small dead animals

Not all registries are bad...

We all know that Canada's gun registry is a Tool of the Devil™. However, I'd be thrilled to see Canada adopting a national Do Not Call registry simliar to the one they have down south. There used to be a time when I enjoyed tormenting telemarketers on the phone, but my options (and vocabulary) have been greatly reduced now that I have a wife and child within earshot.

I'd also love to have a national Do Not Proseletyze registry that would keep those bloody Pentecosts and JWs off my doorstep (my wife chased off the first two JWs from our new home today). I could go for a No Chocolate Covered Almonds registry as well since I'm trying to lose weight and school fundraisers really louse that up. Finally, a Do Not Campaign registry would be a godsend come election time.

Of course, none of these will come to pass. Even if they did, they wouldn't be implemented properly (like our gun registry that can't tell the difference between a Ruger handgun and a Ruger shotgun). It would just be another opportunity for the Liberals to grease up their buddies in Quebec, and elsewhere, without actually managing to accomplish anything.

Still, I can dream, can't I?

Multiple Scandals in Ottawa? Scott Brison slips up

Did Scott Brison, Minister of Public Works and Government Services, let the scandal cat out of the bag?

From Hansard:

Mr. Jason Kenney (Calgary Southeast, CPC): Mr. Speaker, is that not interesting? The minister will not deny that he claimed yesterday that an invoice was seized when in fact, by all appearances, over 100 boxes of evidence were taken from the offices of his department.

Hon. Scott Brison (Minister of Public Works and Government Services, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, the fact is that there are several ongoing RCMP investigations and Public Works has cooperated fully with the RCMP.

Beyond that-

Some hon. members: Oh, oh.

Scott Brison needs to explain himself. He announced "several" ongoing RCMP investigations on the floor of the House. That was captured in the official transcript. He should be required to enumerate each and every investigation, when it was started, who is running it, and the nature of the allegations being investigated.

Let's see what happens on the floor of the House next week.

[Cross-posted from the Western Standard. Extended entry at Angry in the Great White North]

Oh Canada

We on the right seem to spend a lot of time bashing Canada. How about, just for a change, we talk about some of the things we like about living here? Here's my short list:

• Newfie culture and music (Great Big Sea rocks!)
• Our geography
• The freedoms we enjoy (which are still considerable)
• Canadian photography (Yusef Karsh was a Canucklehead!)
• Living on the prairies
• Stompin' Tom

What do you folks like about Canada?

Gmail Invites

I've currently got 100 Gmail invites sitting unused. Anyone who has been wanting an account there only has to send me an e-mail at digiteyesed [a+] gmail dot com and I'll slip you an invite. It's a shame to just let them sit there and gather dust.

(I've turned off comments on this post to keep people from putting their e-mail addies where a spam harvesting 'bot can find them.)

Update

I have 87 invites left. I have sent one out to everyone who asked so far. If you have a Hotmail account, you may need to check in your spam folder to find a reply as I heard that's where Hotmail dumps them. Kirby T, I sent out your invite but your e-mail provider bounced it back with a 550 error (mailbox not available), so you may want to look into that.

Queer Buy for the Gay Guy

Remember that $10,000 ring Svend Robinson pocketed? It turns out that he could have afforded it if he had just waited a bit. The RCMP paid Her Majesty ten thousand smackers after his pants got torn and his leg got a boo boo during a scuffle at the 2001 Free Trade Summit:

Former NDP MP Svend Robinson received a cash settlement of $10,000 from the RCMP, government accounting ledgers show.

Robinson said his calf was cut and his pants torn during a protest at the 2001 free-trade summit in Quebec City.

Public accounts published yesterday show that Robinson received the money for "pain and suffering."

Robinson, out for a walk with his dogs last night, said he couldn't speak about the payment.

He declined to say whether the money had helped to ease his pain and suffering.
[link -- h/t: Neale News]

Me, I'm thinkin' that a person could buy a whole lotta nipple clamps with $10K. Which would perhaps explain why Svend not only couldn't afford the ring, but also why he didn't want to discuss 'pain and suffering'.

He may have a point, but...

I'm not sure this sort of 'Frank'ness is what's called for at this juncture.

America: "Do I look fat in this?"

Canada: "Why yes, honey, you could stand to lose a few pounds, but I love you just the same!"

Nice going. They'll be writing that $5B cheque any day now.

First Annual Small Dead Blog Awards

I figure it's time that I gratuitously abused Kate's blog. With her off on a road trip, this is the perfect opportunity for me to foist a blogging award contest on her. Therefore I proudly annouce the 2005 Small Dead Blog Awards. We will be taking nominations in the following categories:

1. Best Canadian blog
2. Best new Canadian blog
3. Best American blog
4. Best new American blog
5. Best 'Blogging Tories' blog
6. Most outrageous Canadian 'Moonbat' blog
7. Most humorous blog
8. Best blog run by a member of the MSM*
9. Best hard news blog
10. Best 'Whistleblower' blog
11. Best 'Photoblog'
12. Best Canadian political blog
13. Best American political blog
14. Best coverage of Iraq war by a blog
15. Weirdest Canadian blog
16. Best blog post**

Nominations will close and voting begins on Friday October 7th at 12 noon eastern time. The prizes for the winning blogs will be a cute button to put on your site, a huge traffic boost, and bragging rights.

