fold is that the CPC — despite their expected claims to the contrary — places undue emphasis on patronage, friendship and influence…

The United States of America

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• Complexity and Collapse  Imperial collapse may come much more suddenly than many historians imagine.  A combination of fiscal deficits and military overstretch suggests that the United States may be the next empire on the precipice.   ⇒ By Niall Ferguson writing for Foreign Affairs; posted Fri 05-Mar-2010.
• From Hope to Audacity  Barack Obama’s foreign policy has generated more expectations than strategic breakthroughs.  Three urgent issues — the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and the Afghan-Pakistani challenge — will test his ability to significantly change U.S. policy.   ⇒ By Zbigniew Brzezinski writing for Foreign Affairs; posted Sat 13-Feb-2010.
• The Soviet Victory that Never Was  What the United States Can Learn From the Soviet War in Afghanistan   ⇒ By Nikolas K. Gvosdev writing for Foreign Affairs; posted Sat 12-Dec-2009.

The International Scene

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• Frostbitten  The magisterial “Cambridge History of the Cold War” views the Cold War as an undifferentiated chunk of history.   But the conflict between the superpowers was just one strand of history in the middle and late twentieth century, not the whole story.   ⇒ By Lawrence D. Freedman writing for Foreign Affairs; posted Tue 02-Mar-2010.
• After Iran Gets the Bomb  Despite international pressure, Iran appears to be continuing its march toward getting a nuclear bomb.  But Washington can contain and mitigate the consequences of Tehran’s nuclear defiance, keeping an abhorrent outcome from becoming a catastrophic one.   ⇒ By James M. Lindsay and Ray Takeyh writing for Foreign Affairs; posted Fri 26-Feb-2010.
• Letter from Kabul  As the Obama administration prepares to send more troops to Afghanistan, what are the problems U.S. forces will face, and what, if anything, can they do to overcome them?   ⇒ By Kim Barker writing for Foreign Affairs; posted Tue 15-Dec-2009.

Finance & Economics

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• The Rise and Fall of the Guardians  The recent financial crisis has battered the credibility of technocrats. It is no longer clear that, left to their own devices, they will produce the one thing that justifies giving them authority: better decisions.   ⇒ By Alasdair Roberts writing for Foreign Affairs; posted Mon 01-Feb-2010.
• Dubai’s Crazy Quilt of Assets  What Dubai World, the network of companies at the centre of the emirate’s mess could put on the block   ⇒ By Jonathan Keehner and Serena Saitto; posted Sun 06-Dec-2009.
• Why Dubai Matters  Sure, it will pay a hefty price for its debt woes.  But the city-state’s open economy has attracted legions of foreign investors and serves as a model for its Gulf neighbours.   ⇒ By Stanley Reed writing for Business Week; posted Sun 06-Dec-2009.
• The Great Crash, 2008  The financial crisis has called into serious question the credibility of western governments and may precipitate an eastward shift of power.   ⇒ By Roger C. Altman writing for Foreign Affairs; posted Sun 29-Nov-2009; re-posted Sun 29-Nov-2009 (as requested).
• Wall Street vs. America  Taxpayers are taking another hit as strapped local governments fork over billions in fees on investments gone bad   ⇒ By Theo Francis, Ben Levisohn, Christopher Palmeri, and Jessica Silver-Greenberg writing for Business Week; posted Wed 25-Nov-2009.

The Environment

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• Canada’s Lost Decade on Climate Change  Three consecutive environment ministers under Prime Minister Stephen Harper have failed to implement a single major policy to cut our growing emissions.   ⇒ By Marlo Raynolds and Rick Smith writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 01-Feb-2010.
• Environmental Groups Losing Interest in Lobbying Prentice  Frustration is mounting that the government has locked itself into an environmental policy bunker on climate change.  Environmentalists say they’re giving up on Jim Prentice.   ⇒ By Jeff Davis and Cynthia Münster writing for The Hill Times; posted Mon 01-Feb-2010.
• U.S. Initiative, Canadian Passivity  Better news is coming out of Copenhagen as world leaders prepare for the climate change summit’s last day.  No thanks, unfortunately, to Canada   ⇒ By the Editors of The Globe and Mail; posted Fri 18-Dec-2009.

  Little surprise since the Harperites mostly represent the oil patch or the oil producing provinces in Western Canada so of course they would pander to the interests of those as well as of the oil companies involved!  To expect anything else would be utter foolishness.

• With the World Watching, Canada Draws Line in the Oil Sands  Harper arrives in Copenhagen aiming to salvage the country’s reputation, a challenge that will be all the more difficult now that Ottawa is considering special tax breaks for the oil industry   ⇒ By Eric Reguly writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Wed 16-Dec-2009.

  Wow!  One of the traditional and adamant battle-cries from Alberta is “never to share the oil wealth with the rest of Canada!” Now, they’re about to be subsidized by our taxes!  Excellent, now we know in which industry's pocket der Harper lives.  Something awfully sinister and hypocritical about all this…

• Tories Pondered Weaker Emission Targets for Oil and Gas  The Conservative government has considered abandoning some of the greenhouse gas reduction goals set out in its 2007 green plan and allowing weaker targets for the oil and gas sector, documents obtained by CBC News suggest.   ⇒ By CBC News; posted Mon 14-Dec-2009.

  Wonder when will stuff like this get old?  I mean, when will the demented scheming by the Harperites stop being news to Canadians anymore?!?  Well, with the obvious exception of their flock, the CPC, of course!

Miscellaneous

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• A Holiday Story:  the Thought that Counted  Every year people complain that Christmas has become too materialistic.  But life is material, tangible, tactile, as we’re reminded especially when someone is no longer here to be touched.  Ian Brown reflects on the spirit and the stuff of the season in this personal, non-fiction tale   ⇒ By Ian Brown writing for The Globe and Mail; posted Sat 19-Dec-2009.

Technology, Science and Health

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• Why Facebook Wants Your ID  By trying to be the de facto standard for online identity, it’s making privacy advocates nervous   ⇒ By Douglas MacMillan writing for Business Week; posted Sat 19-Dec-2009.