61 Replies to “Reader Tips”

  1. While we worry about the polar bears some in Sweden are worrying about the reindeer. Too much snow!
    The Sami people of northern Sweden celebrate their national day on February 6th and Lappland is a hive of activity getting ready for the party of the year. Reindeer shoes are being made, handicrafts sculpted and party frocks designed and sewn up.
    This year the party has a darker undertone with catastrophe looming for the region’s reindeer. Almost all the reindeer grazing grounds have been declared a disaster zone. All but two Sami villages across the region have been forced to apply for catastrophe aid from the Sami Parliament of Sweden (Sametinget) to feed their animals.
    The problems with pasture land for the reindeer are diverse with an excess of snow in the north to bare ground south of Östersund. According to the Sami parliament the situation has not been this bad since 1936 with much of the winter pasture land inaccessible to the herds.
    http://www.thelocal.se/9886/20080205/

  2. Ed Stemach, getting things done well.
    Even though I live in BC, [ not an Alberta voter], Ed Stelmach very kindly had his minister send a loooong Email reply to my AB-HRC complaint .
    ===================
    Dear Mr. Robinson,
    Honourable Ed Stelmach, Premier, forwarded your e-mail of January 13, 2008 regarding human rights commissions. As Minister responsible for human rights issues in Alberta, I appreciate the opportunity to respond.
    [ Body = Loong general policies …..and stuff],
    To date, all that has occurred in the complaint against Ezra Levant is the first step in an investigation to determine whether there is a reasonable basis to proceed with the complaint. It is important to not prejudge the outcome of the complaint against Levant. Additional information on complaint processes as well as information about panel hearings is available at http://www.albertahumanrights.ab.ca/complaints/ .
    That being said, I recognize the importance of reviewing all legislation from time to time to ensure it is meeting its intended purpose in the most efficient and effective way possible. I will keep your comments in mind in any discussions I may have with my colleagues about the Act.
    Thank you for taking the time to share your views.
    Sincerely, Hector Goudreau
    Minister of Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture
    MLA, Dunvegan-Central Peace
    cc: Honourable Ed Stelmach, Premier
    ============================
    Very impressive. Those folks are busy, elections and all. Pleasant surprise. = TG

  3. ” … I have always told my fellow workers that someday Chretien will end up in jail. I still believe that.”
    Comment by Jack | February 5, 2008
    Jack: “Le Worm Wriggleth”
    Today, Canada’s “Ethics” committee started again and as “Ethics” committees are known to do from time to time, they pursued their investigation in a highly ethical fashion. And recieved a verbal broadside from Norm Spector for their efforts. If there’s someone out there that can outshout Norm I don’t know who it would be offhand.
    Highly entertaining as he slammed the RCMP for a shoddy investigation and then clammed up. Mounties would be interested in that I think but it didn’t escape me that the Chair was trying to burn up limited time in order to try and protect the real prize of the day — one Allen Rock. …-
    http://jacksnewswatch.com/2008/02/05/jack-le-worm-wriggleth/#comments

  5. I didn’t see this anywhere else (apologies if this has been posted and I missed it)
    This was a comparison between the Canadian Health Care system with Eurpoean systems
    The punchline was that Canada came in 23 our of 30 countries based on a series of metrics.
    When the amount of money spent on health was also considered, the study reported Canada came in dead last (30th out of 30)
    Report is here
    http://www.healthpowerhouse.com/files/ECHCI_2008_Full_Report_final.pdf
    Press Release is here
    http://www.fcpp.org/main/publication_detail.php?PubID=2034
    Canada’s Healthcare System Compares Poorly with Europe
    Medical system lags far behind in many areas
    The release this week of a major new health-care “report card” provides us with the opportunity to refocus the debate that surrounds the effects of Canada’s ongoing health-care woes on consumers.
    The focus of the debate so far has been on how health care is financed, how to budget for it and, most recently, how to fill the doctor gap. We have seldom considered the system from the more important perspective of the health-care consumer.
    The Euro-Canadian Health Consumer Index (ECHCI), which was released on Monday, takes a fresh look at how medicare serves Canadians. The results are dismal. Of the 30 countries studied, Canada ranks 23rd for consumer sensitivity in health care.

  6. Ted and Hardboiled (AKA, et al).
    Come on now! There’s a significant difference between a media interview and testifying before a Parliamentary Commission. End of debate.

  8. Ib:
    Hey, if you feel like puting data on the table, feel free to post any links from any think tank arguing that Canadian healthcare is superior to Europeans.
    Nothing is going to get fixed if we keep get stuck up on the labels. Unless you honestly believe that our system is perfection and cannot be improved. Or your’re just trolling.

  11. Ted and Hardboiled (AKA, et al).
    Come on now! There’s a significant difference between a media interview and testifying before a Parliamentary Commission. End of debate.
    Posted by: Jimbo at February 5, 2008 9:41 PM
    Hey Jimbo – having political staff, paid by taxpayers, pushing pre-fabricated talking points to media, is crap.
    As is the media pushing pre-fabricated questions to politicians.
    Same street, two ways.
    These people are sleaze, on both sides. They are lazy, and manufacture opinion and outcome.
    The activity limits debate, contrains thought, and produces decisions that are not completely discussed and debated by society.
    No matter the forum, pretend questions from pretend reporters is as injurious to a democracy, as pop-tart Erickson slipping Pablo the toungue.
    Now that buddy, is the end of debate.

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