* Andrew Coyne, Paul Wells, Colby Cosh, etc.
** Added by request.

Shoot first, ask questions later

There is a new ad campaign trying to warn tourists away from Florida. They figure that Canadians are apt to get ventilated by angry Floridians under the state's new Shoot First law. My personal feeling is that it will probably be safer to vacation in Florida than the rest of the U.S. now that criminals are on notice they can be taken down with fewer consequences. And if this law has the side-effect of encouraging everyone to improve their manners when dealing with other members of the general public, so much the better.

Schröder Denies Resignation Plans

German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder denies widespread speculation that he is about to resign in the wake of the humiliating defeat in the September 18 elections.

Government Denies Resignation Rumors (Deutsche Welle)

While Germans wait for the announcement of a new government, speculation is rising about Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's resignation. Meanwhile, the opposition believes more and more in a grand coalition.

The surprising optimism following Wednesday's talks between Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's Social Democrats (SPD) and the opposition Christian Democrats (CDU) led by Angela Merkel has now been followed by further speculation about how the country will find a way out of its political paralysis. The rumor mill in Berlin is churning out speculation that Schröder would rescind his claims of being chancellor for a third term.

The Berlin-based tabloid B.Z. splashed the question on its front page: "Schröder Resignation on National Holiday -- Monday Last Day?" Politicians also believed that Schröder would soon resign so that a new German leader can finally be named.

[...]

The grand coalition as the final solution to the inconclusive elections on September 18 became more and more likely after Angela Merkel and the Christian Democrats exited talks with their preferred partners, the free-market liberal Free Democrats (FDP) on Thursday. "The possibility or likelihood of a coalition with the SPD is much higher than the other constellations," Merkel told reporters. In addition, she said there was a "very high possibility" of success of creating a coalition with the Social Democrats.

Guido Westerwelle, whose FDP came out as the surprise third-strongest party with almost 10 percent of the vote, thought that result would be more than enough to accompany the conservatives into power. But he now appears to be coming to terms with the likelihood that the FDP will remain in the opposition. "It seems in all probability that we're heading for a grand coalition," he told reporters, adding that Schröder should now step aside for the good of the country.

Grand coalition is an odd outcome but has always seemed the most likely. As odd a marriage as CDU-SPD would be, it far beats cobbling together a government based on several fringe parties.

Related:

German Leaders Scrambling to Build Governing Coalition
Gender Big Factor in German Chancellor Race

crosspost from OTB

Schröder Denies Resignation Plans

German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder denies widespread speculation that he is about to resign in the wake of the humiliating defeat in the September 18 elections.

Government Denies Resignation Rumors (Deutsche Welle)

While Germans wait for the announcement of a new government, speculation is rising about Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's resignation. Meanwhile, the opposition believes more and more in a grand coalition.

The surprising optimism following Wednesday's talks between Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's Social Democrats (SPD) and the opposition Christian Democrats (CDU) led by Angela Merkel has now been followed by further speculation about how the country will find a way out of its political paralysis. The rumor mill in Berlin is churning out speculation that Schröder would rescind his claims of being chancellor for a third term.

The Berlin-based tabloid B.Z. splashed the question on its front page: "Schröder Resignation on National Holiday -- Monday Last Day?" Politicians also believed that Schröder would soon resign so that a new German leader can finally be named.

[...]

The grand coalition as the final solution to the inconclusive elections on September 18 became more and more likely after Angela Merkel and the Christian Democrats exited talks with their preferred partners, the free-market liberal Free Democrats (FDP) on Thursday. "The possibility or likelihood of a coalition with the SPD is much higher than the other constellations," Merkel told reporters. In addition, she said there was a "very high possibility" of success of creating a coalition with the Social Democrats.

Guido Westerwelle, whose FDP came out as the surprise third-strongest party with almost 10 percent of the vote, thought that result would be more than enough to accompany the conservatives into power. But he now appears to be coming to terms with the likelihood that the FDP will remain in the opposition. "It seems in all probability that we're heading for a grand coalition," he told reporters, adding that Schröder should now step aside for the good of the country.

Grand coalition is an odd outcome but has always seemed the most likely. As odd a marriage as CDU-SPD would be, it far beats cobbling together a government based on several fringe parties.

Related:

German Leaders Scrambling to Build Governing Coalition
Gender Big Factor in German Chancellor Race

crosspost from OTB

Canada’s Military Not Ready to Defend Against Terrorists

Canada's Senate defense committee reports that the country's armed forces are woefully underfunded and totally unprepared to defend the country against the inevitable terrorist attack.

Report: Canada's military can't meet needs (AP)

Canada's military is "wounded" and the country's defense without the money to do its job properly, according to a Senate report released Thursday. The report laments the lack of resources and coordinated manpower to deal with a terrorist attack or natural disaster. "A hard, honest look at the facts has made it clear to the committee that the funding is simply not there to end Canada's sad era of military darkness," said the review of defense policy by the Senate Standing committee on National Security and Defense.

The report notes that of the C$12.8 billion (US$10.9 billion) the government promised over the next five years to beef up the Canadian Forces, only C$1.1 billion ($938 million) was earmarked for the first two years. This means the rehabilitation process won't get started until 2008-2009. "Even when the process does stutter to a start, it will remain vastly underfunded, primarily because the armed forces have been starved for money for so many years," reads an executive summary by committee chairman, Liberal Party Senator Colin Kenny.

