Remember THIS face. Remember the name. Remember this Scandal

O'Connor - Santa Claus For Defense Contractors???
"Scathing Report Shows Rampant Conservative Sole-Sourcing of Military Contracts

June 11, 2007

OTTAWA - The Harper government must place billions of dollars in military purchases on hold in light of a scathing report that shows a spike in sole-sourced military contracts under the former defence lobbyist who is now Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor, Liberal Defence Critic Denis Coderre said. "

Seems like I recall posting a personal editorial regarding Conservative defense contracts - back in October...

Hmmm... Here's the link...

http://westerngrit.blogspot.com/2006_06_01_archive.html

Bono blasts Harper, accuses him of blocking progress on Africa aid

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/g8_summit_africa

Gotta love Bono. He doesn't pull any punches. Really like these lines:

"We know who's causing the trouble and who isn't. And we know that Canada blocked progress. We know that Harper blocked it."

He described the prime minister as out of step with Canadians who enjoy a prosperous economy and surplus public finances and would like to help others."

Bono said he doesn't believe the prime minister was too busy to meet with him at the summit - the leaders of the United States, Germany, France and Britain managed to do so.

"It's not the pop stars he doesn't want to meet. It's the movement that we represent," Bono said.

"I said some years ago that the world needs more Canadas, and I meant it. I can't believe that this Canada has become a laggard. I think he's out of sync with the people."

Well, well, well. If the cajone-less Canadian media didn't take a bold shot at Harper, at least Bono is still there...

Is It Just Me...?

Is it just me, or has the environment ceased being an "issue"? Is Harper winning on this front? Has he been successful in convincing Canadians, that like the fabled "Kaiser Sose", the environment doesn't exist? I can see Kevin Spacey right now doing the "and poof, he's gone" thing with his fingers when we talk about the E-N-V-I-R-O-N-M-E-N-T.

Harper managed to produce a rambling budget that had a lot of Canadians scratching our collective skulls saying, "just what is he trying to do here"...

Here's what he's done:
1) Removed the environment as an "issue"
2) When was the last time anyone heard of health care???
3) Created so much confusion on the Hill, that his MPs don't even get noticed

Pretty nice trifecta so far. Once we start doing something (if we find the cash), Harper's little charade may be up... Here's to hoping we have what it takes.

Harper's Angry Conservative Outburst No Mistake...

Stephen Harper clearly planned his "sensational" shot at all Liberals today - how else would you distract our "sound-byte happy" media from a crappy budget into which you threw ALL your "best" conservative and stolen liberal ideas???

All Harper did was buy a few days of news away from a truly "limp" budget. While his idea may have worked on the budget front, PM Wimpy has cast more light on the "lying Defense Minister affair".

Wouldn't we all love to be flies on the wall of Harpo's office today? A budget that was as pointless and lame as one could get - one destined to lead Canada steps closer to budget deficits in the near future. A media focused on he - the great leader/dictator - because his caucus and cabinet are a bunch of mutes who could never divert attention away from him. A Defense Minister (and former officer) who it appears lies to Parliament and to Canadians (who knows what other deceit the former defense industry lobbyist hides?). A party living a lie (for how long?)...

If it wasn't so typically anal-retentively conservative this would almost be funny...

"Reformers" Hate Quebec: Why We Should Be Afraid Of A Harper Majority

For 13 years we watched as "full-of-hate" members of the West-centric Reform Party (turned Alliance, turned whatever that thing is that took over the federal PCs) evangelized about how much they hated things: minority rights; immigration; women's rights; "special interest groups"; and one thing in particular: Quebec. Suddenly, over the past year - as Harper's crowd struggles to survive at the mercy of a weak minority parliament - we are asked to believe he has changed to a moderate? Just because of a few conspicuous PR moves??? C'mon Canada - we need to wake up!

