Still not sure about the party, but PMSH does makes you proud to be Canadian again. About bloody time.

I think as time goes on,and the conservatives have time to look into more of the issues we will be shocked.
There will come a day where even the most hardcore of liberal supporters will feel ashamed in supporting a regime that did its best not to promote our national interests..

This new government has been given flack for limiting their priorities to 5 issues.

What the critics overlooked was the amount of effort going to all those *other* issues while they were in opposition, and since Jan 23rd.

Its a good feeling to be able to hold ones head up knowing we have a PM with guts & moral integrity.If not consistant. That this Nation stands for the right again. Instead of the smarly , oily last groups love of Monsters.
Not one pandering to despots, as the last one did at Every oppertunity.
I feel so good about the moves PMSH has made. I am getting worried, waiting for the boot to drop.
Whats really fun, is watching an Intellegent PM for once. Its a joy to watch him run the MSM to ground.The careful way he throws a grenade every once in a while, catching his foes surprised.
I hope this Quiet revolution continues.

maybe the liberals didn't want to rock the boat . the csl boats that are being built there . ya know ? the shipping company martin owns . then theres the hundred million dollars or so that they were giving to china for humanitarian purposes . to hell with canadian jobs , long as csl gets cheap labour .

I had high hopes for Stephen Harper as PM, and so far he's exceeded all my expectations. With each passing day Chretien and Martin look worse and worse. Prime Minister Harper is sure not the same as the old boss. What is this strange lack of cynicism that's starting to sweep the nation?

Clap, clap, clap, Cheer!

Former RCMP Cpl. Robert Read is vindicated. He must be given his due as a Canadian patriot & given redress. The malfeasance of AdScam Chretien/Martin, the former "bosses", must be subjected to public scrutiny. Their cover is blown. Out with the truth. +

Thank you, Cpl. Read. You have been vindicated. Canada owes you just compensation. +

(Published in the The Asian Pacific Post Oct. 2, 2003)

A Canadian scandal made in Hong Kong

By Asian Pacific News Service

A RCMP investigation that tracked the lives of some of Hong Kong's top tycoons, civil servants and gangsters with strong ties to Canada has been condemned by the police forces own security watchdog.

Now the Jean Chretien-led federal government is facing accusations of pressuring the RCMP to shut down the investigation which was originally sparked by allegations of corruption and organized crime infiltration at the Canadian High Commission in Hong Kong, (see The Asian Pacific Post, April 25- May 8, 2002).

Many of those looked at in the so called 'Hong Kong probe' have strong ties to the Canadian government politicians, do extensive business in British Columbia and Ontario while others had applied to emigrate to Canada.

They include former Hong Kong immigration chief Lawrence Leung, International Basketball Federation chairman Carl Ching Meng Ky, legislator Rita Fan, businessmen brothers Timothy, Robert and Gordon Fu, originally from Taiwan who set up Imperial Consultants in Hong Kong to help thousands to migrate to Canada under an investor immigration program, Albert Yeung Sau Shing chairman of the Emperor Group and tycoons Stanley Ho, Li Ka Shing and Cheng Yu Tung.

In addition, the botched probe also looked at least 16 Triad figures who were applying to emigrate to Canada, including senior thugs of the Sun Yee On, Woh Hop To, Tan Yee and Kung Lok triads.

This month after almost a decade of investigations, reviews and accusations of cover-ups, The Royal Canadian Mounted Police External Review Committee, which is an independent agency that reports to the Canadian Parliament said the Canadian investigators failed to do their job properly.

In a scathing report the review committee said Asian organized crime figures may have entered Canada because the RCMP failed to properly investigate allegations of widespread corruption at the Canadian High Commission in Hong Kong.

"While there is no evidence of a cover-up on the part of the force, there were important shortcomings in the investigative process followed by the force since 1991, with the result that it remains possible that employees of the mission were able to engage in immigration fraud on a widespread basis and that such activities have remained undetected to date," it said. The report adds that the possible consequences of the failure were that "Hong Kong residents who should not have been admitted to Canada, such as triad members, were able to bypass any screening by immigration officials prior to receiving a visa to immigrate to Canada."

The RCMP was reluctant to investigate the activities of embassy employees suspected of taking bribes, partly because it did not want to damage its relationship with the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, the committee found.

The highly sensitive and secret investigation was exposed by Asian Pacific Post editorial consultant Fabian Dawson in August 1999 in a series of articles first published in The Province.

The review committee in its report said Dawson published "among the most detailed accounts" of the matter, revealing that Chinese mafia members had allegedly paid embassy employees to scrub their criminal backgrounds from Canadian government computer files.

As a result of the articles, RCMP Corporal Robert Read, who at that time was the key investigator in the case, was fired for talking to the media.+
http://www.primetimecrime.com/APNS/20031002canadianscandal.htm

'Two innocents in Red China'
In 1960, China was virtually a closed society. Foreign visitors were rare, but somehow, five French-Canadians were invited to tour the country for 32 days...
http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-73-2049-12815/politics_economy/china/clip3

China-Canada ties
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-09/07/content_475809.htm

sure kate. i'll buy that for a while. but then again maybe you are too young to remember brian mulroney? sometimes the new boss is worse than the old boss. and what can we say about grant devine, other than the fact that the weasel somehow avoided joining his cabinet in the dock. yep, new bosses....

I'm not sure who is more to blame here, the Liberals, or the corporations who have caved in to political correctness and been actively discriminating against Canadians for years now in favour of workers from sketchy countries with sketchy governments.

Cheaper rival hits the market on eve of RIM's long-delayed debut

From Tuesday's Globe and Mail

BEIJING and TORONTO — On the eve of its long-delayed China launch, BlackBerry is facing a sudden challenge from a cheaper Chinese rival called, unapologetically, RedBerry.