The report notes Canada -- named by al Qaeda as one of five target nations deserving of an attack -- has done little since 9/11 to invest in anti-terrorism prevention. "Canada has an unenviable place on Osama bin Laden's infamous list of countries to be targeted. We may get lucky. But it's not a bet you'd want to make. "Despite the increasing complacency of most Canadians as the memory of 9/11 slips to the back of our minds, there is every likelihood that an attack will eventually occur on Canadian soil," the report said, yet noted that Canada ranks just 128th out of 165 countries in defense spending as a percentage of its gross domestic product.

Truly a shame. The Canadian Forces are well trained and professional but they operate in a political culture even more tepid on national defense than that which pervades Western Europe. They have the good fortune, however, of bordering a superpower that happens to be their strongest ally and trading partner.

Related:
Canada Defenseless
Canadian Counter-Terrorism

crosspost from OTB

Alberta Separation

I am a member of the Separation Party of Alberta. A person once accused me of treason because of this, but how can one commit treason when Canada's government actually has legitimized a process whereby provinces can separate? (Clarity Act.)

I'm curious to know how many other SDA readers are Alberta separatists. If you are, what pushed you over the edge? If you're an Albertan who isn't in favour of separation, why not?

Let's try and keep the comments on topic for this post, folks.

MTV Comes Back to Canada

MTV is coming back to Canada, in a rather backdoor manner

CTV partnership brings MTV back to Canada (CTV)

Canadians who want their MTV will soon be able to get their fill. CTV and the iconic American music channel have announced they are joining forces.

The new strategic alliance announced Wednesday will see CTV and U.S.-based MTV Networks team put two new MTV channels on the Canadian television dial. Under the terms of the deal, CTV has also gained exclusive access to MTV's broad array of channels, Internet sites and video on demand services.

According to Brad Schwartz, an expat MTV Networks International executive who has returned home to lead the new venture, viewers can look forward to a unique 360-degree entertainment experience.

[...]

Within hours of the announcement, there were already reports rival broadcaster CHUM Television would be keeping an eye on the new venture. CHUM, through a growing slate of MuchMusic channels, has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with its American counterpart. And it doesn't intend to let any newcomers edge it out without a fight. "We'll be intrigued to see how Talk TV can be morphed into an MTV brand and still remain a talk channel as licensed," CHUM Limited CEO and president Jay Switzer said in a statement released Wednesday. "We will be actively encouraging the CRTC to enforce both the spirit and letter of all Talk TV's conditions of licence."

But Schwartz dismisses any suggestion that rebranding TalkTV will violate the station's broadcasting licence. "We're going to take that MTV DNA, that irreverance, and engage and excite the Canadian production and creative communities to come up with great stuff for us," he told CTV Newsnet, distinguishing MTV's lifestyle branding from the music-focused Much Music.

CTV has already enjoyed popular success broadcasting a number of MTV programs. From the car-customizing show Pimp My Ride to Punk'd and Newlyweds with Jessica Simpson, audiences have demonstrated their love of MTV's irreverant TV style.

Why is it the government's business whether a cable television station plays music or talk?
It's quite incredible how much regulation people will put up with.

Of course, a people who will watch "Pimp My Ride" deserves the government it gets.

crosspost to OTB

Reader Tips - Thursday, Sep 29/05

You all know the drill. Put any good news tips into the comments or just trackback to this post from your own blog. :-)

Bated breath

Whatever.

Good God. Will they? Won't they? The election will occur at precisely the moment that is most advantageous for the Liberal Party. Wake me up when the writ drops. In the meantime, all parties will keep their spinners and fartcatchers on high alert. We're heading the canoe of state into The Canyon of Stupid again people. Hold on to the gunwales.

What I Want

In a thread below devoted to a Canadian Taxpayer Federation project to watchdog excessive spending by politicians, frequent commentor Peter Lowen waxed sarcastic;

What I want is a public service where no one is paid more than $20,000, and you get one pencil a year, and you can't expense anything more than a happy meal, even if you're travelling. That would lead to an AWESOME government and great policy outputs. AWESOME.

This inspired me.

I want a public service where the Highways Minister is prohibited from flying, where the Health Minister can only access medical care under an assumed name, the Education Minister must face a class of 15 year olds 2 weeks a year as a substitute teacher, and the Justice Minister has at least two released violent young offenders placed into his personal guardianship at all times.

I want a public service where the Minister of Economic Development and top beaurocrats have mortgages placed on their principal residences as collateral in case government "economic development" projects go bust.

I want a public service where those politicians convicted of fraud and/or theft of tax dollars be sentenced to "house" arrest, paid $20K a year for a 40 hour work week of "community service" and required to support themselves and their families on that income alone - after taxes, CPP and EI are deducted.

That's what I want.

I want politicians and beaurocrats to treat our tax dollars and our economy like their very financial future and security depended on it. Maybe that way they'd learn to keep their grubby hands off both.

It's getting late

You won't really have any idea when you were middle-aged until you die.

It needed to be said.