Harper has certainly made a few "centrist" platitudes - to try to win enough votes for his majority. But, I believe his gambit is a more heinous one. The Harper Reformers were always at one in saying that they felt Canada was better without Quebec. I lived in the West all my life, and got sick of the Reform-a-tory preaching about "letting Quebec go". Living in small town Saskatchewan, the larger cities, and Calgary, I heard - every day - the relentless "hate-speak" by just about everyone you could read as a "reformer-type". They railed against Quebec - even if they had no reason to, or had never been there themselves. They HATE Quebec with a capital H. Harper will use a majority to allow his little "nation" of Quebec to separate. Why? What every Albertan dreams of: more power in Canada (remember: Alberta "wants in" - even though they've been setting the agenda for almost 10yrs now). A Canada without Quebec makes Alberta the number two power-broker, and with all that oil, perhaps number one. Of course most Albertan NeoCons have never paused to think of the serious repercussions of a Canada without Quebec. In the backs of their minds they think that if things go south, they can also "go South" by joining their Yankee friends.

I have neo-Con acquaintances in Alberta who clap with glee when they hear about Quebecers who speak of separating. When I ask them why, the only answers they have are: 1) They feel tired of Albertans "propping up" Quebec, and 2) They figure if Quebec leaves Canada, Conservative Albertans will benefit greatly from that many fewer "left of center" votes - effectively shifting the power base in Canada to Alberta.

Harper's expression of Quebec as a "nation" is not the problem here. What is, is the context in which he did it. It was not simply a move to beat us Liberals to the punch. It was part of a much bigger game. A game he plans to play out to the end with the oblivious participation of his Quebec Liberal friends (Charest, etal). He is, in part, replaying a game that has played out historically, with Conservatives bringing Canada to the brink - before a Liberal PM brings us back. Mulroney roused a lot of Quebecers simply by playing up "the question" via Meech and Charlottetown, and federal Liberals had to work hard to put the pieces back together - almost at the expense of their own party. Harper will attempt what appear to be similar measures (to Mulroney's), but without the same intentions.

We need to challenge and fight the "Reform-a-tories" as they attempt to change the face of Canada as we know it. They will try to change/kill many of Canada's institutions, marginalize the weak and underprivileged, and do what they can to break up this great country - all to appease their Wild West, gun-slinging, power base.

HateMyTory

Now here is something that could really use a Canadian version. Lots of Tories to hate here (even if they're all not true Tories)... Perhaps the founders could be interested in making this a worldwide site to rate conservatives. I've sent an email to the site administrators.

http://hatemytory.com/

This particular admonition is hilarious:

"No Tories were harmed in the making of this website. We have endeavoured to ensure all the photographs used are in the public domain or are licencenced under Creative Commons or a similar licence"

Harper's Alberta Style Environmental Program: Give Big Oil Money & Let Them Pretend To Be Responsible

Well we always knew Harper was a mouthpiece for Big Oil. Yesterday he proved it. By giving a $150000000 "gift" to his friends in the oil industry, Harper hopes to get his environmental detractors to just "shut up" and go away. In essence, Harpo has gifted one of the richest group of transplanted Americans/pseud0-Canadians a whole lot of cash they don't deserve.

Having lived in Alberta for years one knows that all the Big Oil (and wannabe "Little Oil" guys) are die-hard (usually card-carrying) Cons - typically of the hardcore Reform variety. I spent many a day commuting to downtown Calgary on the "C-train" hearing oil-pushers preaching to each other the values of the Reform movement. God - it was almost a religion with these nut-cases. Not even the most die-hard urban Canadian Liberal can understand how angry and "preacher-like" these people are. Hateful bashing of the "East" was something you actually heard in discussions between total strangers on a daily basis. The one thing most of them seemed to have in common is kneeling at the altar of Big Oil.

Today, Harper has consolidated his position as "friend of Big Oil". He did it in a way that some regular Joe Canadians might be fooled into thinking was supportive of environmentalism. This is a very frightening move for Canadians. There is ABSOLUTELY nothing that indicates that Big Oil will use this money effectively - or in any way to protect the environment. Rather, Harper's designation of funds indicates that the money will most likely be used by the industry for "studies". Hmmm... wonder what these studies will say? Oh, oh, oh!!! Mr. Kotter, I know: They will say there is no such thing as the "so-called global warming", and we need to pull out of Kyoto.

