January 31, 2006
The Energizer Shaidle
Case in point: a few days ago I got linked from SmallDeadAnimals and The Daily Cougar*. Hit count: SDA, +900; Zerb, 17.The only people reading newspaper blogs are careerist kiss-asses who want to get noticed by the Big Time Writer. Little birds on the elephant's back. Those blogs won't last.
Overheard On Board A Delayed Air Canada Flight
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"Good morning, and welcome aboard Air Canada flight 354. We apologize for the delay. Marnie, the Chief Flight Attendant. has informed us that she and Bonnie are nearly finished repairs to the engines and we should be departing shortly. Please be patient as our Captain finishes serving your complimentary drinks. Thankyou." |
The Rental Building Next Door
Greg Staples has done an admirable job, using very pretty graphs, in plotting population density with voter preference, in response to the debate about Tory urban/rural support.
It reminds me of a piece written (in 1992) by Thomas Sowell;
There is a story. . .that the French police were chasing a criminal who fled into a building in Paris. Their first thought was that they would surround the building. But then they realized that the building was so large, and had so many exits, that they didn’t have enough policemen on the scene to do that. So they surrounded the building next door, which was smaller and had fewer exits.Much of the academic research in the social sciences follows exactly this pattern of reasoning.
Often we don’t have information on the variables that matter, so we surround other variables, using statistics that the Census Bureau, or the Congressional Budget Office, or someone else has supplied to us. Last year, for example, both the media and the politicians seized upon statistics which showed that blacks received less prenatal care, and had higher infant mortality rates, than whites. The obvious answer was more government spending on prenatal care. Yet the very same study showed that Mexican Americans received even less prenatal care than blacks and had slightly lower infant mortality rates than whites.
Prenatal care was the building next door.
The inference that is most commonly drawn from correlations that show a rise in support for the liberal-left in high population density areas, is that somehow, when you have many people living together in close quarters, they become more tolerant and "progressive" in their societal views. This was certainly one of the media themes during the election campaign - that "progressive" urban Canadians were not receptive to the social conservativism associated with the "rural western based" Harper Conservatives.
Yet, even the most stubborn adherent of this theory will admit that in the densely populated, low-income immigrant communities, issues like same-sex marriage and abortion on demand don't get much traction - if anything, some of our imported "cultural communities" are so dangerously homophobic and misogynistic that they make any caricature of "western rednecks" pale by comparison.
Is population density just the "building next door" ?
For there is another correlation that exists in communities of high population density - and that is the inverse ratio in home ownership. By and large, those who dwell in urban, high-rise zoning don't collect much more than furniture. Many aren't even responsible for basic chores involving maintainance and upkeep - they just call someone.
And for further evidence that rate of property ownership is a more reliable indicator of likely conservative support than population density, one only needs to consider the most obvious exception to the rule; the sparcely populated, highly rural First Nations reserves where support for the Liberals is virtually unanimous.
When one moves into the suburbs and rural areas, however, the reverse is true - the average voter is more likely to own their own home and/or business. They gain first hand experience with the actual costs and consequences of intrusive "tax and spend" nannystate government policies so popular with the urban left. Home owners feel the direct impact in rising property taxes, and dimished private sector investment. They're also far more sensitive to issues of crime and punishment, for they see rising crime rates reflected in lowered property values, and increased costs in security.
So, as Sowell suggests - lacking information on the many variables that do matter, perhaps the media and punditry have chosen instead to surround the ones that don't.
(If you didn't already click on the link provided - Sowell's piece is a must read)
Reader Tips
It didn't take long for Michaelle Jean to pick up where Queen Adrienne left off.
When punditry were speculating post election that Harper would wait several months before doing anything substantive in government,it was a sign that they don't know very much about Harper. Or Albertans. Or Western Canadian conservatives, for that matter.
(Which should come as no surprise - I understand that over the weekend Jane Taber inadvertantly revealed on National TV she hadn't actually read the Conservative Party platform. Journalism. In Canada.).
Damian Brooks offers good advice on the MCpl Franklin VC medal debate.
My thoughts on this orgy of Hollywood self congratulation? - if you want to know how culturally significant Brokeback is, try counting the number of cowboys in the theatre seats.
Fraud charges are laid in the DND computer billing scam.
Iran announces the end of diplomacy over their nuclear weapons program. Cool. Let's just get this one over with.
Drop your own in the comments.
Saskblogs
A new blog aggregator. Looks like darned near everybody is already on it, and then some!
Also - the Saskdesk news aggregator is back in business.
January 30, 2006
The Take Back America From Jesusland Movement
... looks to be suffering a few setbacks.
Bush's approval ratings have climbed back to 50%, the Dem's attempt to mount an Alito fillibuster has just failed (in a cloture motion of 72-25), and now Hillary Commander In Chief has been cancelled!
As reaction from the grassroots begins to roll in, reader Meg writes;
Between this and Cindy Sheehan's senate campaign, the fun's only starting, I'm sure.
You know, as good as Rabble.ca is, we really do have to get off our rear ends and get KosKanada launched - so the tolerant Canadian left can find its voice and help keep the True North safe from our neo-Can Busharper Rethuglican agenda!
(I actually like the sound of that - the "Harper Neo-Cans". Remember you heard it here first!)
Tales From Inside The Belly
And some people still think we were joking when we called them the Libranos; (link fixed)
It was only when we got to Windsor for the convention that I realized just how much the Martinites had invested in the campaign -- literally. With the money I'd scraped together, I'd rented a couple of cheap yellow school buses to transport my supporters. My opponent's voters turned up in a fleet of Greyhounds. The bulk of them rounded up from a couple of high schools, they had everything -- food, board, delegate fees, liquor -- paid for. Some of the kids were informed they wouldn't get a ride back to Toronto if they didn't vote the right way.Not surprisingly, I lost. But I'd come close enough to winning that the Martinites were convinced I had another leadership campaign running the show. And from that point, they made a concerted effort to ensure I had a minimal role in the party.
How times have changed.... "There are certain jobs, it seems, that no one, but no one, wants to have..."
More on McKenna, from Coyne.
In the comments - "Orchard delivering the leadership to Belinda on the last ballot to stave off Scott". I'd pay good money to see that!
Yeeeaaaarrrrgh!
Karl Rove has agents everywhere;
Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill are privately bristling over Howard Dean’s management of the Democratic National Committee and have made those sentiments clear after new fundraising numbers showed he has spent nearly all the committee’s cash and has little left to support their efforts to gain seats this cycle, ROLL CALL reports.Congressional leaders were furious last week when they learned the DNC has just $5.5 million in the bank, compared to the Republican National Committee’s $34 million.
And to think that one of Howard Dean's assets in his quest for the Democratic nomination was a proven track record of fiscal responsibility and 11 straight balanced budgets in his home state of Vermont.
Razing The Rez
The main problem with Indian reservations isn't, as some argue, that they were established on worthless tracts of grassland. Consider the case of Buffalo County, S.D., which Census data reveal to be America's poorest county. Some 2,000 people live there. More than 30% of the homes are headed by women without husbands. The median household income is less than $13,000. The unemployment rate is sky high.Just to the east of Buffalo County lies Jerauld County, which is similar in size and population. Yet only 6% of its homes are headed by women without husbands, the median household income is more than $30,000, and the unemployment rate hovers around 3%. The fundamental difference between these two counties is that the Crow Creek Indian Reservation occupies much of Buffalo County. The place is a pocket of poverty in a land of plenty.
Read the whole thing.
"With Astonishement!"
A reader from Quebec writes;
Duceppe has ordered a study to (attempt to) explain why Quebec city dwellers did not buy his lies. He talks of a "Quebec mystery". Then, this jaw-dropper from his mouth: "Il y a quelque chose à Québec qui n'a pas encore été exorcisé et le mouvement souverainiste dans son ensemble devra se questionner " (my translation: "There is something in Quebec City that has not been exorcized, and the sovereignist mouvement as a whole will have to question itself")An editorialist at La Presse (usually a federalist newspaper from Montreal) starts his article like this: "The election of seven Conservative MPs in the Quebec City region is a surprise. Montrealers are pinching themselves as they look - with astonishement - what is going on in their capital. And the medias have sent special envoys and questionned specialists at Laval University, a bit like it is done when a city is suddenly struck by a tsunami or a hurricane." He then explain there is no mystery. Quebec residents are public servants, familiar with how governments work, and are tired of seeing the liberals and the bloc neglect their region for more than 10 years.
They have also elected a lean and mean, financially conservative mayor, Andree Boucher, a move the big media has yet to digest and explain.
It reminds me of the puzzlement of the US leftists after Bush's re-election.
La Presse article (in French).
Tech Notes
Last evening Lance Levsen set me up with a new Debian box. My old computer (running Suse 7.0) was still going strong after 6 years (it's never turned off) and we actually incorporated the old hard-drive into the new machine, but it wasn't possible to upgrade it to do some of the functions I needed - like burning cd's.
There are a few tasks and glitches left - like installing Opera (ugh, I don't like Firefox at all) and getting my Wacom CT-0405-R tablet to work properly - and I have to learn my way around the distro, so blogging may be light for a few days as I concentrate on that.
You can use the comments section for reader tips and whatnot.
January 29, 2006
Mine Fire In Esterhazy
Just over local news, there has been a fire in one of the underground potash mines near Esterhazy, SK. Initial report is that all miners are accounted for and OK, and they're currently working to get them out. They have 36 hours of air and water.
Update: It was a transformer fire. All miners are in "safe zones" and a rescue team is already underground.
11:30 pm local time update via local radio: 70 workers still underground, but they're still safe. The fire (which started at 3am) is still burning, and there are 7 rescue teams underground (they're being rotated). The Rawlco Radio reporter on the scene says that officials are confident that this will be "a good news story".
Morning update: All are safe.
The Attack Of The "Netroots" Activists
[T]he DLC was formed twenty years ago in an attempt to drag the party to the center. How's it going? I would guess that blogs and the internet have made the unelectable left even better organized and harder to work around; the days when a candidate could tell Barbra Streisand what she wanted to hear, pocket her check, then tell the public something that made sense are long over.
And here's an example - Democratic lobbyist and Kerry campaign advisor Steve Elmendorf...
"The trick will be to harness their energy and their money without looking like you are a captive of the activist left."
.... meets Markos Moulitsas of the DailyKos ;
"Here's notice, any Democrat associated with Elmendorf will be outed. The netroots can then decide for itself whether it wants to provide some of that energy and money to that candidate."
Which brings me to this;
Look at me.* I'm pro-choice. I support gay marriage. I think porn is OK and that drugs (which aren't OK) ought to be legal. My tastes in music and movies and entertainers are a lot more New York and LA than they are Nashville or Branson.But with the exceptions of maybe Zell Miller and Joe Lieberman, there's not a Democrat today I'd vote for without first chewing through my own forehead.
Now, what was I telling you? All together, now - God Bless Canada!
Another case in point
How To Make An Idiot Of Yourself On The Internet
A piece by James Lileks that specifically mentions most of my critics!
Running Roughshod Over Leftist Issues
Oddly enough, I first took that to be a compliment;
Two bloggers who need to be challenged, factually, consistently and relentlessly: Small Dead Animals and Angry in the Great White North. They've already gotten the attention of the mainstream media and they are doing real, material damage to public discourse when it comes to leftist issues.If Babble can't deal with these two turd-blogs, then Babble is of no use whatsoever.
To which I can only respond - what's a "Babble"?
January 28, 2006
It's Been Nearly A Week
Since I've offended someone...
Sgt. Torn: Drop the gun! Drop it! Drop it!Ahmed(in un-subtitled Arabic):Muhaia, dirka muhaia! Jihad allah dirka fatwa…..jihad…. (slowly trails off)
Their eyes lock in a longing stare as both slowly lower their rifles.
Notice: there was a server changeover last night at my host, and I not only lost a few newer posts, I couldn't access this comments thread until this morning. Apparently, there are a few people who still get sucked into feeding the trolls. I'll deal with him, but in the meantime - just stop responding. Thankyou.
Reader Tips
(link fixed) Usurping the left. My entry: Wheezy McFascistInstitute
Unsubsidized biofuels - a one day seminar hosted by the Frontier Center for Public Policy Info here.
Black Rod; "We thought we had seen the last of the Me-Me-Me School of Politics with the passing of Glen Murray. How wrong we were."
The Islamic Congress of Canada's Mohammed Elmasry is unhappy with Harper's stance on the Palestinian elections. It's a start!
The further left a province leans, the more spoiled ballots they turn in.
Requiem for a retiring Saskatchewan politician;
Good Luck Joanne, have fun with the four hours after business hours dealing with the paper work in this province. Also, better make it a store-front, not a home business, or you won't qualify for your "lowest utilities" rebate. Oh, and don't shop around for lowest prices for natural gas, because the Province won't give you a provincial rebate on energy costs unless you do business with the Crown Corp.
Leave your own in the comments, or send a trackback.
The Urban Rural Dichotomy
Lorne Gunter points to media chatter about the number one problem facing Conservatives electorally - the Liberal domination of the nation's cities;
The morning after the vote, the CBC reported "Results of Canada's 39th general election reveal an urban-rural divide in voting patterns."Canadian Press divined a "a stubborn urban-rural divide" developing in Canadian politics. And the Globe and Mail insisted Monday's balloting "suggested an urban-rural split, with the Conservatives making inroads in much of the country, but being shut out of Canada's three biggest centres, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver."
It's a development drawing the attention of those in halls of higher learning.
David Docherty, a Wilfrid Laurier University political scientist, examining the outcome in Ontario claimed "We're seeing more of an urban- rural split in the province. The larger cities are staying Liberal and the rural areas are Conservative."
When there is such a deep cultural divide and growing gap between "values" held by rural folk and those of modern urbane Canadians...
with such disparity between the relative levels of education ...
and sophistication in business, science and technology ...
... how does a political party most closely identified with those of that certain rural social and economic class find ways to broaden their tent widely enough to resonate with the people of "progressive" metropolitan Canada?
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(Read the rest of Gunter's piece here.)
January 27, 2006
Burning Down The House
First, it's the CBC admission of a "Heil Harper" cut and paste "error", and now this;
Full screencap here.
Desnethe - Missinippi - Churchill River
Further to the Desnethe - Missinippi - Churchill River election story, more details are coming in. John Gormley LIve is doing more on this at the moment, if you want to listen on streaming audio. I've received information privately, as well - it's worth noting that both the NDP and Conservative campaigns have recieved complaints.
:
For example, the poll in question from the Ahtahkakoop reserve came in 3 hours late, and in addition to around 380 voters who were on the voters list, another 240 people were sworn in.
Update - Conservative candidate Jeremy Harrison appeared later in the day with CKOM host David Kirton. They have collected a number of affadavits and it sounds as though the complaint and request for an investigation is going ahead. Furthermore, the chief of Ahtahkakoop, Larry Ahenikew, has reportedly acknowledged on camera that a television set was raffled during the election - a violation of the Elections Act. Although Ahenikew issued a news release a couple of days ago, attempts by media to contact him since have proven fruitless.
How We Got Here
Mulroney won the West with Free Trade, and Quebec with Meech. What he hoped was that no matter how much the West, particularly Alberta, despised Meech and what would today be called asymmetrical federalism, it would go along. The trick to governing Canada, he believed, was to keep Quebec happy, Ontario satisfied and the West just a few degrees below simmering. Quebec wanted what it wanted, Ontario wanted to know that the nation's affairs were being looked to, lest crisis disrupt the economic engine of the Golden Horseshoe, and West could be left with crumbs because they had no where else to turn. This is a strategy inherent in all political coalitions: You betray your base so you can reach out to a swing grouping. The hope is that your base doesn't walk away. Mulroney calculated that the West wouldn't walk. He was wrong.Read it all
(A pretty good piece on the so-called urban/rural electoral divide here, too - for a guy who doesn't have a driver's license. Public transit? Egads.)
71
A little sports news for you Saskatchewan expats - Bobby Jurasin is going to the CFL Hall of Fame.
(Surprisingly, photos of Jurasin seem nearly non-existant on the net. If anyone has one to pass along from his Rider days, I'd appreciate that.)
January 26, 2006
A Dangerous Time For America To Be Divided
Hamas may have won the Palestinian elections, which may in turn make Benjamin Netanyahu the next Prime Minister of Israel. CNN is now reporting that the current Palestinian government has resigned. The election of Hamas taken together with the crisis in Iran suggests that that the world is being challenged by very deeply rooted forces which traditional international institutions may be incapable of handling. The way to safety hangs on events that haven't resolved themselves yet. Whether the policy of democraticization has blunted the rush to madness -- Egyptian blogger the Big Pharaoah thinks Middle East democracy boosts Islamists; whether Iran will acquire the bomb; whether Israel will draw its sword to prevent it; whether Syria's ruling dynasty will fall; whether Europe will break out of its demographic death-spiral. Because success relies so much on the exploitation of contingent events it's a dangerous time for America to be divided, with one side unsure of whether any real danger besides BushchimpHitler exists and the other in the grip of a half-articulated policy; both almost fatalistically slouching towards a
future where there are no certain or even probable endings.
Just beneath the surface of many self-described Canadian "progressives", (not to mention a few of those new "metropolitan" opposition MP's) runs a strong and virulent anti-Israeli current.
That surface is about to be scratched. Watch what happens.
Gore On Harper
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Watching the reaction from some in the "progressive" camp over Harper's habit of closing his speeches with "God Bless Canada", my suggestion to our incoming Prime MInister is this: Faster, Please.
The greater part of the success of the Bush administration's ability to win elections lies, not in the electoral support of the so-called "religious right" (which is more media mythology than reality) , but in their ability to provoke the "loony left" to come unhinged in front of ordinary Americans.
When a conservative invokes God, no matter how generically, the left cannot help but expose their seething intolerance of all things Christian - thus, shining a spotlight on the highly selective nature of the "diversity" they champion.
