Posts Tagged by toronto star
We All Lost With the G20
| 6/28/2010 | Posted by Patti under Canadian News, Canadian Politics |
I watched in disgust on Saturday the footage of the rampage by black clad protesters as they wantonly vandalized stores and businesses in the downtown area of Toronto. I saw police cruisers vandalized and set on fire. For a while, I was willing to reluctantly consider that the almost $1billion in security costs may have been money well spent.
The question also arose in my mind though, with all that money spent and the massive police presence in Toronto — just how did that group of 100 or so vandals manage to run roughshod over areas of Toronto? It became rather apparent the police were far more intent on protecting that fence than the downtown area outside of it.
Ah yes, that fence, the same one that Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair asked the provincial cabinet to pass regulations which allowed police officers to violate our rights and freedoms to protect. The regulations which were supposed to only have effect five metres from that fence. The regulations which appear to have been applied throughout the city to accommodate whatever police state tactics the cops chose to deploy.
I read in the Toronto Star on Sunday morning that the police were aware of at least one bus load of people from Quebec who were headed to Toronto for what appeared to be exactly what we saw on Saturday. That begs the question — if the cops knew they were coming, why did they let them arrive? Being unable to prevent their arrival, why was some of that massive police presence not used to keep a close eye on them and nail them as soon as they started something? (more…)
Pardon System to be Revamped
| 5/12/2010 | Posted by Patti under Canadian Politics |
Canada’s Pardon system is about to see an overhaul. The Conservatives tabled a bill yesterday to make the changes. The most important changes and the ones I believe were absolutely needed is the deny pardons to those convicted of sex crimes against children and those with convictions of three or more serious offences.
In typical Harper Conservatives fashion, they are now trying to ramrod the bill through the house by raising the spectre of Karla Homolka being eligible to apply for pardon this year. Let me say quite clearly, that woman shouldn’t be even walking the streets let alone being eligible for a pardon.
It’s cleared the flawed system needed some fixing and quickly before another serious injustice occurs. So why wouldn’t the Conservatives table a carefully thought out bill with the most important changes included and leave the door open for other changes to follow? Now that would be a tad too civil.
An editorial in today’s Toronto Star says the bill goes too far. It finds that the move to change the name from Pardon to “Record Suspension” as mean spirited. Toews rationalizes that a pardon implies forgiveness and that the state is not in the business of doing so. (more…)
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…)
The Plot That Wasn’t
| 12/7/2009 | Posted by Patti under Canadian Politics |
On Sunday I read through Angelo Persichilli’s political column in the Toronto Star. I usually give his column a scan but rarely put a lot of stock into it. More of a gut response to his writing than any true sense that he plays pretty loose with the truth in his perspective.
In his latest column he claims that a full blown revolt is happening in the Liberal party, led by Bob Rae, and apparently deep into planning through a group of MPs who sat down to have nightcaps together after a party. The brass of them, they decided to plot this coup in a very public venue. Persichilli doesn’t identify who his source is, one would wonder if it was speculation or if he truly had a mic on the table.
He claimed that it would be pretty difficult for Ignatieff to survive as leader until the end of this year, a scant 3 weeks away. The reality is, short of executing the guy, it would be pretty much impossible to remove him either before the end of the year or conceivably the end of next year. That would require a convention and leadership review. (more…)
Conservatives No Benefit to Canada
| 3/17/2009 | Posted by Patti under Canadian Politics |
Harper gave a speech to his party faithful last Thursday night. These days he’s not quite the fair haired boy that many in the party saw him as oh 3 years ago and it makes me wonder if some of those hearing that speech took note of what wasn’t being said. The Toronto Star published an excerpt from the speech today.
In the excerpt Harper appears to be arguing how Conservatives, in particular his
government, has been a benefit to Canada. That only with Conservatives can Canada move forward using conservative principles. He’s laid claim to the stable banking system in this country that he had nothing to do with. He does love to ride on the back of other people’s hard work doesn’t he, likely why he has never worked as the economist he lays claim to academically be.
He slammed the US for raising taxes instead of cutting them like the Conservatives have. What he conveniently forgot was that the US is cutting taxes for the lower income earners and doing so immediately, not when the next tax year rolls around. The US is raising taxes on the upper income levels who traditionally have enjoyed the greatest tax relief while retaining more of their income. Heaven forbid that those who have the most be expected to contribute more to economic recovery. (more…)
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