The new service, aimed squarely at BlackBerry, was launched this month by China Unicom Ltd., the state-controlled telecommunications giant that ranks as China's second-biggest mobile operator.

The new RedBerry service could pose a major challenge to Research in Motion Ltd., which is planning to launch BlackBerry in China by the end of next month. Its China launch has been delayed by two years of negotiations and regulatory obstacles, and RedBerry has now been introduced ahead of it.

China Unicom left no doubt that it is brazenly attempting to capitalize on BlackBerry's global fame.

"The RedBerry name extends the vivid name of BlackBerry that people are already familiar with, and it also combines the new red symbol of China Unicom," the company said in a press release.

China Unicom spokesmen refused to comment yesterday on whether they expected any disputes over trademark infringement."

This letter of mine about the difference between bosses was published in the National Post as Letter of the Day about a month ago. The title was "Martin Leaves the Room".

"Re Paul Martin's resignation as Liberal leader: His absence from the scene reminds me of my classroom now that a particular student I taught last year has been transferred to another class. He was very well liked by all of us but was really noisy and kinetic--almost all the time. When he was away for a week, I noted that the unaccustomed quiet was very pleasant. One of my students immediately responded, 'Yes, and the room isn't shaking.' Wisdom out of the mouths of babes!'

"Without Paul Martin's loud, frenetic, and juvenile posturings in Canadians' faces at every opportunity, I'm really enjoying the peace and quiet. Canada seems a little more mature, with a real leader, Stephen Harper, who doesn't need to jump up and down and hear himself prattling on to convince himself he's doing something worthwhile. Mr. Harper, you get A+ from me for your dignified prime ministerial behaviour. Canadians aren't used to it but they certainly deserve it. Thanks."

A month later, my admiration for PMSH's steadfastness, intelligence, loyalty to the people of Canada, and guts has only increased. It really feels as if the grownups are finally in charge. The quacks, who were running this country--into the ground--are looking every bit the decrepit impostors they were.

P.S. kursk, we seem to agree substantially on something here. I appreciate your comments.

It's amazing, Canada is acting like a sovereign nation again! World gov'ts beware, we aren't the push-overs we used to be. thank God

This is just a gentle reminder that we should remain ever vigilant regarding politicians. PMSH seems to be doing an admirable job...he deserves hearty congratulations.

However, he IS a politician and there is a very good reason why politicians routinely poll as one of the least trustworthy occupations...power corrupts.

We should continue to give credit where credit is due and reward good behaviour with our appreciation and accolades...but at the same time we need to admonish (constructively) any failings of the new government. The people of Canada are watching, Mr. Harper...please keep up the good work and stay on the straight and narrow.

As for dealing with China, one needs to carefully strategize how one deals with such a giant. They are like a mean old bear digging through your campsite...be quiet and they'll likely leave you alone, but you'll lose your lunch. They're too big to shoot (we don't have big enough weapons anyway) and it may be a bit reckless to walk up to them and whack them on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper.

Notice how the government is wording their concerns...they are signalling that they want to discuss the issue. Cautious and diplomatic, but at least they're taking action. Sounds about right, to me (not that I am any great strategist).

Cutting off funding for Hamas!
Banning the Tamil Tigers!
Acknowledging there are spies here!

Strong foreign policy doesn't have to mean participating in wars, it can mean being serious about Canada's role in the world. First of all it seems, that requires acknowledging there is a world out there, and not all of it is good. I hope Canada presses this against China. Let's rebuild our decimated security and intelligence services.

Jonathan at Dalhousie said: "Strong foreign policy doesn't have to mean participating in wars, it can mean being serious about Canada's role in the world."

Volunteers!!!!

"The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive.... They see the sons of Canadians going over there, so far away, to help our country.

It's amazing to them." +

Afghan Canadians volunteer for duty with soldiers
National Post ^ | 2006-04-15 | Chris Wattie

Posted on 04/15/2006 5:53:57 AM PDT by Clive

Afghan Canadians are returning to their homeland to help aid agencies, to advise the new Afghan government and in some cases to join the Canadian soldiers hunting Taliban insurgents in the restive southern province of Kandahar.

At least 15 Afghan Canadians -- the military will not give exact numbers for security reasons -- have signed on to work as interpreters for the Canadian army.

"These guys are all volunteers," said Robert Newman, a spokesman for the Department of National Defence. "They stepped up and volunteered for this work. They're civil servants, civilian employees of DND."

Sources in the Canadian contingent in Afghanistan, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Afghans have proven invaluable to the mission in Kandahar, providing a pool of translators that can be trusted.

The Canadian Afghans are a much-needed alternative to locally hired translators, who can be potential security risks, said one officer. "How do you do a security check on someone in Afghanistan? They don't have driver's licences here, let alone birth certificates," he said.

"When we go outside the wire ... we don't really know who we're getting."

Mr. Newman said the Canadians were all screened thoroughly before being sent overseas last month. "And they have to establish that they know the local language and dialects as well as the customs of the area where they're operating."

Some Canadian Afghans are even serving in uniform, said Adeena Niazi, of the Afghan Women Organization, including one young army reserve soldier from Ontario who is part of the Canadian task force.

"I know his family quite well," Ms. Niazi said. "His mother is worried, of course, but very proud of him too."

She said there are more than 60,000 Afghan Canadians, most of them in the Toronto area, and since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, hundreds have made the long trip back to their homeland.

"Some go for the long term, some for shorter times ... but they all want to help our country," Ms. Niazi said. "We cannot be indifferent to what is going on."

She said she has spoken to some of the Afghan volunteers since their arrival and said their work translating for Canadian soldiers and advising them on the ins and outs of Afghan culture is hard, but rewarding work.

"It makes them feel good to do something for their country -- for both of their countries," Ms. Niazi said.