Great anti-environmental move Mr. Harper. You truly are a mad genious. True neoCon through and through. Someone please do something to stop this madman before he dismantles the very system that keeps us a "centerist" country.

Grit Stuff - National Women's Day; TDH Strategies

Happy National Women's Day. I have one comment on this: We need to see more vocal action from women's groups on the direction this quite sexist government is going. The barrage of anti-feminist rhetoric coming from the American neoCon camp and neoCon supporting media has really tainted people's thoughts here North of the border. If someone speaks out they get shut down as "the lunatic fringe", "pinkos", or worse. As Canadians we often don't think of the implications of allowing American media, movies, and "culture" to have free reign in Canadian markets. Where is the CRTC? Being dismantled by the Cons... As Liberals we can carve out some tractable ground on the topic of Canadian cultural industries. We need to ensure the sexist, melting-pot, mono-cultural media in the US stops interfering here, North of the border.

TDH Strategies (Jonathan) - Good work on your "5 Point Plan". I think the part of the plan that I have the most interest in is an area I have long thought we are weak in: getting the Dream Team out there. We have an incredible team of experts available to engage the public. We have used them poorly. Heck, as Liberals one thing we pride ourselves on is the academic, multi-cultural, and legal/constitutional expertise we have within our party membership. We nominate very qualified candidates who we know will be able to negotiate a complex international trade deal, discuss peace, intelligently approach Kyoto, or embark on a UN endeavor. Time to get these experts in the field.

If anything, we're allowing too much attention to be focused on Harper vs. Dion. In a comparison the public is always going to remember the PM. People have trouble remembering politician's names (less so than hockey players), but quite a few will remember who the PM is. While Mr. Dion brushes up on strategy the dream team can spend time engaging the public in key ridings across the country. Remember Mr. Cretien had a "brat pack" of talent which he used to incredible advantage pre-93. Sheila Copps, Don Boudria and crew were a constant thorn in Mulroney's side. I think that Ignatieff, Kennedy, Hall-Findlay, and Rae can fill that role quite well.

The challenge we've had in effectively engaging the public goes back beyond our current leader's office... Mr. Martin's (whom I supported in his leadership bid) office had challenges in communicating effectively with their own party members, let alone the general public. Perhaps leadership styles were different (Mr. Cretien was very cognizant of showing everyone he had balls - which seemed to capture the attention of the public), but that can't be a reason not to continue efforts to engage the public and media via the rest of the team.

If we can show we have a strong team, vs. the "cult of secrecy and personality" that Team Harper has, we can present a clear diametrical opposite to the public. Following some of the great ideas TDH has put into words will certainly help us in reaching our combined goal, and ultimate victory.

Stephen Harper: A Comedic Take Oh His Party's Anti-Immigrant Tilt

Once again we see the anti-immigrant sentiment of the federal Conservatives rear its ugly head - even with this minority Parliament softened neo-Con lite government... It was so apparent that these Cons despise the Immigration and Refugee Board, and will do what they can to disparage it - including attacking Liberal MPs whose family may be appointed members (even if they were appointed by a former Tory PM). What a lot of the commentary on these blogs missed was that Harper really would like to completely reform the Immigration Dept. to meet a more anti-immigrant standard, and his first step will be to attack review boards and immigration judges - the same way he is attempting to attack our justice system.

Yesterday, Harper's Calgary deputy - Jason Kenney - decided to take a shot at highly qualified immigrants who are unable to find work in Canada due to systemic challenges, as well as a lack of recognition of credentials. Rather than address this issue properly, Kenney called the "PhD cabbie" a "myth". Wow. You see, the only immigrants the Cons want in Canada are of the "temporary foreign worker" variety. Just enough to work the Alberta tarsands. Once Fort MacMurray dries up, then they'll want to send them all back, in typical conservative fashion. They couldn't care less if a foreign trained doctor or engineer can't find work.