The Paul Martin Liberals started well down this path during the last election campaign, the last few days illustrated by the bizarre behavior and "warnings" (abortion! child labour!) erupting from the leader himself. What Conservatives can do now is to quietly keep pushing them along on that path. With a little luck, and the inevitable cheerleading from media, a few more "God Bless"'s might just encourage the type of Harper "Derangement Syndrome" from "progressives" that helps keep US Democrats out of office.
See above.
Addendum:
Fact Checking the Calgary Herald:
Gore warned that Harper wants to remove Canada from the Kyoto accord, which the United States signed under former president Bill Clinton, but has refused to ratify under President George W. Bush.
False. Clinton signed Kyoto, knowing full well that it would be rejected by the Senate - which they did, voting against it unanimously - 3 full years before Bush came into office.
See also: Who knew Beausejour was in Texas?
Green Canuck to Gore: "Right on, dude!"
Lost In Translation: Update
The strange goings on in Federal government contracting continue. In followup to last week's post (read it if you haven't already), my source sends this update;
Sequle: Well on the morning of 25 Janaury 2006, bidders sent an inquiry to their PWGSC Contract Authority - remember our bid validity expired today - and received a fax later this afternoon stating that Societé Gamma (a private Ottawa firm) had been awarded $3.6 million to provide translation services for Treasury Board Secretariat. Apparently PWGSC still cannot discuss this matter with bidders and of course no one knows if this is an additional contract or if Lexi-tech International (owned by JD Irving) still gets to keep the original $3.6 million they were awarded in late December 2005. What to do, what to do?And since this is a sequel, anyone having access to MERX should go to the Contract Awards link and view how many contracts were awarded on 23 January 2006 - The Immigration and Refugee Board posted contract awards for several translation contracts on that date (impeccable timing, ey wot?) - and this after the Project Authority at IRB had promised bidders on a weekly basis starting with the first week of December that results would be posted before Christmas. Then she didn't respond to e-mails or phone calls either. And on election day, VOILA - results released.
Whatever are these people trying to hide? And are public servants allowed to lie or is that common human failing only something us common folk are held accountable for? Just asking. And of course documentation, mounds of it actually, exists for anyone who can help disseminate this.
Think of all the other millions of dollars awarded on 23 Janaury - this is just the tip of the heap of dead fish..
This is something the incoming government has to take a hard look at. If there is evidence that contracts were pushed through on behalf of favoured companies in anticipation of a government defeat, resignations and firings are in order.
On the other hand, perhaps this suggestion may work as well.
Diane Francis
I don't know how I missed this, but Diane Francis has a blog up. Her latest entry is a report from Davos;
But every year, the panelists mostly incorrect and last year was no exception. The majority view back then was that the U.S. would come unstuck in 2005 due to overspending and the dollar would plummet. Instead, the U.S. dollar went up in value and its economy grew nicely.The only exception to last year's bearishness was Jacob Frenkel, vice chairman of insurance giant AIG and former head of Israel's central bank.
"The dire predictions didn't materialize which is a reflection of the robustness of the U.S. economy," he said. "It's capable of absorbing enormous shocks."
U.S. trade deficits are happily financed by Japanese, Chinese and other Asian countries with trade surpluses and they are not about to pull the plug.
"The U.S. overspends and Asia over-saves," he said. "The U.S. dollar is not going to collapse. Where else will investors go? Japan holds US$1 trillion of U.S. debt and China US$500 billion. The more you are invested in an asset like this, the more vulnerable you are to collapses so you are reluctant to let that happen."
January 25, 2006
"50 Liberal MPs Per Square Inch"
Monte Solberg is dazzled by the lights of the Big City Waterfront;
If only we could have been as successful as the Liberals. I mean they won seats where it really counts. What I would give to have come second like my Liberal friends. You see its not the quantity of seats, its the quality.Sure its nice to win seats in places like Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg or Quebec City. Its even okay I guess to win every seat in Alberta, but if you aren't in TO and Van and Montreal what's the point?
But then it occured to me. We don't have to do anything for the big three. You see they have had ALL Liberal representation for the last twelve years so they don't have any problems.
heh heh heh heh heh.....
Consensus
Something I heard over radio a few days ago about "voodoo economics" brought to mind this short exerpt of an article by L. Brent Bozell III, written in 1994. I decided to dig it up and republish it here, because it's good, because I feel like it, and because - as I wrote on Monday - some things never change.
In the 1980s, there was a consensus among the members of the national media that Ronald Reagan was going to fail and that he was going to bring on economic disaster. But. . .the economy didn't collapse. In fact, it soared to unprecedented levels.The media stubbornly refused to admit that "Reaganomics" was responsible. The drumbeat of negative opposition to the president's policies continued through the 1980s. By 1986. . . the ratio of negative to positive stories was seven to one. In other words, as the economy was improving, media reports on the economy were becoming increasingly negative.
One of the most common allegations in these reports was that the poor got poorer under Reagan, even though the actual number of poor declined from 14 to 13 percent during his administration, and the average income for the lowest one-fifth of Americans rose from $7,008 to $9,431. Inflation declined 48%, from 8.9 to 4.6%. Unemployment declined 45%, from 7.5 to 5.2.%. Interest rates declined 71.9%, from 21 to 5.9%. Twenty-one million new jobs were created.
The so-called "greedy '80s" witnessed the largest peacetime economic expansion in our nation's history, yet the media remained deaf, dumb and blind.
From "30 years of the Best Of Imprimis".
One can subscribe to the invaluable Imprimis, a publication of Hillsdale College for free. (There's a link off the main page). Hillsdale College was founded by Freewill Baptists in Spring Arbor, Michigan and became the first institution of its kind to prohibit in its charter all discrimination based on race, religion, or sex - in 1850.
What A Difference A Day Makes
Less than 48 hours have passed; Bush has called, Rock's days are numbered, McKenna makes way for Preston , and we're already handing out guns!
Don't choke on that latte.
Is There A More Ridiculous Choice Than Stockwell Day?
I've used the term "journalistic malpractice" on occasion to describe the type of superficial and politically tainted media coverage Canadians have been subjected to. There is no better example of this than recent smears against Stockwell Day.
This is the same press that has been covering Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew. You'd think that the irony might have smacked them upside the head by now.
Whether he becomes Canada's foreign minister is up to Stephen Harper. But whether he deserves respect for his efforts and degree of knowledge in the field is not a call we should allow the Peter Mansbridge's of the world to make for us.
China E-Lobby argues the case well;
Mr. Harper and his fellow Conservatives should not merely given Mr. Day the portfolio simply because a bunch of Americans and Chinese exiles want it. Mr. Day should receive the post because he is the most qualified person for the job, and not only because he has served so well as Foreign Affairs critic for nearly four years.Canada has always prided itself, and not without reason, as the conscience of the free world. In recent years, as Jean Chretien and Paul Martin repeatedly embarrassed themselves (to say nothing of their fellow Canadians) in their dealings with Communist China, that role has been lost. Stockwell Day's appointment, all by itself, would put the tyrannies of the world on notice that Canada's new government will no longer look the other way on human rights and security threats to the democratic world. Days' appointment would bring immense hope not only to the long-suffering Chinese people, but also to many others who suffer under tyranny in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and even parts of Europe.
I understand that the "politically safe" move would be to appoint someone else to the Foreign Ministry, but that is due to how (some) Canadians see Mr. Day, not how we see him from outside Canada. The Foreign Minister represents Canada to the globe, and the globe knows - and admires - Stockwell Day a great deal.
And to that I'll add - I think Canadians can also rest assured that Day wouldn't be splitting his time between his office, a Paris apartment and Bruno the Bodyguard..
(See: Future of Communism in China)
Hugh Hewitt
Canadian media and aspiring journalists take note: this is what a good interview looks like.
Reader Tips
Truth is stranger than ..oh nevermind. It's Michael Jackson;
Pop star Michael Jackson took a shopping trip to a Bahrain mall Wednesday, covering himself in a black abaya robe traditionally worn by Bahraini women and a veil hiding his face, along with three children _ apparently his _ with their faces covered with dark scarves. [...] He was wearing an abaya, a robe with long sleeves, under which his pants, white shirt and men's shoes could be seen, and his head and face were wrapped in a black veil. He had black gloves on his hands.
Let the Americans do it! Border security in Canada - brought to you by the same people who've been running our national defense.
William Norton, Deputy Chairman, London North East Area Conservatives left a kind post-election note in the comments - they have Canadian election analysis up on their blog
Tim Denton is right on the money with this one;
The emergence of Michael Ignatieff is nothing but good; he will put a few new ideas into Liberal heads. By the nature of where he has lived and what he has done, he cannot believe the smug self-satisfied parochial Liberal mindset. He will inevitably bring the cappuccino crowd around to a more realistic appreciation of the world we live in. Let him do his work among the heathen.
The current Liberal mindset is not just damaging to our trade interests - it's dangerous to our national security.
Scientific evidence that politics is stupid.
Mathematical evidence that we pay too much for it.
Telephone evidence that sometimes they get what they deserve.
Regulating blogs at the Opinionjournal - a new project by the left in America.
Radioequalizer on blogs and talk radio.
A Liberal campaign worker posing as a CBC reporter?
Why Stephen Harper is not Joe Clark. Or as someone called him recently - Joe Where?
And finally, the granddaddy of the Canadian blogosphere weighs in on the election results.
So many more that I wish I could use. Thanks again for all your contributions. Some days I have to weed through over 600 emails, so if you don't receive a response or see your tip used, that's why!
January 24, 2006
Oh, Canada.
O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
A Series Of After Election Observations
Olivia Chow and Jack Layton now have an excuse for separate bedrooms.
The entire City of Toronto is now sitting in opposition.
No one was beheaded.
There's a new Opposition Critic for the Ministry of Complex Files.
You won't have regalcock.ca to kick around anymore.
Stephen Harper joins Tony Blair, Angela Merkel and John Howard on a growing list of world leaders who have prevailed over opponents running anti-American campaigns.
Andrew Scheer, 25, now has more power than Ralph Goodale.
Paul Martin left 3,000 political appointments vacant. Whoops.
A commentor; "The entire national media is insisting that the Conservatives are not an URBAN party, that they must pander to Toronto and Montreal. Well, on behalf of Edmonton, Calagary, Saskatoon, St. John's, Kelowna, Kamloops, Ottawa etc. etc., f*ck you very much."
Parked on the driveway of 24 Sussex, awaiting delivery, is the new official government transportation for the Governor General;
Life is good.
Dear American Bloggers:
Please read this notice by Damian Brooks;
Well, it's about time somebody said it, and I might as well be first: when it comes to Canadian politics, Glenn Reynolds doesn't know his back end from a hole in the ground.
Agreed, though he's hardly alone in that - I will give him credit for pulling together a pretty comprehensive post on the results.
But, for the record - Ed Morrissey did not "bring down the Canadian government", as some have described it.
His role was important, but it is more appropriate to credit him with exposing the Canadian blogosphere to a broader Canadian audience, through the controversy created when he published the (briefly) banned testimony. A good many SDA readers discovered each other by following the link from Captains Quarters back to here.
That was an extremely useful development for conservatives, and the furthering of a conservative agenda in Canada, and it's going to be exciting to see how that develops in coming months - and provincial elections, where a strong blogosphere might have far more influence than it does on the national debate.
But it was NDP leader Jack Layton who "brought down" the Canadian government, not Ed.
Heh. What's a 'Canada', anyway?
EsmayDean: Your obnoxious vegan moonbat Canadienne is almost certainly, right now, sobbing hysterically, as Bush has been effectively elected Prime Minister and Rove controls Ottowa.
INDCBill: ah
INDCBill: that is nice. What's an ottowa?
EsmayDean: I mean, she's SOBBING.
EsmayDean: Deeb, welling sobs.
EsmayDean: Shrubbie McHalliburton now owns Canada!
Open Thread
I'm busy for a while this morning - so I'll open this thread for comments, reader tips and day after election discussion.
Update: Jeremy Harrison is on radio right now over the results in the northern riding of Desnethe - Missinippi - Churchill River
- He was ahead by 200 votes until the last ballot box came in and lo and behold - it had 300 votes for the LIberals. That poll that put Liberal candidate over the top did not came in until 3 hours after the polls had closed
- some reserves had over 100% turnout
- there was campaign literature in the polling stations, and polling booths
- Liberal threats to aboriginal voters that they would not recieve cheques
There is going to be an official request for an investigation.
more: Advance Poll irregularities: poll clerks who refused to allow secret votes, who accompanied voters into the booths.
Footnote: I heard a report last night that the NDP brought a busload of students into a rural poll in Vanscoy and had them all signed in to vote.
Request: Can someone forward the poll results from Desnethe - Missinippi - Churchill River including (a) the number and (b) the sequences of which polls were tabulated first and how the final poll broke so dramatically from a pattern that had remained fairly consistant all evening, perhaps we can shed more light on this.
January 23, 2006
E-Day
Michelle Malkin is doing a nice job of sending her sizable audience to get the latest in Canadian election coverage.
Poll closing times have been staggered to minimize the lag time between east and west coast results, however, if you're looking for an advance peek at regional returns, I'm told Captains Quarters will be liveblogging.
I currently don't have plans to be online - I'm planning on a night out with a few friends in front of a big screen tv with a beer in my hand. But if I can get a hookup for my laptop, I may get a post or update in.
The comments thread will also be open. See above - I won't be here to police things, so behave yourselves, and don't feed the inevitable trolls.
 | 650 CKOM will be posting results on their website as soon as Sask polls close. The little map should update automatically as the night goes on. |
A final note - I am making no predictions whatsoever. I don't know that it's really possible for any pollster to predict how votes may split, or the effect of a dismal campaign on a disappointed Liberal base. I'm content to just wait and see, and keep my fingers crossed for my own CPC candidate, Carol Skelton.
One final reminder to those who will be watching live - early returns tend to favour urban results. In ridings with urban/rural splits, the rural (conservative leaning) polls tend to come in a little later and in many cases, early leads by the left are overtaken. The trend isn't as strong as it was some years ago, due to better communcations, but it still exists.
Other links I've been sent in the past week: ( I have no idea what they plan on doing - perhaps just sharing their emotional highs and lows...)
BBS
Vectorsphere
Decisioncanada2006.
Econoline
Publius Pundit.
Uncle Meat
Surly Beaver
Send your trackbacks, and comments, but I do advise Canadian bloggers not to overtly break the ban on posting results directly.
Also - judging by the google generated traffic, there's a chance the server's going to get slammed by this evening. Try to do your part by taking it easy on the reloads when reading comments.
And while we wait, a thoughtful piece by Pieter Dorsman on the future of the left in Canada.
Update: Kate Foxworthy moment: When you're working as a scrutineer at a polling station and some guy rides up in a sled and votes in a full face helmet and gear - and everyone knows who he is - you might be in Saskatchewan.
News From The Trenches
This thread is for reports on how voting is going in your own riding/province, etc. - voter turnout, any interesting developments.
(Voting, not results).
Federal Student Vote Program
Don't let your paranoia go into overload, but there are more details emerging from school voting story that raise significant questions about the judgement of those at Elections Canada in allowing over 700,000 official ballots out of their hands, and into those of Maude Barlow, David Suzuki and the CBC.
Actual Elections Canada voting screens, ballot boxes and ballots were supplied by Student Vote, a program that aims to provide students with a sneak peak at voting during an official election period."
Sent by a reader, who has already filed an official complaint with her school board.
Update - read the comments as more information comes in to clarify what's going on here.
From Elections Canada on the program and sponsorship.;
A total of 455,566 ballots were cast this past week, from Monday, January 16 to Friday, January 20. After studying the democratic process, party platforms and election issues throughout the campaign, students voted on the real candidates running in the 2006 general election. Results were reported from 2,445 schools in every province and territory, representing more than 280 electoral districts.
Read it all, though.
Reader Tips
Air guitars, ad parodies, Paul Martin talking out his "ads" - going to almost miss this campaign.
Almost.
Andrew Coyne has an op-ed in the New York Times;
"Small earthquake in Canada; not many hurt"
Nealenews has a roundup of commentary from foreign newspapers.
Pollsters are advising this one will be decided by BC.
Got questions? Plug your postal code into Elections Canada.
Update - already readers are reporting that their postal codes "do not exist".
Toss your own finds in the comments.
The Darling Of The Anti-War Left
British Member of Parliament and world renowned anti-Iraq war crusader - George Galloway.
Engaging The Base
Imagine for a moment, that George W. Bush had lost the election in 2004.
What are the chances, do you think, that he'd show up at, say - Free Republic*?
Yeah. I thought so.
From the comments, this striking bit of political insight;
"I'm impressed. But it also shows that Kerry's pretty serious about '08, and more than ready to engage the base."
May he win the nomination again.
Election Eve Blockbuster
Received from anonymous source;
"All of the evidence is not in, but it appears that US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice may have slept with Prime Minister Paul Martin when she was in Ottawa.I will send details when they become available. All I have now is this photograph."
BREAKING
MARTIN ISSUES DENIAL
January 22, 2006
Reader Tips
For years, tax weary British Columbians have travelled to sales tax free Alberta to buy various products. The BC government has taken the unprecedented step in pressuring Costco to reveal the names of BC customers who shop in their Alberta stores.
The Oracle of Ottawa knows what it takes. Flattery!
Al-Quada VS Iraqi insurgents. Oh, goodness. Who to root for?
Eugene Parks shows up on the Shotgun and collects more evidence about my and Stephen Taylor's shared business interests. -=| Insert joke here |=-
Iraq? Why isn't this election about which leaders would send troops to Iran? Cause, we might just have to - providing we don't wake up one of these mornings to a big shiny sea of glass.
Overheard On Board A Liberal Campaign Plane
First Liberal: (strumming guitar)
Second Liberal: Do you know any Blue Rodeo, sir?*
First Liberal: Just shut up and mark ballots.
(A shameless ripoff of a classic PW * series)
And The Cash Just Flows And Flows
I guess we know what the $1.13 billion Order In Council was for;
Just as we get set to vote tomorrow, $250 energy rebate cheques are being sent to criminals behind bars, who already got to cast their vote in the comfort of their cells, heated by our tax dollars."Linda, this makes me sick," sniffed a correctional officer, who was on the line complaining he had just distributed cheques from Canada Revenue Agency (formerly Revenue Canada) to four inmates at a provincial detention centre, located north of Toronto.
