Buckdog

Stephen Harpers strategy of not lowering flags on Parliament Hill for Canadian soldiers is indicative of his nervousness about the entire Afghanistan mission. If Harper thinks that we are too stupid to understand the reason for his goofy dictate, then he underestimates the Canadian people.

After his little experiment with media control he really is sticking his neck out on this issue. Harper is strategically gambling that the buckets of money he is about to throw at the military in his upcoming budget will blunt any outrage that the flag issue is generating.

Those who predicted that Canadians could expect to receive a good dose of 'George Bush lite' from the Harper government were right on the money!

Thirteen of America's leading physicists signed a letter on April 17th, addressed to President George W. Bush warning him to be very cautious in his plans to deal with ongoing Iranian nuclear development.

The joint letter stated: “It is gravely irresponsible for the U.S. as the greatest superpower to consider courses of action that could eventually lead to the widespread destruction of life on the planet. We urge the administration to announce publicly that it is taking the nuclear option off the table in the case of all non-nuclear adversaries, present or future, and we urge the American people to make their voices heard on this matter.”

The 13 physicists who coauthored the letter are: Philip Anderson, professor of physics at Princeton University and Nobel Laureate in Physics; Michael Fisher, professor of physics at the Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland and Wolf Laureate in Physics; David Gross, professor of theoretical physics and director of the Kavli Institute of Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara and Nobel Laureate in Physics; Jorge Hirsch, professor of physics at the University of California, San Diego; Leo Kadanoff, professor of physics and mathematics at the University of Chicago and recipient of the National Medal of Science; Joel Lebowitz, professor of mathematics and physics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and Boltzmann Medalist; Anthony Leggett, professor of physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Nobel Laureate, Physics; Eugen Merzbacher, professor of physics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and former president, American Physical Society; Douglas Osheroff, professor of physics and applied physics, Stanford University and Nobel Laureate, Physics; Andrew Sessler, former director of Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and former president, American Physical Society; George Trilling, professor of physics, University of California, Berkeley, and former president, American Physical Society; Frank Wilczek, professor of physics, MIT and Nobel Laureate, Physics; Edward Witten, professor of physics, Institute for Advanced Study and Fields Medalist.

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The following is an excerpt of an article in the April 15th Otttawa Sum by Stephanie Rubec.

" Prime Minister Stephen Harper has forbidden Canada's top military brass from speaking publicly for fear of detracting attention from his government's top priorities.

A top military officer said the Prime Minister's Office recently told Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier his speaking engagements had to be approved and his speeches would be vetted by Harper's staff.

Hillier was told to advise his top generals, admirals and commodores that the order applies to them.

A source close to Hillier said the general hauled in military brass to a closed-door meeting and verbally relayed the instructions.

GO THROUGH PMO

The senior military officer who attended the meeting said Hillier told brass they were to clear all media interview requests with the PMO. So far all requests for interviews have been turned down by the PM's staff.

"They don't want anything to detract from their five messages or lead to debate or discussion," said the source, who asked for anonymity to avoid repercussions himself.

Lower-ranking soldiers can still answer questions on their responsibilities and the programs they work in without having to seek PMO approval, the senior official said.

Here is what Defense Minister Gordon O'Connor said last November (concerning our military mission to Afghanistan) when he was the Conservative Opposition Defense Critic:
"What are the goals and objectives of the mission and how do they meet our foreign-policy objectives? What is the mandate, what is the defined concept of operations, what is the effective command and control structure, what are the rules of engagement?"

During last nights 'take notice' debate in the House, Minister Gordon accused the NDP of not supporting our troops by asking the very same questions that he asked last fall as an opposition MP.

Is there no limit to the games that the Federal Conservatives are playing with this issue?

Prime Minister Harper has stepped back from his previous position and has agreed to a special debate on the Canadian military mission to Afghanistan. The debate will occur on Monday evening, April 10th. Harper had previously insisted that a debate in the House of Commons would harm the morale of our troops. What nonsense!

Canadians have a right to know the following: a) What is the estimated length of time for our current mission in Afganistan? b) What are the projected costs of the mission? c) In view of the current American fiscal deficit to wage their campaign in Iraq, is Canada looking at a similar deficit budget to finance the mission? d) Considering Canada's long time role as an international 'peace keeper' has that role now been abandoned in view of our current active military committment?

These are all valid questions. I tip my hat to Jack Layton for his insistence on this debate.

King Ralph will be king no more. He will ask the Alberta PC Party to convene a leadership convention in September and Ralph will be gone shortly thereafter.

No one should be surprised at this. Ralph's world view is that Alberta 'owes' him and he is hurt that he is unable to continue as premier for as long as 'he' wants to. What Mr. Klein is not remembering is the fact that as the Premier, he is a public servant; a servant of the people. We do not make kings and queens out of our politicians. They get into that line of work because the want to serve the people. Not so Ralph. Oh no! The people of Alberta OWE him! Bullfeathers. The sooner he is off the public stage, the better!

CBC: Klein to quit this year after lukewarm party vote

canada.com: 'This was dirty politics at its best' - Palace coup may backfire, wife warns

"Prime Minister Stephen Harper is willing to re-enter debate over the Constitution in order to address concerns across the country, he told CBC News as legislators prepare for Parliament to resume Monday."

Link to CBC Story

Why would Harper think about opening the Pandora's box of the constitution? We all know that Harper has a "transformative agenda" for Canada - to make it more like the U.S. - but surely even his blind right-wing ideological devotion would allow him to be smart enough to remember what constitutional debates have done to every Prime Minister who has gone there.

The vast majority of people who voted for Harper are old enough to still feel pain when they hear the words "constitutional debate". Harper is going somewhere he shouldn't. The people of Canada don't want any constitutional debates. If he goes there it could loom large in a long list of miscalculations.

Well, well, well! Buckdog has been predicting (accurately) that political life for Ralph Klein was about to end. At last nights Leadership Review, he pleaded, he begged, he whinned and he grovelled to keep his job as Premier until 'HE' decides it is time for him to go. And what did Alberta Tories, in convention, have to say to Ralph? Simply this...Ralph, it is time for you to go.

You see in Ralph's mind, he has become more important than his Caucus, his Govenment, his Party and the People of Alberta. He really did believe all of his own hype and as is typical with many politicians, he felt invincible.

Buckdog Politics has been predicting Ralph's fall from power for a few weeks now. We were correct. Those who find themselves 'shocked' at the results of the review do not understand how politics works. Case in point. After leading the United Kingdom to Victory in World War II, the great leader, Winston Churchill was turfed out months after the wars end. Why? Because the war was over, his skills were no longer required. The greatest Prime Minister in British history was turfed out because he did not understand how the people think politically.

When politicians start listening to their own hype and stop listening to the people, defeat is just a matter of time.

Good bye Ralph - and thanks for all the memories. Don't let the door hit you in the 'arse' on your way out!!!

Toronto Star
It started in late February with Klein throwing a book at a teenage page in the legislature when he didn't like an Opposition question.

Then the budget received unprecedented criticism for what some perceived as reckless spending and no detailed plan to cope with the problems emerging in Alberta's booming economy.

His refusal to budge from a two-year retirement plan was the final straw to delegates who gave him only 55 per cent support in this weekend's leadership review. "All of that was a toxic political brew and ultimately it exploded in his face," said Taras.

Edmonton Sun: Ralph made Titanic miscalculation