The following are excerpts from a conversation which may or may not have happened (although we would assume it is quite obvious these discussions happen in "Reform-a-Tory" backrooms all the time):

PM Harpo: "Folks, we need to shore up some of our socio-Con vote by kinda hinting what we really think of immigration..."

Anonymous Con MP with duct-tape over mouth: (PM removes duct tape) "Yeah, can't stand those 'special interest' groups Steevo... It's like these people get all the rights... Whatever happened to rights for middle-aged mainstream males???"

PM Harpo: "(Chuckle, smirk, sneer, chuckle, chuckle) That was a great thought, unfortunately, you know _________, we can't just do what we want to do until the damn Liberal lemming Ontario voters give us a majority... Maybe if we see some change from those lazy Maritimers. Until then, I'm sorry, but I need to stick this duct tape back on your mouth"

Anonymous Con MP: "Sorry sir... I know, I know... anything for power. Alberta advantage uber alles".

Anonymous Con MP #2 (also with tape over mouth): "(Harpo removes duct tape) Steevie, can we just turn back their boats, kinda like that 'Commie-gateway Maru' that sailed into Vancouver Harbour years ago?"

PM Harpo: "I wish I could ________, I wish I could. Those $%*&s tried to get an apology out of me last year when I was in Surrey BC, but I gave them the old Calgary two-step, so I could do the photo-op and get outta there. You wouldn't believe it, but they actually tried to feed me some of their food. Good thing the security detail grabbed the would-be server and tossed her into Guantanimo North".

Anonymous former PC MP (no duct tape): "Why can't we all just get along? Some of those people are my friends. I actually like the smell of their food..."

All Con MPs: "Boo, hiss, hiss, boo..."

PM Harpo: "Can we get the former Tories some duct tape for caucus meetings? These meetings are for 'reformed thinkers' only".

Anonymous Duct-taped MP #3: "(Harpo removes duct tape) Why don't we just put in real conservative social policy right now - so all those damned immigrants won't come in and vote Liberal? We can even say nice things and smile while we cut those programs. Let's get rid of multi-culturalism today".

PM Harpo: "Great thoughts people, but you know we can't act unless we have the majority that is our destiny. We just need Canadians to buy into our fake vision for Canada".

Jason Kenney: "Maybe we need to quash all this crap about 'so-called' PhD taxi-drivers... I'm so sick of hearing about that".

PM Harpo: "I like where this is going... How about this, we can call it: the ""myth of the PhD driving a taxi""Just public enough for real Canadians to hear it..."

All Con MPs: (Raising hands and clapping) "Hmmmphhhh" (duct-tape still over mouths).

Someone needs to stop this conservative media-backed neoCon machine - before a majority accidentally happens.

Dion/Neville Chamberlain Comparisons: Response to Mushroom's Blog

A (C)conservative majority would be a nightmare for Canada. If these were any other everyday cons, it probably wouldn't be such a big deal, but these are Harper's right wing Alberta Reform idealogues running the show with Eastern conservatives taking a back seat... Moderate MPs like Lee Richardson sit in the back and smile. They're just window dressing.

Let's not hope for a Neville Chamberlain-esque strategy from Dion - no matter how Chamberlain-esque he may seem right now. Appeasement is clearly not the answer. The neoCons are a real threat. A timely clean-up of the OLO may be the start of an answer. Paul Martin realized that leadership teams don't make very good PMO material and often don't know how to handle "power" when they get it. Mr. Dion needs to reach for the best people in this party if he intends to win, or even hold the seats we have.

As Liberals we need to set out a strong "social" liberal policy platform, and celebrate and advertise our past fiscal excellence. Masters of finance Paul Martin and Ralph Goodale created almost a decade and a half of success for our party - almost entirely based on fiscal responsibility and creativity. Jean Cretien was a PM with balls (yes, I did say that). He recognized the importance of answering Canada's fiscal dilemma in 1993 with his best fiscal point-man - and he set Martin to work.