One inmate had been at the detention centre fighting deportation since December 2004, after he was transferred from a federal prison where he had served his sentence.
He has 23 convictions, including armed robbery and drug offences.
This officer, who's worked for Ontario's ministry of correctional services for 16 years and asked not to be named for fear of being disciplined for speaking out, went on: "I'm delivering money to criminals that's been stolen from me and other hard-working taxpayers in Canada."
I haven't seen a rebate cheque, nor have I heard of any going out in Saskatchewan.
Maybe they're just targeting key ridings...
The Libranos: Campaign Inside A Campaign
While the politicians and media lose their collective minds over the next 24 hours, I plan to back off and go into lighter fare today (unless something really spectacular happens). Frankly, my suspicion is that most average voters tuned the campaign out about 5 days ago, especially former Paul Martin supporters who have given up on him - once left to the pirahnas, they don't have the stomach to stand around and watch the water churn. They don't take pleasure in it.
So, for a pre-post mortem I offer the content of an email I received a couple of days ago;
1. A strong contingent of committed federalists in the Liberal Party have made the strategic decision to undertake actions that will support the Conservative Party because it is the lesser of two evils; the Bloc being the greater evil of course. This decision was made prior to the election. Why? The Liberal Party will be blamed for the break up of Canada if Quebec separates. This group of Liberal federalists would rather support another federalist party, the Conservatives, in absence of credible Liberal candidates. This situation is playing out at the riding level with a "take a Liberal lawn sign, but vote Conservative" whisper campaign.2. The Liberal Party believes that some of their core voters will vote Conservative this election, but will return to the fold and vote Liberal in the future. However, the Liberal Party fears that some of their core voters will vote NDP this election and NOT return to vote Liberal in the future. This again explains the overt support for the Conservatives.
3. Frank McKenna is definitely in the race to replace Martin. McKenna's team of operatives is strongly 'encouraging' no-hope Liberal candidates to stop their election spending. Why? The Liberal party is insolvent (broke), thus will need all available funds to keep their creditors at bay. The group of federalist Liberals recognizes the fact the the Liberals need five years to financially rebuild their party and cannot afford another federal election within two years if a minority Conservative government falls.
4. Several recent Liberal campaign mistakes in fact are not mistakes. Rather, they were intentionally designed to enable the Conservatives to show their strengths and hammer the Liberals and the NDP. Buzz Hargorve'sinvolvement in the Liberal campaign is a shining example of this strategy. For the record Buzz bought into this shadowy strategy 'hook, line and sinker'. Buzz has been royally hoodwinked. The litany of Liberal campaign blunders are a series of well timed events. Sorry Warren Kinsella, you are not as smart as you think you are!
5. Paul Martin is no longer in control of Liberal Party of Canada. A clear indication of this situation is the fact that Liberals no longer operate a national campaign. Some provincial campaigns and individual ridings (I do not know which ones) no longer accept direction from the national campaign team. In fact some campaigns have removed all Martin/Liberal references from their literature and signs because they are ashamed of the response from voters. Several BC Liberal candidates are intentionally sabotaging their campaigns because they do not want to sit in opposition; especially if the Conservatives win a majority.
That should keep you busy in the comments.
January 21, 2006
What? Me Liberal??
Yesterday, it was the disappearance of Paul Martin and the word "Liberal" from campaign literature and signage, a development that I joked was soon to be followed by dropping the colour red in favour of blue.
Man, when you can't run with the colour red in Etobicoke Centre....
Martin And Friends
I just received a note that Paul Martin went "bonkers" at a speech in Brampton today: "hoarse, shouting, chanting Belinda Stronach's name, shouting back and forth with some wacko supporter in the audience."
(I can't run video on this computer, but I believe Toronto CHUM station Pulse24 has some video - don't know if it includes the best parts. )
Oh, and while you're at the Shotgun, here's a nice juicy one - they've gotten hold of Alphonso Gagliano's criminal record check. A teaser;
Commissioner Norman Inkster suggests that Gagliano be fingerprinted to prove or disprove the worst of his findings.
Overheard On Board A Liberal Campaign Bus
First Liberal: Conservatives starboard! Shields!
Second Liberal: Sir?
First Liberal:
Second Liberal: Excuse me - Mr. Prime Minister?
First Liberal:
Third Liberal: Shhh.. We're not supposed to talk when he's cloaked.
(A shameless ripoff of a classic PW * series)
Lost In Translation
Via private email;
One would think that after the Gomery Report and during an election campaign, the governing Liberals would take extra care that all contracts awarded to the public are transparent and the awarding process is without reproach. In mid-2005, the Treasury Board Secretariat posted a call for tenders on the MERX for translation services (value of five million CAD) with a closing date of 19 Sept. 05. Bidders followed up monthly with the Contract Authority at PWGSC and were told (in writing) that the evaluation was ongoing and they would be contacted as soon as a winner was selected (two bidders were going to be chosen in this process - a primary and a backup). Imagine the surprise when bidders returned from Christmas vacation and read in the 2 and 9 January 2006 editions of the Ottawa Business Journal that the contracts had been awarded, with 3.6 million going to Lexitech International (headquartered in New Brunswick and owned by the Irving family) and another 1 million going to Les Traductions Tessier, a private Ottawa firm.
When queried, the response provided in writing by PWGSC on 11 January 2006 was the evaluation process was not over and bidders were thanked for their cooperation.On 16 January 2006, bidders received a fax asking to extend the validity of their bid until 25 January 2006. Odd, however that bidders were asked to extend the validity of their bids for only 9 days and that it conveniently fell 2 days after the election. Normally extensions to bid validity are done in increments of 30 days - never 9 days. Further investigation on the MERX revealed that lo and behold the contracts had indeed been awarded on 21 December 2005 (a couple of days before Christmas when Ottawa is a ghost town - impeccable timing, eh wot?) and published on the MERX under Solicitation No. 24062-040011/A on 22 and 28 December 2005, again when most people were off and wouldn't notice ... Concerns brought to the attention of the Contract Authority were ignored and the Contract Authority was very cautious with the wording they used, stating that they could not discuss the situation and that a decision would be made by the end of next week. When pressed for more information the Contract Authority repeated that they could not offer any more details nor talk about it.
You don't suppose someone in the Governing Party is afraid us dimwitted Canadians might put two and two together and smell a dead animal? After all, was the contract awarded or not awarded? Why wait until next week? There have been no cancellations issued on the MERX for these contracts.
Merx
I have no way to verify this - perhaps readers familiar with government contracing practices can provide more. My source does have documentation, if anyone in media is interested in following up on this.
Overheard On Board A Liberal Campaign Plane
First Liberal: Scott?
Second Liberal: Yes, Sir?
First Liberal: Do you hear the horses?
Second Liberal: Go back to sleep, sir.
First Liberal: Their eyes are so blue.... *
(A shameless ripoff of a classic PW * series)
Campaign Notes and Reader Tips
How the Globe duped Toronto.
Jim Travers gives up on Paul Martin.
"I guarantee that you’re going to see things on this blog that will appear nowhere else on election night."
Silent Running's Shire Network New has podcast up on Canadian blogging.
Drop your own in the comments.
Billion Dollar Order In Council
$1.13 billion in secret pre-election spending?
Whereas the President of the Treasury Board reports that there is no appropriation for the payment of the sums mentioned in the annexed schedule, amounting in the aggregate to? $1,130,433,505, and the appropriate Ministers have reported that the payment of these sums is urgently required for the public good;
And whereas Parliament is not in session and there is no other appropriation pursuant to which the payment of these sums may be made;
Therefore, Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the President of the Treasury Board, pursuant to subsection 30(1) of the Financial Administration Act, hereby directs the preparation of a special warrant to be signed by the Governor General authorizing the payment, effective December 22, 2005, of the sums mentioned in the annexed schedule, amounting in the aggregate to $1,130,433,505, to be made out of the
Consolidated Revenue Fund.SPECIAL WARRANT
Pursuant to Order in Council P.C. 2005?2337 of December 20, 2005, the President of the Treasury Board is hereby authorized to pay out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund, effective December 22, 2005, the amount of $1,130,433,505 for the purposes set out in the annexed schedule.
Christmas gifts!
January 20, 2006
Massive Irregularities: Edmonton Centre
Via campaign manager Victor Marciano;
Laurie Hawn, Conservative Candidate in Edmonton Centre, has filed a complaint with the Commissioner of Elections Canada after massive voter list irregularities were uncovered by his campaign.For some time, there have been rumors of election irregularities in Edmonton Centre. At an all candidates meeting with Elections Canada on January 4, 2006, it was revealed that two buildings had been struck from the electoral rolls because they were not residences. In reality, these buildings were both mailbox stores.
Several days later, the Laurie Hawn campaign identified a third non-residence building which sells mail boxes and reported it to Elections Canada.
A few days ago, the Laurie Hawn campaign was alerted, via e-mail, by an Edmonton lawyer that:"Lots of [Anne McLellan] supporters are enumerated at their downtown office address instead of at their houses. One of them was bragging about how many times he could vote liberal (sic) based on the number of leases he had in her riding."
In reaction to this e-mail, the Laurie Hawn campaign acquired a City of Edmonton map which listed all buildings and their street addresses and began thoroughly checking the revised voters list. Despite checking less than half the polls, here are some irregularities that have been identified:
Almost 100 apparently nonexistent addresses in Edmonton's downtown core - in some cases, the addresses listed fictional residences in between two genuine buildings
Hundreds of people registered to vote out of their law offices, medical offices, accounting offices, and Government of Canada offices - in some cases these may be genuine errors, but in other cases, entire families are registered to vote out of high rise office space
Dozens of people registered to vote out of office towers, but who did not list a suite number, causing the address to read similarly to ordinary residences - in many cases, these people are also registered to vote in other ridings using their home addresses, and in other cases, voters living in other ridings are only registered in Edmonton Centre
Dozens of people registered to vote out of small mail box locations and from self-storage yards - there is no legitimate way for a person to appear on the list of Electors from a self-storage yard
Eighteen people registered to vote out of a truck stop
People registered to vote out of karaoke bars, lingerie stores, dance lounges, galleries, etc... The deadline for revising the list of Electors has now passed, and these irregular voters will remain on the list. In some cases, they have already voted in the advance polls and some of these irregular voters may have voted in previous elections, and may have had an impact on the results in the riding of Edmonton Centre.
Update - Edmonton Journal article "mix-up fixed, official says".
Mixup?
The Laurie Hawn campaign has filed a complaint with the Commissioner of Elections, asking that he review the 2004 final voters roll and determine if any of these fraudulent voters cast ballots in that election.The campaign has also asked him to prosecute anyone who voted more than once - in Edmonton Centre and again in another riding.
Our campaign has also requested that voters be required to complete a voter declaration and undertake the elector's oath when voters registered at fraudulent addresses attempt to cast ballots in this election.
The Laurie Hawn campaign takes voter fraud very seriously. Any individual who intends to vote illegally in Edmonton Centre should be aware that our campaign will be carefully monitoring the election, and will pursue any violation with Elections Canada to the fullest extent possible.
Settle Down: Updated
School kids marking official EC ballots?
Update - "Harper New Democrat" Ian of Marturia writes in the comments;
As one of the teachers who participated in this "mock election", I can tell you what happened to the ballots. In my school, all the ballots are totalled and the numbers (not the ballots themselves) are sent to the organisation running this. For the record, they are official-looking ballots, on card stock and whatnot, with the names of the candidates for the riding the school is in on them. We instruct the students to treat them as a real ballot (i.e. only an X next to the name you're choosing is acceptable). From what I know, the organisation in charge (whose name escapes me at the moment) just wants to use the student numbers to compare against real polling numbers on the 23rd. Hope that helps.
When I first saw this story, I assumed that the schools were conducting mock ballots in the manner Elections Canada proposes. Perhaps it's still completely innocent, but hat they're using real candidates names does open up legitimate questions as to what the organization in charge is up to. One hopes the teachers ensured that all were destroyed.
Where Have We Heard This Before?
Two readers have emailed me about this;
"I just heard an audio clip on cfra on the drive home that enraged me.At an all candidates meeting in Refrew, ON. ("up the valley" from Ottawa) last night, a WW2 vet (one Mr. Tomkins) stood up and asked the Liberal candidate, Don Lindsay, what plans the Liberals had to compensate handgun owners for seizing their private property. Instead of answering the question immediately, Lindsay started by spouting Martins favorite line: "The United States is our neighbour. This is Canada. And if you want to live that lifestyle, perhaps you better move there". The crowd instantly became very vocal and started shoting at Lindsay. Imagine the nerve, the GALL of this man to TELL A WW2 VET to MOVE TO THE US!
I was FURIOUS! And I still am...
Lindsay is running in Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke..
update - Lindsay loses control at Debate
CFRA broadcast mp3 audio here
Flashback - "take your NRA , GUN LOVING ASS BACK TO THE U.S. WHERE YOU BELONG"
Wells On Vellacott
"Because the campaign offices of trailing candidates tend to be so empty in the week before an election that anyone can just stroll in and do some freelance smear work.
That's plausible."
So - as pointed out on John Gormley Live just now - not only did some unidentified homeless guy sneak into Axworthy's campaign headquarters unnoticed to "freelance", he sat there on hold for 12 minutes.
Yes. Plausible.
Hengen affadavit on caller's identity. (pdf)
(Wells claims he was speaking tongue in cheek, and that I missed it. This is plausible. I have been forced to live in a state of suspended disbelief ever since Lorne Calvert endorsed a Conservative government.)
Giant Killer?
Brad Farquhar has reduced Ralph Goodale's 33% lead in Wascana to a statistical dead heat.
What used to be one of the safest Liberal seats in Canada is now a horserace.
What? Me Liberal?
A friend called from Kitchener yesterday to pass along news that their Liberal encumbent Karen Redman has dropped all mention of the Liberal party in her radio advertising.
Stephen Taylor has evidence of the same thing happening in other ridings.
In Saskatoon-Wanaskeywin, it's the other way round - Liberal candidate Chris Axworthy is distancing himself from his own campaign workers.
Mr. Axworthy concedes the call came from his office, but he believes someone not connected to his campaign sneaked in and made the call.
That's so going to work now that local news radio has started playing audio of the call.
No confirmation of the rumour that the party will be unveiling new blue election signs for the weekend, but I'm working on it...
(Though they have begun to "Stand Up For Canada")
Reader Tips
In April, a commentor at the Shotgun published leaked Liberal party talking points. I republished them here. A lot of it is patently obvious, but in hindsight, they sound familiar, especially the Gomery spin - considering they didn't have his findings at the time.
At Free Dominion - questions about "heating rebate" cheques that are popping into people's mailboxes and bank accounts, courtesy the "government".
Euthanasia is cost effective. (Considering a former Saskatchewan NDP politician's assertion last year that Canadian citizens have a duty to live healthfully and die quickly, so as not to burden the health care system, take this caution seriously.)
Meeting John O'Sullivan was one of the high points on the Western Standard cruise. He has a new piece out on the Canadian election asking Is there still a lumberjack under all that mascara? (link fixed)
CPC Saskatchewan caucus;
The Conservative Party's Saskatchewan caucus today welcomed NDP Premier Lorne Calvert's stated support yesterday for the Conservative plan on the fiscal imbalance.The Conservatives' Saskatchewan caucus chair said this statement of support makes it clear Stephen Harper has the right approach to fix the fiscal imbalance and co-operate with the provinces.
"It is encouraging to hear an NDP premier say we are on the right track," said Tom Lukiwski. "Only the Conservative Party has the ability to replace Paul Martin's corrupt government and finally address the fiscal imbalance. On behalf of our Saskatchewan caucus, I encourage all Saskatchewan voters to help provide the Conservative Party with a strong mandate for change on election day."
It's in his DNA to fight separatism, says Paul Martin. Turns out he's more a lover than a fighter.
Oh, and as we've had our heads buried in a Canadian election campaign, Iran and Europe are getting ready for nuclear war. Iran has launched the first strike.
Add your own in the comments.
Overheard On Board A Liberal Campaign Plane
First Liberal: What's this?
Second Liberal: We're chipping in, sir.
First Liberal: Oh. Clearly.
Second Liberal: For jet fuel, sir.
First Liberal: I suppose the cowboy hat is Herle's idea of a joke.
(A shameless ripoff of a classic PW * series)
The Alberta Card
HALIFAX (CP) - Nova Scotians can't trust Peter MacKay to look after their interests in a Conservative government, says Prime Minister Paul Martin, because right-wing Albertans will be running the show.``Peter MacKay doesn't really count,'' the prime minister said of the Nova Scotia Tory in a phone interview from Ontario on Thursday.
"All of (Conservative Leader) Stephen Harper's advisers come from Calgary. They come from where he is. Peter MacKay is not going to be the person who's going to be deciding.''
But Martin is a desperate man saying desperate things, said MacKay, and he pointed out that Harper promised in Halifax earlier in the campaign to maintain the funding levels for ACOA.Atlantic Canadians should not believe that, said Martin. Harper is a zealot who wants to massively cut government, he said, and that would mean hard times for Atlantic Canadians.
``The single most important influence on Stephen Harper - and he has said it himself - described the far-right American conservative movement `as an inspiration and a light.' That's the biggest source of his political influence. And their basic view is, there are no subsidies for industry.''
Harper changed his position on ACOA over the years. When he was with the Canadian Alliance, he proposed killing the program quickly.
Now he has promised to maintain its funding level and have the auditor general review it. He has not said what kind of changes he might make.
Martin will bring his pro-ACOA, anti-Harper message to the Atlantic region Friday.