Many Afghans fled to Canada during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s, while others came during the long civil war that followed the Soviet withdrawal and the repression and brutality of the Taliban.

"Some of them have been here 15 or 20 years, so they've become Canadian," said Wahid Monawar, the consul general for the Afghan government in Toronto.

Mr. Monawar said there are very few Taliban supporters among the general population of Afghanistan, and even fewer among Canadian Afghans.

"I have not heard one person in the Afghan community here say anything negative about the Canadian soldiers or their mission there," he said emphatically.

"The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive.... They see the sons of Canadians going over there, so far away, to help our country. It's amazing to them." +
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1615504/posts

It would be hard to be as bad as the liberals, but I do hope that this site is able to be an alternative to the corporate media and offer conservative critiques on the harper gov't's performance.

News item:
Harpers pay $87,768 in taxes for 2005. Itemized deduction for mr.harper's soul, which was sold to bush, listed at $76.34

The difference between Harper and Chretien/Martin is a stunning difference.

C-M simply wanted personal power and they manipulated the people to maintain that power. Both of them uses this power for great personal enrichment. Neither was particularly interested in Canada, in its people or its international role.

This manipulation consisted of a strategic use of the MSM as a major tool of propaganda; the population were provided not facts, but fictions (e.g sponsorship money laundering hidden as 'saving Quebec'; Dingwall firing hidden as 'he resigned' etc;

the use of constant bribes to special interest groups to maintain electoral loyalty; eg SSM; eg the gun registry; eg Quebec business enterprises; eg Maritimes business enterprises; eg, BC..etc, etc.

; their complete control of the governing apparatus of Canada, which is primarily appointed rather than elected - and their refusal to make these appointments accountable or visible. These include the Senate rewards for their friends, ambassador appointments for their failed friends (Gagliano)..and, enabled them to control the gov't activities, reducing the House of Commons to utter irrelevancy.

Notice how Harper is 1,000% (!) different. He is not interested in using the gov't for HIS personal agenda. Wow.

Notice that he has an actual policy and set of ideas about Canada. C-M had neither; their agenda was to 'keep the people quiet' with propaganda, brainwashing, and bribes. Harper has specific plans...which are about Canada and not himself or his own companies (Chretien is in oil, Martin is in shipping).

Notice how he is changing that enormous infrastructure of governance, reducing the power of the PMO - and having appointments VETTED by the House (his appointment to the Supreme Court); having an accountability act and infrastructure to open up that huge appointments power - to the scrutiny andn power of the elected representatives. He is restoring power to the House of Commons.

Notice how he is refusing the use of propaganda. The Press Gang, who are used to their role as Propaganda Disseminators, are furious - but, we've had MORE information, real information, about this gov't - than ever, in the days when what we got, was not information, but propaganda lies.
Harper meets one on one with the press; so does MacKay, so does Day... Each question is answered, seriously and openly.
No propaganda.

Then, in the foreign affairs - it's a complete change. Suddenly, Canada is back IN the world rather than smugly observing it from the bleachers. And, multiculturalism is changing - rather than evaluating all 'newcomers' as equal and good - Harper is evaluating those who come to raise funds for terrorism, those who come to steal industrial patents, those who come for crime...

Quite remarkable. Finally, after decades of having our politicians use us for their own personal gain - we have a politician who is a politician - that is, who is there to serve us.

Let's not forget Harper's reversal of voting policy at the UN, where he ordered our delegation to support Israel in a vote that ended up something like 2-42 (Canada and USA against the world). While much of the country still thinks Emerson="they're all the same", let us here in SDA-land sit back and enjoy the revolution that the self-immolating press corps is completely missing. It's probably a good thing that they haven't noticed...

On the other hand: interesting (and maybe depressing) article in Ottawa Citizen today, "Tories freeze all spending on new gear for military":
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=141129bd-ec2a-47a4-bb73-74945b5197f4

Excerpts:

'...
The big-ticket equipment projects, many put into motion last year by the Liberal government's defence policy paper, appear to now be in limbo, defence industry and military officials privately say.

In some cases, military planners are looking at rearranging the order of the purchases. Just before the election, the Liberal government announced it would spend $5 billion on buying replacements for the air force's aging Hercules transport planes. Now officers are re-examining that and looking at the likelihood of moving ahead first with the purchase of larger long-range transport planes, a program favoured by the Harper government...

Defence industry officials say there have been discussions on whether to scale down the project to spend $2.1 billion on a Joint Support Ship, a combination troop and supply vessel. The Liberals had wanted to buy a fleet of those ships as well as an amphibious assault ship, a project estimated to cost around $1 billion.

But one scenario that has been discussed in the Defence Department is the purchase of less expensive commercial tankers to refuel navy ships at sea. Under that scheme, the amphibious assault ship would take on some of the roles that would have been filled by the Joint Support Ship...
http://www.forces.gc.ca/admmat/dgmepm/pmojss/index_e.asp
http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/mspa_news/news_e.asp?id=164

[New vessels in French service that might fit the amphibious assault ship bill, and we should have two:]
http://www.deagel.com/pandora/mistral_pm00192001.aspx

The Conservatives have promised to buy some of the same gear as the Liberals. But the Harper government is also committed to building a fleet of armed icebreakers as well as a deep water port in the Arctic, projects that analysts say will cost billions.

The lack of direction on procurement programs was highlighted at the recent CANSEC defence equipment show in Ottawa. There, some industry officials expressed frustration that much-needed projects were being delayed.

In particular, they pointed to the Defence Department's decision to "fast-track" the purchase of fixed-wing search-and-rescue planes. That program, to replace aging Buffalo aircraft mainly based on the West Coast, was announced with great fanfare in 2003 and was considered a priority program. But industry officials say they have seen little movement on the project...'