Our party is a party of the center - let's never forget that. Our electoral success comes from seeing eye-to-eye with a majority of Canadians - who are also moderates. Keeping the socialists to our left (and not within our party) is key. Keeping the social conservatives to our right is also key. We are a "big-tent" party, but we want to absorb what makes us liberal democrats - that is, a human-rights based social policy, and a small business, science and research based fiscal policy.

Our key problem right now (and for the past couple of years) has been an inability to get the message out. We need to be aggressive in our messaging and ensure people hear and understand it. That doesn't necessarily mean swinging wildly to the left (or the right). It simply means that this is not time for "peace in our time". Ensuring all parts of the party are involved in a concerted election push is critical. Time is quickly passing. The time to act is NOW Mr. Dion.

Somewhere In Heaven Rt. Hon. Pierre Trudeau Smiles

It is a great day for Canada. The Supreme Court ruling striking down security certificates is huge. Bigger still is the declaration that our Charter of Rights applies not just to Canadians, but to foreign nationals as well. In essence it protects humans - which is really what human rights are all about. The Court, and the Coalition for Justice are to be lauded for the actions they took to instigate this 9-0 unanimous decision.

We hear some neoCons harping about the fact that these laws were passed by a Liberal gov't. Sure they were - in the light of the most brazen attacks ever seen on North American soil (in this century at least). Canadians were almost feeling as paranoid as their American neighbors. The Reform/Alliance unanimously supported the laws. But beyond supporting them, the Reformers are on the record as being their shrieking, angry selves and attacking the government for not going far enough. It was a Reform/Alliance opposition backed by one giant conservative media conglomerate (all the CanWest/Global group) who consistently bashed the Liberal gov't on being "soft on terrorism". They came up with fantastic stories (based on these very cases in the Supreme Court) about "Canada's weak borders and lax immigration laws", and basically accused Canada of allowing, first, terrorists to enter the country and plot attacks, then somehow being responsible for them entering the US. If a Liberal gov't passed the laws, it was certainly due to overwhelming demand - and a loud pro-US lobby - at that time ("at that particular time" is a very key point here).

Jump to 2007, where police have successfully investigated alleged terrorist groups WITHOUT the help of the Anti-Terrorism laws. Most lawmakers feel that the laws have passed their necessary life-span. This is the very reason the Liberal gov't instituted a "sunset clause". Liberals were aware of how draconian such laws can be if left unfettered. The "sunset clause" for the anti-terror laws is a critical component which ensured that citizens could have a reprieve from said laws IF it was deemed that there was less of a threat - or no real threat.

The security certificate decision will impact the greater argument concerning the anti-terrorism laws. Canada is a "safe" country. We need to continue our tradition of being globally neutral. When we ally ourselves with a particular side, it should be through the auspices of our Parliament and the United Nations (security resolutions, and mandates, etc.). Maintaining our neutrality and even-handed fairness will help us continue to grow as the greatest nation on earth.

As a party, we Liberals need to ensure the public is aware of the ongoing battle with neo-Con extremism, so we can protect Canadian democracy. It is our duty to educate the electorate on ideology, rather than strictly focus on platform (which can too easily be mimicked by other parties). It is critical that citizens know about the underlying ideologies which feed the various party apparatus. What do the membership of a party think? A party machine will often say or do things based on public opinion, however laws made by that party when in power are very often dictated by the party membership, and their ideological bent.

Today the Supreme Court helped fire a strong salvo in the coming ideological battle. We Liberals need to ensure we are prepared to carry the standard of human rights into the fray.

Somewhere In Heaven Rt. Hon. Pierre Trudeau Smiles

It is a great day for Canada. The Supreme Court ruling striking down security certificates is huge. Bigger still is the declaration that our Charter of Rights applies not just to Canadians, but to foreign nationals as well. In essence it protects humans - which is really what human rights are all about. The Court, and the Coalition for Justice are to be lauded for the actions they took to instigate this 9-0 unanimous decision.