More on Dingwall

So David Dingwall got us to pay for his golf game and his limos. But did we also pay him to lobby the government on behalf of itself and did he even lobby his former department?

caroljamieson.com

So what do you folks think of Carol's spiffy new Web site?

Dingwall resigns

From the Globe and Mail:

David Dingwall resigned Wednesday as president of the Royal Canadian Mint.

The former Liberal cabinet minister has become embroiled in controversy after it was recently revealed he failed to register as a lobbyist for a Toronto pharmaceutical company.

In a statement Wednesday he said he believed all of his actvities were above-board.

A chink the in the Liberal armour? The first resignaton of many?

Or a speedy resolution to an isolated problem?

I know what I'm putting my money on.

While we wait to find out, I guess we can also place bets on how long it is before Dingwall is named to the Senate or is made a judge.

(Special congratulations to Simon Tuck and Jeff Sallot at the Globe and Mail who have been working this story for months.)

[Cross-posted from Angry in the Great White North]

The Drums! The drums are driving me mad!

Drunk with the power of SDA, I wield the primordial blogging might of The Kate for my own nefarious purposes, directing you to and fro, hither and thither.

Bwa.

The Money Pit

Remember, it's not what you know, it's who you know.

Genital Mutilation

Female circumcision, a practice that is still common in some parts of Africa and the Middle East, is against the law in Canada, and rightly so as there is no medical justification for the procedure. In terms of religious justification, some Muslims who are in favour of the procedure claim that it is allowed because of statements that the Prophet Mohammed made, as recorded in the Sunnah (other Muslims will point to passages in the Qur'an and say it is forbidden by Islam).

On the other side of the coin we have male circumcision. There is the odd medical justification for performing the procedure on males, but the truth is that the need is extremely rare. The vast majority of circumcisions performed in North America are completely unnecessary. In terms of religious justification, Judaism requires that all males belonging to the faith are circumcised as part of a covenant with the Lord.

I've done some thinking on this issue, and it has left me with the following questions...

1. Why is a Judaic religious practice tolerated while an Islamic one is not? Does this indicate preferential treatment of one religion over another?

2. If performing female circumcisions can be considered child abuse, does the same apply to male circumcisions?

3. At what point will some enterprising lawyer recognize this and force an end to male circumcision in this country? (Those performing the procedures usually come from places with enough money to provide a nice settlement). With the ever increasing number of rights that children have in Canada, surely at some point someone will add the right to keep one's genitals intact to the list.

I'd be curious to hear what others think on the topic.

Reader Tips - Wednesday, Sep 28/05

Please post any good news tips or topic suggestions you've got as a comment or as a trackback to this item. I'll update it several times throughout the day.

Links so far...

• Heart of Darkness
• Marching against War--and Jews
• Belief in a Creator is bad for you?
• Lost Budgie has some new posts up.
• Are CBC employees biased?
• And what about Mansbridge?
• Poverty and shiftlessness

Stick this in your conch shell and blow it

In her installation speech yesterday, Liberal Party (Governor-General Division) CEO Michaelle Jean spoke admiringly of the “legendary hospitality and humour of people in the Atlantic provinces” Sorry to burst your bubble, Madam G-G, but, notwithstanding certain fawning reviews to the contrary, this Atlantic Canadian thinks your speech was a steaming pile of smug collectivist platitudes and cloying political correctness. Blech.

The problem with Canadian politics...

...is that every time I hear someone singing God Save the Queen, I immediately think of Svend Robinson. It's disturbing.

Hide the (young) women and children!

Come the next federal election, make sure you hide away any young children in the event a Liberal, NDP, or Bloc candidate comes to your door. Why? Because the MPs from those parties are mostly in favour of greasy older people bumping pelvises with your kids:

The author of proposed federal legislation designed to protect children from sexual predators is doubtful it will pass when MPs vote on it tomorrow.

Opponents of Bill C-313 -- which calls for the age of sexual consent to be raised to 16 from 14 -- fear the Conservative party is bent on "criminalizing puppy love," Rick Casson, MP for Lethbridge, Alta., said.

"That is a weak argument," he countered. "The right thing is a close-in-age exemption of three to four years."

C-313 is opposed by the majority of MPs from the Bloc Quebecois, the NDP and Liberals.
[link -- h/t: NealeNews]

It's not bad enough that they lie to us and they steal from us, now the Liberals and their socialist friends are facilitating the predation of our children by sex offenders. It doesn't get any lower than this.

I don't care what the law says, any greasy older male caught laying a hand on my daughter before she reaches the age of majority will suddenly find himself feeling a draft where his diaphram used to be. And if I happen to bag a Liberal, so much the better.

Dingwall Dings Taxpayer Wallets

I wouldn't exactly call this revelation a big surprise:

David Dingwall, the president of the Royal Canadian Mint, and his top aides racked up total office expenses of more than $740,000 last year, government documents indicate.

Included were over $130,000 in foreign and domestic travel, $14,000 in meals and $11,000 in hospitality. The mint also appears to have picked up a $1,400 tab for Dingwall's membership in an Ottawa-area golf club, and $1,500 in membership fees in the Nova Scotia barristers' society. [link -- h/t: NealeNews]

That's a lot of dough. Maybe he spent some of it on SFH CDs? (Warning: Link content objectionable to some.)

Canada Swears in New Governor General

Canada's new unelected head of state is, oddly enough, a Haitian refugee.