He's going to St. John's, N.L., and Fredericton to shore up Liberal support in the region, one of the few parts of the country where Liberal strength has held during a campaign that has seen much
of English Canada turn to the Tories.That's why Martin is attacking now, MacKay said. ``It's more of the same fear-mongering, diminishing, insulting, distracting behaviour that has become the hallmark of Mr. Martin in
this campaign,'' he said.MacKay pointed out that the Tories built the fixed link to Prince Edward Island, along with the Hibernia oil development off Newfoundland and the Veterans Affairs Canada office in
Charlottetown.``One only has to look at the record and one will quickly realize that the last major infrastructure investment in Atlantic Canada (was) under a Conservative government,'' he said.
This is a very good time for Conservatives to call their Liberal campaign offices and demand an answer to why the Prime MInister is anti-Western.
January 19, 2006
Idle Speculation
Recall Paul Martins highly localized "freezing rain" plane delay in Vancouver on Tuesday? The same day that commercial air traffic remained unaffected?
Now, Angry's got another sniff on this. A source passes this along;
"Reporters are telling me that the Libs will be stuck in Ottawa for most of the next two days because they have run out of cash to run the tour"
The Art Of Getting Banned
Kate, There was nothing trollish about what I posted. I simply offered a contrarian view to your obvious bias so you removed it. You're lying. What a surprise! Especially right after I sent you an e-mail admonishing you for releasing my email address. Good thing I saved all of the commentary myself, isn't it Kate? How sad. So much for free speech.Posted by arthurdecco at January 19, 2006 05:30 PM
Could the left please send me a better quality of troll?
One that can like, read the little box that says "Email Address:" in the comment form before they press "post"?
And A Pony...
Just heard an English audio translation of the Bin Laden tape. (Who knew there was a word in Arabic for "done deal"?) Apparently, he follows poll results.
Memri has another translation here.
Now, he's released his Ten Truce Conditions
Liberal Defection?
There's an unconfirmed report that Liberal candidate Gilles Savard has PULLED OUT of the race in Jonquiere-Alma, and thrown his support behind Conservative Jean-Pierre Blackburn...
Via Maz2 in the comments
Update: Now being confirmed on CTV newsnet and radio.
Gilles Savard has issued a press release stating he was misquoted;
"I would never drop out of the campaign at this point. The confusion probably comes from the interpretation of statements that I made while commenting on the results of a survey and realizing the lead that this survey gave one of my opponents. I have never even considered not completing this campaign."
Vellacott - Axworthy
The gist of this story is:
During the debate show, a caller called in and accused Conservative Candidate Maurice Vellacott of sexual assault on a church secretary. Vellacott, immediately asked for the name and number of the caller for legal action and they had an idea of who this person was. I didn't catch the name, but it was in the news brief. The campaign volunteer who [is alleged to have] made the call is George Laliberte. When they ran a reverse lookup of the number, they came up with the Liberal campaign headquarters of Chris Axworthy.
I've heard from someone who heard the exchange live - the word used was "brutal".
Still no word from the Axworthy office, to the best of my knowledge - the story has been out for a few hours now, so this is probably indicative that they're working on damage control.
Update: 4pm local time - Local news is reporting Axworthy has stated that he doesn't condone what happened, and if the call came from his office, he'll take action.
Comments Reminder
Everyone tone down the rhetoric. That includes you trolls, and those of you intent on feeding them.
Oh, That Liberal Civil Service
A story about a Liberal direct mailing program;
Liberal party president Mike Eizenga mailed bright yellow teledispatches directly to the office addresses of employees of the PCO, which is supposed to remain non-partisan and non-political.The memo lays out the Liberal election platform and asks for a minimum $100 donation.
"We need your support now to make sure we form the next government," says Eizenga's letter, which landed in many in-boxes of the Privy Council's Sparks Street office building on Jan. 9
Et tu, DND?
The evidence from Department of National Defence documents and internal correspondence illustrates a pattern of Liberal partisan support during the election campaigns of 2000 and 2004. National Defence deputy ministers and other officials tracked, evaluated and analyzed opposition platforms and passed the results of their findings in weekly policy reports to the Liberal Cabinet.
A reader writes;
I've worked in the federal civil service for eight years, and during my entire tenure there I have always been amazed and disgusted at how blatantly many individuals in my department and elsewhere in Government talked about how "we" had to protect the prime minister or the "government" (read Liberals). Often decisions taken at the working level were informed by what the Liberals wanted or were thought to want (the Sea King saga is a perfect example of this). To profess a political party affiliation other than Liberal was often met with dazed wonder and sometimes with open hostility. Recently myself and a few of my colleagues were labelled by a co-worker as "not politically reliable". Not politically reliable? I thought civil servants worked for the Crown and the citizens of Canada, not political parties.Stephen Harper is correct when he labels the federal civil service as largely Liberal. One doesn't have to think to hard to see how this came about. For thirteen long years the Liberals have ruled Canada. During this period many (if not all) senior civil servants came into their jobs under Liberal leadership, which has led to many of them (but not all) feeling that they owe their careers to the Liberals. Moreover, it means that any aspiring civil servant who wished to reach the top levels of the civil service knew that to get ahead one always kept the interests of the "party" in mind. It's not a healthy situation to say the least.
Steve Janke has more direct evidence.
The Rest Of The Story
This doesn't seem to be getting nearly the same coverage as the original strike did.
Three senior al-Qaeda members, including one with a $5-million US bounty on his head, were among those killed in a U.S. airstrike in a Pakistani village, say Pakistani authorities. [...]
[including] Midhat Mursi al-Sayid 'Umar, an expert in explosives and poisons who was the target of the $5-million bounty. A third man has been identified as Abu Obaidah al Misri, al-Qaeda's chief of operations in Afghanistan's dangerous Kunar province.
Perhaps Bin Laden was closer than they thought....
Calvert Endorses Conservative Government
CBC reporting up is down, black is white, and NDP Premier Lorne Calvert is backing the Conservatives;
Saskatchewan Premier Lorne Calvert says if the Conservatives win the federal election, it will be good news for this province's equalization problems.Calvert, whose government is NDP, has been pushing for a new deal for Saskatchewan's oil and gas money for more than a year.
Equalization is the money Ottawa pays to have-not provinces. When Saskatchewan's oil and gas revenues increase, its equalization payments tend to be reduced. Calvert has argued that Saskatchewan should be allowed to keep a larger share of oil and gas revenue before equalization is "clawed back".
The federal Liberals acknowledged past problems with a $120-million cheque in 2004, but so far they have not agreed to any permanent solution.
The Conservatives say they will exempt non-renewable resources from the formula, but it might not happen right away. Calvert said the sooner, the better.
"We would want to see some very quick response," he said. "Mr. Harper has made it very clear that in the new equalization arrangement that he would put in place, non-renewables will be removed, excluded. So that's good news."
Brad Farquhar has the numbers.
That'll teach Jack to open his yip on oil and gas. I think Lorne just hedged his bets on a Conservative majority. The last thing he needs in the next provincial election is a SaskParty that can deliver something he hasn't.
Gratitude
Paul Martin has been attacking America this whole election campaign. He has disparaged the Americans so much that our relations with the said country may be beyond repair. However, last week, when the Canadian soldiers were seriously injured in Afghanistan, it was the Americans who rescued them in a helicopter, it was the Americans who flew the injured soldiers to a US army hospital, and it was the Americans who flew them to the hospital on an American transport jet.And not a word of thanks from the Canadian government?
What a disgrace to our Nation.
Candace at Planet X has a project - she writes;
I think it would be very cool for these guys to wake up to a bunch of messages from Canadians, don't you?
Go leave yours in her comments section here - she has a contact in Germany who will make sure they get passed along.
January 18, 2006
Searching High And Low
A request from Rosa Kim, a TV producer at The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos on the CBC that I've agreed to pass along...
I'm searching for Canadian Conservatives to be part of our live audience during our election night coverage on Monday, the 23rd. I'm looking for people who are voting for Stephen Harper but not associated in any way with the party and I was wondering if through your blog you know of anyone I should speak to?Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I believe the show is filmed in Toronto. Her email is Rosa_Kim@CBC.CA
Don't spam her with crap, please. We complain about not having a voice on the CBC. Here's a small opportunty.
Malicious Prosecution Lawsuit
From a Statement of Claim filed yesterday in Federal Court against the Attorney General of Canada, alleging malicious prosecution of 15 farmers who were charged (in March 1996 and several occasions after) for exporting wheat or barley to the USA without a Canadian Wheat Board LIcense;
The Plaintiff Ralph Goodale in his capacity as Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board knew full well that the Plaintiffs were charged with offenses not known to law and did in May of 1996 obtain Royal Assent for an Order in Coucil that would serve to close the loop hole in the law under which the Plaintiffs had been wrongly charged.The Plaintiffs claim possession of documents of a meeting held on the 23rd day of June, 1997 at the Connault Building in Ottawa attended by several Wheat Board Officials and Several Customs Officials that clearly reveals the defendants and their officials knew full well that the requirement to report in writing to the Chief Officer of Customs was not a legal requirement and in accordance with the law.
The Plaintiffs further claim that Lorne Hehn in his capacity as Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Wheat Board did publicly report in the Western Producer of February 10th, 1994 that the Canadian Wheat Board is helpless to stop what industry sources say is an increasing number of exports of wheat and barley into the USA and the Board can no longer enforce a provision of the Canadian Wheat Board Act requiring exporters of prairie grain to get a permit from the board. He stated further that the Canadian Wheat Board does not have a vehicle to properly enforce that law.The Plaintiffs claim that the defendants devised an illegal strategy to obtain the assistance of David Anderson in his capacity as Minister responsible for the Canada Customs in an attempt to use the Customs Officials to use In House Directives that did not have the force of law to intimidate and abuse the rights of the Plaintiffs.
Plaintiffs are seeking $2 million each in damages.
Election Return Blogging
You've been directed to an old entry. Click here for January 23rd information on election returns.
How Much Did Alphonso Cost Us?
David MacLean at the CTF blog;
On November 7th, 2005, and November 16th, 2005, the CTF submitted two access to information requests asking for the total amount taxpayers paid for lawyers fees at the Gomery Inquiry into the Sponsorship Program. These requests went to two government bodies - the Privy Council Office and the Department of Public Works and Government Services Canada. On December 5th, 2005, both the Privy Council Office and the Department of Public Works replied saying an additional 60 days was needed for one request and an additional 100 days was needed for the other. Coincidentally, the election will be over by the time this information sees the light of day.
Coincidentally.
Your Taxdollars At Work
{I've moved this post back to the top for the time being. Scroll down for new posts}
A complete listing of international travel by public servants can be found here... All of this travel took place in one year.Interestingly, if you look at the contracts (here) in some of these exotic locations you will find that our public service is not exactly slumming it...
Le Royal Mansour Meridien - Casablanca 192 nights
InterContinental V Centenario - Santo Domingo 587 nights
NH Krystal Cancun Hotel - Cancun, Mexico 800 nights
Where are our intrepid radio talk guys? Here's an opportunity for the Peter Warrens and Adlers to shame the mainstream networks.
Craig is also hosting video on this - download here (7 megs)
From the comments at CL - "a media organization, which shall remain nameless, is (or at least was) planning on airing the complete story AFTER the election. How can we hold our politicians to account if we aren't informed BEFORE the election?!?"
Indeed. As our media betters aren't up to the task, perhaps some of our intrepid readers can do a little emailing to send this story into broad circulation. (Remember to send people to the Conservative Life post, not here.)
And Pulling It Down Tightly Over The Ears
Continuing the discussion ..
"What I wonder is whether this was an experiment that went horribly awry. The "Alberta" thing sounded to me like a surrogacy strategy: get Buzz to say the dirty things Martin can't. But then the monster escaped from the lab."
They're crawling out of the Birkenstocks now... David Suzuki may have just violated the CBC's own journalistic standards by publicly endorsing NDP candidate Marilyn Churley.
Update - Liberals in full-fledged damage control
Toronto Star has more on Hargrove's "Alberta" angle. And new pro-Harper convert, Paul Martin has endorsed the Conservative leader's patriotism;
Canadian Auto Workers president Buzz Hargrove used a campaign stop in nearby Strathroy to call Conservative Leader Stephen Harper a separatist whose Alberta-born political principles place him outside mainstream Canadian values.He seemed to agree with questioners that Quebecers vote for the Bloc Quebecois over the Conservatives.
Prime Minister Paul Martin issued a retraction on Hargrove's behalf as soon as the comments hit the news wires, and was forced to praise Harper?s patriotism in an effort to quell the controversy. "I have large differences with Stephen Harper but I have never doubted his patriotism," Martin said at a news conference in London.
As for Alberta, the prime minister said "the values that we hold in this country go from coast to coast."
"The fact is, there are differences of opinion in this country. They don?t exist only in one province. They exist in other provinces as well."
Hargrove later issued a clarification, but only of his statements regarding Harper and Quebec. Hargrove's statement said he recognized Harper is a federalist, but said that the Tory leader's idea of devolving power to the provinces would harm the federation.
Hargrove was much more blunt speaking to reporters in Strathroy.
"If you devolve all the powers to the provinces, what do you have left?? he said. "His view of the country is a separatist view."
Under repeated questioning from reporters about whether Quebecers should vote for the separatist Bloc Quebecois rather than a Conservative, Hargrove appeared to support the Bloc. "I would urge them to stop Harper in any way they can," he said of Quebec voters.
His comments on Alberta were even more provocative.
"Mr. Harper doesn't have a sense of Canada and its communities," the union leader said. "His sense is about Alberta. The wealth of Alberta everybody recognizes is much greater than it is anywhere in Canada. Those principles that he is brought up with and believes in coming out of there don't sit well with the rest of Canada."
Egads.
The Captain Has Just Turned On The Tinfoil Hat Sign
[updated]
QUEBEC – Elections Canada has been asked to investigate the Conservatives after allegations the party is overseeing a group that operates partisan on-line Web logs.Canada’s election watchdog received a complaint yesterday from a disaffected party member who claims the Tories tried to sway political opinion in cyberspace in the leadup to, and during, the election by setting up the popular “Blogging Tories” website.
The site appears to be a coalition of like-minded individuals who have met in cyberspace to share their political opinions and express their frustrations with Paul Martin’s Liberals.
But a Victoria man, Eugene Parks, and Toronto Tory dissident Carole Jamieson allege the venture may be in contravention of the Elections Act and thirdparty financing laws. They say it may have “unduly influenced the election coverage and potentially the outcome of this campaign.”
"Unduly."
Flashback: Carol Jamieson was the so-called "Conservative organizer" behind the Gloria Galloway led attempt to push Stephen Harper out last September.
Her website and blog, which I presume will also be investigated for attempting to affect the election "unduly".
And who is Eugene Parks? Check this thread and a followup at Public Eye ... guess who shows up in the comments.
Update a reader writes -
I wouldn't be surprised if the final Martin scare comes down to: "Your MIND has been invaded by RIGHT-WING bloggers under the control of Stephen Harper & DICK CHENEY! Do not choose your Canada! Vote Liberal without thinking, or the WORLD will be DESTROYED in a huge cosmic flash!""
Well, here's hoping - think of the traffic!
(Let's hope their complaint does hit the mainstream. We can push the "800 Cancun Nights" story to the top of every Blogging Tory page and just sit back to wait for the readers to flow in.)
Read this related piece by David Warren, too.
Just when you thought it couldn't get any better...the Liberal party website has now picked up the story.
update 2 - Well, this must just so suck for the Parks/Jamieson duo. All that work calculating just the right moment to release the blogs of war ... and now Buzz Hargrove has stolen the Moonbat News thunder for an entire news cycle.
"Vote Bloc to stop the Separatists!!"
To be con't...
Campaign Notes
Postcard from Laurie Hawn - seems like a good idea. I hope other Conservative candidates are picking up on it.
Ed Schreyer has a face lift. Or time machine. Or something.
Thinking of voting Green? Meet your candidate! And a flashlight.
CTV has Dear Leader campaigning for the member of Wascana - Wanuskewin...
John Gormley is playing a taped interview he had with Paul Martin yesterday, who is very happy with how his campaign is progressing. When asked about his prospects in Saskatchewan, he assured us that because "Jack Layton is cozying up to Stephen Harper" that people here will race to the Liberals. "I think that people are going to vote Liberal, and I think it's very important that they do"...
I imagine he does.
Add your own campaign related tips/comments.
Reader Tips
What's good for the dinosaur...
A reader advises that Liberal candidate Andrew Telegdi "has plagiarized a chart listing the local all-candidates debates from the rival Conservative campaign. What's the clue? The number to call for more information on the debates is 888-8300 - the campaign office of Ajmer Mandur the CPC candidate"
Well plagarize is a strong word. Let's give the Telegdi campaign the benefit of the doubt and call them lazy.
The Infozone is noticing that the third party advertisers have waited for the final week of the campaign unload their guns on the issues.
January 17th Scandalpalooza! - or - another bad day to be a Liberal
A very good piece by Tim Denton - here's a teaser;
Those of us who were born in the era of nation states have no innate sense of what it is like to have no control over one's legal and constitutional environment. I can imagine that kids born in Canada after the 1982 Constitution are accustomed to the ground rules changing suddenly. Gay marriage, polygamy: all can be introduced easily when the apropriate agents of change decide it is time. Just run a challenge up to the Supreme Court based on the support of the Legal Education Action Fund and presto! there is no further basis for refusing a man several wives, or to run a swingers' bar, but every reason to confiscate handguns from the law-abiding. Just ask the Court!
Add your own in the comments!
January 17, 2006
Do You Like Puppies, Mr. Layton?
I've been subjecting myself to the CBC National this evening, and as I type, Jack Layton is before a studio audience in their "Your Turn" segment.
So far, 5 questions have been "selected" by the CBC producers, and each one is no more than a preamble to allow Layton to fill in the gaps with NDP campaign ads.
I fully expect question number 6 to be "Do you like puppies, Mr. Layton, and how much?"
How pathetic. I'm turning it back to Drew Carey.
La Presse Endorses Harper
Emergency meeting at the Toronto Star... Reuters;
"After the recent tumultuous years, putting a methodical and thorough person at the head of the Canadian government can do the most good," the newspaper said in an editorial that backed the Conservatives for the first time since 1988.La Presse traditionally takes a pro-Canada stance. But the family that owns the broadsheet through holding company Power Corp. of Canada has close ties to the Liberals, and La Presse supported the Liberals in past elections.
