Monthly Archives: April 2010
Milliken Ruling More About Democracy Than Detainees
| 4/29/2010 | Posted by Patti under Canadian Politics |
On Tuesday Peter Milliken, the Speaker of the House of Commons, brought down his ruling on the Opposition parties motion which demanded that the Government turn over unredacted documents related to the Afghan detainee issue. Apparently, in the mind of the Prime Minister, that ruling was of such minor consequence it didn’t even warrant his attendance in the House to hear it.
Milliken upheld the supremacy of Parliament and its right to demand documents or even persons, claims of national security notwithstanding, to be delivered to it. He recognised that in the interest of national security not all documents can be delivered in public. He has called upon both sides of the House to do what Parliament has been doing for 140 years, to work out the differences and find a way to accommodate the supremacy of Parliament. He gave them two weeks to do so.
That is democracy in action. The government does (or should do) what is right and the Opposition provides oversight on behalf of the people.
Over the years, that basic principle has become eroded to the point it has, up until now, allowed a Prime Minister to behave more like a sovereign or President than a Prime Minister. A Prime Minister who truly understood the checks and balances within the system would never have stonewalled to the point that a ruling like Milliken was just called on to deliver would even have been needed.
The detainee issue is important in that Canadians should know if their government has failed to live up to our international obligations in regards to the safety of those detained by our military. Canadians know our troops have done what was required of them, the question is, did our government ensure those requirements were proper?
The government’s stonewalling and refusal to disclose documents to the Opposition to which it is entitled has moved the issue more to the question of what will it take for this Prime Minister to recognise his legal and moral responsibility to respect the Parliamentary rules and practices?
One day later, the Prime Minister rises in the House and gives every indication he intends to continue to defy the democratic principles he has been sworn to uphold. He hints that he is ready to take that defiance to the electorate. He tries to wrap himself in the flag and as the defender of the safety and well being of our troops fighting overseas.
Does he really think that the Canadian people are not smart enough to see the hypocrisy of his stand? Instead of truly supporting and leading our troops, Harper is cowering behind their good name to protect his own political ass.
His government has flatly turned down any suggestions by the Opposition to find middle ground which would allow a least some Opposition MPs to review the documents yet now claims that any ‘reasonable suggestion’ would be considered. Just who determines what is reasonable when we have an autocratic control freak Prime Minister?
Harper needs to find a way to step back from the edge, he might not like the ruling the Canadian people return on his contempt for the workings of our Parliament should he allow this to go to an election.
Mme Arbour Speaks Truth to Canada’s Foreign ‘Policy’
| 4/26/2010 | Posted by Patti under Canadian Politics, Middle East, War on Terror, World News, World Politics |
I’m not much of a fan of the National Post as I find many of its writers a lot more right leaning (I’m trying to be kind) than I have tolerance for. However, as intolerant as I am of these writers, I do occasionally read their drivel if for nothing else to make sure I really am still intolerant of them.
So, rather than subject myself to actually reading the National Post, I follow them on Twitter and scan the headlines they tweet for items of interest. One caught my attention today “Louise Arbour speaks out on the world’s worst country — Canada“, a piece written by Kelly McParland.
I have a lot of respect for Mme Arbour having read about her actions in Bosnia and the Hague. I admired her gutsy stands, especially in bringing the indictment against Slobodan Milosevic in the face of some of the NATO countries demonstrating their lack of will in bringing him to justice. I admired that she is not only a gutsy woman in an often man’s world but a gutsy Canadian woman.
McParland on the other hand, appears to be very good at the type of armchair journalism which can be pretty safe to engage in. You know, the kind of writing that bloggers, like me, do from the comfort of our homes. Except he gets paid and should be writing to a higher standard. (more…)
Jaffer Associate Invokes Race Card, Nice Try Dude
| 4/23/2010 | Posted by Patti under Canadian Politics |
On Wednesday Rahim Jaffer and his business partner appeared before the House government operations committee to answers questions in regards to their dealings with the federal government. Jaffer is a former Conservative MP who lost a seat he should have won in the 2008 election, his partner a former Liberal candidate in that same election.
The two faced some hard questioning from all parties present, including the Conservatives. The two needed to face some hard questions when it is clear that they have been involved in either, at best skirting the edges of the lobbying rules or at worst, directly ignoring them in their quest to try to get funding for projects their business is supposed to represent.