Canada Swears in New Governor General

Queen Elizabeth II's new representative in Canada, a refugee from Haiti, was sworn in Tuesday as the nation's 27th governor general in a ceremony steeped in British tradition and Canadian color.

Michaelle Jean is the first black person and only the third woman to hold the largely ceremonial post as head of state, designed to defend Canada's sovereignty and promote its national identity.

The 48-year-old journalist and documentary filmmaker, whose family fled dictatorship in Haiti when she was 11, is among the youngest to hold the office.

"It is with tremendous pride and deep emotion that I am responding today to the call of destiny, which sometimes takes us in a direction you might never have imagined," Jean told members of Parliament and other dignitaries in the opulent Senate chambers on Parliament Hill.

"I am turning a significant page in my own story as I set off on this new adventure with hope and determination."

Jean's husband, French-born Quebec filmmaker Jean-Daniel Lafond and their 6-year-old adopted daughter, Marie-Eden, who was born in Haiti, applauded when Jean took the oath of office.

The ceremony included the traditional protocol of Canada's British past — including military honors — as well as performances by Canadian entertainers.

Jean, who is required to speak Canada's two national languages, French and English, is also fluent in Spanish, Italian and Haitian Creole. Her personal coat of arms shows two black mermaids blowing conch shells under the motto "Briser Les Solitudes" — breaking down solitudes.

I suppose having an appointed Haitian fill the post is no more odd than a Brit who happened to be born into royalty. Certainly, Jean's credentials are more impressive than strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords in some farcical aquatic ceremony.

crosspost to OTB

This comes as a bit of a surprise

Apparently, Quebecers are really getting on board with the notion of an English monarch, titular head of the Anglican Church, as Canada's head of state. Vive l'Angleterre!

Coming out of the bigamy closet

From Angry in the Great White North, news about legalized polygamy in the Netherlands:

The Netherlands and Belgium were the first countries to give full marriage rights to homosexuals. In the United States some politicians propose “civil unions” that give homosexual couples the full benefits and responsibilities of marriage. These civil unions differ from marriage only in name.

Meanwhile in the Netherlands polygamy has been legalised in all but name. Last Friday the first civil union of three partners was registered. Victor de Bruijn (46) from Roosendaal “married” both Biance (31) and Mirjam (35) in a ceremony before a notary who duly registered their civil union.

Angry poses the question: is this really a polygamous relationship, legally, or just a case of a bigamist being tolerated by the State?

The difference is important, since as a bigamist, the only legal relationship is between the man and each wife. The wives have no legal relationship to each other, or to each other's children.

In that legal void lurks all sorts of problems.

If Canada starts to tolerate bigamists as a way of allowing polygamy through the back door, it won't be long before the legal problems with that approach forces these people to demand formal recognition and new laws to cover their "lifestyle".

Angry has more analysis.

Now watch as Canada yells "Yippeeee!" as it careens down the slippery slope.

Blogging For Taxpayers

A call out to all you Blogging Tories out there - let's give this initiative by David MacLean at the Taxpayers Federation a push.

Join the army of waste watchers!

Our challenge: Go through the mountains of travel, booze and meal expenses charged to taxpayers by hundreds of politicians and mandarins that are listed here.

Find the waste, look for conflicts, identify questionable expenditures. Take a moment to jot down your thought and email them to me. All of the worthwhile submissions will be posted here. The best submission, as determined by FFT contributors, will receive a copy of Tax Me I'm Canadian! and a free subscription to the Taxpayer magazine.

Details are here.

On The Road Again

I mentioned a few days ago that I was planning a major road trip. We leave tomorrow morning, and my access to the net will be limited, though I plan to check in from time to time. My usual guest bloggers have graciously agreed to help out and keep things updated as best they can.

2000 miles, 15 dogs, 7 days of dog shows, 3 women and one van. Then, when it's over, we turn around and drive home.

We call them suicide runs for a reason.

Wish us luck, and be on your best behavior. I'll ask the guys to do a reader tips post every day or two to keep each other entertained.

Reader Tips

Another busy day ahead, so reader tips it is.

I'll start things off with a few items spotted in passing;

Further to an item posted here a couple of days ago, (Martin Operative Running For Vancouver Mayor?), Peter Rempel has this update;

Tonight, Councillor Sam Sullivan beat former deputy-premier Christie Clarke for the NPA mayoral nomination in Vancouver. Sullivan will now face the COPE-Vision alliance candidate Jim Green in the upcoming mayoral race.

The news could not be more welcome: Sullivan is an admirable candidate in every sense of the term. Sullivan, a quadriplegic, is a member of the Order of Canada for his work with non-profit agencies which assist Canadians with disabilities. And, in an example of B.C.-style bilingualism, he is fluent in Cantonese.

Greg Staples has been poll tracking in a post titled More of "Nothing's Changed". He has charts!

I mentioned "urban refugee" Sean's photography to a friend today - it seems like a good idea to introduce him to new SDA readers.

Go check out the portfolio.

Dear CTV News,

This evening I was awakened from a nap when your 11 pm newscast came on. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to recall your coverage of a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza strip just a couple of weeks ago, along with the celebratory gunfire and looting of the arriving "Palestinians". Said freed peoples have now begun to fire rockets at their neighbors.