Stranded?
Angry has a rumour that Dear Leader has sent out a call for help.
I say call Team America!
Update - got word from a second source that there may be something to Angry's rumour that there may be issues involving Paul Martin's plane. Breakdown? Or - and this is pure speculation on my part - with stories of the Liberal party's massive debt and possible bankruptcy, maybe it's cash only at the PetroJetFuel pump... heh.
Send in the Sea Kings!
Update #2 - Paul Martin's plane did a touch and go in Saskatoon, arriving about three hours late. They blamed freezing rain in Vancouver for delaying their departure.
So, was there freezing rain in Vancouver? It's 46F there at the moment.
Update #3 I've been stuck in Vancouver airport when they're hit by freezing weather - it's a mess. Or maybe not. I just placed a call to an agent at Air Canada cargo (located in Vancouver) who couldn't remember any freezing rain or commercial flight delays. Well, there should have been lots of media on the plane. Perhaps we'll hear from them.
America's Second Black President
A recent quote from Michael Moore, perhaps inspired by talk of Condi Rice as a future Presidential candidate;
The House "has been run like a plantation, and you know what I'm talking about. It has been run in a way so that nobody with a contrary view has had a chance to present legislation, to make an argument, to be heard."
Oh. Did I say Michael Moore?
PC?
Heads up from a reader at the CTV Election blog;
I attended the advanced poll this evening and cast my vote. I expected to see the parties listed in order; Liberal, Conservative,New Democratic Party etc, etc.I was surprised to see the first party listed as the "Marijuana Party" and then further down the ballot more surprised and a little confused when I saw "PC" followed by "Conservative". I know my candidates by name and made my selection, however for those that may not, it seems to me that this ballot is designed in a very confusing manner.
I suspect that a good majority of the populace will not know whether to select PC or Conservative if they are casting a vote for Harper. A formal complaint should be filed with election Canada.
Same Sex Bountiful
CTV reported in late February 2005 on the original call for proposals that resulted in last week's disclosure that a recommendation had been made to the Justice Department in favour of decriminalizing polygamy;
Tory Leader Stephen Harper, who opposes same-sex marriage legislation now being debated in the House of Commons, referred to the project in criticizing the governing Liberals. He was pilloried by Liberal politicians and others for making any link to polygamy.The official call for research proposals posted on the Status of Women website makes no reference to the same-sex debate or other issues, such as pressure from some Muslim communities where polygamy is accepted.
But in justifying the need for research, Radulovic's original proposal said that "although the current focus for the debate is in B.C., the fact that the issue has arisen as well in the context of the Canadian Muslim community, and in the public debate on same-sex marriage shows that the issue has a national relevance.''
A spokesperson for Cotler said the minister had not seen the document, and dismissed it as merely a warning that some Canadians might erroneously link the study to the same-sex debate.
"It's certainly the job of public servants to flag issues, even though they've got nothing to do with what we're looking at here,'' said Denise Rudnicki.
An official with Status of Women Canada said the link to same-sex was made in a draft of the original research proposal, but was later deleted.
"It was in a draft in terms of when we were developing a research proposal, but it was not in the (final) research proposal,'' said Nanci-Jean Waugh.
"We made the decision ... there was not a connection.''
Somebody tell the good folks at Bountiful, BC.
It's being reported that the polygamous community has begun marrying teenage girls to each other - after which the patriarchs join their "relationship".
Is it just me, or have the "no slippery slope" people been rather quiet these days?
It's Over
I have just witnessed the most dismissive interview between a network news anchor and a Canadian Prime Minster in my life.
CTV News with Lloyd Robertson - the thing that struck me about the interview wasn't that Robertson was "hard hitting". Though he did, to a certain extent, challenge Martin on a few points, it was the "Oh, just get on with it" attitude he displayed that was most striking.
Paul Martin, for his part, used the word "fundamentally" four times. He said absolutely nothing of significance. Nothing. Indeed, it could be argued that some of his sentences were incoherent.
What is wrong with his handlers?
Have they not noticed Dear Leader has been reduced to a Canadian drinking game?
Librano Sign Generator
It's going to be a long week. Time for a little fun and one final turn at the Librano election sign generator. (meaning, if there's another election in 18 months I'm just going to go out and kill something.)
Go here to make your own but please download your sign and host on your own space if you want to put it on the net.
Please do not write code that regenerates your sign on my bandwidth.
January 16, 2006
Virtual Dave
Is Afghanistan bound.
"In these last days in Canada, I am asked a lot whether I'm nervous."
Drop on by and send him our best.
This Is Odd
NYT (behind free registration wall);
Some Americans are still taken by the novelty of fake- news broadcasts like "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." But in Canada news parodies sometimes draw larger audiences than the real thing. One, "The Royal Canadian Air Farce," has been on government-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation television for 26 years.But during the current Canadian federal election campaign, Canada's television satirists have faced an issue that has never troubled "The Daily Show." An agreement between Canada's main television networks and its largest political parties blocks the shows from using film clips from the televised leaders' debates (although the film is still available to conventional news and current affairs shows).
Bizarre.
But Canadian.
"It speaks for the parties' great respect for the power of satirical shows that they would demand this," said Roger Abbott, an Air Farce performer and writer. Mr. Abbott said that Air Farce considered declaring itself a news program, but in the end its cast used one of its specialties - impersonation - to create mock versions of the debates.The four debates, which alternate between French and English, are produced by a consortium of the CBC and three private broadcasters. While the restrictions on debate clips were a surprise to Mr. Abbott, a CBC spokesman, Jason MacDonald, who also speaks for the consortium, said that the rule dates back several years; the networks, he explained, agreed to the politicians' demand in exchange for a promise that campaigns would not use debate clips in their ads.
Rick Mercer, host of "The Rick Mercer Report," a current-affairs parody on CBC, said the arrangement was unacceptable.
"The reality is that when three or four networks are at the table with three or four political parties, someone is going to be the victim," Mr. Mercer said, adding that he did not use any debate clips, but not because of the ban. "It's so pathetic I won't use it," he said. "The whole idea of calling it a debate is contemptible. They may as well have just run the parties' infomercials."
"This Hour Has 22 Minutes," another political comedy program on CBC, did not show debate clips. But Mark Farrell, an executive producer, said the reason was partly a lack of time to challenge the restrictions. "Part of me thought we should put up a big fight," Mr. Farrell said. "But we've had no problem making them look silly without the debate footage."
"Canadians Not Targeted"
A crazed Islamofascist with amphetamine courage pounding in his veins loads a taxi with explosives, and hurtles into a clearly marked military convoy and the arms of 72 heavily recycled virgins.
Allah Akbar.
The CBC reports;
Translation:
"Be assured, ye faithful CBC masses, that there is no similarity whatsoever between this misguided and disoriented Taliban, that, but for the tragic coincidence that internationally revered Canadian Peacebringers crossed its path, would have detonated harmlessly in an explosion of chick peas and goat meat - and those brave militants who struggle heroically to evict Bush's fascist agents of BIG OIL from the Sacred Land Of Saddam."
After the break, Neil MacDonald's "Reality Check".
A reader comments;
I read that the 3 soldiers were taken to a US military hospital in Germany. Thank you America.
I second that.
When It Rains....
A discussion about crime in northeast Edmonton became more than statistical for Justice Minister Irwin Cotler when a woman was stabbed outside the meeting hall just a half- hour before he arrived.
I did not make this up.
(Though admittedly, my first reaction was "Did Sheila Copps show up on Anne McLellan's turf?")
What's New, Pussycat?
CBC (Tue, 17 May 2005);
The subcommittee of the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs alleged last week that Galloway paid kickbacks to Saddam in exchange for the lucrative allocations. A similar claim has been made against a French senator and several top-ranking Russian politicians.Galloway rejected the charges that he profited from the program and demanded an apology for what he called a "bizarre, grotesque" senate investigation process.
He purred and mewed, his greying whiskers giving his face the appearance of a Cheshire cat. Next, George Galloway, the Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, and scourge of Capitol Hill, got on all fours and pretended to lick milk from the cupped hands of the once-famous television actor Rula Lenska. She rubbed the "cream" from his "whiskers" and stroked his head and behind his ears. |  Video |
h/t Drudge.
January 15, 2006
"Arabs Were Pulled From The Rubble"
Circulation at the New York Times continues to plummet.
"Pakistani men with the remains of a missile fired at a house in the Bajur tribal zone near the Afghan border."
No one knows why.
Fake Email Circulating
Via Peter Warren, it's a phoney email suggesting that the sinister puppetmaster of the Conservative Hidden Agenda[tm] has spoken...
(Email's content in the extended entry)
A computer expert on the show says he's run a traced the email to St.Petersburg, Russia, which is a sign that it's created by someone intent on hiding their tracks who has a little more knowledge of the internet than the average spoofer. The account was opened Dec.18, 2005.
Furthermore, as a member of the VRWC, I can also assure folks that it didn't come from us.
Update - More on this case of the spy who spammed me....
Upperdate - Skimming the comments, at the rate the resident SDA "geeks" are going, expect disclosure of the culprit's shoe size by mid-afternoon. Heh.
*****
From: National Council
To: standupf@standupforcanada.net
SUBJECT: JUST A FEW DAYS LEFT...NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT
Date: Sun., 15 Jan. 2006 06:28:44 +0300
Dear Fellow Conservatives:
These are exciting times. Here we are in the home stretch on our way to victory in Election 2006!
In just a few more days, our leader Stephen Harper will become the next Prime Minister of Canada!
As your Chair, I want to thank each and everyone of you for your work in bring us so close to the victory. During a campaign like this one, it is not always possible or wise to speak about every details of our plans. Don't be confused or upset by Stephen saying that he has "evolved." After all, winning is the name of the game.When we form Government on Jan. 23rd., be rest assured that we will not let you and your families down. As promised, all the issues that are precious to you will be dealt with. We will have the power to get on with repairing the social fabric of this country and restoring the Christian values we all hold dear.
Keep the faith, keep up the pressure, and God bless Canada.
Don
PS: This is a post-only mailing -- please do not reply to this message
*****
Pay To The Order Of Maurice Strong
(I'm keeping this post at the top for most of today. Scroll down for new entries)
(click image for full size)
A copy of a cheque for the sum of $988,850.00 to Maurice Strong, from Korean businessman Tongsun Park. Mr. Park was apprehended last week on a flight to Panama from Canada - which he was allowed to board, despite being listed on Interpol - on charges stemming from the UN Oil-For-Food investigation. He's currently in US custody, having been denied bail as a high flight risk.
In December a Congressional report called for an investigation into Maurice Strong, mentor to Prime Ministers, member of the Privy Council, architect of Kyoto, creator of CIDA, former Senior Advisor to Kofi Annan, and the man who made PetroCanada possible.
Peter Foster , in the Financial Post - Jan13;
Last Friday's arrest of Korean businessman Tongsun Park in connection with the United Nations Oil- For-Food scandal inevitably brings super-envirocrat Mr. Strong back into the limelight, much, no doubt, to the Liberals' chagrin.Mr. Park has been fingered as funnelling funds from the Iraqi regime to influence UN officials. One is Mr. Strong. It may be, as Mr. Strong claims, that he saw no connection between the million laundered dollars he received from Mr. Park to help bail him out of a sticky situation and Mr. Park's pro-Iraqi activities, but the fact that Mr. Strong is perennially involved in sticky business situations is surely material. After all, Mr. Strong wants to mastermind a new bureaucratic world order that would manage literally everything. And since "secret agendas" are all the rage with the increasingly desperate Liberals, the Prime Minister's connection with mentor and business partner Mr. Strong deserves a good airing.
Now, read the rest.
Suicide Bombing In Kandahar
As everyone is aware by now, it's the second suicide bombing in Afghanistan to claim the life of a Canadian (a civilian) . Three members of the CAF were injured. CTV reports responsibility has been claimed by the Taliban. The blast also killed two Afghan civilians and injured 10.
Readers are invited to use the comments for any updates, etc. But no politicing, please.
Reader Tips
Peaktalk, on the media backlash against Paul Martin.
Blackrod on the old holdouts.
Michael Ignatieff's secret life.
A piece on Alan Cutler. If you haven't already, I strongly urge you to read this older one at the Western Standard from the "Libranos" issue.
Linda Williamson has noticed Paul Martin's penchant for labelling millions of us as UnCanadian;
The sickening thing is that Martin is telling voters that his opponents -- and by extension, the millions now considering voting for them -- represent un- Canadian, "far-right," anti-democratic, anti-woman, anti-gay, anti-human- rights and (gasp!) American views. And that the only Canadian way to stop the onslaught is to back a party that will make a drastic change to our Constitution by removing the limited power of Parliament to overrule the courts.
Add your own in the comments, or send a trackback.
Update: For those following the ongoing subliminal messaging at the Liberal Party website, this morning it features holes in the ground, surrounded by mud.
It's a quagmire.
Please, Make Them Stop
A reader comments that the latest Liberal attack ad has her "shaking in anger".
January 14, 2006
Congress Of Aboriginal Peoples Endorse Harper
From a CPC press release:
Congress National Chief Dwight Dorey and National Vice-Chief Patrick Brazeau today endorsed the party after meeting with Prentice to discuss the Conservative Party's policies on Aboriginal affairs. The Congress represents Aboriginal peoples living in urban, rural, and remote areas throughout Canada.
The Congress Of Aboriginal Peoples
Subliminal Depression
This is the photo of Dear Leader and his supporters that is currently featured on the liberal.ca main page.
They don't have a mole in the Liberal Party.
They have a saboteur.
Maz2 notices something in the comments - the Liberal website has nothing listed as scheduled after after Jan 13th..
Not even a Towel Throwing Event.
Update
That didn't take long. The photo's been replaced. Now Martin just looks.... depressed and alone. Maybe they left after learning they can't keep the t-shirts.
We Are Not Making This Up
Stephen Harper would destroy the Wheat Board
The Canadian Wheat Board
That's right.
The one that pays farmers $2 a bushel for their wheat
Then deducts the freight rate
And throws them in jail
And confiscates their grain trucks
If they try to sell it themselves
Except if they're in Ontario
That's right
Only Western farmers must sell to the Wheat Board
Stephen Harper would put an end to all that
And make the Wheat Board voluntary for Western farmers
And stop putting them in jail
For selling their own grain
We are not making us up.
Choose your Canada.
Reader Tips
And quick links.
The Taxpayers Federation have been blogging up a storm lately. A good resource for other bloggers, too - add them to your blogroll.
The Liberals corner the widow and orphans vote.
"I have an idea, Mr. Prime Minister... propose a Heroes Fund like they've had in the States for years. Like the one that the NDP proposed last year and we rejected. "
Or maybe not.
"I would give everything in the world to have my son back," said Schiemann. "I would say to the prime minister, keep your $250,000, keep your $25 million (and use it) so this doesn't happen again."
"When the New York Times and the Washington Post, both pillars of the liberal media establishment, take notice of how anti-American Canadian politics has become, you've touched a political nerve."
India is dumping Kyoto.
Again, thanks to everyone who took time to send tips - wish I could use more, but just getting through email each day is a daunting task! (There are over 1,000 visits an hour here at peak traffic, to give you an idea.) If you don't get a response, it's because I simply don't have the time to answer them all.
Don't forget the other great bloggers out there just itching to feature your story - and they might have more time to deal with it!
Speaking of which - here's one from a reader who wishes to remain anonymous;
Today the Ottawa District Labour Council and Shawn McKenney(sp?) of the NDP made a complaint to the CRTC about election bias at CFRA am radio. This station has not been toeing the Liberal line but instead has been interviewing all party contenders and giving quite balanced coverage of the election. The station has Lowell Green, Steve Madely, Michael Harris, Rob Snow and other talk show hosts who inform the public on all kinds of issues and is perhaps the only station that actually doesn't pillory the Conservatives regularly. [...] I only heard of the complaint on Michael Harris show...
A reader provides the link to this Sun column by Harris.
The email address of the Ottawa & District Labour Council is odlc@ottawalabour.org
January 13, 2006
Sign Of Faint Hope?
|
CBC: Encouraged by reports of strong support for his party in Canadian penitentiaries (where inmates voted on Friday), Paul Martin expresses solidarity with prisoners who painted red letter L's on their heads to demonstrate their Liberal Party preference. |
SWTE: Kate On The Arts
I examine the NDP platform on arts funding at the CBC Roundtable, and for once in my life, I hold back a little.
Advance Polls
According to reports in the comments, there were line-ups at many advance polls today. The women manning (or is it persons womening?) it here in town (I voted today) also reported a higher than expected turnout, no doubt partly motivated by people deciding to take advantage of the unseasonably mild weather.
For what it's worth!
Reader Joe Bergman adds...
"So...how come all the prisoners are voting TODAY? I mean, it's not like they're going to be..er..away on the 23rd is it?"
UPDATED: Oh, That Kind Of Liberal Coalition
The NDP has written to Elections Canada requesting an investigation into allegations that the Liberal candidate in Abbotsford, B.C., offered the NDP candidate in that riding a bribe in exchange for dropping out of the race, NDP Federal Secretary Eric Hebert said today.The NDP candidate, Jeffery Hansen - Carlson, submitted a notarized statement federal NDP headquarters that outlines a meeting he had with the Liberal candidate and campaign manager on the evening of January 10. That sworn statement is attached (see link at http://www.ccnmatthews.com/docs/npdstat.pdf), along with a copy of Hebert's letter. "Mr. Hansen-Carlson's statement contains troubling information about Liberal Party actions that we believe to be contrary to the Canada Elections Act, and we had a responsibility to the voters in Abbotsford-and, indeed, voters throughout the country- to formally ask Elections Canada to investigate," said Hebert.
NOTE TO EDITORS/REPORTERS: Hansen-Carlson will be available for comment later today. To arrange an interview, please call Clay Suddaby in Vancouver at 604-313-1138.
Via Nealenews.....