We hear some neoCons harping about the fact that these laws were passed by a Liberal gov't. Sure they were - in the light of the most brazen attacks ever seen on North American soil (in this century at least). Canadians were almost feeling as paranoid as their American neighbors. The Reform/Alliance unanimously supported the laws. But beyond supporting them, the Reformers are on the record as being their shrieking, angry selves and attacking the government for not going far enough. It was a Reform/Alliance opposition backed by one giant conservative media conglomerate (all the CanWest/Global group) who consistently bashed the Liberal gov't on being "soft on terrorism". They came up with fantastic stories (based on these very cases in the Supreme Court) about "Canada's weak borders and lax immigration laws", and basically accused Canada of allowing, first, terrorists to enter the country and plot attacks, then somehow being responsible for them entering the US. If a Liberal gov't passed the laws, it was certainly due to overwhelming demand - and a loud pro-US lobby - at that time ("at that particular time" is a very key point here).

Jump to 2007, where police have successfully investigated alleged terrorist groups WITHOUT the help of the Anti-Terrorism laws. Most lawmakers feel that the laws have passed their necessary life-span. This is the very reason the Liberal gov't instituted a "sunset clause". Liberals were aware of how draconian such laws can be if left unfettered. The "sunset clause" for the anti-terror laws is a critical component which ensured that citizens could have a reprieve from said laws IF it was deemed that there was less of a threat - or no real threat.

The security certificate decision will impact the greater argument concerning the anti-terrorism laws. Canada is a "safe" country. We need to continue our tradition of being globally neutral. When we ally ourselves with a particular side, it should be through the auspices of our Parliament and the United Nations (security resolutions, and mandates, etc.). Maintaining our neutrality and even-handed fairness will help us continue to grow as the greatest nation on earth.

As a party, we Liberals need to ensure the public is aware of the ongoing battle with neo-Con extremism, so we can protect Canadian democracy. It is our duty to educate the electorate on ideology, rather than strictly focus on platform (which can too easily be mimicked by other parties). It is critical that citizens know about the underlying ideologies which feed the various party apparatus. What do the party members of a party think? A party machine will often say or do things based on public opinion, however laws made by that party when in power are very often dictated by the party membership, and their ideological bent.

Today the Supreme Court helped fire a strong salvo in the coming ideological battle. We Liberals need to ensure we are prepared to carry the standard of human rights into the fray.

Conservative Xenophobia Raises Its Ugly Head - Yet Again

As a proud South Asian Canadian I am shocked by Stephen Harper's attack on Sikh Canadians today. Now Canadians are well aware of racist statements made by conservatives Reformers, and Alliance MPs and candidates in the past. We are also pretty aware of Harper's now classic:
“You have to remember that west of Winnipeg the ridings the Liberals hold are dominated by people who are either recent Asian immigrants or recent migrants from Eastern Canada; people who live in ghettos and are not integrated into Western Canadian society.”- Rt.Hon. Stephen Harper, PM of Canada”.
The very definition of Conservative is "resistant to change" - like the change new immigrants and cultural change bring to a country. Harper's neo-Cons have repeatedly shown their anti-immigrant bias - whether in policy constructed to leave out the disadvantaged in society, or in glad-handing immigration policy which really amounts to a hill of beans in the real world.

Harper's comments today are all the more shocking (for average Canadians - not for those of us who lived in his riding and know this man) when you consider this is what he says in public - just imagine what Stephen Harper thinks of certain minorities in his private life. Just imagine what he thinks behind closed doors in his (very non-multi-cultural) cabinet meetings when he formulates policy.

Harpo's attack today was an attempt to (very inappropriately) attack an MP of resounding integrity based on the mere questioning of a (non-blood) relative in a terrorism case. Forget the fact that this man may have been nothing more than a mere witness, or a community leader in the know, and had no link in any way to the events. Forget that we have a justice system in this country (we all know what the Conservatives think of the Canadian Justice System).

Harper did a very ugly thing today: the deliberate and blatantly racist attack on an entire minority group based on a racist stereotype.  This is not new for Reformers.  Remember when a turbaned Sikh wished to join the RCMP, and Harper's (then Reform) now Western Conservative compatriots helped attack the Sikh community by opposing Sikhs in the RCMP, and lauding the creators of a very racist button being distributed at rallies in Western Canada?