See "Somehow aircraft just don't get purchased":
http://toyoufromfailinghands.blogspot.com/2006/03/somehow-aircraft-just-dont-get.html

Mark
Ottawa

And Gen Hillier may have been muzzled.
http://www.ottawasun.com/News/National/2006/04/15/1535119-sun.html

Mark
Ottawa

The Liberals had no plans on the military. Spending(where it was) was unfocused andseemed to be off the top of the head and reacting to Conservative plans. The fact that the Conservatives are reviewing military spending put in place by the Liberals is not worrisome. Quite the opposite, it shows that the Conservatives are serious about upgrading our military.

Muzzling Hillier and military officers from speaking is wise. Civilians are in control of the military ultimately. Officers should not be questioning policy set by duly elected officials.

I like Hilliers style and what I have seen of the man but the military implements policies set out by the government. We are not some 3rd world government with a military junta in charge.
enough

enough: Your considered views on the military efficacy of the Conservatives' campaign promise to station (currently non-existent) battalions at Goose Bay, Bagotville, Trenton and Comox?

Mark
Ottawa

Ima Hassle: "they are like a mean old bear digging through your campsite...be quiet and they'll likely leave you alone, but you'll lose your lunch. They're too big to shoot (we don't have big enough weapons anyway) and it may be a bit reckless to walk up to them and whack them on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper."

Oh come on.

A bear is an amimal. You go and swat it and it is likely to attack you.

China is a country run by humans. I'm pretty sure that if we expel or jail the spies China isn't going to do a damn thing.

Remember _they_ have to think about _they're_ markets too, for instance they're investments in the oilsands.

Cheers,
lance

But remember, Mark Collins, the Liberal funding announcements were propaganda, i.e., fiction not fact. No money would actually have been given. Just as we still don't know whether/not the Tsunami aid promised by the Liberals, to 'match private individual donations' ever made it past their propaganda accounements.

Therefore, at this moment, I'd suggest that the gov't is reviewing the new role of the military, which it supports, (ie as a military not as a non-existent peacekeeping fiction) and trying to see what it needs for that role.

Steve in bc - your comment about Harper/Bush is trivial. I strongly support Bush's agenda of democracy in the ME. Does that mean that I have sold my soul because I agree with someone?

Are you changing the meaning of agreement? - from a relationship of an 'additive identity' - which is one where you keep your identity and simply add your opinion to that of another person. (I like chocolate; you like chocolate; that doesn't mean we two people have morphed into ONE person! It doesn't mean that I've 'sold my soul' to the first liker-of-chocolate!).

Harper agrees with Bush's agenda of democracy. Does that mean that Harper has dissolved and been swallowed by Bush? Bush agrees with Harper's agenda in Afghanistan. Does that mean that Bush has been swallowed by Harper?

Kindly review your meanings. By the way - you've never answered my questions in another thread.

Steve in BC,
If Harper's soul is valued at $76.34, what did the Lib's offer for yours?

Clearly, PMSH is set to become the best Canadian PM in a very long time; perhaps ever. Leftists like the press gang don't want it to be true but that won't stop it from happening. They're so jaded that they can't even see that they're hi-lighting their own irrelevancy.

Harper visits the troops sent to Afghanistan by the Liberals and the MSM spends a week deriding his physical stature.

Harper announces a reform package to attempt to restore faith in government accountability and the MSM sulk that they're not being spoon-fed the lieberal drivel that they require to live.

The outcome of all this? Are the media "breaking" PMSH as Zolf has insisted they would? I don't think so. More Canadians than ever support the Prime Minister and his initiatives. This should be a wake up call to the media. If you continue to try to slant the reporting to suit your personal agenda, you will continue to turn away viewers, listeners and readers. Of course, in the CBC, no one cares about that.........yet

Red Star has discovered s-a-r-c-a-s-m ... for now.

Red Star propaganda masked/disguised as n-e-w-s... for now. +

PM's control strategy is working — for now
Toronto Star - 7 hours ago
Boy, this new prime minister is a marvel. Just two weeks into its uncertain life, the 39th Parliament belongs to Stephen Harper. It's anyone's guess how long Harper's control of this minority government lasts. ... via google news

I for one am not ready to hop on the band waggon just yet. I would much rather have continued to support the reform party. I see too much PC in the CPC. Harper made two disasters appointments to his cabinet that need correction. Until then its same old.

Angus Wrote "sure kate. i'll buy that for a while. but then again maybe you are too young to remember brian mulroney? sometimes the new boss is worse than the old boss. and what can we say about grant devine, other than the fact that the weasel somehow avoided joining his cabinet in the dock. yep, new bosses...."

You drive by piece of crap. Both of these people are gentlemen of high integrity who were subjected to intense investigatory scrutiny at the insistance of the government of the day and neither was ever charged with anything BECAUSE THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY WRONG DOING. Brian Mulrony, in fact, sued the government and won. I believe he was awarded a significant amount by the court.

While all of this was going on, Chretien was arranging questionable loans for hoteliers and supervising a kickback arrangement in Quebec.

The total amount in question during the Devine term was less than $300,000. Meanwhile, the idiots in charge today have had more than $4 million stolen by employeees and have pissed away more than $900 million on failed projects like the Meadow Lake Pulp Mill. NOw they want to take more of my money and "rescue" the mill in PA.