I've saved the pdf's as jpgs that will pop-up when you click on the links. As was mentioned in the comments - this is front page material.
Just floated by on John Gormley Live - that CTV Newsnet is reporting that the Liberals and NDP are considering a formal coalition to "stop the Conservatives".
If true, it's the first overt admission by the Liberals that they're in deep, deep trouble.
Local pundits on the show at the time knew nothing of this ... could it be the work of THE MOLE? And who is this mole? Andrew Coyne has a mole poll...
The Pushback Begins
In the comments, George writes;
[J]ust announced by Valeri on Roy Greens show(900 CHML) that he is going to sue the Bourque blog for the article on Valeri's house sale. Surely everyone knows that Bourque is a news site, not a blog. But just like Layton and the Shouldice Clinic that he didn't know it was private--is this a way for the Liberals to get a wedge issue started to shut down blogs--planting in peoples minds that blogs are bad? Surely anyone knows the difference between blogs and nes sites--Bourque printed an article from the MSM--this is the Liberals first move against bloggers--I have no doubt about that.
He didn't actually print it - he linked to the Hamilton Spectator story.
Nice move, Valeri. Now you look stupid as well as crooked.
The Anti-Antichrist Party
Saskatoon's 650 CKOM radio is running some of the best Liberal ad parodies I've heard yet. (They're at the left of the page under "Featured Audio").
SWTE: Fundamental Charter Rights
And Paul Martin's very, very clear position on future Supreme Court decisions.
Hits And Traffic
An item by James Murray about the role we're playing in the election is highly flattering to bloggers. It's also more than a little misleading and misinformed;
Canada's Pierre Bourque, Bourque Newswatch is Canada's top blogger. His site reports five million readers a month.
Bourque.org isn't a blog - it's a news aggregator. But setting that distinction aside for a moment (and I know that he advertises this figure on his front page) I can't find any direct link to his server stats to confirm the 5 million reader figure. Perhaps someone else knows where to locate that.
Bourque leads a revolution in Canada. Pierre Bourque has started linking headlines on his popular site to some of Canada's bloggers.
Yes he has, and it's certainly helped drive some stories raised in the blogospere into the mainstream - however, the "revolution" is rightly claimed by Nealenews, with a link to the now famous Brault testimony at Captain's Quarters during the Gomery publication ban. For that, Brian Neale was threatened with contempt of court, and has linked to blogs large and small ever since. Pierre Bourque is a relative (and welcome) latecomer to the practice.
It will be interesting to see how long before Matt Drudge's American Drudge Report waits before he will follow Bourque's lead.
The Drudgereport linked directly to Powerline when the Rathergate memo story was breaking. Within minutes, the site went dead. And that's why Drudge doesn't link to blogs - with 11 million visits a day, Drudge takes smaller servers down hard.
Angry in the Great White North has had half a million visits in the past thirty days. A huge number of visits.
Well, it would be if it were true. Steve's sitemeter is displayed on his site, and indicates that many visits in the past year, not month. Sitemeter under-reports visits by 20 - 30% (based on comparisons of sitemeter to my own server stats), but I think it's fair to compare sitemeter to sitemeter for a rough idea of relative traffic. And that takes me back to Bourque.
Last night, he linked to a post on Strongworld, in a bold headline. This morning, it's dropped to about third, but still prominently displayed. Bill's sitemeter shows a strong surge in traffic - 1,725 visits since midnight.
However, Bourque.org indicate 5 million visits in the past month - or 7,000 an hour. If that's true, he's pushing more traffic than Instapundit.
Thus, it's hard to explain why Strongworld sitemeter registered only 280 visits when I last checked. It was early morning, but with no incoming links from either Neale or Bourque, the sitemeter here showed 214 in the same time period.
And that's about what I'd expect. SDA traffic averages around 1,000 an hour at peak hours - and links from Bourque or Nealenews (or any Canadian site, mainstream included) produce only a modest surge. This is in contrast to a Malkin or Instalanche, in which the meter can move to triple that or more, depending on whether it's a primary or secondary reference.
Kinsella reports on January 11th, his site received 200,000 hits.
Here is where I believe the confusion is arising. Kinsella's server stats (which count all traffic, unlike Sitemeter) indicate a January average of 10,732 visits a day. That's good, and nearly as high as SDA and Angry's traffic, but it's no 200K.
A "hit" and a "visit" are not the same thing.
A hit is one file being downloaded. Let's suppose you visit a page with 100 thumbnails on it. Each one of those thumbnails is a file in addition to the web page itself. So, by coming to that one page with the 100 images, you have just generated 101 hits. But only one person visited. So a site that gets 87,000 hits may have only 3,000 visitors, depending on how the site is designed.
I find it hard to believe anyone would intentionally exaggerate something as easily verified as site traffic. The confusion between "hits" and "visits" may explain why some sites report wildly inaccurate traffic figures such as those suggested by the James Murray piece.
It doesn't, however, explain why he didn't fact check.
January 12, 2006
Campaign Shocker
I can't decide which I find more unbelievable - Jack Layton having surgery at a private, for-profit clinic, or Jack Layton doing heavy lifting.
Or Probably Not
"I've probably put more money into the military than almost any prime minister." - Paul Martin
Now, the area in red represents the actual dollar figures (in billions of Canadian dollars), while the green represents those figures converted to 2005 dollars. While the Liberals report a spending increase (and in some years they're not lying), in terms of real spending there's been a decrease, and a fairly significant one at that.
More at the Meatriarchy in the comments. ;
This is so infuriating. Dwayne does the research that some, no, any reporter should have done to call Martin out on his claim.
Well, now it's been handed to them. Let see what they do with it.
Update - More figures from Babbling Brooks here and here.
Via Newsbeat1.
Notwithstanding Clause: The Liberal Secret Agenda
Update Bonus - Mississauga Matt liveblogged the CBC Townhall with Paul Martin in the comments.
$50 Million Dollar Question
A contest at China E-Lobby;
What would have been a better way to spend the $50 million in Canadian taxpayer money that went to Communist China last year?
Remember - you enter here
Goodale, Call Your PMO
Federal Finance Minister Ralph Goodale is saying an attack ad running in Quebec was never endorsed, approved or released by the Liberal Party.Goodale argues it is not about the ad itself, but the judgement that was made on it. The Liberal Party chose not to run it, and that he contends, is what is important. He admits politicians must be careful not to make damaging assertions without the evidence to back it up.
On Canada AM ;
Paul Martin defended the series of controversial ads his Liberal Party unleashed this week and continued his attack on Stephen Harper, painting him as a leader who subscribes to a far right-wing ideology.In an interview Thursday morning on CTV's Canada AM, Martin said he approved every one of the harshly critical ads -- including one that suggested the Tory Leader would use the military to occupy Canadian cities.
Seems nobody told the Deputy Prime Minister, either.
Edgar? Is That You ?
I'm hearing that Paul Martin has actually now claimed that if property rights are added to the Constitution, it will open the door to child labour in Canada.
???
Is everyone in the Liberal war room absolutely certain there have been no recent meteor strikes in the vicinity? 'Cause, I'm just saying.... there's a certain flaccid quality to the Prime MInister's face these days.
(Update: Paul Martin's * announcement that he is going to propose a world-wide ban on spaceweapons... related?)
Now, if you want to see something really scary the Lanark Landowners Ass'n has a site that outlines the true "benevolence" of government when it comes to property owners.
And then, there's this:
On December 29, 2005 Navan farmer Michael Vanhauve and his family were served with a deportation order from Immigration Canada. Although the family has lived and worked and contributed to Canadian society for eight years, a 26-year-old conviction for shoplifting in his native Belgium was cited as the reason.
Today, the Landowners are fighting the order;
The Landowners will assemble at the Vanhauve family farm at 3890 Rockdale rd Sarsfield (Highway 417 to Vars exit, travel North on the Rockdale rd), on Thursday January 12.The house will be surrounded by heavy equipment and area landowners who will prevent any and all attempts by any officials to enter the Vanhauve family farm. The landowners will be assembled by approx. 11:00 am, the deportation order is to be executed by 6:00 p.m. additional background info is enclosed.
(Via Maz2 in the comments.)
Kool-Aid Liberals
I wasn't going to let myself hope when Wells said the Liberals were toast.I soldiered on, door knocking until my knuckles were sore, when AC said they were toast.
January 11, 2006
Fundamental Question. Fundamental Answer.
Paul Martin, in a scrum with reporters, after releasing the Liberal platform this afteroon;
"Let me be very, very clear.""The fact is that same-sex marriage and a woman's right to an abortion are the kind of Canadian values that built this country. They are the values of my father and great Canadians like Tommy Douglas and I will not be the Prime Minister who goes down in history as having taken them away.
"The fact is that they are fundamentally more important than the preservation of Canada's single-tier public health care system."
(Or something to that effect.)
Update - The NDP have noticed. This is really their issue and if they can play their cards right, they'll keep the soft NDP support from wavering to the Liberals. I'd be making a big deal of this, if I were Jack Layton.
Nothing on Conservative.ca yet. That may be tactical, leaving the field open for Layton. They're not competing for the same votes here.
Notwithstanding 2-Tier Health Care
Regular reader "gimbol";
I was watching the CTV scrum of Martin answering questions from reporters after his big speech today.Gloria Galloway coldcocked Bucky with a question that I'm sure almost made him lose his lunch.
Not verbatum but I think I'm close to the verbage.
"..If you remove the NWSC and the supreme court decides to deny two tier medicine is a violation of right to security of person, what are you going to do then?.."
Methinks Gloria was reading your "SWTE:Martin Abandons The Canada Health Act"
I hope the hell someone was.
I can't believe it's taken this long to ask the question.
Librano Watch
Angry has an unusual memo regarding constitutional advice given Anne McLellan - which she ignored.
The Globe and Mail discovers Tongsun Park, Maurice Strong, and the oil-for-food scandal. They don't, however, discover Paul Martin's connections to the Cordex Petroleum Inc. named. From the National Post, April 2005;
Mr. Park has apparently admitted that he invested US$1-million in a Canadian company associated with the son of a UN official. Mr. Strong himself immediately came forward and declared that he was the official, and that the company was Cordex Petroleums. Intriguingly, other investors in the company included CSL Group Inc., the holding company controlled by Paul Martin (which was at that time being managed in trust). Cordex's directors included Bill Hopper, the ousted former head of Petro-Canada, the state oil company of which Mr. Strong was the founding chairman and CEO.
Revisiting 2004, and the Public Eye's look at former Liberal candidate David Lobay's donations & billings.
And the Surley Beaver has a story on a virtual university?;
September 1999, a virtual university was founded in Fredericton, New Brunswick to grant “E-MBA’s.” The university was given $600,000 in taxpayers money - $375,000 from Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and $225,000 from Human Resources Development Canada. This private, for-profit university was and is a subsidiary of Learnsoft Corporation. Sometime later, Mike Gaffney sold his shares in Learnsoft for - you guessed it - $600,000.
Update: Also noticing - the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
It's getting pretty bad when you need to do your Librano news in multiple quick link posts....
The Northgate Report
A CEUDA news release alleges the Canadian Border Services Agency has doctored a report recommending border guards be issued sidearms;
The Northgate Report was undertaken as the result of a continuing refusal by the federal government to provide side-arms to officers notwithstanding the dramatic enforcement-focused evolution of officer duties at this country's points-of-entry as well as inland.[...]
During the course of the study, Northgate also uncovered evidence pertaining to the conduct of the CBSA, suggesting serious public safety and security deficiencies as well as actions that indicate a deliberate intent to mislead the public on many of these shortfalls as well as on the issue of the need for side-arms.
Evidence uncovered and reported in the Northgate Report relating to Customs Service conduct includes:
Further confirmation that the ModuSpec report had been altered by removing the recommendation for an armed presence at the border;
Suppression of three separate reports (2 from CCRA and 1 from Audit Canada) recommending the arming of Customs Officers;
Withholding relevant reports from HRSDC Labour Officers who were investigating work refusals by Customs Officers;
Providing inaccurate information to Parliamentarians in Committee; and
Ordering the destruction of a report which compiled threats and harm to Customs Officers without authority or justification for doing so. In response to this disturbing evidence and the public ramifications of it, the Customs Excise Union Douanes Accise has taken the extraordinary step of asking the Auditor General of Canada to conduct an institutional and operational audit of CBSA actions on these matters.
Click here for full report
Another (Earlier) Red Book
Potent Pew is reporting there's another version of the Liberal Red Book on an unlinked page.
Heh. Google.
(Update: It's an earlier version.)
The England Swings Vote
Welcome to the campaign website for Liberal candidate Jim Stewart, running in Nanaimo-Alberni.
Or, is it the East Riding of Yorkshire?
(Nice catch by reader Bruce from Nanaimo)
Update: that was fast - the website has been updated, with a new pic.
Saskatchewan On CPAC
Rawlco Radio's John Gormley Live will be televised on CPAC this morning for two hours, taking calls. Should be starting in a few minutes.
Little Red Riding Book
The Liberal Red Book has been leaked to the Big Bad Western Wolves.
Update: Reader George writes in the comments; "this 'Red Book' is the same as the "Plan for Growth and Prosperity' that we paid Earnscliffe and Herle to produce on a sole sourced contract (illegal) pre-election. Are the Liberals so addicted to stealing our money for their own ends that they would do this? "
January 10, 2006
In Flanders Fields
 |
|
We are the Dead. Short days ago Take up our quarrel with the foe: |
Stephen Harper actually announced he wants to increase military presence in our cities. Canadian cities. Soldiers with guns. In our cities. In Canada. We did not
|
|
Option Scanada V - French Debate
Via Maz2 in the comments;
Date Posted: 09:36:38 01/10/06 TueWait for Duceppe to confront Martin on
Making Quebec a NationOn Option Canada file where gov't broke the law
Name the names of the candidates who got the dirty moneyBe prepared to see Martin collapse on stage -it is going to be a hoot.
I might watch the debate after all.
Update - well, real life does interfere around here. I've been out of computer range most of the day, but I see the comments are filling up with content from the debate in French.
The Liberals have already pulled an attack ad that smeared the Canadian Armed Forces. If anyone knows where a copy can be found, let me know.
Update - CTV has it - look for it at "Liberal attack ad about Harper and military presence 0:30" link.
Bourque describes the Duffy vs Duffy moment everyone is chattering about in the comments;
After it was learned that the Liberal Party pulled one of the 12 ads they released Tuesday - the one saying Harper would put soldiers in cities, CTV cable news guy Mike Duffy blew up at Martin Liberal spokesperson John Duffy during a live post-debate broadcast. "We will not be intimidated!", barked Mike, as he rebutted the Liberal Duffy's attempt to block broadcast of the despicable ad, one that, earlier in the evening, Liberal leader Paul Martin shrugged off as part of the game in a post-debate scrum in Montreal
The file is a bit large, and it's taking down hosting sites, so several mirrors are already up. I've included a few that are listed in the comments of the "Flanders Fields" post.
If you have highspeed, it's a clip, that along with the original ad, has the potential to "go viral".
Try here,
here,
, or here for starters. a whole thread of them at Free Dominion. One of them should work.
I get the suspicion the Liberals have written off this part of Saskatchewan. The ratio of Liberal ads to those of the NDP and Conesrvatives seems quite low. Speaking of which - driving around Saskatoon both yesterday and today, I've yet to see my first Liberal lawn sign. Or billboard. I'm not saying there aren't any. But there weren't any on the main thoroughfares I took - though I actually saw two for Christian Heritage!
Also - a reader reminds me, what was Martin trying to pull by turning his back on Duceppe during the debates, in full view of the cameras? I saw it played on CTV news, I'm told he did it twice. Is that supposed to be subliminal or something? Looked contrived to me, and I only saw it once.
I've copied a transcript of the Duffy VS Duffy moment in the extended entry.
***********
Mike Duffy (CTV): So that's Stephen Harper with a very strong response, John Duffy, to this ad that was released to the internet, was handed to broadcasters for news purposes, never actually made it to the air. Can I ask you a question? Who conceived of this ad, and what was in people's minds when you would go that low? This was like something hinting that the Canadian Forces are something like what we saw in in Chile with Pinochet.
John Duffy (Liberal Strategist): Michael, let me answer that question perhaps with another question. Tonight four leaders debated the future of Canada in the province of Quebec. They debated child care. They debated a woman's right to choose. They debated the future of our country and national unity and we have now spent about ten minutes talking about nothing but an ad that never ran and I think you know... last night (Mike Duffy interrupts), last night Paul Martin said...
Mike Duffy: You're asking why, you're asking why I raise this?
John Duffy: No
Mike Duffy: Becasue this has to do with integrity. It has to do with the people who would want to lead our country. This is a perfectly legitimate issue to be raised by journalists.
John Duffy: Absolutely
Mike Duffy: It was raised there. We have every right to raise it. We have a public responsibility to raise it. You were in here earlier when we were off the air on a commercial break trying to intimidate me in to not going back to that ad...
John Duffy: Michael...
Mike Duffy: We will not be intimidated. We will do our jobs as journalists. Here's Gilles Duceppe.
SWTE: Martin Abandons The Canada Health Act
To the extra-constitutional authority of the Supreme Court - at the Roundtable
All you good Canadians who worship at the altar of the Canada Health Act just watched your prime minister pledge he'd remove the authority of Parliament to protect the act from a future Supreme Court decision to strike it from the books.
Debate Transcript And Other Stuff
Now up at CTV.
Also, coming up shortly (in real time), John Gormley Live will have Jason Cherniak and Stephen Taylor on as guests. You can listen live here, on political blogging. (whoops - had the wrong url for Jason. Fixed now)
And, in case you thought he just pulled the NWC thing out of thin air, this morning the Liberal website actually headlines the promise.
If you have your own morning-after thoughts or posts, drop them in this comments thread or send a trackback.
January 9, 2006
Debate Impressions
They're talking about Sponsorship....
I'm listening on radio, so perhaps Harper has revolving red eyes, horns sprouting and green slime oozing out of his ears, but on the off chance he isn't..
He's kicking Martin's ass.