A principle of one of the companies named as being represented by Jaffer and his partner and applications for millions in grants claimed he didn’t even know his company was involved in the applications. The former Liberal MP said if he wanted to apply for grants he would have done so himself. Makes sense since he would know his way around government grants as well as Jaffer likely would. (more…)
Don’t Mess With Americans & Their Flag, Eh
| 4/20/2010 | Posted by Patti under General, World News |
Back on February 28th, the day Canada’s mens team won hockey gold, a couple of Canadians down in La Quinta, California decided it would be fun to celebrate the Canadian win by hiking up a steep mountain, taking down an American flag and replacing it with a Canadian flag.
Local police have tracked down the two suspects and have asked their local district attorney to lay misdemeanour vandalism and flag desecration charges against them. When the owner of the flag’s son when up in early March to swap the two flags, he discovered the American flag had been torn apart and buried under some rocks.
Adding insult to injury, the flag has been flying at this location in honour of those killed in 9/11 which also includes 24 Canadians. The local Walmart donates a new flag every six months to keep the flag in good shape.
Personally, I think those two should be charged. I think it is great the Americans have a charge specifically for desecrating flags, Canada would be wise to adopt one. Should fit right in with Harper’s ‘tough on crime’ campaign. But I digress. (more…)
When Will Revenue Override Prudence?
| 4/19/2010 | Posted by Patti under Environment, World News, World Politics |
As the volcano in Iceland continues to spew forth ash and the cloud continues to spread itself across Europe and now apparently to the eastern shores of North America I’ve wondered how long the airlines would be tolerant of the prudence being shown by the air traffic controllers.
I’m going to say at the outset, I have never flown on an aircraft and at this point in my life have never had a need to. I have on occasion turned my vehicle into a flying vehicle due to lead footitis but I’ve never left the ground.
I’m sure millions of travellers stuck in countries they are trying to leave would certainly like to see planes flying to get them home. Over the weekend some European airlines sent up test flights through the volcanic ash cloud. At this point, they seem to be claiming their planes returned without any problems or damage.
Affected airlines are losing millions of dollars a day as this situation continues to drag on. Weather forecasters are now saying this will likely continue for days at a minimum and possible weeks depending on how long it takes this volcano to settle down. Meanwhile a NATO F-16 who flew through the cloud area reportedly has sustained damage to its engines. (more…)
Guergis Affair Bigger Than Her
| 4/18/2010 | Posted by Patti under Canadian Politics |
I’ve been reading extensively about the dismissal of Helena Guergis from the Conservative cabinet and caucus. I blogged about the really big break her husband, former Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer, received after being charged not only with impaired driving but also possession of cocaine, and the red flags it raised.
Now that didn’t directly mean his wife, then a Conservative cabinet minister, was involved. It did however provide truly bad optics. Justice not only has to be done, it has to be seen to be done. Jaffer’s case doesn’t show justice being done, it shows someone with money and connections walking away from some very serious charges.
As the result of some investigative reporting by Kevin Donovan at the Toronto Star, we’ve since learned that being nailed with impaired and drug possession that night was just the end of what could well be seen as a rather questionable evening. He spent the evening partying with Nazim Gillani, a rather shady business person with criminal charges hanging over his head and apparently being investigated in regards to some serious fraud. (more…)
We Will Remember Him
| 4/10/2010 | Posted by Patti under Brave Canadians |
They shall grow not old, as we who are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning
We will remember them
In memory of our fallen Canadian:
Pvt Tyler William Todd – Afghanistan April 10, 2010
Always Caring — Always Canadian — Never Defeated
Support Our Troops — Wear Red on Fridays
Police Background Check System Broken?
| 4/9/2010 | Posted by Patti under Canadian News |
The Toronto Star today is reporting that a little noticed move by the RCMP last December to comply with provisions of the Privacy laws has resulted in breaking the police check system. Anyone who has volunteered in the community, particularly in positions dealing with children, will be familiar with having a police check done.
The check is supposed to insure that the volunteer is free of any criminal past which would endanger the people the volunteer is working with and the organization they are volunteering for. In some instances volunteers undergo multiply checks as a single check can’t be shared with other agencies.
They are a routine nuisance for honest people in the belief that they will catch those who should not be anywhere near vulnerable clients, especially children. Not only are pedophiles who have been pardoned, some 887 sex offenders in 2009-10, shielded from discovery in these checks but now those who have been convicted are as well. (more…)
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