Your drive by smear is so typical of agents of the left. The recipe is light on fact, heavy on innuendo and comes together with an aroma of guilt. This undermines democracy and perpetuates the cynicism felt by voters today.

hey, are we growing a spine all of a sudden ?
we got eastern fishermen kicking the crying whining protesters out of the way of the seal hunt ,canadians kicking ass in afghanistan , 41 taliban dead by some counts , afghan canadians going back to help canadian soldiers fighting the taliban . the government actually telling the chinese we don't like with their spying anymore . what the hell next ? if we aren't careful we might even get a turnout at the polls higher than 63 in the future .

canard:
the person who bribed mulrony went to jail and part of his time was for admitting to giving mulrony money.(in germany)
I do prefer Conservative but mulrony was not totaly on the up and up

This is the beginning of a new Era.
PMSH and the new Conservative Party of Canada and the MP's in it are not of the old guard or generation and as such will be doing business better and with efficiently.
Liberal incompetence is over.

On foreign affairs and Seals, good stuff! The real challenge will be to stand up to the junk science industry and scrap Kyoto commitments.

Hey, Angus. Canard is right, you DBPoC. I do remember Mulroney. I remember NAFTA and the GST and how much they were despised by the general electorate. I remember the liberal party taking advantage of this ill-will by promising to kill it all and, as a result, being swept to power.

Instead of killing the deals, however, the liberals rode those conservative initiatives for all they were worth and then claimed to be the "deficit slayers" (slaying the deficit that was inherited from Trudeau).

Helicopters? Liberals killed the Mulroney deal and paid a half billion dollars in penalties; then spent a dozen years trying to stonewall the selection process for their own partisan re-election purposes while Canadian heros died in anciant Sea-Kings.

Pearson airport? Liberals killed the Mulroney deal and paid the penalties because their election platform was that privatization wasn't in the interest of Canadians. Months after being elected, Chretien had a new deal to sell it to liberal interests and the deal was pushed through with little interest from the media.

Perhaps the rebuilding of the lpc should start with someone coming up with an original idea.

Lance, China doesn't need Canada as much as Canada needs China (market-wise). Agreed, they're run by humans but humans who are communist...humans who are not terribly nice to those who disagree with them...humans who are in almost total control of one-sixth of the world's population...humans who are buying up Canadian natural resources...humans who could seriously screw with our economy.

Even though we have a democratic neighbour to the south with whom we have a free trade agreement, they unilaterally and without sufficient merit place duties on imports from Canada...causing significant problems in our lumber industry. And this is being done by a friend. Imagine what a larger country who is NOT our friend could do.

Caution is the better part of valour. The government should press the issue and move it to resolution, but do it in a cautious and diplomatic manner...just as they appear to be doing.

Do you suggest something more forceful? If so, why do you suppose we haven't done (and won't do) anything forceful with the Americans on the softwood lumber issue? IT's a dangerous game playing chicken with a super-power when they could seriously impact our economy.

I'm not advocating surrender...I'm advocating an attack...just through the use of diplomacy and quiet resolve.

Brett says, "canard:the person who bribed mulrony went to jail and part of his time was for admitting to giving mulrony money.(in germany)I do prefer Conservative but mulrony was not totaly on the up and up."

Please provide some back up for such an outrageous and false statement. Just because Hans Schreiber made some kind of unsubstantiated accusation does not make anybody guilty.

I, for one, am sick of this kind of crap. You cannot prove guilt but it must be so because a convicted felon said so. His duplicity makes any statement not backed up by some documentation absolute heresay, gossip if you will. To convict a former prime minister based on this is beyond irresponsible.

Next step on the China file; cancel the aid we're giving them. For pity's sake, they have a manned space program and ballistic missile subs and we're subsidizing them??????

I was thinking the same thing after I wrote the post. I wouldn't be surprised if that's the next move - as some who have defended the "development aid to China" have pointed out, it's just a thinly veiled bribery system.

Feature by Chris Wattie of the Post on his tour with Task Force Orion's Princess Pats:
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=7f35182b-858d-46c9-9a38-f40e9ff6f4cc

Photo gallery by Silvia Pecota:
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/index.html#

Mark
Ottawa

Hassle: I'm at a loss to as why Canada "needs" China. Other than cheap products sold at Wal-Mart and Home Depot why does Canada need China? Food? Oil? Raw materials? Breeding room? A foil to the US for our raw materials? Why is it that in the last twenty years people have decided that Canada needs China? What would change if we cut China off from its too cheap by far supply of raw materials? Retaliation? Would they refuse to send us more un-educated peasants to work at those jobs that Canadians don't want? Would they invade us? At the rate the world, in particular China, is consuming it's natural resources who needs who more? Canada with everything or China with nothing but unwanted people? People that China does not have the resources to feed, educate, house or clothe. "Seriously impact our economy?" Our economy did just fine without China and would manage just fine without it again. China without suppliers of raw materials has nothing. No hope, no future. Kick the spies out and don't bother being polite about it. Or do you favour appeasment of the world's most vile abuser of human rights, for monetary gain?

Greg, read the last sentence of my last post, please. I am NOT advocating appeasement...I am advocating action...just not "rushing in where angels fear to tread", as it were. Diplomacy and quiet resolve, ever strengthening as necessary.

China is BUYING the rights to our natural resources...after they do so, they won't need US. Canadian businesses, like every other country's businesses, are salivating for a chance to get into the Chinese market...the Chinese are salivating to buy out our resources out from under us (and they're beginning to do so). They don't need to sell crap to us, but with their growing manufacturing might, we'll need to buy crap from them (we can't afford the cost of union-manufactured ANYTHING here, so who else is going to make it...China with their almost "captive" work force).

We can't continue to rely on only the American market to sell our crap to...too easy for American protectionism to raise its ugly head. The Americans are already destroying our lumber and agricultural industries.

I don't pretend to be an economist, but it seems fairly obvious to me that we shouldn't rush into aggressive action against a market that represents ONE-SIXTH of the world's market. Please notice that I DIDN'T say that we shouldn't do ANYTHING...just not to do anything too rash, too quickly...which is just what it seems as though the government intends to do.