Update: on farming now.
So far, Martin's best jab was quoting the old Harper speech. Nice rebuttal, though. Throwing the "questioning his patriotism" charge in his face.
Duceppe is really hurting Martin with this hair-splitting over the use of the word "nation".
(Can Jack "it's time" Layton be any more nonspecific in his "solutions"?)
Martin is sssttttttaaammering now... and saying nothing in the process. Any mention of Gomery seems to do that to him.
AND... Martin is going to be facing a firestorm tomorrow, after his announcement that his government would reopen the constitution to remove the "notwithstanding clause".
Monte Solberg grabs Rosemary Thompson's blackberry;
"Oops breaking news. Paul says his new number one priority is childcare. Well, childcare and education. I guess they have knocked values and aboriginal issues out of one and two.""Or is it gassing the nothwithstanding clause. What happened to Paul's committment to use the clause to protect religious freedom if the Supremes ever started to erode those freedoms. Can't have it both ways Paul."
"Better go now. Rosemary is missing her BlackBerry so."
Did I just hear that Martin and Harper were "trying to outbid each other with your money" - come out of the mouth of Jack Layton??? Even hardcore NDP must have swallowed hard at that one.
Other good catches in the comments.
We've had Martin call Aboriginals the root cause of poverty
I heard that too. That has the makings of a Conservative campaign ad.
He is a Quebecer but he is from Essex county as well.Paul Martin just called for the abolition of democracy in Canada. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Andrew Anderson:"it seems to me that Prime Minister Paul Martin made a new promise tonight: a Liberal government will Americanize the Canadian justice system by doing away with the "Not Withstanding Clause". This will open us to all of the problems present in the US Supreme Court, the largest of which is the horrendous and long-term political impact of appointing new justices."
A dissenting opinion from " garhaneg";
I guess everyone sees the same event their own way. I was reminded of a good skater coming down from a triple on one good solid foot that sprays the ice as he swirls away.
Martin, at long last, apologized for the hugely overblown scandal, such as it was, and lectured the others to grow up and move on, as he sped away from what was once thought to be his nemesis.
I like it. Stand up for Medicare and Vote Liberal, unless the NDP has a really good chance in your riding.
Interesting point. I wonder, then, in light of the recent Supreme Court decision, if the writer would be comfortable with a federal government that is unable to invoke the Nothwithstanding Clause to offset, or delay a court ruling opening wide the door to private "for profit" health care in Canada?
Morning after thoughts at Canadian Sentinel.
Irwin Cotler Can STFU
In the same week Irwin Cotler descended on Saskatchewan to declare we need "soccer fields, not prisons" denouncing the "extremist" platform of the Conservatives - the only "orange alert" for a little Saskatoon girl were the lights of a seniors home as she walked through the snow.
An agonized family member of an 11-year-old Saskatoon girl who was abducted from a home near Shellbrook Monday morning says her ordeal was much more serious than earlier reports suggested.In a phone call Wednesday to The StarPhoenix, an uncle of the child said she was so badly choked that most of the blood vessels in her face and eyes burst, and she was also bitten. Medical staff found no indication of sexual assault.
The little girl was violently pushed out of the vehicle into the snow near Canwood and walked a considerable distance into Shellbrook without shoes or a jacket, developing frostbite on her feet, her uncle said.
"I've got an 11-year-old . . . that won't even look at people today. We're talking about a little girl that has the most gorgeous baby-blue eyes, but I can't see them anymore because there's too much blood in them," he said.
"If you saw this baby, you would cry the same way I did. She is so black and blue on her bottom, it's unbelievable. Her face is like a tomato. It's devastating."
RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Brian Jones told The StarPhoenix late Tuesday that the girl was snatched from a farm house 11 kilometres west of Shellbrook sometime between 3:30 a.m. and 5 a.m. Monday, choked and forced into a vehicle.
Read it all. Local media is suggesting there's a whole lot more to know about the history of the accused, Lindon Bird. If readers have info they want to pass along, send it by email.
In Manitoba, the Liberals are addressing the root causes of crime with more funding for the Asper's "stalled Tower of Human Rights Babble (\/) at the Forks."
Reader Tips
I had a late start to the day here, and have stuff to do.
A few quick links;
Save Our Eardrums has dirt on Screechin' Annie. Stephen Taylor elaborates.
Kathy Shaidle has advice for me.
Speaking of which - John - it is simply not possible to "make a mockery" of a crazy old aunt in the attic.
Lance Levsen reminsces.
Denmark - the unlikely front in a European confrontation with Islam.
Allyce Herle
Reader "Anterior" asks;
Hate to jump in here off topic but can anyone tell me if Allyce Herle, running for the Libs in Sask. is related to [Earnscliffe partner and Liberal campaign tactician ] David Herle. Just wondering.
The answer, I believe, is yes.. sister!
(In the pursuit of general good taste and discretion, I hereby refrain from using the usual metaphorical adjective "incestuous" as it traditionallly applies to the topic of Saskatchewan politics.)
Search Herle on SDA.
Followup: I'm told that when she resigned from her job with the City of Regina she sued the city and was awarded $91,000.00
January 8, 2006
The Tipping Point
Readers may have noticed that there has been no mention of polling on SDA throughout this campaign.
Tonight, in a private email, I ventured the following:
I think we're either at a tipping point at which Harper goes on to get a majority or near majority - or at the tipping-back point where the media go neg.It's going to happen this week. One way or the other.
Greg Staples, on the other hand has been poll-result central. Tonight he has this: "Oh, My".
We shall see.
But here is my analysis: As Conservative support climbs in Quebec, so shalt it in reactionary Ontario.
Libranos Hold Child At Gunpoint
(This message has been authorized by the registered agent for the Federal Liberal Party of Canada)
Update: gif version here.
Cleaning Up After CSL
A reader wonders if a closed down CSL shipyard in Collingwood might be on the recipient list for Paul Martin's election promise of $1billion to clean up the Great Lakes and waterways...
Sediment from only a small, localized portion of the harbour was found to be contaminated, mainly due to historical use of the harbour as a center for the repair and construction of Great Lakes vessels.On August 9, 1983 citing federal government interference in the shipping industry, Martin stated: "then... they are going to come in with some grand and glorious package that will give the government control of the industry because they don't understand private enterprise."
By the mid-1980s, CSL's only remaining shipyard (Collingwood) was undergoing financial difficulties and was closed on September 12, 1986 with the loss of 800 jobs. At the same time, CSL Group Inc.'s expansion outside of Canada was well underway. In November, 1988 President and CEO Paul Martin was elected as a Member of Parliament and stepped aside from directing the day-to-day operations of the company.
Shipyards, town working towards development agreement....Currently , CSL is completing remediation work on the soil, which should be completed by early spring, said Houghton . (Dec.9, 2005)
Hey, they're entitled to their entitlements.
The Enemy Is Everywhere
I'm beginning to suspect the Conservatives have recruited small children...
- and crafty senior citizens ...
"You stop telling people to not vote Conservative, because they are going to form the next government and beat out the Liberals. Don't do that anymore." |
 |
... to infiltrate Liberal and NDP campaign events as photo-op boobytraps.
Election Campaign Hit And Run
It started so innocently. A sunny morning in January made brighter by a little good news from Transport Canada. Canadian highways are much safer than they once were, with another decline in collisions, injuries and fatalities;
Fatalities continued to decrease in 2004, even though there were more drivers and vehicles on the road than ever before. Injuries also decreased by four-and-a-half per cent over 2003.
The report never knew what hit it. In a moment the good news lay dead on the street - cut down by a headline from the Globe & Mail;
Roadway carnage kills thousands, study finds
And in a tragic case of "wrong place, wrong time", a passing election campaign was seized hostage.
Once politicians finish grappling with gangs and guns, they may want to take a closer look at a much more deadly problem: Car crash deaths outnumber homicides by almost 5 to 1.
With the situation grim, CTV News arrived on the scene to negotiate...
Statistics show that 2,730 Canadians died in traffic accidents in 2004, compared to 622 who were the victims of homicides...
Homicide rates and gun violence aren't bad... just misunderstood.
[N]umbers reported by the Toronto Star indicate that motorized vehicles killed more people in 2005 than guns in the Greater Toronto Area, despite the attention that gun violence has garnered in recent weeks. According to the Star, 229 people died in traffic accidents in the GTA in 2005, including 59 in Toronto; while 58 people died of gunshot wounds, with 52 in Toronto.
Meanwhile, at Health Canada, cancer and heart disease plotted their next move...
Other headlines in Unrelated News:
(CTV is running a poll on this idiotic "comparison". So far 90% of respondants have indicated they are "not surprised that "car-crash deaths outnumber homicides".)
January 7, 2006
Reality Checking Neil MacDonald
On his misrepresentation of the Conservative tax policy platform - at CBC Watch.
MacDonald pulled a similar stunt a couple of nights earlier when exerpting the contents of the infamous "Chapter 5" of the AG report - suggesting there was nothing there to see.
| Flashback - In 2004, MacDonald received an award for his reporting on Israel. |  |
As an addendum - I did something I rarely do anymore, and watched both the CBC and CTV national news. The contrast between the coverage of Paul Martin's appearance before a seniors group by the two networks was remarkable. CBC mentioned the event was dominated by questions about Options Canada. CTV pulled the cameras back and revealed it was a media frenzy, generated by Martin's bringing the questions to an abrupt close, as he tried to make an escape. Then, Tom Clark mentioned yet another leak of the next day's platform announcment on the environment.
In the comments, Chuck raises another - the story the same night on CBC about the "costs" of keeping criminals in jail under mandatory sentencing. Yes, I thought it was ridiculously transparent as well.
Options Scanada IV
In the Montreal Gazette, the story of documents left beside a dumpster;
Questions about the money given to Option Canada before the 1995 sovereignty referendum have been floating around for 10 years, since Gazette reporter Claude Arpin broke the story of the group's existence and funding. Although the original amount given to Option Canada has been reported as $4.8 million, a press release announcing Monday's launch says the new book will show it was actually $5.2 million that was spent."At last we know where all the money went, almost down to the penny, and it will be in the book," Lester said.
Also, Pettigrew finds himself sucked into the controversy. ( Bourque developing....)
Also: Google translation - Claude Dauphin's bio.
Tongsun Park Arrested
New York Times is reporting that South Korean businessman, Tongsun Park has been arrested on charges stemming from the United Nations oil-for-food investigation;
According to new charges unsealed yesterday, Mr. Park began working with an Iraqi-American businessman, Samir Vincent, as early as 1992 to represent the interests of Saddam Hussein's government in negotiations at the United Nations to set up the program. Mr. Park and Mr. Vincent met twice in 1993 with a high-ranking United Nations official, the criminal complaint says.[...]
The complaint says that Mr. Park never registered in Washington as a foreign agent. He is charged with acting as an unregistered agent, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. He will appear Monday before a federal magistrate in Houston, Mr. Garcia's office said.
The complaint says that Mr. Park was paid at least $2 million, most of it in cash, by the Iraqi government. Much of the cash was delivered to Mr. Park in New York in Iraqi diplomatic pouches, the complaint says.
Mr. Park and Mr. Vincent "understood," the complaint says, that some of the money Mr. Park received from Iraq was to be used to "take care" of the high-ranking United Nations official, who is not named in the court documents.
In other recent UN Oil-For-Food news... in December, a Congressional report called for an investigation into Maurice Strong - a mentor to Paul Martin, member of the Privy Council, architect of Kyoto...
A draft congressional report has called for the investigation of Canadian Maurice Strong’s role in the United Nations Oil-for-Food program.[...]
Strong is a long-time advisor to both UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and to Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin.
On Sept. 7, 2005 it was revealed by the Independent Inquiry into the Oil-for-Food scandal that Strong had received a $1-million cheque from North Korean lobbyist Tongsun Park for the acquisition of shares in Cordex Petroleum Inc.–a Maurice Strong company.
Cordex Petroleum was also on the listing of assets of Paul Martin in his declaration of assets while he was Minister of Finance.
The $1-million, invested in the now defunct Cordex by Tongsun Park, originated from the regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq.
Flashback to April 21, 2005: Hansard;
Mr. Stockwell Day (Okanagan—Coquihalla, CPC): Mr. Speaker, Canada's international reputation is a source of pride to Canadians. At a time when the possibility of a Canadian connection to the oil for food scandal is being raised, Maurice Strong, long-time friend and adviser to the Prime Minister, and co-investor in certain companies, has suddenly resigned from his position with the UN. Can the Prime Minister assure us that Canadians are not involved in the scandal surrounding the UN's oil for food program, yes or no?Hon. Pierre Pettigrew (Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, clearly the answer is no, they are not. We have noted the public statements by Mr. Strong concerning the nature of his dealings with Tongsun Park, in which he indicated that these were connected to his work relating to North Korea on behalf of the Secretary General of the UN. Mr. Strong said that he had had no connection with the oil for food program. He did, however, indicate that he was suspending his work in Korea until the situation is clarified. We do not have any independent information that would enable us to have a different opinion on this matter.
Of course, these are only allegations.
The Fallen Journalists In Iraq
The Washington Post recently wrote a somewhat disparaging article of bloggers on the battlefield, mentioning Bill Roggio in particular. I hadn't realized that a blogger [Steven Vincent]-- and not a regular Western professional correspondent -- was the only foreign journalist to die in Iraq in 2005.
Liberal Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada
The Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada came out yesterday to criticize the Conservatives on their tax credit propo.... nevermind. It doesn't reallly matter what they said. We're going to look at where this group receives funding for their forays into political campaigns and lobbying efforts with the Federal Government.
That would be... the Federal Government!
Just approved: a three-year project grant from Status of Women Canada for Building Women's Equality in Child Care Policy. The project is about developing child care policy responsive to the equality needs of women, at the same time as it meets the needs of children, families and the broader society.
Status of Women Canada is "the federal government agency which promotes gender equality, and the full participation of women in the economic, social, cultural and political life of the country." ;
From Freedom of Information sources, the 1997 - 2003 funding from S.O.W. to;
Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada - $734,120.00
Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada (CCAAC) - $302,089.00
I looked for an online financial report. What I found was this 1994 report by MP John Bryden;
It is difficult to describe this advocacy group in any detail because neither letter nor telephone calls could persuade staff to release a financial statement or descriptions of programs.
They gave out only one small brochure and the text of a speech to the parliamentary committee studying the Lobbyists Registration Act.Because non-profit organizations are entitled by law to withhold whatever they please from the public, the spending practices of the Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada (CCAAC) cannot therefore be examined.
The CCAAC has had the benefit of substantial government funding for years. Since 1983
it has received $2,005,767 from the Department of the Secretary of State (Womens' Program) alone. Additional grants from other ministries are likely but, since the published Public Accounts only records grants of over $100,000, this is almost impossible to track.The ministry-supplied printout of the CCAAC's funding history, however, is revealing in another way. Beginning in 1992, sustaining grants previously described as "Operational Funding" were changed to "Program Funding." This change would deceive a person calling up the post-1991 accounts into believing that the listed sums are for specific programs or projects when, in fact, they are still for salary and office expenditures.
Since major grants from the Secretary of State tended to be the same sums to the same organizations year after year, there are many examples of such camouflaged core funding. The organizations include: National Action Committee on the Status of Women, Women's Legal and Education Fund, National Watch on Women in the Media Inc., the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, and so on.
More recent government funding;
We received funding in 2004 for a major three year project through the Social Development Partnerships Program.
That page indicates financial statements are "available on request", so perhaps rules have been tightened. I have emailed the CCAAC for more information on how much of their total funding is government derived - I'll let you know if I get a reply.
With all the talk about campaign reform, perhaps another amendment is in order - one that disqualifies any non-profit or charitable organization that recieves more than 10% of their funding from government sources.
That would leave us with .. ah.. the Fraser Institute and Taxpayers Federation, I believe. (And Real Women, as has been pointed out in the comments.)
January 6, 2006
Options Scanada III
Don't you just love it when a plan comes apart?
The book, which will only publish in French, includes juicy details about the apparent theft of $300,000 by somebody who had acted as a bookkeeper to Options Canada, and an attempt to cover this up. Apparently, the bookkeeper and Options Canada signed a hush-hush agreement which allowed the bookkeeper to keep the money as long as he (or she) remained quiet about its origins. Lester got ahold of a copy of this agreement, and somehow, a copy of it was leaked back to Heritage Canada bureaucrats late last year. It was these bureaucrats who, in a CYA move, decided to call in the RCMP.In other words, the thieves at the top needed to keep the thieves at the bottom from blowing the entire scam -- and foolishly committed an agreement to paper. If this bears out, it would almost certainly mean at least one criminal investigation for corruption, and perhaps another for conspiracy to obstruct justice.
The rest at Captain Ed's.
Securities Exchange Commission Investigating ITscam
Over local radio news just now. Also- the Ontario Securities Commission is signalling it will do the same.
It Must Be Friday
Updated - (and Im moving this item back up to the top)
Another day, another scandal. And all coming at such a inopportune time.
Do you get the sense that someone has been quietly waiting to see the "whites of their eyes"?
The RCMP has been asked to probe a Liberal consultant over a $380,000 contract she was awarded to lobby Ottawa for funds for the ailing firearms registry.The five-month contract was awarded by the justice department to Kim Doran in March 2003 to lobby the federal solicitor general, Treasury Board and Privy Council, according to a detailed lobbyist report.
At the time, Doran was representing the Coalition for Gun Control. The group, which receives both government and private funding, claims to represent anti- gun groups and municipalities. It is a strong supporter of the gun registry.
Doran is listed as the deputy national director (Organization and Policy) of the Liberal Party of Canada.
Update - The pundits react.
Bourque summarizes it nicely: $380,000 --> CGC --> Kim Doran --> Capital Hill Group --> Liberal Party coffers ($136,000 in donations since 1993
A Non-Chinese Shade Of Pale
"The tax was imposed out of fear that the immigrants would take jobs from non-Chinese people. "
Flashback: The Star Pheonix cleanses a quote of the offensive "w" word.