Stephen Harper singled out a turban-wearing Sikh MP, and the entire Sikh community today. In speaking to many Sikhs in Surrey today we can confidently say that he has also angered this community. More importantly he has shown his true colors today (and those of his right-wing party), and any feeble attempt by him to curry favor in this community (as we know are bound to happen come election time) will fall on very aware ears. I urge all Liberals to carry this message forward when speaking with people from my community. I know this will be my main focus during the next few months. We have to ensure the large Sikh communities in Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Montreal are aware of Harper's public feelings towards us, and the callous way in which he will try anything to paint us all with the same brush.

Bravo Ralph!

It is great to see a man with impeccable integrity exonerated like we knew he would be. Ralph is a good friend, and really a great human being - besides being an incredibly honest and successful politician.

The Conservative SMEAR tactics were hurtful during the election. We all know the so-called sponsorship scandal was nothing more than a couple of low-end nobodies who just happened to hold a party membership (some even worked for the Cons previously). We now also have PROOF that the Cons relied on vicious drive-by smears to eke out a tiny minority. We need to turn the tables this Spring. Our MPs and candidates need to be witty and quick on their feet to succeed, and help us get the soundbites we'll need this election.

Time to get to work folks!

Happy Flag Day Canada!

Happy Flag Day! It is truly too bad that Canadian politics this past year or so do not reflect the values and spirit of Parliament in the days when our new flag was born.

Bear down team. We need to do everything we can to remove the neoCon scourge from the halls of Parliament. Talk to friends, neighbors, and co-workers to ensure they are well-educated on the policies of this government, as well as what Liberal ideology is all about.

Remember the flag. Peace.

Bravo Liberals! Our Strongest Opposition Moment Since The Election!

Well, it's about time. We finally have mounted a successful gambit in the Opposition Benches. Nice to see our experience and intelligence taking a front seat to our lost stumblings of the past several months.

On a lot of blogs on Liblogs I see bloggers talking about how Stephen Harper is governing like a dictator, and not someone with a slim minority government. The thing that many of us forget (hopefully not most of us) is that Harp is fully aware of the fact that we can't have an election right now... that most of the opposition is not ready (whether with policy, fiscally, or just plain mentally).

The puppetmaster team (Harp's US electioneering advisors) are fully aware of current Canadian political reality. He can be aggressive in his policy because he doesn't know anyone who will oppose him. His handlers can position him as the "tough, go-getter, driven" leader who is standing alone against the opposition. Harper is very good in this "lone gun" role. For neoCons, machismo and bravado are keys to turning public opinion into the flag-waving, beer-swilling, iconographic egoism we see represented by extreme conservatism in the United States. We're talking about a brand of machismo and extremism - punctuated by anger, fear, and hatred - that we haven't seen since Europe circa 1930s. What I fear most is that some of the public may look past his extreme policy just because they feel bad for him.

Sure... They Can Organize Now...

I'm a huge fan of education. My years in University were enjoyable and rewarding. I am, and will continue to be a HUGE supporter of the Canadian student, and this nation's education system.

Yesterday we all got to view some of the best, most encouraging, and well-planned student protests I've seen in years (and I've had the chance to set up a few myself...). Understanding that the student's main lament is extremely high (albeit not at US levels yet) tuition, I have one question:

When PM Martin was promising a program that would cover the 1st and final years of Canadian University students' tuition, where the @%T^#Q! were all the students? Why could we not get them out to vote the same way they came out for these protests??? This is just as much an open-ended question for our own party, as it is for Canada's students.

There are only a couple of parties which would really try to do something for education funding, and research funding. Harper's Cons are not one of them.

Pathetic Harper

Stephen Harper looked pathetic this week when arguing that Stephane was "denying" the science of clean air. It would take much more than Harper's stumping to change the truth on this one. Harper has been caught in an "inconvenient truth" situation... He was part of the "Alberta Oil Cartel" (so to speak) which got the neo-Cons elected - through all sorts of 3rd party manipulation (see National Citizen's Coalition, certain church groups, the Big Oil lobby, NRA, Farmers For Justice, etc., etc.).