Chill out, man...relax a bit and take a deep breath. I don't think I'm being terribly controversial or heretical here. Just a conservative person suggesting a conservative approach.

By the by, I suspect that within 10 years, Chinese automakers will have a large share of the market here in North America. Geely will be selling cars here within a couple years, and they'll likely overtake Hyundai pretty quickly...with GM going tits-up in the process. Mercedes Benz and others are now starting to get their vehicles manufactured there, which will increase their manufacturing quality quickly...and they'll be selling that stuff here. So, it's not just Walmart and Home Depot crap...it will extend into a multitude of products at all quality levels.

Yeah, Greg!

I've just sent a congratulatory letter regarding the China policies of our new government, to most of the major papers in Canada.

I agree. The Soviet Union was a tyrannical, oppressive gov't with whom it was immoral to do business, but the Chinese are just another customer. I don't think so.

Ima hassle
As far as the softwood lumber dispute is concerned, it isn't as black-white as you suggest. The reality is that the Americans have a point - that Canada DOES subsidize, in the form of low stumpage rates, its forestry industry, with the result that Canadian foresters can afford to sell their lumber more cheaply than Americans.

Greg - your view of China as a vast empty resource-poor land of starving and uneducated peasants is also a fiction. China has a LOT of natural resources, so your statement that it is 'nothing without the input of external (raw) resources' is wrong. China also has an educated population with a strong focus on science and technological development.

Why is China buying up our Canadian resources and developing our industries?? Because Canadians are so heavily taxed that Canada has been unable to develop its OWN INVESTOR CLASS. A robust industrial economy ought to have at least 20% of its population able to invest money in long term, future oriented, high cost infrastructural devt. Scientific research, for example, often doesn't see results for a decade. Technological industry is high cost. But, in Canada - we have LESS THAN 1% of the population able to invest in these necessary infrastrucctures.
Less than 1%!!

That's the result of our years of socialism, our high taxes, our equalization, our refusal to develop our own industries. It has meant that Canada has ended up as a completely dependent economy. We depend on other nations to invest in the cost-heavy long term future oriented infrastructures. We just turn up as employees; we don't invest or develop. So, you get Wal-Mart in Canada.

But, Canadians don't develop their own Wal-Mart. I'm sure you know the story of a Quebec town actually filing a lawsuit against Wal-Mart when it pulled out. They insist that Wal-mart have a store there, to hire the local residents. But they'd never develop their own store!
Canadians will run franchises owned by foreigners - but won't and can't, invest in their own. We don't have an investor class.

You get Canadians copying the drugs developed by the US - and that's why Canada can sell drugs cheaply; we don't pay the costs of research and development.

Canada is a completely dependent economy. Harper came up with the beginning tactic to turn this dependency around - with his suggestion to not tax capital gains IF the money is reinvested. Hey - can you imagine - Canada developing its own investor class - so that it won't need ALL its industries bought up and run by foreign investors?

In Quebec - the union stranglehold has destroyed their economy. The reason Quebec survives, is because it is constantly 'helped out' by the federal input. Constantly. So, we in the rest of Canada, ensure that Quebec's unions, their 'no-one is ever fired', their bloated bureaucracy, all do just fine.

And, Canada sells 85% of its exports to ONE country - the US!! We are the only country in the world that is so dependent on one country to purchase our goods! That means, that we haven't ever really worked at making our products competitive in the world. We just sit back and insist that the US purchase everything - and we get very mad if they don't. And, we don't attempt to sell our goods elsewhere.

So- we have a lot to do.

It is becoming crystal clear why the Liberal party continually tried to paint the CPC with the scary, hidden agenda brush and continually attempted to warn Canadians that voting for Stephen Harper would "ruin" the country.

They knew that if he ever got into power, he was a man that would do what he said and that he would sign the death certificate of the Liberal party.

It is a new day in Canada - times are a changing and the change is good!

Do you ever notice how the MSM writes story after story about how PMSH (Harper to the press) promised this or said he would do that and he is breaking that promise - then a few weeks later when he actually does the thing - the press is shocked and nary a word is written about how WRONG they were. It has happened so often that it is becoming quite funny to watch. They are so used to having screw-ups with the Liberals,that they jump to conculsions and start punishing the CPC only to be proven wrong by the PMO who quietly goes about his work with little fanfare.

Amusing!!!

Oh yeah - Steve in BC - when there is something to criticize, you can be sure we will criticize. So far, it has been nose to the grindstone and things happening, promises kept, speeches made and if we are not careful, Canada will be respected in the world again!

weird isn't it ? we send millions of dollars in aid to china paid for by overtaxed canadians and the chinese are buying up our resources, spying on us , undercutting our factories,stealing technology and putting thousands of canadians out of work? and somebody says we need them and we shouldn't hurt their feelings by protesting this? i need more beer.
i hope mr. harper puts an end to this.

As a professional in the investment field I concur with ET. Under the tax regime in this country I wouldn't put a dime in Canada. This is not a business of patriotism but pragmatism.

In fact ET's whole dissertation is very comprehensive and a must read.

As for China it is a country of sellers not consumers. Any thought otherwise is simply put, foolish.

In order to grow that economy into superpower proportions then they need to sell a lot stuff. Ever done business with the Chinese, ruthless is a good word. Those 1000 spies weather economic or political are dangerous to our national security in the extreme.

Canada has for most of a generation now suffered under governance of those who's only interest is selfinterest. That is reflected in an unwillingness to deal with some of the most dangerous infiltrators this or any country has faced.