Jeff Geoff Doesn't Want To Be A Part
Of his own blogging story for CBC.
Ha.
LIke that's going to work.
Update: Self-correcting nature of the blogosphere - demonstrated.
SWTE: Run For The Border
A post at the Roundtable on the Liberals' true commitment to border security.
"The mountains are high and the Emperor is far away"
A closer look at the banking situation in China;
In 2002, Chinese officials admitted that 25% of the loans written by the state owned banks were non-performing. Standard and Poors and a number of others said it was closer to 50%, and possibly more. Within the space of four years, the Chinese administration has revised its estimation of the rate of non-performing loans down to an average of about 12%. How can this be done so fast? I'm not really sure. We are, of course, talking about the writing down or otherwise accounting for of many hundreds of billions of dollars of bad loans. I assume that it's due to the fact that most or all of the bad loans have been transferred to special "asset management" companies set up by the government. I suspect that the banks have been able to revise their non-performing loans (NPL) ratio down so quickly by performing a debt-to-equity swap with these holding companies. The article linked to immediately above believes the asset management companies have taken a chunk of the banks' loans and issued them with 10 year bonds in return.
Read it all.
Bloggers And The Election
A column by Rawlco talk show host John Gormley in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix.
Options Scanada II
Stephen Taylor takes a closer look at Options Canada and spots something the Globe & Mail may have overlooked;
"The report also states that Option Canada may have been a "bogus firm," set up by its parent organization, the Council for Canadian Unity, to avoid problems with Revenue Quebec and Revenue Canada."
Teaching Halliburton A Thing Or Two
From Northwestern University Press: Paul Martin & Companies;
Using Paul Martin's business dealings as an example, Alain Deneault presents the Martin case as a symptom of a world-wide crisis of public ethics; demonstrates that it is part of a lawless global culture that increasingly allows the world's largest financial transactions to escape all forms of control, regulation, and contribution to the wealth of nations; and spells out what this means for all of us.
Speaking of which...
(click for larger version)
| Oh, what the heck! For old times' sake this one too... |
 |
January 5, 2006
Un*Poof*
We bloggers have had some experience with Government of Canada websites becoming slightly less user friendly - or disappearing altogether.
So, it's curious when they reappear;
After the 2003 Liberal leadership campaign, the Liberal candidate disclosures, including those of Paul Martin, mysteriously disappeared from public view.Now, for reasons I do not yet understand, Paul Martin's list of donors is back online. Why would they suddenly re-appear? Why now?
Is Paul trying to pre-empt questions on this?
Options Scanada
I had an earlier heads up on this, but was out when it went live. So, I'll just save the bother and give you the links.
A source within Canadian political and media circles informed CQ earlier this afternoon that the media will break a story on an almost-forgotten scandal involving Options Canada, where $4.8 million disappeared without much oversight from the Liberal government in 1995. The money came from the Heritage Canada office, which disbursed the grant in three rushed payments on the eve of the 1995 referendum on autonomy for Quebec. The Ottawa Citizen
reported in 2000 that the Liberal government had buried the scandal and closed its investigation without ever determining what happened to the millions of dollars given to Options Canada, which later merged into the No campaign on the referendum:
The federal government has quietly closed the books on a controversial $4.8-million grant to an obscure Montreal federalist group, but how the money was spent is still a mystery.
The Globe and Mail makes it official; the RCMP have been called in.
Angry looks into Claude Dauphin;
" the senior advisor to the Minister of Finance and former president of Option Canada, who, two and a half years after the fact, still cannot tell the people of Quebec and Canada how, in the midst of the referendum period, he spent $4.8 million in 33 days.
Someone Knew
StockHouse web portal pledges anonymity;
Stockgroup Information Systems Inc. said Thursday it will protect the anonymity of contributors to its online bulletin board while the RCMP investigate a possible leak of income trust policy.The company noted that two postings on its StockHouse.ca BullBoards appeared on Nov. 23 saying that Finance Minister Ralph Goodale would "soon announce a reduction on dividend taxation to 'even the playing field' " with income trusts.
Those postings appeared before Goodale announced after the close of financial markets that income trusts would remain free of corporate tax and that taxes on corporate dividends would be cut.
Stockgroup (TSXV:SWB), which describes the StockHouse.ca portal as Canada's largest online community of active investors, said it has yet to be contacted by the RCMP.
Thanks to Maz2, in the comments.
I'm on my way out of the house - if someone can track down that stockhouse.ca page (if it still exists) and save a screencap, or better yet - the source code, it might be a good idea.
Five Weird Things
I shouldn't really do this (especially as I still owe Kathy Shaidle on some other game of tag), but here goes;
"List five weird things about yourself, then tag five others to do the same"
1) My house has one interior door and no curtains.
2) I drive with my left foot against the dash most of the time - a habit acquired from cross continent suicide runs. I think it's probably good for my lower back, but can't prove it. It just feels right.
3) I eat breakfast cereal dry out of the bowl.
4) I refuse to drink anything you can squeeze from a cow. (See above)
5) And the big one- I can move my eyes independantly. In any direction I wish. This actually has a practical use - it weirds out toddlers in grocery carts in the cashier's lineup. I give them the "googly eyes", they reward me witih chortle of admiration. Works the same way on drunks and small boys.
Tagging:
BumfOnline
Catprint
Dawg (fertile territory there!)
Arcologist
CJunk
It's an eclectic bunch.
Where Did He Get Those Numbers
A reader takes issue with David Frum's claimIn a National Post article *"Canada's crime rate now 50% higher than US"...
The Canadian survey reports a rate of property victimization of 248 per 1000 households, and a violent victimization rate of 106 per 1000 persons (age 15 or older). The US survey reports a rate of property victimization of 162 per 1000 households, and a violent victimization rate of 23 per 1000 persons (age 12 and older).[...]
Anyway, if these numbers are really comparable, the jaw-dropping comparison is between the US violent victimization rate of 23 per 1000 versus the Canadian rate of 106 per 1000 - that's more than a factor of 4 difference! For property crime alone, the Canadian rates are only 50% or so higher (248 per 1000 in Canada vs 162 in the US).
So there, Mr. Frum!
Isn't It Revealing?
At 8:18 PM, Nadim said... Thanks for letting us post comments - very cool of you. I work online with my own used college books website. Check it out if you get the chance. Thanks again!At 8:19 PM, Nadim said...
Thanks for letting us post comments - very cool of you. I work online with my own
muslim matrimonial website. Check it out if you get the chance. Thanks again!At 7:29 PM, Neil Clark said...
Nice to hear from you Nadim. Isn't it revealing that so many neo-conservative, pro-war blogs do NOT allow the posting of comments. (are you reading this Mr Kamm/Mr Pollard?) They make such a play of their passion for 'democracy' and 'free speech'- and of the need of 'Shock and Awe' to impose them- but when it comes to their own blogs- they are as intolerant of other people's opinions as the most fanatical Fascist.[...]
At 9:50 AM, Peter Nolan said...
Neil, you appear to have started a conversation with a comment spam robot.
h/t Dust My Broom.
January 4, 2006
Goodale: Just The Highlights!
April 2005 SDA flashback. In response, Goodale cites an audit that representatives from Ernst and Young can't remember "watering down".
UPDATE- Kevin Steele is reporting that "word started to go around the media bus that Scott Reid had emailed a reporter informing him that the Prime Minister will no longer answer any questions on income trusts."
That's so going to make them stop.
Where's Ralpho? In A Secret Meeting
Angry is digging into LIberal relationships so intimate, I hope he's wearing protection....
Finance Minister Ralph Goodale had an hour-long meeting with senior representatives of Canada's investment community -- at which the issue of income trusts was discussed -- only hours before his decision on the issue was announced, CanWest News Service has learned.An official in Mr. Goodale's office confirmed yesterday that the previously undisclosed meeting with the executive committee of the Investment Dealers Association of Canada (IDA) took place, but said those who attended left the morning meeting "no wiser" about the decision that was announced later that day after markets closed.
Read all about it.
UpdateFrom the comments;
Joseph Oliver, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Investment Dealers Association (IDA), has written a letter today to Larry Elford confirming that "the matters referred to in his letter are under investigation by the RCMP, and therefore we cannot comment." Larry Elford's January 2, 2006 letter to Joseph Oliver had made the following request:
"The IDA, as a self-regulator of the investment banking industry, should publicly disclose who attended the IDA meeting with Finance Minister Goodale on the morning of November 23rd. Since a subset of IDA Member investment banks were active in the unusually high volume and price up ticking in income trusts and dividend paying common shares that began at about noon that day, it is reasonable to anticipate that the RCMP will be reviewing communications and conducting interviews surrounding this IDA meeting with Honourable Minister Goodale."Joseph Oliver's letter further indicates that the IDA is not participating as a collaborating investigator in the RCMP's investigation of income trusts. This statement is not qualified by any conditions such as "not participating at this time" or "would consider participating if asked by the RCMP."
(If anyone has a link for that, I'll add it)
Reader Tips
So many of you have sent on this David Frum piece in the National Post, I just figured everyone had read it. In case you haven't, here's a teaser;
If there is any problem in Toronto, the Mayor insists, it is traceable to the United States: "The U.S. is exporting its problem of violence to the streets of Toronto," David Miller complained on Dec. 27.
I think you'll have an idea where Frum goes with this one.
Reality checking the Paul Martin policy towards China: "Whether or not Stephen Harper and the Conservative Party are "scary" is something Canadians will decide for themselves, but the prospect of Prime Minister Martin's re-election is absolutely terrifying."
Earnscliffe finally makes an appearance in the campaign - represented by a suitcase of cash. If you don't know who Earnscliffe is, perform this SDA search for background.
Pascal Bighetty, chief of the Mathias Colomb First Nation raises the prospect of Indian terrorism. His "warning" has the ring of an "or else" about it.
Add your own in the comments.
Alberta Liberal Defects To Conservatives
A prominent Calgary Liberal -- and hand-picked candidate by Paul Martin for the 2004 election -- has defected to the federal Conservatives, saying the Grits are unprincipled and that the prime minister has failed Canadians.Dale Muti, Liberal candidate in four federal and provincial elections since 1988, said Monday he's swapping political stripes because of what he calls the party's unethical behaviour -- as outlined in the Gomery report -- but also due to Martin ignoring Albertans' concerns.
[...]
Also troublesome, he added, is that Martin never spared a minute to speak with him over the past 18 months, despite numerous letters requesting the prime minister lend an ear to Calgary's concerns -- particularly those of the multicultural community.
Muti is an immigration consultant who has run for the Liberals in four provincial and federal elections. Admittedly, that could get depressing.
Unexpected Miracle
Morning Update: Unfortunately, this turned out to be untrue. 11 of the 12 were dead, and the remaining miner is in critical condition. How devastating for the families.
(For the information of those in the comments, discussing Drudge vs MSM - I heard this story over radio news before posting.)
Drudge breaking : 12 miners found alive.
Where's Ralpho?
Last Friday, Finance Minister Ralph Goodale told CTV's that he would be meeting with the RCMP "next week" to discuss the RCMP's income trust investigation. He said that during an interview with CTV's Craig Oliver that was aired Sunday on CTV's Question Period. Here's the exchange where that revelation was made:CRAIG OLIVER: Have the RCMP contacted you or members of your staff for an interview?
RALPH GOODALE: Uh, yes, we'll be talking next week.
OLIVER: You'll be talking to RCMP investigators?
GOODALE: Yes. That's right.
By Monday, the story had changed. His press secretary said "Nope, haven't heard from 'em."
Candace tries to keep track in the comments; "Let's see. First, we have Goodale & Martin denying there was a problem at all. Then we had Goodale say he'd told Martin, either the night before or, at least a few hours before his announcement. We had Martin confirm that he "knew" and was "one of those" in the PMO that did. Then, magically, Goodale remembers that he never DID tell Martin, after all, (the same interview where he said he was meeting the RCMP this week) and Martin says he knew "which way Goodale was leaning" but not "exactly" other than, if Goodale went in a different direction, he'd have been informed. And now Goodale apparently isn't meeting the RCMP afterall, or at least no specific meeting has been set. My child is better at BSing than Goodale is. "
Of course, the day wouldn't be complete without yet another turnaround?
The RCMP met with "The Sieve" for a "good and constructive meeting" this afternoon.
Oh, and by the way, maybe a few other senior ministers were in on the decision.
Reviewing the conflicting information coming from Goodale's office about who knew what in which order, and who's interviewing whom or not and when they are or aren't or already have - it should come as no surprise that half of Bay Street knew what was going down on Income Trusts.
They only surprising thing is that they all knew to buy.
Update - Toronto Star?
Paul Martin and Ralph Goodale have more than one story about how they acted in the income-trust scandalette, and they're sticking to each of them.
That's got to hurt.
See Officially Screwed for updates.
January 3, 2006
In Enemy Of My Enemy Is My Friend News...
Dammit if this isn't the funniest post of the campaign so far.
(no permalinks, so you may have to scroll to January 4th entry, if coming in late ...)
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know
About "reverse onus", from a reader who is more than qualified to speak to the question;
The specific reverse onus provision for bail applications is set out in Section 515(6) of the Criminal Code:
Order of detention:
(6) Notwithstanding any provision of this section, where an accused is charged(a) with an indictable offence, other than an offence listed in section 469,
(i) that is alleged to have been committed while at large after being released in respect of another indictable offence pursuant to the provisions of this Part or section 679 or 680,
(ii) that is an offence under section 467.11, 467.12 or 467.13, or a serious offence alleged to have been committed for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with, a criminal organization,
(iii) that is an offence under any of sections 83.02 to 83.04 and 83.18 to 83.23 or otherwise is alleged to be a terrorism offence,
(iv) an offence under subsection 16(1) or (2), 17(1), 19(1), 20(1) or 22(1) of the Security of Information Act, or
(v) an offence under subsection 21(1) or 22(1) or section 23 of the Security of Information Act that is committed in relation to on offence referred to in subparagraph (iv),
(b) with an indictable offence, other than an offence listed in section 469 and is not ordinarily resident in Canada,(c) with an offence under any of subsections 145(2) to (5) that is alleged to have been committed while he was at large after being released in respect of another offence pursuant to the provisions of this Part or section 679, 680 or 816, or
(d) with having committed an offence punishable by imprisonment for life under subsection 5(3), 6(3) or 7(2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act or the offence of conspiring to commit such an offence,
the justice shall order that the accused be detained in custody until he is dealt with according to law, unless the accused, having been given a reasonable opportunity to do so, shows cause why his detention in custody is not justified, but where the justice orders that the accused be released, he shall include in the record a statement of his reasons for making the order.
And adds....
As you can see there are a variety of scenarios where the reverse onus applies; namely the where the allegation before the Court entertaining the bail application is:
committing an indictable offence while already awaiting trial for another indictable offence
a criminal organization offence
a terrorist offence
an offence relating to dissemination of information relating broadly to national security/official secrets etc. to foreign entities or terrorist groups
committing an indictable offence while not being ordinarily resident in Canada
while being at large and awaiting trial, committing a further offence of failing to attend court or breaching one's release conditions
one of the offences I mentioned yesterday relating to drugs
"The reverse onus provision which has been dealt with and upheld by the S.C.C. relating to drug offences was the Pearson case."
I have the best readers. Better yet, they don't charge $250 an hour.
Barefoot And Blogless
A lonely gatekeeper pines for the good old days, when ordinary citizens knew their place in the political debate;
This can't be a good thing for lovers of the traditional game of politics. We know how the traditional game works: Politicians make statements, media report statements and solicit reaction from other politicians. Politicians and media are the players. Those who are not players have several ways of making their views known: They can write letters to the editor, they can answer the phone when the pollster rings and they can be the person-in- the-street when news media are conducting person-in-the-street interviews.[...]
This structure has not always been viewed as fair by all members of the public and some have attempted to make their views known by other means. These include heckling loudly at political gatherings and also standing on street corners and shouting. The blog is an electronic version of the latter.
[...]
"People we will never hear of again, some of them anonymous or pseudonymous, got their vicious little ideas into the paper. If they had written letters to the editor and tried to use a pen name, the letters would not have been printed."
There used to be a name for those people Charles Gordon refers to in the Ottawa Citizen.
"Subscribers".
Via Lost Budgie who chirps, "Wait until he discovers that ordinary people in their pyjamas are now putting out "TV Talk Shows" and delivering them via the web..."
Kenneys From Heaven
Initially I was convinced that I had fallen dead and had passed into heaven, but the odds of that were so slim. Then I saw Jason Kenney and instantly KNEW that I wasn't in heaven. But what was this place?
Plagarism At The Toronto Star
An alert reader at Angry's scores this one;
Toronto Star Dec.31 2005 Moon God Drinking Products Co., a skin care company in China, has offered a bounty of 1,000 yuan ($144) for every typographical or literary error found in a day's editions of four Chinese publications in an attempt to embarrass journalists into better writing. Hao Mingjian, who came up with the idea for the bounty, said that "China's press has lost its polish in the past decade or two," which "reflects a chaotic cultural environment and shows people lack a sense of responsibility." We applaud Hao's initiative, but we have learned over our years at the Star that it is impossible to embarrass journalists. Public humiliation is our stock in trade. | From "This is True", July 9,1995 Moon God Drinking Products Co., a skin care company in China, has offered a bounty of 1,000 yuan (US$120) for every typographical or literary error found in a day's editions of four Chinese publications in an attempt to embarrass journalists into better writing. Hao Mingjian, who came up with the idea for the bounty, said that "China's press has lost its polish in the past decade or two," which "reflects a chaotic cultural environment and shows people lack a sense of responsibility." (Reuters) ...Nice try, but journalists can't be embarrassed.
|
Go to Angry's for the whole thing.
January 2, 2006
Dan Cook's 2005 Picks
This was awfully darned nice of him. Thanks, Dan.
(Speaking of which, so was this. You Manitobans should bookmark the Black Rod, if you haven't already.)
Bankrolling Bulte
You can be forgiven for finding it hard to keep them all straight... Michael Geist on the emerging Sarmite Bulte fundraiser story;
The problem wit