So, here's what has I'm confused. In this item that aired this evening - complete with this clever little Freudian slip of a file name "israel_offensive_050925/20050925" - the following is written;

The Israeli army stepped up its response to rocket strikes from the Gaza Strip with a series of attacks against Islamic militants on Sunday. As Prime Minister Ariel Sharon promised to use "all means" against the militants, Islamic Jihad commander Mohammed Khalil was killed in an airstrike in the Gaza Strip.

Who are they "militating" against, precisely?

Notice: this is a thread for tips only. Also, a general request. Please refrain from using the comments section here for meaningless, off-topic chatter. On-topic debate, even on tangentially related issues is welcome, but the "chat room" format that some seem intent on creating is not. And keep it clean.

A Matter Of Timing

The AG report on the "Canadian Firearms Program" audit is scheduled to be released in February - the same month Gomery is due to hand down his election-triggering report. Though Fraser isn't talking, the Winnipeg Sun suspects it will be blistering;

Fraser isn't doing interviews about the audit, which has been underway for months.

The last time her office attempted to look into gun registry spending was 2002 and the results were explosive. In fact, her team was forced to abandon its attempts to follow the spending on the gun registry because of the absence of records.

If the Libranos don't orchestrate their own fall in the coming weeks, (they're working hard at weakening the uber-fundraiser Harper for a reason, people) it's a safe bet that they'll pull out all the stops to dissolve parliament before she gets the chance.

TPC And Adscam Dingwall

An old ADSCAM character is back in the news. Globe & Mail;

Industry Canada has frozen federal financing for research projects by an Ontario biotechnology firm pending the outcome of an investigation into the company's agreement to pay $350,000 in lobbying fees to former Liberal cabinet minister David Dingwall, government sources say.

The move is part of a much broader probe of about 22 high-tech companies that may have hired unregistered lobbyists, or allegedly paid improper contingency fees to lobbyists to help secure federal financing under Ottawa's controversial Technology Partnerships Canada program.

Bioniche, based in Belleville, Ont., recently admitted to Industry Canada that it agreed in May of 2000 to pay Mr. Dingwall a “success fee” of $350,000, the government sources said.

Adscam? you ask?

David Dingwall was the Public Works Minister who brought in Chuck Guite.
CTV News, Sept 2004;

Controversial bureaucrat Chuck Guite was hand-picked by the Liberal government to overhaul federal advertising policy after the 1995 Quebec referendum, evidence at a public inquiry shows.

A memo tabled Wednesday made it clear Guite was recommended for the job by the office of Dave Dingwall, then federal public works minister. Warren Kinsella, who served as Dingwall's chief of staff, wrote on Nov. 23, 1995 -- less than a month after the referendum -- that "recent experience" had shown the need to centralize federal ad strategy.

The same centralized approach should apply to public opinion polling and other communications programs, he said.

Public Works was the logical department to review past practices and put new procedures in place, Kinsella wrote.

"In my view Mr. J. C. Guite ... should be assigned to carry out this review on a full- time basis," he told Ran Quail, the deputy minister at Public Works.

"It is requested that he (Guite) be assigned to a position that will allow him to carry out these tasks."

Andrew Coyne had this to say about Dingwall's "testimony" at the Public Accounts Committee in April of 2004;

A minister notorious for his enthusiastic turning of departmental budgets to political ends claims to have had no involvement -- none whatever -- in what his bureaucrats were up to, on the single most important file in federal politics, during the gravest crisis in our history. Nor, he suggests, did anyone else in Cabinet.

His testimony is contradicted at another point by Allan Cutler, the Public Works whistle-blower who kept detailed notes of what went on at the department in that time.
As PoliticsWatch reports, Cutler testified about a Nov. 17 [1994] meeting between Guite, himself and other members of the contracting group at Public Works. 

"At this meeting, Mr. Guite told us that normal rules and regulations should not apply to advertising," said Cutler. "He said he would talk to the minister to have them changed.

"A week later, I was informed that myself and two other employees who worked for me would move to Mr. Guite's section and report to him immediately. At this point in time, Mr. Guite's responsibilities were expanded to include not only the selection of advertising agencies, but also the negotiation and award of contracts to selected agencies.

A number of bloggers are already following the latest Librano scandal involving Technology Partnerships Canada . "Angry" has been digging into the lobbyist registration database and has a lot more.

Strongworld explains;

This scandal at TPC is starting to look like another Adscam, only bigger. During its existence, TPC put $2.9 billion tax dollars into research & development "loans" to companies. Only about 5% of those "loans" were ever repaid.

Two things about this whole mess need to be thoroughly investigated.

How many Liberal heavyweights like Dingwall and Lalonde improperly received "success fees" for helping companies secure funding from TPC?

How much money was contributed to the Liberal Party of Canada from companies that received TPC funding and also from members of their Boards of Directors?

This comment at Blue Blogging Soapbox summarizes the current state of the investigation;

When you look at what we have so far - 51 companies audited out of 158 and so far they've found 15 have paid illegal fees - 29.4%. They still have 15 audits to finish yet out of that 51.

When the contingency fees had been paid, they were paid to unregistered lobbyists or to lobbyists who filed saying that they were not receiving a contingency fee. So far only 2 out of a possible 15 lobbyists have been identified and as far as we know, no action has been taken against the lobbyists.