China
The natural resources of China are not especially abundant, at least in per caput terms. Water resources amount to 2,400 cubic meters (m3) per caput per year. This modest supply (less than a third of the world average) is expected to drop to 1,800 m3 in 2025 (based on the UN medium population projection). It must also be considered that the supply is heavily concentrated in the sparsely populated southwest of China. With increasing water use by agriculture, industries and cities, inland resources are overextended. More than 200 major cities lack adequate water, and some 50 of them face acute shortages. Beijing is seeking new sources of supply hundreds of kilometres away. Pollution of local aquifers by industrial and domestic wastes compounds the supply problem. By the year 2000 China will need an estimated 2,000 additional water treatment plans.
The area of land suitable for agriculture is slowly decreasing, from 112 million hectares in 1957 and 104 million in 1965 to about 96 million hectares in 1990 (less than 2/3 that of India). The per caput arable area has fallen by half since 1957. It is estimated that 300,000 ha are lost annually to urbanization. More than one third of the rangelands are overgrazed, and the consumption of forest products exceeds stock growth by 20 million m3 annually (Jing Neng Li, 1993).

The expansion of agriculture to the less suitable slopes has been traced by researchers over six centuries and found to be driven by population growth. Deforestation was already serious by the mid-20th century (when the Great Leap Forward had reforestation as one of its objectives). Subsequently the growth in agricultural production was sought through intensification rather than through land development. But the heavy reliance on fuelwood, and some amount of conversion into farmland, continued to take their toll on forests. Also, intensification brought about other problems since, despite some punctual successes in "ecological agriculture", the typical side effects of irrigation, fertilization and pesticide use have often developed.

At the national level, industry certainly is a dominant factor in environmental problems: quite often, obsolete technologies lead to excessive use of energy, basic products ... read the rest at
http://www.fao.org/sd/wpdirect/wpan0004.htm
try not to fall all over yourselves with your criticisms of my ignorance as I seem not to be all alone. Kate sorry for using this much bandwidth. I won't do it again.

ET Guess these people got it wrong as well
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ch.html#Econ

I yield to the assembled brain-trust here (I'm not sufficiently informed or interested in the topic), but...the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so let's just wait and see how the government carries this issue forward...quickly and aggressively as would SEEM to be the point of some of the respondents (in dismissing the value of the Chinese market or the impact they could have on our economy) or slowly and cautiously (which was the only point I was trying to make). I suspect that my suggested approach will be the course taken, which would tend to support the general concept I was promoting.

By the by, ET, I wasn't trying to suggest the softwood lumber issue was black-and-white...it was just a quick and dirty example.

Signing off on this issue now...good night all.

I was listening to one of those call in programs on CPAC, and one caller mentioned that MOST of that "Aid" to China actually went to a few select shipyard to "reduce worker poverty"...

Anyone guess what Canadian Company has its ships built there?

Use your imagination.

canard / rob r.

touched a nerve did I?

Since I’ve been outted as a drive by piece of crap by canard and rob r., let me elaborate. My terrible slight on two of the shining lights of Canadian conservatism is based on one thing. By the time they were ousted from office the accumulated sleaze, malfeasance and outright criminal behavior under their watch had destroyed their political parties. Do I need to remind the inhabitants of this blog that the splitting of the federal conservative movement guaranteed over a decade of Liberal (mis) rule? Or in Saskatchewan the dreaded NDP has ruled because the Tories haven’t been elected since…oh, wait, yes, the Tory party was deliberately dissolved after Devine’s boys were paroled. My bad.

So not only do conservatives need leaders who are elect-able, but also capable of governing competently and ethically. The perception that far too many of the conservative foot soldiers are nut cases, Stockwell Day and Rob Anders come to mind readily, or corrupt (see comments about Devine and Mulroney) has in the past ensured Liberal victories. Harper, to his credit, kept the nutter battalions muzzled and on a short leash during the election, which indicates that he indeed does have some political sense. Harper has proven he can get himself elected, but I will wait to see if the man can govern, because I hope he can. One party states don’t work very well and if we revert to the Liberal version of Japan’s Liberal Democrats, Canada’s conservatives have only themselves to blame. Time to prove that new boss is not the old boss.

Mark Collins and enough:

My opinion is that Hillier is doing a fine job given the resources he has been allocated.

As far as aircraft go; my choice would be to go for the long haul strategic lift aircraft; with the Hercules C130Js to build out the short hop transports.

The strategic lift capability I would prioritize as the need to move around the globe in a timely fashion makes the most sense.

From a command and control point of view; the C130J Hercules would make a nice adjunct to flesh out tactical missions in theatre.

Strategic lift allows one to place a whole lot of troops and materiel in one place, ready to disperse according to some predefined objective.

Forcing tactical craft like the Hercules to do long haul runs doesn't make sense to me with refueling and what not.

One can debate all you want what to put into those strategic and tactical lift aircraft; but a priori one is going nowhere without lift capability. General Hillier knows this very well, as did Rommel who was always mighty pissed off when his supply lines were temporarily cut.

If one is going to fight to win you need a timely suitable lift capability to get there.
Everything else is rather academic when you are flying 43 year old crates which are likely going to suffer metal fatigue at some point soon. The Sea King disasater replacement schedule would be a case in point. Since 1993 dithering while these decrepit aircraft fall out of the sky requiring 8 hours maintenance to fly one hour.

When your Hercules is nigh on 40 odd years I am sure the maintenance time is getting up there as well. Perhaps it would be better to use your personnel actually flying and getting to where your mission statement and objectives say you should be, than dickering around in the hangar doing endless maintenence.

Having ones' Chief of Defense Staff hands tied because he hasn't got lift capability has to be a major source of irritation; not to mention appalling planning on the part of the LIEberals.

If we are going to be a nation, then we should at least give the military the basic tools to even "show up" in theatre in a timely fashion.