Up to this year key Cons have been denying global warming. Now that polls are showing this to be a possible election issue, Harpo decides he needs to destroy the issue - rather than do anything about the actual problem. Harper looked like a clown when questioning Dion's commitment to the issue. He continues to gripe about Dion not doing anything... then goes on to cancel programs we Liberals did put into place (ex: Energuide). He fails to consider that Mr. Dion was part of a cabinet - not the PM - and may have had a lot less say than Ministers of other portfolios (ex: Finance, Public Works, etc.). There were many other priorities in the post-911 era.

Whatever the reason (and we don't need to make excuses), it is just a joke for the Cons to be questioning a dedicated intellectual's commitment to this matter. I had a few opportunities to meet with Mr. Dion over the years. I clearly recall the environment being the framework of a discussion he had with Young Liberals in the Westin Hotel in Calgary way back in 2004. He talked about how important the issue is, and how important Kyoto is. This was back when Mr. Dion was engaged in Mr. Harper's "war against Kyoto". Mr. Dion was a champion for Kyoto. If there was any reason why we Liberals couldn't do more than we did, it was due to the very LOUD NOISE coming out of Alberta - led by Mr. Harper, and Ralph Klein - both rabidly opposed to any measures that would impact Alberta's oil industry.

Mr. Harper is now in a bit of a conundrum. Unfortunately his lies about "a greener Canada" wouldn't cause him to lose votes in Alberta - no matter how angry people there get. Alberta is a very safe province for Harp. This makes it very easy for him to lie to the rest of Canada. All I gotta say is: If you think things are a little scary now, just see what happens if these clowns are given an accidental majority by the Canadian people.

Raminder Gill Patronage Appointment Used To Clear Way For Wajid Khan Defection? How Long Was This Planned?

This certainly is nothing abnormal - considering the Cons' complete lack of credibility on the principles of "accountability"...

With the appointment the Cons hoped to have 2 influential (in their own minds) South Asians able to press the flesh in the riding during an election. In a desperate ploy to obtain real MPs in Canada's largest urban centers they are finding the only way they can even appear to be trying to do this is via appointments.

The Gill appointment was wrong - according to Con "principles" in many ways: they say they don't believe in patronage... hahahahaha... lol, lol... They claim they are "attempting" to build bridges to the South Asian community. Hahahahaha... that's like saying "I'm not racist, I have (insert appropriate minority here) people as friends..."

The bottom line has always been: The definition of Conservative is "protecting/preserving the ways of the past". Any conservative movement - anywhere in the world - has typically always created policy aimed at preserving the mono-cultural identity of the majority population, while at the same time limiting the chances of success of any minority group. Canada's conservatives are no different. Growing up in "the West" (prairies, actually) allowed me to encounter many of those conservative ideas while knocking doors. The prairie heartland is where the roots of this new type of Conservative Party exist. Does anyone of any minority group actually think they (Cons) will be disloyal to their angry, mostly-immigrant-fearing SoCon base? C'mon!

Mainstream Media Sits On Collective Butts While Harper Twists Truth Without Consequence

Well, the headline basically explains it all. How can Canada's mainstream media be so willfully blind, that they can fail to take Harper to task on his stance on the whole Arar situation? I mean c'mon, the Conservative/Alliancers were a certifiable lynch mob when debating Maher Arar's release in Parliament. They were attacking our Liberal government on not arresting Arar ourselves. They were screaming about Arar being another example of poor Canadian immigration and border control, and how their American allies were being impacted by it.

I guess we can suppose that the nature of the conservative ownership of much of Canada's "new" tabloidish media explains why the BBC and sometimes CBC are among the last honest, non-sensationalizing true news agencies left in this world... This is the very reason why we cannot allow groups like BBC, CBC, and PBS die. The right will continue to try to paint these agencies as "left-wing", but these networks are really the only hope of any real neutrality in reporting in most of the world.

Shame.