Even the audits completed so far have been basic in nature. The reports state that they only looked at the six months before the TPC application and the six months following the successful applicaton, as this was the most likely time a fee would be paid. As well, they did not look for any non-monetary compensation.

While we certainly don't have a 'smoking gun' on this one yet - it's certainly getting close.

I'm run off my feet here for the next couple of days, so I can't follow this the way I should. I'm going to invite the readers and other bloggers to update or flesh out the details I may have missed.

This thread is restricted to comments directly related to TPC only. If you've written something on this emerging scandal, send a trackback, or post your link in the comments.

(update- I've changed the timestamp on this post to keep it near the top of the page for a couple of days.)

Those Who Forget The Past Are Destined To Repeat It

(source unknown, sent by a reader)

"A Precious Tool"

THE SCORE was produced in part because of the strong interest and financial support from Genome Canada, the national funding and information resource relating to genomics and proteomics research in Canada.

"Part of our mandate is to ensure leadership in ethical, environmental, economic, legal and social issues related to genomics", said Dr. Martin Godbout, President of Genome Canada. "Using the popular medium of film, THE SCORE examines the necessity for an active dialogue between the public and scientists in determining what ethical guidelines will dictate the ongoing exploration of our world. For Genome Canada, The Score is a precious tool that will facilitate understanding of genomics research and its impact on society, create an interest and encourage discussion among Canadians".

"We have been a long-time fan of the play and we requested on a few occasions that the Electric Company restage it for our genomics and bioethics forums, but restaging The Score for one representation is not an easy endeavour, and can be quite costly", continues Godbout.
"Supporting a film version of The Score was an obvious and exciting choice for Genome Canada".

Via Paul Wells

Security Fence Violence

Guardian;

Spanish authorities are rushing to double the height of a fence surrounding the north African enclave of Melilla after a dozen more immigrants were injured in a battle with police as they tried to find a way on to European soil.

The injuries followed the deaths of at least three immigrants over the past three weeks during mass attempts to storm the frontier that have ended in clashes with both Spanish police and their Moroccan counterparts on the other side of Melilla's border. Immigrants are using ladders and what one official called "military tactics" in their increasingly desperate attempts to get through the barrier erected around what is, in effect, a land frontier between the European Union and Africa.

Two 3m-high (10ft) security fences ring the Spanish enclave, which is home to 60,000 Spaniards and lies nine miles from the Moroccan city of Nador. Melilla is, with Ceuta, one of two Spanish enclaves on the coast of north Africa whose sovereignty is also claimed by Morocco. The six mile-long frontier has sensor pads, movement detectors, spotlights, infrared cameras and is patrolled by the Spanish civil guard.

The migrants, who have often travelled thousands of miles through central Africa and the Sahara to get to Melilla, try to cross the frontier in groups of up to 200. "We go in a group and all jump at once. We know that some will get through, that others will be injured and others may die, but we have to get through, whatever the cost," one told El Periódico newspaper.

They better learn to blow up buses in Israel if they expect sympathy from the EU.

Sistani Endorses Iraq Constitution

AP;

The Iraqi government's campaign to win support for the country's new constitution has won the critical backing of the most influential Shiite religious leader, less than a month before a national referendum on the draft charter.

[...]

Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, meeting with aides Thursday in the holy city of Najaf, urged his followers to vote "yes" on the new basic law, according to two top officials in al-Sistani's organization. The officials refused to be identified because they are not authorized to speak for the reclusive cleric. In January, millions of Shiites followed al-Sistani's call to vote in Iraq's first democratic elections in nearly half a century, and the ballot gave the Muslim sect a majority in the new parliament and government.

Via OTB

Martin Operative Running For Vancouver Mayor?

Sam Sullivan, Christy Clark's opponent for the mayoral nomination has accused Paul Martin's B.C. organizers of interference in city politics, in this Sun piece (that goes out of its way to present Martin's side and cast doubt on the motives of his critics.);

The charge was echoed by veteran B.C. commentator Gordon Gibson, a Sullivan supporter who said his view wasn't influenced by his failed bid to get the vacant B.C. Senate seat recently filled by outgoing Mayor Larry Campbell.

Clark is married to Mark Marissen, the senior political organizer and adviser to Martin , who is in Vancouver today for Chinese President s Hu Jintao's two-day visit.

[...]

A spokesman for Martin refused to respond to the rumours being spread by the Sullivan camp that [former Vancouver mayor] Campbell was appointed to make way for Clark's candidacy.

Scott Reid, Martin's director of communications, said Campbell's own track record justifies the decision.

"A Parliament with Larry Campbell is a Parliament where the people of Vancouver have a tireless advocate. Public service is practically his middle name. That's why he was asked to take a seat in the Senate," Reid said.

Raskolnikov

In an anonymous corner of the Canadian blogosphere, there's someone out there who should be drawing the big bucks in syndication. Not only is he a better writer than half of the bloated pontificators in residence at MacLeans, the Star, and Globe, he actually has something important to say.

Go read Gramma's House.

Wells, Levant, Zerb - see what you can do. Get this guy a gig.

The Infinite Genome

Ever since the genomics revolution took off, scientists have been busily deciphering vast numbers of genomes. Cataloging. Analyzing. Comparing. Public databases hold 239 complete bacterial genomes alone.