Constantly hitching a ride from one's allies doesn't cut it in the long run. (Pun intended?)

james halifax
i've been mentioning that on different blogs , writing the cbc , ctv , my mp , a few radio talk shows ,a lot of people face to face , the liberal party (i didn't expect an answer ) but i'd sure like to see the paper trail on that . i don't get it. why the hell are we sending money there ? i can only think what you are . i don't see any other reason . it makes me very angry . i'd like to see some action on this . i could be wrong but i really don't think i am or you are . its the no response thing that really gets me . its like nobody wants to deal with it .

angus writes, "So not only do conservatives need leaders who are elect-able, but also capable of governing competently and ethically. The perception that far too many of the conservative foot soldiers are nut cases, Stockwell Day and Rob Anders come to mind readily . . . "

Well, angus, what happens if the "perception"'s false. Has that crossed your (it seems fairly limited ) mind?

Re Stock Day, a fine, intelligent man--contrary to what you probably think, Christians aren't brain dead: He's proven his ELECTABILITY astonishingly well. Including his days as an Alberta MLA and as an MP, where he did a very fine job, by all accounts, as Foreign Affairs Critic, he's been in office for a very long time. What do you think of 20 YEARS without losing an election!! I think I'd call that ELECTABLE.

In Ralph Klein's government, it's a FACT, angus, that Stock Day was a more than competent Treasurer. What do you say about that?

"Ethical"? When he suffered a humiliating defeat for the leadership of the Alliance Party, did he complain and diss his opponent, Stephen Harper? No. He rolled up his sleeves and worked with him in the new enterprise. Stock Day's become one of the most reliable, effective members in a Conservative caucus brimming with such politicians. What a change from the worm-infested Liberal crew.

angus, a little bit of advice: it's a good idea to have a few facts to think about before posting your opinions.

Farm Protest On Hold
Jason McIntyre
Sunday, April 16, 2006

Farmer spokesman John Vanderspank confirms with CFRA that the food distribution blockade is on the shelf for now.

Talks between the protesters and representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture end on a positive note.

Vanderspank says the government officials hinted at a significant proposal to address the farmers' demands that could very well be in the upcoming budget. However, no firm details are available as of yet.

The 3 local food distribution centres' operations are returning to normal. +
cfra.com

In the US the military is also a social program. How many young men and women come from poor backgraounds? How many learn discipline, get structure to their lives and learn useful trades? They earn themselves free university education, are gainfully employed and do something positive for their country.

The money spent on the military is not just flushed down the toilet like many of our social programs. Concrete, positive results come from much of this spent money.

China needs us more than we do. Our market is the US. For all their manufacturing to be done, they need raw materials. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. We do hold the better hand.

I am waiting to see what the Cons do with Cuba. We have been one of Cubas friends for many years now. I hardly think that PM Harper will be all giddy with the excitement of supporting such a great man as Castro.

Canada certainly seems like things are changing.
enough

Glad to see Stock on the track of this domestic red chinese scourge. perhaps after we turf these plagiarizing racketeering scum from our shores ( and hopefully our markets), we can start looking at the Red Chi-com capitalist syndicate's international money and investment laundering cartel, our old pals Moe Strong and Poppa doc Desmarais will pop up with all the powercor irons they have had in Chi-com profiteering schemes.

I KNOW Stock is well informed and aware of the Desmarais-powercor-Librano-Strong internationalist insider profiteering net work and its deep Chinese government connections....I hope he can gut this liberal insider Quebec racketeering cabal. They have operated unhampered for so long they are bound to have left a slime trail....possibly to some Red Chinese technical espionage or Red army money and investment laundering in this country.

While they're at it maybe Stock should pull Moe's Canadian passport and let him take full advantage of his honorary Chinese citizenship. He has been spending a lot of time there now that his slime trail of money laundering for North Korea and Saddam are starting to give him problems in the US...maybe he should become a permanent resident of his beloved Maoist racketeering utopia....I'll send ya a gas mack to deal with the Bejing smog your Kyoto plan ingnores.

You and Hanna have some dim-sum for me ;-)

The good news is China is barely holding itself together now... and they need Canada and it's resources just as badly as the States needs our resource... seems to me that, as a Western Canadian looking forward to the opening of new ports and expansion of existing ones in BC, Canada stands to benefit quite abit by playing China and the US off against each other in the quest for Resource.

I think we are positioned better than we possibly could have hoped for, and I think we shall see a thriving trade with Asia that perhaps won't ever outstripe our trade with the US, but could get close.

We have all the pieces, we just need to play the chess game well. I think Harper & Co. are the team for the job for the next little while, and I look forward to seeing their moves.

Canadian tech firms who own technical process secrets are offered economic ready-made buildings and virtual slave labour rates by China. China says let*s partener.., partener.

Blinded by greed and profits, firms prefer not to think much about security.

Are the buildings pre-wired for intelligence gathering? Are the workers inclined to provide secret process info that will lead to copy-cat knock offs?

Dollar stores offer 10 dollar usb cables for a dollar, full size electronic calculators for a dollar, 4 - c size alkaline batteries for one dollar.

Some local retailers will go in and buy off all the stock of certain items to easily re-sell in their own store at more than double the dollar price.

I like a bargain just as much as the next guy, but this kind of product dumping is causing job loss for those who make a quality product for a fair price.

A US auto-parts manufacturer with 29 large factories is closing 21 of those plants and re-locating them outside the USA.

Looks like dark clouds on the horizon, but I have been wrong before and could be again.
TG

Afstan video: bunch of W5 stuff here:
http://soapbox22.blogspot.com/2006/04/devotion-to-mission.html

Mark
Ottawa

I think the Redberry vs Blackberry could very well be an important legal case. If China is attempting to become a world superpower but they fail to respect international courts in regards to patents, then it could hinder their reputation on the world stage. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Ima Hassle:...(Apr 15th...09:25am post)...right on...your first three paragraphs say it all!! I hope there are others who are similarly aware of this reality.