But scientists at The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) have come to a startling conclusion. Armed with the powerful tools of comparative genomics and mathematics, TIGR scientists have concluded that researchers might never fully describe some bacteria and viruses--because their genomes are infinite. Sequence one strain of the species, and scientists will find significant new genes. Sequence another strain, and they will find more. And so on, infinitely.

"Many scientists study multiple strains of an organism," says TIGR President Claire Fraser. "But at TIGR, we're now going a step further, to actually quantify how many genes are associated with a given species. How many genomes do you need to fully describe a bacterial species?"

[...]

Analyzing the eight GBS [Streptococcus agalactiae] genomes, the researchers discovered a surprisingly continual stream of diversity. Each GBS strain contained an average of 1806 genes present in every strain (thus constituting the GBS core genome) plus 439 genes absent in one or more strains. Moreover, mathematical modeling showed that unique genes will continue to emerge, even after thousands of genomes are sequenced. The GBS pan-genome is expected to grow by an average of 33 new genes every time a new strain is sequenced.

More on these elusive little buggers!

CTV Ad Lib?

Greg Staples;

You just have to check out the second video clip of the Stephen Harper speech via CTV. Listen very carefully to the end of the clip. After Stephen Harper finishes speaking you can clearly here the CTV translator snidely say -"no kidding". Seems the hate Harper vibe has been completely ingrained at CTV.

The clip is here. See what you think.

Don't Bring A Cat To A Mule Fight

Now, this is cat blogging!

Update: Snopes has more.

Xiaoping Who?

D.J. McGuire;

Does Paul Martin know what his own government is doing? As Canadian rights activists lamented the deportation of Falun Gong practitioner Xiaoping Hu to Communist China - and try desperately to keep Canada's Immigration Ministry from condemning fellow practitioners Fang Yaobin and Xiong Fengying to the same fate - Prime Minister Paul Martin chose to deny reality: "I can tell you that we are not in the process of deporting Falun Gong practitioners" (Epoch Times). I open the question to our Canadian readers: is Martin completely oblivious to what's happening, or just a bald-faced liar?

"OK, Hans. I'll show you. Stand to your reft"

In Nuclear "Accident" Just Asking To Happen News;

In a second day of bluster after its disarmament accord, North Korea accused the United States on Wednesday of planning a nuclear attack and warned it could retaliate.

North Korea "is fully ready to decisively control a pre-emptive nuclear attack with a strong retaliatory blow," the communist nation's Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in an English-language commentary carried by the state Korean Central News Agency.

At six-nation talks in Beijing on Monday, North Korea promised to give up its nuclear weapons program in return for economic aid and security assurances.

Where is Hans Blix when you need him?

Reader Tips

A few items sent in over days past, and grabbed while surfing.

A quote from President Mahmood "Give Me Nukes Or Give Me You Death" Ahmadinejad;

In the first such statement by an Iranian president in nearly 20 years, Mahmood Ahmadinejad said his election would mark what he termed a new Islamic revolution. Ahmadinejad said such a revolution would spread throughout the world.

"Thanks to the blood of the martyrs, a new Islamic revolution has arisen and the Islamic revolution of 1384 [the current Iranian year] will, if God wills, cut off the roots of injustice in the world," Ahmadinejad was quoted by the official Iranian news agency as saying. "The era of oppression, hegemonic regimes, tyranny and injustice has reached its end."

Good analysis at Daily Cuz on Iran's tactics in procuring them.

For the first time ever, poll results swing on the bus vote.

One Free Korea:

We are now four months from the next Great North Korean Famine, and rather than making the urgent and public appeals that could stop it, the United Nations is issuing a permit. Just one month after the World Food Program issued an urgent appeal stating that 6.5 million North Koreans depend on its food aid for their survival, it has capitulated to North Korea's demand to cease delivering food aid in favor of "development aid" that will be neither distributed nor monitored by anyone outside the North Korean government itself. Do past events leave any doubt about how Pyongyang will allocate the blank check it demands for this "development aid?" The result will be that Kim Jong Il will continue the political cleansing of North Korea's hostile classes

Phil Donahue tells Bill O'Reilly he doesn't know what he's talking about in the Iraq war. Oops.

Dave, who plays for "Graham Brown & the Prairiedogs" wrote to ask that I plug their website. All things considered, one would think he'd choose his words more carefully!

Add your own in the comments, or send a trackback.

War Reporting For People Who Like To Think

Fourth Rail has a flash presentation up that provides the kind of information on operations in Iraq that you won't find at CTV.

The pace and tempo of operations in western Iraq have been increasing over the past month, indicating the Anbar Campaign is moving forward. The disclosure of Operation Sayaid signals the Coalition is now prepared to move on the towns and cities along the western branch of the Euphrates River.

Adventures Of Chester;

The thing that makes this presentation so powerful is its complete independence from the normally practiced way of reporting the war. Most war reports make sweeping generalizations from a few small bits of first-hand observation, for better or worse. They rarely tie military actions together in an operational whole (note: Wretchard has just pointed this out as well at The Belmont Club).

Read Chester's companion post, which deconstructs a TIME article, validating his father's opinion that "Life magazine was for people who don't like to read, and TIME for people who don't like to think."